Parke County, Indiana Genealogy

Guide to Parke 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 Benjamin Parke, who was a member of the First Territorial Legislature, and first Representative in Congress of this territory. It is located in the West Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
 Parke County Courthouse 116 W High Street #204 Rockville, IN 47872 Phone: 765-569-5132 County Website

Parke County Health Department 116 West High Street, Room 12 Rockville, IN, 47872 Health Officer: Franklin Swaim, MD Phone Number: 765-569-6665 Fax: 765-569-4061 Email: parkehealth@parkecounty-in.gov Health Department

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 Health Department has birth records and death records. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.

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
 * 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.) Available online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive

Census Records

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

Directories

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops

Local Histories

 * 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. Available online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, 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.) Available online at : FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Parke County, Indiana, history and families, 1821-1989, Parke County Historical Society, 1989. Available online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana


 * Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library

Military Records

 * Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives

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 - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

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

Newspapers

 * 1804-2011 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2011

Obituaries

 * 1853-2006 Parke County Obituaries at Genealogy Trails.

Probate Records

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

School Records

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

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.

Marriage

 * 1780-1992  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1833-1844 Parke County Marriage Index 1833-1844 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch.

Death

 * 1750-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1882-1920 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry

Family History Centers
Terre Haute Indiana Family History Center 1845 N 6 1/2 St Terre Haute IN 47802 Phone: 812-234-0269 E-mail: [mailto:IN_TerreHaute@familyhistorymail.org IN_TerreHaute@familyhistorymail.org] Website

Libraries
Parke County Public Library 106 N Market St Rockville, IN 47872 Phone: 765-596-5544 Email: [mailto:parkecountypl@gmail.com parkecountypl@gmail.com] Website

Societies
Parke County Historical Society and Museum PO Box 332 Rockville, IN 47872-0332 Phone: 765-569-2223 Email: [mailto:info@parkecountyhs.org info@parkecountyhs.org] Website

Websites

 * Indiana Digital Archives Search by name in all records or specific collections
 * Indiana Historical Society Digital Collections Extensive - keyword searches suggested
 * Indiana Memory Click the map or select a statewide collection
 * List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
 * Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Select a county
 * Every Name Index.com Online indexes for county histories. Select a county
 * Genealogy Trails, Parke County
 * INGenWeb, Parke County
 * USGenWeb Archives, Parke County
 * – 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.