Research Your Family History

Explore Our Genealogy Resources

The Larry J. Clark Genealogy Center (Valparaiso Public Library) houses a variety of genealogical resources which include: printed material, yearbooks, microfilm, indexes, databases and online resources. In an effort to preserve documents of enduring historical value, the center collects, maintains, and makes accessible many official court records from Porter County. Please visit the library program calendar for genealogy classes offered regularly throughout the year.

DATABASES

Access Newspaper Archive

Search newspapers for historical and genealogical information.

American Ancestors

For genealogists of all experience levels; includes several hundred online databases.

Ancestry Library Edition

Search over 10 billion genealogical records and discover your family history. *You must be inside the library to use this resource.

Fold3

Fold3 Library Edition provides convenient access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Use this link if you are outside the library.

Heritage Quest Online

An essential collection of genealogical and historical sources—with coverage dating back to the 1700s.

Internet Archive

The Internet Archives hosts some of Porter County Public Library System’s genealogical digital content. View select yearbook collections from Porter County, Indiana, various contracts, books, and other items of historical significance. New content will be added regularly.

PORTER COUNTY INDEXES

Big Four Telephone Company 1915-1935

This book contains minutes of meetings from the Big Four Telephone Company. The first meeting was held December 30, 1915. The Board’s elected officials probably lived in or around Boone Grove, Indiana between 1915-1935. People listed in the book include Board members, line workers, or fee collectors. To view the original scanned images of these documents, please visit the PCPLS page on the Internet Archive.

Coroner’s Inquests

Coroner’s inquests reports from 1871-1912.

Divorce Records

Divorce cases filed in Porter County, Indiana, 1914-1963.

Enumeration of Males

1937 Liberty Township & 1943 Morgan Township.

Guardianship Court Cases

Filed in Porter County 1914-1963.

Insanity Cases

Insanity Cases from Porter County, Indiana 1854-1911

Liberty Township Advisory Board Minutes 1907-1919

This book explains what actions were taken by the Liberty Township Advisory Board between 1907 and 1919. The minutes do mention board members by name. To view the original scanned images of these documents, please visit the PCPLS page on the Internet Archive.

Liberty Township School Enumerations 1919

This book contains school enumerations from 1919 for Liberty Township, Porter County, Indiana. To view the original scanned images of these documents, please visit the PCPLS page on the Internet Archive.

Marriage Records

Filed in Porter County from 1836-1976

Miscellaneous Licenses

These are selective miscellaneous licenses filed with the Porter County, Indiana Clerk’s Office from 1838 to 1911. Licenses include dentistry, hunters, grocery, fishermen, junk dealers, physicians, taverns, vending and sire. To view the original scanned images of these documents, please visit the PCPLS page on the Internet Archive.

Military Service: 1940-1945

Military service index honor roll. Men who filed with the Porter County courthouse during World War II.

Military Service: 1941-1945

Men in service index, who filed with the courthouse during World War II.

Military Service: Vietnam

Index of names from the article, “With the Service,” from the Vidette Messenger.

Milk Producers

1920-1921 Milk Producers Association in Porter County.

Obituaries

Porter County, Indiana newspaper obituaries from 1913 – present.

Porter County Census

Index to the 1930, 1940, and 1950 U.S. Census of Porter County, Indiana.

Porter County Herald

Herald newspaper from 1933-1937.

Probate Estates

Probate cases filed between 1914 and 1963.

School Contracts

Partial Porter County janitors, nurses, and clerk contracts.

Teacher’s Contracts

Contracts signed by teachers from the Porter County school system from 1899-1931.

HISTORICAL RESOURCES

Allen County Genealogy Center

Browse the ACPL Genealogy Center’s website and discover records from around the world.

American Memory

Provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience.

Bureau of Land Management – GLO

Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office, Records Automation

Cindi’s List

Comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of genealogical sites.

DAR Online Catalog

The Daughters of the American Revolution.

Death Indexes

Death records, certificates, notices & registers; obituaries, probates, & cemetery/burial records.

Digital Public Library of America

Bringing together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums from the written word, to works of art and culture, to records of America’s heritage, to the efforts and data of science.

Family Search

Connects families across generations.

Find A Grave

Find graves of ancestors & create virtual memorials.

HathiTrust

Partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.

Indiana Memory

Indiana’s history and culture found in digitized books, manuscripts, photographs, newspapers, maps, and other media.

Indiana State Library

The Genealogy Collection is one of the largest collections of family history information in the Midwest.

Newspapers U.S. & Worldwide

An index to the newspapers published all over the world.

Porter County Museum of History

The Porter County Museum features permanent as well as temporary exhibits relating to Porter County. Visit the webpage to browse the archives, upcoming events, and projects.

Seeking Michigan

Michigan research guides, indexes, and more.

The USGenWeb Project

Links to state genealogy websites & gateways to counties.

Valparaiso University Archives & Special Collections

Several collections of interest to genealogists; includes online yearbooks.

REQUEST GENEALOGY MATERIALS

Are you looking for an obituary? We can email you a free digital copy. For other records, please contact the center at genealogy@pcpls.org or 219-462-0524 extension 5. If needed, click here to contact the library.