THE BRICK WALL
PROTOCOLGENEALOGY · BEYOND THE SEARCH BOX
BRICK WALL PROTOCOL / FREE GUIDES

Madison County:
local obituary files, cemetery records & courthouse sources

Explore local obituary files, cemetery records & courthouse sources, with source links and practical instructions for planning your research.

Addresses and access notes ↓

Madison County, Ohio: repository locations and selected major roadsI-70I-71US 40US 421London2Mount Sterling3N ↑≈ 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 · Additional collection references

Explore focused collection routes ↓

How to search and interpret selected collections ↓

Share this county guide

Know someone researching here? Share this to help them find their next source.

Share on Facebook ↗

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 / GENEALOGY LIBRARY

Madison County Genealogical Society

Start with local surnames and the records that connect them.

What you can find

The society lists obituary and family files, newspapers, census and tax material, plat maps, and books.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

The library is in Room 108 at 20 South Walnut Street, London. Check the posted Monday schedule and appointment options before traveling.

A question you can ask

Can you check family folders and newspaper references for this surname and township?

Keep in mind

Collection descriptions do not establish complete coverage or online availability.

STOP 02 / COMMUNITY ARCHIVE

Mt. Sterling Community Museum and Public Library

Follow southern Madison County families through cemeteries and obituary cards.

What you can find

The museum maintains local obituary cards and cemetery information. Its page describes Pleasant Cemetery burial data from 1863 through 2019 and later updates held locally.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Use the library museum-information page for current contact details. The museum occupies the library lower level and posts seasonal hours. Ask staff about newer records.

A question you can ask

Could you check the obituary card file and Pleasant, Bethel, Big Plain, or nearby cemetery records?

Keep in mind

The preserved older website has obsolete contact links and inactive search boxes. Its older online database is not the complete current onsite file.

STOP 03 / MUSEUM AND LIBRARY

Madison County Ohio Historical Society

Look beyond vital records to photographs, property history, and rural communities.

What you can find

The society identifies obituaries, historical maps, property records, photographs, and artifacts among its resources. Its museum includes the Jonathan Alder cabin and a Lilly Chapel store and post-office exhibit.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Visit 260 East High Street, London, during the posted Wednesday or Sunday hours, or arrange an appointment. Confirm research assistance first.

A question you can ask

Do you have photographs or property-history material for this village, farm, or business?

Keep in mind

An exhibit provides context; it does not prove an ancestor owned or used the objects shown.

STOP 04 / COURT RECORDS

Madison County Probate Court

Use the index to request the actual estate or guardianship file.

What you can find

The court request form covers estates, guardianships, marriages, births, and deaths. It also identifies early birth, death, marriage, and will microfilm at London Public Library.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Provide the case name and number for probate files, or volume and page for vital entries. Confirm the library microfilm holdings before visiting.

A question you can ask

Can you supply the complete file for this indexed estate, including supporting papers?

Keep in mind

The form gives no comprehensive date range. Retrieval from storage takes time; an index entry is not the full file.

STOP 05 / LAND RECORDS

Madison County Recorder

Trace a family through grantor and grantee searches.

What you can find

The recorder search offers name, document number, document type, subdivision, and date filters.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Start with surname variants and a bounded date range. Record the document identifiers and ask the office about older books absent from the portal.

A question you can ask

Which deed or mortgage books cover this township before the online index begins?

Keep in mind

The portal is not a guarantee that every historical volume is digitized. Confirm coverage and obtain the document image.

STOP 06 / COURT INDEX

Madison County Clerk of Courts

Locate a case before asking for historical civil papers.

What you can find

The official Common Pleas search accepts party names, case numbers, hearing dates, and filing dates.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Follow its surname-first search instructions. Ask the clerk how to locate older civil cases that do not appear online.

A question you can ask

Is there a historical partition or other civil case involving this family, and where are the surviving papers?

Keep in mind

Online search coverage is not stated here; no result does not establish that a case never existed.

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.

MADISON 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 Madison 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 index

Clerk of Courts Common Pleas General Index 1810-1880

Listed years: 1810–1880.

