Portage County Ohio Genealogy Society

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.

04/18/2025

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.

03/29/2025

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, April 5, 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 delve into “Finding More on Passenger Lists.” Torella, with roots in the Mahoning Valley, is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists with over twenty-five years of experience as a genealogy lecturer and researcher.

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.

Join the Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society in promoting and stimulating knowledge and interest in the study of genealogy. Everyone is welcome from beginner to expert genealogist. Genealogy Society | United States | Portagecountyohioogs

03/04/2025

At our March PCCOGS meeting, Cheryl Brown Abernathy spoke about the numerous Lineage Societies that are available through the Ohio Genealogical Society and other societies as well. Here's an upcoming expo for those interested in The Western Reserve Society of Mayflower Descendants.

02/22/2025

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St in Ravenna Ohio at 10:00 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Cheryl Brown Abernathy. Abernathy will speak about the numerous Lineage Societies that are available through the Ohio Genealogical Society and other societies as well. Membership into a lineage society is done by proving that you are a direct descendant of an individual of that time period.

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.

01/26/2025

The Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at the Portage County Historical Society, 6549 N. Chestnut St. in Ravenna Ohio at 10:00 a.m.

The guest speaker will be Mark Perkins, who will present The Battle of Scary Creek. In June and July, 1861, Union troops under General George McClellan fought several times against Confederate forces in the northwestern part of the state. To the south, General Jacob Cox assembled forces representing Ohio and Kentucky and led an expedition up the Kanawha River, destination Charleston. Before he got there he was met by Virginia troops at Scary Creek. This is the story of this small battle with no shortage of courage, hard fighting, confusion and recriminations that brought the cost of war home to Portage County

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.

Join the Portage County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society in promoting and stimulating knowledge and interest in the study of genealogy. Everyone is welcome from beginner to expert genealogist. Genealogy Society | United States | Portagecountyohioogs

12/02/2024

https://youtu.be/w5eNi04Hz6k?si=sGbY3_f2VfqtDclf

This instructional video shows you “how to” turn your Christmas tree into a genealogical family tree… Video created by Karen Sawyer, a photographer and genea...