Decatur County, Indiana Genealogy

United States

Indiana

Decatur County

Guide to Decatur County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Indiana Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Greensburg Organized: 1822 Parent County(s): Unorganized territory Neighboring Counties Rush • Franklin • Ripley • Jennings • Bartholomew • Shelby See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

Stephen Decatur

County Information

Description

Decatur County was named for Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., a naval officer in the First and Second Barbary Wars, and in the War of 1812. Decatur was mortally wounded in a duel in 1820. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Decatur County Courthouse
150 Courthouse Square Suite 5
Greensburg, In 47240
Phone: 812-663-8223
County Website

Decatur County Health Department
801 North Lincoln Street
Greensburg, IN, 47240
Health Officer: Arthur Alunday, MD
Phone Number: 812-663-8301
Fax: 812-663-4174
Email: vitalrecords@decaturcounty.in.gov
Health Department

County Clerk has marriage record from 1822, divorce, probate and court records.
Board of Health has birth and death records.
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.

Decatur 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.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1882	1822	1882	1822	1822	1822	1807
*Statewide registration for births in 1907 and deaths in Oct 1899. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Parent Counties: Formed in 1821 from unorganized territory. County Seat: Greensburg Indiana Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Indiana Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Indiana 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:

Cities
Greensburg
Towns
Millhousen New Point	St. Paul	Westport
Unincorporated communities
Milford
Census-designated places
Clarksburg	Lake Santee
Townships
Adams Clay Clinton	Fugit Jackson Marion	Salt Creek Sand Creek Washington

Resources

Bible Records

• 1818-1856 Sarah Shadrich Montgomery Bible, Part 1 (1818-1856) at at USGenWeb Archives
• 1860-1938 Sarah Shadrich Montgomery Bible, Part 2 (1860-1938) at at USGenWeb Archives
• Bible Records and Tombstone Inscriptions(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• Turner Family Bible Records at Indiana State Library Digital Collections

Biographies

• Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library
• A Genealogical and Biographical Record of Decatur County, Indiana. 1900. Chicago [Illinois]: Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Occupations

• Doctors of Decatur County (1821-1915) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Decatur County, Indiana online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	BillionGraves Find a Grave Interment.net RecordAGrave Index USGW Tombstone Transcription Project
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Catalog WorldCat.org
List of Cemeteries in the County	BillionGraves FamilySearch Places Find a Grave
See Indiana Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

For tips on accessing Decatur County census records online, see: Indiana Census.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1830	5,887	—
1840	12,171	106.7%
1850	15,107	24.1%
1860	17,294	14.5%
1870	19,053	10.2%
1880	19,779	3.8%
1890	19,277	−2.5%
1900	19,518	1.3%
1910	18,793	−3.7%
1920	17,813	−5.2%
1930	17,308	−2.8%
1940	17,722	2.4%
1950	18,218	2.8%
1960	20,019	9.9%
1970	22,738	13.6%
1980	23,841	4.9%
1990	23,645	−0.8%
2000	24,555	3.8%
2010	25,740	4.8%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Decatur 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

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

• 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
• 1822-1913 Civil Order and Complete Record Books, 1822-1913(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1853-1865 Civil Order Books, 1853-1865(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• Marriage Records of Decatur County, Indiana (1822-1829), The Genealogist (R. Bakehorn) - v. 1, no. 12 (Apr/June 1972). 1972. By Ray Bakehorn. Decatur County, Indiana : Decatur 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 Decatur County, Indiana (1858, 1868) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African American

• African Methodist Episcopal Church (Greensburg, Indiana), Negro Cemetery (Clarksburg, Indiana), Decatur County (Indiana). Historian, Black history, Decatur County, Indiana,'(Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1987 ) FS Library US/CAN Film 1531735 Item 18 FS Library Collection
• Baldwin, Jane (Main Author), Baker, Ray Stannard, b. 1870 (Added Author), A history of the Negro in Decatur County, Indiana, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1987) FS Library US/CAN Film 1531732 Item 6 FS Library Collection
• Underground Railroad Sites: Decatur County Historic Preservation & Archaeology. IN Gov DNR

Funeral Homes

• Bass and Gasper Funeral Home in Westport.
• Gilliland Howe Funeral Home in Greensburg.
• Porter-Oliger-Pearson Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Greensburg.

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 Decatur 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 Decatur County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.

• Atlas of Decatur Co., Indiana. 1976. Knightstown, Indiana : Bookmark. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat). Reprint of original published: Chicago : J. H. Beers, 1882.
• History of Decatur County, Indiana. 2 Vols. 1915. By Lewis A. Harding. Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen. Online at: 2 volumes in 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust; Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).

Maps and Gazetteers

• Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
• Historic Indiana Atlases for Decatur County at University Library (IUPUI)
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

• Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
• List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 Decatur County, Indiana. - Internet Archive

Civil War
Civil War service men from Decatur 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 Decatur County.

• 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company I
• 7th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, F, and Reorganized Companies D, E, G
• 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized H
• 20th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
• 20th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Companies E, and G
• 30th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company A
• 37th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and H
• 52nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A, and D
• 59th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
• 74th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
• 83rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
• 89th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies H, I, and K
• 93rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
• 123rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, H, and I
• 134th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies B, C, D, and E
• 146th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, E, G, and H
• 156th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C

Civil War Books:

• "Civil War," in "Military Record," Chapter 17 of Harding, Lewis A. 1915. History of Decatur County, Indiana its people, industries and institutions, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families. (Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen.) (page 420-464, Regiment, Companies,Name's) Online at: FamilySearch Digital Book; 977.216 H2h v. 1, 977.216 H2h v. 2 FS Library US/CAN Book FS Library Collection; other library Vol. 1 Intertnet Archive; Vol.2 Internet Archive
  

World War I

• History of Decatur County's part in the World War, 1914-1918 - Internet Archive.
• World War I Draft Registration Cards Ancestry ($), 1917-1918 Decatur County
• 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War II, 1941-1945

• Decatur County, Indiana World War II Casualties, Army and Army Air Corps -AccessGenealogy

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 ($)
• 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
• Hoosier State Chronicles

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 Decatur 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 ($)
• 1826-1918 Probate Records, 1826-1918(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1828-1905 Probate File Packets, ca. 1828-1905(*); Circuit Court and Court of Common Pleas 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

School Records

• Directory of Teachers for Decatur 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.

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 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 ($)

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Decatur 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

• Batesville Indiana FamilySearch Center
• Columbus Indiana FamilySearch Center
• North Vernon Indiana FamilySearch Center
• Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Shelby County Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Decatur County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.

Willard Library
21 First Avenue
Evansville, IN 47710
Phone: 812-425-4309
Email: willard@willard.lib.in.us
Website

Societies

Listed below are societies in Decatur County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.

Historical Society of Decatur County
222 North Franklin Street
PO Box 1463
Greensburg, IN 47240
Phone: 812-663-2764
Email: dechissoc@etczone.com
Website
Facebook

Tri-Genealogical Society
c/o Willard Library
21 First Avenue
Evansville, IN 47710
Email: tsgs.membership@yahoo.com
Website
Facebook

Websites

• Indiana Digital Archives Search by name in all records or specific collections
• Indiana Historical Society Digital Collections Search by county or keyword
• Indiana Memory Click the map or select a statewide collection
• List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
• Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Free and Members-only. Select a county
• Decatur County. USGenWeb project page for Decatur. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
• Decatur County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• Decatur County Indiana Genealogy Trails
• 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.