Lori, You want to look at the Chillicothe Land Records. The land which lies in present day Fairfield County was sold by the federal government to the original purchasers at Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. These records are now at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio and many have been microfilmed. In some cases, the land patents were later recorded in Fairfield County. Or, the patents were mentioned in later deeds when the land was sold. Also, in some cases, the original owner was just a land speculator. At one time, a portion of Berne Township was given to Hocking County. If you find your ancestor owning land in what is now Hocking County, don't panic. It is possible. Barb Rowles