Vermillion County History and Information

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Vermillion County was created on January 2, 1824 and was formed from Parke County, Unorganized Land and Wabash New Purchase. The Wabash New Purchase: Begun in 1820, this tract lasted until 1835 and then became all of White County and portions of the counties of Boone, Carroll, Fountain, Hendricks, Jasper, Montgomery, Morgan, Parke, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Vermillion, and Warsaw. The County was named for the Vermillion River.

The County Seat is Newport. Laid out in 1835, by S. S. Collett, in 1849 it had a population of 250. The Courthouse at Newport was destroyed by fire on two occasions, January 24, 1844, and on January 5, 1866. At neither time were the county records lost. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Vermillion County are Warren County (north), Fountain County (northeast), Parke County (east), Vigo County (south), Edgar County, Illinois (southwest), Vermilion County, Illinois (northwest).

Vermillion County is divided into 5 Civil Townships as follows: Clinton, Eugene, Helt, Highland and Vermillion. Cities, Towns and Communities include Blanford, Cayuga, Centenary, Clinton, Crompton Hill, Dana, Eugene, Flat Iron, Gessie, Highland, Hillsdale, Hollowell, Klondyke, Montezuma Station, Needmore, Newport, Perrysville, Randall, Rhodes, Rileysburg, Saint Bernice, Sandytown, Shepardsville, Tighe, Universal, Walnut Grove and West Clinton.

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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 Jan. 1844, and on January 5, 1866. At neither time were the county records lost. See also the Vermillion County Courthouse History

Vermillion County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1824 , Probate Records from 1827 and Court Records from 1825 and is located at PO BOX 10, 255 South Main, Newport, IN 47966; Pho: (765) 492-3500, Fax: (765) 492-5001

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.

Vermillion County Recorder has Land Records from 1824 and is located at 255 South Main, Newport, IN 47966; Pho: (765) 492-5003 .

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.

Vermillion County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 825 South Main Street, Clinton, IN 47842; (765) 832-3622

Below is a list of online resources for Vermillion County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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.
  • Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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.
  • Vermillion 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 Vermillion 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 Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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.
  • Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Maps. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Vermillion County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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

  • Vermillion County Indiana Historical Society , Inc., 220 East Market Street, P.O. Box 273, Newport, Indiana 47966
  • 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 Vermillion County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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 Vermillion County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Vermillion 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

Vermillion County, organized in 1824, derives its name from Vermillion River that flows through it. It is bounded north by Warren, east by the Wabash, which separates it from Fountain and Parke, South by Vigo, and west by the State of Illinois. It is 37 miles in length and averages seven in breadth. And contains about 260 square miles. The civil townships are Highland, Eugene, Vermillion, Helt, and Clinton. The population in 1830 was 5,706, in 1840 8,274, and at this time about 11,000. One-fourth of the county is prairie; the surface of the country is high and generally level, except near the streams. The soil is generally excellent, and some of the best farms in the State are to found here. Among the surplus articles exported are 25,000 hogs, 200,000 bushels of corn, 40,000 of wheat 100,000 of oats, and hay, staves, hoop-poles, and various kinds of marketing, which with cattle and horses, amount in all to about $300,000 annually. There are usually 250 flat boats built, loaded and sent off every year. There are in the county five large flouring mills, three propelled by steam and two by water, besides other smaller ones, 17 dry good stores, one drug store, five liquor stores, five lawyers, 23 physicians, 14 preachers of the Gospel, one printing office, two distilleries, and schools in most of the districts a portion of the year. Coal is abundant in the county, and extensive beds of iron ore are found in the region of the "Indiana Furnace" on Brouillet's Creek. The taxable land amounts to 152,652 acres.

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

Vermillion is commonly known as the "Shoe String County" because of its unusual shape. It is thirty-seven miles in length and only about six miles wide on the average. Most of the County's surface is high and level and the soil is very fertile. Vermillion County is essentially an agricultural region and fruit raising is one of the principal occupations. Underlying the uplands are extensive veins of coal from which the county produces much of the state's black coal.

