Genealogy/Family Research Library

The Genealogical Library also represents an extensive collection of documents and materials regarded by many as one of the Midwest’s finest collections   Dating back to the 19th century, records include birth, death, marriage, divorce and more.

Genealogy/Family Research Fees

Our genealogy library is free for members of the Washington County Historical Society.

Onsite Research in Genealogy Library

Research Library - $5.00 per hour
Research Library - Over 4 hours - $20
Assisted Research - $10 per day

Remote Research

Email Research - $15 per hour with deposit (deposit deducted from final invoice)

Research at the Washington County Courthouse

Courthouse Research - $25 per hour with deposit (deposit deducted from final invoice)

Document Copies

Letter Sized Document - .25¢
Legal Sized Document - .50¢
Photo reprints 4 x 6 - $3.00
Photo reprints 5 x 7 - $5.00
Photo reprints 8 x 10 - $7.00
Mailed copy postage + $1.00

Contact Us to begin Your Genealogy Project 

To begin genealogic research we would need to know the family surnames and hopefully some indication of the subject’s life dates.  We are best suited for Washington County, Indiana residents, but do have some materials on all 92 counties in the state and most states in the country.

Photo of John Milton HayWho was John Hay?

Statesman, Author, Ambassador

John Hay was a great American statesman, diplomat, author and poet, whose political career spanned over 50 years.  He was born in a small brick home in Salem, Indiana, on October 8, 1838.

After John displayed considerable potential in his schooling, his Uncle Milton Hay, who was a practicing lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, took a special interest and sent him to Brown University, where he graduated in 1858. 

In 1860, when John Hay’s childhood friend, John Nicolay, was appointed Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign secretary, he was brought on board to assist with the enormous amount of correspondence. 

Hay grew to adore President Lincoln for his goodness, patience, understanding, sense of humor, humility, magnanimity, healthy skepticism, sense of justice, resilience and power, love of the common man and mystical patriotism. Many later noted that Lincoln too, loved Hay as a son and was very attached to him.

In 1903, after years of negotiating treaties, Hay successfully passed legislation that afforded the United States the opportunity to start construction on the Panama Canal. 

Brown University’s John Hay Library was named in his honor, as was the John Hay Air Base, in the Philippines and both his birth home, in Salem, Indiana and his summer estate, The Fells, in New Hampshire, have been historically conserved. 

John Hay Center Hours of Operation

Thursdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Fridays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm

Tour Pricing

Self-Guided Tours

Adult (Age 18+) - Donation
Child (Age 6-17) - Donation

Guided Tours

Complete Comprehensive Tour
(Museum,Pioneer Village, The Depot)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price  $20.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $10.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Steven's Museum Guided Tour
(Approximate 2 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) -  Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Pioneer Village
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

The Depot Railroad Museum
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

School Tours

Private & Public School Tours: $3.00 per student/parent (Teachers free & 10 student minimum)

Private Tours

Scheduled Private Tours (More than 5 Guests) (Minimum $50)

Additional Information

*All regular tours are free for Life Members
*Children under 5 are free

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