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Welcome

This is the official website for the South Bend Area Genealogical Society which was founded in 1975 to provide resources to those interested in the family history of this area.

Who We Are

About Us

The purposes of this society are:

  1. To foster interest in the study of family history
  2. To collect and preserve genealogical knowledge and historical information
  3. To create research aids (in print and online) to allow for better access to that information
  4. To provide programs and publications for instruction in research methods, skill building and topics of historical interest

Membership is open to anyone interested in the purposes of the Society.

LaSalle Street Bridge
Oliver Hotel
Jefferson Building
Perkins Windmill Company
South Bend City Hall
Billy Sunday Tabernacle
Studebaker Office
Springbrook Park 1911
Serving the South Bend Area

Mission Statement

The South Bend Area Genealogical Society was established in 1976, to promote the collection, preservation and dissemination of knowledge and information with reference to genealogical and related historical data, and to instruct in research and documentation of said data.

The Society was conceived in 1975 by Laureen Bostedt and Fay Lies, with Prudence Michael and Carol Collins as advisors.

The first organized meeting was held January 22, 1976 in the Schuyler Colfax Auditorium of the South Bend Public Library under the direction of Jeanne Denham, President.

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Our Archive

Maps & Databases

Click below to expand details or use the search to find a database.

Adoption Records can be very important in genealogical research. This index was compiled by SBAGS volunteers from the records located in the Archives & Records Center of St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Adoption Records can be very important in genealogical research. This index was compiled by SBAGS volunteers from the records of the Superior Courts of St. Joseph County, Indiana for the years 1908 to 1927.

Elijah Powell and Peter DeKever. This index owes its existence to these two men. If it had not been for the donation of Elijah Powell’s Civil War discharge papers to the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library’s Heritage Center in 1998, this index would never have been compiled. If it had not been for Peter De Kever’s persistent search for information about the Powell family, this index would not have existed. Inspired by these two men, I decided to compile an index of African Americans and African American life as reported in local newspapers. And since the Hibberd’s city directories of 1910, 1912, and 1914 identified people of color with an asterisk behind their names, it also made sense to include those listings in the index.

This database provides a list of burial permits issued by Saint Joseph County between 1910 and 1929. Listed are Name, Age, Date of Death, Place of Death and Cemetery.

The following are the first five volumes of the series "Saint Joseph County Cemetery Inscriptions".

One of the most exciting events for a genealogist is finding the burial locations of your ancestors. You locate an obituary or death certificate which gives the name of the cemetery but these records do not give the location of the cemetery.. The majority of cemeteries are not listed in the telephone book because they do not have an on site office. Most local residents don't know where all of the cemeteries are located, especially the small rural cemeteries. This document should help to bridge that gap.

John Palmer, a longtime member of the South Bend Area Genealogical Society has collected over the years, commemorative plates that were issued by some churches in the South Bend area. John has decided to share images of his collection.

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Birds Eye View of South Bend, Indiana 1866 - A. Ruger, Battle Creek, Michigan
Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

Birds Eye View of South Bend, Indiana 1874 - J. J. Stoner, Madison, Wisconsin
Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

Birds Eye View of South Bend, Indiana 1890 - C. J. Pauli, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

St Joseph County, Indiana 1863 - M. W. Stokes, County Surveyor
Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

Illustrated Historical Atlas of St Joseph County 1875 - Higgins Belden & Co. - SJCPL

Adoption Records can be very important in genealogical research. This index was compiled by SBAGS volunteers from the records located in the Archives & Records Center of St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Adoption Records can be very important in genealogical research. This index was compiled by SBAGS volunteers from the records of the Superior Courts of St. Joseph County, Indiana for the years 1908 to 1927.

Elijah Powell and Peter DeKever. This index owes its existence to these two men. If it had not been for the donation of Elijah Powell’s Civil War discharge papers to the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library’s Heritage Center in 1998, this index would never have been compiled. If it had not been for Peter De Kever’s persistent search for information about the Powell family, this index would not have existed. Inspired by these two men, I decided to compile an index of African Americans and African American life as reported in local newspapers. And since the Hibberd’s city directories of 1910, 1912, and 1914 identified people of color with an asterisk behind their names, it also made sense to include those listings in the index.

This database provides a list of burial permits issued by Saint Joseph County between 1910 and 1929. Listed are Name, Age, Date of Death, Place of Death and Cemetery.

The following are the first five volumes of the series "Saint Joseph County Cemetery Inscriptions".

One of the most exciting events for a genealogist is finding the burial locations of your ancestors. You locate an obituary or death certificate which gives the name of the cemetery but these records do not give the location of the cemetery.. The majority of cemeteries are not listed in the telephone book because they do not have an on site office. Most local residents don't know where all of the cemeteries are located, especially the small rural cemeteries. This document should help to bridge that gap.

Coroner Records are critical to genealogical research as information contained in them may not appear elsewhere. Some people may never own property or generate any other probate or death record. Many of Saint Joseph County's Coroners kept fastidious records and frequently recorded verbatim depositions from family and friends of the deceased. Many of the earlier Coroner reports contained many "John Doe" cases since the report was entered where the death or accident happened not where the victim resided or worked.

This index has been created from the original records located at the Saint Joseph County Archives & Records Center.

There are 104,215 index records in this database. This database is intended for genealogical research purposes only. The dates may represent a petition, an appearance, dismissal, divorce, or a different order as deemed by the judge.

This index has been created from the original records located at the Saint Joseph County Archives & Records Center.

John Palmer, a longtime member of the South Bend Area Genealogical Society has collected over the years, commemorative plates that were issued by some churches in the South Bend area. John has decided to share images of his collection.

John Palmer, a longtime member of the South Bend Area Genealogical Society has collected over the years, many postcards from the South Bend area. John has now decided to share images of his collection.

John Palmer, a longtime member of the South Bend Area Genealogical Society has collected over the years, commemorative plates that were issued by some churches in the South Bend area. John has decided to share images of his collection.

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