Hancock County, Ohio - OHGenWeb Site...

Hancock County, Ohio was created in 1820 and Organized in 1828. It was formed from portions of Delaware and Logan Counties. In 1845, a portion of Wyandot County was formed from Hancock.

A good place to start  

The Hancock County Research Resources page lists the various information that is available on and offsite that will assist Hancock County Researchers.  People new to research or new to this web site will want to start with the Research Resources page.

A Brief History

Hancock County was named after John Hancock, the Revolutionary War hero. It was first populated as far back as 1769 when Jean Jacques Blanchard, a Frenchman, settled in the area. He was a tailor by trade. The city of Findlay was founded in 1812 and was named after Colonel James Findlay of the Ohio Frontier Army. A stockade, called Fort Findlay, was the earliest development and stood just west of the location where the Main Street Bridge crosses the Blanchard River. The fort was abandoned after the war of 1812 but remained as a settlement for the pioneers of the area. In the 1880's gas and oil was discovered in the area which caused rapid population growth.

Research Resources

This onsite page lists fairly extensive resources and is a good starting place for researchers that are just beginning their research in Hancock County.

History of the USGenWeb Project

The USGenWeb Project and the OHGenWeb project were initiated in 1996.  The organization is staffed totally with volunteers who devote their time out of a passion for genealogy and an interest in providing assistance to researchers.  Read more about the history of this Project here.