County Research Guide

Hocking County, Ohio

Organized March 1, 1818 from parts of Athens, Fairfield, and Ross counties · county seat Logan. Repository addresses, online record links, and a free printable record checklist below.

Watch the Series

Hocking County, Ohio Genealogy & History

Short episodes that walk through Hocking County's records, one record type at a time.

Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look

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Where the records are

Hocking County Juvenile & Probate Courts

1 East Main St., Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-3022

juvenile.hocking.us

Marriage licenses, decedent's estates, guardianships, adoptions, and name changes. A dedicated genealogy page (prbGenealogy.php) points to the Records Repository below.

Hocking County Records Repository

105 W. Hunter St., Logan, OH 43138

Marriages 1818–1990, estates 1820–1984, guardianships 1831–1984, births 1867–1943, and deaths 1867–1908 — the Probate Court itself only retains the most recent 5 years on-site.

Hocking County Recorder

1 East Main St., 1st Floor, Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-2031

hocking.oh.gov/Recorder

Deeds, mortgages, transfer certificates, and leases from 1818 forward.

Hocking County Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas)

1 E. Main Street, Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-2616

hocking.oh.gov/Clerk

Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.

Hocking County Auditor

1 E. Main Street, Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-2127

co.hocking.oh.us

Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.

Logan-Hocking County District Library — Genealogy Room

230 E. Main St., Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-2348

loganhockinglibrary.org/content/genealogy-room

Local history materials, census, military, and church records; a digitized Logan Daily News collection (2008–present).

Hocking County Historical and Genealogical Society and Museum

64 N. Culver St., Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-6026

hockingcountyhistorymuseum.org

A combined historical and genealogical organization — family history books, church/school records, and a research library, housed at the museum rather than the public library. Confirm current seasonal hours before visiting.

Hocking County Health Department

350 St. Rt. 664N, Logan, OH 43138 · (740) 385-3030 ext. 257

hockingcountyhealthdepartment.com

Births 1944–present, deaths 1909–present. Earlier records: the Records Repository above.

Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.

Before Hocking County existed

Hocking County was formed in 1818 from Athens, Ross, and Fairfield Counties. For records made before then, search the parent counties:

Land: Ohio Company Purchase

Part of Hocking County lies in the Ohio Company Purchase, land bought by the Ohio Company of Associates, the New England veterans who founded Marietta in 1788. The first titles came from the company, so start with the earliest deeds at the county Recorder (or the parent county's).

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.

More for Hocking County

Newspapers of Hocking County

Titles that covered Hocking County, historic and current, with where to search each one. Not every historic title has been digitized — several survive only on microfilm.

TitleYearsWhere to Search
The Hocking Sentinel1871-1906Chronicling America (free, full run)
Hocking Valley Gazette1877-1883Chronicling America (free, full-text searchable)
Logan Daily News1884-1909; 2008-presentGenealogyBank & Newspapers.com; current at loganohiodailynews.com
Ohio Democrat (Logan)1886-1906GenealogyBank (subscription)
Logan Daily News and the Democratic-Sentinel1935-1938Microfilm — Ohio History Connection
Hocking County Times / Rockbridge-area papers19th-20th c. (scattered)Microfilm only — Hocking County District Public Library

Download the Newspaper Research Log (PDF)

Printable Record Checklist

Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.

Brick Walls & Buckeyes emblem Brick Walls & Buckeyes brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Hocking County, Ohio

Vital & Probate

Birth record (Health Dept 1944+, or Repository 1867–1943)
Death record (Health Dept 1909+, or Repository 1867–1908)
Marriage record (Records Repository, 1818–1990)
Will / estate administration file (Repository, 1820–1984)
Guardianship record (Repository, 1831–1984)
Divorce or court case (Clerk of Courts)

Land & Property

Deed / land transfer (Recorder's Office, 1818+)
Mortgage record
Transfer certificate
Lease record
Tax duplicate (Auditor, FamilySearch)
First land purchase or patent (BLM GLO or county deeds)

Community & Print

Newspaper mention (Logan Daily News)
Church / school record (Museum & Genealogical Society)
Cemetery record / headstone photo
Museum artifact record
Census record

Addresses and links last checked October 2026.

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