Finding a specific record of someone’s life in a place like Muskingum County shouldn't feel like a chore. Honestly, it usually starts with a frantic Google search after a cup of coffee. You’re looking for obituaries in Zanesville Ohio because maybe you missed a service, or you’re digging into a family tree that’s been dormant for twenty years. It happens. Zanesville has this deep, rugged history—think Y-Bridge and pottery—and its records are just as layered.
The thing is, people expect a single "master list" to exist somewhere. It doesn't.
Searching for a recent passing is a completely different beast than looking for a great-grandfather who worked at the tile works in 1924. You’ve got to know which digital or physical door to knock on. If you're looking for someone who passed away in the last week, you’re likely headed to a funeral home site. If it’s 1950? You’re going to need the library. It’s about matching your tools to the era.
Where the Recent Records Live
For anything current, the local newspaper remains the heavy hitter. The Zanesville Times Recorder has been the primary pulse of the city for generations. Most people don't realize that while the paper prints the obits, the digital versions are often hosted through partnerships with platforms like Legacy or Gannett’s own systems.
You’ll find the most detail there—service times, memorial donation requests, and those long lists of surviving cousins.
But here is the kicker: local funeral homes often post the "full" story before the paper even goes to press. In Zanesville, names like Bryan & Hardwick, Hillis, Combs & Nestor, or Bolin-Dierkes are more than just businesses. They are the keepers of the immediate record. If you can't find a name on a news site, go straight to the source. Their websites usually have a "tribute wall" where families post photos that never make it into the black-and-white columns of a newspaper.
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It’s personal. It’s immediate. It’s usually free to access.
The Muskingum County Library Trick
Let’s say you’re looking for something older. Maybe an ancestor from the 1800s. You aren't going to find that on a modern funeral home website.
The Muskingum County Library System (MCLS) is basically the gold mine for obituaries in Zanesville Ohio. They have a specific Genealogical Center located at the John McIntire Library on North Fifth Street. They have microfilm. Yes, the old-school stuff. But they also have an obituary index that is a literal lifesaver for researchers.
Most people don't know you can actually request a search if you live out of state. You don't always have to drive into town and sit in a dark room scrolling through film, though there's a certain charm to that. The librarians there know the local families. They understand that a "Smith" in Zanesville might actually be tied to the "Smiths" in Hopewell or Dresden.
Why Zanesville Records Are Different
Zanesville is the "Clay City." Because of the industrial history here, obituaries often tell you more about the town's economy than a history book. You’ll see mentions of the Mosaic Tile Company, Line Material, or Burnham Boilers.
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When you read obituaries in Zanesville Ohio, pay attention to the affiliations.
Was the deceased a member of the Lafayette Lodge? Did they attend St. Nicholas or St. Thomas? These details aren't just fluff. They help verify you’ve found the right person in a sea of similar names. In a town this size, there are a lot of "John Millers." Knowing that your John Miller was a regular at the Eagles Club or worked at the glass factory is how you win at genealogy.
Sometimes the records are messy.
Fire, floods, or just plain old poor record-keeping in the early 19th century means gaps exist. If the Times Recorder (or its predecessors like the Signal) doesn't have it, check the church records. Zanesville’s religious roots are deep. Many of the older Catholic or Methodist churches kept their own death ledgers that predated official state certificates, which Ohio didn't strictly mandate until 1908.
The Digital vs. Physical Gap
We live in a world where we expect everything to be indexed by a search engine. It’s frustrating when it isn't.
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- Recent (2000–Present): Highly searchable. Check the newspaper archives or funeral home sites.
- Mid-Range (1960–1999): Hit or miss. Some are digitized on sites like Ancestry or FamilySearch, but many require a trip to the library's microfilm.
- Vintage (Pre-1960): You’re almost certainly looking at physical archives or specialized genealogical databases.
Don't ignore the Muskingum County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. These folks are volunteers, but they are experts. They’ve spent decades indexing gravestones in tiny, overgrown cemeteries out in Falls Township or Newton. Sometimes an obituary doesn't exist, but a headstone record does. It’s the next best thing.
Practical Steps for a Successful Search
If you’re starting a search today, don't just type a name into a search bar and give up after the first page.
First, narrow the date. If you have a rough year, the library index is your best friend. Second, check the "survivors" section of other family members' obituaries. Often, finding a sibling’s record will give you the exact death date of the person you’re actually looking for.
Third, use the "Find A Grave" website as a secondary verification tool. Zanesville has some massive cemeteries, like Greenwood Cemetery or Mt. Olive. The volunteers there often upload photos of the actual printed obituary to the memorial page. It’s a crowdsourced shortcut that works surprisingly often.
Lastly, keep in mind that spelling wasn't always a priority in 1920. "Zanesville" stays the same, but surnames morphed. Check for variations. It’s tedious, but it’s how the real work gets done.
Actionable Next Steps
- For recent passings (last 5 years): Search the specific websites of Bolin-Dierkes, Bryan & Hardwick, and Hillis, Combs & Nestor funeral homes directly.
- For historical research: Access the Muskingum County Library System’s Obituary Index online. Note the volume and page number, then contact the John McIntire Library genealogical department for a scan.
- Verify with the Health Department: If the obituary is missing, order a death certificate through the Muskingum County Health Department for official records after 1908.
- Check the "Signal": If looking for records between 1864 and 1945, specifically ask for archives of The Zanesville Signal, which often covered different social circles than the Times Recorder.