Search Montgomery County Genealogy Records

Montgomery County genealogy records are held at the county health department and the clerk's office in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Birth and death records at the county level go back to 1882, and marriage records at the clerk's office reach to the county's founding in 1823. Crawfordsville, the county seat, has been an Indiana college town since Wabash College was founded there in 1832, and Montgomery County's records reflect both the academic and farming communities that shaped west-central Indiana over two centuries.

Montgomery County Health Department Vital Records

The Montgomery County Health Department in Crawfordsville is the local source for certified birth and death records. County-level vital records run from 1882 to the present, covering the years before Indiana required statewide birth registration in 1907 and statewide death registration in 1900. For Montgomery County events before those statewide start dates, the county health department in Crawfordsville is where you need to look first.

Genealogy requests at the county level follow Indiana state rules. The individual named on the record must be deceased and over 75 years old, or you must show proof of a direct family relationship. The Indiana local health department map lists the current contact details for the Montgomery County office in Crawfordsville, including address, phone, and hours. Always call ahead before visiting to confirm current procedures and any appointment requirements for genealogy searches.

Note: Montgomery County birth records from 1882 are the only source for births that occurred in the county between 1882 and 1906, the years before the state's own registration system became fully operational.

Montgomery County Clerk and Recorder Records

The Montgomery County Clerk's Office in Crawfordsville holds marriage records from 1823, the county's founding year. More than 200 years of marriage data are available at the clerk's office, which is one of the longer continuous runs of marriage records in west-central Indiana. Court records at the clerk's office include probate filings, estate records, guardianship cases, and civil court files that provide rich genealogy detail not found in vital records alone.

Probate records from the Montgomery County Clerk are especially valuable for genealogy research because they name heirs, describe property and personal belongings, and often reveal family relationships that other record types do not make explicit. If an ancestor died in Montgomery County without a death certificate on file, or before official registration began, the probate record may be the only document that confirms their death and identifies surviving family members.

The recorder's office handles land records and property deeds for Montgomery County. Deed records track when ancestors bought or sold land, which townships they lived in, and how property passed between generations. Under Indiana Code 5-14-3, court and land records are generally public and available for inspection at the Crawfordsville courthouse. Under IC 5-14-3-4, records classified as confidential become open after 75 years, making many older Montgomery County records accessible today.

State Resources for Montgomery County Genealogy

The Indiana Department of Health Vital Records Division at 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis holds statewide birth records from 1907 and death records from 1900. For Montgomery County events within those date ranges, the state office is a supplementary source. Reach the state at (317) 233-2700 or the 24/7 toll-free line at (866) 601-0891. State birth certificates cost $10 and death certificates cost $8. Online orders are processed through VitalChek.

The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division at 315 W. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, phone 317-232-3689, holds more than 40,000 family history items including county histories and cemetery transcriptions. Their Indiana County Research Guides include a guide for Montgomery County. The library also holds materials related to west-central Indiana counties that can supplement local county records for Montgomery County genealogy research.

The Indiana State Library genealogy portal is shown below:

The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division holds county research guides and family history collections that support Montgomery County genealogy research from 1823 forward.

The library's county guide for Montgomery County is a good first step for understanding what records exist and which offices in Crawfordsville to contact.

Indiana Archives and Historical Resources for Montgomery County

The Indiana Archives and Records Administration (IARA) at 6440 E 30th St, Indianapolis, phone (317) 591-5220, holds older Indiana county court records that have been transferred for permanent preservation. Some Montgomery County probate and court records from the 19th and early 20th centuries may be part of IARA's permanent collection. Check their online catalog at researchIndiana.iara.in.gov before submitting a request.

The Indiana Historical Society at 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, phone (317) 232-1882, holds manuscripts, photographs, and county histories from across Indiana. For Montgomery County, their materials may include records related to Wabash College and the academic community in Crawfordsville, as well as the farming families of the surrounding townships. The Indiana Genealogical Society at indgensoc.org/county/montgomery/ and FamilySearch at familysearch.org are free online starting points for Montgomery County genealogy research.

The Indiana Archives portal is shown below:

The Indiana Archives and Records Administration holds transferred court and historical records from Indiana counties including Montgomery, a resource for older family history research going back to the 1820s.

IARA's permanent collection may include early Montgomery County probate and court filings that can help researchers trace families from the county's founding period through the early 20th century.

Cities in Montgomery County

Crawfordsville is the county seat of Montgomery County. No city in Montgomery County meets the 25,000 population threshold for a separate city page. Genealogy records for Crawfordsville, Waveland, New Richmond, and other county communities are all handled at the county health department and clerk's offices in Crawfordsville.

Nearby Counties

Montgomery County is in west-central Indiana. Neighboring county offices may hold genealogy records for ancestors who lived near the county lines. Check these nearby counties for additional resources.