WARNING
THERE IS A CHARGE SEPARATE FROM THE COST OF THE COPIES YOU MAKE. THE CHARGE IS $2.00 OR 2.5% OF THE COST OF COPIES MADE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER. THIS IS NOT A FEE COLLECTED BY THE COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE BUT RATHER A FEE CHARGED BY THE CREDIT CARD PROCESSING COMPANY AND COLLECTED BY THEM DIRECTLY.
If you are doing a records search of a Deed and/or Deed of Trust, a Last Will and Testament or any other document that was recorded prior to January 1, 1993, and you do not know the book number and page number of the document you are searching, then you will use this procedure to try to locate your document. PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING to get an idea of how the system operates. After reading this, you will be given the step by step process to use the Indexes in the Vault and how to pull-up a document in the Vault to
read.
GENERAL CONCEPT
FIRST STEP:
The INDEX records are broken down in periods of time; for example: earliest records through 1935, or 1936 through 1959, or 1960 through 1992. Determine the time frame (years) you are interested in searching. There are two INDEX BOOKS for each time frame. One Index Book is for “Grantors” and the other Index Book is for “Grantees.” Grantors are the sellers/conveyors of the real estate. Grantees are the purchasers/new owners/receivers of the real estate.
SECOND STEP:
You must know if you are looking for an individual or for a business. All corporate names are listed in a separate INDEX entitled “CORPS. & FIRMS;” each has an index for “grantors” and for “grantees.”
THIRD STEP:
Using the tab in the Index Book select the tab that corresponds with the last name (surname) of the party you are researching. When you view the tab, you will notice that there are set-outs for “Common Surnames.” Check the list of “Common Surnames” to determine if the name you are searching appears there. If so, go to the page number so stated within that Index Book. If your surname does not appear in the “Common Surname” section, then use the “Mixed Name Groups” to find the name you are researching. Find the page number, turn to the page within the Index Book and review the entries therein.
In the Index Book for years 1936 through 1959, you will notice an instruction at the top of the page. Basically, for NON COMMON NAMES, look for the first consonant standout (column) following either a vowel or the main letters of the tab section you are using. For instance, if you were searching for the name of “Rackham,” you would look for the name under the column of “f or k,” because “k” is the consonant following the vowel of “a” that is identified in a column. It does take practice to learn this method so be patient; others have been using it since prior to West Virginia becoming a state.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are having difficulty finding your “individual” you may want to try various ways of spelling the surname.
FOURTH STEP:
You are now at the page with the surname you are searching. You will notice that at the top, left of center, there are three columns. These columns divide the alphabet into three sections for you to use, to search for the first name of the individual. In the center of the page is the name of the other party (i.e., grantor or grantee), the Book Number and Page Number of that transaction, year recorded at the Clerk’s Office, and a general description of the transaction. When you have your Book Number and Page Number, you are ready to leave the Index Books and look for your document in the actual Book.
STEP-BY-STEP
Find an Index (Vault)
1. Go to the “Search for Ohio County Land Records.”
2. Look at the top of the screen to find “Vault Search” and click to select.
3. On the left is a long rectangular box with a down arrow; click the down arrow (it will show all of the indexes).
4. Select the index you want to view.
5. After selecting the type of index you want to view, then click in the box to the right (center)for “Book.”
6. Select the alphabetical letter you want to search and “enter.”
7. Then click in the page box and begin your search for the name you want to locate.
8. From this point, you can use the arrows in the tool bar above, to move to the next page or to a previous page.
PLEASE NOTE: you do not need to leave this screen after finding the book and page number you want to review; follow the next steps to proceed:
Find a Book and Page (Vault)
1. Look to the top right of the screen to find “Image Search” and click to select.
2. In the new screen, look to the left side to see a long rectangular box with a down arrow. Click on the down arrow. Look down the list of categories and select the name of the type of book you want to view.
3. After you have chosen a book and page number, press “enter” on your keyboard. This will lead you to another screen.
4. In the new screen, on the left side is a long rectangular box with a down arrow. Click on the down arrow and select the type of book you want.
5. Then in the boxes to the right, enter the book number and page number you wish to view (be careful not to insert the page number in the “suffix” box) and press the “enter” button on your keyboard.
PLEASE NOTE: if you need to return to the “index” screen, just exit from the screen you are on OR if you have a dual screen, slide the screen over to the unused screen and you will now have the “index” screen on one side, and the screen to look at the book images on the other side.