Daviess County, Indiana Genealogy

United States &gt; Indiana &gt; Daviess County

Parent County
1816--Daviess County was created 24 December 1816 from Knox County. County seat: Washington

Record Loss
Set The Court House on Fire.

Four Men, Including an Officer, Arrested at Washington, Ind., for Arson.

Washington, Ind., Oct. 14.-This city has witnessed the most exciting scenes in the history to-day. Detectives have been at work on the Court House fire, and up to this hour have arrested four persons supposed to be connected with the fire.

Samuel Harbine, a day laborer here, was arrested last night, charged with complicity in the burning of the records. After being arrested Harbine confessed the crime and implicated several prominent people in it, and as a result Auditor James H. Lavelle and I.B. Hawes, a prominent citizen of Steele township, were arrested this morning and placed in jail; also a man by the name of Basil Ledgerwood. The officers are now out after Michael Lavelle, a brother of the auditor.

Harbine's story is that Lavelle hired him to burn the court house for $500, only $5 of which he has been paid. It is reported that Ledgerwood is also anxious to turn State's evidence. He claims to have been given a house and lot for his part in the crime. Auditor Lavelle's bondsmen, becoming frightened at the turn affairs were taking, required him to turn all his property over to them yesterday.

Lavelle has been Auditor of the county for eight years and the fact that the people had confidence in him makes his arrest and accusation of the court house fire the sensation of the hour. From present circumstances it is supposed he is short in his accounts, but no one knows the amount. Experts are now at work on his books.

Hawes lives on a farm of 500 acres, owned by him, and is in good circumstances. He was brought in at the muzzle of a Winchester.

The four persons in jail were taken before Judge Hefron this morning. They waived a preliminary bail and Lavelle's and Hawes' were fixed at $5,000 each, and Harbine's and Ledgerwood's at $2,000 each. They are still in jail, not having given bond.

A special says that Ledgerwood and Harbine have pleaded guilty in court. Sentence was suspended by Judge Hefron, as they will be used as witnesses.

The Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL 15 Oct 1891

source:gendisasters.com

Neighboring Counties
Dubois | Greene | Knox | Martin | Pike

Local Histories

 * History of Knox and Davis Counties, Indiana, from the earliest time to the present : with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc., together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government (Chicago, Goodspeed Pub. Co) 977.23 H2g  INTERNET ARCHIVE  other libraries

Military
Civil War

Civil War service men from Kosciusko County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Kosciusko County.


 * 6th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C, and Reorganized Company E
 * 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Comapny F
 * 11th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Comapny K
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized F
 * 24th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, and K
 * 27th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and E
 * 42nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company G
 * 52nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, and E
 * 58th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
 * 65th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 70th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 117th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Company K
 * 143rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops

Civil War Book


 * "Military History" Chaper 6 in History of Knox and Davis Counties, Indiana, from the earliest time to the present : with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc., together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government (Chicago, Goodspeed Pub. Co) Page 644-674.  977.23 H2g   INTERNET ARCHIVE  other libraries

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Daviess County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Daviess County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)