Tag Archives: Indiana

County Commissioners Records

Have you used county commissioners’ records in your genealogy research?

County commissioners handled county business. They still do today. Minutes of the county commissioners have many details about life with a county and activities of many individuals living in the county. Some of their duties included:

  • Creating townships and altering township boundaries
  • Auditing treasurer and auditor’s reports
  • Defending the county in the courts
  • Appointing constables
  • Appointing overseers of the poor
  • Appointing trustees to the county seminary
  • Appointing school trustees
  • Granting licenses for liquor, taverns, retailing foreign merchandise, ferries, etc.
  • Opening and maintaining public roads and bridges
  • Building and maintaining county buildings, including the courthouse, jail, and county asylum
  • Purchasing materials and supplies for the county
  • Levying county taxes
  • Appointing assessors
  • Selecting juries
  • Poor relief, including boarding, food, clothing, medicine, and burials
  • Overseeing the county asylum or farm for the poor
  • Offering rewards
  • Military bounties

Records produced before 1850 are rich in details about people who were only enumerated as tally marks on the census. Women are recorded boarding the poor or receiving poor relief themselves. Poor men, women, and children are recorded when someone else was paid to provide their coffin or dig their grave.

You may find details about the criminals within your family. The Sheriff and his constables were paid for fire wood, food, clothing, and ironing (not their clothes) the county’s prisoners.

You may be able to recreate a neighborhood by reading petitions for roads or changes in township boundaries.

Liquor, tavern, store, and ferry licenses may tell you more about your ancestors’ professions. Or your ancestor may have been reimbursed for flour or shoes he provided the poor.

County commissioners records contain a wealth of information about our ancestors. Abstracts for the Dearborn County, Indiana County Commissioners’ Records are online from 1826 to 1852.

Find online records of county commissioners Records:

Indiana Naturalization Records

You can learn more about your ancestors’ immigration experience if they became a U.S. citizen.

In order to become a citizen, an individual followed the following process:

  1. Declared his intent to become a citizen in front of a court. Declarations of intent can be rich in details about a ancestor’s life before immigration, including their birth date, birth place, when they migrated, and ports of departure and arrival. They may detail the persons migration within the United States. Sometimes family details are included, such as names of their spouses and children, along with ages.
  2. Petitioned to become a citizen after a period of time set by federal law. At the time of their naturalization, the person may state where they filed their declaration of intent, which may be in another county or state if they have moved. Sometimes other citizens in the county vouched for the individual and can expand your knowledge of your ancestors’ family, friends, neighbors, and associates.

Individuals could file their naturalization documents in any court from the federal to state to local level before the 1950s. Records relating to your ancestors’ naturalization process may be found in a variety of locations in Indiana:

  • Circuit Court Order Books
  • Common Pleas Order Books
  • Probate Order Books
  • Superior Court Order Books
  • Naturalization Books
  • Loose papers

The Indiana State Archives is the official repository of Indiana naturalization records prior to 1951, with the exception of naturalizations found in court order books. Unfortunately, some counties submitted none or only some of their records. A partial index of these records are online at the Indiana Digital Archives.

An incomplete index of Indiana naturalizations has been compiled into An Index to Naturalization Records in Pre-1907 Order Books of Indiana County Courts by Indiana Historical Society (Indianapolis, 2001).

Check each county for online records:

1814 Divorce of Nancy and Benjamin Whitford

Early Indiana divorces may have been granted by the Indiana General Assembly and recorded as private laws. The divorce of Nancy and Benjamin Whitford of Dearborn County, Indiana in 1814 is one example. Due to the Dearborn County Courthouse fire in March 1826 that destroyed all of the county’s records, this marriage and divorce are preserved within the state’s records. Discover more laws in the Historic Indiana Law Project.

Ewbank, Louis B. and Dorothy L. Riker, editors. The Laws of Indiana Territory, 1809-1816. Indianapols : Indiana Historical Bureau, 1934.

Fifth General Assembly of the State of Indiana, First Session, 1814.

Page 727

AN ACT for the relief of Nancy Whitford.

