Elkhart County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Elkhart County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The origin of the name "Elkhart" came from an island at the confluence of the rivers that was known by the Potawatomi word for “elk’s heart,” which the county was said to resemble in shape.[1] It is located along the north-central border of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Elkhart County Courthouse
Courthouse Square
Goshen, IN 46526-3297
Phone: 219-535-6430
County Website
Elkhart County Health Department
608 Oakland Avenue
Elkhart, IN, 46514
Health Officer: Lydia Mertz, MD
Phone Number: 877-523-2283
Fax: 574-295-6186
Email: cmast@elkhartcounty.com
Health Department
County Health Department has birth and death records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and county court records from 1830.
County Recorder has land records. [3]
Health Department has birth records and death records.
Elkhart County, Indiana Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1882 | 1830 | 1882 | 1830 | 1831 | 1830 | 1807 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library
- Pictorial and Biographical Memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana. 1893. Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Elkhart County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 935 | — |
| 1840 | 6,660 | 612.3% |
| 1850 | 12,690 | 90.5% |
| 1860 | 20,986 | 65.4% |
| 1870 | 26,026 | 24.0% |
| 1880 | 33,454 | 28.5% |
| 1890 | 39,201 | 17.2% |
| 1900 | 45,052 | 14.9% |
| 1910 | 49,008 | 8.8% |
| 1920 | 56,384 | 15.1% |
| 1930 | 68,875 | 22.2% |
| 1940 | 72,634 | 5.5% |
| 1950 | 84,512 | 16.4% |
| 1960 | 106,790 | 26.4% |
| 1970 | 126,529 | 18.5% |
| 1980 | 137,330 | 8.5% |
| 1990 | 156,198 | 13.7% |
| 2000 | 182,791 | 17.0% |
| 2010 | 197,559 | 8.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Mortality Schedule (1860) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Indiana Church Records.
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See Indiana Land and Property for additional information about early Indiana land grants and patents.
After land was transferred from the government to private ownership, subsequent transactions were recorded at the Elkhart County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Elkhart County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- History of Elkhart County, Indiana. 1881. Chicago, Illinois : Chas. C. Chapman. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat). Index: EveryNameIndex.com, compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2007.
- A Standard History of Elkhart County, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1916. Edited by Abraham E. Weaver. Chicago, Illinois : American Historical Society. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive, Vol. 1 - Google Books, Vol. 2 - Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Elkhart County, Indiana. 1905. By Anthony Deahl. Chicago : Lewis Publ. Co. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
Civil War service men from Elkhart 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 Elkhart County
- 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company A
- 2nd Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company M
- 9th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C, and Reorganized Companies C, and F
- 12th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies D, and I
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized D, and E
- 19th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 21st Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 23rd Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 29th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
- 30th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K, and Reorganized C
- 44th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
- 48th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, G, H, and I
- 74th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, G, and I
- 88th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
- 100th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 129th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
- 136th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
- 142nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 152nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and E
- 155th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
Civil War Books:
- "Military History", Chapter 10, in Dean K. Garber, Ivan Nunemaker, History of Elkhart County, Indiana, Together with Sketches of Its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History, Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chicago : C. C. Chapman, 1881. Pages 537-575 Online at: FamilySearch Digital Book; Internet Archive
- "Military History" Chapter 11 in O'Connor, Cathy L. Every Name Index to History of Elkhart County, Indiana, Together with Sketches of Its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History, Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens. By Chas. C. Chapman & Co., 1881. Edwardsburg, Mich: Cathy L. O'Connor, 2007. Pages 535-574, Regiment, Companies. FamilySearch Digital Library; WorldCat
World War I
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Indiana newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
For more Indiana newspaper information see the wiki page Indiana Newspapers.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Elkhart County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry $
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Alumni of Middlebury High School (1886-1916) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Students of Elkart High School (1923, 1937 and 1945) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
- 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry $
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1750-1993 - Indiana Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1882-1920 Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Adoption[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Elkhart County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
South Bend Indiana Family History Center
930 Park Place
Mishawaka, IN 46545
574-243-1633
E-mail:IN_SouthBend@familyhistorymail.org
Website
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Elkhart County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Elkhart County Historical Museum
211 West Lincoln Ave.
Goshen, IN 46526-3280
Phone: 574-535-6458
Email: museum@elkhartcountyhistory.org
Website
Middlebury Community Historical Museum
301 West Bristol Ave / PO Box 270
Middlebury, IN 46540-0270
Phone: 574-825-0978
Email: info@mchm.org
Website
Goshen Historical Museum
124 S. Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526
Phone: 574-975-0033
Email: museum@goshenhistorical.org
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Elkhart County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
- Elkhart County Genealogical Society
PO Box 1031
Elkhart, IN 46515-1031
Phone 574-848-1623
Email:queries@elkhartcogensoc.org
Facebook
Website - Elkhart County Historical Society
PO Box 434
304 West Vistula Street
Bristol, IN 46507
Phone: 574-848-4322
Email:research@elkhartcountyhistory.org - Goshen Historical Society
124 S. Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526
Phone 574-975-0033
Facebook
Website - New Paris Historical Society
PO Box 101
New Paris, IN 46553-0101
Phone 814-470-1718
Email:contact@newparishistory.org
Facebook - Wakarusa Historical Society and Museum
403 Wabash Avenue
Wakarusa, IN 46573
Phone 574-862-118
Email:www.wakarusahistoricalsociety.com
Facebook
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Indiana Digital Archives Search by name in all records or specific collections
- Indiana Historical Society Digital Collections Search by county or keyword
- Indiana Memory Click the map or select a statewide collection
- List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
- Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Free and Members-only. Select a county
- EveryNameIndex.com for Indiana Free online genealogy indexes for county histories. Select a county.
- Elkhart County INGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Elkhart County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Britannica contributors, "Elkhart County," in ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA, https://www.britannica.com/place/Elkhart-Indiana 5/6/2020.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Elkhart County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkhart_County,_Indiana 3/28/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wiki at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkhart_County%2C_Indiana (accessed 4 May 2020).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkhart_County%2C_Indiana.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Elkhart County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkhart_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 07 December 2019.
