Morgan County was created on February 15, 1822 and was formed from Delaware New Purchase and
Wabash New Purchase. The Delaware New Purchase: Set up in 1820, portions were set apart as the entire counties of Allen, Bartholomew, Hamilton, Henry, Johnson, Marion, Rush, and Shelby. Parts of the counties of Delaware, Hendricks, Madison, and Morgan also were located in the Delaware Purchase. In 1827, the name of the tract was changed to the Adams New Purchase. The Wabash New Purchase: Begun in 1820, this tract lasted until 1835 and then became all of White County and portions of the counties of Boone, Carroll, Fountain, Hendricks, Jasper, Montgomery, Morgan, Parke, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Vermillion, and Warsaw. The County was named for Gen. Daniel Morgan, who defeated the British at the Battle of Cowpens in the Revolutionary War.
The County Seat is Martinsville. First settled in 1822 by Joshua Taylor, Judge Gray, Jacob Cutler, G. W. Preston, Dr. Sims, and other, by 1849 it contained a population of about 600. See also County History for more historical details.
Morgan County is divided into 14 Civil Townships as follows: Adams, Ashland, Baker, Brown, Clay, Green, Gregg, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Ray and Washington.
Cities, Towns and Communities include Adams, Allman, Bethany, Briarwood, Brooklyn, Bunker Hill, Campbells, Centerton, Cope, Eminence, Exchange, Fields, Fox Hill, Hall, Hyndsdale, Mahalasville, Martinsville, Monrovia, Mooresville, Morgantown, Paragon, Ridgewood, Taggart, Whitaker, Wilbur, Wiser, and Wolff.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Morgan County: The county newspaper holdings are under regular revision, as new microfilm holdings are added. These files are not up to date; there are continuous updates and corrections.
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. Courthouse destroyed by Fire in Mar. 1876, Some records destroyed. Saved: marriage and deed records from 1822, probate order books 1822-1836
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 Morgan County Courthouse History
Morgan County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1822 , Probate Records from 1822 and Court Records from ? and is located at County Courthouse-First Floor, Courthouse Square, 10 East Washington Street, Martinsville, Indiana 46151; Telephone: (765) 342-1025 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.
Morgan County Recorder has Land Records from 1822 and is located at Morgan County Administration Building, 180 South Main Street, Suite 125, Martinsville, Indiana 46151; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1653 Martinsville, IN 46151; (765) 342-1077 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.
Morgan County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at Vital Records, 3838 N. Rural St., Indianapolis, IN 46205; (317) 541-2400, Email: jbishop@hhcorp.org
Below is a list of online resources for Morgan County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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
Below is a list of online resources for Morgan County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - 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.
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Morgan County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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.
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 Morgan County Maps. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Maps by clicking the link below:
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 Morgan County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
Indiana World War II Servicemen: Database to locate information about Indiana men and women who served in World War II who were mentioned in one of the Indianapolis daily newspapers during the war.
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 Morgan County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Morgan County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
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 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.
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.
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 Morgan County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Indiana obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Indiana newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Indiana.
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 Morgan County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Indiana Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain
Morgan County, named in honor of General Daniel Morgan, was organized in 1822. It contains 453 square miles, and is bounded north by Hendricks and Marion, east by Johnson, south by Brown and Monroe, and west by Owen and Putnam. It contains the following townships, viz: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Harrison, Brown, Clay, Ray, Baker, Green and Gregg. The population in 1830 was 5,579, in 1840, 10,741, and at this time about 14,000. About one-third of the county is river and creek bottoms, the soil a sandy loam and of the richest quality. There is generally a ridge of hills where these bottoms terminate. Back of these the land becomes undulating, and in some places level, and in some places too wet for any crop but grass. In the south part of the county, adjoining Monroe, is a very hilly and broken region, yet the timber is good and the soil excellent, where it can be cultivated. No part of the State is more favorable for agriculture, and some of the best farms in it are now found here. The principal crop is corn, though wheat, oats, grass, and fruit are successfully cultivated, and the spirit of progress is now apparent among the farmers, in the erection of substantial buildings, in planting good orchards and vineyards, and in increasing the variety and quality of their crops. Though White River is not favorable for navigation but a short time each year, yet from twenty-five to thirty boats, carrying from fifty to seventy tons, are annually sent off freighted with surplus products. Other articles are taken to the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, and cattle, horses and mules are driven usually to distant markets. In most years, 40,000 bushels of corn, and mules, and many other articles of considerable value have been exported from this county, and were there a railroad completed to Martinsville or Mooresville, as has been proposed, or even the Plank Road completed from Franklin to the Bluffs, the amount would be largely increased.
