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Belmont County:
Quaker collections, river communities & local archives

Explore Quaker collections, river communities & local archives, with source links and practical instructions for planning your research.

Addresses and access notes ↓

Belmont County, Ohio: repository locations and selected major roadsI-70I-470US 40US 250SR 1471Martins Ferry2BarnesvilleN ↑≈ 5 miles
Selected repository locations for present-day orientation. Numbers match the research stops below. Select a marker to open its stop. Locations are approximate, not entrances or driving directions. Grouped numbers identify nearby repositories; use the address key for individual locations.

Explore local streets and repository locations ↗

Not sure where to begin? Build a free three-step research plan → Choose your question, period and records already checked.

Explore records coverage by year ↓

Community history groups and access notes

Explore focused collection routes ↓

How to search and interpret selected collections ↓

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PLAN YOUR RESEARCH ROUTE

Match the stops to the repository

Several stops can lead to the same repository. Maps show selected verified locations, not every guide stop or every community represented in the records. Use each stop’s access instructions, including for online and out-of-county collections. Check access before traveling.

Other guide stops not shown on this map

These stops may be online collections, shared repositories or locations not yet confirmed for mapping. Follow the collection’s access instructions.

Map sources and limits

County outlines: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundaries . Selected major roads: 2024 TIGER/Line primary and secondary roads . Public repository addresses checked against the sources above, with approximate Census geocoder positions. Unmatched addresses and out-of-county repositories are listed in the key rather than assigned a guessed position. Markers identify contact locations, not collection coverage. Historical boundaries, township lines and current traffic conditions are not shown. Prepared November 3, 2026.

Sources checked October 23, 2026. Based on public institutional descriptions, not staff confirmation or an onsite visit. Confirm current access before traveling.

Bring one focused question.

Start with a name or place, approximate years, and the fact you want to establish. These are selected research starting points. A catalog, index, museum exhibit and original record provide different kinds of evidence.

STOP 01 / LIBRARY / MINERS AND INSTITUTIONS

Belmont County District Library local history

Try institutional records and miners' history alongside directories.

What you can find

The library links County Infirmary records, the United Mine Workers Sub-District 5 service history, early business directories, school material and historical tax maps. Local newspapers are available on microfilm.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Use the Local History page's expandable sections, or contact contact@bcdlibrary.org, 740-633-0314. Main Library: 20 James Wright Place, Martins Ferry.

A question you can ask

Does the infirmary or miners' material cover [person, employer and period], and what is its original source?

Keep in mind

The library credits the county archives for the infirmary material. These are selected resources, not a complete institutional or employment record set. Confirm yearbook coverage because the page's date wording is inconsistent.

STOP 02 / SOCIETY / QUAKER AND CHILDREN'S HOME RECORDS

Belmont OGS Genealogy Room

Look for records of care, faith and migration.

What you can find

The society identifies microfilm and microfiche of Belmont County Children's Home and Ohio Yearly Meeting Quaker records, alongside newspapers, court material and local family histories.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

The room is left of the circulation desk at Barnesville Hutton Memorial Library, 308 East Main Street, Barnesville. Call 740-425-1651 to confirm access and staff assistance.

A question you can ask

Which Children's Home or Ohio Yearly Meeting volumes cover [name and years], and are there access restrictions?

Keep in mind

The overview does not specify complete dates or unrestricted access to every record. Family histories are compiled evidence and should be followed to their cited sources.

STOP 03 / LIBRARY / BELLAIRE RESEARCH

Bellaire Public Library History Center

Search the catalog by record type before requesting local assistance.

What you can find

The genealogy page provides catalog routes for Belmont marriages, deaths, cemeteries, deeds, obituaries and county histories, with links to archival collections and local maps.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Begin at Genealogical Records, select the relevant category and note the catalog title and call number. Use the library's Contact Us route to confirm availability before visiting.

A question you can ask

Can I consult [catalog title] for [surname and date], and is it an index or a reproduction of the record?

Keep in mind

Catalog results are not necessarily digitized records. Holdings and date spans must be checked at title level; a category link does not promise full county coverage.

STOP 04 / MUSEUM / FREEDOM-SEEKING HISTORY

Underground Railroad Museum collection and virtual tour

Explore documented local sites while separating memory from proof.

What you can find

The museum's collection interprets slavery and the Underground Railroad. A virtual county tour combines museum research with Belmont County GIS mapping.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Use the virtual tour now. The museum reports a move to the Black Horse Inn and directs visitors to the Underground Railroad Experience website for current arrangements; a November 13, 2026 ribbon cutting is announced.

A question you can ask

What primary evidence supports the interpretation of [person or site], and can I consult the source?

