Kosciusko County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Kosciusko County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Kosciusko County was named after the Polish general Tadeusz Kościuszko who served in the American Revolutionary War, after which he returned to Poland. It is located in the north-central area of the state. [2]
County Courthouse
Kosciusko County Courthouse
121 North Lake Street
Warsaw, IN 46580
Phone: 219-372-2331
County Website
Kosciusko County Health Department
100 West Center Street
Warsaw, IN, 46580
Health Officer: William Remington Jr, MD
Phone: 574-372-2349
Fax: 574-269-2023
Email: bweaver@kcgov.com
Health Department
County Health Department has birth and death records from 1882.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1836.
County Recorder has land records
Township Trustees have burial records. [3]
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.
Kosciusko County, Indiana Record Dates
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 | 1836 | 1882 | 1836 | 1834 | 1836 | 1807 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
|
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Biographies are available online at: Website, hosted by Deb Murray.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing Kosciusko County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 4,170 | — |
| 1850 | 10,243 | 145.6% |
| 1860 | 17,418 | 70.0% |
| 1870 | 23,531 | 35.1% |
| 1880 | 26,494 | 12.6% |
| 1890 | 28,645 | 8.1% |
| 1900 | 29,109 | 1.6% |
| 1910 | 27,936 | −4.0% |
| 1920 | 27,120 | −2.9% |
| 1930 | 27,488 | 1.4% |
| 1940 | 29,561 | 7.5% |
| 1950 | 33,002 | 11.6% |
| 1960 | 40,373 | 22.3% |
| 1970 | 48,127 | 19.2% |
| 1980 | 59,555 | 23.7% |
| 1990 | 65,294 | 9.6% |
| 2000 | 74,057 | 13.4% |
| 2010 | 77,358 | 4.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Census Records are available online at: InGenWeb.
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Kosciusko County (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Settlers of Kosciusko County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Church Records
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.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1836-1922 Civil Order Books, Circuit Court, Kosciusko County, Indiana, 1836-1922(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1836-1927 Complete Civil Order Books, Circuit Court, Kosciusko County, Indiana, 1836-1927(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1872 Complete Civil Order Books, Court of Common Pleas, Kosciusko County, Indiana, 1853-1872(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1853-1882 Civil Order Books, Court of Common Pleas, Kosciusko County, Indiana, 1853-1882(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Court Records, Kosciusko County, Indiana; v. 01. 1986. By Ettinger, Mary Nichols. Kosciusko County, Indiana : Kosciusko County, Indiana. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Court Records, Kosciusko County, Indiana; v. 2. 1986. By Ettinger, Mary Nichols. Kosciusko County, Indiana : Kosciusko County, Indiana. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Directory of Businesses in Kosciusko County (1858) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels in Pierceton and Warsaw.
- Mishler Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Milford.
- Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home in Warsaw.
- Titus Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in North Webster, Syracuse and Warsaw.
Genealogies
Guardianship
- The Kosciusko County page of USGenWeb has an Index to Guardianship Reports 1871 - 1964
Land and Property Records
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 Kosciusko County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Original Tract Book are available online: INGenWeb
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Index to Deed Books 1 to 10: 1836- May, 1952 are available online: InGenWeb
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Land Record Research are available online: InGenWeb
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Kosciusko County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- Biographical and Historical Record of Kosciusko County, Indiana. 1887. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Kosciusko County, Indiana: Early History, Biographical Sketches. 1911. By L.B. Hillis. N.p: Reub Williams & Sons, Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library,Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- A Standard History of Kosciusko County, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1919. L. W. Royse, supervising editor. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. 1 & 2 - Hathitrust; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Combination Atlas Map 1879 online at: INGenWeb
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- Kosciusko County, Indiana Civil War Soldiers are available online: INGenWeb.
- Veterans in Kosciusko County, Indiana (1913) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Kosciusko 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 Kosciusko County.
