Step-by-Step Indiana Research, 1850-1900

A suggested approach to genealogy research in Indiana online family history records.

Step 1. Find out everything you can from living relatives and their family records:
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues you can gather from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What should you ask?
In order to extend your research on your ancestors, you are looking for names, dates, and places. Everything you learn that tells you about when and where a relative lived is a clue to a new record search. Be sure to ask questions that lead to that information, including about their occupations, military service, or associations with others, such as fraternal organizations. See also:


 * Fifty Questions for Family History Interviews What to Ask the Relatives
 * Genealogy: 150 questions to ask family members about their lives
 * Creating Oral Histories

Family Members Born After 1940
Because the most recent census available was taken in 1940, family documents and the knowledge of living family members play a vital role in identifying these people. Once you have learned names, places of residence, and clues to estimate approximate birth date, the next important step is to send for birth, marriage, and death records for them. Skip to Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for your ancestors and their children.



Using the clues to lead to census record searches.

 * Suppose that your home records, you find this family Bible record for your Indiana ancestors. You notice that although the dates given for deaths are in the 1940's, many of the birth dates seem to be in the 1890's.  Therefore, most of these people should be listed in the 1900 census of Indiana.


 * we find a family in the to the 1900 census of Perry, Martin, Indiana. Click on the link to see the search results.  Most of the names in the index match up nicely with names in the family Bible.


 * The index has a link to the image of the actual census record. Now, since the 1900 census lists the month and year of birth, we compare the birth dates in the family Bible and the census, and we realize that you have indeed found this family in the 1900 census.:




 * We notice that the parent of this family were born in the late 1850's. So we decide to look for Patrick E. Grannon in earlier census records--working back from 1880, through 1870, and 1860. Click on the links to see that we found Patrick living  with his parents, Patrick and Phoebe A.

Step 2: Search the 1900, 1880, 1870, 1860, and 1850 census records online.
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household you might find (depending on the year) their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military.

To learn more about census records, including search strategies, see United States Census Records for Beginners.

Look at the samples of census records below to become familiar with the types of information found in each.

1900 U.S. Census

 * The 1900 census is particularly helpful because it states month and year of birth, how many children a woman has born, the year of immigration to the U.S., among other things.

Census Links to Start Your Own Research in Census Records
Now you will want to find your family members in every possible census, using these convenient links:


 * 1900
 * 1880
 * 1870
 * 1860
 * 1850


 * Note: The 1890 census was destroyed in a fire.

'''In steps 3 and 4, we will use what we learned from the census records to help search for birth, marriage, and death records. But first, we will try to gather more clues from several collections of death, obituary, and cemetery records that may give us clues that help us search for birth and marriage records.'''
 * You will want to find and keep notes on census records from every census during each ancestor's lifetime.
 * With the census records you will be able to estimate approximate birth dates and marriage dates. These records will lead you to new searches because you will find the names of other members of the family. You will find clues to other states and countries your family lived in before coming to Indiana.

U.S. Social Security Death Index
The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962. The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits. The index entries give the person's full birth date, last known residence, and residence at the time they first enrolled. Women are listed under their married name at the time of their death. You can search these records online at. Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index.

The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process, including valuable details such as birth date, birth place, and parents’ names. Unless the deceased would be at least 75 years old today, the parents' names are not published. You will not find everybody who is listed in the SSDI, as criteria for inclusion differs.

If you find your ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.



Obituaries

 * Frequently, a death is announced in the newspaper with an obituary.
 * These obituaries may supply missing birth or death dates and name the parents of the deceased.
 * Obituaries may also name family members, their spouses, their current residences, and whether they died before the person or are still surviving, especially in obituaries written in the last half of the 20th Century.
 * Try these Indiana links:
 * Indiana Online Historical Newspapers
 * Indiana Newspaper Archives (1804–1992) at Genealogy Bank, index.
 * Hoosier State Chronicles, Indiana State Library
 * Indiana Obituary Archive. Index and Images.
 * Mennonite Church USA Archives: MennObits
 * Online Indiana Death Indexes and Obituaries

