Starke County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Starke 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
Starke County was named for Gen. John Stark, who commanded New Hampshire troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 in the Revolutionary War and defeated the British at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.[3]The county is located in the north-central area of the state.[4]
County Courthouse
Starke County Courthouse
PO Box 395
Knox, IN 46534
Phone: 574-772-9128
County Website
Starke County Health Department
108 N Pearl Street
Knox, IN, 46534
Health Officer: Thomas Browne, MD
Phone Number: 574-772-9137
Fax: 574-772-8035
Email: flynch@co.starke.in.us
Health Department
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1850.
County Auditor has land records from 1850.
County Health Department has birth and death records. [5]
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.
Starke 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 |
| 1894 | 1850 | 1894 | 1850 | 1850 | 1850 | 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:[9]
| 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 Starke County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 149 | — |
| 1850 | 557 | 273.8% |
| 1860 | 2,195 | 294.1% |
| 1870 | 3,888 | 77.1% |
| 1880 | 5,105 | 31.3% |
| 1890 | 7,339 | 43.8% |
| 1900 | 10,431 | 42.1% |
| 1910 | 10,567 | 1.3% |
| 1920 | 10,278 | −2.7% |
| 1930 | 10,620 | 3.3% |
| 1940 | 12,258 | 15.4% |
| 1950 | 15,282 | 24.7% |
| 1960 | 17,911 | 17.2% |
| 1970 | 19,280 | 7.6% |
| 1980 | 21,997 | 14.1% |
| 1990 | 22,747 | 3.4% |
| 2000 | 23,556 | 3.6% |
| 2010 | 23,363 | −0.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Starke County (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Index to Mortality Schedule for Starke County (1860) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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
Lutheran
St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church, Knox
- 1887-1948 - St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church, Knox, Baptism Index 1887-1948 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728181 .[10]
- 1887-1948 - St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church, Knox, Marriage Index 1887-1948 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728181 .
Court Records
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1851-1922 Civil Order Books, 1851-1922(*); Clerk of the Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1876 Court Records, 1853-1876(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1882-1920 Complete Record Books, 1882-1920(*); Clerk of the Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Early County Officials of Starke County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Braman and Son Memorial Chapel in Knox and North Judson.
- M.C. Smith Funeral Home in Knox.
- O'Donnell Funeral Home in North Judson.
- Rannells Funeral Home in Hamlet and Koontz Lake.
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 Starke 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 Starke County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- McCormick's Guide to Starke County. 1902. By Chester A. McCormick. Knox, Indiana : C.A. McCormick. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- A Standard History of Starke County, Indiana. 1915. By Joseph N. McCormick. Chicago, Illinois : Lewis Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; 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
- Veterans in Starke County, Indiana (1913) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
5th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry (90th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers), Company C
World War I
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
- Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.
Newspapers
Indiana newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
For more Indiana newspaper information see the wiki page Indiana Newspapers.
- 1800s-Current Indiana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Starke County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1850-1936 Probate Records, 1850-1936(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1855-1898 Starke County, Indiana, Will Records, 1855-1898(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1891-1936 Will Records, 1891-1936(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1900-1936 Indiana, Starke County, Probate Records, 1900-1936(*); Circuit Court 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 for Starke 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
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 Starke 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
- Valparaiso Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Jasper County Public Library - Wheatfield - an affiliate library.
- Pulaski County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Starke County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Valparaiso Public Library/Porter County Public Library System - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Starke County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library
208 Keller Ave
North Judson, IN 46366
Phone: 574-896-2841
Email: lib.norjud@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Starke County Public Library System
152 W Culver Rd
Knox, IN 46534
Phone: 574-772-7323
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Starke County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Starke County Genealogical Society Of Indiana
152 W Culver Road
Knox, IN 46534
Phone: 219-767-2901
Email: starkegen@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Starke County Historical Society
1520 S Heaton St
Knox, IN 46534
Phone: 574-772-7242
Email: schistorycenter@gmail.com
Facebook
Website
Websites
- Starke 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
- USGenWeb, Starke County
- INGenWeb, Starke 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
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Starke County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/starke/ accessed 04/03/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Starke County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starke_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.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Starke County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starke_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Starke County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starke_County,_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.