Vermillion County is a border county located due west of Indianapolis, and its western line is part of the Illinois boundary. The county has an area of 254 square miles and is divided into five townships. The incorporated city is Clinton, which has a population of 7,936. Incorporated towns include Fairview Park, 1,106; Cayuga, 968; Dana, 859; Universal, 642; Newport, 777, and Perrysville, 435. The county population in 1890 was 13,154; 1900, 15,252; 1910, 18,865; 1920, 27,625; 1930, 23,238.

Newport is located thirty-one miles north of Terre Haute and is served by one railroad. The principal industries are clay works, and coal mining. One of the town's interesting points is the Lincoln Hotel. The hotel's first floor is more than one hundred years old and the second and third was added during the Civil War. The hotel takes its name in honor of Abraham Lincoln who is said to have spent the night there.

Clinton is located on the Wabash River sixteen miles north of Terre Haute and is served by one railroad. The city's chief industries include those producing overalls, cement products, bottles, powder, and clothing. In the early days Clinton was a thriving pork-packing center of the Wabash steamboat lines.

The county's most outstanding citizen was Claude Matthews and his bride, Martha Whitcomb, daughter of another of Indiana's Governor, came to the county shortly after he had completed college.

Vermillion County had fourteen manufacturing establishments, according to 1935 federal census figures. A total of 366 age earners were employed on payrolls of $252,628. Value of the products was $952,399.

The county had 1,289 farms averaging 110.4 acres each and having a total valuation of $6,140,040. A total of 19,810 head of livestock was reported. The total county tax valuation in 1936 was $17,152,875.

Courthouse History

At 37 miles long and averaging seven miles wide it’s easy to see how Vermillion County earned the nickname “the shoe string county.”1 The narrow county boasts a rich history of agriculture, coal mining, and immigrant traditions. Vermillion County history also holds a devastating record of courthouse fires.

The first Vermillion County Courthouse—a frame structure a mere 36 feet long by 24 feet deep—served from 1825 until 1831.2 While spared from fire, Commissioners claimed this early courthouse simply did not meet their specifications and refused to award the contractor his full payment. However, the Indiana Supreme Court found the building satisfactory and ordered Commissioners to pay the full amount plus court fees.3

A second incarnation—constructed in 1832 and made of brick—lasted until destroyed by fire in 1844. County records are unclear about whether the 1832 building was repaired or fully replaced, but the County Commissioners accepted the courthouse from the contractor in January 1845. Fire struck again in 1866, completely destroying the building. In 1867 a new courthouse constructed of brick and accentuated by Romanesque arches opened and served the county until 1923 when lightening struck, causing yet another fire.

County commissioners quickly selected H.L. Fillinger of Dana and John B. Bayard of Vincennes as architects for the fourth and current courthouse. Its three stories are clad in Indiana limestone. The building’s symmetry and details such as the Corinthian columns highlighting the upper stories of the façades, and the decorated cornice, are hallmarks of the Neoclassical style. The courthouse is located in a Shelbyville Square plan, with streets intersecting at each corner.

In 1996 the Vermillion County Commissioners took steps to preserve and modernize the courthouse for future generations. In addition to a new roof, rehabilitation work included the installation of a new elevator, upgraded heating and air conditioning system, new windows, exterior lighting, a generator, and sidewalks. While pouring the walk on the west side of the building, part of the foundation from the courthouse that burned in 1923 was discovered. Future plans include the restoration of the original clocks on each of the courthouse’s four faces.

In part, these efforts were taken to ensure the security and health of courthouse staff in the event of the release of VX nerve gas into the air. This gas is stored in the nearby Newport Army Ammunition Plant and is in the process of being destroyed. The courthouse has annual “lockdown” training to prepare for this type of emergency. All of the doors and windows in the courthouse have airtight seals, and all outside air can be blocked by closing down the ventilation system and using the building’s own generator.

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