Spencer County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Spencer County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Spencer County was named for Captain Spier Spencer, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Spencer County Courthouse
200 Main Street
Rockport, IN 47635-1478
Phone: 812-649-6027
County Website
Spencer County Health Department
200 Main Street, Room 1
Rockport, IN, 47635
Health Officer: Stanley Tretter, MD
Phone Number: 812-649-4441
Fax: 812-649-6047
Email: detienne@spencercountyhealth.com
Health Department
County Health Department has birth records from 1882 and death records from 1830.
Cemetery trustees have burial records.
County Clerk has marriage records from 1818, divorce and court records from 1883, probate records from 1848 and naturalization records 1852-1929.
County Recorder has land records. [3]
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.
Spencer County, Indiana Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1882 | 1818 | 1830 | 1883 | 1818 | 1848 | 1807 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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September 1833 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged. Marriage and deed records were saved. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- All of the family biographies from the 1885 History of Warrick, Spencer and Perry Counties, Indiana, from the earliest time to the present : together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, by Goodspeed are available free online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; My Genealogy Hound .
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Spencer County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 1,882 | — |
| 1830 | 3,196 | 69.8% |
| 1840 | 6,305 | 97.3% |
| 1850 | 8,616 | 36.7% |
| 1860 | 14,556 | 68.9% |
| 1870 | 17,998 | 23.6% |
| 1880 | 22,122 | 22.9% |
| 1890 | 22,060 | −0.3% |
| 1900 | 22,407 | 1.6% |
| 1910 | 20,676 | −7.7% |
| 1920 | 18,400 | −11.0% |
| 1930 | 16,713 | −9.2% |
| 1940 | 16,211 | −3.0% |
| 1950 | 16,174 | −0.2% |
| 1960 | 16,074 | −0.6% |
| 1970 | 17,134 | 6.6% |
| 1980 | 19,361 | 13.0% |
| 1990 | 19,490 | 0.7% |
| 2000 | 20,391 | 4.6% |
| 2010 | 20,952 | 2.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Early Settlers of Spencer County, Indiana at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Index to Defective, Dependent Delinquent Census for Spencer County (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Indiana Church Records.
Mary Help of Christians Parish, Mariah Hill
- 1858-1885 - Mary Help of Christians Parish, Mariah Hill, Baptism Index 1858-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C537871.[8]
- 1862-1895 - Mary Help of Christians Parish, Mariah Hill, Marriage Index 1858-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M537871.[8]
St. Bernard Parish, Rockport
- 1866-1895 - St. Bernard Parish, Rockport, Marriage Index 1866-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M537931.[8]
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See Indiana Land and Property for additional information about early Indiana land grants and patents.
After land was transferred from the government to private ownership, subsequent transactions were recorded at the Spencer County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Spencer County. County histories may include biographies; church, school and government histories; and military information. For more information about local histories, see Indiana Local Histories.
- History of Warrick, Spencer and Perry Counties, Indiana. 1885. Chicago, Illinois : Goodspeed. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- African American Veterans in Spencer County, Indiana (1890) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Spencer 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 Spencer County.
- 1st Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company F
- 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies G, and M
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company H
- 25th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies D, E, and K
- 42nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, C, D, and H
- 53rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 58th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 65th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
- 115th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Company G
- 117th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (6 months, 1863-4), Company F
- 120th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 136th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
- 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Books:
- "Military History" Chapter 7 in History of Warrick, Spencer and Perry Counties, Indiana, from the earliest time to the present; together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. (1973. Evansville, Ind: Unigraphic.) Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive
World War I
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Indiana newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
For more Indiana newspaper information see the wiki page Indiana Newspapers.
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2011
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Indiana, probate records have been kept by the county clerk of the circuit court. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the Spencer County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Directory of Teachers for Spencer County (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Teachers and School Officials of Spencer County at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 - FamilySearch
- 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
- 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1750-1993 Indiana Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1882-1920 Indiana, Death Index, 1882-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1899-2011 Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 at Ancestry
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Spencer County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Owensboro Kentucky Family History Center
2390 Hwy 60 E
Owensboro KY 42303
Phone: 270-685-3396
Email: KY_Owensboro@familyhistorymail.org
Website
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Spencer County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Spencer County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Spencer County Historical Society
210 Walnut Street
Rockport, IN 47635-1398
Phone: 812-649-4866
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- 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 Select a county
- Every Name Index.com Online indexes for county histories. Select a county
- USGenWeb Archives, Spencer County
- INGenWeb, Spencer County
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Spencer County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_County,_Indiana accessed 04/03/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Spencer County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Spencer County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_County%2C_Indiana, accessed 06 January 2020.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/8d/Igiindianah.pdf.
