I also was there this past October and they were very helpful. The records in the courthouse are on a top floor and no one really guarding them so a little distraught over that, but they are accessible. Yes, you have to carry them downstairs if you want copies. I carry a digital camera with me and that helps. The genealogy society is located at the local library and wonderful. People there were very helpful. I have found all the people in the court houses to be very courteous and helpful when they can, but they are extremely busy and I always try to be as inconspicuous as I can and do what I can without bothering them. I treat the records with respect. Do not take anything that is not mine and always thank them. Ohio is the best state I have ever been in to research so let's not start causing them to rethink their open book policy. Try some other states before you make any negative comments about the court houses in Ohio. They are doing the best they can. You will always run into someone who is grouchy-perhaps a bad day -- sometime in your research, but a negative attitude by you or comments won't help the situation. Remember that a lot of the counties in Ohio have been hit hard by recession years ago and haven't recovered. They don't have the money to copy all the books and neither do the genealogical societies. It is our duty to give donations to societies in our key counties so they can get to the court houses and copy the vital records before they disappear or disintegrate. If you live in the area, please offer to help. I would give anything to live in one of my key counties and be able to put together deed index's and will abstracts, but it is my lot in life to be in an area where I don't have a single relative and also a county that doesn't look kindly on researchers. Very expensive to look for an item here. $7 to go get the book you think you want and then they look it up and then another $7 if they find the record you want. The county I am from in Kansas has a woman who has been in the deeds section for about 45 years and she is a real grouch. I just work with her assistants and it is fine. Some people think they own the records, but haven't found that ever in Ohio and have now been in 15 different counties. Enough said -- please compliment and thank those who are doing the hard work for us. Jerilyn Jerilyn Lappin Koskan Cook Co., Illinois jlktrees@aol.com FTM user BREWER-Daniel Belmont, OH, Northumberland, Indiana and Jefferson, PA DAVIS/DAVIDSON-Marium/Mary b1803 Bucks, PA Mother Rachel Greene DUSATKO-Barbara, Anton late 1800s Butler, NE DYE-William, David, Daniel in Monroe, OH early 1800s. FISHER-Joseph, b abt 1805 OH, last Morgan, OH 1850. Wife Judith Lappin. Children John, Knight, Elizabeth, Thomas, Hannah, Mary, Rachel, Ruth GRAY-Ogden b 1850 Morgan, OH, d Fulton, IL. Children - Ogden, Lafayette, Mary A., Cornelius, Elizabeth, Rachel GREENE-Rachel, b abt 1770, Bucks, PA HANNA-Archibald, d 1793 Westmoreland, PA Children Hugh, William, Hannah, Mary (wed Robert Williams) KIRK-Elizabeth, Quaker, daughter Joseph Kirk/Judith Knight, wed Robert Lappin abt 1790. Chester & Fayette, PA Belmont, OH KOSKAN-Vaclav, b 1850s Czechoslovakia d Butler, NE LAPPIN-PA and OH late 1700s/1800s LEAK/LEEK-MD & Eastern, OH in late 1700s and 1800s MITCHELL-Thomas Mitchell, b 1770s Greene, PA -d Monroe, OH. Daughter Maria wed William Dye. MONROE-Nicholas Monroe, b PA, died Belmont, OH early 1850s. Children Curtis, William, John, Samuel, Mary (Hendershot), Eleanor (Maring), Rebecca (Murphy), Miller, George, Richard. MONTGOMERY-Daniel, d 1842 Vinton, OH Family to Wayne, IL Wife Alice Lappin, Children William, Mariah, John, Elizabeth, Rachel, Letticia, Ruth, Euphemia OATES-Sarah Elizabeth born Lewis, WV, adopted Samuel McCluster - to Decatur, KS Parents supposedly Elizabeth Puffenbarger/Benjamin Oates SLUSHER-Frederick, b PA, lived Monroe, OH, d Wayne, IL SMITH-Aaron 1755/Anna Foster Bucks, PA Children John, Amos, Hannah, Samuel, Charles, Mary STARBUCKS-John and Ann Lappin of Belmont, OH STARKEY - b 1810 PA, wed Belmont, OH TODD - Wm. & Rachel Lappin, d late 1800s Morgan, OH WADSWORTH-Alcinda, Martha, Wm., Rachel, Emily, Ruth b Belmont, OH