Cemeteries
NOTE: Each database covers different cemeteries, although some may overlap. Don't be discouraged if you do not locate your individual in the first database. Check each collection.
 * Cemetery records may only give the names and dates stated on the tombstone, but as in the case of FindAGrave, sometimes pictures of the deceased and their tombstone, children's or parents' names and links to their graves, and marriage information have been added. Always verify information added by others.
 * Frequently family members are buried in the same cemetery often in neighboring plots.
 * Try these Indiana links:
 * Web: Indiana and Michigan, Michiana Genealogical Cemetery Index, 1800-2010 ($)
 * Indiana Cemetery Records at Interment.net.
 * Findagrave.com.
 * BillionGraves Indiana Cemeteries.
 * Cemetery Junction Indiana by D'Addezio.
 * Surname index to Roster of soldiers and patriots of the American Revolution buried in Indiana, vol. I &amp; II ($)
 * African American Cemeteries Online
 * , index.


 * Here is a typical Find A Grave record:



Step 4: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for your ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or even towns in some states recorded births, marriages, and deaths. You have probably seen these types of certificates and have your own. In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations. A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Remember that for family members born after 1940 you do not have census records to rely on. The information from interviewing family members will hopefully give you enough detail that you know approximate years of birth, marriage, or death. Sending for certificates will help verify identities, prove relationships, and fill in greater detail.

Studying what you have found:

 * Review what you have found to see if there is missing information that could be found in a birth, marriage, or death record for your ancestors and their children.


 * If you are missing the names of parents, find a person's death certificate. It may contain the names of the deceased's parents, which would extend your pedigree back one more generation.


 * If you find a child listed in a census record, try to find a birth record to learn their full birth date.


 * If a married couple is shown in the census records and you need the wife's maiden name, search for their marriage record or her death record. The mother's maiden name should also be given in her children's birth records.

Online databases

 * This chart gives links to some Indiana online databases for these records. These are indexes of records.  Frequently, the actual record will give greater detail.

Marriage Index


Indiana marriage record "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXN9-BGJ : accessed 24 February 2016), Patrick E Grannan in entry for Frank B Grannan and Antoinette Weber, 1925.

Birth records lead to other searches

 * If a birth record gave you parents names you did not have before, you can return to the census records again and search for additional family members.
 * Search the birth index again using only the surname and the parents' names to find other additional children.
 * If the time period is early enough, try searching for the parents as children in the birth index.
 * With the additional family names discovered, look for marriage records for the parents and their children.

Records at the County Courthouse
From the date of the formation of a county until the establishment of state civil registration, birth and marriage records were kept by the County Clerk. They may have been microfilmed, or you can write for them. It is appropriate to write asking for either a single record or for a list of all the marriages for a given surname. This Letter Writing Guide will help you with phrasing a letter. This online directory by Genealogy Inc. will give you the address of the County Clerk. Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the "Courthouse and Government Records" to find the address and phone number. If you are at the main Family History Library, check first to see if microfilms of the county vital records are available. In the search field of the FamilySearch Catalog, enter the state and county. Then click on the "Vital Records" subject. The cost of renting the microfilms at a Family History Center probably makes it less expensive to just write to the County Clerk.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards and Civil War pension records online.

 * There are many different types of military records, some covered in online collections, some microfilmed, and some requiring you to order them from government repositories with a fee. For more information, read the U.S. Military Records Class Handout. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information.

World War 1 Draft Registration

 * One of the most helpful military records is the draft registration of 1917-1918. During three separate registrations, men born between 1873-1897 were required to register in the draft for World War I. Cards may give birth date, birth place, residence, occupation, employer, physical description, next of kin (usually the wife or mother), and number of dependents. Search for your male relatives born in this time period at.


 * Here is an example of a typical draft card.



World War II Draft Registration
Likewise, the World War II draft in 1942 may give birth date, birth place, residence, occupation, employer, and other family members as contacts. Not every state is included now. Although the draft cards for Indiana are not included, draft cards for men born in Indiana but '''living in an included state during the draft" can still be found. Search for your male relatives born in this time period at
 * , index and images.

