Anyone who has proven an ancestor(s) for one of the Fayette County Lineage Societies may be eligible to have that ancestor(s) inducted into one of the Lineage Societies of the Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS).

You must become a member of the OGS, order the application forms, and pay an application fee. Applications for the Lineage Societies are approved by the appropriate OGS committee and then OGS Board of Directors. Each successful applicant will be inducted into the designated lineage society at the annual OGS Conference and will receive a medal and certificate recognizing him or her and their ancestor(s).

Any OGS member with a descendant who lived in the area that now encompasses Ohio may be eligible for these OGS lineage societies. If you have a direct descendant who lived in Ohio by Dec. 31, 1820 you are eligible to be inducted into the First Families of Ohio. In addition, if your ancestor lived in Ohio by 1803 you will receive a First Family of the Ohio Bicentennial pin. This was added in 2006.

If you proved your 1803 Ohio ancestor before 2006 you can contact the OGS for your pin. If your ancestor lived in Ohio between Jan. 1, 1821 and Dec. 31, 1860 you can apply to the Settlers and Builders of Ohio. An ancestor who lived in Ohio between 1861 to 100 years prior to the current date is eligible for Century Families of Ohio. Your ancestor for this year would have had lived in Ohio by sometime between Jan. 1, 1861 to at least sometime in 1920.

If you have a Civil War veteran in your family tree, either a direct descendant or a collateral ancestor, a sibling, uncle, aunt, cousin and so forth, you can become a member of the Society of Civil War Families of Ohio. Service is not limited to an Ohio outfit, but the person must have lived or died in Ohio, or served in an Ohio unit. Squirrel hunters and spies both male and female are eligible.

Anyone who is a direct descendant of any person who lived in what is now Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, or eastern Minnesota (east of the Mississippi River) between July 13, 1787 and May 7, 1800 (when the Indiana Territory was created) or whose ancestor lived in what is now Ohio or Michigan between July 13, 1787 and March 3, 1803 or lived in what is now Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, or eastern Minnesota prior to July 13, 1787 as a citizen of either France or Great Britain, or as a Native American, may qualify for the new Society of the of the Families of the old Northwest Territory.

The membership information for the Ohio Genealogical Society, application forms to their Lineage Societies, the rules for applying, and helpful application tips can be obtained at the OGS website at ogs.org or calling them at 1-419-886-1903. The Fayette County Genealogical Society will assist anyone with these or with any of our lineage applications, or membership in the Fayette County Genealogical Society by contacting the lineage chair, Cathy Massie White, at [email protected] or 740-333-7227, president Sue Gilmore at [email protected] or 614-864-9609, or research chair Peggy Lester at [email protected] or 740-495-5720.

There will be no October meeting of the Society due the ongoing pandemic. Stay safe and healthy.