Pike County,

VITAL RECORDS FOR GENEALOGICAL PURPOSES

I. Vital Records
A. Birth

B. Marriage and/or divorce
C. Death

II. Difficulties involved

A. Governmental pressures

1. Time, personnel and expense
B. Personal expense
C. Locating proper jurisdiction
D. Availability of records
E. County history gives background.

1. Note date official records begin.

2. Laws affecting record-keeping

III. Availability of records

A. W.P.A. Historical Records Survey
B. Guide to Public Vital Statistics
C. W.P.A. Index to Birth, Death, and

Marriage Records [for Indiana]
D. Record destruction

1. Natural causes-fire, flood,
tornado, wind, etc.

2. Verify destruction

3. Check for reconstructed records.

4. Destruction-complete or partial
E. Parent county poses possibilities.
F. Published materials-abstracts & index
G. Format

IV. Remember:

A. Official records not always accurate.

B. Look for record substitutes.

C. Most records lead to other records.

D. Multiple informants

E. Tenure of clerk helps to date records.

F. Application is more helpful than license.

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