Randolph County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Randolph County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Randolph County was named for the North Carolina county home of many of the area’s immigrating Quaker settlers.[2] The county is located in the east-central part of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Randolph County Courthouse
100 South Main Street #307
Winchester, IN 47394
Phone: 765-584-7070
County Courthouse
Randolph County Health Department
325 South Oak Street, Suite 202
Winchester, IN, 47394
Health Officer: Kenneth Sowinski, MD
Phone Number: 765-584-1155
Fax: 765-584-3226
Email: rchdinvr@
Health Department
County Health Department has birth and death records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records.
County Recorder has land records from 1818 and newspapers from 1876. [4]
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.
Randolph 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.
| Marriage | Court | Land | Probate | Census | ||
| 1882 | 1819 | 1882 | 1909 | 1818 | 1819 | 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:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Randolph County was created on 10 January 1818 from a portion of Wayne County, Indiana. Frontier settlement had begun to reach the area by 1814. The county was named for old Randolph County, North Carolina, many settlers having moved westward from the Carolinas. Winchester was established as the county seat the same year the county was founded.
The first settlement was made in 1814 by a Quaker family, which was joined by five other families. By late 1816 the influx of new settlement and land entries grew rapidly. The years of most rapid growth were 1817-18 and 1836-37, much of the land purchased by speculators. The first school in Randolph County was built by Quakers in 1815. The first election was held in August 1818. The first road opened was the Quaker Trace in 1817, running from Richmond to Ft. Wayne. The first Court House was built in 1818. The first railroad through the county was the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine, completed in 1852-53.
Frame and brick structures, mills, orchards, factories, stores, hotels and banks followed.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Randolph County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 1,808 | — |
| 1830 | 3,912 | 116.4% |
| 1840 | 10,684 | 173.1% |
| 1850 | 14,725 | 37.8% |
| 1860 | 18,997 | 29.0% |
| 1870 | 22,862 | 20.3% |
| 1880 | 26,435 | 15.6% |
| 1890 | 28,085 | 6.2% |
| 1900 | 28,653 | 2.0% |
| 1910 | 29,013 | 1.3% |
| 1920 | 26,484 | −8.7% |
| 1930 | 24,859 | −6.1% |
| 1940 | 26,766 | 7.7% |
| 1950 | 27,141 | 1.4% |
| 1960 | 28,434 | 4.8% |
| 1970 | 28,915 | 1.7% |
| 1980 | 29,997 | 3.7% |
| 1990 | 27,148 | −9.5% |
| 2000 | 27,401 | 0.9% |
| 2010 | 26,171 | −4.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Early Settlers of Randolph County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Selected Residents of Randolph County, Indiana Territory (1808) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Randolph County, Indiana (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]
Anti-slavery sentiments were common in Randolph County, as many early settlers had left the Carolinas to be free of the practice. Active supporters of the emancipation movement were found around 1816. The Underground Railroad functioned, and runaways were sheltered and assisted in their escape.
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 Randolph County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Randolph 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 Randolph County, Indiana. 1882. By E. Tucker. Chicago, Illinois : A.L. Klingman. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Past and Present of Randolph County Indiana. 1914. By John L. Smith, Lee Driver. A.W. Bowen and Co., Indianapolis, Indiana. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Randolph County, Indiana, 1818-1990. c1991. Compiled by the Randolph County Historical Society. Paducah, Kentucky : Turner Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- African American Veterans in Randolph County, Indiana (1890) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Randolph 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 Randolph County.
- 8th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C, and Reorganized Company G
- 9th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company C
- 9th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies H,and K
- 19th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 20th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company A, and E
- 57th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, C,D, E, and F
- 84th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, E, and H
- 99th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
- 105th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
- 106th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and B
- 109th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
- 124th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies G, and H
- 134th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F
- 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
- 140th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies F, and K
- 144th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
- 147th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
- 150th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, and I
- 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Books:
- "Military" Chapter 20 in Tucker, E. 1882. History of Randolph County, Indiana: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers: to which are appended maps of its several townships. (Chicago: A.L. Klingman.), (page 238-296, Regiment, Company, some Names), 977.266 H2t FHL US/CAN Large Q Book, FHL Collection; Internet Archive
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.
Early newspapers were The Journal at Winchester, and The Times at Union City.Early banks were Citizens Bank and Commercial Bank of Union City, and Farmers and Merchants Bank and Randolph County Bank of Winchester.
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2011
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Almost 7,000 obituaries from Randolph County and residents of Darke County, Ohio are included in the following newspapers and provided courtesy of Darke County Genealogical Researchers:
- 1934-1939 - Union City Evening Times Obituaries from June, 1934 to March, 1939, at Darke County Genealogical Researchers
- 1939-1948 - Union City Times-Gazette Obituaries from May, 1939 to December, 1948 at Darke County Genealogical Researchers
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Anti-slavery
Anti-slavery sentiments were common in Randolph County, as many early settlers had left the Carolinas to be free of the practice. Active supporters of the emancipation movement were found around 1816. The Underground Railroad functioned, and runaways were sheltered and assisted in their escape.
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Randolph County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
- 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
- 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled 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]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Randolph 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
Muncie Indiana Family History Center
4800 W Robinwood Dr.
Muncie IN 47304
765-288-7278
E-mail:IN_Muncie@familyhistorymail.org
Website
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Randolph County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
- Winchester Community Library
125 N East Street
Winchester, IN 47394
Phone 765-584-4824
Website
- Requests for genealogy searches can be sent to jstevick@wincomlib.org. There is a minimum $5 charge for genealogy searches.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Randolph County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
- Randolph County History and Genealogy in Indiana.
416 South Meridian Street
Winchester, IN 47394
Phone 765-584-1334
Email:rchsmuseum@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Randolph County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- 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
- Randolph County Resources on IndianasGore
- USGenWeb Archives, Randolph County
- INGenWeb, Randolph County
- 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]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana. FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Randolph County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/randolph/ accessed 04/03/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Randolph County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randolph_County,_Indiana accessed 04/03/2017.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana. FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Randolph County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randolph_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Randolph County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randolph_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 02 January 2020.
