Akron-Summit County Public Library

Internet Resources
Compiled by the Librarians of the Akron-Summit County Public Library

Genealogy Websites

Local Genealogical Sites of Interest
General Genealogical Sites of Interest
Immigration and Naturalization
Military Sites for Genealogy
Preserving Your Family Documents and Photographs

Local Genealogical Sites of Interest

Barberton Health District birth and death records 1938-present
www.barbertonhealth.org/vital.htm: This database currently includes entries for births and deaths in Barberton, Ohio from 1838-present. Records are added monthly, and the database will eventually back through 1909.
City of Hudson's cemetery records
www.hudson.oh.us/departments/cemeteries/index.asp: Allows you to search Hudson cemeteries (Markillie, St. Mary's, Olde Hudson Township, Draper and O'Brien) by name or date of death.
Cleveland Public Library
www.cpl.org: Need to find a reference to a Cleveland area death? Try the Cleveland Necrology File, 1850-1975, on CPL's site. Compiled by staff, this resource combines cemetery records and newspaper death notices. If the death you are researching is post 1975, try their Cleveland News Index.
FamilySearch Labs - Ohio Death Certificates
www.familysearchlabs.org: Locate free images of Ohio death certificates from 1908-1953 on this test site of genealogy databases of FamilySearch.org. Registration is required.
Hayes Presidential Center's Obituary Index
http://index.rbhayes.org/hayes/index/: An index to over 1,200,000 Ohio obituaries, death and marriage notices, and other sources dating from the 1810s to the present day. Entries are contributed by more than 40 libraries from 27 counties, many of them in northwest Ohio.
Hudson Library and Historical Society
www.hudsonlibrary.org: The Hudson Library and Historical Society's collection of genealogical materials focuses on Ohio and the eastern United States. They also maintain one of the largest manuscript collections in the U.S. about abolitionist John Brown. Check out their website for a description of the many resources held by our neighbor library.
NEO-RLS Regional Library System Obituary Index
http://ohiofamilysearch.org/: An index to obituaries from seven newspapers in northeast Ohio. Entries are contributed by six library systems from five counties.
Ohio Genealogical Society
www.ogs.org: Search this site to discover more about area chapters, lineage societies, and upcoming events and conferences. The site also provides information about the OGS' own library in Mansfield, Ohio. Databases on this site are available to members only.
Ohio Historical Society
www.ohiohistory.org: Genealogists will find the online version of the Ohio Death Certificate Index, 1913-1937, a helpful aid. The ASCPL Main Library maintains the microfilm version of this index covering the years 1908-1932 and 1938-1944.
Ohio Veterans' Home Cemetery - Sandusky
www.ohioveteranshome.gov/: This site provides access to the burial information of the Sandusky Veterans Home. Once in the site, click on Sandusky and then OVH cemetery. Date of death, grave location, and photo of headstone provided.
Soldier's Home of Dayton
www.carolynjburns.com/soldiers/: This site provides access to burial records and partial register of former patients of the old National Soldiers Home located in Dayton, Ohio.
Summit County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society
http://spot.acorn.net/gen/: Find out how you can network with this local chapter of the OGS to make the most of your research efforts.
Summit County Clerk of Courts - Naturalization Records 1850-1991
http://204.126.123.146/Naturalization/NaturalizationSearch.aspx: Looking for citizenship papers for a Summit County Ancestor? These records are now available on-line.
Summit County Probate Court's Case Access
http://www.summitohioprobate.com/CaseAccess.htm: The Summit County Probate Court has mounted three searchable indexes. The General Index contains docket information for cases that were opened since 1999 but are now closed. Confidential information is not included. The Historical Index has reference information for Estates, Guardianships, and Trusts filed from 08/18/87 through 12/28/99. The Historical Marriage Index contains information about marriage licenses filed from 01/01/86 through12/28/99.
University of Akron Archives
www3.uakron.edu/ul/archives/index.html: Can the University of Akron Archives help you in your genealogical search? Learn more about their Regional History Collections and other resources.
Western Reserve Historical Society
www.wrhs.org: Looking for information on prominent Clevelanders? Visit this site to explore the Biographical Sketch Name Index in the Collections section of the website. You can also search their online catalog to learn more about their holdings.

