First Families

First Families of Lucas County, Ohio

— Membership is open to anyone who can document direct descent from a person or persons who resided within the present boundaries of Lucas County, Ohio. The three categories for membership are:
1. Pioneer Category - for ancestors residing in Lucas County before January 1, 1851
2. Settler Category - from January 1, 1851 to before January 1, 1871
3. Centennial Category - from January 1871 to 100 years before January 1 of the present year

The applicant must complete an application form showing his or her ancestor(s), and list descent from that (those) ancestor(s). The application must be accompanied by copy-machine, photo, or other facsimile copies or by exact copies certified as "true copies" by a courthouse official, genealogical librarian, etc., or all document necessary to prove the ancestors settlement in Lucas County within the necessary time period and to prove each step of descent from the applicant to the ancestor. Proof may not be omitted for any step, and all documents must show their source. These will be preserved at the Toledo-Lucas County Library for reference open to other genealogists and for historical records for the future. Applications should be clearly hand-written or printed.

Applications must be accompanied by a check for $10.00 for Chapter members, $18.00 for non-members. This entitles the non-member applicant to a one year membership and a subscription to the Chapter’s newsletter. FEES ARE NONREFUNDABLE.

The completed application must be submitted by May 1 of the current year for consideration for that year’s membership. Certificates will be awarded at the June meeting. Upon completion, all proofs of ancestry will be preserved at the Main Library and will be available to the public for research.

Rules of Evidence

Rules of Evidence for First Families of Lucas County, Ohio

1. Primary of collateral evidence from vital statistics, courthouse or other government records, church and school records, are all considered to be beyond doubt and excellent proof.
2, Secondary evidence, such as census records, newspaper clippings, old letters, Bible or other family records contemporary to the fact reported, is considered almost as authentic.
3. Circumstantial evidence or hearsay is not considered as proof unless backed up by primary or secondary evidence.
4. Oral, written, or published family traditions are very often wrong and not accepted as proof.
5. Printed or manuscript genealogies or genealogical compilations are usually not acceptable as proof.
6. Lineage papers form patriotic or hereditary societies, by themselves, are not considered proof. The document copies used for providing the lineage might be considered as proof if they follow these rules of evidence.
7. Material authored by the applicant, or his family, cannot be considered as proof.
8. If a document merely implies a fact, it is not considered proof. An example is the expression “heirs-at-law” used in some estates. This indicates different things in different states, but in no case is it used as an indication or proof of descent. This statement could mean nieces, nephews, cousins, adopted children or even parents.
9. Copies of old letters, family records, etc., can be accepted as proof only for the facts the writer of the record or letter would logically know of his own, contemporary knowledge. They cannot be accepted as proof for facts the writer could only have obtained by hearsay from older generations or other sources.
10. Documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation into English and the translation certified as “true translation” by the translator (not the applicant or family member.
11. Land transactions (deeds, warrants, grants, tax records, etc.) can only be accepted as evidence of settlement in Lucas County if the record actually states that the individual was “of Lucas County”.
12. Female ancestors must be proved as individuals by their maiden names.
13. A direct line from applicant to pioneer ancestor must be proved at every step. Blood line descent only is acceptable, not collateral or adoptive lines.
14. All proof documents must state their source. Bible records must include a photocopy of the title page with publication date and current owner's name and address.
15. Typed, handwritten or printed copies of original documents must be certified as “True Copy” and signed by the courthouse or other official, or a librarian, etc. An applicant or member or his/her family cannot certify a document. Photocopies of original documents are acceptable (in fact, preferred) if there are no changes on the original.
16. Married female applicants must include a copy of their marriage record to prove their change of name.

Any questions can be referred to the Chairperson, First Families of Lucas County, Ohio

Application Form - Part 1

Application Form - Part 1

First Families of Lucas County, Ohio

Print legibly. Provide date in standard day-month-year format.
In the form below, any instance where the word “at” is followed by
space for data, please provide: city or town, township, county & state.

1. I ______________________________________________________

was born on _______________ at __________________________

2. I am the child of (father) ______________________________

born on _______________ at _______________________________