Ripley County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Ripley County, Indiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Ripley County was named for Gen. Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, an officer in the War of 1812, who was mainly remembered for the Battle of Lundy's Lane and the Siege of Fort Erie, in 1814. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Ripley County Courthouse
P.O. Box 177
Versailles, IN 47042
Phone: 812-689-6115
County Website
Ripley County Health Department
102 West 1st North Street, Suite 106
P.O. Box 745
Versailles, IN 47042
Health Officer: David Welsh, MD
Phone Number: 812-689-5751
Fax: 812-689-3909
Health Department
County Health Department has birth and death records.
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1818.
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.
Ripley County, Indiana Record Dates
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 | 1882 | 1918 | 1818 | 1818 | 1807 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
|
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:[7]
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline
- History and Directory of Ripley County. 1888. By Ed. C. Jerman. [Versailles, Indiana : Republican Print]. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library. Brief history begins page 64; county historical timeline pages 69-88.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
For tips on accessing Ripley County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 1,822 | — |
| 1830 | 3,989 | 118.9% |
| 1840 | 10,392 | 160.5% |
| 1850 | 14,820 | 42.6% |
| 1860 | 19,054 | 28.6% |
| 1870 | 20,977 | 10.1% |
| 1880 | 21,627 | 3.1% |
| 1890 | 19,350 | −10.5% |
| 1900 | 19,881 | 2.7% |
| 1910 | 19,452 | −2.2% |
| 1920 | 18,694 | −3.9% |
| 1930 | 18,078 | −3.3% |
| 1940 | 18,898 | 4.5% |
| 1950 | 18,763 | −0.7% |
| 1960 | 20,641 | 10.0% |
| 1970 | 21,138 | 2.4% |
| 1980 | 24,398 | 15.4% |
| 1990 | 24,616 | 0.9% |
| 2000 | 26,523 | 7.7% |
| 2010 | 28,818 | 8.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Ripley County, Indiana (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Church Records
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository.
For more information about these major repositories, see Indiana Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Methodist
- 1847-1915 - Methodist Episcopal Church, Batesville, Baptism Index 1847-1915 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C761331 .[8]
- 1847-1916 - Methodist Episcopal Church, Batesville, Marriage Index 1847-1916 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch M761331.
Court Records
- 1818-1918 Civil Order Books, (1818-1918) and Index (1818-1880), Ripley County, Indiana(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1854-1917 Partition Record, 1854-1917(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1897-1928 Coroners Inquest, 1897-1928 : Transcripts to Bind Real Estate(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Directory of Businesses in Ripley County, Indiana (1858, 1868) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Batesville For-Families in Batesville.
- Cook Rosenberger Funeral Home in Sunman.
- Laws-Carr-Moore Funeral Home in Milan.
- Meyers Funeral Home in Batesville.
- Neal's Funeral Home in Osgood.
- Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles.
- Weigel Funeral Home in Batesville.
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
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 Ripley County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Ripley 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 Ripley County, Indiana. 1968. Compiled by the Business and Professional Women of Osgood, Versailles, Milan and Holton. Batavia, Ohio : Clermont Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- Military Record Series Index at Indiana Digital Archives
- DAR Ross Run Chapter. Marked graves of Revolutionary soldiers buried in Ripley Co., Ind.
Civil War
Civil War service men from Ripley 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 Ripley County.
- 5th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry (90th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers), Company H
- 6th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company K
- 7th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies C, and D
- 9th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company B
- 13th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company B
- 16th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 20th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company G
- 37th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company A, D, and Reorganized Company A
- 44th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company K
- 68th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, E, and K
- 83rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies A, E, F, G, and K
- 91st Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company I
- 123rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 146th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company H
- 156th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
World War I
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- edited by Minnie Elizabeth Wycoff. Ripley County's part in the World War 1917-18 : compiled under the direction and censorship of the Ripley County Historical Society. Batesville, Indiana : Enquirer Printing and Publishing Co., 1920.
- Residents of Ripley County who served in WWI at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Naturalization and Citizenship
- Naturalization Record Series (for this county) at Indiana Digital Archives. Search by names.
Newspapers
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.
- 1800s-Current Indiana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1804-2010 Hoosier State Chronicles 1804-2011
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
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 Ripley County courthouse. For more information, see Indiana Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1798-1999 Indiana Wills and Probate Records 1798-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1839-1922 Will Records, 1839-1922(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Probate Inventories at The University of Mary Washington
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- Directory of Teachers for Ripley County (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
Social Security Records
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Indiana tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the wiki page Indiana Taxation.
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Indiana law in 1882 required registration of births and deaths in counties. The Indiana Department of Health has birth records filed after October 1907 and death records filed after January 1900 for deaths. Copies may be obtained from the county health department or the Indiana State Division of Vital Records.
Birth
Marriage
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1802-1892 Indiana, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1892 at Ancestry
- 1811-1959 Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959 at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1811-2007 Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death
- Pre-1882 WEB: Indiana, Deaths, Pre-1882 at Ancestry - index, (Free collection)
- 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
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Ripley County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Batesville Indiana FamilySearch Center
- North Vernon Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Oxford Ohio FamilySearch Center
- Franklin County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Lawrenceburg Public Library District - West Harrison Branch - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Ripley County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Batesville Memorial Public Library
131 N Walnut St
Batesville, IN 47006-4897
Phone: 812-934-4706
Email: info@ebatesville.com
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Ripley County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Batesville Historical Society
15 W George St
Batesville, IN 47006
Phone: 812-932-0999
Email: bhc@batesvillehistoricalcenter.org
Website
Ripley County Historical Society
125 Washington St
PO Box 525
Versailles, IN 47023
Phone: 812-689-3031
Email: staff@rchslib.org
Website
Websites
- Ripley County, Indiana Genealogical Data page from Ripley County, Indiana, Historical Society
- Ripley County, Indiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- 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
- Ripley County Resources on IndianasGore
- INGenWeb, Ripley County
- USGenWeb, Ripley 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
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Ripley County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripley_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); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Indiana.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Ripley County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripley_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Ripley County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripley_County,_Indiana, accessed 02 January 2020.
- ↑ 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.