County Recorder's Office

    The County Recorder is the keeper and protector of the most vital records in the county; therefore, it is the most valuable library. One may say...what's the use, why keep records? An unknown writer once observed that "a nation which neglects and disregards the records of its past, is soon a nation that has no future to which it may look forward."

    The Office of the County Recorder is extremely important in the legal structure of our society. The right to own property under our system of government is a part of the freedoms we enjoy. Without property ownership rights, all our other freedoms would soon collapse. The Recorder's records are the guardian of this precious right. In order to own and protect land, and the right to improve or dispose of land, man early in history created a recording system.

    In Ohio the Recorder, as an elected public official, not only holds trust of the people but is charged by law with the exacting duty of keeping the record books required by law to be kept. The Recorder and Deputies must have the knowledge of more than forty different legal instruments that are recorded or filed their care. These records are vital to every person in the county - each property owner, every business, to the State and Federal Government.

    Particular stress is placed by law on the faithful and correct performance of the duties of the Recorder. Fees collected are paid into the County General Fund, through the Auditor's Office to the County Treasurer, each day.

    Records kept in the Recorder's Office include deeds of all types; in part, they are: Quit Claim, Warranty; Sheriff's Auditor's Forfeited Land, Certificate of Transfer from Court; Executor and Administrator deeds. Other records kept are mortgages, Liens, such as Mechanics Liens, Federal, State, Unemployment Compensation, Workers Industrial Tax liens, Personal Property tax and twelve other kinds of liens; Power of Attorney; Leases of all types; Armed Service Discharge; Soldier's Grave Registrations; Release; Partial Release; Cancellation or assignment of mortgages or leases. Land and Coal Contracts; Articles of Agreement; Fence Partitions; Certificates of merger of Corporations; Amendments to Article of Corporation; Easements; Rights of Way; Partnership Record, Plats of allotments, subdivisions.

    Various legal papers for which the Recorder is responsible are filed in the Recorder's Office. They include Security Agreements; Financing Statements; Recognizance Bonds from Common Pleas and County Court.