Whereas it has been represented to this Legislature, That  Nancy Whitford, of Dearborn County, in this Territory, was formerly married to one Benjamin Whitford, who not only refused to provide food and apparel for her, but likewise deserted her—And whereas it has likewise been represented that the said  Nancy Whitford, but now Nancy Ives, being herself deserted by her husband Benjamin Whitford, and being in a forlorn and distressed situation, and being informed of the said Benjamin Whitford’s having contracted a second marriage, she was induced to contract on her part a marriage, with one Nehemiah Ives, and as some doubts have arisen with respect to the legality of her marriage with the said Nehemiah Ives, Therefore

Be it enacted by the Legislative Council & House of Representatives, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the said Nancy shall from the said Benjamin be and she is hereby divorced from the bands of matrimony contracted between them; and the marriage which  was contracted by the said  Nancy with the said  Nehemiah is hereby legalized to all intents and purposes, and shall be so taken & esteemed, as well within as without all courts of Judicature, & Tribunals whatsoever—any law, usage or custom to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.

Approved 2d September 1814

1832 Guardianship of William and Mary Ann Evertt

The guardianship below reminds us of two things when looking at probate records.

  1. Children did not have to be orphans for a guardian to be appointed for them.
  2. Probate records can tell us important details about the lives of our ancestors.

“Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999,” Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9045: accessed 23 Jun 2017); Switzerland > Probate Order Book, Vol 1, 1814-1824, 1831-1837 and 1837-1847 > image 202; 1831-1837, p. 88.

November 1832 Term of the Switzerland County, Indiana Circuit Court

Now here comes William Evertt and makes report to this Court that he will be seventeen years of age on the 27th day of May 1833. That his father William Evertt left this county not to return as he believes leaving the said William entirely destitute of the means of support, and to the mercy of the world &c and prays the Court to appoint James Froman guardian of his person and Estate until he shall arrive at the age of 21 years on said Fromans giving bond according to law Whereupon the said James Froman is by the Court appointed guardian of the person & Estate of the said William Evertt according to the prair [prayer] of the petitioner on his entering into bond with security to be approved by the Clerk in the Sum of Fifty dollars conditioned as the law directs within fifteen days after the rising of this Court.

Now here Comes David Fallis and files his petition praying to be appointed guardian of the person and estate of Mary Ann Evertt until she shall arrive at full age she being abandoned by her parents and left without means of support. She will be fourteen years of age shortly. Thereupon the said Mary Ann comes and consents to said Appointment. And the Court now appoints the said David Fallis guardian of the said Mary Ann until she arrives at the age of eighteen years according to this prayer Then he entering into bond in the sum of fifty Dollars with Security to be approved by the Clerk of this Court within fifteen days after the rising of this Court conditioned as the law directs.

1845 Will of John Mendenhall

The following is a transcription from:
“Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999,” Ancestry (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9045 : accessed 7 Aug 2017); Switzerland > Probate Order Book, 1841-1843; Probate Order Book, 1843-1849; Probate Order Book, 1849-1853 > image 165, 1843-1849, p. 111-112.

May Term 1845

Ira Mendenhall, Miles Mendenhall, John W. Malin, Ira N. Malin, Joseph Malin Jr., Julius Dufour and Ann E. Dufour late Ann E. Malin his wife, and Martha E. Mendenhall by Jos. C. Eggleston her Guardian ad litem vs. Martha B. Mendenhall} application to Establish a Will

Comes said Martha B. Mendenhall the person named as Executor of John Mendenhall Dec’d and offers for Probate as and for the last will and Testament of said John Mendenhall Dec’d the following will and Codicil viz: “Vevay Ind. January 1st. 1835

In the name of God, Amen. I John Mendenhall considering the uncertainty, of this mortal life, and being of sound mind &c blessed be Almighty God for the same I do make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner and form following that is to say First, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Martha B. Mendenhall, the house & lot No. 64 all appurtenances thereunto belongin, during her widohood then all the real estate I do bequeath to my Daughter Martha Elisabeth Mendenhall, and lastly as to all the rest, residue and remainder of my personal Estate goods & chattels of kind and nature soever, I give and bequeath the same to my said beloved wife Martha B. Mendenhall, whom I hereby appoint sole executrix of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the first day of January in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Thirty five.

