Hamilton Co.

First, a word about records in Hamilton Co., OH.

Hamilton Co. court houses have burnt to the ground 3 different times during the course of the counties history. According to the 1881 History of Hamilton County Ohio by Henry A. Ford:

"The first court house was used as a barrack during part of the War of 1812-15; and the carelessness of some soldiers who were playing cards in one of the rooms or in the garret, resulted in the destruction of the building by fire early in the year 1814."

"In the afternoon of Monday, July 9, 1849, this old and noble structure burned up, or down, and nothing was left of it but its thick, blackened walls, and they had been made and builded to last forever."

The last fire occured on March 29, 1884. You can read about the Riot that resulted in the death of 56 people, more than 200 injured and the courthouse burnt to the ground here. (use your back button to return to this site).

Following each fire attempts were made to copy what existed of the records. In those days copy machines hadn't been invented, so copying meant transcribing from the damaged record to a new record. Not all records survived & apparently some records were only partially readable (at least following the last fire). What exists today may not be exactly as the original record first appeared.
 

From Marriage Records Hamilton County - Ohio 1817-1837
Cincinnati Chapter DAR 1941
Typewritten listing of marriage records at the Hamilton Co., Courthouse from Volumes 1-6

Stiles, Benjamin & Sarah ----- August 5, 1819 by A. Denniston (minister)
Stites, Mary & Elisha Bodine June 28, 1821 by D. Hayden (minister)
Stiles, Augusta & Thomas Fishwater September 9, 1832 by T. Rich (Justice of the Peace)
Styles, Sarah & Wm. Wannell August 13, 1834 by D. Hayden (minister)