Start your family tree. We'll start searching. It's FREE. - Enter a few simple facts about recent generations of your family. We'll use what you enter to try and find more about your family in the world's largest online collection of historical records and family trees.

Knox County History and Information

Knox County was created on June 20, 1790, when Michigan and Illinois were withdrawn from the Northwest Territory making it the oldest Indiana county. It was formed from the Indiana Territory. The County was named for , First Secretary of War General Henry Knox.

The County Seat is Vincennes. Vincennes was the capital of the Indiana Territory from 1800-1812 until it was removed to Corydon, Harrison County. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Knox County are Sullivan County (north), Greene County (northeast), Daviess County (east), Pike County (southeast), Gibson County (south), Wabash County, Illinois (southwest), Lawrence County, Illinois (west), Crawford County, Illinois (northwest).

Knox County is divided into 10 Civil Townships as follows: Busseron, Decker, Harrison, Johnson, Palmyra, Steen, Vigo, Vincennes, Washington and Widner.

Cities, Towns and Communities include Bandmill, Beal, Bicknell, Bruceville, Busseron, Cantalaoupe, Decker, Duncan, Edwardsport, Emison, Freelandville, Fritchton, Iona, Monroe City, Oaktown, Orrville, Purcell, Ragsdale, Ridgeville, Saint Thomas, Sandborn, Sisson, Smith, Storks Ferry, Verne, Vincennes, Vollmer, Westphalia, Wheatland, and Willis.

The Knox County Official Government Website
Knox County Township Map
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Knox 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
Knox County, Indiana History Books at Amazon.com
Search Historical Newspapers from Indiana (1817 - 1930) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

County Courthouse

County Vital Records

County Census Records

County Maps & Atlases

County Military Records

County Tax Records

County Genealogical Addresses

County Church & Cemeteries

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 Knox County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Knox County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

Search for Local Indiana Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Indiana Researcher!
Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
Sites on USGenweb: [ Knox County ] [ Indiana ] [ Main Page ]
Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
The Indiana Family Group Sheet Project
Knox County INGenWeb Archives
[GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
Knox County, Indiana Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

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

Knox County, named in honor of General Henry Knox, of the Revolution, and the first Secretary of War, was organized in 1802. It is bounded north by Sullivan and Greene, east by the West Fork of White River, which separates it form Daviess, south by White River, which separates it from Pike and Gibson, and west by the Wabash, which separates it from Illinois. Its average length from north to south is twenty-seven miles, and its average breadth is nineteen miles, making the contents about 513 square miles. Knox County is divided into ten civil townships, viz: Bussero, Decker, Harrison, Hunot, Johnson, Palmyra, Vigo, Vincennes, Washington and Widener. The population in 1830 was 6,557, in 1840, 10,657, and at this time [1849] about 12,000. Most of the county is either level or gently rolling, though there are some ridges of low hills. There are several prairies, mostly near the Wabash, which are very rich and productive; the timbered lands, too, which cover the largest part of the county, are generally rich, but intermixed with them are sandy barrens, and swamps, of little value, except that some of the latter are well timbered. The bottoms are extensive and very fertile, but they suffer occasionally from being overflowed.

Of the surplus products of Old Knox, the corn and pork equal in amount, probably, those of any other county in the State, and they both may and will be largely increased. Here was the first settlement in the State, and in many places there are appearances of wealth and improvement much beyond those parts more recently settled. The taxable land in the county amounts to 233,964 acres.

Vincennes, the Seat of Justice of Knox County, is situated on the east bank of the Wabash in north latitude 38 deg. 42 min. and in west longitude 10 deg. 28 min., and is 120 miles southwest of Indianapolis, 56 north of Evansville, 60 south of Terre Haute, 160 east of St. Louis, 110 west northwest of Louisville and 168 in a straight line west southwest of Cincinnati.

There is more historical interest about this place than in relation to any other in the State, and in fact, its history comprises that of the Indiana Territory mainly, until the removal of the Seat of Government to Corydon in 1813. It was first known as a Piankeshaw village by the name Chippe Coke, or Brushwood. It was then called Post St. Vincent, or Au Post, or Vinsenne, and finally Vincennes. This name was given as early as 1749, in honor of F. M. De Vinsenne, a brave and gallant French officer, who fell in a battle with the Chickasaws in the year 1736. In 1798, the population was all French extraction except twelve families, and though now they are much in the minority, their numbers are still considerable, and many of them are respectable and prosperous.

The situation of Vincennes is very fine, and a large portion of the country around it is very fertile. The Roman Catholics are numerous in the vicinity, the Cathedral is spacious and well finished, and the Bishop who has charge of the State as a Dioceses, takes his title from Vincennes. The Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Christians and Africans have also flourishing churches. One of the branches of the State Bank is located at Vincennes. The City Hall is a commodious building. There are in the town about 400 houses and 2,000 inhabitants, and the prospects are now more favorable for its steady growth and permanent prosperity than at any time fro many years past. Two of the citizens, D. S. Bonner and H. D. Wheeler have now for about 20 years been extensively engaged in manufactures, sometimes with much success, and occasionally encountering difficulties, but never discouraged.

