Pike County, Indiana Genealogy

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

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed the 21 December 1816 from Gibson, Knox and Perry Counties.
 * County Seat:  Petersburg

Description
The county was named in honor of General Z. M. Pike, who fell at the capture of York, April twenty seventh, 1813. The County Seat is Petersburg and was founded 1816. It is located in the South West 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
Knox •  Daviess  •  Dubois  •  Warrick  •  Gibson

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.

Cemeteries
Maps of some cemetery locations are available at E-podunk. There are 4 National Cemeteries in Indiana. Rootsweb

Census Records

 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Pike County, Indiana (1880) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Directories

 * Directory of Businesses in Petersburg, Pike County, Indiana (1868) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Histories
1816--Pike County was created 21 December 1816 and named for Gen Zebulon M. Pike County seat: Petersburg

Local Histories

 * Anderson, Forrest R. 1942.Historical notes on Dubois &amp; Pike Counties, Indiana. (Ireland, Ind: [s.n.].) FHL US/CAN Film 928078 Item 3,, Other Libraries, , ancestry.com$
 * McClellan, Ruth Miley. Pike County History: Bicentennial Edition 1776-1976. Petersburg, Ind: Pike County Historical Society; Evansville, Ind: Printed by Unigraphic, Inc., 1976.
 * McClellan, Ruth Miley. Our people of Pike County, Indiana. Evansville, Ind: Unigraphic, 1878. 268 pages +16 p Index. LOC: F532.P6 M32, Dewey Decimal: 977.2/36 (biographies)
 * Petersburg Womans Club. A History of Pike County, Ind. Petersburg, IN:typescript, 80 leaves. Copy at Barrett Memorial Library, Petersburg, Indiana. Microfilm at FHL Collection
 * Pike County Historical Society. Pike County, Indiana History and Families, 1816-1987. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Pub. Co., c1987, 236 p. FHL Collection
 * History of Pike and Dubois counties, Indiana: from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. : together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana. 2000. (La Crosse, Wis: Brookhaven Press. Harvard (18th ed.)) 977.23 H2h FHL US/CAN Book,, Other Library, Internet Archive

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana


 * Southwest Indiana Townships by County Shows townships in 17 Southwest Indiana Counties.

Civil War

 * African American Veterans in Pike County, Indiana (1890) (members only database, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Civil War service men from Pike 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 Pike County.


 * 4th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company F
 * 5th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry (90th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers), Company C
 * 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies F, and M
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company G
 * 17th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C, and F
 * 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies E, and H
 * 42nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 47th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 58th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, E, G, and I
 * 65th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
 * 80th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 143rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 146th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 152nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
 * Wilder Battery, Indiana Light Artillery

Civil War Books

 * "Military History" Chapter 5 in History of Pike and Dubois counties, Indiana: from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc.: together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana. 2000. (La Crosse, Wis: Brookhaven Press. Harvard (18th ed.)) (page 317-324), 977.23 H2h FHL US/CAN Book,, Other Libraries, Internet Archive

World War I

 * 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

School Records

 * Early Schools of Pike County ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Directory of Teachers for Pike County ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1798 – 1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

County Courthouse
Pike County Courthouse 801 Main Street Petersburg, IN 47567 Phone: 812.354.6025 County Clerk has marriage, divorce and court records from 1817 and probate records from early 1800s. County health Department has birth and death records. County Recorder has land records.

Family History Centers

 * Vincennes Indiana Family History Center

For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the family history center directory.

Societies
Pike Township Historical Society PO Box 78645l Indianapolis, IN 46278

Pike County Historical Society 1104 Main St. Petersburg, IN 47567

Pike County Historical Society and Museum PO Box 216 Petersburg, IN 47567-0216 Telephone Number: 812-354-1034 Website

Pike County Indiana Genealogy Society Inc. PO Box 83 Petersburg, IN 47567-1736 E-mail: [mailto:PikeCountyGenealogySociety@hotmail.com PikeCountyGenealogySociety@hotmail.com] Website

County Public Library There are three branches of the Pike County Library. The genealogy department is in the Petersburg branch, aka Bartlet Memorial Library, which is located at: 1104 Main Street Petersburg, IN 47567 Ph 812-354-6257, ex 206 Fax 812-354-6259

Unique Features of the Genealogy Collection


 * Curl Collection - Families of Pike County Indiana, an unpublished collection of interviews by a Mrs. Curl with people in the community about their families. Available only on library computers.
 * Newspaper Index to family history information in 4 local newspapers 1874-1940? Newspapers are on microfilm. - Pike County Democrat - Petersburg Press - Otwell Star - Press Dispatch

Vital Records
Original Records are in the county courthouse, in the following offices:


 * Indiana State Digital Archives

Marriage Records

 * 1800s-2007 - Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 1780-1992 - FamilySearch


 * 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 - Ancestry.com $


 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images

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

Websites

 * INGenWeb, Pike County
 * Pike County, Indiana Genealogy, History and Facts
 * USGenWeb, Pike County
 * , Pike County
 * Pike County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Indiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook

Overview of Pike County from Wikipedia, Chamber of Commerce, and e-podunk

Places
• Petersburg • Spurgeon • Winslow

Unincorporated • Otwell • Stendaz • Velpen Townships • Clay • Jefferson • Lockhart • Logan • Madison • Marion • Monroe • Patoka • Washington