Access Hocking County Obituary Records

Hocking County obituary records can be found at the health department in Logan, the county records repository, and through Ohio's statewide databases. The county has a strong local archive that holds death records going back to the 1860s. For more recent obituaries from Hocking County newspapers, online indexes make the search much easier. If you need a certified death certificate or want to look up an old burial record, there are clear steps to follow. Logan serves as the county seat, and most Hocking County offices are based there.

Hocking County Health Department

The Hocking County Health Department is at 350 St. Rt. 664N, Logan, Ohio 43138. Phone is 740-385-3030 and you can email them at efile.hchd@gmail.com. They keep birth and death records from 1909 to the present. A certified copy of a death record costs $25.00. This is the first place to check if you need a Hocking County death certificate for a recent death.

Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24 sets the statewide fee structure for vital records, but local health departments can add to that base amount. Hocking County's $25.00 fee covers the search and one certified copy. If no record is found, you may still be charged for the search. Bring valid ID when you visit, and have the full name and approximate date of death for the person you need records on.

Hocking County Records Repository

Hocking County has a dedicated records repository at 105 W. Hunter St, Logan, Ohio 43138, in the Huls Building Basement. Phone is 740-380-2457. This is one of the stronger local archives in Ohio. They hold birth records from 1867 to 1908 in four ledger books, plus birth records from 1909 to 1943 in another four books. Death records cover 1867 to 1908 in four books. Marriage records run from 1818 to 1991. They also have naturalization records, estate records, deeds, and tax records.

The repository's fee structure is reasonable for researchers. The first search is free. After that, each assisted search is $5.00 per name. Plain copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies run $10.00 each. This is much cheaper than ordering from the state. If you are doing Hocking County genealogy work and need obituary or death records from the 1800s, this repository should be your first stop.

The Hocking County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society is based at PO Box 115, Rockbridge, OH 43149. They can point you to additional resources and may have compiled obituary data from local Hocking County newspapers.

Find Hocking County Obituaries Online

The Ohio Obituary Index is the best free place to look for Hocking County newspaper obituaries. Maintained by the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library, the index has over 3.7 million entries from Ohio papers. Search by name, then narrow by date or county. Each result tells you which library holds the original so you can order a copy.

The Ohio Death Record Index covers state death certificates from 1913 to 1944 and 1954 to 1970. You can search it for free at the Ohio History Connection website. The Ohio History Connection Archives holds the actual certificates from 1908 through 1970. For deaths from 1971 to the present, contact the Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics where certified copies cost $21.50 under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.24.

Ohio Death Record Search Tools

The Ohio Death Record Index is one of the key tools for finding Hocking County death records from the early to mid 1900s.

This free database lets you search by name and year of death. Results include the certificate number, which you need to order a copy from the archives.

Ohio Law on Hocking County Death Records

Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3705.23, any local registrar must give out certified copies of vital records when the requester has valid ID. Section 3705.231 allows people to photograph or copy records during in-person visits at the health department. This right is spelled out in state law and applies to every county, including Hocking.

Social Security numbers on death certificates are hidden for the first five years after death. Records older than 50 years may move to the Ohio History Connection under Ohio Administrative Code Section 3701-5-11. Section 3705.28 validates all prior vital records in Ohio, which means the old ledger entries at the Hocking County Records Repository carry full legal standing even though they were made under earlier laws.

Note: Contact the Hocking County Health Department at 740-385-3030 to check current fees and hours before visiting.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hocking County in southeast Ohio. A death near the county line may have been recorded in a neighboring county.