The unpretending but energetic devotion to business and encouragement of industry by such persons in worthy of all praise. There are two printing offices in Vincennes, which publish Weekly Newspapers. E. Stout conducted one of them, the Western Sun, for about 40 years, and until the last five years.

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

Knox County, often called the "Mother of Indiana Counties," was formally organized before the territorial government, and included all of Indiana, Michigan, and part of Illinois.

The history of this county, and Vincennes, can not be covered in a record of early Indiana alone, for it was the hub around which centered the development of the Old Northwest Territory, and the origin and growth of six states -- Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Here was the first seat of government in Indiana, the first courts, the first Land Office, the first permanent church, the first university west of the Alleghenies, and the first newspaper. The list might extend to include firsts in a hundred lines of endeavor likely to take place in the first city of the state.

It is not known exactly how early Indiana was explored, but the year is thought to have been about 1664. There followed a number of expeditions, some of which undoubtedly came through the Wabash River Territory. As early as 1663, a sort of route was established by pioneer explorers, from the Great Lakes on down to the Gulf of Mexico. The Wabash River was a definite part of the waterways. Later, missionaries joined the expeditions, so that gradually the skeleton of an organized civilization was built.

In 1701, a trading post was established at Detroit. The second one was established in 1702, at Vincennes, the first permanent habitation by white men in Indiana. This settlement was made by a band of eight under the leadership of the gallant French officer, Francis Morgan, who inherited the title "Sieur of Vincennes" some fifteen years later, in 1717. It was after Morgan's inheritance of the title that the Old Post became known as Post Vincennes.

The historical fort lasted for a century. In 1720, Morgan mounted the first cannon. In 1736, in a battle with the Chickasaw Indians, he was captured, and burned at the stake.

In 1763 a momentous change was effected. By the Treaty of Paris, the French ceded the Territory to England, and when the British took over, changed Vincennes' name to Fort Sackville. The French residents clung to their traditions, secretly hating England. Their hate was well founded, for the English had resorted to the strategy of bribing the Indians to make war on the white settlers in order to make conquest simple for themselves. These tactics were employed in the Revolutionary War, and the slaughtering of non-combatants became a grave problem.

And then came George Rogers Clark, the backwoods Kentucky land surveyor. So fabulous and romantic is the story of Clark, it closely resembles fiction. Certainly it is the legend of a hero, and stands out magnificently as one of the great chapters in our country's history. Clark went to Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia with a plea that the British be driven out of Indiana and Illinois in order that a stop might be put to the Indian massacres. After fervent pleading, he was commissioned as a colonel, given five hundred pounds of powder, and fifty thousand dollars. It was his purpose to capture Vincennes.

At Boonville, Kentucky, Clark was successful in enlisting 140 men, and they set out down the Ohio flatboats. Though he ad intended to proceed immediately to Vincennes, word reached him that Kaskaskia might be captured, so, on July 4, 1778, his army captured it, without the necessity of firing a shot.

Father Gibault, another man tremendously important in history, made his arrival at this time. He succeeded in quelling the natives, explaining they now owed allegiance to the United States rather than Great Britain. Then the forces planned to move on Vincennes, and Father Gibault offered to go ahead and advise citizens to espouse the American cause. He and his followers were successful in the mission, owing to the fact that the British Commandment had gone to Detroit. The American flag was raised, the British lowered, and word was sent to Clark, who sent Captain Helm to take charge.

A desperate turn of affairs followed, for Hamilton, at Detroit, learned what had happened, and started with forces for Vincennes. Helm, greatly outnumbered, surrendered. This was in December 1778. Clark realized that with the coming of Spring Hamilton would take Kaskaskia, so he decided upon immediate attack. He sent Colonel Vigo, a wealthy merchant for whom a county is named, as a spy. Vigo was immediately taken prisoner, but Father Gibault prevailed upon Hamilton to release him, and Vigo returned to make his report to Clark.

As a result, a boat with forty-six men started for Vincennes February 4, 1770. One day later, Clark himself, with a land party of 160 men, began the march to the fort. It was one of the most memorable journeys in the history of wars. For 240 miles they endured untold hardships. There were not rations enough. The land was flooded so that much of the time they were forced to proceed in water to their knees, and deeper. They arrived nearly exhausted. The boat, under Captain John Rogers, had not arrived, but Clark attacked nevertheless.

The invaders waited until after it was sundown and opened fire on the unsuspecting British. The battle lasted, almost without cessation, until late the next afternoon, when Hamilton surrendered. So ended the English occupation of the town, February 25, 1779. After this there was an influx of settlers, all wishing to stake out claims in the rich valley. To prevent the designs of speculators, a Land Office was established in 1790.

An Act of Congress, May 7, 1800, establishing the Indiana Territory, brought to Vincennes its next great era as capital of the new territory as we know it, when development and growth took predominance over the thoughts of warfare and conquest.

