Lawrence County, Indiana Genealogy

Guide to Lawrence County, Indiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

Historical Facts
The county was named after James Lawrence. He is best remembered as having been responsible for his words "Don't give up the ship" during the War of 1812.


 * Parent Counties: Formed from Orange county in 1818.
 * County Seat:  Bedford

Description
The county was named for Captain James Lawrence, who uttered the famous words "Don't give up the ship" after being mortally wounded during the War of 1812. The County Seat is Bedford and was founded 1818. It is located in the South-central area of the state.

Populated Places
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:

Neighboring Counties
Monroe •  Jackson  •  Washington  •  Orange  •  Martin  •  Greene

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Indiana County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Indiana County Boundary Maps" (1790-1873) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Biographies

 * History of Lawrence County, Indiana Biographical Index (Lawrence County, Indiana History &amp; Genealogy)
 * Indiana Biographies - Lawrence County (may open popups)
 * Lawrence County Biographies (INGenWeb)
 * Lawrence County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Cemeteries

 * Guthrie Creek Cemetery: Jarvis, Carolyn, et al. Guthrie Creek Cemetery, Pleasant Run Township, Lawrence County, Indiana. Bedford, IN: Lawrence Historical &amp; Genealogical Society, 2007. WorldCat

Census Records

 * Census Records, Lawrence County, Indiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lawrence County Census (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census (1880) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Pentecostal

 * Lawless, Elaine J. God's Peculiar People: Women's Voices &amp; Folk Tradition in a Pentecostal Church. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1988, 2005. (Discusses "Oneness" Pentecostals of Lawrence and Monroe Cos., IN.) Google Books (limited preview)

Presbyterian

 * 1846-1861 Presbyterian Church, Lawrenceport, Baptism Index 1846-1861 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Court Records

 * Index to Insanity Applications (1870-1881) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Index to Old Age Pension Applications (1933-1934) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Directories

 * Directory of Businesses (1868) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * 1890 City Directory (for several Lawrence Co. towns) (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lawrence County Directories (USGenWeb Archives)

Genealogies

 * Lawrence County Diaries, Letters, and Journals (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lawrence County: The People (Genealogy Trails)

Local Histories

 * History of Lawrence and Monroe Counties, Indiana: Their People, Industries and Institutions. Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen &amp; Co., 1914. Google Books (complete digital copy); Lawrence County History &amp; Genealogy (partial transcription)
 * History of Washington County Indiana: A Re-Production of the Original "History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington Counties" 1884. Salem, IN: Washington County Historical Society, 1999. FHL 977.226 H2Lc, WorldCat
 * Kruse, Maxine. Lawrence County Indiana (Images of America series). Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2001. Google Books (limited preview)
 * History of Lawrence County, Indiana (Genealogy Trails)

Land and Property

 * Lawrence County Deeds and Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Indiana
 * Lawrence County Maps (INGenWeb)

Military Records

 * Lawrence County Military (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lawrence County Military (INGenWeb)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Lawrence 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 Lawrence County:


 * 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company G
 * 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company L
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company H
 * 16th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company D
 * 17th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 18th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
 * 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
 * 27th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
 * 43rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 49th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 50th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, G, and I
 * 52nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E, and Reorganized Company B
 * 67th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and H
 * 82nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 93rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 97th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
 * 112th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, D, F, and G
 * 117th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Company D
 * 120th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies H, I, and K
 * 136th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H
 * 140th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
 * 144th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C, and H
 * 145th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, C, and G

Resources


 * Col. Doil R. Bowden (Find A Grave)
 * "Military History," Chapter 7 in History of Washington County Indiana: A Re-Production of the Original "History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington Counties," 1884, reprint edition, Salem, IN: Washington County Historical Society, 1999, pp. 175-200. FHL 977.226 H2Lc  | WorldCat | Internet Archive (digital text)

World War I

 * 1919  at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Lawrence County, Indiana News (newspaper extracts) (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana Obits (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lawrence County Newspapers (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lawrence County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lawrence County Obituary Database Surname Index (INGenWeb)
 * Old Lawrence County Newspaper Articles, Indexed (INGenWeb)
 * Mitchell Tribune (current newspaper, Mitchell)
 * Monroe County Public Library Obituary Index Search (includes many Lawrence County obituaries)
 * Times-Mail (current newspaper, Bedford)

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1798 – 1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry.com ($) - index and images
 * Lawrence County Wills (USGenWeb Archives)

Public Records

 * Lawrence County, Indiana Miscellaneous Information (Genealogy Trails)
 * Roster of Civilian Conservation Corps, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana (1938) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Courthouse
Lawrence County Courthouse Bedford, IN 47421 Phone: 812-275-7543 County Clerk has marriage, probate, divorce and court records from 1818. County Health Department has birth and death records. County Recorder has land records from 1818 and military records.

