Porter County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Porter County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Porter County was named for David Porter. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Porter County Courthouse
16 E Lincolnway #209
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-465-3450
County Website
Porter County Health Department
155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 104
Valparaiso, IN, 46383
Health Officer: Maria Stamp, MD
Phone Number: 219-465-3525
Fax: 219-465-3531
Email: Letty.Zepeda@porterco.org
Health Department
Attached to St. Joseph County prior to organization 6 Feb 1836.
County Health Department has birth and death records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1836.
County Auditor has land records. [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.
Porter 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 |
| 1884 | 1836 | 1884 | 1836 | 1833 | 1836 | 1807 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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Dec. 1934 Courthouse destroyed by fire; all records saved. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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 | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Ellis Family Bible Records at Indiana State Library Digital Collections
- Porter County Indiana Bible Records of the Janes Family at Genealogy Trails
- Some Bible Records in Porter County, Indiana at Ancestry ($) - index & images; Also at: My Heritage ($)
- Some Bible Records of Porter County, Indiana. By Daughters of the American Revolution, William Henry Harrison Chapter, Valparaiso Indiana and Mrs. Robert R. Mefford. Indiana : William Henry Harrison Chapter DAR. n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
| |
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Porter County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 2,162 | — |
| 1850 | 5,234 | 142.1% |
| 1860 | 10,313 | 97.0% |
| 1870 | 13,942 | 35.2% |
| 1880 | 17,227 | 23.6% |
| 1890 | 18,052 | 4.8% |
| 1900 | 19,175 | 6.2% |
| 1910 | 20,540 | 7.1% |
| 1920 | 20,256 | −1.4% |
| 1930 | 22,821 | 12.7% |
| 1940 | 27,836 | 22.0% |
| 1950 | 40,076 | 44.0% |
| 1960 | 60,279 | 50.4% |
| 1970 | 87,114 | 44.5% |
| 1980 | 119,816 | 37.5% |
| 1990 | 128,932 | 7.6% |
| 2000 | 146,798 | 13.9% |
| 2010 | 164,343 | 12.0% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Porter County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Courtesy of the Porter County Public Library System:
- Enumeration of Males in Porter County IN:
- 1937 Liberty and 1943 Morgan Townships Enumeration of Males in Porter County, Indiana The data base combines the two years into alphabetical order.
- Porter County 1930 Census Index
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository.
For more information about these major repositories, see Indiana Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1858-1921 Civil Order Books, 1858-1921(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1870-1955 Administrator Records, 1870-1955(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1875-1923 Civil Order Books, 1875-1923(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1902 Valparaiso, Indiana City Directory, 1902 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Directory of Businesses in Porter County, Indiana (1884) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Angelcrest, Inc. in Kouts and Valparaiso.
- Bartholomew Funeral Home in Valparaiso.
- Edmonds and Evans Funeral and Cremation Services in Chesterton and Portage.
- Geisen Funeral Homes in Hebron.
- Rees Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Portage.
- White-Love Funeral Home in Chesterton.
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 Porter 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[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Porter County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical. 1882. Editors: Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard. Chicago: F.A. Battey. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Porter County, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1912. Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: Vol. 1 - Internet Archive; Vol. 1 & 2 - Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- Veterans in Porter County (1894) at Indiana Genealogical Society
Civil War
Civil War service men from Porter 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 Porter County.
- 4th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 5th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery (Simonson's)
- 5th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry (90th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers) , Company I
- 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies A, H, and K
- 9th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B, and Companies B, E and H
- 12th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry Companies A, and M
- 20th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 20th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I, and Reorganized Company D
- 37th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company A
- 63rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
- 73rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and I
- 99th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 128th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and H
- 138th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C
- 151st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and E
- 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Books:
- "Military History", Chapter 6 in Lewis Publishing Company. cn. 1911. History of Porter County, Indiana: a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests 977.298 H2h FS Library US/CAN Book, FS Library Collection, Internet Archive
World War I
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War II
- Residents of Porter County One World War II Honor Roll at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Residents of Porter County Who Died in World War II (1942-1946) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Residents of Porter County Who Served in World War II at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Military Service: 1940-1945 at Porter County Public Library
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.