Knox County covers 510 square miles and is dvided into ten townships bordered on the north by Sullivan and Green counties, on the east by the west fork of the White River, which separates it form Daviess; south by White River, which separates it form Pike and Gibson, and on the west by the Wabash, which separates it from the State of Illinois. It contains some of the richest land in the State of Indiana and one of the products that have given Knox County fame throughout America is the famous "Decker" cantelope. Wheat is extensively grown on the upland and stock raising and fruit growing are engaged in on a large scale. Knox County is also a large producer of coal. According to the report of the State Mine Inspector for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1814, there were eight mines in operation in the county under his jurisdiction, which produced 1,576,576 tons of coal.

When Knox County was established, there were only four counties in Indiana. Out of Knox County were formed in 1810, Jefferson and Franklin Counties; in 1813, Gibson and Warrick Counties; in 1817, Sullivan County; and in 1820, Greene County.

The incorporated cities are Vincennes, 17,564, and Bicknell, 5,212; towns: Oaktown, 771; Sandborn, 641; Monroe City, 544; Wheatland, 806, and Decker, 468. The county population in 1890 was 28,044; 1900, 32,746; 1910, 39,183; 1920, 46,195; 1930, 43,813.

Vincennes is located on the Wabash River, fifty-one miles north of Evansville. Four main railroads serve this city, known today as a manufacturing center. Among its products are window glass, paper products, shoes, flour, steel construction materials, furniture, and monuments. The Standard Coal Company is among the active industrial firms of the city.

The 1935 federal census listed twenty-six manufacturing establishments, employing 532 wage earners on payrolls totaling $448,257. The value of the products was $4,978,805. Vincennes holds industrial leadership in the manufacture of window glass, having the largest factory in the United States.

Vincennes University was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature in 1806, and was authorized under its incorporation, "for the instruction of youth in the Latin, Greek, French and English languages, mathematics, natural philosophy, ancient and modern history, moral philosophy, logic, rhetoric, and the laws of nature and nations." When Vincennes University was incorporated, it was designated to receive a township of land of 23,040 acres, which had been granted by Congress for a seminary of learning. After Congress had confirmed titles of purchasers of land from Vincennes University of parts of this township in 1816, commissioners were appointed by the State of Indiana to rent lands and turn rents into the State Treasury. This was in January 1820, and in 1822, the General Assembly passed an act to provide for sale of Seminary Township in Gibson County. About 17,000 acres of lands, which had originally been given to Vincennes University, were sold under these acts and the proceeds, amounting to more than $30,000, were turned into the State Treasury. This precipitated a struggle that lasted for nearly a century. Among other privileges granted to the university was one to operate a lottery, which was also the cause of much litigation. About 1874, Congress gave the university all the unclaimed and vacant lands in Knox County. This gift proved of material benefit, but the institution has never received enough from the public to realize the high hopes of its founders.

The outstanding point of interest in the city is the two-million-dollar Clark Memorial. Among other memorials is the Lincoln Memorial Bridge, commemorating the opening of the West, and the place of Lincoln's crossing from Indiana to Illinois. Territorial Hall, the site of the first capitol, stands as a significant historical point. Another interesting building is the Old Cathedral Library containing 5,000 volumes dating from 1476 to 1800.

Other outstanding points of historical interest in old Vincennes: the route of Clark's advance on Vincennes; Vincennes University, opened in 1806; the Knox County Courthouse-Soldiers' Monument; Fort Knox; the Treaty Tree; the Old Post Museum of History; the Old Courthouse, now an American Legion Home; St. Rose Academy; and the largest Indian Mounds in the state, particularly Sugar Loaf Mound.

Some of the old residences include: the William Henry Harrison Home, Colonel Francis Vigo Home, the home of Indiana's former Governor Williams, the home of Madame Godare, the Betsy Ross of the Northwest Territory, and the home of Alice of Old Vincennes. In the Old French Cemetery are found markers in memory of priests, patriots, and others so important to our early history.

Vincennes is the home of: the first lodge in the Northwest Territory; the first bank, brick building, courthouse, post office, public Land Office, business, historical society, medical society, and public school in Indiana.

As a county, Knox is the eighth largest and second richest agriculturally. It is the home of fine bituminous coal mines and natural gas fields; has an unlimited supply of sand and gravel; home of one of the largest electrical power plants in the state; first in number of master farmers; firsts in nursery interests, outstanding in regard to cherry nursery stock, in which it ranks the nation; first in the state in acreage of peach orchards, apple orchards, cantaloupes, watermelons, sweet potatoes, and wheat; first also in number of bee hives; first in egg case production; first in mules, and third in horses.

The county had 2,436 farms averaging 121.6 acres each. These were valued at $14,782,408. A total of 69,474 head of livestock was reported.

According to the federal census figures of 1935, Knox County had thirty-six manufacturing establishments employing 1,375 wage earners on pay rolls of $1,129,567. The value of the products was $7,941,804. The total county tax valuation for 1936 was $36,779,640.

Courthouse History

Map of Indiana Historical Markers

Knox County History and Information

County Courthouse

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

County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Indiana

County Census Records

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

County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Indiana

County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Indiana Genealogical Addresses

County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Indiana

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History