Hendricks County, Indiana Genealogy

United States Indiana  Hendricks County

Guide to Hendricks County Indiana genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Neighboring Counties

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Adams New Purchase (Allen/Delaware/Randolph) in 1835
 * County Seat:  Decatur
 * Neighboring Counties: residents may also have records in Boone (north)·Marion (east)·Morgan (south)·Putnam (west)·Montgomery (northeast))



Boundary Changes
Parent County

1823--Hendricks County was created 20 December 1823 from unorganized territory and Putnam County.

Business Records

 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1858) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1865) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1866) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1868) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1876) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1880) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1882) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1884) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Directory of Businesses in Hendricks County, Indiana (1885) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)

Cemeteries

 * LDS Cemetery Records Vol. 21 page 72 - cemetery located in Hendricks County
 * Hendricks County Cemetery Locater Online. Chart gives the cemetery name, township, and location of each cemetery.
 * Hendricks Surname and Cemeteries Index. Search by surname or cemetery name.
 * Index of Irons Cemetery, Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index of Miles Cemetery, Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Census Records

 * Index of Census of White Males (1853)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Hendricks County, Indiana (1880) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index of 1880 census for Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Index of 1900 census for Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Index of 1920 census for Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Index of 1930 census for Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Every-Name Index of 1940 census for Hendricks County, Indiana (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Residents of Hendricks County, Indiana (1904) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Rural Residents of Hendricks County (1918) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Church Records
Transcript of the records of Danville Regular Baptist Church, Danville, Hendricks County, Indiana, 1828-1873 is found at the Primitive Baptist Library in Carthage, Illinois.

Court Records

 * Commissioner's Meeting Minutes Books, 1831-2003. Many of the books are indexed.

Local Histories

 * Every Name Index to History of Hendrick County, Indiana. Every Name Index compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2007; original text by Inter-State Publishing Company, 1885; reproduction by Unigraphic, Inc., 1973. EveryNameIndex.com


 * Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.). 2002. History of Hendricks County, Indiana: together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens ; Also a condensed history of Indiana, embodying accounts of prehistoric races, aborigines, Winnebago and Black Hawk Wars, and a brief review of its civil and political history. (Bowie, Md: Heritage Books.) 977.253 H2h 2002 FHL US/CAN Book    other libraries


 * History of Hendricks county, Indiana, together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens. Also a condensed history of Indiana. 1885. (Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Company.) 977.253 H2h FHL US/CAN Book   other librarise   INTERNET ARCHIVE


 * Cline and McHaffie, Indianapolis. [from old catalog]. 1873. The People's guide; a business, political and religious directory of Hendricks co., Ind., together with a collection of very important documents and statistics connected with our moral, political and scientific history. other libraries   INTERNET ARCHIVE


 * Surname index to the Family History Files found at the Plainfield/Guilford Township Public Library.


 * Hendricks County/Plainfield, Indiana Biography Index. Articles are indexed from local newspapers. Fairly recent dates.

Land and Property
Land in Indiana was originally sold to the public by the federal government, through their General Land Offices in various districts. Land in Hendricks County was sold through the district office in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana. The Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office records for Indiana are in a searchable database.

In Indiana, land transactions are recorded in deed books, which are kept by the county recorder. There is also a separate set of books, called grantee/grantor, that acts as an index to the entries in the deed books - grantee means the buyer, grantor means the seller. Hendricks County's deed books volumes 1 through 64 (covering 1826 through 1886) and grantee/grantor index books volumes 1 through 9 (covering 1826 through 1889) have been microfilmed. That microfilm is available at the Indiana State Library and through the Family History Library, as well as other libraries.

The Hendricks County Recorder is located on the top floor of the Hendricks County Government Center in Danville. The Hendricks County Government Center is on South Washington Street, 3 blocks south of the courthouse square.

Maps

 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 1865 map of Hendricks County, with mileage chart between townships, and individual township maps, showing owners of properties.
 * Directory of Patrons in Standard Atlas of Hendricks County, Indiana (1904)

Military Records

 * Veterans in Hendricks County, Indiana (1886) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Old Age Pension Applications in Hendricks County, Indiana Commissioners Records (1934-1936) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * World War 1 Veterans Hendricks County, Indiana
 * Naval Veterans of World War 1 Hendricks County, Indiana
 * Hendricks County, Indiana Enrollment Records This index is a list of military enrollment records filed in Hendricks County. Indiana law required that the Township Assessor enroll every person employed in the late armies of the United States, of the War of 1812, of the War with Mexico, Indian tribe wars, and the Civil War.

Civil War

Civil War service men from Hendricks County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Hendricks County.