The original county seat of Lawrence County was Palestine, located on the White River. Lawrence County's first circuit court was held 4 Jun 1818 in the home of James Gregory at Leatherwood, east of the present-day location of Bedford.

The first courthouse was built in the spring of 1818 at Palestine. A new courthouse was constructed in Palestine in 1822.

The county seat was moved and renamed Bedford as the result of an 1825 legislative act. A temporary log courthouse was erected in Bedford in early 1825. The first court term in Bedford opened 6 Feb 1826. A new courthouse was completed in May of 1834. An 1869 move for a new courthouse resulted in construction of a new building in 1872.

Libraries

 * Bedford Public Library 1323 K Street Bedford, IN 47421 Phone: 812-275-4471 Website
 * Mitchell Community Public Library 804 Main Street Mitchell, IN 47446 Phone: 812-849-2412 Email: [mailto:info@mitchell.lib.in.us info@mitchell.lib.in.us] Website

Museums

 * Lawrence County Museum of History & Edward L. Hutton Research Library 929 15th Street Bedford, IN 47421 Phone: 812-278-8575 Email: [mailto:lchgs@lcmuseum.org lchgs@lcmuseum.org] Website

Societies

 * Lawrence County Historical and Genealogical Society Lawrence County Museum of History & Edward L. Hutton Research Library 929 15th Street Bedford, IN 47421 Phone: 812-278-8575 Email: [mailto:lchgs@lcmuseum.org lchgs@lcmuseum.org] Website
 * Indiana Sons of the American Revolution  Daniel Guthrie Chapter Contacts Website

Family History Centers

 * Bedford Indiana Family History Center

School Records

 * Seniors of Bedford High School (1933) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Teachers of Bedford High School (1933) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Directory of Teachers for Lawrence County (1936) - Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Taxation

 * Lee, Barbara. 1907 Lawrence County, Indiana Poll Tax Rolls. Bedford, IN: Lawrence County Historical &amp; Genealogical Society, (2007?). WorldCat
 * A list of Lawrence County Poll Tax Payers for 1822 is available on the internet at this link.

Vital Records

 * Indiana State Digital Archives

Birth Records

 * Lawrence County Births (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana Birth Records of University Graduates (Genealogy Trails)


 * 1896-1900 Lawrence County Birth Index 1896-1900 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Marriage Records

 * 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index ($)
 * 1780-1992 at FamilySearch
 * 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Lawrence County Marriages (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Marriages of Lawrence County, Indiana (Genealogy Trails)

Death Records

 * 1882-1920 at FamilySearch Historical Records - Index only
 * 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry ($) - index and images
 * Indiana State Digital Archives
 * Deaths, Lawrence County, Indiana (Genealogy Trails)

Websites

 * Indiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Lawrence County Photographs (USGenWeb Archives)
 * , Lawrence County
 * Jackson/Lawrence County, Indiana Genealogy (blog)
 * Lawrence County (Indiana State Library, Genealogy Division)
 * Lawrence County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lawrence County, IN (RootsWeb)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana (INGenWeb)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana (Wikipedia)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana Genealogy (Facebook)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Lawrence County, Indiana History &amp; Genealogy (Indiana Genealogy Express)

Places
Lawrence County currently consists of nine townships:


 * Bono
 * Guthrie
 * Indian Creek
 * Marion
 * Marshall
 * Perry
 * Pleasant Run
 * Shawswick
 * Spice Valley

Another township, Flinn Township, has been incorporated into Guthrie, Pleasant Run, and Shawswick Townships.

The following incorporated towns are located in Lawrence County:


 * Bedford (Shawswick Twp., county seat): Bedford Online | WTIU page | Wikipedia
 * Mitchell: official site | Wikipedia
 * Oolitic (Indian Creek and Shawswick Twps.): Wikipedia