Jay County, Indiana Genealogy

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

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Adams New Purchase (Delaware/Randolph) in 1835
 * County Seat: Portland

Description
The county was named for John Jay, co-author of the Federalist Papers, Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Articles of Confederation, and first Chief Justice of the United State. It's county seat is Portland and was founded 1836. It is located in the Northwest area of the state.

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:

Neighboring Counties
Adams •  Wells  •  Blackford  •  Delaware  •  Randolph  •  Darke  •  Mercer

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.

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

Cemeteries

 * Readings of all of the cemeteries in Jay County can be found on the ACPL Genealogy Center's website.
 * Cemeteries of Jay County - Linkpendium

Census Records

 * Early Settlers of Jay County ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Jay County (1880) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index to Mortality Schedule for Jay County (1860) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Pioneer Settlers of Jay County ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Jay County, Indiana: Census Records and Indexes - Linkpendium

Directories

 * Directory of Businesses in Jay County, Indiana (1868) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Local Histories

 * History of Jay County Linkpendium


 * Montgomery, M.W., History of Jay County, Indiana, (Chicago, Illinois : Church, Goodman &amp; Cushing, 1864)  977.267 H2m FHL US/CAN Book   INTERNET ARCHIVE   other libraries


 * Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford 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 Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. (1978. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co.)    other libraries

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Indiana
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Maps and Gazetteers Linkpendium

Military Records

 * List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 INTERNET ARCHIVE

Civil War
Civil War service men from Jay 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 Jay County.


 * 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies E, and K
 * 8th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company C
 * 11th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company B
 * 20th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
 * 34th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
 * 75th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 89th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
 * 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 100th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies E, and I
 * 140th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 153rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
 * 154th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Company F, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
 * 40th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company F; (page 281, in "Jay County And The War")


 * Civil War Records, INGenWeb, Indiana Soldiers in the Civil War; Discharges, Pensions, Reunions and Soldiers in the News; Medal of Honor Recipient

Civil War Books


 * "Jay County And The War" Chapter 17 in Montgomery, M.W., History of Jay County, Indiana, (Chicago, Illinois : Church, Goodman &amp; Cushing, 1864), (page 220-288, Regiment, Companies, Name's),  977.267 H2m FHL US/CAN Book   INTERNET ARCHIVE


 * "Civil War" Part 2, Chapter 7 in Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford 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 Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. (1978. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co.), (page 227-234, Regiment, some Companies),   other libraries; Digital copies

World War I

 * 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Gold Star Honor Roll, Genealogy Trails
 * World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, ancestry. com$
 * World War I INGenWeb, Draft Registrations; National Guard; Nurses; Book of Merit and Gold Stars

World War II

 * World War II Casualties, Army and Army Air Corps, Access Genealogy
 * World War II MIA list, INGenWeb

Korean Conflict

 * Casualties, INGenWeb

Vietnam

 * Casualties, INGenWeb

Newspapers

 * Jay Co. Newspaper 1871-1889 (index) -INGenWeb


 * Jay County newspaper clippings -

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

Courthouse
Jay County Courthouse Main and Walnut Portland, IN 47371 Phone 219-726-4951 County Health Dept has b and d rec from 1882; County Clk has m rec from 1843, div rec from 1882, pro rec from 1836 and court rec from 1837; County Auditor has land rec from 1836

Societies

 * Jay County Historical Society

Family History Centers

 * Muncie Indiana Family History Center

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

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

 * 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

 * Jay County, IN History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook