Wells County, Indiana Genealogy

Guide to Wells County, Indiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. Indiana Online Genealogy Records

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed 7 February 1835 from Allen, Delaware and Randolph Counties.
 * County Seat:  Bluffton

Description
The county was named for Capt. William A. Wells, who was captured by Native Americans as a young boy and adopted by the Miami chief Little Turtle. He eventually became a scout for Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne. Capt. Wells was killed by Potawatomi allied with the British at the Fort Dearborn Massacre at the outbreak of the War of 1812. The Potawatomi ate Capt. Wells' heart to gain part of his courage. Wayne is mainly remembered for his service in the 1790s in the Northwest Indian War, which included many actions in Indiana and Ohio. The county seat is Bluffton and the county was organized on 1837. The County is located in the East Central part of the state.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit https://indiana.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,179,c,wells.cfm HomeTown Locator]. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties
Allen •  Adams  •  Jay  •  Blackford  •  Grant  •  Huntington

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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Cemeteries

 * Linkpendium
 * Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery
 * Latter-day Saint Cemetery Records US Vol. 5 page 193 - Prairieview Cemetery

Census Records

 * Index to Mortality Schedule (1860) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census (1880) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Local Histories

 * History of Well County Linkpendium


 * Tyndall, John W., and O. E. Lesh. 1975. Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana: an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country. (Evansville, Ind: Unigraphic, Inc.) 977.27 H2t FHL US/CAN Book,, Other Libraries, Vol. 1 FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Vol. 2 Internet Archive, FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages. (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co.,1887). Internet Archive

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
 * Maps and Gazetteers Linkpendium

War of 1812

 * Military Records and Histories Linkpendium

Civil War
Civil War service men from Wells 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 Wells County.


 * 11th Regiment,Indiana Cavalry, Company C
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company H
 * 16th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company K
 * 34th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and K
 * 47th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and K
 * 75th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 88th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 101st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B and G
 * 130th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 137th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E
 * 138th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
 * 153rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, E, and G
 * 155th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops

World War I

 * 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * INGenWeb
 * Linkpendium

Occupations

 * Roster of Civilian Conservation Corps, Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana (1938) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

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

School Records

 * Partial School Enumeration of Harrison Township, Wells County, Indiana (1844, 1849) - 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.

County Courthouse
Wells County Courthouse 102 W Market Street Bluffton, IN 46714 Phone: 219.824.6479 Website

County Health Department has birth and death records.County Clerk has marriage, divorce and court records from 1837 and probate records from 1838. County Recorder has land records.

Family History Centers

 * Decatur Indiana Family History Center

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

Societies
Wells County Historical Society P O Box 143 Bluffton, IN 46714

Wells County Genealogical Society P O Box 54 Bluffton, IN 46714 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

Death Records

 * 1750-1993 at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 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

 * Wells County, Indiana Genealogy, History and Facts
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb, Wells County
 * INGenWeb, Wells County
 * , Wells County
 * Wells County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)