Lorain County Volunteer Researchers

Research volunteers are the heart and soul of genealogy. They help out strangers who are not able to get to the places they need to be. Please remember to send an email or note of some sort to let the researcher that you contacted that you got the information you requested.

Please make sure that you are requesting look-ups for only what the researcher is listed to do. Example: If the researcher lists look-ups for a city directory, don't ask them for census information. Thank you for your consideration and understanding.

The following Lorain County records on microfilm can be ordered from Salt Lake Library by visiting your local Family History Center Library.

  • Birth Records, Lorain County Courthouse, 1867-1897, vol 1-3, film #1294334
  • Birth Records, Lorain County Courthouse, 1897-1908, vol 4-5, film #1294335
  • Death Records, Lorain County Courthouse, 1867-1889, vol 1-2, film #1294335
  • Death Records, Lorain County Courthouse, 1890-1908, vol 3-5, film #0447511

High School Annuals and Yearbooks of Lorain County

Many of the look-up volunteers will scan pictures.

  • Lorain County Schools

o    The 1925 ELSIESS,The yearbook has pictures and identifies all seniors from the following schools: Amherst, South Amherst, Wellington, Avon, Belden, Penfield, Columbia, Brighton, Camden, Brownhelm, Lagrange, Grafton, and Henrietta. Also identified are the faculty of all the elementary and high schools in the County (except Lorain and Elyria), including the county superintendent and school board, and all the members of the school boards of the individual County Schools (29 school boards in all). Richard Kurish

  • Amherst High School

Contains individual pictures of graduates, faculty, and each class down through 1st grade. Each graduate from 1887-1913 is listed along with city of residence. Jane will also provide pictures. Jane Kenney or Peggy Paterchak

o    1930 - 1995 - Includes married names for many female students. Nancy Meyers

  • Sheffield Lake High School

o    1958 - 1962 - "The Leader" Dee Bloomberg

This is a book, vol. one and two, first published in 1883. It has the Humphrey line back to Michael Humphrey, the first known Humphrey to set foot on American soil. It also has a lot of branches of the Humphrey family. The book is by Frederick Humphrey. Contact: Debbie.

  • Hungarians in America

This was published in 1941 by the (newspaper) Hungarian Daily out of Cleveland, Ohio. It contains fascinating information about American Hungarians, including many individuals from Lorain, Ohio. It doesn't just give demographic information, like addresses, birthdates, but actually tells a story about each individual, how they were respected, and their involvement in the community. Contact: Kelli Felde.

  • Church Records
  • Alien Petition for US citizenship and admitted

1824-1845 - abstracted by Mary Gray, 1961, Nancy Meyers

  • Maps
    • 1851 Tax Map - Jan Brooks
    • Atlas from Tax Map of Lorain County for 1857 - Published 1992 - Jean Diedrick
    • Atlas of Lorain County 1874 - Published 1974 - Jean Diedrick
    • Index to 1851 Lorain County Tax Map, -Dawn Linden
    • Atlas of Lorain County 1896 - Property owners marked on maps; photos and short bios of many citizens of Lorain County. Nancy Meyers
    • Directory of Freeholders from the 1896 Lorain County Atlas - Nancy Meyers
  • Beers' Biographical Record of Lorain County

Published 1894 - Nancy Meyers

  • A collection of records abstracted from Elyria City Health Dept

Births 1908-1990 and Deaths 1908-2000. - Nancy Meyers

  • DAR - Index to Lorain County Marriages, 1824 - 1865

Published 1980 - Nancy Meyers

  • 1879 History of Lorain County Ohio

Published by Williams Brothers. This publication contains a history of the settlement of each Township, and biographical sketches of many prominent citizens - Richard Kurish

  • 1916 History of Lorain County Ohio, Volume 1 and 2

Please contact: Richard Kurish

  • 1914 Amherst's Story

by Robert Grenville Armstrong, Published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Amherst Ohio. Contains history of the settlement and development of Amherst, and mentions many citizens of the city from 1814 to 1914. Contact: Richard Kurish.

  • Census Records

Be reminded that Census Indexes are not complete census records. An index will name only the head of household and persons in the household with a different surname.

