Search Clark County Obituary Records

Clark County obituary records can be found through the health department in Springfield and the probate court at the county courthouse. The county has a long history of record keeping, with death certificates on file from 1909 and probate court records stretching back to the mid-1800s. If you need to find an obituary or death record for someone who lived in Clark County, you have options that range from free online searches to in-person visits. Springfield is the county seat and home to all the key offices. The Clark County Combined Health District handles certified copies of death certificates for the area.

Clark County Health Department Death Records

The Clark County Combined Health District keeps death certificates for deaths that happened in Clark County from 1909 forward. The office is on East Home Road in Springfield. You can walk in during business hours and request a copy. Bring a valid photo ID with you. The standard fee for a certified death certificate is about $25.00. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted at most local health departments in Ohio.

Ohio law under Chapter 3705 of the Revised Code sets the rules for who can get copies and what it costs. Section 3705.23 says the local registrar must give out certified copies after checking your identity. Birth certificates for any Ohio county can be obtained here too, because Ohio uses a statewide issuance system. If you need a death record for a death that did not occur in Clark County but happened elsewhere in Ohio after 1971, you can order from the state office in Columbus instead.

Note: Death certificates less than 50 years old may have access limits, and Social Security numbers are blacked out for five years after death unless you can show a direct family link.

Clark County Probate Court

The Clark County Probate Court sits at 50 East Columbia Street in Springfield. It holds death records from 1867 to 1908, the years before Ohio started statewide registration. These old records are brief line entries in ledger books. They show the name of the deceased, date of death, and sometimes the cause. They are not the same as modern death certificates, but they are the only official source for that time period in Clark County.

Beyond death records, the probate court manages marriage licenses, wills, and estate files. Estate records can be a gold mine for obituary research. When someone dies and their estate goes through probate, the file may name a spouse, children, and other relatives. It often includes dates and places that help confirm what you find in an obituary or death certificate. The court also handles guardianship cases and adoptions, though adoption records are sealed under Ohio law.

Clark County Obituary Genealogy Sources

The Clark County Historical Society maintains genealogy archives that are useful for anyone searching for Clark County obituary records. Their holdings include newspaper clippings, cemetery indexes, and local history materials. Springfield had several newspapers over the years, and obituaries from those papers are one of the best sources for family details that go beyond what a death certificate shows. An obituary might list the church a person attended, where they worked, and every surviving family member by name.

For statewide obituary searching, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library runs the Ohio Obituary Index. This free tool covers over 3.7 million entries from newspapers across Ohio, including Clark County. The index pulls from funeral home registers, wills, and cemetery listings too. When you find an entry, you can order a copy of the actual obituary from the holding library for a small fee.

FamilySearch hosts free digital images of Ohio death certificates from 1908 to 1953. Clark County deaths during that period can be viewed with a free account. The Ohio Death Record Index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970 and is searchable without signing up. Both tools are free and open to the public.

How to Find Clark County Obituaries Online

Start with the Ohio Death Record Index. It is free. Go to the Ohio History Connection site and type in the name and year of death. You need at least one more piece of information: the county of death, the exact month and year, or the certificate number. The index covers 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970. There is a gap from 1945 to 1953 in the online index, but those records can be found on microfilm at the Ohio History Connection archives in Columbus.

For more recent Clark County death records, the Ohio Department of Health handles records from 1971 to today. You can order certified copies online for $21.50 each using a credit card. Orders ship by mail and take about three weeks. Section 3705.24 of the Ohio Revised Code sets the fee at $21.50 per record search, whether a record is found or not.

Newspaper obituaries from Clark County can be found through the Ohio Obituary Index at the Hayes Presidential Library. Some Springfield newspapers have also been digitized and are searchable through commercial genealogy databases. Local libraries in Springfield may offer free access to some of these paid databases.

Getting Clark County Death Record Copies

You can get copies of Clark County death records in several ways. The health department in Springfield handles in-person and mail requests for deaths from 1909 forward. The state health department in Columbus covers deaths from 1971 on. The Ohio History Connection has certificates from 1908 to 1970 for genealogy use. And the probate court has the 1867 to 1908 ledger entries. Each office has its own process and fees.

• Clark County Health Department: deaths in Clark County from 1909, about $25 per copy
• Ohio Department of Health: Ohio deaths from 1971, $21.50 per copy
• Ohio History Connection: death certificates 1908-1970, non-certified copies
• Clark County Probate Court: death records 1867-1908
• FamilySearch: free digital images of 1908-1953 Ohio death certificates

Under Section 3705.231, you have the right to photograph or copy death records during an in-person visit to any of these offices. This is helpful if you want to make your own digital copies for research. Section 3705.29 covers the penalties for fraud or misuse of vital records, so be sure your purpose is lawful when making requests.

Clark County Government

The Clark County government website provides contact information and directions for all county offices in Springfield.

Use the site to find current hours, phone numbers, and addresses for the health department, probate court, and other Clark County offices.

Cities in Clark County

Clark County includes Springfield and several smaller communities. All death records for Clark County are filed through the county health department.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Clark County. If the person you are looking for lived near the county line, their records may be in a neighboring county.