[signed] John Mendenhall {Seal}

I John Mendenhall do this Second day of Jan 1835 make and publish this codicil to my last will and testament, in manner following (that is to say) I give to Liza a black woman, a home on my premises and to her suffishency of food reament & loding if sick to be taken care off (that is to say) as long she lives , on these conditions, if she is willing to stay or live with the family so long, But if she, of her own will makes choise of any other home, and moves off, and leaves the above said premises, then the above said obligation to void and no further effect, as witness my hand & seal this seccond day of January Eighteen Hundred & thirty five

[signed] Jno Mendenhall {Seal}

I John Mendenhall do this Third day of January 1835 make and publis this codicil to my last will and testament in manner following that is to say I give Lyzaes Son Greenup his freedom on those Conditions, that is the said Greenup is to serve and be at the disposel of his Mistress during her naturel lifetime if so be that said Martha B Mendenhall should deceased previous two the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty seven he said Greenup is to remain as the servent of my daughter Martha B Mendenhall from the day of her mother death to the and of the year 1847 as above stated, Then after the said term the said Greenup is to be set at liberty, and made free of and from all all of my heirs Administrators &c. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this third day of January eighteen hundred and thirty five

[signed] Jno Mendenhall {Seal}

I, John Mendenhall do this fourth day of Janr. 1835 make and publish this codicil my last will and testament in manner following, That is to say I give and bequeath to my son Ira Mendenhall, the sum of Fifty I give and bequeath to my son Miles Mendenhall ten dollars I give and bequeath to my Grandchildren Malins to say the sum of five dollars to each one that is to say John Malin 5, Ira Malin 5, Joseph Malin 5, Ann E Malin 5 which said several Legasies or sums of money I will and order shall be paid to the said respective legatees within (that is to say, my two suns, one year after my deceased, And those several sums of money paid to my other legatees within three years after my Decease and lastly is my desire that this my present codicil be annexed to and made a part of my last will and testament to all intents and purposes In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourth day January in the year of our Lord &c One thousand eight hundred thirty five.

[signed] Jno Mendenhall

And thereupon come said plaintiff and object to the Probate of said paper as and for the last will and testament of said John Mendenhall dec’d and make and file the following allegation against the validity or proof of said supposed will here insert therein. And it appearing to the Court that said plaintiffs are all the Children or their decendants of said John Mendenhall deced, and the persons interested in the Estate which was of said John Mendenhall decd and by agreement said Joseph C Eggleston is appointed Guardian ad litem of said Martha E Mendenhall who is a minor under the age of 21 years, and the Court now here proceed to hear the proofs and allegations of said parties without the intervention of a Jury which is waved. And the Court after hearing the testimony and due deliberation had thereon, do find and adjudge that said writing produced is not the last will and testament of siad John Mendenhall decd and do therefore refuse to admit the same to Probate as such, and from said Judgment said Martha B Mendenhall prayes an appeal to the Switzerland Circuit Court which is granted, by her entering into Bond in the sum of Fifty dollars with security to be approved by the Clerk within the time prescribed by law, conditioned as the law directs.

1847 Mexican War Deaths from Switzerland County

The following is a transcription from
“Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999,” Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9045 : accessed 11 Aug 2017); Switzerland > Probate Order Book, 1841-1843; Probate Order Book, 1843-1849; Probate Order Book, 1849-1853 > image 281, p. 340.

August 1847 Term

Be it remembered that on this 10th day of August 1847 Come Jane Terry and Exhibited Satisfictory proof before the Probate Court for the County of Switzerland in the State of Indiana by the affidavits of John Gray and William Gray that She Jane Terry is the mother of William Terry who was a private in Company D Commanded by Captain Scott Carter in the third Regiment of Indiana foot Volunteers Commanded by Colonel James H. Lane, and who died while in the line of his duty in the service of the United States at Metamoris in Mexico in the month of November 1847[1846] That said William Terry left no widow, Child or Children or father.