    • Index to Lorain County Census and Tax List for 1820 - Jan Brooks
    • Index to Lorain County Census 1850 - Nancy Meyers
    • Index to Lorain County Census 1860 - Nancy Meyers
    • Lorain County Census 1870 - Dawn Linden
    • Index to Lorain County Census 1880 - Dawn Linden
    • 1890 Special Census of living Civil War Veterans and surviving widows - Please give Township - "Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Surviving Spouses" - Frank Waldek
    • 1910 Census, Elyria City Enumeration Districts, - Mary Anne Cella
    • Picturesque Elyria, 1874 - Jean Deidrick
  • The Family and Descendants of George Hall and Elizabeth Knight

Please contact: Randall Bott

  • Autobiography of Moses Deming, Columbia Historical Society, 1986

Please contact: Ruth Weitzel Guinns

  • Hoadley and Potter Families from Cuyahoga and Lorain Co., Ohio 1998

by Mildred Shores Sussell - Ruth Weitzel Guinns

  • General Catalogue Oberlin College, Oberlin OH

Lists students 1833-1960 with biographical information. - Nancy Meyers

  • Oberlin Colony, a History of Oberlin, OH, 1833-1933

Please contact: Bob Oliphant

  • History of Camden Township, Lorain Co OH

Lists early settlers. - Bob Oliphant

  • Women Who Came to the Western Reserve by 1840/1850

Please contact: Nancy Meyers

  • Lorain County Index
    • The Early Families of Sheffield - Thomas Hoerrle
    • The Lorain County Underground Railroad - Thomas Hoerrle
    • Katherine "Katie" Bachmann's Autograph Album, 1889-1892,Brownhelm Twp. - Sharon Swanson will photocopy pages for interested parties: Hattie ABELL, Anna ACKERMAN, Bertha ACKERMAN, Conrad ACKERMAN, Mary ACKERMAN, H., B. B., Anna BACHMANN, Georgie BACHMANN, Mary BACHMANN, Sidney BATES, Josi BOLAND, Clara CLAUSIUS, Amelia ENGLEBRY, Lydia FISCHER, Agnes GILCHRIST, Bertha HAHN, Lydia HAHN, Willie HAHN, Jennie HARRIS, Minnie HEIDELOFF, Anna HUENE, Pearl HUNES, Alice KANE, Hattie KLINE, Albert KRAPP, Carrie KRAPP, Ella LEIMBACH, Bert MATTISON, Louise MORAN, George NAEGELE, John NAEGELE, Alva PARSONS, Carrie PETERS, Laura PETTERSON, S. R., Maud RIEFERT, Anna RIES, Sophie RIES, E. A. ROSS, Louisa ROSS, Anna VEDDER, and Nellie WELLS
    • Lillian Wood's Autograph Book, - Sari Anna Autographs dating from 1880 thru 1883 when Lillian (from Brighton) was 10+yrs old. - Sari will look up the verse and perhaps make a copy for you. O.F. Goss 1880, Mary S. Goss 1880, Mattie Wilbur 1880, Susie Fenwick 1882, Herbie Goss 1880, Doug Blain 1880,Etta C. Paull 1881, Laura Hardy, Belle Pattinson 1883, Ella Stewart 1881, Frank Barradhoug 1883, Alice Hart 1881, Ella Myers, Hattie Osier 1883, Edna Perkins, Miriam Williams, David T. Williams (pastor) 1880, Manette Whipple 1881, Mary or Many A. Marshall, Willie Hubbell, Hattie Patterson 1882, Wilson Haynes, Ella Carr 1881.
    • Croel Wilkinson Nickols’ Journal, Lorain County Ohio, 1842 Francee Taylor will be happy to do lookups from her GG Grandfather's journal. Check the list for a surname. Surnames A-L, Surnames M-Y Copyright © 2001 Frances Taylor Haff, all rights reserved. Frances Taylor Haff, 8414 366th St. E. Eatonville, WA 98328

·  Statewide Genealogy Look-Up Forum - This is a web site of volunteers in many states who will do various types of look-ups on records such as Birth, Death, Census, Cemetery, Marriage, and obituaries.

·  Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850: An Index, (Bell, 1981) - Nancy Meyers

·  Sons of the American Revolution - CD lookup, William King

·  International Links with Lorain Connections

  • Bristol Genealogical Services - Contact: Malcolm Wright, Specializing in the south-west of England, particularly the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall and the cities of Bristol and Bath. Short searches of the records with results sent by email are at no cost. Hard copies snail-mailed are 75 cents per page with postage extra. If you prefer extensive research, contact Malcom by email and provide detail of what you are looking for. He will respond in 48 hours with a quote of his fee.

·  Researchers for Hire - The following researchers, while affiliate members of the Lorain County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, work independently. The Chapter assumes no responsibility for their availability or the results of their work. All arrangements must be made directly with these genealogists. In order to evaluate this service, we would appreciate a follow-up email regarding the quality of services you received.

  • FEES: Research fees are $10.00 per hour plus copies and expenses. A $20.00 retainer fee is required in most cases.>Lorain County Chapter members receive one hour free research. Please send a self-addressed stamped envelope if corresponding with a researcher.
    • Janice Brooks: Janice specializes in Federal Census research for Lorain County, Ohio, and will also do Lorain County courthouse research.
    • Diane Nott: Diane will do Lorain County Online research only, including Ancestry.com subscription access.