IGS Blog

GRANTS:

Hendricks County Community Foundation - $500 (2011)

Hendricks County Community Foundation - $750 (2010)

Honoring Our Ancestors - $500 (2009)

DONORS:

• Darlene M. Atkinson - Indianapolis, IN
• Conrad Burton - Decatur, IN
• John Cashman - Coal City, IN
• Ron Darrah - Indianapolis, IN
• Marvin Emrich - Brownsburg, IN
• Shirley Richison Fields - Avon, IN
• Dessa Fountaine - West Jordan, UT
• Genealogy Nuts Group - Danville, IN
• Huntington County Genealogical Society - Huntington, IN
• Barbara Krehbiel - Charleston, IL
• Argil Mahan - Indianapolis, IN
• Susan Parker - Seattle, WA
• Phyllis Parsons - Clayton, IN
• Larry Slavens - Des Moines, IA
• Grace E. Smith - Harrison Township, MI
• Sherri S. & Randall R. Stansel - Norman, OK
• Meredith Thompson - Avon, IN
• Sherry Thompson - Lebanon, OK
• Joanne Walters - Noblesville, IN
• Curt Witcher - Fort Wayne, IN
• Paula Zenker

PROJECT STATUS - 4 FEBRUARY 2012:

591 files online - see Hendricks County Probate Records database

833 files being prepared to go online

2,272 files unfolded

800 hours spent by volunteers

Deaths Listed in Probate Records of Hendricks County, Indiana (1837-1898) 17 January 2012

ABOUT THE PROJECT:

The Indiana Genealogical Society is coordinating volunteers and funds to preserve and digitize 32 boxes of Hendricks County probate records that are in the basement of the Hendricks County courthouse in Danville, Indiana. These court records date from 1824 (when the county was founded) up to the early 1900's and have never been microfilmed, indexed or otherwise been accessible to the public. Probate records include estate and guardianship cases, as well as some criminal and civil court cases, and as such contain some fascinating details about the lives of early settlers.

Work is being done in phases:

1. Organizing the records - the records are unfolded, organized and placed in acid-free folders and storage boxes, to prevent further damage. Volunteers have unfolded about 50% of the records so far.
2. Digitizing the records - the unfolded records are photographed with a digital camera and placed online on the Indiana Genealogical Society's website, for free access by the public.

When the project is complete, copies of the digital files will be given to various local organizations, including the Hendricks County Clerk's office and Hendricks County libraries.

SAMPLE RECORDS:

Civil War pension (1867) (PDF)	Doctor's bill (1828) (PDF)	Estate inventory (1870) (PDF)	Gambling with a Turkey (1847) (PDF)

Visit our photo album on Facebook for more sample records from the project.

Donate online:

Or send a check (made payable to Indiana Genealogical Society) to:

Indiana Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 10507
Ft. Wayne, IN 46852-0507

Please indicate "Records Preservation Project" on the memo line of your check.