Madison County History and Information

Madison County was created on July 1, 1823 and was formed from Delaware New Purchase. The Delaware New Purchase: Set up in 1820, portions were set apart as the entire counties of Allen, Bartholomew, Hamilton, Henry, Johnson, Marion, Rush, and Shelby. Parts of the counties of Delaware, Hendricks, Madison, and Morgan also were located in the Delaware Purchase. In 1827, the name of the tract was changed to the Adams New Purchase. The County was named for U.S. President James Madison.

The County Seat is Anderson. Anderson wasn't always the County Seat. Pendleton was the first County Seat. Selected 1823, it was too far from the center of the county to be satisfactory ... there is also some question as to whether or not it was ever "declared" the County Seat or if it was just the location where judicial business was enacted. According to the act of January 13, 1826, the County Seat was relocated to a town called Bedford; however, I am unable to locate a town of Bedford having ever been established in Madison County and some sources do not list it in describing the a transition of the County Seat from Pendleton to Andersontown. Andersontown was the third County Seat. The rapid growth of Andersontown, a town much nearer the center of the county, caused the citizens of the county to apply to the Legislature for an act to relocate the County Seat and the change was then made as the result of the act of January 4, 1827 and the actual site appears to have been chosen in 1828. By the legislative act of December 6, 1848, Andersontown became simply Anderson.

Anderson was was an old Indian town named after Anderson, a Delaware chief, who formerly resided there. In 1813 it was burnt by a detachment of troops from Kentucky, then on an exploring tour. In 1849 Anderson had a Courthouse, Jail, fireproof public offices, a County Seminary and a population of about 300. The Courthouse, with most of the records, was destroyed by fire on December 10, 1880. The replacement was ready for occupancy February 21, 1885. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Madison County are Grant County (north), Delaware County (east), Henry County (southeast), Hancock County (south), Hamilton County (west), Tipton County (northwest).

Madison County is divided into 14 Civil Townships as follows: Adams, Anderson, Boone, Duck Creek, Fall Creek, Green, Jackson, Lafayette, Monroe, Pipe Creek, Richland, Stoney Creek, Union and Van Buren.

Cities, Towns and Communities include Alfant, Alliance, Alexandria, Anderson, Bloomer, Chesterfield, Dundee, Edgewood, Elwood, Emporia, Fishersburg, Florida, Frankton, Gilman, Gimco City, Grandview, Gridley, Hamilton, Hardscrabble, Huntsville, Idlewold, Ingalls, Lapel, Leisure, Linwood, Markleville, Moonville, New Columbus, Orestes, Ovid, Pendleton, Perkinsville, Prosperity, Rigdon and Summitville.

• The Madison County Official Government Website
• Madison County Township Map
• Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Madison 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
• Madison 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

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

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 Dec. 1880, Lost: marriage, circuit court and common pleas court records Saved: wills from 1879, deeds from 1825, and general index to deeds from 1829. See also the Madison County Courthouse History

Madison County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1853 , Probate Records from 1879 and Court Records from ? and is located at 16 E. Ninth Street, #213, Anderson, IN 46016; Pho: (765) 641-9443, Fax: (765) 640-4203

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.

Madison County Recorder has Land Records from 1822 and is located at 16 East 9th, 2nd House Box 19, Anderson IN 46016; (317) 641-9443 .

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.

Madison County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 206 East 9th Street, Anderson, IN 46016-1538; (765) 641-9524

Below is a list of online resources for Madison County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Madison 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.
• Madison 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.

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:

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• 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.

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Below is a list of online resources for Madison County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Madison 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 FREE - 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.
• Madison 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 Madison County, Indiana are 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Madison 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 Madison County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Madison 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.
• Madison 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.

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 Madison County Maps. Email us with websites containing Madison County Maps by clicking the link below:

• The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Indiana Maps
• Madison County, Indiana Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - 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.

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 Madison County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Madison County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Indiana Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Indiana Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Indiana World War II Servicemen: Database to locate information about Indiana men and women who served in World War II who were mentioned in one of the Indianapolis daily newspapers during the war.
• Madison County, Indiana Military Books at Amazon.com
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

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 Madison County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Madison County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Madison County, Indiana Tax Books at Amazon.com

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 Madison County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Madison County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Madison County Historical Society, Inc., 15 W.11th Str, P.O. Box 696, Anderson, IN 46016; (765) 683-0052
• SUMMITVILLE VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL, PO BOX 242, SUMMITVILLE , IN 46070
• ELWOOD-PIPECREEK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC., ELWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY, 1600 MAIN STREET, ELWOOD , IN 46036-2023
• ALEXANDRIA MONROE TOWNSHIP GENEALOGY SOCIETY, 302 W TYLER ST, ALEXANDRIA , IN 46001
• ELWOOD PIPECREEK GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, 1600 MAIN STREET, ELWOOD , IN 46036
• 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

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 Madison County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Madison 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 Madison County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Madison County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Indiana obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Indiana newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Indiana.
• Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project
• Madison County, Indiana Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Madison County, Indiana Church Books at Amazon.com

