St. Joseph County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to St. Joseph 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
St. Joseph County was named for the St. Joseph River which flows through it toward Lake Michigan. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
St. Joseph County Courthouse
101 S Main Street
South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: 219-235-9635
County Website
St. Joseph County Health Department
8th Floor, County-City Building, 227 West Jefferson Blvd.
South Bend, IN, 46601
Health Officer: Robert Einertz, MD
Phone Number: 574-235-9750
Fax: 574-235-9960
Health Department
County Health Department has birth, death and burial records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records.
County Assessor 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.
St. Joseph 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 | 1830 | 1882 | 1841 | 1830 | 1830 | 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
- Bible Records Collection(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Family File(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- St. Joseph County, Indiana Bible Records at Genealogy Trails
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 1892-1975 Dentist License Records Index at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 1892-1975 Doctor and Midwife License Records Index at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 1921-1963 Studebaker Employee List at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 1938 Roster of Civilian Conservation Corps (1938) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Cemeteries
- 1830-1938 Graves Registration Project at South Bend Area Genealogical Society. This lists all county veterans who died before 1938.
- 1910-1929 Burial Permits Index (1910-1929) at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- Cemetery Inscriptions Index of names at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- St Joseph County Cemeteries address at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Census Records
For tips on accessing St. Joseph County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 287 | — |
| 1840 | 6,425 | 2138.7% |
| 1850 | 10,954 | 70.5% |
| 1860 | 18,455 | 68.5% |
| 1870 | 25,322 | 37.2% |
| 1880 | 33,178 | 31.0% |
| 1890 | 42,457 | 28.0% |
| 1900 | 58,881 | 38.7% |
| 1910 | 84,312 | 43.2% |
| 1920 | 103,304 | 22.5% |
| 1930 | 160,033 | 54.9% |
| 1940 | 161,823 | 1.1% |
| 1950 | 205,058 | 26.7% |
| 1960 | 238,614 | 16.4% |
| 1970 | 245,045 | 2.7% |
| 1980 | 241,617 | −1.4% |
| 1990 | 247,052 | 2.2% |
| 2000 | 265,559 | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 266,931 | 0.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1880 Joseph Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for St. Joseph County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- 1870, 1880, 1910 Federal Census Records Combined Index (1870. 1880, 1910) at South Bend Area 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
Catholic
- Roman Catholic Marriages Immigrant Marriage Database at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Christian Church
- 1873-1875 - Christian Church, Walkerton, Baptism Index 1873-1875 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C761951 .[8]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- South Bend
Episcopal
Holy Trinity Hungarian Church Records at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Presbyterian
- 1869-1889 - First Presbyterian Church, South Bend, Marriage Index 1869-1889 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M004232 .
Court Records
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- Many indexes are available online at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Directories
- 1895 Standard Atlas of St. Joseph County, Indiana (1895)(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1921 Polk South Bend, Indiana City Directory, 1921 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- 1976-1977 St. Bavo's Church, Mishawaka, Indiana, 1976-1977(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Directory of Businesses in South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana (1902) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Directory of Businesses in St. Joseph County, Indiana (1858) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- An Illustrated Historical Atlas of St. Joseph Co., Indiana(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Emigration and Immigration
- Pre-1870 Early Immigration Records Index at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- Early 1900 Immigrants to the Midwest German, Pole, Hungarian, Belgian and Italian families traced as near to their European origins as possible, at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Alford's Mortuary in South Bend.
- Boyd and Son Funeral Home in South Bend.
- Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Osceola.
- Cobb Funeral Home in South Bend.
- Cruz Family Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Osceola.
- Goethals and Wells Funeral Home and Cremation Care in Mishawaka.
- Hahn Funeral Homes in Mishawaka.
- Hanley and Sons Funeral Home in South Bend and Walkerton.
- Kaniewski Funeral Homes, Inc. in New Carlisle and South Bend.
- McGann Hay Funerals, Cremations, and Gatherings in South Bend.
- Palmer Funeral Homes in Lakeville, Mishawaka, North Liberty and South Bend.
- Saint Joseph Funeral Homes in South Bend.
- Zahoran Funeral Home, Inc. in South Bend.
Genealogies
- Michiana Genealogical Index at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- Immigrant Family Trees at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
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 St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- A History of St. Joseph County, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1907. By Timothy E. Howard. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. 1 & 2 - Hathitrust; At various libraries (WorldCat). Index for both volumes found in front of volume 1.
- History of St. Joseph County, Indiana. 1976. Evansville, Indiana : Unigraphic. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat). Reprint. Originally published: Chicago : C. C. Chapman, 1880. FamilySearch digital version includes Index to Chapman's history of St. Joseph County / by Martha Jane Fields (1971).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
- Maps at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 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
- 1860-1880's Pension Applicants for Saint Joseph County (1860's-1880's) at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Civil War
Civil War service men from St, Joseph 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 St. Joseph County.