- 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company A
- 5th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry (90th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers), Company M
- 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company I
- 12th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company I
- 12th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E, and Reorganized Company I
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company D
- 20th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 23rd Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 26th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
- 30th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B, and Reorganized Company E
- 44th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and D
- 48th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 74th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, F, I, and K
- 118th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Company A
- 128th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 129th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies G, H, I, and K
- 152nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, B, and D
Civil War Books:
- "The County In Three Wars" Chapter 12 in Royse, L. W. A Standard History of Kosciusko County, Indiana: An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular Attention to the Modern Era in the Commercial, Industrial, Educational, Civic and Social Development a Chronicle of the People with Family Lineage and Memoirs. (Agawan, MA: Bridgeport National Bindery, 2008.) Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1. FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2.
World War I
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 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
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.
- 1800s-Current Indiana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Kosciusko County, Indiana Obituaries are online: INGenWeb.
Obituaries
Other Records
Voting Records
Kosciusko County, Indiana Voter's Registration Index for 1922 is available online: INGenWeb.
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Kosciusko County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1836-1980 Probate Records, 1836-1980(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1837-1880 Guardianship and Estate Indexes, 1837-1880. By Priser, Marjorie. Leesburg, Indiana : Priser, Marjorie. 1986. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- 1844-1920 Index to the Early Wills 1844-1920 at Kosciusko County, Indiana; USGenWeb Project
- 1847-1853 Probate Court Records, Kosciusko County, Indiana. By Ettinger, Mary Nichols. Mentone, Indiana : M.N. Ettinger, 1986. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library
- 1852-1975 Index to Estate Inventories and Administrations 1852-1975 at Kosciusko County, Indiana; USGenWeb Project
- 1891-1926 Will Record and Court Orders, 1891-1926(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- 1894-1901, 1912-1919, 1922-1950 - Directory of Teachers for Kosciusko County, Indiana (1894-1901, 1912-1919, 1922-1950) online at:Website at Indiana Genealogical Society
- 1936 - Directory of Teachers for Kosciusko County, Indiana (1936) at website by Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
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
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
- 1882-1920 Kosciusko County, Indiana Birth Records from 1882-1920 at InGenWeb
- 1858-1935 - Kosciusko County, Indiana Delayed Birth Records 1858-1935 at InGenWeb
Marriage
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
- 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482/
- 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1836-1921 Kosciusko County, Indiana Marriage Records from 1836-1921 at InGenWeb
- 1908-1933 Kosciusko County, Indiana Divorce Records from 1908-1933 at INGenWeb
Death
- Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry - index, (Free collection)
- 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 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482/
- 1882-1920 - Kosciusko County, Indiana Death Records from 1882-1920 at INGenWeb
- 1879-1953 - Kosciusko County, Indiana County Farm Records, 1879-1953 at INGenWeb
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Kosciusko County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Fort Wayne Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Huntington Indiana FamilySearch Center
- South Bend Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Allen County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Elkhart Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Noble County Public Library - Albion - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Kosciusko County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Bell Memorial Public Library
101 W Main St
PO Box 368
Mentone, IN 46539
Phone: 574-893-3200
Website
Kosciusko County Historical Society Genealogy Library
121 N Indiana St
Warsaw, IN 46580
Phone: 574-269-1078
Email: sboggs@bell.lib.in.us
Facebook
Website
Milford Public Library
101 N Main St
Milford, IN 46542
Phone: 574-658-4312
Email: milford@milford.lib.in.us
Facebook
Website
North Webster Community Public Library
110 E North St
PO Box 825
North Webster, IN 46555-0825
Phone: 574-834-7122
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Kosciusko County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Kosciusko County Historical Society
121 N Indiana St
PO Box 1071
Warsaw, IN 46580
Phone: 574-269-1078
Email: director@kosciuskohistory.com
Facebook
Website
- The Genealogy Research Library is located within a large room of the Old Jail Museum. It houses the archives for many Kosciusko County records including court records, wills, guardianship and estate books, school records, township records, county plats and statistical records, tax and assessment records, military books, a series of county health office records, marriage application books and more.
Websites
- Kosciusko 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 Free and Members-only. Scroll the list.
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this 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
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kosciusko County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosciusko_County,_Indiana 3/29/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kosciusko County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosciusko_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kosciusko County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosciusko_County,_Indiana, accessed 17 December 2019.