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Wabash County History and Information
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Wabash County Facts

Wabash County was created on March 1, 1835 and was formed from Adams New Purchase and Unorganized Land. The Adams New Purchase: Begun in 1827, Adams was the new name for the Delaware New Purchase. It had previously been a part of what is now Huntington County.  The Adams Purchase existed until 1844, when it became the counties of Adams, Clinton, Grant, Huntington, Jay, and Wells, and portions of the counties of Boone, Carroll, Tipton, and Wabash. The County was named for the Wabash River.

The County Seat is Wabash. After intense competition between the towns of Wabash and Lagro for the designation as the County Seat, an election made Wabash the County Seat by a majority of one vote. Wabash was first settled in 1835, and the first Courthouse was a brick structure forty feet square, costing $3,000, which was finished in 1839 and continued in use until June 17, 1871, when it was destroyed by fire. By 1849 Wabash contained about 200 houses ,of which one-fourth were of brick, and there were 1,000 inhabitants. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Wabash County are Kosciusko County (north), Whitley County (northeast), Huntington County (east), Grant County (south), Miami County (west), Fulton County (northwest).

Wabash County is divided into 7 Civil Townships as follows: Chester, Lagro, Liberty, Noble, Paw Paw, Pleasant and Waltz. Cities, Towns and Communities include Bolivar, Disko, Eel River, Hartman, Ijamsville, La Fontaine, Lagro, Laketon, Liberty Mills, Lincolnville, Mount Vernon, Newton, North Manchester, Richvalley, Roann, Servia, Somerset, South Haven, Speicherville, Sunneymede, Treaty, Urbana, Valley Brook and Wabash.

 

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

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Records at the Wabash County Courthouse

See Also Indiana Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

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 Apr. 1870, Saved: treasurer's, auditor's, recorder's and clerk's 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 Wabash County Courthouse History

   Wabash County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1835 , Probate Records from 1847 and Court Records from ? and is located at 69 W Hill St, Wabash, IN 46992; (260) 563-0661 Fax: (260) 569-1352, (800) 286-3190
   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.

   Wabash County Recorder has Land Records from 1835 and is located at 1 W Hill St Suite 5, Wabash, IN 46992; (260) 563-0661 ext: 253.
   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.

Search Online Click Here to Search Indiana Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

   Wabash County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at Memorial Hall, 89 W Hill, Wabash, IN 46992-2015; (260) 563-0661, ext. 51

Below is a list of online resources for Wabash County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • 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.
  • Wabash County, Indiana Court Books at Amazon.com
  • 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.

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Wabash County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Indiana

Search Online 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.

Some documents are just too important to wait 6 weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!

  • 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
      • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
  • 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.

Below is a list of online resources for Wabash County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Wabash County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Search Online 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.

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Wabash County, Indiana are 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Wabash 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.

  See Also Statewide Records that exist for Indiana

Below is a list of online resources for Wabash County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Wabash 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.
  • Wabash County, Indiana Census Books at Amazon.com

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Wabash County Maps & Atlases

   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 Wabash County Maps. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Wabash County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Indiana

Search Online 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 Wabash County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Wabash County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

   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 Wabash County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Wabash County, Indiana Tax Books at Amazon.com

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Wabash County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Indiana Genealogical Addresses

   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 Wabash County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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Wabash County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Indiana

Search Online 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.

   There are many churches and cemeteries in Wabash County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Wabash County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Baptist records are found at Franklin College (in Franklin); Methodist at DePauw University (in Greencastle); Mennonite at Goshen College (in Goshen); Presbyterian at Hanover College (in Hanover); Disciples of Christ at their historical society in Nashville, Tennessee; and French Catholic at Vincennes University in the Byron R. Lewis Collection. There are also Catholic church histories and records at the Catholic Archives, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Quaker records are at Earlham College (at Richmond).

   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 Wabash County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Search Online 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 Wabash County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Wabash County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain

Wabash County, organized in 1835, was named from its situation on the principal river in the State. It is bounded north by Kosciusko, east by Whitley and Huntington, south by Grant and Miami and west by Miami, and it contains 426 square miles. The civil townships are Chester and Pleasant in the north; Lagro and Noble n the center; and Liberty and Watts in the south. The population in 1840 was 2,756; at this time [1849] it is estimated at 14,000.

There are no high or steep hills in the county, though the land is rolling or undulating near the Mississinewa, Salamonie, Wabash and Eel rivers, and their numerous branches. At the heads of the streams the land is generally level, and there are many large bottoms on the fivers of the same character; but as a whole, the face of the country of Wabash County is very pleasantly diversified. North of Eel River is about 40 sections of barrens, intermixed with small prairies; the bottoms are at least 75 sections, the balance is heavy timbered forestland. The settlements in general are so recent that the surplus products exported give but little evidence of what the county is capable of producing. They have not heretofore exceeded $65,000 a year. Within five years they will probably be five-fold that amount.

There are in the county seven gristmills, 13 sawmills, 31 stores, eight groceries, 10 warehouses, one printing office, nine lawyers, 21 physicians, 12 preachers, 11 churches, of which three belong to the Methodist, two to the Christians, three to the Baptists, two to the Presbyterians, and one to the Catholics. The mechanics are 60 carpenters, 40 shoemakers, 12 blacksmiths, 15 tailors, eight cabinetmakers, four chair makers, two wheelwrights, three millwrights and three wagon makers. The taxable land amounts to 217,029 acres.

1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature

A number of rivers traverse the rolling surface of Wabash county, chief of which is the Wabash, from which the county and county seat take their names. The other waterways are tributaries of the Mississinewa, Salamonie, and Eel Rivers. Much of the county's area is river bottomland on which large crops of corn are produced.

The county is located in the northeastern part of the state and its seven townships cover an area of 425 square miles. The incorporated city is Wabash, which has a population of 8,840. Incorporated towns are North Manchester, 2,765; LaFontaine, 604; Lagro, 467; Roann, 395. Total county population in 1890 was 27,126; 1900, 28,235; 1910, 26,926; 1920, 27,231; 1930, 25,170.

The city of Wabash is located on the Wabash River forty-five miles west of Fort Wayne and is served by two railroads. The city has the unusual distinction of having been the first city in the world to be lighted by electricity and is also particularly noted for having one of the few memorial halls built in memory of the soldiers of the Civil War. It is a railroad center and among the city's industries are those manufacturing motor trucks, phonograph, cabinets, office supplies, asbestos, tractors, heating plants, canned goods, and baking powder.

The most famous son of Wabash County was Thomas Riley Marshall, former Governor of Indiana and at one time Vice-President of the United States. Marshall was born in North Manchester.

There are a number of historical markers in the city of Wabash. One, located at the entrance of Bundy Cemetery, marks the Frances Slocum Trail. Frances Slocum was a white child stolen from her Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, home by the Delaware Indians and brought west, where the treaties between the Federal Government and the Indians were signed.

In and about Wabash are many evidences of the Indians who occupied the territory until a late date. The city itself id laid out on land donated by the United States to Charley and John B. Richardville, Miami tribal chiefs. In a small cemetery in Liberty township is an old church and marker designation the land once owned by Chief Wahcaconah, a Pottawatomie Indian who was converted to the Christian faith and preached in the church.

Wabash County had forty-one manufacturing establishments, according to the figures of the 1935 federal census. A total of 1,168 wage earners were employed on payrolls of $1,034, 692. The value of the products was $4,820, 686.

The county had 2,427 farms averaging 102.8 acres each and valued at $13,410,310. A total of 84,785 head of livestock was reported. Total county tax valuation was $30,272,525 for the year 1936.

Courthouse History

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