Access Cass County Obituary Records
Cass County obituary and death records are handled by the Cass County Health Department in Logansport, Indiana. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or want to search historical obituary records from this north-central Indiana county, the health department is the right contact. Records go back to 1882, and WPA indexing covers the 1882 to 1920 period. Note that Cass County accepts cash and money orders only, so come prepared.
Cass County Quick Facts
Cass County Health Department - Vital Records
The Cass County Health Department is at 1616 Smith Street in Logansport, Indiana 46947. Call 574-753-7760 or fax to 574-753-7039. Their website is at in.gov/counties/cass/departments/health-department. An additional resource for death records is at incass-inmiami.org/cass/vitals/death.
Cass County's office has unusual hours. Monday hours are 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday is 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday the office is closed. There is no walk-in service on Fridays. Plan your visit for Monday through Thursday. Payment is cash or money order only. Checks are not accepted at the Cass County Health Department.
One interesting Cass County detail: many deaths from this county appear in two places in the records. Some were registered both in the county seat and in the specific town or township where the death occurred. When you search older records, you may find two entries for the same person. This was a common practice in Cass County and can actually be helpful for genealogy research because it provides duplicate confirmation.
| Address | 1616 Smith Street, Logansport, IN 46947 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 574-753-7760 |
| Fax | 574-753-7039 |
| Hours | Mon/Thu 7am-4pm; Tue/Wed 7:30am-4:30pm; Friday CLOSED |
| Genealogy Search Fee | $5.00 (includes copy if found) |
| Payment | Cash or money order only (NO checks) |
| Website | in.gov/counties/cass/departments/health-department |
The image below shows the Indiana Department of Health FAQ page, which covers common questions about death certificate access that apply to Cass County residents as well as statewide.
Visit the Indiana Department of Health FAQ page to find answers about requesting Cass County obituary and death records through the county and state systems.
The FAQ covers identification requirements, genealogy access rules, and direct interest standards that apply to all Indiana counties including Cass County.
How to Get Cass County Death Certificates
Walk-in service is available at 1616 Smith Street in Logansport, but only Monday through Thursday. The office is closed on Fridays. Come with cash or a money order. The genealogy search fee is $5, which includes a copy of the record if found. For standard certified copies, call the office to confirm the current fee before visiting.
Mail requests are another option. Contact the office at 574-753-7760 to ask about the mail request process, what form to use, and what ID copy to include. Send a money order with your request since checks are not accepted. The Indiana Department of Health also has State Form 49606 available at in.gov/health/vital-records/order-now for mail orders going to the state office instead of the county.
Online orders go through VitalChek. This is the state-authorized vendor. Additional service fees apply. Call VitalChek at 866-601-0891 for phone orders, available 24 hours a day. VitalChek lets you pay by credit card, which is not available at the Cass County office itself.
Under IC 16-37-1-11, the search fee is non-refundable regardless of whether a record is found. Have the full name and approximate year of death ready when you submit your request.
Cass County Historical Death and Obituary Records
Death records in Cass County from 1882 through 1920 were indexed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This indexing project created a useful finding aid for older records. If you are searching for a death in Cass County from this early period, the WPA index is a good starting point. Ask the health department about accessing this index when you call.
As noted above, Cass County has a unique feature in its older records: many deaths were registered in two places. One entry appears in the county seat records, and another may exist in the records for the specific town or township where the death happened. If your search does not turn up a result in one set of records, try looking in the other. This double-registration practice can also work in your favor when one version of a record is damaged or incomplete.
Under IC 16-37-3-9, the local health officer is required to keep permanent records from all death certificates filed. For Cass County, this archive reaches back to 1882 and covers all deaths recorded within the county.
State and Genealogy Resources for Cass County
The Indiana Department of Health in Indianapolis holds death records from 1900 to present and can issue certified copies for Cass County. Their phone is 317-233-2700. Online and phone orders go through VitalChek. Mail orders use Form 49606 and are sent to PO Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125.
The Indiana Legacy database is a free online resource with over 5 million indexed records including obituaries, death records, and cemetery data for Cass County and across Indiana. Search by surname and county to find older records without paying for a certified copy. The Hoosier State Chronicles digital newspaper archive holds Logansport-area papers with obituary notices going back many decades.
The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division at 317-232-3689 holds county research guides and family history materials. The Indiana State Archives at 317-591-5222 holds original government records from all Indiana counties and can be useful for pre-1900 Cass County records.
Under IC 5-14-3, basic death record information is available to the public. Full certified copies require showing a direct interest in the record.
Cass County Clerk and Related Records
The Cass County Clerk in Logansport holds marriage records, divorce filings, and probate documents. These records often connect with death records when settling estates or tracing family relationships. Probate filings follow a death and document how the estate is handled by the court. Marriage records help establish family connections when you need to show your right to request a death certificate.
Contact the Cass County Courthouse in Logansport to reach the clerk's office. They can tell you current hours and what is available. Combining the clerk's records with the health department's death certificates gives you the most complete picture of a person's final affairs in Cass County.
Cities in Cass County
Logansport is Cass County's county seat and largest city. No cities in Cass County have a population over 25,000. All death records and obituary records for Cass County are managed by the health department in Logansport.
Nearby Counties
Cass County is in north-central Indiana and borders several counties. Each handles its own vital records at the county health department level.