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Genealogy & Local History

The Ashland County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) maintains a Genealogy and Local History Room located in the mezzanine level of the Ashland Public Library. This room is operated jointly by the chapter and the APL Adult Services Department. This room contains the Chapter’s First Families files, its obituary files and 5-generation charts and county census records from 1850 – 1880 and 1900-1930. Additional resources available include Ashland County newspapers on microfilm from 1852 to June 2016 and some materials pertaining to other Ohio counties and other states. Most materials in this collection are not cataloged in the Ashland Public Library system.

Adult Services Staff can help with general orientation, microfilm reader/printer machines, and finding cataloged materials, but cannot provide in-depth research assistance.

Chapter volunteers are available to assist patrons on a monthly schedule:

  • 7 – 9 pm every 1st Tuesday
  • 1 – 3 pm every 2nd and 4th Thursday
  • 5 – 6 pm every 3rd Tuesday
  • 10 am to Noon every 3rd Saturday

Photocopies and microfilm cost 15 cents a page.
The Adult Services Staff can fulfill requests for copies of obituaries from the Ashland Times-Gazette. Requests are limited to three per patron and must include exact dates of death (month/day/year).

Mailed requests may be sent to the Adult Services Department at Ashland Public Library, 224 Claremont Avenue, Ashland, Ohio 44805. Please be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for reply.

Fax requests can be sent to the Adult Services Department at 419-281-8552; fax requests will receive a faxed reply.

Email requests can be sent to publicservices@ashland.lib.oh.us. Patrons sending requests via email will receive the obituaries as attached images in an email reply unless otherwise requested.

Patrons with more than 3 obituary requests or seeking more extensive research must contact the Ashland Chapter OGS, P.O. Box 681, Ashland, Ohio 44805. They will perform research requests on a limited basis for a nominal fee. Patrons are also invited to attend the monthly meetings of the Ashland Chapter, OGS.

New to the library in late 2018 is digital access to the Ashland Times-Gazette, spanning 2006 up to the present date. (Note that from January 1, 2006 through present date, the database contains text-only versions of the Ashland Times-Gazette articles; full images of the entire newspaper are available from December 1, 2018 to present date.)

Ancestry, Library Edition is available to use within the library.

Ancestry Library

Ashland County Chapter of the OGS

The Ashland County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) takes an active part in collecting and housing Ashland County primary and secondary source records and makes them available to genealogists, historians and any interested persons. The Ashland County Chapter was formed in 1970 to create and build interest in preserving and collecting all genealogical and historical records relating to the early settlers of Ashland County and vicinity.

The members achieve this goal by publishing articles and books; securing donated or purchased manuscripts, letters, pictures, Bible records, obituaries and news items portraying Ashland County pioneers, maintaining a library genealogical reference collection; and educating the public through meeting lectures, seminars, and individual fellowship.

The Chapter meets at 6:30 pm on the third Tuesday of every month, except December, at Ashland Christ United Methodist Church, 1140 Claremont Avenue, Ashland, Ohio, in the lower level of the church.
The January and February meetings are informal workshops geared toward the beginner, with no official business conducted. The November meeting is the Annual Meeting and First Families Banquet. All meetings are open to the general public free of charge. Fees for the banquet or any special seminars are announced in the chapter newsletter.

The Ashland County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society can be reached via mail at Ashland Chapter OGS, P.O. Box 681, Ashland, Ohio 44805.

For more information, please visit the chapter’s website.

Ashland County Chapter Website