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 Madison County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Madison 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: [ Madison 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
• Madison 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.
• Madison County, Indiana Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

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

Madison County, named in honor of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison, was organized in 1823. It is bounded north by Grant, east by Delaware and Henry, south by Hancock, and west by Hamilton and Tipton, being thirty-one miles from north to south, and fifteen from east to west. It is divided into twelve civil townships, viz: Green, Fall Creek, Adams, Union, Anderson, Jackson, Pipe Creek, Lafayette, Richland, Monroe, Boone and Van Buren. The population in 1830 was 2,442, in 1840, 8,874, and at this time [1849] about 11,500. With the exception of about 1,500 acres of wet prairie, between Pendleton and Anderson, and a small tract of hilly country along the principal streams, the balance of the county is either gently undulating or nearly level, and was originally covered with heavy timber, generally of good quality. About one-fourth of the county is bottom, the other three-fourths upland. The soil is various, though mostly a clay loam, with a mixture of sand, and very productive, and well adapted to wheat, corn, oats and grass. It is estimated that 15,000 hogs, 500 fat cattle, and 100 mules are sent annually from the county. There are in it fifteen gristmills, twenty-one sawmills, three woolen manufactories, one printing office, then Methodists and two Baptist churches, nine lawyers, twenty physicians, eight preachers, and about 300 mechanics employed in the various trades needed in a new country. The taxable land in 254,419 acres, and not over 3,000 acres still belong to the United States.

The fine water power of Madison County, not surpassed probably by that of any county in the State, its fertile soil, excellent limestone and marble which are found here easy of access, will all be called into requisition on the opening of the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad, and this part of the country will advance rapidly in improvement.

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

Madison County is one of the central counties located north of Indianapolis. Its land is mostly level, or slightly rolling, and is quite fertile. Almost all of Madison County is underlaid with beds of sand and gravel, and a few limestone deposits are found. There is much clay in the county, suitable for brick or tile. It is traversed by White River and several lesser waterways.

The county has an area of 450 square miles, divided into fourteen townships. The incorporated cities are Anderson, 39,804; Elwood, 10,685, and Alexandria, 4,408; towns: Pendleton, 1,538; Lapel, 1,140; Summitville, 1,017; Frankton, 829; Chesterfield, 460; Ingalls, 430; Orestes, 357; Markleville, 251; Aladdin, 28, and Woodland Heights, 19. The county population in 1890 was 36,487; 1900, 70,470; 1910, 65,224; 1920, 69,151; 1930, 82,888.

Anderson is located thirty-five miles northeast of Indianapolis and is served by three railroads. Industrially, the city is best known as home of one of the largest markers of automobile generators, starter, lighting, and ignition units in the world. Among the other products are automobile horns, playground equipment, corrugated boxes, nails, wire, fabricated steel, oil emblems, lodge regalia, house dresses, aprons, bottle blowing machines, pumps, automobile tires, wire fence, floor tile, machine knives, shovels, automobile wheels, files, automobile governors, bed and automobile springs, and asphalt making equipment.

According to 1935 federal census figures [perhaps these are estimates based on the 1930 census?], the city had sixty-one manufacturing establishments employing 10,192 wage earners. Payrolls for these workers totaled $12,446,054, and the value of the products was $61,514,288.

Among the distinguishing features of Anderson is its school system. The cultural consciousness of the city is manifested by the collections of prints of old masters in the schools, and by such organizations as the Anderson Art Association. The Carnegie Library has a fine collection of art books.

Of historic interest is the marker in the vicinity of the cabin of Chief Anderson. It was for this Chief of the Delaware Tribe that the city was named. Another interesting marker is in the form of a tree marking the site of Camp Stilwell, used in Civil War days.

There are several notable residences. Many of these are in the Edgewood district, which is characterized by rock bridges, lily pools, and picturesque rock gardens. At the entrance of the May Residence is a pair of stone lions more than a century old and purchased in China.

Elwood is west of Anderson and is served by two railroads. It is known for the manufacture of tin plate, glass, kitchen cabinets, clay products, and cigars. According to figures of the 1935 federal census, Elwood had seventeen manufacturing establishments employing 2,276 wage earners, on payrolls of $2,245,994. The value of the products was $9,756,107.

Alexandria, located north of Anderson, is served by two railroads. The city's major industries include paper mills, canneries, mineral wool plants, machine shops, and factories for cigars, glass, gloves, and boilers.

Pendleton, south and west of Anderson, is the site of the Indiana State Reformatory.

According to 1935 federal census figures, the county had 119 manufacturing establishments. There were 14,324 wage earners employed on payrolls totaling $16,041,504. The value of the manufactured products was $76,560,331.

The county had 3,427 farms averaging 77.5 acres each. The total value of these was $20,529,862. A total of 107,619 head of livestock was reported. The total county tax valuation for 1936 was $73,453,365.

Courthouse History

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• Map of Indiana Historical Markers