Adams County, Indiana Genealogy

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

Description
Adams County was named in honor of President John Quincy Adams. It is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Adams County Courthouse 112 S 2nd Street Decatur, IN 46733 Phone: 219-724-2600 County Website

Adams County Health Department 313 West Jefferson Street Decatur, IN, 46733 Phone Number: 260-724-5326 Fax: 260-724-5328 Email: hdegitz@co.adams.in.us Health Department

County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records. Health Department has birth records filed and death records filed. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.

Populated Places
 Populated Places  For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Bible Records

 * Adams County Bible Records at Adams County Illinois GenWeb
 * Family Bible Records at ACPL Genealogy Center

Biographies

 * Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library

Census Records

 * Index of 1840 Census for Adams County, Indiana at Indiana Genealogical Society
 * Index of 1850 Census for Adams County, Indiana at Indiana Genealogical Society
 * Index to Mortality Schedule for Adams County, Indiana (1860) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Adams County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1844-1921 (*); Circuit Court and Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Adams County, Indiana Old Courthouse Records at INGenWeb

Directories

 * Adams County, Indiana, Index of Names of Persons and of Firms. 1937. Historical Records Survey (Indiana) United States. Works Progress Administration (Indiana). Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Early Settlers of Adams County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 *  Complete Directory of Adams County at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Funeral Homes

 * Glancy Funeral Homes in Geneva.
 * Haggard-Sefton-Hirschy and Zelt Funeral Home in Decatur.
 * Liechty Funeral Home in Berne.
 * Zwick and Jahn Funeral Homes in Berne and Decatur.

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Record of Adams and Wells Counties, Indiana. 1887. Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Book, Internet Archive;.
 * Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties, Indiana. [1896?] By Martha C. M. Lynch. Fort Wayne, Indiana : Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive.
 * A Short, Short Story of Adams County, Indiana. 1956. By French Quinn. Berne, Indiana : Economy Printing Concern. Online at: Internet Archive;.
 * Snow's History of Adams County Indiana. 1907. By J. F. Snow. Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive;.
 * Standard History of Adams and Wells Counties Indiana. 2 Vols. 1918. By John W. Tyndall & Orlo E. Lesh. Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library (2 volumes in 1), Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library


 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives

Civil War
 * Adams County, Indiana List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 at Internet Archive

Civil War service men from Adams County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Adams County.


 * 6th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company B
 * 8th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company C
 * 11th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company C
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company G
 * 30th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company D
 * 47th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 57th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
 * 89th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies H, I, and K
 * 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
 * 147th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 153rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E

World War I (The Great War), 1914-1918
 * World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Adams County - INGenWeb, Ancestry ($)
 * Adams County WWI Ancestral Heroes
 * 1919 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection

World War II, 1941-1945
 * Adams County, Indiana World War II Casualties, Army and Army Air Corps - AccessGenealogy
 * USGenWeb Archives Adams County Military - USGenWeb

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Hoosier State Chronicles

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1837-1888 Will Books A and B, 1837-1888, Adams County, Indiana 1971. By Lochner, Electa I. Baltzell and Virgil L. Andrews Dick. Decatur, Indiana : Antoine Rivarre Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. 1971. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * 1839-1921 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1839-1968 (*); Circuit Court and Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1841-1968 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1841-1968 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

School Records

 * Graduates of Common Schools in Adams County, Indiana (1912) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * School Enumeration of Union Township, Adams County, Indiana (1853) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Eighth Grade Commencement, 1938 at Allen County Public Library GenealogyCenter

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1882-1920 Index to Birth Records Adams County at INGenWeb

Marriage

 * 1780-1992  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
 * 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection

Death

 * Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry - index, (Free collection)
 * 1750-1993 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1870-2000 Index to Death Record Adams County INGenWeb
 * 1882-1920 Indiana Death Index Transcription of WPA Death Index, 1882-1920
 * 1882-1920 at FamilySearch - Index only - How to Use this Collection
 * 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Decatur Indiana FamilySearch Center
 * Fort Wayne Indiana FamilySearch Center
 * Allen County Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Kokomo-Howard County Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Berne Public Library 166 North Sprunger Street Berne, IN 46711 Phone: 260-589-2809 Website

Societies
Adams County Historical Society 420 West Monroe Street PO Box 262 Decatur, IN 46733-3493 Phone: 260-724-3493 Email: [mailto:achs262@hotmail.com achs262@hotmail.com] Website Facebook Adams County Indiana Genealogical Society PO Box 33 Geneva, IN 46740-0033

Websites

 * Indiana Digital Archives Search by name in all records or specific collections
 * Indiana Historical Society Digital Collections Search by county or keyword
 * Indiana Memory Click the map or select a statewide collection
 * List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
 * Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Free and Members-only. Select a county
 * EveryNameIndex.com for Indiana Free online genealogy indexes for county histories. Select a county
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Adams County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * GenealogyTrails Adams County, IN
 * InGenWeb Adams County Indiana
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.