Orange County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Orange 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
Orange County was named after a county in North Carolina, where many of the early settlers had previously resided.[2] It is located in the south-central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Orange County Courthouse
One Court Street
Paoli, IN 47454
Phone: 812-723-2649
County Website
Orange County Health Department
205 E. Main St.
Paoli, Indiana 47454
Health Officer: Tammie Johnson - Registrar
Phone: 812-723-7112
Fax: 812-723-0510
Email: ochd@co.orange.in.us
Health Department
County Health Department has birth records from 1882, death and burial records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce,probate and court records from from 1816.
County Recorder has land records from 1816.[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.
Orange 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 | 1816 | 1882 | 1816 | 1816 | 1816 | 1807 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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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:[8]
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Bible Records of Orange County, Indiana at INGenWeb
- Lovick Lambeth Family Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Collections
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- Directory of Businesses in Orange County, Indiana (1868) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing Orange County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 5,368 | — |
| 1830 | 7,901 | 47.2% |
| 1840 | 9,602 | 21.5% |
| 1850 | 10,809 | 12.6% |
| 1860 | 12,076 | 11.7% |
| 1870 | 13,497 | 11.8% |
| 1880 | 14,363 | 6.4% |
| 1890 | 14,678 | 2.2% |
| 1900 | 16,854 | 14.8% |
| 1910 | 17,192 | 2.0% |
| 1920 | 16,974 | −1.3% |
| 1930 | 17,459 | 2.9% |
| 1940 | 17,311 | −0.8% |
| 1950 | 16,879 | −2.5% |
| 1960 | 16,877 | −0.0% |
| 1970 | 16,968 | 0.5% |
| 1980 | 18,677 | 10.1% |
| 1990 | 18,409 | −1.4% |
| 2000 | 19,306 | 4.9% |
| 2010 | 19,840 | 2.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Orange County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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 ($)
- 1824-1913 Final Record Books, 1824-1913(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1842-1921 Civil Order Books, 1842-1921(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1897-1916 Coroner's Record, Jan. 1897 - Apr. 1916(*); Clerk of the Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Court Records(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Early Wills of Orange County, Indiana : [Abstract and Notes], The Genealogist (R. Bakehorn) - v. 1, no. 6 (Oct 1971). 1971. By Ray Bakehorn. Orange County, Indiana : Orange County, Indiana. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Early Wills of Orange County, Indiana : [Abstract and Notes], The Genealogist (R. Bakehorn) - v. 1, no. 7 (Nov 1971). 1971. By Ray Bakehorn. Orange County, Indiana : Orange County, Indiana. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Directory of Businesses in Orange County, Indiana (1868) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Settlers and County Officials of Orange County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
- 28th US Colored Troops, Companies D, E, F, G, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Funeral Homes
- Brosmer-Kemple Funeral Home in French Lick.
- Dillman-Scott Funeral Home in Paoli.
- McAdams Mortuary in Paoli.
- Ochs-Tetrick Funeral Home in Orleans.
Genealogies
Guardianship
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 Orange County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Orange 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 Orange County, Indiana. 1884. Chicago, Ill. : Goodspeed Bros. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library. Reprint of Pt. 2 of "History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington Counties, Indiana". Originally published: Chicago, Ill. : Goodspeed Bros., 1884.
- History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington Counties, Indiana. 1884. Chicago, Ill. : Goodspeed Bros. Online at: FamilySearch Digtial Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
- 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
- Indiana Military Records at INGenWeb Project
Mexican-American War
- Residents of Orange County Who Served in the Mexican War (1846-1848) at Indiana Genealogical Society($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Orange 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 Orange County.
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies E, and F
- 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and G
- 38th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and I
- 47th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 49th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 59th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 66th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, and E
- 86th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 93rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, D, G, and H
- 112th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and H
- 137th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
- 140th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
- 144th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 145th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
- 28th US Colored Troops, Companies D, E, F, G, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Books:
- Military History Of Orange County Chapter 7 in History of Washington County Indiana: A Re-Production of the Original History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington Counties 1884. (Salem, Ind: Washington County Historical Society, 1999.) Available online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; INTERNET ARCHIVE
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 ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Nov 1876-May 1879 Paoli Weekly News at Hoosier State Chronicles
Obituaries
Other Records
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 Orange 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 ($)
- 1816-1852 Index to Will Records (1816-1852) at Indiana Genealogical Society
- 1816-1943 Probate Records, 1816-1943(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1918 Partition Records, 1853-1918(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog —index & images
- 150 Wills from the Orange County Court House in Paoli, Indiana. By Miskimens, Dorothea. Sylmar, California : D. Miskimens, 1980. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Court Records(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Indiana Genealogy(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- Directory of Teachers (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
- 1853-1854 - Primarily for Martin County, it does includes a list of delinquent taxes from Orange County for 1853 and 1854 at: FamilySearch Catalog
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth
Marriage
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1802-1892 Indiana Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry
- 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
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 at Ancestry
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Orange 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
- Bedford Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Bloomington Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Crawford County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Jackson County Indiana Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Jasper Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Monroe County Public Library - Main - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Orange County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Museums
French Lick West Baden Museum
469 S Maple St, Suite 103
PO Box 250
French Lick, IN 47432
Phone: 812-936-3592
Email: flwbmuseum@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Orange County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Orange County Genealogical Society and Library
PO Box 344
Paoli, IN 47454
Phone: 812-723-3437
Website
- Call for appointment.
Orange County Historical Society
304 Court St
PO Box 454
Paoli, IN 47454-0454
Phone: 812-653-1212
Email: info@historicorangecounty.org
Facebook
Website
Websites
- 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
- Orange County, Indiana Genealogy Trails
- List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
- Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Free and Members-only. Scroll the list.
- INGenWeb 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. FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Orange County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/orange/ (accessed 30 Mar 2017)
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Orange County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_Indiana (accessed 30 Mar 2017).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana. FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Orange County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Orange County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County%2C_Indiana (accessed 28 December 2019).