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United States   Indiana    Vital Records

Introduction to Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Indiana Vital Records State Department of Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Indiana Statewide Indexes and Collections at the Family History Library.

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Vital Records Reference Dates
Indiana's vital records start the following years:

* A few Indiana cities kept birth and death records before this date.

Indiana Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes and Records Online
The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Indiana Vital Records which consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Check Indiana Vital Records Online for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for Indiana Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.  


 * Marriage indexes by the Indiana State Library
 * Indiana Marriages Database through 1850 - Free
 * Indiana Marriages Database: 1993-2002 - Free
 * - Free
 * - Free
 * Search the Indiana Birth, Marriage &amp; Death Records at Ancestry.com - $
 * Order Indiana Certificates online - $

Birth Records
Indiana law required the recording of births beginning in 1882, although a few larger Indiana cities began recording births earlier. Early compliance with the 1882 law varied and many births that occured in Indiana between 1882 and 1900 were not recorded. Most birth record ledgers are in the courthouse or another government facility in the county in which the event took place.

In 1907, the state of Indiana passed a law requiring all counties to register their births with the Indiana State Board of Health. Compliance was not complete until after 1920.

To obtain a copy of the birth record, contact the county health department the child was born in. The county health departments are often faster and more affordable than the Indiana State Department of Health. Birth records from the Indiana State Department of Health can only be ordered through VitalCheck.com and you must know the date and city of birth.

When ordering a birth record, request a "copy of the original certificate for genealogical purposes." This ensures an actual copy of the birth record instead of a typed version of the record. You must also show proof of your relationship to the individual. Requirements for ordering a birth record.

Birth Indexes
WPA State-wide Birth Indexes During the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Indiana Works Progress Administration (WPA) indexed many counties' birth records for the period of 1882 to 1920. The birth index provides the name of the child, its father’s name, mother’s maiden name, gender, color, date of birth, and the book and page number of the courthouse ledger where the original may be found.

Online databases:


 * Indiana Births, 1880-1920 at Ancestry.com - $

Indexes on Microfilm copy: 


 * Indiana State Library
 * Allen County Public Library
 * Family History Library
 * Family History Centers

Original Typescripts of Indexes:


 * Indiana State Library

Another State-wide Indiana Birth Index

Pre-1882 Indiana Births from Secondary Sources, Vols. I and II (Fort Wayne, Ind.: Heritage Pathways, Inc. 1999). Each volume includes approximately 10,0000 entries for births that took place in Indiana prior to the advent of civil birth records. This data was taken from a variety of sources, including family Bible records, Civil War pension files, private family files and genealogical periodicals. For a copy nearest you, search WorldCat.org

Delayed Birth Records
Delayed registrations of births are found in the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office in the county where the applicant was living at the time of registration - not the county of birth. Registrations began in July 1941, and although the law is still in effect, most registrations occurred in the 1940s. They may contain information on births that occurred as early as the 1870s. Certificates for births that were originally not recorded were granted after a petition was filed with the court. These registrations may also contain births of people born outside of the county and even those outside of the U.S. Contact the clerk in the county they were living in 1941 for copies.

The Family History Library has microfilms of delayed birth registrations for more then 60 counties which can be loaned to your local Family History Center. Use the Family History Library Catalog to locate the correct microfilm. How to locate a microfilm number in the Family History Library Catalog. How to locate a Family History Center.

Marriage Records
Marriage records usually date from the formation of each county and are found in the County Clerk's Office in each county. Marriages can exist as early as 1788, as the first law regulating marriages was passed by statutes of the Northwest Territory. The statute required: 1) banns to be read 15 days before marriage, 2) the male to be 17 years old and 3) the female to be 14. By 1800, marriage licenses were manditory.

Marriage records prior to the late 1800s usually include only the names of the couple, the date of the marriage and sometimes the date of the license, the officiant's name, the county of marriage, and occasionally the names of witnesses. Late in the 19th century, more detailed marriage application forms were being used. Depending on the time period, they may include the names of the parents of the bride and groom, including their mothers' maiden names, occupations and residences for the bridal couple and their parents, whether the bride and/or groom had been married previously and how the previous marriage(s) ended (death or divorce). Often the marriage application also had a section where the parties were asked to attest that they were of legal age, were not insane, whether the groom could support a family, and similar questions.

