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Blackford County History and Information
County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

Blackford County Facts

Blackford County was created on February 18, 1839 and was formed from Jay County. The County was named forJudge Isaac Blackford, the first Speaker of the Indiana General Assembly.

The County Seat is Hartford City . See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Blackford County are Wells County (north), Jay County (east), Delaware County (south), Grant County (west).

Blackford County is divided into 4 Civil Townships as follows: Harrison, Jackson, Licking and Washington. Cities, Towns and Communities include Converse, Hartford City, Matamoras, Millgrove, Montpelier, Renner, Ridertown, Roll, Shamrock Lake and Trenton.

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Records at the Blackford County Courthouse

See Also Indiana Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

NOTE: The date listed for each category of record is the earliest record known to exist in that county. It does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and certainly does not indicate that all such events that year were actually registered. See also the Blackford County Courthouse History

   Blackford County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1839 , Probate Records from 1839 and Court Records from 1839 and is located at 110 W Washington St, Hartford City, IN 47348; (765) 348-1130
   The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a ministerial officer who is the custodian of the Clerk's record and seal, issues process, accepts filings of commencement of actions in litigation, enters judgments and orders of the court, receives money in his official capacity, makes certified copies of record, issues many miscellaneous licenses, and keeps a record of all wills and matters of trust in probate proceedings.

   Blackford County Recorder has Land Records from 1839 and is located at 110 W Washington St, Hartford City, IN 47348; (765) 348-2307.
   The county recorder's function is to maintain permanent public records involving a wide variety of instruments. These documents detail transactions involving real estate, mining, personal property, mortgages, liens, leases, subdivision plats, military discharges, personal bonds, etc. Generally, all of these instruments are recorded either for giving legal public notice of their existence or for safekeeping and future reference. The recorder maintains and preserves all legal documents affecting title to real property.

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

   Blackford County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 506 East VanCleve, Hartford City, IN 47348; (765) 348-3041

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Indianapolis Newspaper Index, 1848-1991: Select articles from 1848-1888 Indianapolis daily newspapers; heavily focused on deaths and marriages. Select articles from 1898-1991 about people, places, events, and topics in Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. Extremely limited for deaths; no coverage of marriages.  Card file also available in the Microforms Area, second floor.
  • Reference & Government Services CD Collection: Database to allow searching of the hundreds of CDs from the federal government and other sources, part of the collections of the Reference & Government Services Division.
  • Blackford County, Indiana Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Indiana Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

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Blackford County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Indiana

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
  • Birth Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth records that occur in Indiana since Oct 1907 to the present. Prior to October 1907, records of birth are filed only with the local health department in the county where the birth actually occurred.
    • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • In Person: The ISDH Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). The cost for the first certificate is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Average wait time is less than an hour.
    • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
  • Death Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains death records that occur in Indiana since 1900 to the present. Prior to 1900, records of death are filed only with the local health department in the county where the death actually occurred. For deaths occurring from 1900 to 1917, the city and/or county of death is required in order to locate the record.
    • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • In Person: The ISDH Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). The cost for the first certificate is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Average wait Time is less than an hour.
    • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
  • Marriage Certificates: Certified copies of marriage certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the Clerks of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage was granted. Fees vary.
  • Divorce Certificates: Certified copies of divorce certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
    Birth Certificates
         		Death Certificates
         		Marriage Certificates
         		Divorce Records

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Blackford County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Voter Lists & Census Records! - Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable.

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Blackford County, Indiana are 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Blackford County, Indiana are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

  See Also Statewide Records that exist for Indiana

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Indiana Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1807 State Census Index; 1810 Wayne County Census Index; 1812 Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
  • Blackford County, Indiana Census Books at Amazon.com

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Blackford County Maps & Atlases

   Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

  You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
   You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at County Maps

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Maps. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Blackford County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Indiana

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

   The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Blackford County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

   Records of county taxes were kept as early at 1842, although most were discarded. Remaining ones would be at the county courthouse. National Archives-Great Lakes Region has records of the Internal Revenue Service for Indiana for 1867 to 1873. These are tax assessment records, arranged by district and then chronologically.

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Blackford County, Indiana Tax Books at Amazon.com

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Blackford County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Indiana Genealogical Addresses

   The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Blackford County Historical Society, 321 North High Street, P.O. Box 264, Hartford City, IN 47348
  • Local Indiana Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
  • Indiana Libraries: Database to allow searching for Indiana's public libraries.
  • National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.)
    General Information Leaflet
  • Indiana State Archives, 6440 E. 30th St., Indianapolis, IN 46219; (317) 591-5222, [EMAIL]
  • Indiana State Library, Attn: (Division or Staff Name), 140 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2296
    Loan Desk and General Inquiries: 317-232-3675, ind@statelib.lib.in.us
    Genealogy Division: 317-232-3689, genealogy@statelib.lib.in.us
  • Indiana Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 10507, Fort Wayne IN 46852
  • Indiana Historical Society, 450 W. Ohio St, Indianapolis,IN 46202; 1-800-447-1830 or 317-232-1882
  • Indiana Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
  • indiana Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

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Blackford County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Indiana

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

   There are many churches and cemeteries in Blackford County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Blackford County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Baptist records are found at Franklin College (in Franklin); Methodist at DePauw University (in Greencastle); Mennonite at Goshen College (in Goshen); Presbyterian at Hanover College (in Hanover); Disciples of Christ at their historical society in Nashville, Tennessee; and French Catholic at Vincennes University in the Byron R. Lewis Collection. There are also Catholic church histories and records at the Catholic Archives, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Quaker records are at Earlham College (at Richmond).

