Crawford County was created on January 29, 1818 and was formed fromHarrison, Orange and Perry Counties. The County was named foreither U.S. Treasury Secretary William H. Crawford or for Col. William Crawford, who fought in the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War, and who was burned and scalped by Indians in 1782 in what is now Wyandot County, Ohio..
The County Seat is English. English wasn't always the County Seat. According to the best available data, Mt. Sterling became the County Seat in 1818 and remained so at least until 1822. Though the records are not complete, best available information shows that the act of legislature in December 21, 1821, moved the County Seat from Mt. Sterling to Fredonia which is a town on the Ohio River. In 1843, the Legislature passed an act on January 4 providing for removal of the County Seat to Leavenworth. In 1894, the County Seat was removed to English after a most notable and picturesque struggle. The Courthouse at English was the only one in the state erected outside the limits of the County Seat town. English suffered six floods from 1959 to 1990. The town council decided that the only solution to the flooding problem was to move the town. 160 acres of high ground were purchased and the entire town was relocated. This was the second-largest relocation of an entire town in the U.S. history.
Leavenworth, named for the proprietors S. M and Z. Leavenworth, contained in 1849 twenty-five brick and and seventy-five frame welling houses and abut 600 inhabitants and was a favorable location for business, having a good landing for boats and commanding a trade of an extensive and productive territory in the interior. It was generally considered that a better ship yard could not be found in Indiana, however, due to continuous flooding of the Ohio River, was eventually moved "up the hill" and the original site is now refered to as Old Leavenworth. The town of English was named in honor of the Honorable William H. English, a Congressman who, in 1880, was the unanimous choice of his party for Vice-President of the United States. See also County History for more historical details.
Counties adjacent to Crawford County are Orange County (north), Washington County (northeast), Harrison County (east), Meade County, Kentucky (south), Perry County (southwest), Dubois County (west). Crawford County is divided into 9 Civil Townships as follows: Boone, Jennings, Johnson, Liberty, Ohio, Patoka, Sterling, Union and Whiskey Run. Cities, Towns and Communities include Alton, Artist Point, Beechwood, Brownstown, Cape Sandy, Carefree, Curby, Deuchers, Dry Run, Eckerty, English, Fredonia, Grantsburg, Hogtown, Jericho, Leavenworth, Magnolia, Marengo, Mifflin, Milltown, Pilot Knob, Riceville, Sulphur, Sulphur Springs, Taswell, Temple, Tower, W. Fork, Wickliffe and Wyandotte.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Crawford 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.
PLEASE READ!! 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.See also the Crawford County Courthouse History
Crawford County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1818 , Probate Records from 1818 and Court Records from 1818 and is located at Courthouse, PO Box 375,
English, IN 47118,
(812) 338-2565 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.
Crawford County Recorder has Land Records from 1818 and is located at Courthouse, PO Box 214, English IN 47118;
(812) 338-2601. 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.
Crawford County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at 306 Oak Hill Circle, P.O. Box 246,
English, IN 47118;
(812) 338-2302.
Below is a list of online resources for Crawford County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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.
Indiana Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
Click Here to Search Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
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.
In Person:
The ISDH Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). The cost for the first certificate is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Average wait time is less than an hour.
Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
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.
In Person:
The ISDH Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). The cost for the first certificate is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Average wait Time is less than an hour.
Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
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.
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
Below is a list of online resources for Crawford County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
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.
Click Here to Search Indiana Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Crawford County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Crawford 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.
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 Crawford County Maps. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Indiana Military Records! - 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 Crawford County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Military Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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.
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 Crawford County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Crawford County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
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 Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Indiana Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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.
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 Crawford County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Crawford 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.
Click Here to Search Indiana Family Tree Records! - 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 Crawford County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Crawford County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
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.
Indiana Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain
Crawford County, a southern county bordering on the Ohio River, lies between Harrison and Perry on the river, and Orange and Dubois in the interior, and contains about 320 square miles. It was organized in 1818, and was named after the unfortunate Colonel William Crawford, the land agent of General Washington in the west, who was taken prisoner by the Indians and burnt at Sandusky, in 1782. Crawford County is divided into eight townships, viz: Jennings, Ohio, Whiskey Run, Sterling, Patoka, Union, Liberty and Boone. The population in 1830 was 3,184, in 1840, 5,282, and at this time [1849], about 6,700. The face of the country is very uneven and broken. Near the river the soil is good; in the interior it is much poorer. The best of oak and poplar timber is found in great abundance. The principal agricultural products are wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, tobacco and grass; and the exports consist chiefly of lumber, pork, beef cattle, flour, etc., which are annually taken to a southern market, to the estimated value of $100,000.
Coal and iron ore abound in the west part of the county, and there is much valuable waterpower along Blue River, where there are now good mills. Near this stream, four miles from Leavenworth, is a large cave, which attracts the attention of many visitors, and several of them have, as they say, explored it more than two miles without reaching its termination. The bottom of this cave, as well as several others in the county, were covered with crystallized salts, several inches in thickness, when they were first visited.
The Methodists, United Brethren and Christians are the most numerous religious denominations, and there are usually about fifteen preachers in the county.
About one-third of the land still belongs to the United States, of which a considerable portion would make good farming land.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Crawford County is widely known as the location of Wyandotte and Marengo caves. The enormous underground halls of Wyandotte cave, second largest in the United States, its great domes, immense columns, and great piles of fallen rock are without equal in any other American Cavern. The highest underground mountain in the world, 135 feet, is one of the cave's outstanding beauties. Besides the caves, Crawford County offers another point of unusual interest, the Lily White sulfur well.
Crawford County, one of the southwestern counties, borders on the Ohio River. Being in the unglaciated area, its land is rough and hilly. An inexhaustible supply of stone is found here and the stone industry is an important part of the county's activity.
Crawford County embraces 303 square miles and has nine townships. The incorporated towns are Alton, 109; English, 704; Marengo, 806; Leavenworth, 418, and Milltown, 795. In 1890 the county had a population of 13,941; 1900, 13,476; 1910, 12,057. In 1930 the population was 10,160.
English has a few small manufacturing establishments, but is chiefly important as the center of a fruit growing, poultry raising, and dairying district.
The Courthouse is the only one in the state erected outside the limits of the County Seat town. A main point of interest in English is the William H. English Park, provided for in the will of Mr. English. In the park is a monument to its founder. Of cultural interest is the collection of art books in the Public Library. Many of the residences of the town have notable antiques such as glassware, china, and examples of pioneer needlework.
The town of Marengo is the site of the world famous cavern, Marengo Cave. According to 1935 figures the county had eight manufacturing establishments employing sixty-six wage earners, who earned $21,139. The value of the manufactured products was $112,359.
There were 1,770 farms with an average of 98 acres each. The total value of these farms was $2,499,903. The county had 19,813 head of livestock.
