Crawford County Obituary Search
Crawford County obituary and death records are maintained by the Crawford County Health Department in English, Indiana. This small southern Indiana county has vital records going back to 1882. If you need a death certificate or want to look up historical obituary records from Crawford County, the health department is the first contact. Mail requests and online ordering through the state are available for those who cannot visit the English office in person.
Crawford County Quick Facts
Crawford County Health Department - Vital Records
The Crawford County Health Department is at 306 Oak Hill Circle in English, Indiana 47118. The mailing address is PO Box 246, English, IN 47118. Call 812-338-2302 or fax to 812-338-2301. The email is dshelton@crawfordcountyin.com. Crawford County uses the state health portal for its online presence, so for general vital records information visit in.gov/health/vital-records.
Crawford County is one of Indiana's smaller and more rural counties. The health department office in English serves the whole county. Fees are not listed publicly online, so call 812-338-2302 before visiting to confirm current fees and hours. Death records and birth records both go back to 1882. If you cannot reach the local office, the Indiana Department of Health in Indianapolis can also issue death certificates for Crawford County events.
| Address | 306 Oak Hill Circle, English, IN 47118 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 246, English, IN 47118 |
| Phone | 812-338-2302 |
| Fax | 812-338-2301 |
| dshelton@crawfordcountyin.com | |
| State Health Website | in.gov/health/vital-records |
The image below is from the Indiana Department of Health order page, where Crawford County residents can download State Form 49606 and order death certificates by mail when the local office is not reachable.
Visit the Indiana Department of Health order page to access State Form 49606 for ordering Crawford County obituary and death records by mail.
This page has the downloadable State Form 49606 and all instructions needed to order Crawford County death certificates by mail through the state office.
How to Request Crawford County Death Records
Walk-in service at the English office is an option during business hours. Call 812-338-2302 to confirm hours and fees before you make the trip, since this information is not readily available online. Bring your government-issued photo ID and cash or another accepted payment. The staff can help you locate a record and issue a copy during your visit.
Mail requests work well for Crawford County given its rural location. Mail your completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and payment to PO Box 246, English, IN 47118. Or, for a more direct mail route, use State Form 49606 from in.gov/health/vital-records/order-now and mail it to the Indiana Department of Health at PO Box 7125, Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125. The state charges $8 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record.
Online orders go through VitalChek. Service fees apply. VitalChek accepts credit cards and is available around the clock at 866-601-0891. This is often the most convenient option for Crawford County residents who need records but cannot easily reach English.
Note: Under IC 16-37-1-11, the search fee for a death certificate is charged when you submit the request and is non-refundable even if no record is found.
Who Can Access Crawford County Obituary Records
Certified death certificates require you to have a direct interest in the record under Indiana law. This typically means you are an immediate family member, a legal representative, or an authorized agent. Bring your government-issued photo ID and any documentation showing your relationship to the deceased person.
Genealogy access is allowed when the person died more than 75 years ago. Proof of death may be required. Genealogy copies are generally non-certified and contain the basic facts from the death record. For older Crawford County records, the Indiana Legacy database and the Indiana State Library genealogy collections are good free resources to consult first.
Under IC 5-14-3, the public has a right to view certain basic death information including the name, gender, age, and place of death. Full certified copies with complete personal detail require showing the direct interest standard set by Indiana vital records law.
State and Genealogy Resources for Crawford County
The Indiana Department of Health at 2 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 can issue certified Crawford County death certificates. Their phone is 317-233-2700 and they accept VitalChek online orders and mail orders with Form 49606. The state office is a good backup for Crawford County residents who have difficulty reaching the local English office.
The Indiana Legacy database is a free, searchable online archive with over 5 million records from Indiana libraries and genealogy groups. Obituary records, death entries, and cemetery data for Crawford County are part of the collection. Search by surname and county before paying for a certified copy.
The Indiana State Archives at 6440 East 30th Street, Indianapolis holds original government records from all Indiana counties including Crawford. Their phone is 317-591-5222. They can help with older Crawford County records not held by the health department. The Hoosier State Chronicles digital newspaper archive holds English-area papers and can surface older Crawford County obituaries for free.
Under IC 16-37-3-9, Crawford County's local health officer must keep a permanent record of all deaths from certificates filed. This archive reaches back to 1882.
Crawford County Clerk Records
The Crawford County Clerk in English holds marriage records, divorce filings, and probate documents. These are useful companions to death records when you are settling an estate or doing family history research. Probate proceedings are opened in the county where the deceased lived and document how their assets were distributed. Marriage records help confirm family relationships.
Contact the Crawford County Courthouse in English to reach the clerk's office. In a small county like Crawford, the courthouse serves as the center for most civil and government records. Ask the clerk about current hours and fees for accessing marriage, divorce, and probate records. These records, combined with the health department's death certificates, give you the fullest possible picture of a person's life and estate in Crawford County.
Cities in Crawford County
English is Crawford County's county seat and primary community. No cities in Crawford County have a population over 25,000. All death records and obituary records for Crawford County are handled through the health department in English.
Nearby Counties
Crawford County is in southern Indiana and borders several neighboring counties, each with its own health department for local vital records.