Putnam County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Putnam 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
Putnam County was named for Israel Putnam. It is located in the west-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Putnam County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square Street
PO Box 546
Greencastle, IN 46135-0546
Phone: 765-653-2648
County Courthouse
Putnam County Health Department
1542 S Bloomington St Suite 1500
Greencastle, IN, 46135
Health Officer: Robert Heavin, MD
Phone Number: 765-301-7660
Fax: 765-301-7665
Email: jyoung@putnamhealthindiana.org
Health Department
County Health Department has birth and death records.
County Clerk has marriage records from 1822, Divorce and Probate Records from 1825 and Court Records from 1828.
County Recorder has land 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.
Putnam 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 | 1822 | 1882 | 1828 | 1824 | 1825 | 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 | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Ellis Family Bible Records at Indiana State Library Digital Collections
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing Putnam County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 8,262 | — |
| 1840 | 16,843 | 103.9% |
| 1850 | 18,615 | 10.5% |
| 1860 | 20,681 | 11.1% |
| 1870 | 21,514 | 4.0% |
| 1880 | 22,501 | 4.6% |
| 1890 | 22,335 | −0.7% |
| 1900 | 21,478 | −3.8% |
| 1910 | 20,520 | −4.5% |
| 1920 | 19,880 | −3.1% |
| 1930 | 20,448 | 2.9% |
| 1940 | 20,839 | 1.9% |
| 1950 | 22,950 | 10.1% |
| 1960 | 24,927 | 8.6% |
| 1970 | 26,932 | 8.0% |
| 1980 | 29,163 | 8.3% |
| 1990 | 30,315 | 4.0% |
| 2000 | 36,019 | 18.8% |
| 2010 | 37,963 | 5.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Mortality Schedule for Putnam County (1860, 1870, 1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Putnam County (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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 ($)
- 1823-1915 Complete Order Books, Circuit Court, Putnam County, Indiana, 1823-1915(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1825-1921 Civil Order Books, Circuit Court, Putnam County, 1825-1921(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1855-1873 Civil Order Books, Court of Common Pleas, Putnam County, Indiana, 1855-1873(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1855-1915 Complete Order Books, Common Pleas Court, Putnam County, Indiana, 1855-1915(*); Common Pleas Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Directory of Businesses in Putnam County, Indiana (1858) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home in Greencastle.
- Hopkins-Rector Funeral Home in Greencastle.
- Servies, Morgan and Machledt Funeral Home in Roachdale.
- Whitaker Funeral Home in Cloverdale.
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 Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County, Indiana. 1887. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Weik's History of Putnam County, Indiana. 1910. By Jesse W. Weik. Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen & Co., Pub. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- Military War data (all wars):
- Veterans in Putnam County, Indiana (1913) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Mexican War
- Residents of Putnam County Who Served in the Mexican War (1846-1848) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Putnam 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 Putnam County.
- 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company E
- 6th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company C
- 10th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
- 11th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Companies F, H, and K
- 13th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company F, and H
- 14th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 15th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 16th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
- 20th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 27th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and I
- 43rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and H
- 59th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 78th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (60 days, 1862), Companies A, and B
- 97th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 99th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
- 115th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Companies C, H, and I
- 123rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and G
- 133rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864),
- 149th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C, H, and I
- 156th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D, and E
- 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
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 ($)
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2011
Obituaries
- Wabash Valley Obituary Index - from the Vigo County Public Library contains most of Vigo County, but includes Putnam and other counties. These are indexes to obituaries published in Terre Haute newspapers from 1900-2007.
- Putnam Public Library - obituary index from The Banner Graphic, newspaper of Greencastle, covers 1972 to the present and is updated every two weeks.
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Putnam County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1823-1902 Putnam County, Indiana Will Records, 1823-1902. By Slevin, Ruth M. Putnam County, Indiana : Putnam County, Indiana, n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- 1825-1831 Putnam County, Indiana, Probate Record, 1825-1831. By Slevin, Ruth M. Putnam County, Indiana : Putnam County, Indiana, 1967. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- 1825-1921 Probate Records, Circuit Court, Putnam County, Indiana, 1825-1921(*); Clerk of the Circuit Court and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1831-1838 Putnam County, Indiana, Order Book A, Probate Court, 1831-1838. 1967. By Slevin, Ruth M. Putnam County, Indiana : Putnam County, Indianan, 1967. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- 1844-1921 Will Records, 1844-1921(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1885-1919 Accounts Current Record, 1885-1919(*); Circuit 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
- Directory of Teachers for Putnam County (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.
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 ($)
- 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 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
- Marriage Records at USGenWeb Project
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
- Death Records at USGenWeb Project
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Putnam 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
- Crawfordsville Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Martinsville Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Terre Haute Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Danville-Center Township Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Putnam County Library - an affiliate library.
- Vigo County Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Putnam County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Putnam County Library
103 E Poplar St
Greencastle, IN 46135
Phone: 765-653-2755
Facebook
Website
Museums
Putnam County Museum
1105 N Jackson St
Greencastle, IN 46135
Phone: 765-653-8419
Email: info@putnamcountymuseum.org
Facebook
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Putnam County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Putnam County Genealogical Club
RR 1, Box 28
Bainbridge, IN 46105
Putnam County Historical Society
103 East Poplar St
PO Box 801
Greencastle, IN 46135
Wabash Valley Genealogy Society
PO Box 7012
Terre Haute, IN 47802-7012
Email: wvgs@inwvgs.org
Website
Websites
- Putnam 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
- INGenWeb, Putnam County
- USGenWeb, Putnam County
- Indiana State Library, Putnam County records.
- 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, "Putnam County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putnam_County,_Indiana 3/30/2017.
- ↑ 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, "Putnam County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putnam _County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Putnam County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putnam_County,_Indiana, accessed 01 January 2020.