Local History & Genealogy

The Roselle M. Hunter Local History Room, located on the lower level of the Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library, is comprised of a broad spectrum of genealogical resources, including: census data, county records, cemetery books, military rosters, how-to books, newspaper archives and family histories. It is open for unrestricted use by the public during normal business hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:30 - 7:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 - 5:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 8:30 - 12:30 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays and selected holidays.

The local history room has one microfilm reader/printer available for public use. Copies of microform documents cost $.20 per page. There is a public photocopier located outside the local history room. Each copy from the photocopier costs 10 cents per page.

Materials from the local history room do not circulate and are not available for interlibrary loan.

Since the local history room is not staffed by genealogical librarians, the library is not equipped to provide research. For assistance with genealogical research, please contact a professional genealogist.

For more information, please contact HWMLgenealogy@outlook.com.

For additional local history and genealogical information, please contact the Vinton County Historical Society, P.O. Box 306, Hamden, OH 45634 or phone (740) 596-0253 (Alice's House), (740) 596-5706 or 596-4349.

Microfilm Collection

Census Records and County Dates

Athens County: 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870.

Gallia County: 1820, 1830, 1840,1850, 1860, 1870.

Hocking County: 1820, 1830, 1840,1850, 1860, 1870.

Jackson County: 1820, 1830, 1840,1850, 1860, 1870.

Ross County: 1820, 1830, 1840,1850, 1860, 1870.

Vinton County: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910.

Vinton County, named for Samuel Finley Vinton (who was a 19th century US Congressman from Ohio), was formed in 1850 from Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, and Ross counties.

Newspapers

Vinton County Republican 4/13/1850 - 8/19/1852

Vinton County Flag 8/26/1852 - 8/19/1853

McArthur Republican 12/10/1852 - 12/9/1853

McArthur Democrat 9/2/1853 - 12/2/-1865

Mineral Region Herald 4/17/1856 - 5/29-1856

McArthur Journal 12/24/1857 - 1/15/1863

McArthur Register 4/23/1863 - 10/26/1865

Vinton Record 1/4/1866 - 12/26/1895

Democrat Enquirer 1/24/1867 - 1/15/1873

McArthur Enquirer 1/22/1873 - 1/9/1884

Hamden Enterprise 1/1880 - 1/1902