In the matter of the Death of Wilson Huston.
Be it remembered that on the 10th day of Augt 1847 Come William W Huston and Exhibited Satisfectory proof before the Probate Court of Switzerland County in the State of Indiana now sitting, by the affidavit of William Price and Jesse Teats. That said William W. Huston is the fath[er] of Wilson Houston who was a private in Company D Commanded by Captain Scott Carter, in the 3rd Regiment of Indiana foot Volunteers Commanded by Colonel James H Lane, and who was killed in the Battle of Buena Vesta in Mexico on the 23rd day of February 1847 that the said Wilson Huston left no Widow or Children.

In the matter of the Death of Edward Detraz.
Be it remembered that on the 10th day of Augt 1847 John Detraz Exhibited satisfectory proof before the Probate Court for the County of Switzerland County in the State of Indiana, by the affidavit of Benjamin Detraz, & George Kysler. That said John Detraz is the father of Edward Detraz, in the 3rd Regiment of Indiana foot Volunteers Commanded by Colenl James H Lane and who died while in the line of his duty in the service of the United States at Saltillo in Mexico on or about the 21st day of March 1847 that said Edward Detraz left no widow or Children.

Other Births Reported in Dearborn County

The following is a list of births reported in Dearborn County, Indiana records from 1882 to 1907 that occurred outside of Dearborn County. These records do not contain the name of the child. See Dearborn County Birth Records for additional births and to request copies.

Births 1882-1886

Page Date of Birth Place of Birth Mother Father
30 26 Jan 1883 Ripley County Matilda Stiver Louis Kuhns
33 2 Mar 1883 Ripley County Sarah M Pate John Carson
52 2 Sep 1883 Ripley County Lucinda Hodge Saml Rogers
62 5 Nov 1883 Ripley County Mary Johnson J H Rogers
68 18 Jan 1884 Ripley County Estella Whitehead W W Stevenson
82 5 Aug 1884 Adams Township, [Ripley County] Mary Harbor Louis Minnemann
94 28 Oct 1884 Ripley County Fannie B Clark Richard Boldy

 

Births 1887-1889

Page Date of Birth Place of Birth Mother Father
1 26 Feb 1887 Ohio County Baker Allvin Walden
4 17 Mar 1887 Ohio Fred Rennert
13 6 Nov 1887 Ripley County Mary Haus J C Naves

 

Births 1890-1893

Page Date of Birth Place of Birth Mother Father
9 7 Jul 1890 Ripley County Priscilla Stockwell Joseph Parsons
16 6 Feb 1891 Ohio County Holmes James Edward Tinker

 

Births 1893-1897

Page Date of Birth Place of Birth Mother Father
5 9 Nov 1893 Cleves, Ohio Amelia Mergner William Klingenhoffer
17 2 Jan 1895 Ohio County Mary Otto George B Pate
26 2 Sep 1895 Ohio County Anna Ahler Hamilton Conaway
30 19 Dec 1895 Decatur County Mary Johnson John Hackman
36 2 Sep 1896 Ripley County Eva Gray Leslie Mulford

 

Births 1897-1900

Page Date of Birth Place of Birth Mother Father
26 6 Sep 1898 Ripley County Rose Raney Robert Beall

 

Births 1900-1903

None found.

 

Births 1903-1907

Page Date of Birth Place of Birth Mother Father
16 9 Jan 1904 Ripley County Anna May Clifford Voorhees

Other Deaths Reported in Ohio County

The following deaths were reported in Ohio County, Indiana but occurred elsewhere. The deaths are from Ohio County Deaths 1882-1910 viewed on FHL 1311820. See Ohio County Death Records for a full death index and to request copies.

Page Name Date of Death Place of Death
18 Neal Powell 8 Mar 1886 Switzerland County
18 Anna Halleran 29 Nov 1886 North Bend, Ohio
30 Hattie Hall 25 Dec 1888 Harrisville, Michigan
38 Charles Mossman 11 May 1891 Cincinnati, Ohio
70 Susana Highbee 7 Nov 1900 Ohio
79 Laura S Sheppard 22 Oct 1902 Ohio
94 John K Lynn 21 Feb 1906 Ohio
101 John K Gillispie 19 Apr 1907 Ohio
105 Drosly A Norris 3 Apr 1908 Ohio

Other Deaths Reported in Dearborn County

The following deaths were reported in Dearborn County, Indiana death records but occurred elsewhere. They were viewed on FHL 209874. See Dearborn County Deaths a full index and to obtain copies.

