Sources checked October 24, 2026. Digital collection link and research-help route confirmed by Fulton County Public Library staff on October 29, 2026. Compilations remain derivative sources; consult underlying records where available.
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 / RochesterFulton County Public Library Indiana Room
Read the Rochester Sentinel in its local setting.
The library’s brochure lists Rochester Sentinel and predecessor newspapers on microfilm, Rochester High School yearbooks and historical documents.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Use the Rochester branch Indiana Room; reference and room materials do not circulate. Confirm reel availability and current staffing before visiting. For genealogy assistance, call the library at 574-223-2713 and ask for April Gross, as recommended by library staff on October 29, 2026.
A question you can ask
Which Sentinel reel covers the event, and may I make a scan with its masthead and date?
Keep in mind
The brochure is an older collection description. Verify current access and the specific newspaper dates rather than relying on its older hours.
STOP 02 / RochesterTombaugh Collection at Fulton County Public Library
Try school enumerations and poor-farm records.
More than 200 compiled genealogy volumes described by the library include births, marriages, obituaries, cemeteries, poor-farm records, school enumerations, directories and handbooks.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Browse the library’s dedicated genealogy website for digitized Tombaugh compilations in PDF and HTML. Select a title and period, then read its source notes. For help locating material, call the library and ask for April Gross. Confirm onsite access before visiting.
A question you can ask
Does a school enumeration or poor-farm compilation mention this household, and what source does it cite?
Keep in mind
These are compilations from multiple sources. Trace the citation to the underlying record when possible.
STOP 03 / County recordsFulton County Health Department vital records
Request the event record in the county where it happened.
The department lists Fulton birth and death records from 1882 onward and a separate genealogy research application.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Use the official genealogy request form and confirm current fees and eligibility before paying. Supply names, event type and a narrow date range.
A question you can ask
Can you search for this event and explain whether a genealogy copy or certified certificate is available?
Keep in mind
An event may have occurred outside the person’s county of residence. A missing local entry is not proof that no event occurred.
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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