Daviess County History and Information

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Daviess County was created on February 15, 1817 and was formed from Knox County. Daviess County was a part of Knox County until February 15, 1817, at which time it was organized as a separate unit. Formerly it constituted much of what is now Martin, all of Greene, east of the west fork of White River, and all of Owen County, east of the west fork of the White River. The formation of Martin County in 1820, and Greene in 1821, cut Daviess County to its present size. The County was named for Maj. Joseph Hamilton Daviess, U.S. District Attorney for Kentucky, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.

The County Seat is Washington. The County Seat of Daviess County was located in the town of Liverpool on March 15, 1817. This name was changed to Washington on August 18, 1817. Washington was laid out by Emanuel Vantrees and Peter Wilkins and in 1849 contained 20 stores and groceries, 50 shops for various mechanics, three churches, three clergymen, four lawyers and eight physicians, good county buildings (which included the land office for the canal lands) and 1,400 inhabitants. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Daviess County are Greene County (north), Martin County (east), Dubois County (southeast), Pike County (southwest), Knox County (west). Daviess County is divided into 10 Civil Townships as follows: Barr, Bogard, Elmore, Harrison, Madison, Reeve, Steele, Van Buren, Veale and Washington. Cities, Towns and Communities include Alfordsville, Black Oak, Cannelburg, Cornettsville, Corning, Cumback, Elnora, Glendale, Graham, Hudsonville, Jordan, Montgomery, Odon, Pennyville, Plainville, Sandy Hook, South Washington, Waco, and Washington.

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County Courthouse

See Also Indiana Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Search Indiana Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

NOTE: The date listed for each category of record is the earliest record known to exist in that county. It does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and certainly does not indicate that all such events that year were actually registered. Courthouse destroyed by Fire in 1879, Marriage records and index to probate and deed records were not destroyed. See also the Daviess County Courthouse History

Daviess County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1817 , Probate Records from 1817 and Court Records from 1817 and is located at PO Box 739, Washington, IN 47501; (812) 254-8664; (812) 254-8698 Fax

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a ministerial officer who is the custodian of the Clerk's record and seal, issues process, accepts filings of commencement of actions in litigation, enters judgments and orders of the court, receives money in his official capacity, makes certified copies of record, issues many miscellaneous licenses, and keeps a record of all wills and matters of trust in probate proceedings.

Daviess County Recorder has Land Records from 1817 and is located at PO Box 793, Washington, IN 47501; (812) 254-8675; (812) 254-8697 Fax, recorder@daviess.org - email.

The county recorder's function is to maintain permanent public records involving a wide variety of instruments. These documents detail transactions involving real estate, mining, personal property, mortgages, liens, leases, subdivision plats, military discharges, personal bonds, etc. Generally, all of these instruments are recorded either for giving legal public notice of their existence or for safekeeping and future reference. The recorder maintains and preserves all legal documents affecting title to real property.

Daviess County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 303 East Hefron St, Washington, IN 47501; (812) 254-8666

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Indianapolis Newspaper Index, 1848-1991: Select articles from 1848-1888 Indianapolis daily newspapers; heavily focused on deaths and marriages. Select articles from 1898-1991 about people, places, events, and topics in Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. Extremely limited for deaths; no coverage of marriages.  Card file also available in the Microforms Area, second floor.
  • Reference & Government Services CD Collection: Database to allow searching of the hundreds of CDs from the federal government and other sources, part of the collections of the Reference & Government Services Division.
  • Daviess County, Indiana Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Indiana

