Find Harrison County Genealogy

Harrison County genealogy records stretch back to 1814, when the county was formed from parts of Jefferson and Tuscarawas Counties. The county seat is Cadiz, a small town in eastern Ohio where most records are stored at the courthouse on West Market Street. Researchers can search for birth, death, marriage, land, court, and probate files through the Probate Court, Clerk of Courts, and County Recorder. This page covers where to find each type of record and what to expect when you start your Harrison County genealogy search.

Harrison County Probate Court

The Harrison County Probate Court is at the courthouse at 100 W. Market Street, Cadiz, OH 43907. This is where you start for most genealogy work in the county. The court holds birth and death records from 1867 to 1908, marriage records from 1814, and probate files going back to 1814. Those marriage books are over 200 years old now. Certified copies are available in person or by mail.

Probate files include wills, estate inventories, guardianship papers, and adoption records. If your ancestor died in Harrison County, the estate may have gone through this court. Wills and inventories can tell you a lot about a family. They list property, names of heirs, and sometimes even household items. Adoption records are restricted under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.126, but most other probate records are open.

For births and deaths after December 20, 1908, the state took over. Contact the Ohio Department of Health for those records. Death records from 1908 to 1953 are at the Ohio History Connection in Columbus.

Land Records and Genealogy

The Harrison County Recorder keeps land records from 1814 forward. Deeds, mortgages, plat maps, and military discharge papers are all filed here. Eastern Ohio saw a lot of early settlement, and Harrison County was no different. If your family was in this area in the early 1800s, land records are one of the best ways to trace them.

Property records in Ohio are public under Title 37 of the Ohio Revised Code. You can visit the office in Cadiz to look up deeds and transfers. Land records often show who sold to whom, when, and for how much. That can help you piece together when a family arrived or left. Military discharge records are also useful for finding service details on Civil War and other veterans.

Harrison County Court Files

The Clerk of Courts holds divorce records and other civil case files from 1814. Criminal case files are here too. Ohio is a public records state, so most of these are open to anyone.

Divorce records can be a rich source for genealogy. They often list full names, ages, dates of marriage, names of children, and reasons for the split. If you hit a wall with vital records, court files sometimes fill in the blanks. Contact the Clerk of Courts at the Harrison County Courthouse in Cadiz for copies. Older case files from the 1800s may take extra time to pull, so call ahead if you can. Criminal records also sit with the Clerk of Courts. While these are less common in genealogy work, they can sometimes confirm that a person was in the county at a certain time, especially when other records are missing.

Genealogy Research in Harrison County

The Harrison County Historical Society keeps local history collections and research materials. They can point you to resources that go beyond what the courthouse holds. Family files, old photos, and community records are all part of their collection. Small-county historical societies like this one often have details that never made it into official records.

The Puskarich Public Library in Cadiz serves Harrison County with a genealogy section and local history files. Libraries are great for census records, city directories, and newspaper clippings that can round out your research. The library also provides access to online databases. For broader Ohio searches, FamilySearch has a Harrison County page with record guides and links to digitized collections.

The OhioGenealogy.org portal is a useful free tool for connecting county-level research to state resources.

This portal links to county-specific resources across all 88 Ohio counties, including Harrison County.

Ohio State Records for Harrison County

The Ohio Genealogical Society maintains the Ohio Records Index, which covers census, tax, court, and vital records for every county. Their research library in Bellville is worth a visit if you are doing deep work on Harrison County families. The Ohio History Connection Vital Records Guide is also helpful for figuring out which agency holds each type of record by date range. The Ohio Memory digital library is also worth a look for digitized photographs, maps, and newspaper pages tied to Harrison County.

Under ORC Chapter 3705, vital records follow state guidelines for filing and access. Section 3705.09 says birth certificates must be filed within ten days. For Harrison County records before 1867, church records and family bibles may be the only source since Ohio did not start civil registration until that year. The FamilySearch Ohio Vital Records page explains these gaps well.

Cities in Harrison County

Harrison County is mostly rural. Cadiz is the county seat and the largest community. No cities in Harrison County meet the population threshold for a separate page, but all residents use the Harrison County offices listed above for records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Harrison County. If your ancestor lived near the edge of the county, their records may have been filed next door.