Switzerland County, Indiana Genealogy
Guide to Switzerland 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
Switzerland County was named for the country, Switzerland.[2] The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Switzerland County Courthouse
212 W Main Street
Vevay, IN 47043
Phone: 812-427-3175
County Website
Switzerland County Health Department
P.O. Box 14, 1190 W. Main, Suite 300
Vevay, IN, 47043
Health Officer: Scott Frede, MD
Phone Number: 812-427-3220
Fax: 812-427-0235
Health Department
County Health Department has birth, death and burial records. <bbr>County Clerk has marriage, divorce, court and probate records from 1814.
County Recorder has land records. [4]
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.
Switzerland 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 | 1814 | 1882 | 1814 | 1814 | 1814 | 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:[8]
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Anderson - Cotton Family Bible at INGenWeb
- McKay Family Bible Records at Indiana State Library Digital Collections
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
- Index of Bovard Cemetery, Switzerland County, Indiana and Index of Littlefield Cemetery at Indiana Genealogical Society
Census Records
For tips on accessing Switzerland County census records online, see: Indiana Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 3,934 | — |
| 1830 | 7,028 | 78.6% |
| 1840 | 9,920 | 41.1% |
| 1850 | 12,932 | 30.4% |
| 1860 | 12,698 | −1.8% |
| 1870 | 12,134 | −4.4% |
| 1880 | 13,336 | 9.9% |
| 1890 | 12,514 | −6.2% |
| 1900 | 11,840 | −5.4% |
| 1910 | 9,914 | −16.3% |
| 1920 | 9,311 | −6.1% |
| 1930 | 8,432 | −9.4% |
| 1940 | 8,167 | −3.1% |
| 1950 | 7,599 | −7.0% |
| 1960 | 7,092 | −6.7% |
| 1970 | 6,306 | −11.1% |
| 1980 | 7,153 | 13.4% |
| 1990 | 7,738 | 8.2% |
| 2000 | 9,065 | 17.1% |
| 2010 | 10,613 | 17.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Index to Agriculture Schedules (1850-1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Agriculture Schedules (1850-1880) at Indiana's Gore
- Mortality Schedules (1850-1880) at Indiana's Gore
- Index to Defective, Dependent & Delinquent Census for Switzerland County (1880) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Manufacturing Schedules (1850-1880) at Indiana's Gore
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
Court Records
- 1814-1885 Civil Order Books, Circuit Court, Switzerland County, Indiana, 1814-1885(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1818-1954 Indiana Court Cases at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1823-1900 Indiana, Switzerland County, Civil Case Files, 1823-1900(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1854-1947 Complete Records, Circuit Court, Switzerland County, Indiana, 1854-1947(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1867-1872 Order Books, Court of Common Pleas, Switzerland County, Indiana, 1867-1872(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Switzerland County Court Records at Indiana's Gore
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Directory of Businesses in Switzerland County (1858, 1868) at Indiana Genealogical Society ($)
- Switzerland County Directories and Gazetteers (1826-1916) at Indiana's Gore
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Haskell and Morrison Funeral Home in Vevay.
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 Switzerland County courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Deed Book Indexes (1815-1853) at Indiana's Gore
- Real Estate Transfers from newspapers at Indiana's Gore
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Switzerland 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 Dearborn, Ohio, and Switzerland Counties, Indiana. 1885. Chicago: Weakley, Harraman & Co. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Indiana at Map of US.org
- 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
- Military Records at Indiana's Gore
Civil War
Civil War service men from Switzerland 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 Switzerland County.
- 3rd Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Companies A, C, and K
- 6th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company H
- 10th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company D
- 11th Regiment, Indiana Cavalry, Company C
- 15th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company E
- 18th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company D
- 22nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company F
- 38th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 52nd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Reorganized Company D
- 54th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C, and E
- 83rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company C
- 93rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies C and D
- 139th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company K
- 140th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, E, and I
- 146th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Companies B, and E
- 156th Regiment, Indiana Infantry, Company B
- 28th US Colored Troops, Addition Recruits for Colored Troops
Civil War Book:
- "Military History" Chapter 10 in ''History of Switzerland County, Indiana from Their Earliest Settlement: Containing a History of the Cities, Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, and Churches Reminiscences, Extracts, Etc. Local Statistics Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; (Biographies. Mt. Vernon, Ind: Windmill Publications, 1993.). FS Library Collection, (page 1099-1199 gives Regiment, Company, Name)
World War I
- 1919 Indiana, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship
- Switzerland County Naturalizations (1853-1860) at Indiana's Gore
- 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 1804-2010
- 1836-1901 Vevay Newspaper Index (1836-1901) at Indiana's Gore
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 Switzerland 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 ($)
- 1814-1947 Probate Records, 1814-1947(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1823-1937 Indiana, Switzerland County, Probate Records, 1823-1937(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1825-1903 Switzerland Co., Indiana, Will Records, 1825-1903(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1857-1872 Complete Probate Records, Court of Common Pleas, Switzerland County, Indiana, 1857-1872(*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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.
- Switzerland County Delinquent Tax Lists (1842-1890) at Indiana's Gore
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
- 1941-1961 Switzerland County Delayed Births (recorded 1941-1961) at Indiana's Gore
Marriage
- 1780-1992 Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; 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 Switzerland 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
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
- Northern Kentucky FamilySearch Center
- North Vernon Indiana FamilySearch Center
- Boone County Public Library - Kentucky - an affiliate library.
- Lawrenceburg Public Library District - an affiliate library.
- Lawrenceburg Public Library District - West Harrison Branch - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Switzerland County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Archives and Libraries.
Switzerland County Public Library
Genealogy Research Room
205 Ferry St
Vevay, IN 47043
Phone: 812-427-3363
Website
Museums
Swiss Heritage Village and Museum
1200 Swissway Road
PO Box 88
Berne, IN 46711
Phone: 260-589-8007
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Switzerland County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Indiana Societies.
Switzerland County Historical Society
208 E Market St
PO Box 201
Vevay, IN 47043
Phone: 812-427-3560
Email: swcomuseums@embarqmail.com
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 Select a county
- Every Name Index.com Online indexes for county histories. Select a county
- Switzerland County Resources on IndianasGore
- USGenWeb, Switzerland County
- INGenWeb, Switzerland 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).
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Switzerland County, Indiana Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ind/switzerland/ accessed 04/03/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Switzerland County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_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, "Switzerland County, Indiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_County,_Indiana (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Switzerland County, Indiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_County,_Indiana, accessed 09 January 2020.