THE BRICK WALL
PROTOCOLGENEALOGY · BEYOND THE SEARCH BOX
BRICK WALL PROTOCOL / FREE GUIDES

Dearborn County:
Plan around the 1826 courthouse fire without assuming every early record disappeared.

Use Lawrenceburg’s local files and obituary tools alongside surviving probate and marriage references.

Addresses and access notes ↓

Dearborn County, Indiana: repository locations and selected major roadsI-74US 50US 521,2,4,5Lawrenceburg6Aurora7DillsboroN ↑≈ 5 miles
Selected repository locations for present-day orientation. Numbers match the research stops below. Select a marker to open its stop. Locations are approximate, not entrances or driving directions. Grouped numbers identify nearby repositories; use the address key for individual locations.

Explore local streets and repository locations ↗

Not sure where to begin? Build a free three-step research plan → Choose your question, period and records already checked.

Explore records coverage by year ↓

Community history groups and access notes

How to search and interpret selected collections ↓

Share this county guide

Know someone researching here? Share this to help them find their next source.

Share on Facebook ↗

PLAN YOUR RESEARCH ROUTE

Match the stops to the repository

Several stops can lead to the same repository. Maps show selected verified locations, not every guide stop or every community represented in the records. Use each stop’s access instructions, including for online and out-of-county collections. Check access before traveling.

  • Stop 1, Stop 2, Stop 4, Stop 5: Lawrenceburg Public Library District
    150 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

    Search the index for congregation and township, save the file code, and ask genealogy staff for the underlying item. The department has separate hours; arrange evening access in advance.

    Repository information · Map position source
  • Stop 6: Aurora Public Library District, Local History Library @ the Depot
    510 Second Street, Aurora, IN 47001

    Open the school-specific advertisement spreadsheet from the local-history page. Ask to inspect the cited yearbook in-house. Aurora and Dillsboro yearbook scans are searchable in FamilySearch Books. The Depot is at 510 Second Street, not the main library.

    Repository information · Map position source
  • Stop 7: Aurora Public Library District, Dillsboro Branch
    10151 Library Lane, Dillsboro, IN 47018

    Consult these in-house at Dillsboro, or search digitized Dillsboro volumes in FamilySearch Books. Ask staff to confirm a specific year before a visit.

    Repository information · Map position source
Other guide stops not shown on this map

These stops may be online collections, shared repositories or locations not yet confirmed for mapping. Follow the collection’s access instructions.

Map sources and limits

County outlines: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundaries . Selected major roads: 2024 TIGER/Line primary and secondary roads . Public repository addresses checked against the sources above, with approximate Census geocoder positions. Unmatched addresses and out-of-county repositories are listed in the key rather than assigned a guessed position. Markers identify contact locations, not collection coverage. Historical boundaries, township lines and current traffic conditions are not shown. Prepared November 5, 2026.

Sources checked October 24, 2026. Additional collection descriptions and access instructions checked November 5, 2026. Earlier repository corrections retained. Selected dates do not imply complete coverage.

Start with one connection.

Bring a person, a place, approximate years, and one question. A township, congregation, school, or employer may reveal records a surname search misses. The custodian can be outside the county.

STOP 01 / Lawrenceburg / Dearborn County

Lawrenceburg Public Library: Local History Files Index

Find the folder before requesting a search.

The library’s searchable index locates miscellaneous and vertical files in its genealogy and local history department.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Search surnames, businesses, churches, and place names separately. Record the file description and contact the main library through its genealogy page for retrieval or copy options.

A question you can ask

Could you check this indexed file for the specific family or event and identify its source?

Keep in mind

The index identifies files, not necessarily digitized contents. A folder title cannot establish a fact until the underlying document is read.

STOP 02 / Lawrenceburg / county newspaper research

Lawrenceburg Public Library District: Obituary Finder

Turn a name match into a dated newspaper lead.

The library maintains a dedicated obituary search interface, also recommended by the Indiana State Library’s Dearborn guide.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Search spelling variants and save every citation field returned. Ask library genealogy staff how to obtain the full notice if the search result does not include it.

A question you can ask

Can you supply the complete notice, newspaper title, date, and page for this index hit?

Keep in mind

Do not treat a failed search as proof that no obituary was published. Confirm covered titles and years with staff.

STOP 03 / Indianapolis / county-specific holdings

Indiana State Library: Dearborn County research guide

Build a record checklist before ordering copies.

Selected holdings include marriages, 1826–1854 and 1854–1899; delayed birth records; complete probate books A–C, 1826–1844; and early wills, books I–II.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Use the county guide to identify titles and call numbers, then ask the State Library about consultation or a targeted lookup. Its linked catalog and microfilm lists are separate from the printed abstracts.

A question you can ask

Which surviving early will or marriage record might bridge this family across 1826?

Keep in mind

The State Library reports most courthouse records lost in the 1826 fire, with some marriage and will records surviving. Check each series separately.

STOP 04 / Lawrenceburg Public Library District

Church files and township subjects in the Local History Files Index

Read the collection in context.

