Ohio's oldest county — established by proclamation of Governor Arthur St. Clair in late July 1788, carved directly from the unorganized Northwest Territory, years before Ohio statehood. County seat Marietta, settled April 7, 1788.
Short episodes that walk through Washington County's records, one record type at a time.
Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look
Watch on YouTubeCourthouse Annex, 205 Putnam St., Marietta, OH 45750 · (740) 373-6623 ext. 2413
washingtongov.org/317/Common-Pleas-Court-Probate-Division
Wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses. Older birth/death/marriage records (1867–1908) are also held here.
205 Putnam St., Marietta, OH 45750 · (740) 373-6623
washingtongov.org/324/Recorder
Deeds, land records, mortgages, and liens, with an online e-recording portal.
205 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750 · (740) 373-6623
washingtongov.org/index.aspx?nid=250
Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.
205 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750 · (740) 373-6623 ext. 2101
auditorwashingtoncountyohio.gov
Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.
418 Washington St., Marietta, OH 45750 · (740) 376-2172
wcplib.info/local-history-and-genealogy
Family/local history books, microfilm, city directories, census records, and local newspapers back to 1807. Materials are non-circulating; appointments preferred, so call ahead.
PO Box 2174, Marietta, OH 45750
Active — meets 3rd Saturday monthly at the public library. Runs the "First Families of Washington County" lineage program (settlers by Dec. 31, 1829).
Archives: 346 Muskingum Dr., Marietta, OH · Open Tue & Thu, 10am–2pm
A different organization from WashOGS above, though the two collaborate. Operates several historic properties, including The Castle, The Anchorage, and the Henry Fearing House. Several smaller township historical societies also exist countywide — see washogs.org/societies for a full list.
340 Muskingum Dr., Suite B, Marietta, OH 45750 · (740) 374-2782
In-person requests only — no phone, fax, or email. Holds Washington County births/deaths from December 1908 forward. Earlier records and all marriages are at Probate Court.
Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.
Many Washington County record books are filmed and free to view at FamilySearch (free account required).
In Full-Text Search, add Washington County, Ohio as the place to find names inside handwritten deeds, wills, and court books. How to use it.
Washington County was one of Ohio's original Northwest Territory counties, formed in 1788. There is no earlier county to search; for records before then, look at federal and territorial records and in the states the settlers came from.
Part of Washington County lies in the Seven Ranges, the first land surveyed under the Land Ordinance of 1785, laid out in townships and sections and sold by the federal government.
Part of Washington County lies in the Ohio Company Purchase, land bought by the Ohio Company of Associates, the New England veterans who founded Marietta in 1788. The first titles came from the company, so start with the earliest deeds at the county Recorder (or the parent county's).
Other parts of the county were federal Congress Lands or smaller special tracts. Where land was sold by the federal government, the first purchase appears as a federal patent.
Titles that covered Washington County, historic and current, with where to search each one. Not every historic title has been digitized — several survive only on microfilm.
| Title | Years | Where to Search |
|---|---|---|
| American Friend / Marietta Gazette | 1813-1842 | Microfilm only — Washington County Public Library, Marietta |
| Marietta Intelligencer | 1839-1862 | Microfilm only — Washington County Public Library, Marietta |
| Washington County News | 1865-1867 | Chronicling America (Library of Congress), full run digitized |
| Marietta Register | 1862-1906 | Ohio Memory (partial); transcriptions via OHGenWeb/WashOGS |
| Marietta Daily Leader | 1881-1906 | Chronicling America (1896-1901); rest microfilm only |
| Marietta Times | 1864-present | GenealogyBank/Newspapers.com (modern); microfilm at library for older issues |
Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.
Brick Walls & Buckeyes
brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Washington County, Ohio
Addresses and links last checked October 2026.
County guides, record walkthroughs, and brick wall breakthroughs. Subscribe on YouTube and tap the bell so new episodes find you.
Subscribe on YouTube