Rush County, Indiana Genealogy

Guide to Rush 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 from the Delaware New Purchase December 31, 1821
 * County Seat:  Rushville

Description
The county was named for Dr. Benjamin Rush, who signed the Declaration of Independence. The county seat is Rushville and the county was organized in 1822. The County is located in the East-Central part 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
Hancock •  Henry  •  Fayette  •  Franklin  •  Decatur  •  Shelby

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
Before the city hall was built in 1881, records were not carefully protected. At one point they were kept in the office of the Justice of the Peace. Persons desiring to destroy criminal records broke in and stole the town records by mistake, and burned them.

Historical Background
In 1800, the Indiana Territory was organized. At that time, today's Rush County, Indiana, was part of the Indian Lands that made up most of the current state of Indiana. Statehood was granted in 1816. The Federal Census of 1820 found today's Rush County a part of the huge, unorganized, and sparsely populated area called Delaware County. Rush County, as it is known today, was organized 31 December 1821 from a portion of that unorganized territory. It was named for Dr. Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia.

Driven from their homes in the East, the Delaware Indian tribe resettled in western Pennsylvania, then in eastern and central Indiana. As a consequence of treaties, the final one written in 1819, their lands in Indiana were ceded to the federal government, and they moved beyond the Mississippi River.In October 1820 the newly surveyed land was offered to purchasers. In 1821 278 persons made land entries.

Within five years of the organization of the state of Indiana, many prosperous settlements had sprung up in what is now Rush County. With the organization of the county,it was divided into six townships: Union, Ripley, Noble, Washington, Richland, and Orange. Further division established Green, Rushville, Walker, Center, Jackson, Anderson, and Posey townships.

The first settlers were hunters and trappers, some of whom became permanent settlers. Timber was cleared and cabins built, usually about sixteen by twenty feet, constructed of logs with fireplaces and chimneys, furnished with rough, home-made furniture. Wild game was plentiful. Wool and flax were spun and textiles woven. Stumps were pulled and land was cleared and planted. Domestic animals foraged in the abundant wild foliage.Much feared were panthers and wolves, which threatened the livestock.Large families were typical. Hospitality was generous.

Early industries included grist mills, saw mills, and a distillery. Public schools were establishes in 1837. Early churches, in order of membership numbers, were: Church of Christ, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Quaker, Catholic, Christian Union, Wesleyan, and Adventist.

Rushville, the county seat, was founded in 1823 and the first courthouse was contracted for that year. The growth of the community was steady. Railroads helped develop business, and trade flourished, especially in grain. The first Rush County newspaper, Dog Fennel Gazette, was published in 1823, followed by the Herald. The east Hill Cemetery was established. In 1857 the first bank opened. Mills and elevators followed, as well as carriage builders, machine works, a cigar factory, a furniture factory, a pump factory, and other enterprises. However, it has remained a small city in productive rural surroundings.

Rush County supported the election of Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. As the South seceded, Indiana responded to the call for volunteers. Ultimately 2,483 men served with the Union forces in the Civil War, some of them reenlistment.

Census Records

 * Index to Mortality Schedule (1860) Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Index to Defective, Dependent Delinquent Census (1880)  Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * Pioneer Settlers of Rush County Indiana Genealogical Society)

Church Records

 * INGenWeb, List of Rush County churches

Court Records
The county clerk has probate and court records from 1820 to the present.

Directories

 * Directory of Businesses (1868) ($, Indiana Genealogical Society)
 * List of Residents for Rush County, Indiana. Philadelphia: Wilmer Atkinson Co., 1921. (digitized book)

Local Histories

 * History of Rush County, Indiana: from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the northwest, the Indiana territory, and the state of Indiana. (2003. Kokomo, IN: Selby Pub.), FHL US/CAN Film 934918 Item 2,, Other Libraries, Internet Archive


 * Gary, Abraham Lincoln, and Ernest B. Thomas. Centennial History of Rush County, Indiana. (Indianapolis: Historical Pub. Co, 1921.) FHL US/CAN Film 934918 Items 3-4,, Other Libraries, Internet Archive


 * History of Rush County Linkpendium

Land and Property
Land records are held by the county recorder. Records from 1789-1837 are published and indexed. Early records, prior to 1807, were handled in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Indiana
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Maps and Gazetteers Linkpendium

Civil War
Civil War service men from Rush 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 Rush County.