The file index includes St. John’s Lutheran at Hubbells Corner with burial records 1881–1972 and marriages 1880–1972; St. Paul’s Lutheran at St. Leon lists marriages 1873–1928. Township-classified files also cover businesses and organizations.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Search the index for congregation and township, save the file code, and ask genealogy staff for the underlying item. The department has separate hours; arrange evening access in advance.

A question you can ask

Which original item covers this place and year, and how can I consult it?

Keep in mind

These are descriptions of files, not proof of original church-register custody or continuous coverage. Read the actual file before citing a marriage or burial.

STOP 05 / Lawrenceburg Public Library District

Obituary Finder and newspapers beyond the index

Read the collection in context.

The department identifies obituaries and other death records through 2020, plus on-site Dearborn newspapers spanning the 1820s–2020.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Search the free obituary index, retain the newspaper citation, then request a copy. Newspaper subscription access is on location through library computers or a personal device.

A question you can ask

Which original item covers this place and year, and how can I consult it?

Keep in mind

The published description supplies no start year for the obituary index. The newspaper span combines titles and is not a continuous run. Do not date-match every year in the 1820s by inference.

STOP 06 / Aurora Public Library District, Local History Library @ the Depot

Yearbook business advertisements and family histories at the Depot

Read the collection in context.

Business-advertisement spreadsheets identify year, page, address when supplied and relevant photographs: Aurora High School 1912–1978; Dillsboro High School 1947–1978; South Dearborn High School 1979–2023. The Depot also holds donated family histories.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Open the school-specific advertisement spreadsheet from the local-history page. Ask to inspect the cited yearbook in-house. Aurora and Dillsboro yearbook scans are searchable in FamilySearch Books. The Depot is at 510 Second Street, not the main library.

A question you can ask

Which original item covers this place and year, and how can I consult it?

Keep in mind

Spreadsheet ranges are finding-aid spans, not complete enrollment lists. The library explicitly lacks South Dearborn yearbooks 2019–2022. Family histories are donated research of varying depth and are not actively updated.

STOP 07 / Aurora Public Library District, Dillsboro Branch

Dillsboro school yearbooks in the History Room

Read the collection in context.

The History Room holds Dillsboro High School yearbooks spanning 1912–1978 and some South Dearborn volumes spanning 1979–2024.

Research details & a question to ask

How to begin

Consult these in-house at Dillsboro, or search digitized Dillsboro volumes in FamilySearch Books. Ask staff to confirm a specific year before a visit.

A question you can ask

Which original item covers this place and year, and how can I consult it?

Keep in mind

South Dearborn holdings are explicitly partial; 2019–2022 are reported missing by the district. Do not plot the digital host as the physical repository.

Leave a trail another researcher can follow.

Save the repository, collection title, dates, volume, page or item identifier, link, and the date you consulted it. Follow an index to the original record when possible. Keep uncertain names and inferred relationships visibly separate from what the source states.

Return to the Indiana county map · Explore Ohio collections

Corrections or a useful collection? hello@brickwallprotocol.com

DEARBORN COUNTY / SELECTED RECORDS COVERAGE

Which collections cover your years?

Use these dated holdings to choose a next search. This is a selection of cataloged collections, not a complete inventory of Dearborn County records.

A range is a lead, not a guarantee. Bars show the dates stated by the cited catalog or inventory. They do not establish uninterrupted coverage, complete reporting or online image access. Unmarked years mean not represented in this selection, not that records were destroyed. Indexes and abstracts still need to be followed to the underlying record.

Sources reviewed October 26, 2026. Blue shows cataloged holdings; rust identifies indexes or compiled publications where the source specifies them. Read the format label and access notes for each row.

inventory overview bounds

Marriage microfilm holdings

Listed years: 1826–1934.

Source, access and coverage limits

Open the inventory and match the year to a specific item, title and call number. Ask the Indiana State Library about viewing the microfilm or any digital counterpart. The overview may combine indexes and record volumes; its bounds do not promise an uninterrupted series.

Keep in mind: Selected Indiana State Library holdings. Microfilm overview bounds can include indexes and multiple volumes; consult item-level entries for gaps. These are not countywide survival dates or an assurance of online images.

inventory overview bounds

Deeds microfilm holdings

Listed years: 1808–1982.

Source, access and coverage limits

Open the inventory and match the year to a specific item, title and call number. Ask the Indiana State Library about viewing the microfilm or any digital counterpart. The overview may combine indexes and record volumes; its bounds do not promise an uninterrupted series.

Keep in mind: Selected Indiana State Library holdings. Microfilm overview bounds can include indexes and multiple volumes; consult item-level entries for gaps. These are not countywide survival dates or an assurance of online images.

inventory overview bounds

Wills microfilm holdings

Listed years: 1826–1919.

Source, access and coverage limits

Open the inventory and match the year to a specific item, title and call number. Ask the Indiana State Library about viewing the microfilm or any digital counterpart. The overview may combine indexes and record volumes; its bounds do not promise an uninterrupted series.

Keep in mind: Selected Indiana State Library holdings. Microfilm overview bounds can include indexes and multiple volumes; consult item-level entries for gaps. These are not countywide survival dates or an assurance of online images.

inventory overview bounds

Probates microfilm holdings

Listed years: 1826–1918.

