WINTERSVILLE – Many volunteers have numerous hours into putting Jefferson County history online for those searching for and wanting to learn about their ancestors.

“It is in retirement years that many start a search for their relatives. What they learn will help them and their children personally,” said Flora VerStraten-Merrin, Jefferson County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society, president and researcher.

Adding to the list of 12 volunteers putting together births, marriages, deaths and other pertinent information are two missionaries from Casa Grande, Ariz., who have an interest in genealogy and are excited about the work they have taken on.

Garold and Kris Bell traveled 2,600 miles to arrive in Wintersville on Jan. 27 from their mission church, the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, where they are member leader support missionaries.

“This is our first time to go out and do community service, with our church deciding where help is most needed. The ward here is larger than most, as there are people in four counties who are church members. There are two wards in Ohio and two in West Virginia,” Kris explained.

The couple met in high school and are now celebrating more than 40 years of marriage together.

“We enjoy the area here and have a love for genealogy, which will give us an opportunity to do research on our own ancestors as well,” Garold said.

“Like others searching, we will understand how to go about finding relatives and all the avenues to be searched, how they lived, what they did, how they grew and other stories. Both of our families came through Ohio. My John family came through Carroll County and Garold’s relatives came from Greene County in Pennsylvania,” Kris related.

“The Jefferson County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society, has a wealth of information. It has been an eye-opener for us. We will be making an index of wills and can see from the 33 boxes lined against the wall that this will be an interesting task,” she said.

“We are asked why we would go on a mission and our answer is to repay our Savior the blessings of the church. To serve those who are here,” Garold said.

“You learn many things about people and appreciate the friendliness of the people here,” Kris said.

The couple leave behind their three grown children and six grandchildren.

They started their mission journey by entering into training on Jan.13 and taking to the highways to arrive in Wintersville in the heart of the snowy and cold weather on Jan. 27.

They are following in the path of the Paice couple who left in late 2013.

“When I learned we were getting two missionaries I wondered if they would want to volunteer with us. We were praying when the Paices left that we would find someone. They were interested in our family history work so this will work out well,” VerStraten-Merrin said.

“We have a lot to learn as we are really novices about this.” Garold Bell said about what they are being trained to do. Both are excited about the work and the area, so it works out well for the couple. God has his way of answering prayer, they noted.