Jefferson County, Indiana Genealogy

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

Description
Jefferson County was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, principal draftsman of the Northwest Ordinance and the third president of the United States from 1801 through 1809. It is located in the southeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Jefferson County Courthouse 300 E Main St #203 Madison, IN 47250 Phone: 812-265-8921 County Website

Jefferson County Health Department 715 Green Road Madison, IN 47250 Phone Number: 812-273-1942 Fax: 812-273-1955 Health Department

County Health Dept has birth, death and burial records. County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, and court records. County Recorder has land records. 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.

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:

Biographies

 * Indiana Biography Index at Indiana State Library

Census Records

 * Index to Defective, Dependent &amp; Delinquent Census for Jefferson County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
 * Early Settlers of Jefferson County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Church Records
United Church of Christ
 * 1837-1935 - St. John's United Church of Christ, Madison, Baptism Index 1837-1935 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch.
 * 1837-1935 - St. John's United Church of Christ, Madison, Marriage Index 1837-1935 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch.

Court Records

 * Circuit Court Order Book (1812-1818)

Directories

 * Directory of Businesses in Jefferson County (1858) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. 1969, 1972. Compiled and published by John M. Gresham & Company. Evansville, Indiana : Unigraphic. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books; . Some versions may be reprints of original publication: Chicago [Illinois] : Chicago Printing Company, 1889.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library


 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana

Military Records

 * Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
 * African American Veterans in Jefferson County, Indiana (1890) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Civil War Civil War service men from Jefferson 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 Jefferson County.


 * 1st Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company L
 * 3rd Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company E
 * 6th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, K, E, and Reorganized Company A, E, F, and K
 * 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company M
 * 8th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company H
 * 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company H
 * 12th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
 * 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D, and Reorganized Companies B, C, D, and E
 * 20th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Companies D, and F
 * 51st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
 * 82nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, B, C, G, and K
 * 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
 * 93rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C, and E
 * 128th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A
 * 132nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D
 * 137th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies B, F, and I
 * 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
 * 149th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
 * 28th US Colored Troops, Company E, and Addition Recruits for Colored Troop

Civil War books and articles:
 * "Recollections of Morgan's Raid", from the journal of Melvin C. Robertson. (Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. 28, no. 2 (June 1932): 116-137.)
 * "Reminiscences of the Burning of Columbia, South Carolina", by Michael C. Garber, Jr.(Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. 11, no. 4 (December 1915): 285-300.)

World War I
 * 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Hoosier State Chronicles

Probate Records

 * 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry $

School Records

 * Directory of Teachers for Jefferson County (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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.

Marriage

 * 1780-1992  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
 * 1802-1892 Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry $
 * 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Indexing is not complete. Film # 004476596 finding aid to Jefferson County marriages:

Death

 * Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry.com - index, (Free collection)
 * 1750-1993 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1882-1920 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry $

Family History Centers

 * Columbus Indiana Family History Center
 * North Vernon Indiana Family History Center
 * Bartholomew County Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Jackson County Indiana Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Lawrenceburg Public Library District - an affiliate library.

Libraries

 * Duggan Library Hanover College Archives & Special Collections 121 Scenic Drive Hanover, IN 47243 Phone: 812-866-7165 Email: [mailto:library@hanover.edu library@hanover.edu] Website
 *  Jefferson County Public Library 273 North Madison Avenue Hanover, IN 47243 Phone: 812-866-1470 Email: [mailto:contact@mjcpl.org contact@mjcpl.org] Website

Societies

 * Jefferson County Historical Society 615 West First St. Madison, IN 47250 Phone: 812-265-2335 Email: [mailto:info@jchshc.org info@jchshc.org] Facebook Website
 *  Jefferson County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 651 Madison, IN 47250 Email: [mailto:JCGS@cinergymetro.net JCGS@cinergymetro.net] Facebook Website

Websites

 * 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 Free and Members-only. Scroll the list.
 * Resources on IndianasGore
 * EveryNameIndex.com for Indiana Free online genealogy indexes for county histories. Select a county.
 * – 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.