Center for Archival Collections

Genealogy Resources: Williams County

Established: 12 February 1820 County Seat: Bryan
Geographical Names Newspapers Local Government Records	Indexes Churches Online Resources

Geographical Names (active post offices in bold)

Ainger
Alvordton
Bettsford
Blakeslee
Boise
Bryan
Cooney
Deer Lick
Domestic
Durbins Corners
Eagle Creek

Edgerton
Edon
Grisier
Howe
Karle
Kunkle
Lockport
Lukes Corners
Mazes Corners
Melburn
Montpelier

Nettlelake
Northwest
Oak
Phalanx
Pioneer
Primrose
Pulaski
Saint Joseph

Springlake
Stryker
West Bridgewater
West Buffalo
Westburgh
West Unity
Williams Center
Wilna

Township Organization

Township	Date	Other Notes
Pulaski	1837	Formerly called Beaver Township
St. Joseph	1832
Superior	1839
Brady	1836	Set off from Springfield Township
Madison	1843
Millcreek	1839
Springfield	1835
Centre	1836	Once part of Delaware Township (1833), then part of St. Joseph
Florence	1837
Bridgewater	1839
Jefferson	1837	Once part of Beaver Township
Northwest	1840

Newspapers

Newspapers are useful to genealogical research because of the obituaries and community news appearing in them. The following communities published newspapers with information relating to Williams County residents. To see the CAC's holdings for each title, go to the Guide to Newspaper Holdings, select the letter the city name begins with and scroll down or use your browser's search function to locate the description of the newspapers. Newspapers may also be located at your local public library or at the Ohio Historical Society.

Bryan
Edgerton
Edon

Montpelier
Pioneer

Stryker
West Unity

Local Government Records

Counties, townships, and cities all keep records of interest to family historians. Probate Court records include Births and Deaths (first recorded in 1867), marriages, wills, and guardianships. Naturalization records may also be found here as well as in the Court of Common Pleas. For a full listing of offices, see Williams County Guide to Local Government Records .

Researchers interested in contemporary records, or any record not listed here on the CAC's inventories should contact the Williams County Courthouse for more information.

Indexes

Search the BGSU Libraries online catalog for Williams County, Ohio histories and atlases. The following indexes have been compiled and are available for use at the Center for Archival Collections.

Cemetery indexes for Brady, Bridgewater, Center, Florence, Jefferson, Madison, Millcreek, Northwest, Pulaski, Springfield. St. Joseph, and Superior Townships.
Census index for 1870.
Potts, William M. A Necrology Index of Williams County, Ohio Residents as Reported in The Bryan Democrat, 1885-1910. University of Toledo, 1973.
Lash, Pamela Pattison. Williams County, Ohio Marriages: Volumes 1-8. Bryan, Ohio: Williams County Chapter, OGS, 1984.

Online Resources

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