We have over 5,000 family surname files at the library.  Things you might find in a surname file folder are newspaper clippings, birth records, obituaries, and marriage information.  Occasionally there is information about other people researching the same family surname.  Some files may only contain a single sheet of information, and other files may have two to six envelopes that are stuffed full.

If you cannot come to the library to personally use the files, contact one of the volunteers at the library by phone or email. (Click here for contact information:  Contact Page )  Give us a specific name and approximate dates of interest; we will search for any information on that family line in the Family Surname Files as well as elsewhere in the library.  Research fees vary depending on the time involved and amount of information copied.  The initial fee is $10.00 for the first hour.  If we find any pertinent information, we will advise you by email or phone as to the contents and costs for further research.

You can download a 20-page list of updated Family Surnames in our files by clicking here:    2019 updated Family files

          Thanks to the Clay County Community Foundation, under the auspices of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, the Clay County Genealogical Society received an $8,000 grant on November 17^th,  2018, to purchase equipment for a new microfilm reader station.  Patrons can now view historical newspapers, census records, and other information on microfilm available at the library.  The old microfilm reader/printer was no longer capable of being repaired.  The new reader is connected to one of the library’s printers.  With the new equipment patrons now have the capability of capturing one or more articles from microfilm, increasing or decreasing the size of the articles, and typing informational notes on the page to be printed.

         The Clay County Community Foundation received requests totaling $165,000 in 2018, but only $60,000 was available for distribution.  The volunteers at the library were grateful that the Clay County Genealogical Library in Center Point was one of the nine non-profit organizations fortunate to receive a grant to fund their project.

          With the grant and donations made by CCGS members the microfilm station includes the new microfilm reader, a computer to operate it, and a large screen monitor to easily view the microfilm.