Any member of the Washington County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society who is a direct descendant of an individual who settled in Washington County by December 31, 1829 may become a member of the First Families of Washington County on the acceptance of an application with proof of such descent and the payment of a $15.00 application fee. Follow this link to see a list of early settlers who have already been researched by others.

Contact First Families Chairperson, Jayne Stehle at First Families Chair , or by regular mail at First Familes, C/O Washington County Chapter OGS, P.O. Box 2174, Marietta, OH 45750, for more information. Download a PDF copy of the application and our complete Rules of Evidence.

Once filed, your application and ancestry must be accepted by the First Families of Washington County First Families Committee and by the Washington County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. An ancestral chart must be included to show the inter-connecting relationship for each ancestral line submitted.

When documenting a family line, list the volume and page for any book references you list and include a facsimile (copy machine, photo, or other similar) copy of the pertinent pages, and of all published or unpublished records used for proof.

Published or manuscript material authored by the applicant or his family will not of themselves be accepted as proof.

Inrformation for additional ancestral lines may be included on blank pages, showing the tie-in to the lines on the basic application.

Each year we honor the new (and current) First Families members at our May meeting.