Deaths 1882-1886

Page Name Date of Death Place of Death
5 Nathan McCardle 10 Apr 1882 Ohio County
6 Charles L McCardle 3 Apr 1882 Randolph Twp, [Ohio County]
14 Wm P Pearson 18 Jun 1882 Harrison, Ohio
22 Chas Brasher 13 Apr 1883 Cincinnati, Ohio
34 Ann Durham 5 Jan 1884 South Milan, [Ripley County]
66 Gay McDonald Kentucky
68 Ney Waisier 5 Aug 1886 Switzerland County

 

Deaths 1887-1894

 

Page Name Date of Death Place of Death
2 Lucinda Henderson 17 Mar 1887 Harrison, Ohio
5 Infant Laker 8 Nov 1887 Ohio County
13 Julia M O’Connell 28 Mar 1889 Cincinnati, Ohio
16 George Veil 26 Oct 1889 Harrison, Ohio
16 Joseph Debuyne 24 Oct 1889 Newport, Kentucky
21 Henry Miller 22 Jun 1889 Ohio County
25 Katie Riddle 25 Jun 1891 River Side, Ohio

 

Deaths 1894-1896

 

Page Name Date of Death Place of Death
6 Louis O Conner 31 Mar 1895 Cincinnati, Ohio
8 Sarah A Gray 19 Mar 1895 Ripley County
15 Grubbs 25 Aug 1896 Ohio

 

Deaths 1897-1898

 

Page Name Date of Death Place of Death
14 Philip Hinner 30 Jul 1898 Cincinnati, Ohio
16 Henry Westerman Oct 1898 Cincinnati, Ohio

Heirs of Reese A. P. Gerard – 1855 – Ohio County

The following transcription is from:
“Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999,” Ancestry (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9045 : accessed 26 Sep 2017); Ohio > Probate Order Book, Vol 1-3, 1853-1872 > image 113, Volume 1, p. 188, matter of Reese A. P. Gerard, 1855.

April Term 1855 – Apr 18

In the matter of Reese A P Gerard deceased one of the heirs of Joseph Gerard.

It is ordered to be certified of Record that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited and introduced to this court showing that a Bill passed at the last session of Congress granting three section of Land to the heirs of Joseph Gerard “a messenger of the United States to the Indians, who was killed in 1792 and that they or their heirs are hereby permitted to enter each one of them severally, or his or their heirs one Section of the public Lands without the payment of any consideration for said three sections being in full payment for the Patriotic services of said Joseph Gerard” &c and that one of said heirs of said Joseph Gerard towit Reese A P Gerard since said Bill was presented before Congress of the United States of America, is deceased leaving as his only heirs the children of George Buchanan & Maria Buchanan deceased who was formerly Maria Gerard only heir of Reese A P Gerard deceased and Margaret Gerard deceased his wife whose names are as follows Reese A P Buchanan, William S Buchanan, who are of age and Harriet Buchanan, Pleasant Buchanan, James Buchanan, Perry Buchanan, Cornelius Buchanan, George W. Buchanan & Winfield S. Buchanan who are minors all of which appears from the testimony of disinterested & credible witnesses who were duly sworn and gave in their testimony in open court a copy of said Bill was also presented to this court.

—

In the matter of the Guardianship of the heirs of Reese A P Gerard deceased.

On motion of George Buchanan the court appoint him to be Guardian of the persons and property of Harr[iet] Buchanan, Pleasant Buchanan, James Buchanan, Per[ry] Buchanan, Cornelius Buchanan, George W Buchanan & Winfield S Buchanan minor heirs of Reese A P Gerard deceased; and said George gave Bond as such Guardian in the sum of fifteen hundred Dollars with Stephen Hastings as his security to the acceptance of the court and the said George Buchanan was thereupon duly sworn in open court as such Guardian.