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). They have the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth records that occur in Indiana since Oct 1907 to the present. Prior to October 1907, records of birth are filed only with the local health department in the county where the birth actually occurred.
    • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
  • Death Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains death records that occur in Indiana since 1900 to the present. Prior to 1900, records of death are filed only with the local health department in the county where the death actually occurred. For deaths occurring from 1900 to 1917, the city and/or county of death is required in order to locate the record.
    • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
  • Marriage Certificates: Certified copies of marriage certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the Clerks of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage was granted. Fees vary.
  • Divorce Certificates: Certified copies of divorce certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.
  • Ordering Vital Records Online- You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Indiana newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Indiana Marriages Database: Database for Indiana marriages through 1850
  • Indiana Marriages Database: Database for Indiana marriages 1993 through 2002
  • Indiana Births, 1880-1920: This database indexes births for thirty-one of the counties indexed by the WPA.
  • Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920: This data set contains the WPA's indexes to the death records of most of the counties that they completed.
  • Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941: This database is a collection of Indiana marriage indexes covering various years and counties.
  • Indiana Marriages to 1850: This database of Indiana marriages to 1850 contains nearly 200,000 names.
  • Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892: This database is an index to individuals who were married in Indiana between 1802 and 1892.
  • Daviess County, Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Indiana

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Daviess County, Indiana are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Daviess County, Indiana are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Indiana Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1807 State Census Index; 1810 Wayne County Census Index; 1812 Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
  • Daviess County, Indiana Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at County Maps

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Maps. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Maps by clicking the link below:

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County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Indiana

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Records of county taxes were kept as early at 1842, although most were discarded. Remaining ones would be at the county courthouse. National Archives-Great Lakes Region has records of the Internal Revenue Service for Indiana for 1867 to 1873. These are tax assessment records, arranged by district and then chronologically.

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Daviess County, Indiana Tax Books at Amazon.com
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County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Indiana Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Daviess County Genealogical Society, 703 Front Street, Washington, IN 47501
  • Daviess County Historical Society, P.O. Box 2341, Washington, IN 47501; Phone: (812) 254-5122
  • Indiana Libraries: Database to allow searching for Indiana's public libraries.
  • National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.) General Information Leaflet
  • Indiana State Archives, 6440 E. 30th St., Indianapolis, IN 46219; (317) 591-5222, [EMAIL]
  • Indiana State Library, Attn: (Division or Staff Name), 140 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2296; Loan Desk and General Inquiries: 317-232-3675, ind@statelib.lib.in.us; Genealogy Division: 317-232-3689, genealogy@statelib.lib.in.us
  • Indiana Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 10507, Fort Wayne IN 46852
  • Indiana Historical Society, 450 W. Ohio St, Indianapolis,IN 46202; 1-800-447-1830 or 317-232-1882
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Indiana Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Indiana

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Daviess County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Daviess County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Baptist records are found at Franklin College (in Franklin); Methodist at DePauw University (in Greencastle); Mennonite at Goshen College (in Goshen); Presbyterian at Hanover College (in Hanover); Disciples of Christ at their historical society in Nashville, Tennessee; and French Catholic at Vincennes University in the Byron R. Lewis Collection. There are also Catholic church histories and records at the Catholic Archives, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Quaker records are at Earlham College (at Richmond).

The commissioner's office of each Indiana county may have burial records for soldiers, sailors, and marines. If available, the records should include name, age, date of enlistment, discharge date, and death date. Records begin about 1862.

The Indiana State Library holds records of inscriptions from some Indiana cemeteries. The "Indiana Cemetery Locator File," compiled by the Genealogy Division, is an alphabetical listing of cemeteries, indicating the location in the state and the designation in the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library where inscriptions may be found.

Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Daviess County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Daviess County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain

Daviess County, organized in 1817, was named after the distinguished lawyer, Joseph Hamilton Daviess, who fell in the Battle of Tippecanoe. It is bounded on the north by Greene, on the east by Martin, on the south by the East Fork and on the west by the West Fork of White River, and it contains 420 square miles. It is divided into ten townships, viz: Washington, Steel, Veale, Harrison, Reeve, Barr, Van Buren, Madison, Elmore and Bogard. The population in 1830 was 4,512, in 1840, 6,720, and at this time [1849] about 10,000.