-

Civil War Pensions

 * Pensions were given to Union Civil War soldiers who sustained war-related disabilities from the Federal Government.
 * There are several Civil War pension indexes online:
 * at FamilySearch
 * General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934, Civil War at Ancestry - $
 * Civil War Pensions Index at Fold3 - $


 * This collection indexes approved pension case files of widows and other dependents of soldiers submitted between 1861 and 1934 and sailors between 1910 and 1934. The wife's maiden name is used along with her married name.





This collection consists of two card indexes to widows who had applied for a pension renewal. The first covers service between 1812-1860 and the second covers service in the Civil War and later. This is helpful in locating a woman in census and death records under her new surname.

Pension Records for Other Wars

 * This record might help by naming a wife or widow of a Revolutionary War veteran who settled in Indiana: Index


 * This record is comprised mostly of Native American names, year of birth, and date of enlistment: Index and images.


 * These records might help by naming a wife or widow of a veteran who settled in Indiana:
 * Index Only.
 * Index only.
 * Index only.
 * For a more complete list of available online military records and indexes, see United States Online Military Records.

Other Military Records Unique to Indiana

 * INDIANA DIGITAL ARCHIVES Military Records Search Engine

American Revolution

 * Surname index to Roster of soldiers and patriots of the American Revolution buried in Indiana, vol. I &amp; II ($)
 * Indiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Register for Nineteen Hundred and Eight with Roll of Members and Their Revolutionary Ancestors and Other Information of Interest to the Society
 * Roster of Members of the Society of Sons of the Revolution in the Commonweath of Indiana, 1899. Index.
 * Revolutionary soldiers buried in Indiana; 300 names not listed in the roster of soldiers and patriots of the American Revolution buried in Indiana, e-book

War of 1812

 * Indiana University-Purdue University Inianapolis, University Library Indiana Muster, Pay and Receipt Rolls, War of 1812.

Mexican War

 * INGenWeb Indiana Mexican War Soldiers 1846-1848.

Civil War

 * INGenWeb Indiana Military Records Roster of Enlisted Men.
 * Indiana Historical Society Civil War.

Spanish American War

 * Indiana Spanish American War Records ($)
 * Record of Indiana Volunteers in the Spanish American War.

Step 6: Use the clues you have gathered to search in earlier censuses than before.
Now you will use the clues you have gathered from the more recent census records, cemeteries and obituaries, and birth, marriage, and death records to search even earlier census records. Searching additional census records may give clues that take you back to birth, marriage, and death records. You will probably go back and forth between all these record groups again and again.

For example, we learned from the records we found that Patrick Grannan born in 1858 was married to Bridget Tucker, and Patrick Grannan born in 1811-1814 was married to Phoebe Ann Mullen. So we can search in earlier census records for the Tucker and Mullen families. Census records we find for them will then take us back into all the other record groups.

Again, here are the links to these earlier census records:
 * 1870
 * 1860
 * 1850

Step 7: If your ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that your ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in that country. So searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records are the next goal. Immigration refers to people coming into a country, such as the United States, and emigration refers to people leaving a country to go to another. Usually these records are passenger lists of the ships they sailed on. A typical record will show name, age, and country of origin, but many times you can find the actual town of birth, the next of kin still living in the old country and their residence, and the names of relatives in the place they are traveling to. Here is a simple framework of what we have found so far: {|
 * Indiana pedigree.PNG
 * Indiana pedigree.PNG

Census clues to Immigration records
Census records can provide important clues about nationality and immigration. This chart lists data that can be found in each of the census records. Gather the information in the census records specifically about immigration, as it will help narrow down your search.

Immigration records
There are too many immigration records to list here. Click here to see a complete list of available immigration records online. Notice that they are listed by state, but under the letter "U" there is a long list of records that cover all of the United States. Unless family information tells you the port where family arrived, you will need to search all of the United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records for the time period when your ancestors arrived.