General Genealogical Sites of Interest

Board for Certification of Genealogists
http://www.bcgcertification.org/: Would you like to hire a certified genealogist? Would you like to become certified? Find out more about both at this website.
Cyndislist
www.cyndislist.com: Cyndi Howells has created over 150 categories of genealogical resources available on the Internet. This is a terrific place to begin an Internet search.
Family Search
www.familysearch.org: Visit this site to search multiple free resources such as Ancestral File, the International Genealogical Index, and Pedigree Resource File. This site also allows you to find the nearest Family History Library.
National Archives and Records Administration
http://www.archives.gov/research_room/index.html: This is the direct link to NARA's "Research Room." At this site, you can learn how to obtain such records as ship passenger lists or pension records as well as connect to the Genealogy and Family History page.
National Genealogical Society
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org: Information regarding this organization's courses, events, and publications are available online.
RootsWeb
www.rootsweb.com/: This is a free site supported by Ancestry that serves to connect genealogy researchers using its many message boards and surname research list. The Social Security Death Index and other databases are also available on the site.
The USGenWeb Project
http://www.usgenweb.com/: A volunteer effort, the USGenWeb Project can be your "county" resource. The county pages may contain information on how and where to write for vital records, transcribed local records, researchers local to the areas, and contact information and holdings for the local libraries and societies. Content will vary among the different county pages.
Vital Records Information
http://www.vitalrec.com/: This site is specifically designed to provide instructions on how to order birth, death, marriage, and divorce records in the United States.
West Virginia Vital Records
http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx: The West Virginia Division of Culture and History has made available digital versio of birth, marriage and death records. Registered users can search these records and view images of the actual documents. Registration is free.

Immigration and Naturalization

Castle Garden
http://www.castlegarden.org: America's first Immigration Center, served 10 million immigrants from 1830 to 1892. many of their records are now available online.
Ellis Island
http://www.ellisisland.org: Ellis Island was the primary immigration center of the United States of America from 1892 through 1924. Records of the over 12 million immigrants are available through the passenger search mechanism
Summit County Clerk of Courts - Naturalization Records 1850-1991
http://204.126.123.146/Naturalization/NaturalizationSearch.aspx: Looking for citizenship papers for a Summit County Ancestor? These records are now available on-line.

Military Sites for Genealogy

American Battle Monuments Commission
www.abmc.gov: Burial information for WWI and WWII servicemen buried in cemeteries overseas; names of those memorialized on Tablets of the Missing in cemeteries and on memorials in the U.S.; servicemen killed worldwide during the Korean War; and burial information of the war dead and veterans of the Mexican War, Civil War, and those of the Spanish-American War who are buried at the commission's cemeteries in Corozal, Panama and Mexico City.
Civil War Soldiers & Sailors System
www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/: The National Park Service oversees this site which currently contains the records of more than 6 million soldiers of both the Union and Confederate Armies. Battle information, regiment histories, and other information are also included on the website.
Nationwide Gravesite Locator (Veterans)
http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1: The United State Department of Veterans Affairs maintains this site of veteran burials in military cemeteries and in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) National Graves Registration Project
www.suvcwdb.org/home/index.php: Cemetery transcriptions of Civil War veterans that have been verified and submitted by researchers from within and without the Order.
Ohio Veterans' Home Cemetery - Sandusky
www.ohioveteranshome.gov/: This site provides access to the burial information of the Sandusky Veterans Home. Once in the site, click on Sandusky and then OVH cemetery. Date of death, grave location, and photo of headstone provided.
Soldier's Home of Dayton
www.carolynjburns.com/soldiers/: This site provides access to burial records and partial register of former patients of the old National Soldiers Home located in Dayton, Ohio.

Preserving Your Family Documents and Photographs

Researching your family history can be a fascinating and rewarding hobby. Preserving your family documents and photographs ensures that these precious materials will be available to future generations of your family. The following websites offer many practical tips for preserving and storing documents, photographs and memorabilia.
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
http://aic.stanford.edu: Click on "Caring for your treasures" for advice about caring for everything from photographs and books to furniture and architecture.
Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/preserv/familytreasures/: Expert advice for preserving works on paper is offered under "Caring for your collections".
National Archives
http://www.archives.gov/preservation/family-archives/index.html: The keeper of our Nation's treasures provides suggestions for the preservation and care of documents and audiovisual materials.

Last Modified September 26, 2005