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Floyd County History and Information

Floyd County was created on January 2, 1819 and was formed from Clark and Harrison Counties. The County was named foreither Col. John Floyd of Virginia or for either early settler Davis Floyd or early settler John Floyd.

The County Seat is New Albany. An act of the Legislature January 10, 1823, tried unsuccessfully to relocate the County Seat. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Floyd County are Clark County (northeast), Jefferson County, Kentucky (south), Harrison County (west), Washington County (northwest).

Floyd County is divided into 5 Civil Township as follows: Franklin, Georgetown, Greenville, Lafayette and New Albany. Cities, Towns and Communities include Duncan, Floyds Knobs, Galena, Georgetown, Greenville and New Albany.

The Floyd County Official Government Website
Floyd County Township Map
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Floyd County: The county newspaper holdings are under regular revision, as new microfilm holdings are added. These files are not up to date; there are continuous updates and corrections.
Official County Historians
Floyd County, Indiana History Books at Amazon.com
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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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Floyd County, Indiana Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

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

Floyd County was organized in 1819, and was named after Colonel John Floyd, of the distinguished Virginia family of that name, who had been killed by the Indians on the opposite side of the river.

It is bounded on the south by the Ohio River, on the west by Harrison, on the north by Washington and on the east by Clark counties, and contains about 150 square miles. It is divided into five civil townships, viz: New Albany, Lafayette, Greenville, Georgetown and Franklin. The population in 1830 was 6,363, in 1840, 9,454, and at this time [1849] about 13,500. A range of hills called "the knobs," from one to three miles in width, run through the county from north to south, coming to the Ohio River a short distance below New Albany. They present a very uneven surface, and are composed of slate, clay, soft sandstone and iron ore. Above the clay and ore is a stratum of freestone, valuable for the purposes of building, and on the pinnacles a stratum of limestone of building, and on the pinnacles a stratum of limestone, which becomes very thick as the country on the west falls of nearly level. East of the "knobs," and in part of the country west, the land is either level or gently undulating, but the general character of the county is hilly and the soil poor, with the exception of some tracts of very good land. The timber varies according to the varieties of soil and surface. Much of it has first-rate timber, peculiarly excellent for the construction of Steamboats. On the knobs, the white, black and chestnut oaks are abundant, and in some places pine. In the west part of the county are poplar, chestnut, beech and sugar tree, and in the bottoms of the Ohio and Silver Creek, the timber common in similar situations. Much of the county is well adapted to the cultivation of corn and grass, and to raising hogs, horses, cattle and sheep. The principal manufactories are a bagging manufactory, which cost originally about $50,000, three foundries and steam engine manufactories, on a large scale, one brass foundry, and usually from five to ten steamboats are built, and twice that number repaired, annually. There are in the county eleven grist and nine sawmills, mostly propelled by steam, about 130 stores and groceries, fourteen lawyers, eighteen physicians, fifteen ministers, two printing offices, and at least 500 mechanics and artisans. As New Albany, the County Seat, contains more than half the population of the county, the reader will turn to that for further information.

The taxable land is 85,691 acres.

New Albany, either the first or second town [in 1849], as to population, in the State, and the County Seat of Floyd County, is beautifully situated on the Ohio River, two miles below the Falls, in lat. 38 deg. 18 min. north, and longitude 8 deg. 49 min. west. It was laid out in the summer of 1813, by Joel, Nathaniel and Abner Scribner, with wide streets, running nearly east and west, parallel with the river, and others crossing them at right angles, the most of which have been well McAdamized, and the sidewalks paved. In 1834, the population of New Albany was estimated at 2,500, in 1840, it was 4,226, and at this time it is over 7000. The number of houses is about 1,200, of which one-fourth are brick. Steamboat building and repairing is carried on to a large extent there, and in the different kinds of mechanical business connected with it, about 500 hands are constantly employed. There are in the city three iron foundries and machine shops, on a large scale, for the manufacture of steam engines and other machinery, one brass foundry, one patent bagging factory for the manufacture of hempen clothes, which cost $50,000, a marine railway, which cost $40,000. There are also in New Albany two printing offices, a branch of the State Bank, about 120 stores and groceries, two Methodist, two Presbyterian, one Catholic, one Christian, one Episcopalian, one Lutheran and three Baptist Churches, and the means to facilitate the instruction of the young and the communication of knowledge, are highly creditable to the public spirit and liberality of the citizens. Anderson's Collegiate Institute, chartered by the Legislature, the Old School Presbyterian Theological Seminary, two large District schools, built at the public expense, at a cost of $12,000, a city school, endowed by the original proprietors, and a large number of private schools are in operation, and all generally well conducted. The Railroad to Salem, and intended to be carried still further, will soon add largely to the business and prosperity of New Albany. The enterprise, industry, morality and public spirit, which have heretofore contributed so much to its growth, will not fail to carry it onward hereafter.

