Created February 12, 1820 from former treaty land and organized March 1, 1833 · county seat Kenton. Repository addresses, online record links, and a free printable record checklist below.
Short episodes that walk through Hardin County's records, one record type at a time.
Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look
Watch on YouTubeOne Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 674-2230
Wills, estates, guardianships, adoptions, marriage licenses, and birth/death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908.
One Courthouse Square, Suite 220, Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 674-2252
Deeds, mortgages, and liens.
One Public Square, Suite 310, Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 674-2278
Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.
One Courthouse Square, Suite 250, Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 674-2239
Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.
mljlibrary.org/reference-research/genealogy
In-library-use newspaper microfilm for multiple historic Kenton titles, Hardin County census 1820–1930, city/county directories 1908–1999, and Ohio Northern University yearbooks.
211 W. Franklin St., Kenton, OH · PO Box 520, Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 674-4088
hardincountygenealogy.com · Wed–Thu 1–5pm
A separate, dedicated location from the public library, donated in 2003. Organized as an OGS chapter since 1982.
223 N. Main St., Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 673-7147
hardinmuseums.org · Fri–Sun 10–4
A separate organization from the Genealogy Society above — an artifact museum including the Jacob Parrott Medal of Honor exhibit and a Civil War room.
175 W. Franklin St., Suite 120, Kenton, OH 43326 · (419) 673-6230
hardinhealth.org/vital-statistics-2
Records from 1909 forward. Records before that: Probate Court or the Genealogy Society above.
Find A Grave — Hardin County. WPA-era cemetery plat maps are at the Hardin County Tax Map/Engineer's Office.
Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.
Many Hardin County record books are filmed and free to view at FamilySearch (free account required).
In Full-Text Search, add Hardin County, Ohio as the place to find names inside handwritten deeds, wills, and court books. How to use it.
Hardin County was formed in 1820 from Logan County. For records made before then, search the parent county:
Part of Hardin County lies in the Virginia Military District, land Virginia set aside for its Revolutionary War veterans. It was surveyed in irregular metes and bounds, and the first owners' records follow a warrant, entry, survey, and patent trail.
Other parts of the county were federal Congress Lands or smaller special tracts. Where land was sold by the federal government, the first purchase appears as a federal patent.
Titles that covered Hardin County, historic and current, with where to search each one. Not every historic title has been digitized — several survive only on microfilm.
| Title | Years | Where to Search |
|---|---|---|
| Hardin County Republican | 1853-1911 | Chronicling America (LOC, digitized) |
| The News-Republican | 1896-1938 | Chronicling America (loc.gov) |
| Kenton Graphic-News-Republican | Early-mid 1900s | Ohio Memory (ohiomemory.org) |
| The Kenton Times | 1953-present | Chronicling America (1953+); current at kentontimes.com |
| Kenton Daily Democrat | 1880s-1930s | Microfilm only — Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library |
| Kenton Weekly Republican | 1860s-1890s | Microfilm only — Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library |
| Kenton Daily News / Kenton Press | 1900s-1950s | Microfilm only — Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library |
Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.
Brick Walls & Buckeyes
brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Hardin County, Ohio
Addresses and links last checked October 2026.
County guides, record walkthroughs, and brick wall breakthroughs. Subscribe on YouTube and tap the bell so new episodes find you.
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