Parke County, Indiana Genealogy

Guide to Parke County, Indiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed 9 January 1821 from Vigo County and unorganized territory.
 * County Seat:  Rockville

Description
The county was named for in honor of Benjamin Parke, who was a member of the First Territorial Legislature, and first Representative in Congress of this territory. The County Seat is Rockville and was founded 1821. It is located in the West Central area of the state.

Populated Places
https://indiana.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,121,c,parke.cfm HomeTown Locator]. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties
Vermillion •  Fountain  •  Montgomery  •  Putnam  •  Clay  •  Vigo

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Indiana County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Indiana County Boundary Maps" (1790-1873) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
October 1833 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.

Census Records

 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Parke County (1880) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Pioneer Settlers of Parke County ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Directories

 * Directory of Businesses in Parke County (1858, 1868) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Local Histories

 * Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain Counties, Indiana containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States. (1893. Chicago: Chapman Bros.)Other Libraries, Internet Archive


 * B.F. Bowen &amp; Co. History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana: With Historical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families. (Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen, 1913.) 977.2 H2hpv FHL US/CAN Book, Other Libraries, Internet Archive


 * Beckwith, H. W., J. H. Beadle, and S. B. Gookins. 1880. History of Vigo and Parke Counties together with historic notes on the Wabash Valley gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence and other authentic though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources. (Chicago: H.H. Hill &amp; N. Iddings.), Other Libraries


 * Parke County, Indiana, history and families, 1821-1989, Parke County Historical Society, 1989.

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Pike 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 Pike County.


 * 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Companies E, H, and K
 * 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company K
 * 6th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies G, and I
 * 11th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company F
 * 14th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
 * 31st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
 * 43rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 58th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 78th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (60 days, 1862), Companies C, and D
 * 80th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 85th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and B
 * 115th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Company B
 * 123rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 137th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
 * 149th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and I
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops

World War I

 * 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Obituaries

 * Parke County obituaries (1853-2006) are available by mail from the Rockville Public Library. An index to the obituaries is available online at Parke County Obituaries.

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1798 – 1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

School Records

 * Directory of Teachers for Parke County (1936) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

County Courthouse
Parke County Courthouse 116 W High Street #204 Rockville, IN 47872 Phone: 765.569.5132

County Health Department has birth records from 1902 and death records from 1882; County Auditor has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1833; County Recorder has land records from 1833

Family History Centers

 * Terre Haute Indiana Family History Center

For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the family history center directory.

Societies
Parke County Historical Society and Museum PO Box 332 Rockville, IN 47872-0332 Telephone Number: 765-569-2223 Website

Vital Records

 * Indiana State Digital Archives

Marriage Records

 * 1800s-2007 - Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 1780-1992 - FamilySearch


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


 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1833-1844 - Parke County Marriage Index 1833-1844 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Death Records

 * 1882-1920 at FamilySearch Historical Records - Index only
 * 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry - ($), index and images
 * Indiana State Digital Archives

Websites

 * Genealogy Trails, Parke County
 * Parke County, Indiana Genealogy, History and Facts
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * INGenWeb, Parke County
 * USGenWeb, Parke County
 * , Parke County
 * Parke County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)