In this example of a passenger list, you see at #22, the family of Eduard Hepper of Gross Liebenthal travelling to Java, South Daokta.

Naturalization (Citizenship) Records
Naturalization is the process of becoming a citizen. Records can include the immigrant's declaration of intent to become a citizen, applications for citizenship, and final citizenship papers. The records can show birth date and place, spouse's name, marriage date and place, and lists of children with their birth dates. Click here to view examples of declaration of intent records and the information they give.

Indiana naturalization records are organized by county. Look for them in any county where the person lived, unless the census tells you the year they were naturalized, and you have evidence of where they lived that year.

Indiana Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * Indexes only.
 * INDIANA DIGITAL ARCHIVES Naturalizations Search Engine
 * Indiana Commission for Public Records Naturalization Search prior to 1951

Here are the naturalization records available from the Indiana Digital Archives for the surname Humbert (Louise Humbert Main's possible immigrant ancestors). We would want to order the full original files listed in this index. See How do I order copies of records from the Indiana State Archives?



Local histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states usually contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families. They describe the settlement of the area and the founding of churches, schools, and businesses.


 * The authors usually invited the residents of the county to submit their personal family histories, in order to create an automatic market for the book. County residents whose families were in the book were sure to buy a copy.


 * Histories can also give lists of pioneers, soldiers, and civil officials.


 * Even if your ancestor's name is not listed, information about other relatives may be included that may provide important clues for locating your ancestor.


 * Here are links to several online county histories for Indiana: http://www.learnwebskills.com/patriot/countyhistories1.htm#in


 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories:
 * Hathi Trust Digital Library. Don't use the keywords Indiana; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "St. Joseph County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Indiana" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
 * Family History Books
 * Internet Archive.Use keywords "Indiana" and the county name.
 * Genealogy Book Links, Indiana. Browse list; county histories are interspersed.
 * Indiana Genealogy. Don't use the sidebar county list; scroll down and, in the body of the article, find the list "County Historical Records". These county links lead directly to book listings.
 * Ancestry.com, ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Indiana and the name of the county.


 * Local histories are extensively collected by the Family History Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies. If you have access to the Family History Library or a family history center, you can find out about local histories the library has by checking the FamilySearch Catalog. In the "place" field, type the name of your county and select it from the drop down list, then click "Search". A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, and History - Indexes.


 * Also, in Step 11, you will be contacting a county history society. Societies often have a good selection of printed histories about the area. Some may be search history for you for a fee.

Biographies
These collections of Indiana biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or you can use the "Find" function on your computer. Here is an example of the genealogical information you might find in Indiana history with biographies, from Men of progress, Indiana : a selected list of biographical sketches.....1899:
 * County and Town Histories
 * Indiana Biography Index Pre-1990.
 * Indiana Biographies
 * Men of Indiana in nineteen hundred and one, e-book
 * Encyclopedia of biography of Indiana,1899. e-book
 * Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, 1896, e-book
 * Who's Hoosier, vol. 1-2, 1911, e-book
 * Indiana today. 1942, e-book
 * An illustrated history of the state of Indiana ... together with biographical sketches, 1875, e-book
 * Men of progress, Indiana : a selected list of biographical sketches.....1899, e-book
 * Biographical and historical sketches of early Indiana Biographical and historical sketches of early Indiana, 1883, e-book



Step 9: Write to a county for wills and probate indexes.

 * "Probate is the legal process through which an individual’s real estate (property) and personal estate (possessions) are distributed to his or her heirs, whether or not there is a will. Testate is the term used when a will existed in the settling of the estate. Intestate is the term used when there was no will written and the court decides how the estate is to be distributed.


 * "Not everyone in the United States wrote a will or went through probate. Nearly 10% of the pre-1900 adult population made wills, usually males with property. Before 1900, about 25% of estates were probated, even though no will had been written. However, this percentage is higher for rural areas because that is where the land was owned.


