AREA RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY
BRIGGS LAWRENCE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY HAMNER ROOM
Local History and Genealogy Department
www.briggslibrary.com/hamner/aboutus.htm
321 South Fourth Street
Ironton, OH 45638
PHONE: 740.532.1124
FAX: 740.532.4948
genealogy@briggslibrary.com
Hours: Mon-Thurs 9am – 8:30pm; Fri & Sat 9am – 5:30pm
Summer Hours: Mon-Thurs 9am – 8:30pm; Fri 9am – 5:30pm
Saturday 10am-3pm
Closed Sunday’s
Area Records on Microfilm
Federal Census 1820-1880 (surrounding counties)
Wills 1847 – present
1890 Special Census (surrounding counties)
Births & Deaths 1868 – 1938
Federal Census 1900-1930 (surrounding counties)
Marriages 1817 – present
Early Court Records (Incomplete)
Newspapers 1850 – present
Sanborn Insurance Maps
Some Early Furnace Records
Some Early Court Records
Tax Duplicate Records 1817 & 1822
Death Indexes from Ohio Department of Health 1908-1944, excluding 1933-1937
Special Collections
First Families of Lawrence County
Tombstone readings from area cemeteries
Some early Church Records
Ironton City Directories (Incomplete)
Birth Indexes 1909-present
Woodland Cemetery Records
Family History Center
Vertical Files of area History
Yearbooks (incomplete)
Death Indexes 1909-present
Briggs Lawrence County Public Library does not perform genealogical research, which is requested by phone,
letter or e-mail. We will return all such requests to the sender, and will respond with a list of the names of local
researchers obtained from the Lawrence County Genealogical Society, who can perform those services.
The staff at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library will continue to assist all persons who visit the Phyllis
Hamner Local History and Genealogy Room located at the Main Library in Ironton, Ohio.
*Copies are located at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library, Hamner Room.
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AREA RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY
LAWRENCE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
1 Veteran Square
Ironton, OH 45638
Auditor’s Office
PHONE: 740-533-4343
HOURS: M-F 8:00-4:00
The Auditor serves as the county’s chief disbursing officer and prepares the county’s property tax lists
annually.
 Land and personal tax records from formation of county to present date.
 *Tax Records from 1818 & 1821 are microfilmed and available at Briggs
Lawrence County Public Library’s Hamner Room.
 A lot of records were destroyed by fire; tax duplicate records were
prepared to replace them.
 Tax Duplicate Records doesn’t show any transfer information, and have
little genealogical value.
 Records 1865-1881 are off site from the courthouse. In order to see those
records, an appointment must be made in advance.
 Lawrence County Auditor’s Industrial Appraisals contain information on
Industrial plants in the county. These appraisals (1942-1974) are house at
the Alden Library, Department of Archives and Special Collections in
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.
Board of Education
PHONE: 740.532.4223
HOURS: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
 They have school records from 1920’s- present. Must have written
permission from the person you are requesting information about.
Board of Elections
PHONE: 740.532.0444
HOURS: M-F 8:30 – 4:00
 If resident is a registered voter, they will give you name, address, birthday,
birthplace, and party, everything listed on the card, except SS#.
 Can phone in request, copies are free unless excessive amount, then 25¢
each.
*Copies are located at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library, Hamner Room.
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AREA RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY
County Commissioners
PHONE: 740-533-4300
HOURS: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
 Commissioners have charge of all county property, construction of roads,
changes in boundaries, issuance of bonds and supervision of other county
officers.
 County Commissioner’s Journals are from formation to county to present.
 *Journals 1817-1904 are on microfilm at Briggs Library.
Clerk of Court of Common Pleas
PHONE: 740-533-4357
HOURS: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
The Office of the Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is responsible for all records of the Common Pleas Courts, Court of Appeals, Grand
Jury, Auto Titles, Bonds, Notaries, Jurors, and Divorces.
 *Journals and *Complete Records contain many records including
criminal cases, license and permits. You will find licenses for Minister,
Ferry’s, Liquor, Taverns, etc. Early Naturalizations are in some Journals.
 Older, brittle court records are no longer copied from the original books,
because of their frail condition. A typed copy will be mailed to you, as
soon as possible. To obtain a copy, give staff the name, book number and
page number, along with your mailing address. When requesting copies,
please enclose $10.00 per request, along with a large SASE.
 No phone calls or email requests will be accepted.
 They do not do genealogical research.
 Digital cameras are allowed.
 Divorces are from 1817-present. After 1988 the index is on their website
http://www.lawrencecountyclkofcrt.org/
 Indexes for Divorces (before 1988 are located in the Appearance Dockets,
which gives you the Journal and page numbers.
County Engineer’s
PHONE: 740-533-4317
HOURS: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
 First called the County Surveyor, they were responsible for surveying
lands which were sold for taxes. They have early Tax Maps for the early
years of *1872, 1917, 1926, and 1930. The entire county is not included
in these maps.
 *Current county maps are available at their office for $1.00 each. These
maps have locations of cemeteries.
*Copies are located at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library, Hamner Room.
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AREA RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY
Lawrence County Health Department
2120 South 8th Street
Ironton, OH 45638
PHONE: 740-532-2172
HOURS: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
 The Health Department has county births and deaths certificates from 1909-present.
 *Indexes are at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library, Hamner Room.
 Must obtain copies of certificates at the Health Dept.
 Copies are $18.00
 Give staff the name of the person and the year of death/birth. You do not have to
know the month and day.
Law Library
PHONE: 740-533-4317
 Not open to general public.
HOURS: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
Probate Court
HOURS: M-F 8:00-4:00
Births, Deaths, Marriages, Adoptions, and Wills.
*PLEASE NOTE: Most records from Probate Court have been microfilmed and sent to
Briggs Lawrence County Public Library’s Local History & Genealogy Department.
Early Probate Court Journals, Marriages, Will Books, etc. are housed at Athens OU Alden
Library in Athens, Ohio.
(Check with the Library first before going to the Probate.
A lot of the records in Athens were microfilmed and sent to Briggs Library.)
*Births 1868-1938
*Deaths 1868-1938
*Marriages before 1966, they cannot copy from the original book.
*Marriages after 1966, they can copy from the original book.
*Births and deaths on microfilm, available at:
o *Briggs Library
o Ohio Historical Society
o Family History Centers.
*Wills 1843- present are on microfilm at Briggs Library.
*Delayed Birth Records from Oct 1945-1965 are on microfilm at Briggs Library.
After 1965, Delayed Birth Records are at Probate Court.
PHONE: 740-533-4343
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*Copies are located at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library, Hamner Room.
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AREA RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY
Recorders Office
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PHONE: 740-533-4314
HOURS: M-F 8:00-4:00
*Land records from formation of county to date.
*Briggs Library has deed index books from 1817-1897 and microfilmed deeds from
1817-1867. These microfilms are also available at all Family History Centers, and Ohio
Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio.
Veteran’s Burial records: 1775-present
*Military Discharge Records from Civil War to present
*Cemetery Plat Books
Land Plat books from 1851-present, shows subdivisions
Lawrence County School Superintent’s Office
PHONE: 740-533-4223
HOURS: M-F 8:00-4:00
School records are available after 1930 only. Other school records are located in
Athens OU Alden Library.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office
PHONE: 740-532-3106
HOURS: M-F 8:00-4:00
*Sheriff’s Jail Register is available on microfilm 1867-1923.
*Copies are located at Briggs Lawrence County Public Library, Hamner Room.
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