   The commissioner's office of each Indiana county may have burial records for soldiers, sailors, and marines. If available, the records should include name, age, date of enlistment, discharge date, and death date. Records begin about 1862.

The Indiana State Library holds records of inscriptions from some Indiana cemeteries. The "Indiana Cemetery Locator File," compiled by the Genealogy Division, is an alphabetical listing of cemeteries, indicating the location in the state and the designation in the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library where inscriptions may be found.

Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

   When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Blackford County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Blackford County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain

Blackford County, named in honor of Judge Blackford, was organized in 1837. It is bounded north by Wells, east by Jay, south by Delaware, and west by Grant counties, and contains 169 square miles. It is divided into four civil townships; Harrison in the northeast, Jackson in the southeast, Washington in the northwest and Licking in the southwest. The population of the county is about 2,000. There are five stores in the county, one grocery, one warehouse, three lawyers, four smiths, three wheelwrights, seven shoemakers, three tailors and one hatter, two gristmills and five sawmills.

The face of the county is mostly level, but in some places gently undulating. The soil is best adapted to the cultivation of wheat, rye, corn, oats, potatoes, etc., and the exports consist of wheat and pork, taken to the Wabash and Erie Canal, and cattle, horses and hogs driven to other markets. The principal streams in the county are the Salamonie and Lick Creek, the former a first rate mill stream. Except a few wet prairies, the county was all originally heavily timbered with oak, beech, ash, poplar, sugar tree, walnut, hickory, cherry, etc., and the soil, without any exception, is rich. The public buildings in the county are a well-finished brick Courthouse, and Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches, and Licking and Harrison townships have each five schools.

John Blount made the first settlement in the county in 1835. In the winter of 1836, Abel Baldwin of Vermont, explored the forests and entered land for a company of emigrants from that State, and in the autumn following they removed to the Salamonie, and soon after laid off the town of Montpelier, which was named after the capital of their native State. Hartford was laid off in 1839, and for several years the rival towns were competitors for the county seat; but Hartford succeeded ultimately. In March 1842, a hurricane passed through the south part of the county, destroying much timber, and leaving marks of desolation for many miles.

There are 96,945 acres of taxable land in the county. In the eastern part is the Godfroy Reserve, where this war chief of the Miamis long resided, and where some of the dwellings of the red men are yet standing. Godfroy was a noble looking, kind-hearted man, much beloved both by Indians and whites.

1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature

Blackford County is one of Indiana's eastern central counties located northeast of Indianapolis. Originally it was part of Jay County, but was formally organized as one of the smaller counties on February 18, 1839. John Blount was the first settler, in 1835, and in 1836 Abel Baldwin, of Vermont, after making an exploration of the forests, made an entry of land for the emigrants from his state. That year the New Englanders moved into the territory and established the town of Montpelier on the Salamonie, naming it after the capital of their native state.

Blackford County covers 168 square miles and is divided into four townships. There are two incorporated cities: Hartford City, population 6,613, and Montpelier, 1,859. In 1890, the county population was 10,461; 1900, 17,231; 1910, 15,820; 1920, 14,084; 1930, 13,617.

Hartford City is located eighteen miles northwest of Muncie and is served by two railroads. The city's industries include the Hartford Ice Company and plants manufacturing window glass, chipped glass, overhead doors, and paper pulp.

The city has a number of historical and artistic points of interest. The Public Library has a fine art collection, including a painting by Homer Gordon Davisson. There is a monument on the lawn of the Courthouse, which was presented by the Service Star Legion in 1921 as a World War Memorial. One of the notable buildings is the William Reed Memorial School. Within the building is a portrait of William Reed by Marie Goth.

Many of the old residences of Hartford City contain antiques, fine examples of furniture and native craftsmanship. Among the noteworthy estates are the Dale residence with its fine gateway and gardens, and the Robert Henley residence, with its floral gardens. Other features of the city are Hoover Park, presented to the city in memory of J. L. Hoover, and the Blackford County Hospital, erected to the memory of Mrs. Ella Smith.

The federal census figures for 1935 reported twenty-three manufacturing establishments in Blackford County. There were 1,418 wage earners on pay rolls totaling $1,320,144. The total value of the industrial output was $7,052,884.

The value of the county's farms was $5,500,991. These 1,089 farms averaged 92.4 acres each. A total of 32,215 head of livestock was reported.

The 1936 tax valuation for the county was $16,335,462

Courthouse History

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