 * "The single most important value of probate records is the proof of relationships. In a will, people are identified as a wife, son, daughter, nephew, niece, brother, sister, etc. If there is no will, the distribution is made by the court to the heirs who are usually family members. Other helpful and interesting information that may be learned from probate files are: date and place of death, name of the spouse and other possible family members and relationships, location of the heirs, property ownership, and guardianship of minor children." Jill Shoemaker, U.S. Probate Records Class Handout

County probate records
This Ancestry.com collection can be searched free of charge at your local family history center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah: Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999, ($), index and images, incomplete.


 * Indiana probate records include probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration. In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet. Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.


 * As the Ancestry.com record is incomplete, you will want to write to the county where your ancestors lived. This online directory by Genealogy Inc. will enable you to arrange to have probate records searched for a fee: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the Courthouse and Government Records to find the address and phone number of the County Clerk of Court. Ask them about the years covered by their probate records and their procedure and fees for ordering copies probate packets. When you write, always ask for the full probate packet, not just the will or administration.

Step 10: Search land records online.

 * These records will give the name of the owner, the date they obtained the land, the county, and the exact location of the land. They can contain clues to family members who shared ownership of the land, sold or gave land to a child, or witnessed the sale. Sometimes they show the previous or new residence of the parties to the deed. They can be useful in tracking an ancestor who lived in more than one county in Indiana. Then the probate and vital records of each county could be searched.
 * Images only.
 * Search the Indiana Donation Database
 * Bureau of Land Management and General Land Office Land Patent Search, 1788to 1960's.
 * Hoosier Homestead Award recognizes farms that have been owned by the same family for one hundred years or more.
 * General Land Office Index, database created by the Archaeological Resources Management Service, Department of Anthropology, Ball State University.


 * A search of the Bureau of Land Management records gives results like this:



Step 11: Contact a county historical or genealogical society.

 * County historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked. Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc. Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the county. Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia than you.


 * If you can find the society on the internet, they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, you can hire one of their members to search the collection for you.

This online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county. Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings. Note: some Indiana counties are so sparsely populated that they do not have the population to support a society.

Here is an example of an internet website for a local genealogical society. Notice that it gives details on how to pay for searching services.



'''Step_12:_If your family was African American, also search these specialized collections.
If your family was African American, they are generally recorded in all the above records. However, there are a few specialized records pertaining directly to African Americans.
 * Indiana's African American Settlements, 1817-1930.
 * Individuals Associated with Indiana’s African-American Settlements (1817-1930)
 * African American Cemeteries Online

Gather All the Evidence and Put It Together

 * Your information may look more like a jumbled puzzle than a family! Put that puzzle together the most logical way you can!


 * Some of your puzzle pieces might not make sense until you move to records in other localities where the family lived.


 * You might look at records of the same family at Step-by-Step Indiana Research, 1905-Present. Descendants may have left clues to these early years in more recent records.


 * This article has emphasized data you can gather online. You may find more puzzle pieces in microfilmed records available from the Family History Library.

After online research, search the collection at the Family History Library or a Family History Center.

 * There are many more records available by microfilm or in archives in their original form than there are online. FamilySearch actively works to microfilm and store important genealogy records from all over the world. You can view the collected works at the Family History Library in Salt lake City, Utah.  Microfilms can also be sent to a local family history center ay your request.


 * Now you will want to check out this collection for additional records that might pertain to your family. Search the catalog of the FamilySearch collection.

Records are catalogued by location. Do these three searches for each place: Indiana; the county (or counties) where your ancestors lived; and the town (or towns) where they lived. After clicking on "Search", you will next see a list of topics. Click on any topic, and the list will expand to show the records available.


 * Records listed can then be viewed at the Family History Library or a Family History Center,

Index to holdings for a locality.
After you initiate a search for a locality, a list of topics (record types) for that will come up. Clicking on a topic will then show the available records.

Expanded list of library holdings, showing actual records and call numbers.
Once you click on a topic list for a locality, the list will expand to show details of specific records and how to find them with a microfilm number or call number (for a book).