 * 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company M
 * 2nd Battery, Indiana Light Artillery
 * 9th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies E, F, and M
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company I
 * 16th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F, and Reorganized Companies C, G, and H
 * 37th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K and Reorganized Company A
 * 52nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies G, and H
 * 54th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 68th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, and I
 * 84th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 111th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 123rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
 * 124th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 129th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 134th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
 * 146th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
 * 148th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A, and B
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops

Civil War Books


 * "Military History" Chapter 6 in History of Rush County, Indiana: from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the northwest, the Indiana territory, and the state of Indiana. (2003. Kokomo, IN: Selby Pub.), (page 447-477, Regiment, Companies; Roll of Honor, 470-477), FHL US/CAN Film 934918 Item 2,, Other Libraries, Internet Archive

World War I

 * 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Selected Extracts from Newspapers in Rush County, Indiana (1864-1895) Indiana Genealogical Society)

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

Found in the office of the county clerk beginning in 1822.

School Records

 * Directory of Teachers for Rush County (1936) Indiana Genealogical Society)

County Courthouse
Rush County Courthouse PO Box 429 Rushville, IN 46173-0429 Phone: 765.932.2086 County Health Department has birth, death, and burial from 1882. County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1822. County Recorder has land records.

Family History Centers

 * Batesville Indiana Family History Center

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

Libraries
Rushville Public Library 130 W. 3rd Street Rushville, IN Website

Henry Henley Public Library 102 N. Main Street Carthage, IN

Societies
 Rush County Genealogical Society PO Box 293 Milroy, IN 46156 Facebook

Rush County Historical Society and Museum 619 N. Perkins St. PO Box 302 Rushville, IN 46173 Telephone Number: 765-932-2492 E-mail: [mailto:rchs1@frontier.com rchs1@frontier.com] Website

Whitewater Valley Genealogical Association PO Box 941 Connersville, IN 47331

Vital Records

 * Indiana State Digital Archives

Birth Records
Birth records prior to 1907 are in the County Health Department. After that date they are found at the State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Indianapolis.Indiana death records from 1920 are found In the State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, and prior to that date in the County Health Department.

Marriage Records
The County Clerk's office has 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

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

Places

 * Rushville, the county seat, was founded in 1823. It was incorporated in 1845. The town was laid out in 1822, with a central square and 151 lots.The first house in Rushville was erected in December 1820. The first railroad came to Rushville in 1850.
 * Carthage is located on the bank of Big Blue River, in Ripley Township. It was laid out in 1834. Quakers were instrumental in its establishment.
 * Milroy was founded in Anderson Township, in a particularly fertile farming district.Lots were first offered for sale in 1830.
 * Manilla, was out in 1836 in Walker Township. The town was originally named Wilmington.
 * Arlington, formerly Burlington, was laid out in 1832.
 * New Salem was platted by its first inhabitants in 1831.
 * Glenwood, laid out in 1882, was first named Vienna, and then briefly called Steels.
 * Falmouth was business location of considerable trade before it was platted in 1832.The original town, laid out about 1824, was mostly in Fayette County.
 * Raleigh, located in the center of Washington Township, was called Newburn originally. The name was changed when it was platted in 1847. The post office, however, was called McCan's.
 * Other small villages: Hamilton Station, Mays, Moscow, Gings, Homer, Richland.
 * Abandoned: Williamsport, Marcellus, Mt. Etna, Carmel, Ashland, Savannah, Earl City, Smith.