Genealogy Collection

Most of the books in the genealogical collection are not available for checkout or inter-library loan. A few exceptions are the genealogical how-to books, some county histories, and oral histories.

 

Family Histories
These books are compiled family genealogies and are filed alphabetically by surname. These books are all non-circulating. We also have files containing family genealogies. We index many of these in our Surname Index.

General How-to Sources/Directories
These books are general genealogy books. This collection includes:
  • Books for beginners
  • How-to books
  • Directories/addresses
  • Heraldry/name dictionaries
Heritage Quest Online
The library provides access to Heritage Quest Online to our patrons. Library cardholders can use this database from their home computers.
Ancestry Library Edition
The library maintains a subscription to Ancestry Library Edition available to patrons at the Main Library.
General United States Materials
This collection consists of materials that contain information relating to the entire country rather than a specific state. Most contain early U.S. records. A few examples include:
  • War Pension records
  • General Quaker records
  • Colonial soldiers
  • DAR patriot index
  • Land records

Ship Passenger Lists
These books list immigrants to the United States who came via ships. Most provide the name, date of arrival, port of entry, ships name, and country of origin. Most are records of entries before 1880.

Ethnic Genealogy Books
This collection consist of how-to books concerning genealogy in other countries and cultures. You can find information on where to write, who to contact, where to send requests and how to get started in researching your family in another country. Included are books on Native Americans, African Americans, Irish, German and other ethnic groups.

Census Records
The Indiana Room has many indexes for the U.S. federal censuses. In this section are state indexes for Indiana, individual Indiana county indexes and a limited number of other state indexes.

Indiana Counties
Arranged alphabetically by county, this collection includes:
  • Cemetery lists
  • Birth, death and marriage records
  • Wills
  • Probate
  • Land records

Indiana County Histories
The Indiana Room has titles for all 92 Indiana counties. Arranged alphabetically by county.

Other State Resources
General state records, arranged alphabetically by states. This collection includes:
  • Birth, death and marriage records
  • Land records
  • Cemetery records
  • County histories
  • Military records
  • Abstracts of newspapers

Microfilm Collection
Our microfilm collection consists of the following:
  • Local newspapers. Various years beginning in 1827 up to 1884. Nearly complete for the years 1884-present.
  • Census microfilm for all Indiana counties, 1820-1930
  • Census microfilm for all Kentucky counties, 1810-1870
  • Census microfilm for all Ohio counties, 1850-1860
  • Census microfilm for all Pennsylvania counties, 1850
  • We also have a variety of census film for other states
  • Probate records for Monroe County
  • WPA records for 67 Indiana counties
  • Local history microfilm such as marriage records and wills
  • Assorted City Hall records

To get an idea of resources available to genealogists on the Internet take a look at our Genealogy Links.