Monroe County was created on April 10, 1818 and was formed fromOrange County. The County was named for U.S. President James Monroe. The County Seat is Bloomington . See also County History for more historical details.
Monroe County is divided into 11 Civil Townships as follows: Bean Blossom, Benton, Bloomington, Clear Creek, Indian Creek, Perry, Polk, Richland, Salt Creek, Van Buren and Washington. The township once known as Marion in now included in Benton Township.
Cities, Towns and Communities include Arlington, Buenavista, Bloomington, Broadview, Cascade, Chapel Hill, Clear Creek, Dolan, Eastern Heights, Ellettsville, Elwren, Fleener, Garden Acres, Handy, Harrodsburg, Highland Village, Hindustan, Hoosier Acres, Hunter Switch, Kirby, Kirksville, Knight Ridge, Leonard Springs, Marlin Hills, Modesto, Mt. Tabor, New Unionville, Sanders, Smithville, Stanford, Stinesville, Sunny Slopes, Unionville, Van Buren Park, Woodville Hills and Yellowstone.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Monroe 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.
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 Monroe County Courthouse History
Monroe County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1818 , Probate Records from 1818 and Court Records from 1854 and is located at 301 N. College Ave, Room 201, Bloomington IN 47404; Phone: (812) 349-2600, Fax: (812) 349-2610 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.
Monroe County Recorder has Land Records from 1817 and is located at Courthouse, 100 W. Kirkwood Ave, Room 122,
Bloomington, IN 47404; Phone: (812) 349-2520 . 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.
Monroe County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 119 West Seventh Street, Bloomington, IN 47402-0547; (812)349-2543
Below is a list of online resources for Monroe County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Maps. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Monroe County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Monroe County Genealogical Society,
202 E. Sixth Street, , Bloomington, IN 47408; Fax: (812) 355-5593 , Genealogy Library: (812) 355-5588 or if busy, call (812) 332-2517 and ask to be transferred to the Genealogy Library.
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 Monroe County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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
Monroe County, named in honor of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, was organized in 1818. It contains 420 square miles, and is bounded north by Owen and Morgan, east by Brown and Jackson, south by Lawrence, and west by Greene and Owen. The civil townships are Bloomington, Perry, Clear Creek, Indian Creek, Van Buren, Richland, Beanblossom, Washington, Marion, Benton and Salt Creek. The population in 1830 was 6,578, in 1840, 10,143, and at this time [1849] about 13,000. The face of the country is mostly hilly, though about Bloomington and many other places, it is gently rolling. There was originally no prairie or barrens in the county, and but a small portion of river or creek bottoms. The timber is generally of a good quality, and such as denotes a fine soil, viz: walnut, sugar, ash, oak, poplar, cherry, hickory, beech, etc., and most of the county, except where it is too hilly, is as well adapted to the usual farming products, and to raising cattle, hogs and horses, as any part of the State. There are in the county eleven gristmills, twelve sawmills, four oil mills, nine carding machines, one foundry, one spinning, weaving and fulling machine, three printing offices, about twenty stores and groceries, nine lawyers, ten physicians, and preacher too tedious to mention. In fact, most of the Christian denominations are represented here. Salt springs have been found and worked to some advantage in the eastern part of the country, and iron ore of good quality in the southwest, where Mr. R. Ross built the Virginia furnace. Here too is located the State University.
Truitt's grotto is an extensive cavern in which there are beautiful rooms of various sizes. It has never been fully explored. The Taxable land in Monroe amounts to 161,933 acres, and about 80.000 acres still belong to the United States.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Monroe County, the home of Indiana University, is famous for its deposits of limestone, which are found in abundance. In addition, the county excels in preparing the stone for market.
Monroe is one of the central southern counties, having an area of 416 square miles, divided into twelve townships. Its incorporated city is Bloomington, population 18,227; towns: Ellettsville, 767; and Stinesville, 310. The county population in 1890 was 17,673' 1900, 20,873; 1910, 23,426; 1920, 24,519; 1930, 35,974.
Bloomington is located fifty-two miles southwest of Indianapolis and is served by two railroads. It is the center of the quarrying region and one of its chief industries is the finishing of limestone. Other products include woolen goods, staves, kitchen cabinets, plate glass, and gloves. This city is the home of the Monroe Tobacco and Candy Co. The largest furniture factory in the world is located in Bloomington.
Bloomington had twenty-three manufacturing establishments in 1935 according to federal census figures. These industries employed 1,519 wage earners on payrolls of $1,024,195. The value of the products was $3,852,446.
Indiana University was established at Bloomington in 1820. This act was taken in accordance with a provision of the first Constitution of the state, which provides for a general system of education ascending in regular gradation from the township school to the University. The first building was erected in 1824, and its doors were opened for the reception of students that year when ten boys entered. The attendance from 1824 to 1884 varied from 10 to 194. It was not until 1886 that the attendance exceeded 200. In 1885, the elective course was established and from that date the attendance rapidly increased. The attendance for 1915 was 2,644. The University has conferred almost six thousand degrees.
The school was made co-educational in 1867. For many years, the number of men and women has remained relatively constant at a ratio of two to one. For many years, every county in the state has been represented, and a large number of students from other states and foreign countries are in attendance annually.
The University consists of the College of Liberal Arts, the School of Education, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, the Graduate School and the Extension Division. In the combined faculties, there are more than 200 members.
There are ten large buildings on the campus at Bloomington, nearly all of which are of native stone. The campus consists of 125 acres, and is recognized as one of the most beautiful in the United States. The buildings and campus are valued at one million dollars. The President of the University is William Lowe Bryan.
A large number of persons of importance have lived in Bloomington. Four of Indiana's Governors, James Whitcomb, Paris Dunning, Joseph A. Wright, and Paul V. McNutt, were residents. George A. Wright, brother of the Governor, became U. S. Senator from Michigan, and Willis A. Gorman became Governor of Minnesota. Most outstanding in other fields are: Hoagland Carmichael, composer of some of America's best popular music; Alice Booth, an associate editor of Good Times Magazine; Eddie East of the radio team, "Sisters of the Skillet," and the Gentry Family, whose animal shows are world-famous. In addition to these well-known persons are several other contemporaries prominent in the country.
Monroe County had forty-one manufacturing establishments according to the 1935 federal census. These employed 1,843 wage earners on payrolls totaling $1,325,999. The value of the product was $5,315,177.
The county had 2,444 farms averaging 85.1 acres each. The value of these was $6,225,467. A total of 26,437 head of livestock was reported. The total county tax valuation for 1936 was $27,512,785.
