Spencer County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Spencer 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
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
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 1882.
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
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 | 1883 | 1818 | 1848 | 1807 |
Record Loss
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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
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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]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Spencer County, Indiana Family Bibles at Genealogy Trails
Biographies
- 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
Cemeteries
Census Records
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
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
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
- 1818-1921 Civil Order Books, Circuit Court, Spencer County, Indiana, 1818-1921(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1833-1860 Complete Record Books, Circuit Court, Spencer County, Indiana, 1833-1860(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1851-1854 Complete Record Books, Common Pleas Court, Spencer County, Indiana, 1851-1854(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1860 Complete Record Books, Common Pleas Court, Spencer County, Indiana, 1853-1860(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1872 Order Books, Common Pleas Court, Spencer County, Indiana, 1853-1872(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1905-1938 Coroner's Inquest Record, Jan. 1905-Aug. 1938(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Boultinghouse Funeral Home in Chrisney and Rockport.
- Fuller Funeral Home in Dale.
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 Spencer 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 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
for more resources
- Historic Indiana Maps at IUPUI University Library
- 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
- 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
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 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
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 Spencer 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 ($)
- 1818-1830 Will and Probate Records, 1818-1830(*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1833-1921 Probate Records, 1833-1921(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1833-1933 Will Records, 1833-1933(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1851-1854 Complete Record Books, Common Pleas Court, Spencer County, Indiana, 1851-1854(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1853-1869 Partition Records, 1853-1869(*); Clerk of the Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1871-1885 Guardians Reports of Accounts, 1871-1885(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- Directory of Teachers for Spencer County (1936) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Early Teachers and School Officials of Spencer County 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 - FamilySearch; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1800s-2007 Indiana, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 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 Spencer 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
- Evansville Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Owensboro Kentucky FamilySearch Center
- Daviess County Public Library - Kentucky - an affiliate library.
- Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Perry County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Willard Indiana Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Spencer County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Spencer County Public Library
210 Walnut St
Rockport, IN 47635
Phone: 812-649-4866
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Spencer County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Spencer County Historical Society
Spencer County Public Library
210 Walnut St
Rockport, IN 47635-1398
Phone: 812-649-4866
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 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
References
- ↑ 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); 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, "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.