There are in the county eighteen gristmills, twenty-eight sawmills, three carding machines, one fulling mill, one printing office, thirty stores and groceries, seven lawyers, twenty physicians, thirty preachers, about 300 mechanics, a flourishing County Seminary, and about eighty common schools, which are kept up a portion of the year. The religious denominations that have erected churches are as follows: Cumberland Presbyterians one, Lutherans one, Baptists five, Reformers or Christians ten, Friends three, Methodists fourteen. The taxable land in the county is 217,047 acres.
In the western part of the county is a cavern, from the mouth of which leaps a foaming stream that only at a few feet distance turns a flourishing mill. This cavern has been explored about half a mile, but the darkness and the myriads of bats that make its gloomy halls their abode, render its full exploration a matter of difficulty. About two and a-half miles southeast of Martinsville, at a ford of the creek, where an Indian trail passed it, is a spot called by the Indians "Murder Ground." The origin of the name, by their tradition, was that one of their parties having captured several prisoners from Kentucky, in early times, had escaped with them to this place without being pursued, as they thought. Here they left their prisoners bound, and went out to hunt. In their absence, a party of Kentuckians came up and stationed themselves in ambush, near the prisoners, and shot the Indians almost to a man as they returned at different times from hunting.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Located in the valley of the west fork of White River, Morgan County is famous for its medicated water wells, its fine hardwood timber, numerous sugar camps, and the largest goldfish hatchery in the world. Morgan County's soil is very fertile and sandstone is the chief natural resource. Also found in the county is shale, which is well suited for the manufacture of paving brick.
The county embraces 406 square miles, divided into fourteen townships. It is located southwest of Indianapolis, its northeastern boundary touching Marion County. The incorporated city is Martinsville, 4,962; towns: Mooresville, 1,910; Morgantown, 748; Brooklyn, 545, and Paragon, 366. The county population in 1890 was 18,643; 1900, 20,457; 1910, 21,182; 1920, 20,010; 1930, 19,424.
Martinsville is commonly known as the "Artesian City" of medicated waters because of mineral wells, one 700 feet deep, which produce flowing waters. Many spas and sanatoriums, built after discovery of the precious waters with their curative powers, have attracted thousands of afflicted people who come to partake of the waters and get relief for their ailments.
Martinsville is thirty miles southwest of Indianapolis and is served by two railroads. It is not notably industrial, though it has some industries, including flour, saw, and planing mills, woodenware factory, hickory chair factory, and brick plant. There are also several points of interest in the city such as the first paved mile of the Dixie Highway. A marker, one-half mile from the courthouse, commemorates the completion of this mile. Selling bricks at twenty-five cents each raised the funds for that pavement and the names of the buyers were burned into the bricks.
Two other places are of note. One is a residence, notable because it was formerly a tavern on the "Old Trail," the other, a bakery, which has not been altered for more than a century. Northeast of the city is the Grassyfork Fisheries, which was the pioneer home of the pioneer home of the Shireman Family.
This county had twenty-four manufacturing establishments according to figures of the 1935 federal census. A total of 406 wage earners were employed on payrolls totaling $258,620. The value of the products was $1,546,298.
Morgan County had 2,343 farms averaging 98.4 acres each. Their value was $9,666,768. A total of 58,171 head of livestock was reported. The total county tax valuation for 1936 was $14,698,908.
