Sources checked October 24, 2026. Based on public institutional descriptions and collection catalogs; no staff confirmation or onsite inspection. Confirm access before visiting.
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 / AuburnWilliam H. Willennar Genealogy Center
A bank anniversary book can preserve neighborhood images.
The Evergreen catalog lists City National Bank: celebrating 75 years of service to Auburn (1977), with photographs of buildings, vehicles, activities and people. Copies are assigned to the Willennar Center.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Use the catalog record and ask the Genealogy Desk for the title; one listed call number is 977.277 CIT.
A question you can ask
Does the volume show this Auburn business or street, and is a dated caption present?
Keep in mind
An anniversary publication reflects its creators’ selection. A photograph needs its caption and corroborating evidence before identifying an ancestor.
STOP 02 / ButlerButler Public Library genealogy collection
Start with the newspaper that served the town.
The library lists obituaries from the Record Herald and Butler Bulletin, yearbooks and local-history materials.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Ask staff for the small genealogy collection, which is available on request. Give a name, approximate death date and newspaper title.
A question you can ask
Do you hold a Butler Bulletin obituary or school yearbook for this person and year?
Keep in mind
The collection page does not specify complete date ranges; confirm coverage before travel.
STOP 03 / Garrett and onlineGarrett Public Library genealogy resources
Use an obituary index as a route to the newspaper.
The library links Garrett Clipper obituaries and Garrett High School yearbooks. Its database page describes full-text local obituaries.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Start from the current library genealogy page and open the obituary or yearbook collection. Ask staff for help if a legacy link fails.
A question you can ask
Can staff check the Garrett Clipper index and supply the issue citation?
Keep in mind
The older obituary endpoint linked by the state guide did not load during review. Confirm current database access and date coverage with the library.
STOP 04 / Indianapolis and onlineIndiana State Library county research guide
Use a record title and call number to move beyond a surname search.
Early Marriage Records of DeKalb County, 1837–1882 (ISLG 977.201 D328he), WPA marriage indexes, 1882–1920, and published death indexes provide starting points.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Open the county guide, follow its catalog and records links, and ask the library about the exact volume before visiting.
A question you can ask
Which original series and years were affected by the 1913 fire?
Keep in mind
The state guide reports some loss in the 1913 courthouse fire, not the destruction of every county record.
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.
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