Portage County Ohio Genealogy Society

02/07/2026

Our archives loves getting genealogical material but sometimes they're a challenge! This paperwork, much of it in shorthand, relates to the Holaday-Curl family of Clinton County, OH; written around 1930 by Martha Louise Holaday (1909-1991), who worked as a stenographer. If you can read shorthand, shoot us an email to help us decipher this material.

02/07/2026

Don't wait too long! Online, early-bird registration is now OPEN for the 2026 OGS Conference being held April 29 - May 2, 2026. Visit www.ogs.org/2026-conference for more information and to register. Don't miss out on early-bird pricing.

01/13/2026

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St in Ravenna Ohio at 10:00 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Barbara Petroski, who will present “Families Losing Their Farms During the Construction of the Ravenna Arsenal 1940”. Petroski will focus on the individual families that lost their homes and livelihood and the effect it had on their lives. Photographs of the remaining homes within the boundary of the Arsenal will be presented and attendees are encouraged to bring their own photos of homes and families dating to the time period. The program is free and open to anyone interested in genealogy or historical research. For up to date information please visit our website at https://www.portagecountyohioogs.org/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Portage-County-Ohio-Genealogy-Society-635440526851524.

Members are reminded to renew memberships by February 15th if you wish to stay on the surname list. Dues are $12.00 for an individual and $14.00 for joint membership (2 people/same address). Please make checks payable to Portage County Chapter OGS and turn it in at the meeting or mail to 6551 N. Chestnut St., Ravenna, OH 44266.

12/16/2025

PORTAGE COUNTY CHAPTER OF OGS SEEKING PHOTOS
The February program of the Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will focus on the people and homes of Charlestown, Freedom, Paris, and Windham Townships that were displaced by the U.S. government for the construction of the Ravenna Arsenal in 1940.

The speaker for the February 7 presentation is seeking photographs of any homes or families that were located within the arsenal boundaries prior to 1940. If you have such a photograph and would like to share a copy, please email it along with the name of the family who lived in the home, the township, and, if possible, the name of the road on which it was located.

Many homes were left standing for use by military personnel and other essential workers and were later sold and moved off the facility. These homes were assigned numbers and appear on a map of the arsenal property. The speaker is attempting to locate these homes in their current locations throughout Portage and Trumbull counties.

Please email any photographs to pccogs.67@outlook.com. The deadline for submission is January 25, 2026.

11/29/2025

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St in Ravenna Ohio at 10:00 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Brian Rhinehart, who will present “Uncovering an Unlikely Civil War Story through Federal Records, about a 60 year-old soldier, originally from New Hampshire".

The program is free and open to anyone interested in genealogy or historical research. For up-to-date information please visit our web site at https://www.portagecountyohioogs.org/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Portage-County-Ohio-Genealogy-Society-635440526851524.

The next genealogy program will be February 7, 2026 (no January meeting).

10/21/2025

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St. in Ravenna, Ohio, at 10 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Wayne Enders who will continue his program on the History of Ravenna, Portage County through photographs. The time frame covered in this series will be from 1900 to 1980.

The program is free and open to anyone interested in genealogy or historical research. For up to date information please visit our web site at https://www.portagecountyohioogs.org/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Portage-County-Ohio-Genealogy-Society-635440526851524.

10/07/2025

On Saturday, October 4, 2025, the Portage County Chapter of OGS gathered at the Over Easy at the Depot restaurant in Kent to honor the newest member of the First Settlers' of Portage County, Mike Cox. Seven members and one guest enjoyed a nice afternoon with Mike and his wife.

If you would like to ​​​join the rolls of proud members who honor their Portage County forebearers, please https://www.portagecountyohioogs.org/ for more details.

08/26/2025

08/26/2025

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St in Ravenna Ohio at 10:00 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Roslyn Torella who will explain Social Security Records and how they can provide clues to your ancestor’s name, origin and social history. Torella has over 25 years of genealogical research experience.

The program is free and open to anyone interested in genealogy or historical research. For up to date information please visit our web site at https://www.portagecountyohioogs.org/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Portage-County-Ohio-Genealogy-Society-635440526851524.

08/10/2025

Members:
I am researching families that were displaced by the Ravenna Ordinance Plant-the Arsenal- in 1940 for a program I’m doing for the chapter in February. If anyone has a photo of any of the homes that were within the boundary of the arsenal, would you consider sending me a copy.

Many homes were left standing to be used by military personal and other essential workers and later moved off the facility or torn down. I know where a few of these homes are now.

If you have such a photograph, or know of someone else who would share a photo, please send me a copy via email and list the name of the family that lived in the home, the township, and possibly the name of the road it was located.

Thank you.

Barb Petroski
pccogs.67@outlook.com

05/03/2025

It's a rainy day so why not come to our May 3rd meeting & presentation! Mary Jamba will be speaking about Epitaphs & Icons: What You Can Discover in the Graveyard".

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St., in Ravenna, Ohio at 10:00 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Mary Jamba, who will explain “Epitaphs & Icons: What you can Discover in the Graveyard.” With over 26 years of genealogy research experience, Jamba is currently program chair for the Western Reserve Historical Society Genealogical Committee, and DNA User Group Leader for the Computer Assisted Genealogy Group. For Mary's presentation about the icons on tombstones, you may bring a photo of a tombstone that you would like her to explain what the symbols mean to the May program. You may also email her the photo and she will show it on the screen with her presentation (mjamba@yahoo.com).

The program is free and open to anyone interested in genealogy or historical research. For up-to-date information please visit our web site at https://www.portagecountyohioogs.org/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Portage-County-Ohio-Genealogy-Society-635440526851524.