Source, access and coverage limits

Open the inventory and match the year to a specific item, title and call number. Ask the Indiana State Library about viewing the microfilm or any digital counterpart. The overview may combine indexes and record volumes; its bounds do not promise an uninterrupted series.

Keep in mind: Selected Indiana State Library holdings. Microfilm overview bounds can include indexes and multiple volumes; consult item-level entries for gaps. These are not countywide survival dates or an assurance of online images.

Confirm the historical jurisdiction as well as the date. A record may be held outside today’s county, and an inventory’s ending year does not mean recordkeeping stopped.

Check historical jurisdiction → · Find collections for my years →

COMMUNITY MEMORY

Community history groups and research leads

Local communities can help identify a place, photograph or possible source. These independently run groups are community leads, not catalogued archives or BWP partners. Keep the contributor, date, basis for an identification and original source together. Ask permission before republishing photographs or private contributions.

Facebook identities and visible access information checked October 25, 2026. Verification here concerns the group, not the accuracy of its members’ posts. No groups were joined and no messages were sent.

Dearborn County, Indiana Genealogy

Public Facebook group

A community for Dearborn County, Indiana genealogy and surname questions. Ask each contributor about the source and reuse permission for their material.

Access and rules: Facebook lists a public, visible group; sign-in may still be requested. Read the current description and rules before posting. Rules restrict promotion, advertising or selling.

Verification limits: The group identity, location and visible access information were checked. Member posts and particular holdings were not independently verified. Preserve source details and ask permission before reusing photographs or private contributions.

Open Dearborn County, Indiana Genealogy on Facebook

BEFORE YOU SEARCH

Understand the collection. Choose your next step.

Two selected collections, with practical ways to search and interpret the result. These are research suggestions, not findings about a particular person.

  1. Choose a source
  2. Check its limits
  3. Search and record
  4. Follow the next lead
Selected local collection

Hubbells Corner church marriage file

What it can tell you
This collection offers evidence about hubbells corner church marriage file. Inspect the record itself and its purpose before drawing a conclusion about an individual.

Selected listed years: 1880–1972

Date overlap is a lead, not a guarantee of complete coverage.

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
These are descriptions of files, not proof of original church-register custody or continuous coverage. Read the actual file before citing a marriage or burial. File index description; underlying format and completeness require inspection.

How to search
Begin with the named collection, school, congregation or locality. Search name variants, then inspect the cited entry and surrounding pages. Record the item reference and distinguish what the document states from your interpretation.

How to retrieve it
Search the index for congregation and township, save the file code, and ask genealogy staff for the underlying item. The department has separate hours; arrange evening access in advance.

Practical access
Search the index for congregation and township, save the file code, and ask genealogy staff for the underlying item. The department has separate hours; arrange evening access in advance.

If nothing turns up
These are descriptions of files, not proof of original church-register custody or continuous coverage. Read the actual file before citing a marriage or burial. File index description; underlying format and completeness require inspection. A missing result alone does not establish absence from the community.

Read the collection source ↗

Source review: 2026-11-05; published collection descriptions checked; individual records not comprehensively inspected. Search and interpretation suggestions are BWP guidance.

Then try this

Check the collection description and source links before planning a request or visit.

Follow this research route →

Match collections to your research years →

Selected local collection

Hubbells Corner church burial file

What it can tell you
This collection offers evidence about hubbells corner church burial file. Inspect the record itself and its purpose before drawing a conclusion about an individual.

Selected listed years: 1881–1972

Date overlap is a lead, not a guarantee of complete coverage.

How to search, request and interpret this collection

Coverage and gaps
These are descriptions of files, not proof of original church-register custody or continuous coverage. Read the actual file before citing a marriage or burial. File index description, not a complete cemetery census.

How to search
Begin with the named collection, school, congregation or locality. Search name variants, then inspect the cited entry and surrounding pages. Record the item reference and distinguish what the document states from your interpretation.

How to retrieve it
Search the index for congregation and township, save the file code, and ask genealogy staff for the underlying item. The department has separate hours; arrange evening access in advance.

Practical access
Search the index for congregation and township, save the file code, and ask genealogy staff for the underlying item. The department has separate hours; arrange evening access in advance.

If nothing turns up
These are descriptions of files, not proof of original church-register custody or continuous coverage. Read the actual file before citing a marriage or burial. File index description, not a complete cemetery census. A missing result alone does not establish absence from the community.

Read the collection source ↗

Source review: 2026-11-05; published collection descriptions checked; individual records not comprehensively inspected. Search and interpretation suggestions are BWP guidance.

Then try this

Check the collection description and source links before planning a request or visit.

Follow this research route →

Match collections to your research years →

HELP KEEP THIS GUIDE USEFUL

Know a collection we should include?

Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.

Suggest a correction or collection

Opens your email app with the guide name and link filled in. Prefer webmail? Email hello@brickwallprotocol.com and include this page’s title or URL.

THE BRICK WALL PROTOCOL ON YOUTUBE

A short video. A new direction.

Watch the Short. Open the protocol. Follow the evidence.

▷   Subscribe on YouTube ↗