Monroe County, Indiana
Monroe County was created on April 10, 1818 and was formed from Orange County. The County was named for U.S. President James Monroe. The County Seat is Bloomington .
Counties adjacent to Monroe County are Morgan County (north), Brown County (east), Jackson County, Lawrence County (south), Greene County (southwest), Owen County (northwest).
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.
County Court, Probate and Tax Records
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.
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.
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:
County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
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 Monroe County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
County 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
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Monroe County, Indiana are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Monroe 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 Monroe County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe County Census Records by clicking the link below:
County Maps & Atlases
Below is a list of online resources for Monroe County Maps. Email us with websites containing Monroe County Maps by clicking the link below:
County Military Records
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:
- Submit a website for Monroe Co. Family Records
- Indiana Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
- National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
- Indiana Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
- National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
- Southern Claims - Barred and Disallowed 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.
- Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- 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.
- Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
- Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
- 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.
- Monroe County, Indiana Military Books at Amazon.com
County Genealogical Addresses
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:
- Submit a website for Monroe Co. Genealogical Addresses
- 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 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.
- 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.
- Indiana Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
County County Cemeteries & Graveyards
There are many churches and cemeteries in Monroe County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Monroe County Tombstone Transcription Project.
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:
County Church & Bible Records
Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits
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: