Adams County, Indiana Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named in honor of President John Quincy Adams. It is located in the Northeast 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:

Biographies

 * Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library

Cemeteries

 * The Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center has numerous transcriptions of Adams County cemeteries on its website.

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 ($)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Adams County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Court Records

 * Old Courthouse Records - INGenWeb

Directories

 * Early Settlers of Adams County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Local Histories
Online County Histories


 * 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.
 * 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. By Martha C. M. Lynch. [1896?] Fort Wayne, Indiana : Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive
 * A Short, Short Story of Adams County, Indiana. By French Quinn. 19--?. Berne, Indiana : Economy Printing Concern. Online at: Internet Archive;.
 * Snow's History of Adams County Indiana. By J. F. Snow. 1907. Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive;.
 * Standard History of Adams and Wells Counties Indiana. 2 Vols. By John W. Tyndall & Orlo E. Lesh. 1918. Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library - Vol. 1, FamilySearch Digital Library - Vol. 2 Internet Archive - Vol. 1; Google Books - Vol. 2;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library


 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana

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

 * Hoosier State Chronicles

Probate Records

 * 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry $

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.

Birth

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

Marriage

 * 1780-1992  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry $
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection

Death

 * 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 ($)

Family History Centers
Decatur Indiana Family History Center 88 Cardinal Pass Decatur IN 46733 Phone: 260-438-7354 E-mail:IN_Decatur@familyhistorymail.org Website

Societies
Adams County Historical Society 420 West Monroe Street /PO Box 262 Decatur, IN 46733 Phone: 260-724-3493 Website Facebook Adams County Indiana Genealogical Society PO Box 33 Geneva, IN 46740-0033 Swiss Heritage Society PO Box 88 Berne, IN 46711-0088 Phone: 260-589-8007 Email: [mailto:anitamiller@swissheritage.org anitamiller@swissheritage.org] Website Indiana Genealogical Society P.O. Box 10507 Fort Wayne, Indiana 46852-0507 Website

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.