Jefferson County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Jefferson County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Jefferson County was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, principal draftsman of the Northwest Ordinance and the third president of the United States from 1801 through 1809.[2] It is located in the southeastern area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Jefferson County Courthouse
300 E Main St #203
Madison, IN 47250
Phone: 812-265-8921
County Website
Jefferson County Health Department
715 Green Road
Madison, IN 47250
Phone Number: 812-273-1942
Fax: 812-273-1955
Health Department
County Health Dept has birth, death and burial records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, and court records.
County Recorder has land records.
Health Department has birth records and death records.
Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Jefferson County, Indiana Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1882 | 1811 | 1882 | 1811 | 1811 | 1811 | 1807 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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2009 Courthouse damaged by fire 20 May 2009. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Jefferson County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 8,038 | — |
| 1830 | 11,465 | 42.6% |
| 1840 | 16,614 | 44.9% |
| 1850 | 23,916 | 44.0% |
| 1860 | 25,036 | 4.7% |
| 1870 | 29,741 | 18.8% |
| 1880 | 25,977 | −12.7% |
| 1890 | 24,507 | −5.7% |
| 1900 | 22,913 | −6.5% |
| 1910 | 20,483 | −10.6% |
| 1920 | 20,709 | 1.1% |
| 1930 | 19,182 | −7.4% |
| 1940 | 19,912 | 3.8% |
| 1950 | 21,613 | 8.5% |
| 1960 | 24,061 | 11.3% |
| 1970 | 27,006 | 12.2% |
| 1980 | 30,419 | 12.6% |
| 1990 | 29,797 | −2.0% |
| 2000 | 31,705 | 6.4% |
| 2010 | 32,428 | 2.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Jefferson County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Settlers of Jefferson County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository.
For more information about these major repositories, see Indiana Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
United Church of Christ
- 1837-1935 - St. John's United Church of Christ, Madison, Baptism Index 1837-1935 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C725141 .[8]
- 1837-1935 - St. John's United Church of Christ, Madison, Marriage Index 1837-1935 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M725141 .[8]
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See Indiana Land and Property for additional information about early Indiana land grants and patents.
After land was transferred from the government to private ownership, subsequent transactions were recorded at the Jefferson County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Jefferson County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. 1969, 1972. Compiled and published by John M. Gresham & Company. Evansville, Indiana : Unigraphic. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat). Some versions may be reprints of original publication: Chicago [Illinois] : Chicago Printing Company, 1889.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- African American Veterans in Jefferson County, Indiana (1890) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Jefferson County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Jefferson County.
- 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company L
- 3rd Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company E
- 6th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, K, E, and Reorganized Company A, E, F, and K
- 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company M
- 8th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company H
- 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company H
- 12th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D, and Reorganized Companies B, C, D, and E
- 20th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Companies D, and F
- 51st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
- 82nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, B, C, G, and K
- 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
- 93rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C, and E
- 128th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
- 132nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D
- 137th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies B, F, and I
- 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
- 149th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 28th US Colored Troops, Company E, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troop
Civil War books and articles:
- "Recollections of Morgan's Raid", from the journal of Melvin C. Robertson. (Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. 28, no. 2 (June 1932): 116-137.)[9]
- "Reminiscences of the Burning of Columbia, South Carolina", by Michael C. Garber, Jr.(Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. 11, no. 4 (December 1915): 285-300.)[10]
World War I
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Indiana newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
For more Indiana newspaper information see the wiki page Indiana Newspapers.
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Hoosier State Chronicles
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Jefferson County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry $
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry $
- 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index and images, ($)
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Indexing is not complete. Film # 004476596 finding aid to Jefferson County marriages:
| Frames | Date range |
|---|---|
| 2-60 | 5 July 1808 - 7 May 1820 |
| 61-179 | 19 June 1820 - 13 February 1828 |
| 180-314 | 13 February 1828 - 1 February 1834 |
| 315-483 | 31 January 1834 - 6 April 1841 |
| 484-656 | 7 April 1841 - 8 November 1848 |
| 657-986 | 11 November 1848 - 27 January 1855 |
Death[edit | edit source]
- Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry.com - index, (Free collection)
- 1750-1993 - Indiana Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1882-1920 Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry $
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Jefferson County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Columbus Indiana Family History Center
- North Vernon Indiana Family History Center
- Bartholomew County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Jackson County Indiana Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Lawrenceburg Public Library District - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Jefferson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Duggan Library
Hanover College
Archives & Special Collections
121 Scenic Drive
Hanover, IN 47243
Phone: 812-866-7165
Email: library@hanover.edu
Website
Jefferson County Public Library
273 North Madison Avenue
Hanover, IN 47243
Phone: 812-866-1470
Email: contact@mjcpl.org
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Jefferson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Jefferson County Historical Society
615 West First St.
Madison, IN 47250
Phone: 812-265-2335
Email: info@jchshc.org
Facebook
Website
Jefferson County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 651
Madison, IN 47250
Email: JCGS@cinergymetro.net
Facebook
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Indiana Digital Archives Search by name in all records or specific collections
- Indiana Historical Society Digital Collections Extensive - keyword searches suggested
- Indiana Memory Click the map or select a statewide collection
- List of indexes and databases at Indiana State Library
- Indiana Genealogical Society Databases Free and Members-only. Scroll the list.
- Resources on IndianasGore
- EveryNameIndex.com for Indiana Free online genealogy indexes for county histories. Select a county.
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Jefferson County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/jefferson/ accessed 3/29/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Indiana 3/29/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Indiana, accessed 16 December 2019.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/8d/Igiindianah.pdf.
- ↑ Indiana Magazine of History Archives, https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/imh/issue/archive, accessed 28 Apr 2019.
- ↑ Indiana Magazine of History Archives, https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/imh/issue/archive, accessed 28 Apr 2019.