 * 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company B
 * 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company A
 * 7th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A, and Reorganized Company B
 * 9th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company I
 * 51st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and C
 * 59th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, H, and I
 * 78th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (60 days, 1862), Company E
 * 99th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies G, and H
 * 117th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Companies A, and B
 * 124th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
 * 132nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H
 * 145th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 148th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, E, and K
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops

Civil War Books 


 * "The Civil War" Chapter 5 in Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.). 2002. History of Hendricks County, Indiana: together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens ; Also a condensed history of Indiana, embodying accounts of prehistoric races, aborigines, Winnebago and Black Hawk Wars, and a brief review of its civil and political history. (Bowie, Md: Heritage Books.) 977.253 H2h 2002 FHL US/CAN Book    other libraries


 * "The Patriotic Roll" Chapter 5 in History of Hendricks county, Indiana, together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens. Also a condensed history of Indiana. 1885. (Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Company.) (page 333-412 Regiment, Companies, Name's), 977.253 H2h FHL US/CAN Book    other librarise   INTERNET ARCHIVE


 * Valenzuela, Karen, Roberto Valenzuela, and Kim Bartrum. 2004. 1862 Indiana, Hendricks County, indexed Civil War draft enrollment lists. [Marion, Indiana (1607 West Jeffras Ave., Marion 46952)]: K. Valenzuela. 977.253 M2v FHL US/CAN Book    other libraries

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Index to Declarations of Intent (1852-1906)
 * Index to Final Oaths (1856-1906)

Newspapers

 * Hendricks County Flyer - published on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Their office is on Kingston Street (at the Lowe's stoplight on Dan Jones Road, south of US 36/Rockville Road) in Avon.
 * The Republican - published on Thursdays. Their office is on the northeast side of the courthouse square in Danville.
 * Indianapolis Star - published daily, it includes a Local Living section on Thursdays that focuses on Hendricks County and the west side of Indianapolis.

Obituaries

 * Deaths from The Republican's Year in Review (1892-2012) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb) - The Republican is a newspaper that is published weekly in Danville, Indiana. The first issue of the year features a "Year in Review," which is a listing of the major events mentioned in each issue of the previous year, including the deaths/obituaries.
 * Hendricks County, Indiana Obituary Database (1866-present) (free, Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library) - an index of obituaries from various Plainfield and Hendricks County newspapers.
 * Brownsburg Public Library Obituary Database (free, Brownsburg Public Library) - an index of obituaries from Brownsburg newspapers.

Probate Records

 * The Judicial Books date from 1825. These books contain Probate court records from the Hendricks County Courts. You may need to use this link instead and then click "Judicial Archive". There are two ways to view these books, but if you download the PDF file for a volume you can use your PDF software to quickly access the last page in the volume. Book 3 for example, has an index on the LAST few pages of the volume.


 * Index to Hendricks County Will Books (1822-1977) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Deaths Listed in Probate Records of Hendricks County, Indiana (1837-1898) (free, Indiana Genealogical Society) - this index is in progress.


 * Index to Hendricks County Probate Order Books (1825-1852) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Index to Hendricks County Probate Order Books (1853-1918) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Index to Probate Order Books for Hendricks County, Indiana (1825-1852) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)


 * Probate Records of Hendricks County, Indiana (1824-1930) (free digital images and index, Indiana Genealogical Society)

School Records

 * Graduates of High Schools in Hendricks County, Indiana (1923-1962)
 * Graduates of Common Schools in Hendricks County (1898) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index to School Directories (1894-1964)
 * Index to Teachers in Hendricks County Schools (1923-1963) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)
 * Inmates at Indiana Boy's School, Plainfield (1940) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Directory of Teachers for Hendricks County (1936, 1945) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Voter Registration

 * Voters in Liberty Township, Hendricks County, Indiana (1841)


 * EveryNameIndex.com Free online genealogy indexes for those big old county histories.
 * The Hendricks County IN GenWeb Project, a member of The INGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The Indiana State Library has an Internet page of records for Hendricks County. They are adding new databases, so check back often.
 * Hendricks County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Hendricks County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

Courthouse
Hendricks County; PO Box 599; Danville, IN 46122-1993; Ph. 317.745.9231 Details: (Co Hlth Dept has b &amp; d rec from 1882; Co Clk has m, div, pro &amp; ct rec from 1823; Co Aud has land rec)

Libraries

 * Avon-Washington Township Public Library - has a collection of Washington Township local history materials in their Huron Heritage Room.
 * Brownsburg Public Library - has a collection of Brownsburg local history materials in their Local History section.
 * Danville-Center Township Public Library - has a collection of Danville and Hendricks County genealogy and local history materials in their Indiana Room.
 * Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library - has a collection of Plainfield and Hendricks County genealogy and local history materials in their Indiana Room.

Museums

 * Hendricks County Historical Museum - located 1 block south of the courthouse square in Danville, the museum has a collection of materials about Hendricks County people, places and organizations. It is open to the public on Saturdays and by appointment.

Family History Centers

 * Brownsburg Indiana Family History Center

For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the [Family History Center directory].

