Wells County, Indiana Genealogy

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

Description
Wells 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 county is located in the east-central part of the state.

County Courthouse
 Wells County Courthouse 102 W Market Street Bluffton, IN 46714 Phone: 219-824-6479 County Website

Wells County Health Department 223 West Washington Bluffton, IN 46714 Health Officer: Kay Johnson, MD Phone: 260-824-6489 Fax: 260-824-8803 Email: [mailto:mhoag@wellscounty.org mhoag@wellscounty.org] Health Department

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. 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
 * 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). Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;Internet Archive

Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Occupations
 * Roster of Civilian Conservation Corps, Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana (1938) - at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Cemeteries

 * Indexes of Cemeteries in Wells County at Indiana Genealogical Society
 * Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery at Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

Census Records

 * Index to Mortality Schedule (1860, 1870) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1837-1921 (*); Circuit and Common Pleas Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Funeral Homes

 * 1907-1952 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home in Ossian.
 * Goodwin-Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel in Bluffton.
 * Myers Funeral Home in Markle.
 * Thoma/Rich,Lemier Funeral Home in Bluffton.

Local Histories

 * Standard History of Adams and Wells Counties, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1918. Editors: John W. Tyndall, O. E. Lesh. Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Online at:  FamilySearch Digital Library (2 volumes in 1), Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
 * Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives

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 - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

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

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Wells County Newspapers at INGenWeb

Probate Records

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

School Records

 * Partial School Enumeration of Harrison Township, Wells County, Indiana (1844, 1849) 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; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
 * 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index and images, ($)
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Death

 * Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry.com - index, (Free collection)
 * 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

 * Decatur Indiana Family History Center
 * Fort Wayne Indiana Family History Center
 * Huntington Indiana Family History Center
 * Allen County Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Huntington City - Township Public Library - an affiliate library.

Societies
Wells County Historical and Museum Society 420 W. Market St. Bluffton, IN 46714 Email: [mailto:wellscohistorytech@gmail.com wellscohistorytech@gmail.com] Website Wells County Genealogy Society P.O. Box 54 Bluffton, IN 46714 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
 * USGenWeb, Wells County
 * INGenWeb, Wells County
 * Wells County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * – 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.