Many eloping couples went to Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana to be married as there was no waiting period between the time of issuing a license and the performance of the marriage. Eloping couples from Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio were married in Crown Point, Indiana.

Since 1958, marriages also have been registered both at the county level, and at the state level at the Indiana State Department of Health in Indianapolis.

The Family History Library and the Indiana State Library Genealogy Collection have microfilm copies of many Indiana marriage records. The Genealogy Collection of the Allen County Public Library has microfim copies of marriage records for 31 of the state's 92 counties. Check the ACPL Microfilm Catalog under "States" to determine the collection's holdings for specific counties and years.

Marriage Record Indexes
Online Indexes


 * Marriages through 1850 at Indiana State Library - Free; Incomplete
 * Indiana Marriages, 1993-2002 at Indiana State Library - Free
 * Record Search - Free; Incomplete
 * Record Search - Free; Incomplete
 * Indiana Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry.com - $; Incomplete; Liahona Research Index
 * Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941 at Ancestry.com - $; WPA Indexes
 * Indiana marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry.com - $; Incomplete

Published Indexes

Published marriage record indexes are available for most Indiana counties from the earliest marriages to the early or mid-1900s and sometimes beyond. Many of these were compiled by the Works Progress Administration and cover marriages from county formation to 1920. They are arranged alphabetically by the name of the bride or groom and include name of spouse, color, date of marriage and for marriages after 1905, sometimes date of birth. These indexes reference the book and page number of the marriage ledger in the county courthouse where the original record may be found. For some counties, there is an additional supplemental marriage index that includes information from the longer marriage application form that was used toward the end of the 19th century. Besides the indiviidual's name, information in the supplemental index may include father’s given name, mother’s maiden name, gender, color, age at next birthday, date of marriage, and courthouse book and page number. The spouse's name is not listed in these supplemental indexes.

Additional published marriage index collections include:


 * Indiana Marriages, Early to 1825: A Research Tool. This index includes the name of the groom, the bride, marriage date and county and includes more than 26,000 names.
 * Indiana Source Book: Genealogical Material from the Hoosier Genealogist, This source encompasses more than just marriage records. It includes more than 175,000 indexed names. The Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library has microfilm indexes of Indiana marriage records from 1958 to the present. The Allen County Public Library has these microfilm indexes for 1962 to 1992.

The Indiana State Board of Health published abstracts of post-1958 marriage records annually from 1958 to 1965. These published volumes are available at the Indiana State Library and the Allen County Public Library. The Family History Library has them for 1960 and 1964.

Death Records
Death records began in a few Indiana cities as early as the 1870s, but the first law requiring county registration of death was passed in 1882. In 1900, all deaths were to be registered with the state. Compliance with the law varied until 1920 and deaths that occurred were now always recorded. To obtain a copy of the birth record, contact the county health department the child was born in. The county health departments are often faster and more affordable than the Indiana State Department of Health. Birth records from the Indiana State Department of Health can only be ordered through VitalCheck.com and you must know the date and city of birth.

When ordering a death record, request a "copy of the original certificate for genealogical purposes." This ensures an actual copy of the birth record instead of a typed version of the record. You must also show proof of your relationship to the individual. Requirements for ordering a birth record.

Coroner's Records
Coroner's records are another source of death information. The Coroner’s Office was established in 1788 during the Northwest Territory period and continued under Indiana’s 1816 and 1851 Constitutions. The coroner investigated deaths whose causes were unknown or resulted from violence, and determined the cause of death. Coroner inquests were published in the local newspaper. Before 1879, few coroner’s records survived. Beginning in 1879, the coroner was required to file a report with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Many of these records survive. Some Coroner's records are at the Allen County Public Library and the Family History Library.

