Records of Estrays

County government records from the first few decades of Licking County are relatively sparse.  The 1875 courthouse fire was very destructive.  As a result it is sometimes difficult to find pre-1875 genealogical and historical information for the county.  During the next few months we will be highlighting some pre-1875 records which did survive, and which you might find interesting and useful.

The Records & Archives Department has two volumes of what are called Records of Estrays.  These little books contain valuable information for two townships:  Jersey and Harrison.  The Harrison Township volume dates from 1833-1875, and the Jersey Township volume is from 1838-1890.  They record when a person found a stray animal on his property, and reported the finding to a justice of the peace or township clerk.  If you have had trouble tracing ancestors who lived in one of these two townships during the 19th century, it might be worth your while to search these books.

The image here shows a record of a Harrison Township man named Rufus Carter who, on November 2, 1833, "took up as a stray a brindle cow which I found running at large on my premasis [sic]...."



Some old-fashioned spelling, archaic words, and other specialized terms describing livestock are used in the Records of Estrays, so unless you're a farmer or historian, you might need help with some of the language.  The Records & Archives staff will be glad to help you while using these and other documents.  For more information, call 740-670-5121, or send us a message at http://www.lcounty.com/frmFeedback.aspx.

Popular posts from this blog

Researching the History of Your House and Property

Image
Learning about the history of your house and the land it sits on can be fascinating.  The characteristics of your house can offer clues about the times in which it was built.  You can also usually find out who owned your property, from the early years of Licking County onwards. Be advised, though:  it can be difficult and time-consuming to find a lot of information.  In many cases it is not possible to learn exactly when a house was built, but you can usually at least surmise an approximate date.  And when you learn the names of the people who lived on your property, you can often gather more information about their lives. Government records were not usually kept which specifically indicate when a house was built.  Sometimes, though, you can find a good clue about the construction date by looking at old tax records.  If a tax record from a certain year indicates a major increase in the value of a property, this suggests that a substantial new structure was built. For Licking C
Read more

Licking County Children's Home

Image
The Licking County Children's Home on East Main Street in Newark was built between 1886 and 1888.  Orphans and other children from homes that suffered major difficulties were sent to live there from 1888 to 1975.  Thousands of children lived there during that period--some for a few days, and others for their entire childhood.  The Home also hosted events such as "lawn socials" which were attended by many people of the community.  An adjacent farm provided much of the food that was consumed at the Home.  Boys from the Home worked on the farm, and girls worked indoors.  Individuals, businesses, churches and organizations donated large amounts of money and gifts to help support and brighten the lives of the children. This year the building must be demolished because it is not salvageable.  To add to the historic record of the Children's Home, the Licking County Commissioners are asking that anyone who lived or worked there be interviewed.  Recordings of these inter
Read more

Marriage Consents and Returns

Image
A marriage return is a document that officially records a wedding. It is completed by the person, such as a pastor, who solemnized the marriage.   It is called a “return” because it must be returned to the court that legally records marriages.   Returns in Licking County have typically indicated the names of the bride, groom and person who solemnized the marriage, along with the wedding date.   Sometimes the names of witnesses are also included.  Older marriage returns were called "Marriage Certificates" in Licking County, because they provided the Probate Court with certification that the couple actually got married.  Today, a marriage certificate is typically the document which the court gives to a couple after they are married. A Marriage Return, sent by the minister to the Probate Court.  Note that these records were called "Marriage Certificates" in the 1920's. Marriage consents are documents proving that a parent or guardian gives consent for a per
Read more