Newton County was created on December 9, 1859 and was formed fromJasper County. The County was named for Sgt. John Newton, who served under Francis Marion in the Revolutionary War. Newton County was last of Indiana's 92 counties to be established and began its official existence December 9, 1859. It was first organized by the act of 1838 and later joined to Jasper County and continued as a part of that county for twenty years, when the commissioners of Jasper County made the final border defining the boundaries of the new county.
The County Seat is Kentland. From that period there were many efforts made to relocate the County Seat until the election held June 19, 1900, when Kentland was made the permanent County Seat. See also County History for more historical details.
Newton County is divided into 10 Civil Townships as follows: Beaver, Colfax, Grant, Iroquois, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Lincoln, McClellan and Washington.
Cities, Towns and Communities include Ade, Beaver City, Brook, Conrad, Enos, Foresman, Goodland, Iroquois River, Kentland, Lake Village, Morocco, Mt. Ayr, Newton, Pembroke, Percy Junction, Perkins, Roselawn, and Thayer.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Newton 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 Newton County Courthouse History
Newton County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1860 , Probate Records from 1860 and Court Records from 1860 and is located at 201 N. 3rd Street, PO BOX 49 (mailing address), Kentland, IN 47951; Pho: (219) 474-6081, Fax: (219) 474-5749 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.
Newton County Recorder has Land Records from 1860 and is located at Rm 104 Courthouse Square ,
Kentland IN 47951;
(219) 474-6081 . 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.
Newton County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 4117 S 240 W Suite #500, Morocco, IN 47963; 219-285-2052, fax is 219-285-0646
Below is a list of online resources for Newton County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Maps. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Newton County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Newton County Historical Society,
P.O. Box 103,
Kentland, IN 47951;
(219) 474-6081
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 Newton County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Newton 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 Newton County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Newton 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.
1879 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain
Newton was one of the last counties organized in the State. Until erected into a separate jurisdiction, it was included in Jasper County, for civil and judicial purposes. In December 1857, a petition for the establishment of a proposed new county west of Jasper was presented to the Board of Commissioners at Renssalaer, and a committee of freeholders was appointed to establish the boundaries. This committee made a report in March 1858, which, however, was not certified to the Secretary of State until 1859.
Thomas R. Barker, who was also an old resident, was appointed Sheriff to organize the new county and administer the oath of office to the first officers, April 21, 1860. They met for this purpose at Kent, now known as Kentland. At that time there were but two buildings in the place. The list of officers who qualified themselves for the discharge of their duties was as follows: Commissioners, William Russell, Michael Coffelt and Thomas R. Barker (who was also organizing Sheriff); Zachariah Spitler, Clerk; Alexander Sharp, Auditor; Samuel McCullough, Treasurer; Elijah I. Shriver, Sheriff; A. W. Shideler, Surveyor.
There was much dispute as to the time when Newton should begin its independent career as a county, and a long discussion ensued by reason of this misunderstanding as to whether Jasper or Newton were entitled to certain taxes. This was finally settled by arbitration.
The Commissioners appointed by Governor Willard to locate the seat of justice for Newton County filed their report December 12, 1859, with the Secretary of State. From this it appears that but three of the members met for the performance of their duties, namely, L. Dunlap, Joseph Allen and Samuel H. Owen. There were a number of places offered the Commissioners for a county seat. The contest lay principally between Morocco, Brook and Kent. The former were more centrally located, but Kent, being on the line of the Logansport, Peoria & Burlington Railroad, then, as now, the only line in the county, carried the day. Alexander J. Kent, a large land owner in the county and in the vicinity of the newly selected county seat, donated 160 acres of land for a Poor Farm, a large square for a courthouse in the new town itself, and gave $500 in cash; besides, which $245 was also donated by others. Efforts have at times been made to secure a relocation of the county seat at Brook and Morocco; the last of these was made in 1873, but all have proved unsuccessful.
The county buildings consist of a courthouse, on the east side of the courthouse park, and a smaller building used for offices. The courthouse was erected in 1860, at a cost of about $1,800, and answers the purposes for which it was built, perhaps, as well as a much more expensive structure. The few prisoners so unfortunate as to become entangled in the meshes of the law are at present sent to Tippecanoe County, as Newton owns no jail of its own.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Newton County is the home of the internationally famous humorist, George Ade, whose residence is in Brook. Near that town, too, was the birthplace of ex-Governor McCray, who owns a stock farm in the county now. This, the Orchard Lake Stock Farm, is the home of the finest herd of Hereford Cattle in the world. "Perfection Fairfax," the world famous "King of Hereford Sires," was bred on this farm.
The county falls into three natural subdivisions, the Valley of Iroquois, the Beaver Creek Valley and Lake Basin, and the Kankakee Valley. Its soil is quite fertile, producing some of the state's best crops of corn, oats, and hay. The county also has a notable production of small fruits, vegetables, and melons. One of the most unusual quarries to be found is near Kentland. It is peculiar in that it stands on the edge instead of lying flat. Its stone is considered the finest road-building limestone in the state.
This is one of the northwestern counties, bordering on the state of Illinois, and Lake County to the north. It has an area of 405 square miles divided into ten townships. The incorporated towns are Kentland, 1,355; Morocco, 1,006; Goodland, 978; Brook, 815, and Mt. Ayr, 216. Newton County population, 1890, 8,803; 1900, 10,448; 1910, 10,504; 1920, 10,144; 1930, 9,841.
Kentland is located fifty-seven miles west of Logansport and is served by two railroads. It is chiefly important as a producer of excellent road construction stone and as the center of a rich agricultural district.
Goodland, the other agricultural center, is also served by to railroads, as is Morocco.
One of the county's most unusual points of interest is "Bogus Island," located about two miles north of the village of Enos, a half mile west of State Highway 41. It is an island of sand rising abruptly out of the bed of the old lake. This island was the rendezvous for a band of counterfeiters, horse thieves, and other outlaws a hundred years ago. Because at the time it was covered with thick brush and surrounded by water so as to make unexpected attack impossible, it harbored many a refugee.
According to figures of the 1935 federal census this county had nine manufacturing townships employing thirty-seven wage earners. Payrolls for these totaled were $1,082,404.
The county had 957 farms averaging 238.8 acres each, largest in the state. The value of these was $11,474,402. A total of 40,308 head of livestock was reported. The total tax valuation for the county as of 1936 was $17,939,970.
Courthouse History
It’s not unusual for locals to try to move the seat of a county courthouse. After all the county seat brings recognition, commerce, and hopefully prosperity. But after nine attempts to remove the county seat from Kentland, the Indiana Supreme Court put an end to the squabble. After 40 years of controversy, the State Supreme Court ruled in 1904 that the courthouse would remain in Kentland.
While the courthouse stayed in Kentland, the State Supreme Court noted in its decision
The original court house built in 1860, and which is still in use, and contains all the court and public records of the county, is a plain, cheap, wooden structure, so advanced in decay and dilapidation that the entire edifice is said to shake when the court bell is rung over it.
Kentland, Newton County Centennial, 1860-1860 (Kentland, IN: Newton County Centennial Committee, 1960), p. 15.
On April 3, 1905 Newton County commissioners voted to replace the original 1860 courthouse.
Architect Joseph T. Hutton of Hammond designed the new building. Its understated simplicity reflects the Neoclassical style. Limestone trim subtly accents the buff brick walls while the pediment recalls the ancient temples of Greece.
During the construction of the building in 1906, the county cleared the surrounding land of additional buildings, to create a Shelbyville Square for the courthouse.
