Record Office: Meigs County, Ohio Records 1820-1858

[Barbara Hooten Clawson]

Have been researching for a year, remotely. Desperate to find document proving father son relationship between Newton and Jasper Branch.

Grandfather: Josiah Branch (1773-1856)
Father: Jasper Levi Branch (1798-1875)
Son: Newton P. Branch (1826-1865)

Meigs County, Ohio records office for any of above 3 during their lives in Chester, Meigs County, Ohio from approximately 1820 through 1858

Town of Chester. Family removed to Jeffersonville, Wayne County, Illinois

[PhotoFamily]

European settlement of OH only began in the late 1700s. Early records would be very sketchy. Births probably did not require registration for decades.
The public library has an extensive listing of genealogy resources. This link addresses record locations:

http://meigs.lib.oh.us/node/518

At the bottom of this link is a list of newspapers that the library has:

http://meigs.lib.oh.us/lochistgen

and on that page is a email for contacting them. They've compiled local family histories - if you're lucky, they may have gathered the info already.

Familysearch seems to have many records, including for Meigs Co., but I'm not finding anything for your peeps in the 1820-1855 range.
They also have advice about Vital Records - but this whole page may be useful in your research:

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Meigs_County,_Ohio_Genealogy#Vital_Records

Have you looked in this book? Jasper Branch is listed but they don't seem to have much detail.

https://archive.org/stream/pioneerhistorym00larkgoog/pioneerhistorym00larkgoog_djvu.txt

It looks like there's more than one of this county history books (listed on that wiki page). You might google the other two books (Howe's & Ervin's) and see if they've been moved online.

Not what you were hoping for, but I hope it helps. Did you need info about Jeffersonville?

Happy hunting!

[PhotoFamily]

Findagrave has their memorial pages, with histories and obits. They acknowledge that Newton is s/o Jasper

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67901648

If you follow the link to Jasper's page, it explains the connection to the Samuel that is mentioned in the History book.

The memorial page manager may have more info about the family.

Illinois death certs won't have parents' names on them that early. You could try the church where Newton is buried - perhaps they have records going back that far.

US census records start listing individual household members in 1850, but no relationship stated until 1880.

What kind of proof do you need? I don't think you'll find a birth cert. Maybe a marriage cert - but if they married in Illinois, there's no parents listed on the cert. It looks like they were listed for Ohio marriages.

You might have luck with Jasper's probate (if there is one).

[Barbara Hooten Clawson]

Thank you very much. Very professional summary. I'm afraid I have been over every inch including the library, Family Search, newspapers, etc. As you said, records are scarce. I began looking in Meigs after Jeffersonville research kept hitting dead ends. The clerk's office in Wayne County burned and many records were lost. It is strange, because Jasper Branch was the War of 1812 bounty land recipient. He used his land to create the town of Jeffersonville. Current residents call it Geoff. Jasper' son, Newton, died before his father, leaving children and a wife. One would think there might be guardianship papers or SOMETHING that shows Jasper as Newton's father. Any suggestions are most welcome. We asked a D.A.R. volunteer to help us by going to the courthouse. She reports no luck. A descendant of these two men is working on her D.A.R. application. This generation is our nemesis.
I appreciate your reply.
Barbara Clawson

[Barbara Hooten Clawson]

More good information, but same territory we have covered. There are "family histories" that list Jasper as Newton's father but we have found no proof...all the situations you mention. I agree, that the probate--Newton's or Jasper's--should help. The state of Ohio genealogy resources page indicates that those records survived the fire but our helpful volunteer found no records at the courthouse. We think we need to find a local researcher who can do additional digging. I wrote to the church mentioned on his grave site and to the Masons but got no response. Again, I appreciate your input...it helps think of other options. Newton was married in Meigs County, Ohio before moving to Illinois. Researching the newspapers, I found Jasper and Newton mentioned as participants in a county fair, same year...just more supporting data but not proof.
BC
Barbara Clawson

[PhotoFamily]

When you say you "have been over every inch including ... Family Search ..." - I'm guessing you mean online, not actually at the Family History Library in Salt Lake? FHL is making every effort to digitize their vast collection - but it is a long way from achieving that goal! In addition, FS has online records that haven't been indexed. I thought perhaps its Wayne Co probate collection was online, but it is not.

OK, here's FS's catalog for Wayne Co - not sure the link will keep expanded the parts that I've opened up:

https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=199457&query=%2Bplace%3A%22United%20States%2C%20Illinois%2C%20Wayne%22&subjectsOpen=469257-50,1080827-50,571147-50,375645-50,763759-50,375644-50

They have Newspaper/Obit items that may possibly be of interest. Beeson's 1861 - 1950 Will Index may be of interest

Books must be reviewed in person, but films may be requested to your nearest Family History Center for a nominal fee to cover their costs.

You don't consider the 1880s Biography books to be sufficient proof? I confess that I have ancestors with errors in their relationships in similar biography books, but... you're seeking proof for DAR membership? I've heard that DAR is accepting genetic proof, but don't know what they consider that to be. Have you thought about contacting the memorial page manager and asking what she knows?

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47319116

good luck!

[Barbara Hooten Clawson]

As it turns out, we did have the granddaughter of the applicant who is a genealogist at the FHC in Salt Lake work through items mentioned in the catalog. The book, as far as we have learned, does not mention them as father and son. What I should do is verify that the granddaughter looked through the 1880 book. Yes, the 1880 book, since it's not far away from the events, would be accepted. We know about Samuel Branch, the Baptist preacher. He married Newton and his wife, Maria Louisa Cornell (1825 NY -1904 SD). I agree with you, contemporary obits or news items would be most helpful. I scoured those available through the Library of Congress online, digital newspaper project without helpful results.

It's fun to talk to someone so obviously skilled at research. If I can do anything for you in West Texas, let me know. Thank you.

Yes, we do need some luck.