Jay County History and Information

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Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

Jay County was created on March 1, 1836 and was formed from Adams New Purchase. The Adams New Purchase: Begun in 1827, Adams was the new name for the Delaware New Purchase. The Adams Purchase existed until 1844, when it became the counties of Adams, Clinton, Grant, Huntington, Jay, and Wells, and portions of the counties of Boone, Carroll, Tipton, and Wabash. The County was named for John Jay, co-author of the Federalist Papers, Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Articles of Confederation, and first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

The County Seat is Portland. The locating commissioners met on the first Monday in June, 1836, and decided upon the site at Portland and, at a special meeting of the County Board on December 5, 1836, gave the new County Seat the name of Portland. First settled in 1837 by H. H. Cuppy, C. Hanna, D. W. McNeil, and others, by 1849 it contained 60 houses and had a population of 300. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Jay County are Adams County (north), Mercer County, Ohio (east), Darke County, Ohio (southeast), Randolph County (south), Delaware County (southwest), Blackford County (west), Wells County (northwest).

Jay County is divided into 12 Civil Townships as follows: Bear Creek, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Madison, Noble, Penn, Pike, Richland, Wabash and Wayne.

Cities, Towns and Communities include Antiville, Balbec, Bellfountian, Blaine, Bluff Point, Boundary City, Brice, Bryant, Center, Collett, Como, Corkwell, Dunkirk, Greene, Jay City, Kitt, Liber, New Corydon, New Mount Pleasant, Noble, Pennville, Pleasant Ridge, Poling, Pony, Portland, Powers, Red Key, Ridertown, Salamonia, Trinity, and Westchester.

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County Courthouse

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

Search Indiana Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! 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 Jay County Courthouse History

Jay County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1837 , Probate Records from 1836 and Court Records from 1836 and is located at 120 N. Court Street, Portland, IN 47371; Pho: (260) 726-6915, Fax: (260) 726-6922

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.

Jay County Recorder has Land Records from 1836 and is located at the Courthouse, 121 N. Court Street, Portland, IN 47371; (219) 726-4572 .

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.

Jay County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at Jay County Annex, 504 West Arch St., Portland, IN 47371; (260) 726-8080

Below is a list of online resources for Jay County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Jay 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.
  • Jay County, Indiana Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Indiana

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). They have the following records:

  • 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.
    • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
  • 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.
    • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
  • 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.
  • Ordering Vital Records Online- You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

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

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Indiana newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Indiana Marriages Database: Database for Indiana marriages through 1850
  • Indiana Marriages Database: Database for Indiana marriages 1993 through 2002
  • Indiana Births, 1880-1920: This database indexes births for thirty-one of the counties indexed by the WPA.
  • Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920: This data set contains the WPA's indexes to the death records of most of the counties that they completed.
  • Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941: This database is a collection of Indiana marriage indexes covering various years and counties.
  • Indiana Marriages to 1850: This database of Indiana marriages to 1850 contains nearly 200,000 names.
  • Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892: This database is an index to individuals who were married in Indiana between 1802 and 1892.
  • Jay County, Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Indiana

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 Jay 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 Jay 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.

Below is a list of online resources for Jay County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Jay 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.
  • Jay County, Indiana Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

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 Jay County Maps. Email us with websites containing Jay County Maps by clicking the link below:

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County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Indiana

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 Jay County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Jay County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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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 Jay County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Jay County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Jay County, Indiana Tax Books at Amazon.com
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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 Jay County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Jay County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Jay County Genealogical Society, 109 S. Commerce #3, Portland, IN 47371
  • 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
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Indiana Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Indiana

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 Jay County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Jay 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 Jay County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Jay County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

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 Jay County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Jay County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

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

Jay County, named in honor of the celebrated patriot and statesman, John Jay, was organized in 1836. It is bounded north by Wells and Adams, east by the State of Ohio, south by Randolph, and west by Delaware and Blackford counties. It is twenty-one miles from east to west, and eighteen from north to south, containing 378 square miles. There are twelve civil townships in the county, viz: Penn, Jackson, Bear Creek, on the north; Knox, Greene, Wayne and Noble in the center tier; and Richland, Jefferson, Pike and Madison in the south. The population in 1840 was 3,863, and at this time [1849] it is about 5,000.

