Indiana Orphans and Orphanages

United States   Indiana    Orphans and Orphanages

Indiana maintains a state children’s home at Knightstown, Henry County. This home opened about 1868 and cares for the children of any veteran who has died. The records, such as yearly reports of the children living at the home, are at the Indiana State Archives. The admission books contain the name of the child, birth date, names of parents, father’s military history and admission date, guardian or relative, and remarks. Admission applications contain the name of the child, name of the person making the application, town, country, and state of child’s residence, sex, color, birth date, father, father’s military record, mother’s maiden name, mother’s present name, names and addresses of siblings, why admission was sought, and physician’s certificate. About 6,800 orphans are listed in the records from 1868 to 1949.

Question: Is there any information on pre 1868 orphan situations?

For indexes see:

Staff of the Indiana State Archives and Ruth Dorrel. Index to Admission Records, Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home. The Hoosier Genealogist 36–37. (FHL book 977.2 B2h.) This contains the following admissions:


 * 1868–1889 (v.36, no.2 [June 1996]: 65–87)
 * 1890–1899 (v.36, no.3 [Sept. 1996]: 129–62)
 * 1900–1909 (v.36, no.4 [Dec. 1996]: 193–216)
 * 1910–1919 (v.37, no.1 [Jan. 1997]: 1–25)
 * 1920–1929 (v.37, no.2 [June 1997]: 65–84)
 * 1930–1939 (v.37, no.3 [Sept. 1997]: 129–58)
 * 1940–1949 (v.37, no.4 [Dec. 1997]: 193–215)

Each index shows whether an entry is found in admission books, applications, or both, and the child’s name, county, and admission date.

Online Databases


 * Children at Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, Knightstown, Indiana (1922) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Orphans in Indiana (1830's to 1900's) (free, Indiana Genealogical Society)