Daviess County contains a variety of soil, from a sandy to a pure clay, adapted to the growth of the articles usually cultivated in the west. The White River bottoms have a rich, black loam, in some places slightly sandy, which will produce heavy crops of corn, hemp, tobacco and small grain, without exhaustion or requiring a change of crops. These bottoms were originally heavily timbered, and along the West Fork, are from one to two miles wide; on the East Fork, are about half that width. The north-east part of the county is rolling and heavily timbered; the northwest part level and interspersed with prairies and skirts of timber, the center is generally level, and what is usually called barrens, the south and east undulating and with heavy timber. Interspersed with oak, hickory, gum, etc., are occasional districts containing from 1,000 to 5,000 acres of walnut, hackberry, ash and sugar tree timber, and others again of beech growth generally, the soil varying as is usual among such timber in the west. The principal products of the county are corn, wheat, rye, oats, hay and potatoes, which are usually shipped to New Orleans in flat boats. The stock raised consists of hogs, cattle and horses; the former are slaughtered and sold in Washington to be shipped south; the cattle are sold to drovers for the Louisville and Cincinnati markets, and are generally purchased by persons from other states, so that it is difficult to estimate the value of these articles. The falls on the West Fork of White River are not offered for sale, and when improved, which can be done at a small expense, they may propel a large amount of machinery on both sides of the river.

There are in the county fifteen Methodist Churches and four Ministers, four Catholic Churches and four officiating Clergymen, six Christian Churches and three Ministers, five Baptist Churches and one Minister, two Presbyterian, one Lutheran and three Cumberland Presbyterian Churches. Common English schools are kept up form three to six months in the year, but no higher branches are taught.

The taxable land in the county amounts to 172,000 acres; 50,000 acres of the vacant land were selected for the Canal Grant, and about 45,000 acres still belong to the United States. The most of this is very poor.

1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature

The earliest inhabitants of Daviess County were from the southern states, although later there was an influx of settlers from the East in 1801 or 1806. Congress gave the first deed for land within the present limits of the county to John Baptiste Cardinal, and the first deed of record was made in 1792. This tract consisted of 400 acres. In 1783 the Congress of the United States made numerous donations of land to the early French settlers about Vincennes, and in 1807 the Congress made what has since been called "French Locations," which lie mostly in what is now Knox County. 

The making of early history in Daviess County was marked with Indian depredations, and after the killing of William McGowen by the Indians in the spring of 1812, the settlers, in order to protect themselves, erected ten block houses or forts. Five of these were built in 1812 and were known as "Hawkins' Fort," Comer's Fort" and "Purcell's Fort," the others being built at a later period. 

As now constituted, the county has 433 square miles and is divided into ten townships. Its County Seat is Washington, with a population of 9,070, the only incorporated city. Incorporated towns are: Cannelburg, 132; Elnora, 856; Montgomery, 445; Odon, 981; Plainville, 603, and Alfordsville, 90. Daviess County's population in 1890 was 26,227; 1900, 29,914; 1910, 27,747; 1920, 26,856; 1930, 25,832.

Washington is located nineteen miles east of Vincennes and is served by two main railroads. Its industrial activities include the railroad shops and several factories manufacturing clothes hangers, shirts, screen doors, flour, toys, cheese, and window weights.

The city as well as the county has been enjoying rapid developments in all lines. Washington's utilities, which have been operated very successfully, are municipally owned. The city has seventy acres of parks and a municipal swimming pool.

The character of the land of Daviess County is extensive of range. The unusual rugged White River bottomland is rich black loam, while in other parts, clay is the distinguishing type of surface. Coal is found extensively in the region, and mining plays an important part in commercial activities. There is also a natural gas field.

Outstanding among the county's personages of historical significance was James G. Reed, who was twice candidate for Governor of Indiana. Later he was appointed director of the Land Office at Jeffersonville and in 1850 became a member of the Constitutional Convention.

According to figures of the 1935 federal census Daviess County had twenty-four manufacturing establishments employing 842 wage earners on a total pay roll of $511,290. The value of the manufactured products was $3,141,659.

Reports of the same year listed 2,661 farms averaging 93.6 acres each, valued at $10,605,170. According to reports entered, the county had 61,353 head of livestock.

The total county tax valuation for 1936 was $18,214,520.

Courthouse History

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