The face of the country is perhaps as level as any part of the State, though in places it is gently and beautifully undulating. No part of the county has a poor soil, yet in many places the land should be cleared and drained before it can be called rich and productive. The principal forest trees are oak, ash, walnut, hickory and beech, the two latter greatly preponderating. When properly farmed, good crops of wheat, corn, grass, and the usual products of the climate may be raised without difficulty, and it is favorable especially for cattle, horses and hogs. The surplus products and articles exported in 1848 were estimated at $52,000. There are in the county six gristmills, nine sawmills, three manufactories for cordage, one do. for tobacco, and three for palm leaf hats, seven stores, three lawyers, nine physicians, twenty preachers and seventy-six mechanics, of the trades most in demand. The Episcopal Methodists have five churches, the Wesleyans one, the New School Presbyterians two, the Baptists one and the Christians one. AT Portland is the Jay Seminary, and at Camden the Penn Seminary, and commons schools have been established in almost all the districts.

There is one Indian Reserve of four sections, not in market, and about 600 acres still belonging to the United States; all the other lands in the county are taxable.

Among the anecdotes of the early settlers of the county it is stated that an Indian, on visiting it, said he had found "one very rich man on the Salamonie." Whether he had much land, or money, or many horses, did not appear, but "he must be rich, as he had five children and eleven dogs."

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

Jay County is one of the eastern counties on the Ohio line. It is an agricultural region and much of its soil is rich black loam. In the past this land was timbered with hard wood. Many natural gas and oil wells have been drilled in Jay County, providing an important part of its industrial activity.

The county has twelve townships covering a total area of 375 square miles. The incorporated cities are Portland, 5,276, and Dunkirk, 3,588; towns: Redkey, 1,370; Pennville, 578; Bryant, 319, and Salamonia, 180. Jay County population in 1890 was 23,478; 1900, 26,618; 1910, 24,961; 1920, 23,318; 1930, 20,848.

Portland is located forty-two miles north of Richmond and is served by three railroads. The city has a number of manufacturing establishments. Chiefs among the products are lumber, flour, automobile parts, shirts, and overalls.

The city has one of the finest courthouses in the state. On the grounds there is a monument to John P. C. Shanks, erected in 1924 by the Mississinewa Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution In the corridor of the building is a bronze tablet dedicated in 1926 to the soldiers of the Revolutionary War. One-mile southeast of Portland is another marker placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution and located on the site of the Old Liber College, now out of existence. The other outstanding and historically significant marker placed by the Mississinewa Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution may be found one half mile north of the Jay-Randolph County Line, on Road 27. At this point the road crosses the old boundary of the territory ceded by Miami Indians to the United States in the Treaty of St. Mary's, Ohio, 1818.

The Pennville Historical Society has erected a marker two and half miles north of Pennville. It is a marble tablet which stands near an ancient house in the Quaker Trace, in memory of Eliza Harris of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" fame. Eliza is said to have stopped here in her flight to Canada.

The second city of the county, Dunkirk, is located eighteen miles northeast of Muncie and is served by one railroad. Chief among its industries are glass factories. It is a center of dairying, agriculture, and livestock raising.

Redkey is located eighteen miles northeast of Muncie and is served by one main railroad. Its products include tile, cement blocks, tools, and canned goods. The natural gas and oil fields are important.

This county has twenty-one manufacturing establishments, according to the federal census of 1935. These employed 2,148 wage earners on total payrolls of $1,941,178. The value of manufactured products was $8,013,572.

Jay County had 2,463 farms averaging 95.1 acres each. Their total value was $10,358,757. A total of 70,912 head of livestock was reported.

Total county tax valuation for the year of 1936 was $22,648,235.

Courthouse History

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