Morrow County Genealogical Society - OH

12/28/2025

Finding Your Ancestors in the Digital Library of Appalachia (New Quicksheet)

The Digital Library of Appalachia (DLA) is a free, regionally focused digital repository that brings together primary-source materials from Appalachia into one searchable website. While it is not a genealogy database in the traditional sense, it contains a wide variety of digitized materials that can directly support family history research—especially for families who lived in or passed through the Appalachian region. The DLA is particularly valuable for locating community-based records rarely digitized elsewhere, finding local names, places, and families in photographs and documents, discovering church, school, occupational, and cultural materials, and providing historical context for Appalachian ancestors. This Quicksheet explains how the DLA works, how to search it effectively, and where genealogists are most likely to find usable clues.

Get the Quicksheet PDF at https://theancestorhunt.com/blog/finding-your-ancestors-in-the-digital-library-of-appalachia/

12/03/2025

Come on in - before or after the parade! It will be warm inside!!

11/24/2025

Sad to hear of the loss of this Morrow County landmark, the Aaron Benedict House.

On Sept. 8, a fire ravaged the Benedict House on County Road 24, a mile south of state Route 229. The house, built in 1834 by Aaron L. Benedict, has a legendary history known as an Underground Railroad “station” for fugitive slaves on their journey north to freedom in Canada.

10/07/2025

Representatives from the ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management visited the Morrow County Genealogical Society and the Morrow County Historical Society - Morrow County, OH today. They were excited to see the photos and memorabilia from Morrow County's oil boom in the 1960's. Thank you, Hartman Printing, for scanning our treasured photos! Pictured are Ann Artrip, Morrow County Genealogical Society, Kevin Evans, Morrow County Historical Society, and Sandra Evans and Eric Vendel, both with ODNR.

10/03/2025

🌟👻 Join us for the 10th Annual Cemetery Walk next Sunday, October 5th! 🌳✨ Experience local history like never before as we stroll through stories of the past, brought to life by captivating reenactors. Don’t miss this unique blend of art, culture, and community! 🎭🕯️ Bring your friends & family for a memorable event! 🍂💬 Start times will be 2:00 and 2:30 PM, Golf Cart transportation for those that need it.

09/16/2025

“Virtual Tornado Memorial Project” Webinar with Jen Narramore
Find out how your family’s history could aid them in documenting historical tornados and their impacts. Watch here:

Jen Narramore, meteorologist and host of the podcast Tornado Talk, presents information on the Virtual Tornado Memorial Project and how your family’s history...

09/06/2025

Congratulations Addison Watkinson on your first place Family History Treasure Hunt project in the Morrow County Junior Fair!

07/12/2025

🚨 Attention Nonprofit Cemetery Operators! 🚨
Are you looking to preserve and maintain your local cemetery? The Ohio Department of Commerce Cemetery Grant Program is offering funding to help care for and maintain cemeteries across the state — protecting Ohio's stories.

Don't miss out — apply today! Applications are open now. More details at: https://ow.ly/uIcu50WnjMO

07/12/2025

After more than 70 years, U.S. Army Cpl. Paul E. Hoots is finally coming home. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has identified his remains using DNA analysis. Hoots went missing during the Korean War in July 1950 and was buried as unknown in Hawaii’s Punchbowl Cemetery. He’ll be laid to rest this month in his hometown of Galesburg, Illinois.
https://f3.social/6y9p

06/16/2025

Let me show you something most newbies completely miss.

06/02/2025

This is a project recording the meteorological history as well as personal stories related to tornados. If you have photos or stories related to a tornado, you might want to check this out!

Virtual Tornado Memorial Project Tornado Talk is a dynamic, information packed website devoted to tornado history! We are embarking upon a NEW project to create a Virtual Tornado Memorial! The Merriam-Webster definition of memorial is: “something that serves to keep alive the memory of a person or...

04/27/2025

In 2025, the Morrow County Genealogical Society is celebrating its 48th year and the 37th year of the Society of First Families of Morrow County.
To obtain membership in First Families of Morrow County, you must prove a direct ancestor resided in Morrow County as of 1850. In our 37 years of existence, the members have proven 761 ancestors. This year, 5 new members added 8 previously unproven ancestors, making our total 769.
Congratulations to our 2025 members: #241 William H. Mills (4 proven ancestors), #242 Pamela Kay Oler Bellomy (18 proven ancestors), #243 Norma June Bowers Oler (18 proven ancestors), #244 Deborah Mae Craley McGowan (10 proven ancestors), and #245 Jonathan Artrip (11 proven ancestors). Also, congratulations to William Bradley Wood, member #199, who proved 4 additional ancestors.
The annual First Families luncheon was held at Trinity United Methodist Church on April 26th, with guest speaker Rev. John Rankin (as portrayed by Mark Bohland) telling about his life and efforts to eliminate slavery.