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

Runing through Floyd County are Indiana's famous "Knobs." These knobs are a range of hills from one to three miles in width and are one of the state's outstanding natural features. The county has the broken surface typical of the region, though north of the hills is level ground suitable for agriculture. On the slopes of the hills are large fruit orchards and the southern part is the most fertile region in the county. Limestone of finest quality is found in the Silver Hills, and quarrying has been done extensively for a number of years.

Floyd County is next to the smallest in the state area in area, covering but 148 square miles in the five townships. The incorporated city is New Albany, 25,819; towns: Georgetown, 374, and Greenville, 257. The county population for 1890 was 29,458; 1900, 30,118; 1910, 30,293; 1920, 30,661; 1930, 34,655.

New Albany is directly opposite Louisville, Kentucky, and connected with it by a bridge. Five main railroads and numerous riverboats serve this thriving industrial city. New Albany had forty-six manufacturing establishments, according to 1935 federal census figures, and employed 2,386 wage earners. These employees were paid $1,925,195. The value of the products was $7,423,164. Among the city's industries are rolling mills; furniture and edge tool factories; tanneries; flour, woolen, cotton, and planing mills; engine, stove, stave, and boiler works; machine shops; fertilizer plants; and a hardwood lumber mill. New Albany is the plywood center of the world. Formerly the city built many steamboats, outstanding among these, the "Robert E. Lee." The fact that it was a shipbuilding town is reflected in the architectural style of the old residences, many of which were owned by operators and employees of the shipyards. Many of the homes are still in use.

New Albany is replete with points of artistic interest. The Courthouse, of Greek classic style, was built in 1865. The building is in the public square now known as Scribner House, home of Joel Scribner, the city's founder, was built in 1814, and still stands today. This home is now owned by a chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. A memorial to the men of Floyd County who died in the World War is found in the form of a bronze tablet in the Carnegie Library.

At least seven of the city's fine churches were built before 1860 and are used by congregations today. The dozens of fine residences give the city a distinctive beauty. As is the case in most places flavored with the mellowness of the remains of bygone days, many of these homes contain antiques and coverlets of artistic note, as well as some valuable collections of books. New Albany has three art schools, and an art colony has been established. In Fairview Cemetery is a monument to the Floyd County men who fought in the Mexican War. Two other monuments in the cemetery are highlights upon the important personages in the county's history. One of these is to Ashbel P. Willard, one of Indiana's early governors.

Funds for the erection of a monument to Michael C. Kerr were provided by the General Assembly of 1927. Kerr at one time was Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

New Albany is so located that it serves as one of the principle gateways between North and South, and the bridge connecting it with Louisville is one of the largest river bridges in the United Sates.

At Georgetown is the largest railway tunnel in the state.

Floyd County had fifty-one manufacturing establishments according to the report of 1935. A total of $1,994,421 was paid to the 2,447 wage earners. The value of the industrial output was $8,012,596.

The county had 1,266 farms averaging 59.7 acres each. These were valued at $4,481,820. A total of 12,039 head of livestock was reported.

Total county tax valuation for 1936 was $21,157,710.

Courthouse History

Map of Indiana Historical Markers

Floyd County History and Information

County Courthouse

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County Vital Records

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County Census Records

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County Maps & Atlases

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County Military Records

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County Tax Records

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County Genealogical Addresses

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County Church & Cemeteries

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History