Union County Children's Home Register, 1884-1967
(579 records)
(Updated: April 23, 2015)

Child Surname List: A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

Father Surname List: A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

Mother Surname List: A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

 

Retrieve records by year admitted (1884-1967):

Please choose the year from the drop-down menu below:

 

OR: Retrieve by surname:

Enter the surname (use % as a wildcard):

Surname:

Child Father Mother

 

OR Search Any Last Name Using Soundex:

Please enter the last name of the child or the last name of either parent:

Last Name:

 

Children’s Home Register (1884-1921; 1952-1961)

These records show the name of the child, date admitted, date of birth, names of parents, and when and how discharged.  Admittance records between 1921 and 1952 are contained in the Board of Trustees of Children’s Home Minutes, but with less detail.  All records pertaining to adoptions are confidential O.R.C. 149.43(A)(1)(d).

On March 20, 1866, the Ohio General Assembly, in response to a dramatic increase of homeless children following the Civil War, authorized boards of county commissioners to construct children’s homes and to levy taxes to pay for them.  Previously, overseers of the poor and directors of infirmaries cared for indigent children.  The children’s home was designated as an “asylum” for all persons under the age of sixteen whom, “by reason of orphanage, or neglect or inability of parents to provide for them” were destitute.  The 1866 legislation also established a five member board of trustees for such homes appointed by the board of county commissioners.  The trustees were authorized to hire a superintendent, who was to administer the home, provide foster homes for children, arrange adoptions and maintain records of admission, discharge and adoption of children.

On April 9, 1883, the General Assembly passed an act “to provide for the protection of children.”  This law prohibited admitting children who were eligible for a children’s home to the county infirmary, unless the children were separated from the adult inmates or were under the age of four and under the care of their mother at the infirmary.  Counties were given the option of either providing a separate facility at the infirmary, contracting with another county children’s home for the care of their children or establishing their own children’s home.  The effective date of the legislation was January 1, 1884.

Union County previous to the 1883 legislation kept their indigent children at the County Infirmary.  The new law demanded, however, a change of the status quo.  This led to the creation of the Union County Children’s Home, which opened for operation on April 21, 1884.  In January 1967, it was announced that the state “would not approve the Children’s Home for present use.”  The Board acted accordingly and the Union County Children’s Home was closed on June 29, 1967.  The Children’s Welfare Board provided for unfortunate children through public and private service agencies and foster homes.  On August 15, 1969, the board became the children’s’ services board.  On December 26, 1972, through a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners the Union County Children’s Services Board was merged with the County Department of Public Welfare, now the Department of Job and Family Services.  This was made effective on January 31, 1973, and with it the Children’s Services Board no longer functions as a separate and independent entity in Union County.