Blackford County, Indiana Genealogy

Guide to Blackford 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 15 February 1838 from Jay County
 * County Seat:  Hartford City

Description
The county was named in honor of Judge Blackford, one of the pioneer judges of Indiana. It's county seat is Hartford City and was founded Feb. 15, 1838. It is located in the Mid-central area of the state.

Populated Places
or 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
Grant •  Wells  •  Jay  •  Delaware

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.

Biographies

 * Blackford and Grant Counties, Indiana : a Chronicle ... with Family Lineage and Personal Memoirs. 2 Vols. Benjamin G. Shinn, Editor. 1914. Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library - Vol. 1, Internet Archive - Vol. 1;FamilySearch Digital Library - Vol. 2; Internet Archive - Vol. 2;.

Cemeteries

 * Indiana State Library Reference: (I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Hartford City, Indiana (1960-1981). 46 pp. (See also 977.201 B628bc for records prior to 1920 and "microfilm" for records to 1960).  Genealogy Division, q 977.202 H328io)
 * Cemeteries - Linkpendium

Census Records

 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Blackford County, Indiana (1880) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index to Mortality Schedule for Blackford County, Indiana (1860) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Presbyterian Church

 * 1844-1873 - Hartford Presbyterian Church Baptism Index 1844-1873 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Local Histories

 * Blackford County, Indiana History - Linkpendium

Online County Histories


 * Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana. 1887. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: ; Hathitrust; Internet Archive; Google Books;.

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Indiana
 * Google Custom Map


 * Maps and Gazetteers, Blackford County, Indiana - Linkpendium
 * 1876 Map (David Rumsey Map Collection)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Blackford County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Blackford County.


 * 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company K
 * 34th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 84th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 130th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 138th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
 * 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
 * 153rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies G, and H

BOOKS


 * "The Civil War" Part 3, Chapter 7 in Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1978. (Pages 738-743, some Regiments and Companies). Online at: ; ; Internet Archive;.
 * Records of Indiana Rangers in the Civil War, Montpelier, Indiana Men by Cecil E. Beeson.
 * Blackford Military Record and Histories (Linkpendium)

World War I (The Great War), 1914-1918

 * 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * News-Times

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

School Records

 * Students and Teachers of Hartford City High School (1930) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Licensed Teachers of Blackford County, Indiana (1888-1889) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Courthouse
Blackford County Indiana 110 W Washington Street Hartford City, IN 47348 Phone 765-348-1620

County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from1839. City and County Health Officers have birth and death records. County Recorder has land records. County Coroner has burial records.

Societies

 * Blackford-Wells Genealogy Society PO Box 54 Bluffton, IN 46714-0054
 * Blackford County Historical Society 321 North High Street PO Box 264 Hartford City, IN 47348 Phone: 765-348-3103 Email: [mailto:sinuardcastelo3@gmail.com sinuardcastelo3@gmail.com] Website
 * Montpelier Historical Society 109 E. Huntington St. Montpelier, IN 47359 Phone: 765-728-5334 Email: [mailto:c.sherrie@yahoo.com c.sherrie@yahoo.com] Facebook Contact: Sherrie Chapman, President

Family History Centers

 * Marion Indiana Family History Center

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

Marriage Records

 * 1800s-2007 - Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1839-1857 Index to Marriages for Blackford County (1839-1857) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Death Records

 * 1882-1920 at FamilySearch Historical Records - Index only
 * 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry - ($), index and images
 * Records of Baumgardner Funeral Home, Montpelier (1907-1916) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Websites

 * Indiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Blackford County IN Gen Web
 * Blackford County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Blackford County Historical Society
 * Blackford County Records at Indiana State Library
 * Blackford County Newspapers at Indiana State Library
 * Hartford City News Times Newspaper
 * Hartford City Public Library
 * FamilySearch Catalog Listing

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:

Location
Coordinates: 40.47° N - 85.32° W

Area: 165 Sq. Miles

Extinct Towns

 * Wikipedia Link
 * Bowser Station - Dorsey Station - Frog Alley - Greenland - Mollie - Pleasantdale - Renner - Silas - Slocum - Winterhurst