Mortality Schedules
Mortality schedules taken in conjunction with the federal census in 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 reported deaths that occurred within the twelve months prior to the recording of the census. These mortality schedules are additional death records for those individuals whose deaths occurred in the narrow time frame of the one-year period before these four census years. A free online source for some of this mortality schedule information is The Indiana Federal and State Census Record Mortality Schedules website hosted by New Horizons Genealogical Services. Ancestry.com has also indexed Indiana Mortality Schedules.

For more information on Mortality Schedules.

Death Indexes
During the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Indiana Works Progress Administration indexed many counties' death records for the period of 1882 to 1920. The death index gives the name of the deceased, gender, color, age at death, date of death, place of death, and book and page number of the courthouse ledger.

Online databases:


 * Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920 at Ancestry.com, - $
 * Pre-1882 Indiana Deaths, At the Allen County Public Library - Free, incomplete.

Indexes on Microfilm copy:


 * Indiana State Library
 * Allen County Public Library
 * Family History Library
 * Family History Centers

Original Typescripts of Indexes: 


 * Indiana State Library

Divorce Records
Divorces were first authorized by legislation in the Northwest Territory in 1795. They were granted through the General Court or Circuit Court. Generally this legislation remained in effect through Indiana’s territorial period (1800–1816), and courts having civil jurisdiction also heard divorce cases. In 1807 the territorial General Assembly also had power to grant divorces; in 1811 they passed two acts granting divorces. From 1817 to 1852 the Circuit Court in each county had jurisdiction over divorces, and the Indiana General Assembly could also grant divorces,through special legislation. These early divorces have been abstracted:

Newland, M. E. E. Divorces Granted by the Indiana General Assembly Prior to 1852. Harlan, Indiana: the author, 1981. To locate a copy nearest you, search WorldCat.org

The Court of Common Pleas in each county could grant divorces concurrently with its Circuit Court from 1853 to 1873. As Superior courts were established in various counties, they have had concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court. Divorces were entered in the appropriate court’s Order Book, and these books are being microfilmed through 1920 by the Family History Library. Original pleadings remain as they survive in each county. They may show the date of marriage, children, residencies and other helpful information.

Contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court for more information, providing names and approximate date of divorce.

The Family History Library has some divorce records for Indiana. If they are on microfilm/fiche, they can be loaned to your local Family History Center. Using the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog, type in the county, then click on the topic: Divorce Records.

How to locate a microfilm number in the Family History Library Catalog. How to locate a Family History Center.

Tips

 * Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record.  The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
 * If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths. Other substitute records.
 * Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of some vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.

Substitute Records
These links will take you to wiki pages describing alternate sources for birth, marriage and death records.


 * Church Records: Depending on the denomination, church records may contain information about birth, marriage and death.


 * Cemetery Records: Cemetery records are a rich source of birth and death information. These records may also reveal family relationships.


 * Census Records: Census records are a valuable source for birth and marriage information. You may also determine approximate time of death when the individual disappear from the census. This is a good place to begin a search.


 * Newspapers: Besides obituaries, local newspapers may contain birth and marriage announcements and death notices. Also check newspaper social columns for additional information.


 * Periodicals: Local genealogical and historical societies often publish periodicals which may contain abstracted early birth, marriage and death information.


 * Military Records: Military pension records can give birth, marriage and death information,  In addtion, soldiers' homes records can included this same information.


 * Probate Records: If no death record exists, probate records may be helpful in estimating when an individual has died. Probate records in the 20th Century often contain the exact death date.


 * History: Local histories, family histories and biographies can all be sources of birth, marriage and death information. Often this information is found in county-level records or in surname searches of the Family History Library catalog.

More Online Indiana Vital Records Links

 * USGenWeb.org Indiana Site - Free
 * Indiana Databases listed on Rootsweb.com - Free
 * German Roots Links for IndianaBirth &amp; Marriage and Death Records - Free/$ This site includes all vital records, not just those of German descent.
 * Progenealogists Links for the United States. Press Ctrl + F on the keyboard to search for Indiana or IN - Free/$
 * Indiana Links from fhlfavorites.info - Free

References:
You can learn more about the history, contents, and availability of Indiana state and county birth, marriage, and death records in:


 * Finding Indiana Ancestors: A Guide to Historical Research by M. Teresa Baer and Geneil Breeze. 2007.