Source, access and coverage limits

Ask the Ohio Genealogical Society library for this county and exact collection title, years and reel. Confirm current availability and copying arrangements before visiting. This is a library microfilm listing, not an online image collection.

Keep in mind: Inventory updated 2012, checked October 26, 2026. Bounds do not guarantee an unbroken run. The library has not reconfirmed these holdings; follow any index to the underlying record.

microfilm

Clerk of Courts Common Pleas Complete Record 1848-1853

Listed years: 1848–1853.

Source, access and coverage limits

Ask the Ohio Genealogical Society library for this county and exact collection title, years and reel. Confirm current availability and copying arrangements before visiting. This is a library microfilm listing, not an online image collection.

Keep in mind: Inventory updated 2012, checked October 26, 2026. Bounds do not guarantee an unbroken run. The library has not reconfirmed these holdings; follow any index to the underlying record.

microfilm

Marriages 1810-1865

Listed years: 1810–1865.

Source, access and coverage limits

Ask the Ohio Genealogical Society library for this county and exact collection title, years and reel. Confirm current availability and copying arrangements before visiting. This is a library microfilm listing, not an online image collection.

Keep in mind: Inventory updated 2012, checked October 26, 2026. Bounds do not guarantee an unbroken run. The library has not reconfirmed these holdings; follow any index to the underlying record.

microfilm

Tax Lists, 1811, 1812, 1813

Listed years: 1811, 1812, 1813.

Source, access and coverage limits

Ask the Ohio Genealogical Society library for this county and exact collection title, years and reel. Confirm current availability and copying arrangements before visiting. This is a library microfilm listing, not an online image collection.

Keep in mind: Inventory updated 2012, checked October 26, 2026. Bounds do not guarantee an unbroken run. The library has not reconfirmed these holdings; follow any index to the underlying record.

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 →

FOLLOW THE COLLECTION

Additional collection references

Official catalog descriptions checked October 25, 2026. These notes identify research routes, not completed name-level searches.

Ohio History Connection: London Prison Farm registers

The official guide identifies a chronological prisoner register for 1908–1948 (SAS 1609) and a county admission book for 1912–1962 (SAS 1693). Entries in the register use both London and Ohio Penitentiary serial numbers.

How to begin: Start with the county admission book when the county is known, then trace the serial numbers into the register. Follow the catalog links and ask Ohio History Connection reference staff about consultation, copies and current restrictions.

What remains uncertain: These are specific institutional records, not general Madison County resident lists. The guide does not establish that all pages are online; verify identity before attributing an incarceration.

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.

Madison County Ohio History & Genealogy

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 Madison County Ohio History & Genealogy on Facebook

Follow a specific collection

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

Madison County deed microfilm, 1810–1955

Documented date span: 1810–1955. Society lists deed volumes 1–90 with index on microfilm, described as a duplicate of FamilySearch film. Use grantor/grantee indexes to identify volume and page before examining the transaction.

How to access it

Visit the society at 20 South Walnut Street, Room 108, London, on advertised Mondays 10–4 except government holidays, or arrange an appointment. Contact mcgsoh@gmail.com first to confirm a volunteer; microfilm scans and copies may carry a nominal fee.

Evidence limit: This is documented microfilm coverage, not a promise of complete originals or online access. Confirm the desired volume.

Scanned newspaper obituaries

Documented date span: 2016–2025. Searchable scans include Madison Messenger January 3, 2016–April 13, 2025; Madison Press January 2, 2016–January 11, 2019; and Madison County Obituaries Facebook entries January–August 2025.

How to access it

Visit the society at 20 South Walnut Street, Room 108, London, on advertised Mondays 10–4 except government holidays, or arrange an appointment. Contact mcgsoh@gmail.com first to confirm a volunteer; microfilm scans and copies may carry a nominal fee.

Evidence limit: Selected obituary collections, not all deaths or complete newspaper issues; compare a scan to its publication citation.

Obituary newspaper index and unindexed clipping cabinets

The alphabetical newspaper index points to title/date/page and corresponding microfilm. Separate cabinets contain thousands of clipped obituaries through 2024; visit or request a volunteer lookup.