- 1800s-Current Indiana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Porter County Herald Index 1933-1938 at Porter County Library
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1913-Onward Indiana, Porter County Obituaries at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- Obituary Index 1938-Jan 2011 from Porter County Library
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Porter County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1838-1906 Complete Record, 1838-1906(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1839-1880 Wills of Porter County, Indiana from December 26, 1839 - November 11, 1880(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1840-1933 Will Record, 1840-1933(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1849-1910 Inventory of Real and Personal Property, Administrator Record, and Sales of Personal Property of Decedents, 1849-1910(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1850-1925 Probate Records, 1850-1925(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1872 Complete Record, V. A, 1853-1872(*); Common Pleas Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1854-1914 Partition Records, 1854-1914(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1862-1914 Complete Record, 1862-1914(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
- 1870-1955 Administrator Records, 1870-1955(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1901-1935 Indiana, Porter County, Probate Case Files, 1901-1935(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1901-1955 Administrator Records, 1901-1955(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1914-1963 Probate Estates at Porter County Public Library
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Directory of School Officials and Teachers of Porter County (1917) at Indiana Genealogical Society
- School Enumeration of Liberty Township (1919, 1924) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Students and Teachers of Chesterton Junior-Senior High School (1952) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- 1899-1931 Teacher Contracts at Porter County Public Library
- 1919 Liberty Township School Enumerations 1919 at Porter County Public Library
- 1924-1925 and 1931 Miscellaneous Contracts for Porter School District at Porter County Public Library
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800-2007 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
- 1836-1976 Marriages at Porter County Library
Death[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1963 Divorce Records at Porter County Library
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Porter County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
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
- Griffith Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Valparaiso Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Gary Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Lake County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Valparaiso Public Library/Porter County Public Library System - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Porter County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Porter County Library
Valparaiso Branch
103 Jefferson St
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-462-0524
Email: info@pcpls.org
Facebook
Website
Valparaiso University Archives & Special Collections
Christopher Center Library
1410 Chapel Drive
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-464-5500
Email: university.archives@valpo.edu
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Alton Goin Museum
Portage Community Historical Society
5250 US Highway 6
Portage, IN 46368
Phone: 219-762-8349
Email: pchs.1@frontier.com
Website
PoCo Muse
20 Indiana Ave
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-510-1836
Email: info@pocomuse.org
Website
Westchester Township History Museum
700 W Porter Avenue
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-983-9715
Email: serena@wpl.lib.in.us
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Porter County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Beverly Shores Historical Society
The Depot
525 Broadway
PO Box 305
Beverly Shores, IN 46301-0242
Phone: 219-874-8000
Email: bevshrshist@bevshrshistsoc.org
Facebook
Website
Duneland Historical Society
PO Box 2034
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-983-9715
Email: dunelandhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Hebron Historical Society
PO Box 679
Hebron, IN 46341-0679
Phone: 219-996-3192
Historical Society of Ogden Dunes
115 Hillcrest Road
Portage, IN 46368-8503
Phone: 708-491-8319 or 219-763-0658
Email: rmeister@depaul.edu
Website
- The "Hour Glass", a historic house at 8 Lupine Lane, houses the Society's collections of books, papers and records; artifacts; and paintings and sculpture.
Historical Society of Porter County
153 Franklin Street
Valparaiso, IN 46385
Phone: 219-465-3595
Website
Kankakee Valley Historical Society
22 W 1050 S
Kouts, IN 46347
Phone: 219-766-2302
Email: president@kankakeevalleyhistoricalsociety.org
Website
Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society
PO Box 595
Griffith, IN 46319
Email: nwigsweb@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Porter 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
- Porter County, Indiana: A Part of the Indiana GenWeb Project
- Swedish Farmsteads of Porter County, Indiana
- 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]
- ↑ InGenWeb, and INPorterCounty
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana. FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Porter County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_County,_Indiana 3/30/2017.
- ↑ 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, "Porter County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Porter County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 01 January 2020.