Ancestry.com adds Indiana vital records databases

A 1917 birth record for John Noble Patterson of Brown Township, Hendricks County

If you have a personal subscription to Ancestry.com, or your local library has an institutional subscription, you can access their new databases for:

• Indiana birth records (1907-1940)
• Indiana death records (1899-2011)
• Indiana marriage records (1958-2005)
  

These 3 databases are a result of an agreement announced in October 2014 between Ancestry.com and the Indiana state government. One of the terms of the agreement is that Ancestry has the exclusive right to host these databases for the first 3 years.

The majority of these records were digitized from existing microfilm; therefore the quality of the image may vary.

NOTE: Indiana began requiring the recording of births and deaths in 1882; however, at that time, the records were kept by the health department in each county. It was only in January 1900 that copies of death records began to be sent to the state, and in October 1907 that copies of birth records began to be sent to the state. Similarly, a state law in July 1958 began requiring a copy of marriage records (which reside in the courthouse in each county) to be sent on to the state. The state's version of the marriage record may not have all the information (or signatures) that may be seen in the county's version.

Ida LOGSTON gives birth to illegitimate child (1881)

As mentioned in Hendricks County probate records, in 1881 Ida Logston had filed a bastardy suit against Douglas Hall in Hendricks County Circuit Court, alleging he was the father of her illegitimate child Grace Logston. In September 1881, Douglas Hall (with Thomas B. Hall, witness) agreed to pay Grace's guardian, John W. Tinder, $250 (payable in 5 annual installments of $50, beginning in December 1881 and ending in December 1885) for the care of the child. In exchange, the bastardy suit against Douglas Hall would be dismissed.

Flora ARCHER gives birth to illegitimate child (1933)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 82 (October 1932 - October 1933), in April 1933 Flora Archer filed a bastardy suit against Judson Renn (case #13600) for the illegitimate child she had given birth to. The court ordered Renn to pay Archer $10 a month for 3 years for the support and maintenance of the child.

Carmie Rogan WALLEN corrects his birth record (1943)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 92 (June 1942 - June 1943), in January 1943 Carmie Rogan Wallen petitioned the court to correct the date on his birth record. The court granted the petition and corrected his birth record so that it reflected the fact he was born on March 6, 1917.

Barbara Ellen DARNELL delivers illegitimate child (1940)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 91 (May 1941 - June 1942), in May 1941 Barbara Ellen Darnell filed a bastardy suit against Carl Githens (case #16227) for the illegitimate child she had given birth to on April 6, 1940. The court awarded her $200 for the support and maintenance of the child.

Cleota PEARSON delivers illegitimate child (1935)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 84 (September 1934 - June 1935), in May 1935 Cleota Pearson filed a bastardy suit against Frank Barkhus (case #14503) for the birth of her illegitimate child. The court awarded her $300, with $100 due up front and the remainder to be paid in installments of $3 a week for the support and maintenance of the child.

Alice BREWER delivers illegitimate child (1915)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 61 (March 1915 - November 1915), in May 1915 Alice Brewer filed a bastardy suit against Urben Pope (case #9331) for the birth of her illegitimate child. Because Urben was under the age of 21, William P. Reagan was appointed as his guardian ad litem for the court proceedings. The court ruled that Urben was the father and ordered him to pay $425 to B.W. Anderson for the support of the child, and that B.W. Anderson was to act as the trustee for the money and make a report to the court every 3 years.

Inez MENDENHALL delivers illegitimate child (1914)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 60 (March 1914 - February 1915), in October 1914 Inez Mendenhall filed a bastardy suit against Herschel Montgomery for her illegitimate child (case #9138). Inez was under the age of 21, and the child died 3 days after its birth. The case was dismissed after it was reported that suitable provision had been made for the last sickness and burial of the child.

Urban POPE of Plainfield Sued For Paternity (1915)

From the Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, February 11, 1915 - page 1, column 4:

PATERNITY SUIT
Urban Pope of Plainfield has been bound over to the circuit court under $200 bond to answer to a paternity suit brought by Alice Brewer, 16 years old, of Plainfield. Defendant was released on bond furnished by Cynthia Day. Plaintiff avers that she was frequently waylaid by defendant and Frosty Tucker and Earl McKnight, Plainfield boys, and made their victim.

[NOTE: Urban N. Pope married Clara M. Tucker on June 1, 1915, according to Hendricks County marriage records]

Birth of Noble H. HUGHES (1915)

From the Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, January 21, 1915 - page 1, column 5:

HIS NAME'S NOBLE H.
A strange visitor came into the home of Mr. and Mrs. C.V. Hughes near Chrismas, Ills., on the morning of Jan. 16th. Mrs. Hughes was formerly Miss Pearl Noble of Danville. No one knew just why the strange came nor for what reason he paid them a nocturnal visit. Evidently he was not a burglar, for he did not seem disposed to take any of the valuables from the home. Besides, he made no effort to escape when discovered by members of the household. In fact, all the members of the family immediately became so attached to him that they decided to keep him. Not knowing how to address him, it was decided to christen him Master Noble H. Hughes. The mother and father are very proud of their first-born son.

