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Delaware County:
property-transfer files, local photographs & university collections

Explore property-transfer files, local photographs & university collections, with source links and practical instructions for planning your research.

Addresses and access notes ↓

Delaware County, Ohio: repository locations and selected major roadsI-71US 36US 23US 42SR 372Delaware3Sunbury51N ↑≈ 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.

  • Stop 2: Delaware County Historical Society, Cryder Research Library
    157 East William Street, Delaware, OH 43015

    Library lists Sunday 2-5 and Wednesday 10-noon and 1-5; other times by appointment. Call 740-369-3831 extension 2.

    Repository information · Map position source
  • Stop 3: Community Library, Delaware County Memory
    44 Burrer Drive, Sunbury, OH 43074

    Start with Delaware County Memory linked from Community Library. Call 740-965-3901 for help locating a volume or image.

    Repository information · Map position source
  • Stop 5: Ohio Wesleyan University Historical Collection
    Hobson Library, 90 South Henry Street, Delaware, OH 43015

    Browse digital collections; print consultation is by appointment through historicalcollection@owu.edu or 740-368-3288.

    Repository information · Map position source
  • Stop 1: Delaware County District Library, Delaware Main Local History Room
    84 East Winter Street, Delaware, OH 43015

    Materials stay in the library. Genealogical Society help is listed Thursday 10-11:30 and 1-4:30, Saturday 10-1; appointments via 740-369-4375.

    Repository information · Map position source
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 / NEWSPAPERS / BOUIC INDEX / FAMILY HISTORIES

Delaware County District Library Local History Room

Use an index to choose the next original source.

What you can find

The room holds the Bouic Index to local genealogy resources, cemetery transcriptions, church histories, directories, yearbooks and Delaware newspaper microfilm beginning in 1821.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Materials are for library use. Arrange genealogical-society help at delawareohiogenealogy@gmail.com or 740-369-4375; volunteer availability differs from general library hours.

A question you can ask

Which source and page does this Bouic Index entry refer to?

Keep in mind

Date spans do not guarantee every issue. Compiled family histories and cemetery readings need corroboration.

STOP 02 / GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHS / PROPERTY TRANSFERS / AUCTION CATALOGS

Cryder Research Library

Follow a house, object or photograph into a local collection.

What you can find

The Historical Society lists Delaware Gazette photographs, Garth’s auction catalogs, subject clipping files and Mendenhall property-transfer files for 1800–1891.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Visit 157 East William Street, Delaware. Listed research hours are Sunday 2–5 and Wednesday 10–noon and 1–5. Arrange other times at librarian@delawareohiohistory.org or 740-369-3831 ext. 2. Confirm before travel.

A question you can ask

Does the Mendenhall file identify the original deed for this property transfer?

Keep in mind

An abstract or auction description is not proof of ownership or family relationship; retain the original reference.

STOP 03 / BIG WALNUT HISTORY / TAX DUPLICATES / SUNBURY NEWS

Community Library and Delaware County Memory

Search the smaller communities as well as the county seat.

What you can find

The Burrer Family Memorial Room documents the Big Walnut area. Delaware County Memory includes 1827–1828 tax duplicates, transcribed wills 1812–1835 and Sunbury News issues and obituary indexes.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Use the library’s Delaware County Memory route, browse the relevant collection, and preserve its item identifier. Ask Community Library about undigitized material.

A question you can ask

Can I compare this transcribed will or obituary index with the original page?

Keep in mind

Digital coverage is selective. Newspaper issues and obituary indexes cover different dates.

STOP 04 / PEOPLE FILES / BUILDINGS / CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS

Ohio Wesleyan University Historical Collection

Look for the institutional context around an ancestor.

What you can find

Collections include selected people files, building photographs, scrapbooks, organizational files, university catalogs and directories.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Research is by appointment. Contact historicalcollection@owu.edu or 740-368-3288 with names, dates and the file or collection requested.

A question you can ask

Does a people or organization file document this person’s connection with OWU?

Keep in mind

The collection is selective and is not the official custodian of student transcripts.

STOP 05 / CIVIL WAR LETTERS / STUDENT NEWSPAPERS / YEARBOOKS

Ohio Wesleyan digital special collections

Read a letter alongside the later account.

What you can find

Digital selections include Marshall Blair Clason’s Civil War letters, the Branch Rickey collection, student newspapers beginning in 1867 and selected Le Bijou yearbooks.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Enter through the digital-collections guide, choose a named collection, and retain the item or volume/page citation. Ask the Historical Collection about print volumes not online.

A question you can ask

Which academic year does this yearbook actually describe?

Keep in mind

This is another route within OWU, not a separate archive. Before 1929, yearbooks were typically dated by the junior class’s graduation year; volume date and covered school year can differ.

STOP 06 / OLDER ESTATES / MARRIAGES / CUSTODIAN SPLIT

Delaware County Records Center and Probate Court

Send the request to the office holding that date.

What you can find

The court directs marriages before 1996 and estates before January 20, 1950 to the Records Center. Later material remains with Probate in several formats.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Contact the Records Center at 740-833-2140, 2079 US 23 North, Delaware, for older records. Use the court’s record-search page for newer dockets and its current access guidance.