How to access it

Visit the society at 20 South Walnut Street, Room 108, London, on advertised Mondays 10–4 except government holidays, or arrange an appointment. Contact mcgsoh@gmail.com first to confirm a volunteer; microfilm scans and copies may carry a nominal fee.

Evidence limit: The site prints an unresolved start date of 19xx. Do not convert that into a numerical start year; cabinets are not fully indexed.

Pleasant Cemetery burial spreadsheet, 1863–2019

Mt. Sterling Community Museum lists an Excel burial record for Pleasant Cemetery covering 1863–2019. Staff receive quarterly cemetery updates and also keep obituary cards.

How to access it

Contact the Mt. Sterling Community Museum at mtsterlingcommunitymuseum@gmail.com or 740-869-9305. Advertised hours are March–December Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10–2 except library holidays. The museum is below the library at 60 W Columbus Street, with elevator/stair access.

Evidence limit: Spreadsheet endpoint does not describe all current onsite records. Confirm later burials with museum; graves and relationships need original evidence.

Mt. Sterling museum obituary and neighboring cemetery records

Museum maintains obituary cards drawn from Madison Messenger and Porter Tidd, and identifies cemetery material for Bethel, Big Plain, Dennison, Pancoastburg and Yankeetown. Ask for an onsite lookup by person and cemetery.

How to access it

Contact the Mt. Sterling Community Museum at mtsterlingcommunitymuseum@gmail.com or 740-869-9305. Advertised hours are March–December Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10–2 except library holidays. The museum is below the library at 60 W Columbus Street, with elevator/stair access.

Evidence limit: Older online museum database is no longer updated. New records are maintained physically onsite; no uniform coverage dates are published.

Historical society maps, property records and photographs

Society explicitly lists obituaries, historical maps, property records, photographs and artifacts. Ask whether a house, township or family appears in its library before scheduling research.

How to access it

Ask the historical society about a particular item before visiting 260 E High Street, London. Advertised museum hours are Wednesday and Sunday 1–4 or appointment; contact mchsohio@gmail.com or 740-852-2977.

Evidence limit: No item-level date inventory verified. Displays such as the Lilly Chapel store/post office do not establish survival of business ledgers.

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
Selected holdings / listed date span

Madison County deed microfilm, 1810–1955

What it can tell you
A deed can document a transaction and identify parties or neighbors. It does not by itself prove residence on the land.

Selected listed years: 1810–1955

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

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
Society lists volumes 1–90, 1810–1955, with index, and identifies the film as a duplicate of the FamilySearch collection. Completeness not independently established.

How to search
Search both grantor and grantee indexes, then read the full deed and legal description. Distinguish execution and recording dates.

How to retrieve it
Request the indexed volume and page from the society’s deed microfilm, volumes 1–90; confirm reel availability and scanning options.

Practical access
Contact the society to arrange film use or copies. A reference to FamilySearch does not guarantee unrestricted online image access.

If nothing turns up
An index spelling or transaction outside the range may explain no hit. This film duplicates the FamilySearch copy, so two copies are not independent corroboration.

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 property evidence with another locally created record.

Follow this research route →

Match collections to your research years →

Selected holdings / listed date span

Madison Messenger selected obituaries

What it can tell you
A scanned obituary can supply family and event leads. Preserve its publication context and distinguish reported statements from independently verified facts.

Selected listed years: 2016–2025

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

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
Selected Madison Messenger obituaries dated January 3, 2016–April 13, 2025. Annual planner matching cannot guarantee an item outside these month/day endpoints.

How to search
Use the society’s scanned-obituary search and try name variants. Check the image for publication title, date and any continuation.

How to retrieve it
Save the scan and source citation; ask the society for the complete item when a clipping lacks context.

Practical access
Use the Scanned Obituary Collection search linked by the society. Ask about missing citations or access difficulties.

If nothing turns up
The selection is not every issue or every county death. An absent name should prompt another obituary or cemetery source.

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 society’s other obituary and newspaper routes.

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

Opens your email app with the guide name and link filled in. Prefer webmail? Email hello@brickwallprotocol.com and include this page’s title or URL.

THE BRICK WALL PROTOCOL ON YOUTUBE

A short video. A new direction.

Watch the Short. Open the protocol. Follow the evidence.

▷   Subscribe on YouTube ↗