Keziah KENWORTHY Has Illegitimate Child (1873)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 13 (May 1873 - February 1874), Keziah Kenworthy filed a bastardy suit against Marion Townsend (case #567). In September 1873, Townsend was found guilty of being the father of the bastard child that was born to Kenworthy on 1 January 1873. He was ordered to pay Kenworthy $500 for the maintenance of the child, payable in annual installments of $100.

Dicey Jane RAY delivers illegitimate child (1873)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 12 (November 1871 - May 1873), Dicey Jane Ray filed a bastardy suit against John W. Holloway. In May 1875, Ray filed to dismiss the case, stipulating that suitable provisions had been made by Holloway for the support of her bastard child, and the case was dismissed.

Mary K. DETRICK delivers illegitimate child (1871)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 12 (November 1871 - May 1873), Mary K. Detrick filed a bastardy suit against Asa Hayworth for the birth of her illegitimate child. In July 1871, Mary K. Detrick (and Philip K. Detrick) agreed to dismiss the suit in exchange for Hayworth writing a promissory note for $300 payable in 12 months drawing 10% interest, with the interest due in 4 months. Asa Hayworth and James Hayworth were to be jointly responsible for paying the note.

Birth notices from Brownsburg Record 1937-1943 added

An index of the birth notices that were published in the Brownsburg Record (a weekly newspaper) from January 1937 through July 1943 has been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. This index was compiled by the Indiana Room of the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library.

Caroline LARRANCE delivers illegitimate child (1871)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 11 (November 1869 - May 1871), Caroline E. Larrance filed a complaint of bastardy against Alvah W. Fletcher. In March 1871, Caroline E. Larrance filed to dismiss the case, stipulating that suitable provisions had been made by Fletcher for the support of her bastard child, and the case was dismissed.

Flora MERRITT delivers illegitimate child (1898)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 41 (March 1897 - February 1898), Flora M. Merritt (who was under the age of 21) filed a complaint of bastardy against William E. Euliss (case #6488). In February 1898, the 2 parties stipulated that suitable provisions had been made by Euliss for the support of her bastard child, and the case was dismissed.

Zerilda WILLIAMS Delivers Illegitimate Child (1848)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 5 (October 1846 - October 1849), in March 1848 Zerilda Williams filed a complaint of bastardy against Levi Coleman. The complaint stated that on 25 January 1848 she gave birth to a male bastard child and that Levi Coleman was the father. In September 1848, Zerilda Hamilton (formerly Zerilda Williams) along with Samuel Hamilton, signed an affidavit dismissing the case.

RESEARCH TIP: Birth Records

Indiana law required counties to keep records of births beginning in 1882. In the 1930's, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) indexed Hendricks County's birth records for 1882 through 1920.  That WPA birth index (pictured here) has been converted into a searchable database, available at the Hendricks County site for the USGenWeb Project (see the Data section).

Indiana law specified that birth records were kept by the counties' respective health departments. The Hendricks County Health Department is located on the ground floor of the Hendricks County Government Center in Danville (pictured here).

The Hendricks County Health Department will issue you a copy of the birth information, which was typed onto a card (pictured is a birth record from 1912).

Beginning in October 1907, the counties also sent a copy of their birth information to the Indiana State Department of Health in Indianapolis. Pictured is their record for the same 1912 Hendricks County birth as above. The ISDH version of the birth record contains a few more items of information, including the time of the birth, the parents' occupations, the number of births and how many of those children were still living.

Even though the law was passed in 1882, the recording of births was still not commonplace in Indiana by the 1900's, particularly with most births occurring at home instead of at a hospital. By the 1940's, there were a growing number of people who did not have a record of their birth, yet needed to supply some proof of their age--for example, to apply for Social Security, or to get a marriage license.



So in 1941, Indiana's General Assembly passed a law allowing Indiana residents without birth records to bring a petition before their county's circuit court. After being presented with evidence, the court would issue a legal decree stating the time and place of their birth (which could have happened several decades earlier, and in a place outside of the county or even the state of Indiana). This decree (often referred to as a "delayed birth record") included some of the same pieces of information that are found on an ISDH birth record. Pictured is an example of a decree for an 1896 birth, which was filed in Hendricks County Circuit Court in 1941.

Hendricks County has petitions for delayed birth records that were filed from 1941 through 1979 (though very scattered in the later years) and these records have been microfilmed.That microfilm is available at the Family History Library, the Indiana State Library and also at the >Plainfield library. The records have also been indexed at the Hendricks County site for the USGenWeb Project (see the Data section).