Keep in mind

Older listings identify Flushing or other addresses. Confirm the destination during this transition. A mapped association alone does not establish an ancestor's participation.

STOP 05 / MUSEUM / WORK AND COMMUNITY

Belmont County Heritage Museum

Connect family occupations with nursing, glassmaking and neighborhood shops.

What you can find

Featured collections include Ruth Maguire School of Nursing artifacts, Imperial glass and Frizzi Market objects from West Bellaire.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

101 East Main Street, St. Clairsville; 740-298-7020 or info@visitbelmontcounty.com. The homepage currently says closed for the season with an April reopening; confirm arrangements before travel.

A question you can ask

Which objects or photographs relate to [school, employer or business], and what documentation accompanies them?

Keep in mind

The exhibit descriptions do not establish student registers, payrolls or business ledgers. Ask specifically about research access beyond displays.

STOP 06 / LAND / HISTORIC INDEXES

Belmont County Recorder historical images

Use book and page when older deeds are not name-indexed.

What you can find

The official guide lists deed images from 1801, with older deed and mortgage index books under Historic Indexes. Earlier images often require volume/page searching; later records have electronic indexing.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Read the Instrument Search Guide before entering Records Search. The office is on the courthouse's second floor, weekdays 8:30–4:30; use its official contact route for assistance.

A question you can ask

Which historic index points to [surname and years], and is the referenced volume online?

Keep in mind

Some early indexing is unverified. The guide contains differing statements about miscellaneous volumes, so confirm that series directly. Image availability and name-search coverage are not the same.

Keep the evidence and the next step.

Save the repository, collection title, dates, box or volume and page, link, and what you searched. Follow an index entry to the full record. Keep uncertain identifications separate from established relationships.

Explore the Ohio county map and directory

Know a collection we should include or an access detail to correct? Email hello@brickwallprotocol.com. Please include an official collection link when available.

BELMONT COUNTY / SELECTED RECORDS COVERAGE

Which collections cover your years?

Use these dated holdings to choose a next search. This is a selection of cataloged collections, not a complete inventory of Belmont County records.

A range is a lead, not a guarantee. Bars show the dates stated by the cited catalog or inventory. They do not establish uninterrupted coverage, complete reporting or online image access. Unmarked years mean not represented in this selection, not that records were destroyed. Indexes and abstracts still need to be followed to the underlying record.

Sources reviewed October 26, 2026. Blue shows cataloged holdings; rust identifies indexes or compiled publications where the source specifies them. Read the format label and access notes for each row.

microfilm

Birth record [microform], 1867-1908

Listed years: 1867–1908.

Source, access and coverage limits

Use the linked State Archives catalog entry to identify the series and request research access or a copy from Ohio History Connection. Confirm the volume and year before visiting; a catalog entry does not promise online images.

Keep in mind: Selected catalog holdings; inclusive endpoints do not establish that every year or entry survives.

microfilm

Death record [microform], 1867-1908

Listed years: 1867–1908.

Source, access and coverage limits

Use the linked State Archives catalog entry to identify the series and request research access or a copy from Ohio History Connection. Confirm the volume and year before visiting; a catalog entry does not promise online images.

Keep in mind: Selected catalog holdings; inclusive endpoints do not establish that every year or entry survives.

microfilm

Marriage record [microform], 1803-1951

Listed years: 1803–1951.

Source, access and coverage limits

Use the linked State Archives catalog entry to identify the series and request research access or a copy from Ohio History Connection. Confirm the volume and year before visiting; a catalog entry does not promise online images.

Keep in mind: Selected catalog holdings; inclusive endpoints do not establish that every year or entry survives.

microfilm

Will record [microform], 1810-1918

Listed years: 1810–1918.

Source, access and coverage limits

Use the linked State Archives catalog entry to identify the series and request research access or a copy from Ohio History Connection. Confirm the volume and year before visiting; a catalog entry does not promise online images.

Keep in mind: Selected catalog holdings; inclusive endpoints do not establish that every year or entry survives.

Confirm the historical jurisdiction as well as the date. A record may be held outside today’s county, and an inventory’s ending year does not mean recordkeeping stopped.

Check historical jurisdiction → · Find collections for my years →

COMMUNITY MEMORY

Community history groups and research leads

Local communities can help identify a place, photograph or possible source. These independently run groups are community leads, not catalogued archives or BWP partners. Keep the contributor, date, basis for an identification and original source together. Ask permission before republishing photographs or private contributions.

Facebook identities and visible access information checked October 25, 2026. Verification here concerns the group, not the accuracy of its members’ posts. No groups were joined and no messages were sent.

History and Genealogy for the Belmont Co., OH area

Private, discoverable Facebook group

A local history and genealogy community identified on Facebook. Use it as a starting point for a focused question about a surname, place or possible record source.