Tax Records
In Indiana, the state created a system to raise revenue by assessing taxes on residents who owned land. Tax lists are a


 * Hendricks County Tax Duplicates (1841-1867) (digital images; free, Hendricks County Government Archive)


 * [1841] Tax list, Hendricks County, Indiana, 1841. Hendricks County (Ind.). Auditor's Office. Fort Wayne, Ind. : Public Library, 1966. Call #: 977.201 H38HET
 * [1842-1855] See FHL catalog.
 * [1844] Thompson, Meredith. Index to 1844 tax list for Hendricks County, Indiana
 * [1846] . Hendricks County (Ind.). Auditor's Office. Fort Wayne, Ind. Public Library, 1966. Call #: 977.201 H38HET 

Vital Records

 * Hendricks County Anniversaries Index.

Birth Records
By state law, births were recorded in Indiana beginning in 1882, with each county's health department responsible for keeping their own birth records. The Indiana State Department of Health's Vital Records Division has copies of each county's birth records from October 1907 to present.

The Hendricks County Health Department is located in the basement (the south entrance) of the Hendricks County Government Center in Danville. The Hendricks County Government Center is on South Washington Street, 3 blocks south of the courthouse square.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a federal program during the Great Depression to employ white-collar workers. In the 1930's the WPA began a project to index the records in county courthouses. WPA workers created indexes to birth, marriage and death records for about 2/3 of the counties in Indiana before the program was stopped in 1939. Most of these WPA indexes used 1920 as their end year, for privacy reasons.


 * WPA Index to Births in Hendricks County, Indiana (1882-1920) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)

Marriage Records
The Hendricks County Clerk has Hendricks County marriage records from 1824 to the present. The Hendricks County Clerk's office is located on the 2nd floor of the Hendricks County Courthouse in Danville.

Early marriage records in Indiana only recorded the name of the bride, the name of the groom, the date of the marriage and the name of the person who performed the marriage. Beginning in 1882, counties recorded additional information in marriage supplements books. These marriage supplements books asked a series of questions, including: their age; their race; their birthplace; their occupation (groom only); the number of marriages they'd had; their father's name and their mother's maiden name. When marriage application books were introduced in Indiana in 1905, the marriage supplements books were gradually abandoned.

In May 1905, a new law took effect in Indiana, requiring the recording of detailed information about the bride and groom (such as their birthdates and birthplaces, as well as their occupations and any previous marriages) as well as information about their parents (including their birthplace, residence and occupation). In Hendricks County, the information from the marriage applications was kept in a separate set of books from the marriage licenses for ther period of May 1905 through May 1950; beginning in June 1950, the marriage application information was recorded in the same set of books as the marriage licenses.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a federal program during the Great Depression to employ white-collar workers. In the 1930's the WPA began a project to index the records in county courthouses. WPA workers created indexes to birth, marriage and death records for about 2/3 of the counties in Indiana before the program was stopped in 1939. Most of these WPA indexes used 1920 as their end year, for privacy reasons.


 * WPA Index to Marriages in Hendricks County, Indiana (1824-1920) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * WPA Index to Marriage Supplements in Hendricks County, Indiana (1882-1920) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Hendricks County, IN Marriage Certificates (1860s - 1919). This is a work in progress.


 * Hendricks County Marriage License Books (1824-2003) (digital images; free, Hendricks County Government Archive)


 * Index to Hendricks County Marriage License Books (1904-1998) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Hendricks County Marriage Application Books (1905-1950) (digital images; free, Hendricks County Government Archive)


 * Index to Hendricks County Marriage Application Books (1905-1950) (index in progress; free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Indiana marriage index through 1850 (free, Indiana State Library)


 * Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 ($, Ancestry.com)


 * Indiana, Marriages, 1780-1992 (free, FamilySearch)


 * Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 (free, FamilySearch)


 * Indiana marriage index 1993-2004 (free, Indiana State Library)

Divorce Records

 * Index to Divorce Cases Filed in Hendricks County, Indiana (1912-1992) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Divorce Cases in Hendricks County, Indiana Newspapers (1891-1961) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)

Death Records
By state law, deaths were recorded in Indiana beginning in 1882, with each county's health department responsible for keeping their own death records. The Indiana State Department of Health's Vital Records Division has copies of each county's death records from 1900 to present.

The Hendricks County Health Department is located in the basement (the south entrance) of the Hendricks County Government Center in Danville. The Hendricks County Government Center is on South Washington Street, 3 blocks south of the courthouse square.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a federal program during the Great Depression to employ white-collar workers. In the 1930's the WPA began a project to index the records in county courthouses. WPA workers created indexes to birth, marriage and death records for about 2/3 of the counties in Indiana before the program was stopped in 1939. Most of these WPA indexes used 1920 as their end year, for privacy reasons.


 * WPA Index to Deaths in Hendricks County, Indiana (1882-1920) (free, Hendricks County, Indiana GenWeb)


 * Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920 - FamilySearch