You’re looking for someone. Maybe it’s a distant cousin who lived in Chillicothe, or perhaps you're trying to piece together a family tree that feels like it’s missing its most important branches. Tracking down Ross County Ohio obituaries used to mean flipping through the crispy, ink-smudged pages of the Chillicothe Gazette. Now? It’s a digital scavenger hunt.
Honestly, it's kinda frustrating. You'd think with everything being online, finding a death notice from 1985 or even last week would be a one-click deal. It isn't. Between paywalls, defunct local papers, and the way funeral homes manage their own private archives, the information is scattered all over the place.
If you’re digging through Ross County records, you’ve basically got three main paths: the modern funeral home sites, the historical society’s deep archives, and the official government records. Each one serves a different purpose. Let's break down where the "good stuff" is actually hidden.
The Modern Search: Funeral Homes vs. Legacy
Most people start with a Google search. You type in a name and "Ross County," and usually, a link to Legacy.com or Echovita pops up. These are fine for a quick glance, but they’re often just "scraped" versions of the real thing.
If you want the full story—the list of pallbearers, the specific flower requests, the heartfelt anecdotes—you’ve gotta go to the source. In Chillicothe and the surrounding areas like Frankfort or Kingston, three big names handle the majority of services:
- Haller Funeral Home & Crematory: They have a very clean, searchable database on Western Avenue. For instance, they recently handled services for locals like Philip E. Diehl and Eleanor Cook. Their archives go back quite a bit, and they often include "Memory Walls" where people leave actual stories you won't find in a standard newspaper clipping.
- Ware Funeral Home: Located on West Second Street, Ware is a staple in the community. Their listings are usually very detailed. If the person was a veteran or heavily involved in a local church like Tabernacle Baptist, Ware’s obituaries tend to highlight those community ties clearly.
- Fawcett Oliver Glass and Palmer: They’ve been around since 1933. Their online archive is robust, often listing specific details about a person’s career—like whether they retired from the Mead Corporation (a huge employer in Ross County history).
The "pro tip" here? Don't just search the name. Search the funeral home site specifically. Sometimes Google’s index misses a recent update, but the funeral home’s internal search bar won't.
Historical Deep Dives: When Google Fails
What if the person died in 1920? Or 1880? Google isn't going to help you there.
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For the old-school Ross County Ohio obituaries, you have to pivot to the Ross County Genealogical Society (RCGS). They are located on South Paint Street in Chillicothe, and they are basically the gatekeepers of the county’s soul. They have an index of nearly 60,000 death notices.
Why the RCGS is Different
- Microfilm is still king: They have rolls of the Scioto Gazette and the Chillicothe Advertiser that haven't been fully digitized by the big genealogy sites.
- Volunteer Knowledge: Honestly, the volunteers there know more about Ross County families than any AI ever will. They can tell you if a cemetery was moved or if a certain family always used a specific, now-closed funeral home.
- The $5 Factor: If you aren't a member, it usually costs about $5 to research in person. If you're out of state, they do "look-ups" for a fee (usually around $20), which is a steal considering they’re doing the legwork for you.
You should also check out the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library. They provide free access to databases like Ancestry and the Ohio Death Record Index if you're physically in the building. It’s the best place to find those obscure "Death Notices"—those tiny, three-line blurbs that were common in the early 1900s when full obituaries were too expensive for the average family.
Official Records: The Ross County Health District
Sometimes you don't need a story; you need a fact. A legal fact.
If you're looking for a death certificate for legal reasons—like settling an estate or proving lineage for a society—the Ross County Health District on East Second Street is where you go. But there’s a catch.
They only have records for deaths that occurred after 1908. Anything before that is a "Probate Court" matter.
Dealing with the Probate Archives
The Ross County Probate-Juvenile Court archives are located in what used to be the old jail on West Main Street. It’s a bit cinematic, actually. These records go back to 1798. If your ancestor was a "pioneer citizen" (like Richard Baddley, a War of 1812 vet who died in 1870), this is the only place you'll find official confirmation of their passing.
A certified copy here will cost you about $7.00. It’s worth every penny if you’re trying to prove a direct line for something like the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Common Pitfalls in Ross County Searches
One thing most people get wrong is the "Chillicothe Trap." Because Chillicothe is the big city, people assume every Ross County Ohio obituary will be listed there.
That’s not true.
Ross County is huge. If someone lived in the northern part of the county, their obituary might have ended up in a Circleville paper. If they were south, maybe Waverly. Don’t limit your search to just the Gazette.
Also, watch out for the "Nickname Factor." In local Ross County history, people went by their middle names or nicknames constantly. If you can't find "William Smith," try "Bill" or even his initials. You'd be surprised how many records are filed under "Mrs. [Husband's Name]" in the 19th-century archives. It's a bit of a headache, but that’s how it was done.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you're starting your search right now, here is the most efficient order to do it:
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- Check the Big Three Funeral Homes: Search Haller, Ware, and Fawcett Oliver first. This covers about 80% of deaths from the last 20 years.
- Use the RCGS Online Index: Before you drive to Chillicothe, check the Ross County Genealogical Society online database. It has over 56,000 names. It won't show you the full obituary, but it will tell you the exact date and paper where it appeared.
- Request the Microfilm: If you find a date in the index, you can contact the library or the society to get a scan of the actual clipping.
- Vital Statistics for Legal Needs: If it’s post-1908 and you need a certificate, use the Health District’s online portal. It’s much faster than mailing a check.
Finding these records is basically a puzzle. You have to be patient. But in a place as old and historically rich as Ross County—the first capital of Ohio—the records are there. You just have to know which door to knock on.
Start by listing the full name, any known nicknames, and a five-year date range. Use the funeral home search tools first to see if a digital record exists, then pivot to the Genealogical Society's index to bridge the gap into the 19th and 20th centuries.