The Franklin County Genealogical Society - Part 1

(The following was written by Meg Scott, and is reprinted from “Reflections”, a collection of local stories available at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. Any opinions made in the article are from the author.)The present Franklin County Genealogical Society was started by Dr. Helen Wikoff. One day she phoned a few of her friends that she knew were involved in family research and said, “Come over to my house, on 26th May 1970”. The small group continued meeting at Dr. Wikoff’s house, on Arden Road., for a couple of months. With 12 to 16 persons interested, the state organization was invited to charter the group. The Ohio Genealogical Society is headquartered at Mansfield. To become a chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, a group must have 16 persons who are members of the Ohio Genealogical Society. According to a list I have, there were 39 charter members of the Franklin County Genealogical Society, a chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.The first genealogy group, of which I know, was formed 2 June 1866.  A number of the oldest residents of Franklin County met at the fairgrounds in Columbus to organize the Franklin County Pioneer Association. Those members signing the Constitution were G.H. Griswold, J.D. Ball, Jesse Baughman, David Beers, John Saul, David Taylor, Christian Heyl, Hugh McMaster, Harvey Coe, George Taylor, Abraham Johnson, J.T. Britton, J.E. St Clair, Levi Pinney, William Harrison, Peter Agler, Flavel Fuller, Nelson Foos, William Sells, Heney Ridenour and Thomas Bell. The first ladies to be admitted as members were: Mrs. Susan Adams, Mrs. P. Smillikin, Mrs. H. Brooks, Mrs. L. Tuller, Mrs. Mary Miswander, Mrs. E. Patterson, Mrs. J. Parks, Mrs. M. Moobery, Mrs. Stacy Space, Mrs. Harriet Segler, Mrs. Sarah Robinson, and Mrs. Elizabeth Brodrick. Joseph Sullivan offered a resolution that one vice-president be elected from each Township as follows:Franklin Twp. - J.O.B. RenickJackson Twp. - Hugh GrantPrairie Twp. - Pavid PostleBrown Twp. - Oliver CloverNorwich Twp. - Samuel KingWashington Twp. - Benjamin SellsSharon Twp. - Flavel TullerBlendon Twp. - James W. JamesonMifflin Twp. - Jesse BaughmanPlain Twp. - George WagnerJefferson Twp. - Ezekiel ComptonTruro Twp. - James TaylorMadison Twp. - Frederick SwisherMarion Twp. - William MerwinHamilton Twp. - John LysleClinton Twp. - Jacob SaylePerry Twp. - J.R. Thomas(The continuation of this story in the next blog entry.)