Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Vanderburgh 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]
Vanderburgh County was named for Capt. Henry Vanderburgh (1760 - 1812), a Revolutionary War veteran and the judge for the Indiana Territory.[3] The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.[4]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Vanderburgh County Courthouse
Circle Center Courts Bldg, Rm 216
PO Box 216
Evansville, IN 47732
Phone: 812-435-5160
County Website
Vanderburgh County Health Department
Oak Park Professional Building
420 Mulberry Street
Evansville, IN, 47713
Health Officer: Dr. Kenneth Spear
Phone: 812-435-2400
Fax: 812-435-5468
Health Department
County Clerk has marriage records from 1916, divorce records from 1969, probate records from 1850 and court records from 1877.
County Health Department has birth and death records from 1882.
County Recorder has land records from 1818 and military records from 1865.
Willard Library has many of the older records. [5]
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.
Vanderburgh 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 | 1916 | 1882 | 1877 | 1818 | 1850 | 1807 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
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:[9]
Cities | ||
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Vanderburgh County Bible Records at Ancestry; images only ($)
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographical Cyclopedia of Vanderburgh County, Indiana. 1897. Evansville, Ind. : Keller. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive; Google Books
- History of the City of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana. Vol 2 (Biographical). By Frank M. Gilbert. 1910. Chicago: Pioneer Pub. Company. FamilySearch Digital Library; Hathitrust; Internet Archive.
- Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Vanderburgh County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1820 | 1,798 | — |
1830 | 2,611 | 45.2% |
1840 | 6,250 | 139.4% |
1850 | 11,414 | 82.6% |
1860 | 20,552 | 80.1% |
1870 | 33,145 | 61.3% |
1880 | 42,193 | 27.3% |
1890 | 59,809 | 41.8% |
1900 | 71,769 | 20.0% |
1910 | 77,438 | 7.9% |
1920 | 92,293 | 19.2% |
1930 | 113,320 | 22.8% |
1940 | 130,783 | 15.4% |
1950 | 160,422 | 22.7% |
1960 | 165,794 | 3.3% |
1970 | 168,772 | 1.8% |
1980 | 167,515 | −0.7% |
1990 | 165,058 | −1.5% |
2000 | 171,922 | 4.2% |
2010 | 179,703 | 4.5% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Vanderburgh County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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
Catholic
Assumption Parish, Evansville
- 1837-1885 - Assumption Parish, Evansville, Baptism Index 1872-1944 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537851 .[10]
- 1838-1895 - Assumption Parish, Evansville, Marriage Index 1838-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches M537851 and M537852 .[10]
Holy Trinity Parish, Evansville
- 1849-1880 - Holy Trinity Parish, Evansville, Baptism Index 1849-1880 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537861 .[10]
- 1887-1895 - Holy Trinity Parish, Evansville, Marriage Index 1887-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M537863 .[10]
St. Boniface Parish, Evansville
- 1881-1885 - St. Boniface Parish, Evansville, Baptism Index 1881-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537941 .[10]
- 1881-1895 - St. Boniface Parish, Evansville, Marriage Index 1881-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M537942 .[10]
Church of Christ
St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1889-1956 - St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1889-1956 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728051 .[10]
- 1889-1956 - St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Marriage Index 1889-1956 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728061 .[10]
St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1840-1966 - St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1840-1966 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728031 .[10]
- 1888-1986 - St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1888-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728032 .[10]
St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1885-1986 - St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1885-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728061 .[10]
- 1885-1986 - St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Marriage Index 1885-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728051 .[10]
Salem United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1856-1947 - Salem United Church of Christ, Baptism Index 1856-1947 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C541161 .[10]
- 1856-1947 - Salem United Church of Christ, Marriage Index 1856-1947 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M541161 .[10]
Zoar United Church of Christ, Evansville
- 1858-1986 - Zoar United Church of Christ, Evansville, Baptism Index 1858-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728101 .[10]
- 1858-1986 - Zoar United Church of Christ, Evansville, Marriage Index 1858-1986 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728101 .[10]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Evansville
Methodist
Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, Evansville
- 1880-1921 - Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, Evansville, Baptism Index 1880-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches C725261 and C725262 .[10]
- 1880-1921 - Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, Evansville, Marriage Index 1880-1921 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batches M725261 and M725262 .[10]
Salem United Methodist Church, Evansville
- 1872-1944 - Salem United Methodist Church, Evansville, Baptism Index 1872-1944 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C728041 .[10]
- 1872-1944 - Salem United Methodist Church, Evansville, Marriage Index 1872-1944 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M728041 .[10]
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 Vanderburgh County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Vanderburgh County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- History of the City of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana. 2 volumes. 1910. By Frank M. Gilbert. Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Company. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 1 & 2 - Hathitrust, Vol. 1 - Internet Archive, Vol. 2 - Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat). Vol. 1 contains historical material; vol. 2 contains biographies.
- A History of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana. 1897. By Joseph P. Elliott. Evansville, Ind. : Keller Printing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, from the Earliest Times to the Present. 1889. Madison, Wisconsin : Brant & Fuller. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana at Map of US.com
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- 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 Vanderburgh County, Indiana (1890) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Vanderburgh County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Vanderburgh County.
- 1st Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company A and Reorganized Company A
- 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company F
- 8th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
- 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies A, B, G, and M
- 14th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
- 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 25th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and C
- 30th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company A
- 42nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
- 65th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
- 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
- 120th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 136th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies A, B, and C
- 28th US Colored Troops, Company D, E, G, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Books:
- History of the City of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana. Vol. 1 (History). By Frank M. Gilbert. 1910. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Hathitrust; Internet Archive.
- A History of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana. By Joseph P. Elliott. 1897. Evansville, Ind. : Keller Printing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($).
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 ($)
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2010
- 1938-1943 Evansville Argus - African-American newspaper at USI David L. Rice Library
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 Vanderburgh 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]
- Central High School, Evansville, IN 1926 Girls basketball team at FamilyOldPhotos.com
- Directory of Teachers for Vanderburgh County (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Teachers and School Officials of Evansville at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry ($)
- 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index and images, ($)
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
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 Vanderburgh 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
- Evansville Indiana Family History Center
- Owensboro Kentucky Family History Center
- Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Henderson County Kentucky Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Vanderburgh County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Willard Library
21 First Avenue
Evansville, IN 47710
Phone: 812-425-4309
Website
Evansville Public Library
200 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Evansville, IN 47713
Phone: 812-428-8200
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Vanderburgh County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Tri-State Genealogical Society
c/o Willard Library
21 First Ave.
Evansville, IN 47710-1294
Phone: 812-425-4309
Email: tsgs.membership@yahoo.com
Website
Vanderburgh County Historical Society
P.O. Box 2821
Evansville, IN 47728-2821
Phone: 812-476-4529
Email: info@vchshistory.org
Website
Whitewater Valley Genealogical Association
P.O. Box 941
Connersville, IN 47331
Email: wvgenealogy@gmail.com
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- 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 Select a county
- Every Name Index.com Online indexes for county histories. Select a county
- INGenWeb, Vanderburgh County
- USGenWeb, Vanderburgh 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]
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/vanderburgh/ accessed 04/04/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Vanderburgh County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/vanderburgh/ accessed 04/04/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Vanderburgh County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderburgh_County,_Indiana accessed 04/04/2017.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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, "Vanderburgh County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderburgh_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Vanderburgh County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderburgh_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 13 January 2020.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 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.