On May 5. 1981, 37 people interested in forming a Seneca County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society met at the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library. This was the beginning of the Seneca County Genealogical Society. The First officers were Cher Bibler, Becky Hill, Ruth Brill, Annaliese Rochester, Carol Hammer, and Helen Bloom.
With guidance from the Ohio Genealogical Society and their trustee, Willis Wyant, the Society began its existence by writing by-laws, publishing a newsletter, and presenting monthly programs. Through the years, it has grown from 33 members to almost 400 members. We outgrew the library location the first year, moved our meetings to the Seneca County Museum, then to the First Presbyterian Church and, finally, to our current home, the Frost Kalnow Room in the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library.
The Society has come a long way from its beginnings. It has been blessed with dedicated workers, good leaders, and support from the community — especially the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library. People from all over the United States belong to the Society and enjoy its award-winning newsletter and appreciate its consistent high quality. Members have donated thousands of hours of time to produce many projects which have facilitated genealogical research in Seneca County, not only for local people, but for hundreds who cannot come "home" to to their research.
Major Accomplishments Through the Years
2016
At the annual OGS Conference:
At the annual OGS Conference:
At the annual OGS Conference:
Publications
The Society has also...
At the annual OGS Conference:
- Recognized for our 35th anniversary as an OGS Chapter
- Eight for Eighty-Eight - Recognized for being one of the first eight chapters contributing databases to the OGS website
At the annual OGS Conference:
- Recognized for our 25th anniversary as an OGS Chapter.
- At our annual banquet, Joan Dysinger was recognized for her years of volunteer service to the chapter, especially for over 20 years as co-editor of Seneca Searchers. She received a wooden desk set handcrafted and donated by Don Heuring.
At the annual OGS Conference:
- Ruth Brill received the Volunteer of the Year award.
- Our chapter was named Outstanding Chapter of the Year.
Publications
- Chancery Court Records Index
- Index to the History of Seneca County (Warner, Beers, 1881)
- Index to Wills and Estates to 1850
- Original Land Records of Seneca County
- Seneca County Ancestral Charts, vols. II & II
- Seneca County Bible Records, vols. I & II
- Seneca County Marriages, 1844-1899
- Seneca Searchers [newsletter] - Past editors have been: Ken Foy, Ruth Brill, Don Rogier & Joan Dysinger (co-editors)
The Society has also...
- Purchased of thousands of dollars of genealogical books, microfilm, a subscription to HeritageQuestOnline for at-home users and equipment for the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library.
- Participates in the annual Seneca County Heritage Festival - booth, parade, display windows.
- Sells genealogical supplies at regular meetings.
- Copied and published the entire county's cemetery inscriptions in 1987.
- Provides volunteers for the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library, especially with the newspaper obituary index which is a wonderful asset for researchers.
- Established First Families of Seneca County - a program honoring pioneers who settled in the county prior to 1840 (gold) or 1860 (silver).
- Donates to the Ohio Genealogical Society's various fund raising drives.
- Planted two red oak trees at the Seneca County Museum to honor early settlers of the county and the Bicentennial of the Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance.
- Sponsors many genealogical workshops, (i.e. Everton, Heritage Quest) and many of our own.
- Won the Ohio Genealogical Society award for Outstanding Chapter Newsletter in 1994.
- Sponsored the first place winner of the OGS junior essay contest, Michelle Wheatley, in 1990.
- Participates in various OGS projects and functions: 1880 census. OGS Report, church survey, chapter workshops, and annual conferences.
- Purchased a lap-top computer for on-site indexing projects.
- Provided assistance to the county when preparing birth and death certificates for microfilming.
Members Who Have Held Offices from 1981 to 2000
|
Jean Berlekamp Cher Bibler Helen Bloom Doris Bohrer Bonnie Boyer Bill Brashares Ruth Brill Paul Buskirk Richard Collins Arlene Dunkelberger |
Lois Feasel Ken Foy Burton Goetz Dan Griffin Ada Guttridge Carol Hammer Becky Hill Carol Holscher Janis Marks |
Thomas E. Moffet Kim Mohr Mary Jo Nay Donna Overholt Cynthia Painter Arta Ritzenthaler Annaliese Rochester Don Rogier Shirley Rogier |
Ralph Sackett Jean Seigley Richard Steinmetz Tom Steyer Sue Swartzmiller Beverly Wheatley Jerry Wheatley Jane Wickham. Anna Zeis |