Access and rules: Facebook identifies this as a private, visible group. Membership approval is controlled by its administrators. Read the current rules before posting.

Verification limits: The group identity and visible access information were checked. Member contributions and specific holdings were not independently verified. Ask permission before reusing an image or private contribution.

Open History and Genealogy for the Belmont Co., OH area on Facebook

Follow a specific collection

Additional collection-level routes checked November 3, 2026. Confirm current access before visiting.

Martins Ferry High School commencement programs

Library lists programs dated May 29, 1930; June 1, 1933; June 1, 1950; June 1, 1954; and June 1, 1962. Select an individual PDF.

How to access it

Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

Evidence limit: Isolated programs only, not continuous 1930–1962 coverage. The 1930 PDF endpoint opened successfully; individual names were not transcribed.

Martins Ferry City Auditor report

Download the 1919 annual municipal audit through the library. Useful contextual lead for city finance and public spending.

How to access it

Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

Evidence limit: Not a census or complete resident directory; inspect the report for names or payments of interest.

Mead Township Fair souvenir, Shadyside

The library lists the September 24–26, 1947 fair souvenir.

How to access it

Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

Evidence limit: PDF timed out during verification. Holding and date verified from institutional index, not contents or participant names.

Miners’ Service Record and History

Library links a history for Sub-District No. 5, District No. 6, United Mine Workers of America.

How to access it

Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

Evidence limit: Large PDF did not load during verification. Publication and title confirmed; dates and individual coverage not established.

Children’s Home and Ohio Yearly Meeting records

Chapter identifies Belmont County Children’s Home and Ohio Yearly Meeting Quaker records among room holdings, alongside local newspapers, court and census records.

How to access it

Genealogy room is left of circulation desk. Confirm hours and staff availability at 740-425-1651 before travel.

Evidence limit: No inclusive years or roll-level inventory supplied on this page. Request the exact series and access conditions before relying on a match.

Local history vertical file and city directories

Clippings, brochures, photographs and documents complement directories linked by individual year.

How to access it

Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

Evidence limit: Do not interpret a sequence of directory links as annual coverage. Ask for the exact year and locality.

BEFORE YOU SEARCH

Understand the collection. Choose your next step.

Two selected collections, with practical ways to search and interpret the result. These are research suggestions, not findings about a particular person.

  1. Choose a source
  2. Check its limits
  3. Search and record
  4. Follow the next lead
individual digitized programs

Martins Ferry High School commencement programs

What it can tell you
Commencement programs record a planned ceremony and named participants. Distinguish graduates from speakers, performers and officers.

Selected listed years: 1930, 1933, 1950, 1954, 1962

Date overlap is a lead, not a guarantee of complete coverage.

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
Isolated programs only, not continuous 1930–1962 coverage. The 1930 PDF endpoint opened successfully; individual names were not transcribed.

How to search
Browse the full program and retain its school, date, page and role labels. Search relatives only after establishing the person’s identity.

How to retrieve it
Use Belmont County District Library’s individual Martins Ferry High School programs for 1930, 1933, 1950, 1954 or 1962.

Practical access
Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

If nothing turns up
These are isolated years, not a continuous run. A printed program alone may not establish that a listed person received a diploma.

Read the collection source ↗

Source review: Context prepared 2026-11-04 from the existing sourced coverage inventory; confirm current access with the repository. Search and interpretation suggestions are BWP guidance.

Then try this

Compare school records, yearbooks or contemporary commencement coverage for the specific year.

Follow this research route →

Match collections to your research years →

22-page digitized municipal report

Martins Ferry City Auditor report

What it can tell you
A municipal financial report can expose public offices, payments or local business connections. A payment is not evidence of kinship.

Selected listed years: 1919

Date overlap is a lead, not a guarantee of complete coverage.

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
Not a census or complete resident directory; inspect the report for names or payments of interest.

How to search
Inspect the 1919 report’s sections and headings. Record the purpose, amount and date of any relevant entry.

How to retrieve it
Open the library’s 22-page Martins Ferry City Auditor report for 1919 and cite the printed page and PDF link.

Practical access
Browse Local History downloads online; contact library before visiting for vertical files or a specific yearbook.

If nothing turns up
This is not a complete resident directory. A person without a listed municipal transaction may not appear.

Read the collection source ↗

Source review: Context prepared 2026-11-04 from the existing sourced coverage inventory; confirm current access with the repository. Search and interpretation suggestions are BWP guidance.

Then try this

Use the office, business or transaction as a lead into council minutes, directories or newspapers.

Follow this research route →

Match collections to your research years →

HELP KEEP THIS GUIDE USEFUL

Know a collection we should include?

Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.

Suggest a correction or collection

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