A question you can ask

Which file and medium cover [name, record type and date], and what does a complete copy cost?

Keep in mind

Recent online dockets are not the whole historical collection. Restricted records and personal identifiers have separate access rules.

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.

DELAWARE 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 Delaware 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 records [microform], 1867-1903

Listed years: 1867–1903.

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 records [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 records [microform], 1835-2000

Listed years: 1835–2000.

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.

cataloged records

Estate docket, 1852-1853, 1864-1881

Listed years: 1852–1853, 1864–1881.

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

Estate docket [microform], 1841-1852

Listed years: 1841–1852.

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.

Delaware Ohio History and Memories

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 Delaware Ohio History and Memories on Facebook

Follow a specific collection

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

Mendenhall property-transfer files and local visual evidence

Mendenhall property-transfer files cover 1800-1891. City and rural-route directories, Delaware Gazette photographs, Garth auction catalogs, maps and subject files can connect a household to a property or business.

How to access it

Library lists Sunday 2-5 and Wednesday 10-noon and 1-5; other times by appointment. Call 740-369-3831 extension 2.

Evidence limit: Transfer files are a research aid, not a replacement for recorded deeds. Ask staff about surname and parcel coverage.

Sankofa Black community recollections

Sankofa, with the African American Heritage Council, records Black elders recalling life in Delaware. The published fifteen-minute compilation includes five participants.

How to access it

Watch the linked compilation and ask the research library about the interview project.

Evidence limit: The page describes full interviews and transcripts as future additions. Do not assume these are already online or assign recording dates as historical coverage.

Sunbury newspapers and precisely gapped obituary index

The county Records Center identifies Sunbury News images, 1909-1931, and an obituary index for 1909-1918, 1920 and 1923-1978. Digital holdings also include township tax duplicates, 1827-1828, and transcribed wills, 1812-1835.

How to access it

Start with Delaware County Memory linked from Community Library. Call 740-965-3901 for help locating a volume or image.

Evidence limit: The obituary index omits 1919 and 1921-1922. Newspaper image dates and obituary-index dates differ. Transcribed wills require comparison with originals.

Le Bijou yearbooks and Black World Studies publications

Digitized Le Bijou volumes include 1927, 1960-2002, 2004, 2006-2007, 2011-2012 and 2016. Zumari, the Black World Studies newsletter and journal, covers 1991-1995 and 2002. Student newspapers begin with the 1867 Western Collegian.

How to access it

Browse digital collections; print consultation is by appointment through historicalcollection@owu.edu or 740-368-3288.

Evidence limit: Before 1929, yearbooks usually carry the junior class graduation year: 1927 describes 1925-1926. Print holdings are broader than digitization. Official transcripts belong with the registrar.

Bouic Index and local church histories

The Bouic Index guides local genealogy sources; church histories, cemetery transcriptions, historical directories, family histories and Delaware High School yearbooks provide routes beyond vital records.

How to access it

Materials stay in the library. Genealogical Society help is listed Thursday 10-11:30 and 1-4:30, Saturday 10-1; appointments via 740-369-4375.

Evidence limit: No complete yearbook or church-record span is published. Church histories are not necessarily original registers.

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
Cataloged collection span

Mendenhall property-transfer files

What it can tell you
Use a local property research file to identify a transaction worth tracing in the recorded deeds. A compiled file is a lead, not the deed itself.

Selected listed years: 1800–1891

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

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
The library lists 1800–1891. This is a research-file span, not a promise of a file for every owner or parcel.

How to search
Ask staff how the files are arranged, then search the owner, street or parcel with spelling variants.

How to retrieve it
Ask Cryder Research Library for the Mendenhall property-transfer files, 1800–1891, identifying the person, property and approximate date.

Practical access
Consult Cryder Research Library through the linked society page. Confirm hours, file availability and copying arrangements before visiting.

If nothing turns up
An absent file does not prove that someone held no property. Coverage and arrangement need confirmation.

Read the collection source ↗

Source review: 2026-11-04; repository description checked, individual entries not inspected. Search and interpretation suggestions are BWP guidance.

Then try this

Follow the transaction into the grantor and grantee indexes and read the full deed.

Follow this research route →

Match collections to your research years →

Cataloged collection span

Township tax duplicates

What it can tell you
Tax duplicates can place an assessed person or property in a township for a particular year. Assessment does not by itself establish residence.

Selected listed years: 1827–1828

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

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
The county resource guide lists tax duplicates for all townships for 1827–1828. No wider run or complete individual coverage is claimed.

How to search
Open Delaware County Memory from the county resource guide and select 1827 or 1828 and the township. Read the headings and browse nearby entries.

How to retrieve it
Record the township, year, page and image identifier. Ask Community Library for help locating the volume or a readable image.

Practical access
The linked county PDF directs researchers to Delaware County Memory, sponsored by Community Library Foundation. Check the digital item for image and download options.

If nothing turns up
A missing name can reflect spelling, assessment rules or the wrong township. It does not establish absence from the county.

Read the collection source ↗

Source review: 2026-11-04; repository description checked, individual entries not inspected. Search and interpretation suggestions are BWP guidance.

Then try this

Compare the parcel and parties with deeds rather than matching the surname alone.

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.

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