- 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company D
- 9th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I, and Reorganized Company I
- 12th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies A, and H
- 15th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
- 21st Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 29th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies F, H, and K
- 48th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, E, and F
- 73rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 87th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
- 128th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 138th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H
- 151st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
- 155th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies H, and I
Civil War Books:
- "Military History" Chapter 14, in Howard, Timothy Edward, A History of St. Joseph County, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Pub. Co., 1907. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1; FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2; Internet Archive Both Vols.
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.
- 1856-1954 - South Bend Area Genealogical Society: St. Joseph County Indiana Naturalizations
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.
Many St. Joseph County newspapers, including the South Bend Tribune, South Bend News Times, St. Joe Valley Register, Mishawaka Enterprise, and others from 1830 to the present are available on microfilm at the St. Joseph County Public Library
- 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 ($)
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2011
- 1881-1913 South Bend Times Name Index (1881-1913) at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 1886-1929 Walkerton News (1886-1929) at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Obituaries
- 1800's to Present Obituaries from the Wakarusa Tribune, Courtesy of Wakarusa Public Library
- 1831-2023 Web: St. Joseph County, Indiana, U.S., Obituary Index, 1831-2023 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1831 to Present St. Joseph County Obituary Index, Courtesy of St. Joseph County Public Library
- 1884-2010 Obituaries from The Bremen Enquirer, Courtesy of Bremen Public Library
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1850-1931 Indiana, Voter Registers, 1850-1931 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
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 St. Joseph 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 ($)
- 1830-1849 Index to Estates from the Probate Records of St. Joseph, Co., In., 1830-1849(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1830-1880 Abstract of Wills, 1830-1880(*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1830-1880 Abstract of Wills, V. 2-4, 1830-1880, St. Joseph County(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1830-1929 Will Record, 1830-1929(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1833-1920 Probate Records, 1833-1920(*); Circuit and Probate Court, and Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1840-1920 Probate Records, ca. 1840-1920(*); Circuit and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1847-1901 Complete Records, Probate Court, St. Joseph County, Indiana, 1847-1901(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1875-1912 Abstracts of Wills, St. Joseph County, Indiana, 1875-1912(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- 1912-1914 Students of South Bend High School at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- 1870-1911 - Teachers of South Bend High School at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- 1936 Students of Mishawaka High School at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth
- 1900 - 1999 Time and Place of Birth Records Index, Saint Joseph County, Indiana at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
Marriage
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 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
- 1830-2013 Marriage Records Index at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 1866-1967 Immigrant Marriage Database (Roman Catholic) at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
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
- 1879-1960 Coroner's Index 1879-1960 at South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- 1882-1920 Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry ($); images
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in St. Joseph 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
- South Bend Indiana FamilySearch Center
- St Joseph Michigan FamilySearch Center
- Elkhart Public Library - an affiliate library.
- St Joseph County Library - an affiliate library.
- Valparaiso Public Library/Porter County Public Library System - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in St. Joseph County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library
209 Lincolnway East
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: 574-259-5277, ext. 1300
Email: mishinfo@mphpl.org
Website
St. Joe County Public Library
304 S Main St
South Bend, IN 46601
Email: library@sjcpl.org
Facebook
Website
Museums
The History Museum
808 W Washington St
South Bend, IN 46601-1439
Phone: 574-235-9664
Email: info@historymuseumsb.org
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in St. Joseph County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Historic New Carlisle, Inc.
304 E Michigan St
PO Box 107
New Carlisle, IN 46552-0107
Phone: 574-654-3897
Email: historicnc@townofnewcarlisle.com
Website
Michiana Jewish Historical Society
3202 Shalom Way S
South Bend, IN 46615-2955
Phone: 574-233-1164
Email: michianajewishhistorical@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
South Bend Area Genealogical Society
PO Box 11
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Phone: 574-707-2688
Email: sjcgensoc@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
St. John Historical Society
10955 W 93rd Ave
PO Box 134
St. John, IN 46373
Email: sjhistorical@att.net
Walkerton Area Historical Society
302 Roosevelt Rd
Walkerton, IN 46574
Phone: 574-586-3868
Email: janrhodes@embarqmail.com
Facebook
Website
Websites
- 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
- South Bend Area Genealogical Society
- INGenWeb, St. Joseph County
- USGenWeb, St. Joseph County
- Michiana Memory at St. Joseph County Public Library
- 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Joseph County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph_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); 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. FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Joseph County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph _County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Joseph County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 07 January 2020.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/8d/Igiindianah.pdf.