In Ohio: Births prior to 1908 were entered into a ledger maintain by the Probate Courts. Not all births were recorded. You might find births from 1856 when Ohio was supposed to start keeping the records but they will be sporadic and they may not give too much data. I do know that Shelby County, Ohio has records for these 'early' births - been there. 1908 and after the recording of birth records became the responsibility of the Health Departments and more data was listed. This also goes for deaths. Re: prior to 1908 records might be in the Probate Court departments and 1908 and after you will find them in the Probate Dept. Marriages were always maintained in the Probate Court Depts. but it wasn't until about the 1890's that the parents of the bridge and groom were listed. There is a Shelby Co., in Kentucky also. Roberta