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 / Shelbyville · Shelby CountyShelby County Public Library: Genealogy and History
Ask about the undigitized portion of a family folder.
The department lists more than 3,500 family and history folders, newspapers from 1853, obituary books from 1850, directories, yearbooks, church material, and other genealogy sources. Portions of family folders are being digitized.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Search the linked digital family-history collection, then ask staff whether a surname folder contains more. Materials stay in the department; remote genealogy search requests are available.
A question you can ask
What documents in this family folder identify their sources, and what remains available only onsite?
Keep in mind
Copyright and living-person information limit online publication. A contributed tree or story is a lead, not proof of a relationship.
STOP 02 / Shelbyville · recorded instrumentsShelby County Recorder
Follow ownership through the recorded document.
The Recorder maintains permanent public records submitted for recording and furnishes official copies of recorded instruments.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Contact the office through its official page with the parties, approximate date, and book/page or instrument number if known. Ask about historical index access and copying arrangements.
A question you can ask
How can I search the historical grantor and grantee indexes for this transfer?
Keep in mind
The department overview does not establish historical online coverage. A modern property search is not a substitute for an older deed chain.
STOP 03 / Indianapolis · county-specific holdingsIndiana State Library: Shelby County research guide
Identify a record series before requesting an original.
Selected sources include Court Records, 1822–1862 and 1862–1876, Naturalization Records, 1822–1908, and Early Landowners.
Research details & a question to ask
How to begin
Use the county guide to copy the title and call number, then search the State Library catalog or use its Ask-a-Librarian service to confirm access.
A question you can ask
Which original court or land record can test a relationship stated in a donated family history?
Keep in mind
These are selected library holdings, often indexes or abstracts. The guide does not promise every original record or online images.
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