The County Seat is Jasper. Jasper was not always the County Seat. The first County Seat of Dubois County was Portersville. Owing to its location on White River, the northern boundary of the county, efforts were made at various times in the Legislature to have the County Seat removed to a more desirable location. By a supplementary act of the Legislature of January 30, 1830, commissioners were ordered to meet at Portersville in August 1830, and select a new County Seat "as near the center of the county as possible." The town of Jasper was chosen and has remained the County Seat to the present day.
Jasper was first settled in 1830 by Dr. McCrillas, Colonel Morgan, B. B. Edmonson, Z. Dillon and J. McDonald. In 1849 it had 5 stores, three groceries, two warehouses, one brewery, one distillery and a population of 532. Jasper is situated on the Patoka River 120 miles southwest of Indianapolis, fifty miles northeast of Evansville, and forty-four miles south east of Vincennes. The Courthouse was completely destroyed by fire in August 1839, and many of the historical county records were lost. See also County History for more historical details.
Dubois County is divided into 12 Civil Townships as follows: Bainbridge, Boone, Cass, Columbia, Ferdinand, Hall, Harbison, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Marion and Patoka. Cities, Towns and Communities include Bretzville, Celestine, Crystal, Cuzco, Dubois, Ferdinand, Haysville, Hillham, Holland, Huntingburg, Jasper, Johnsburg, Kellerville, Mentor, Norton, Portersville, St. Anthony, Saint Henry, Schnellville and Stapleton.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Dubois 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. Courthouse destroyed by Fire in Aug. 1839, All records destroyed, except the WPA found 10 boxes of deeds from 1812
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 Dubois County Courthouse History
Dubois County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1839 , Probate Records from 1840 and Court Records from ? and is located at One Courthouse Sq.,
Jasper, IN 47546; (812) 481-7035; (812) 481-7044 Fax 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.
Dubois County Recorder has Land Records from 1839 and is located at One Courthouse Sq., Jasper, IN 47546; (812) 481-7067; (812) 481-7044 Fax. 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.
Dubois County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at Courthouse, Annex, Second Floor ,
602 Main Street,
Jasper, IN 47546;
(812) 481-7050.
Below is a list of online resources for Dubois County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Maps. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Dubois County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Dubois County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 84,
Ferdinand, IN 47532-0084
Ferdinand Historical Society Inc, Box 194, Ferdinand , IN 47532
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 Dubois County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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 Dubois County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Dubois 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
Dubois County, named for Toussant Dubois, who had charge of the guides and spies in the Tippecanoe campaign, and who for many years was a hospitable, patriotic and enterprising citizen and merchant of Vincennes, was organized in 1818. It is bounded on the north by the East Fork of White River, east by Orange and Crawford, south by Perry and Spencer, and west by Pike, and contains 420 square miles. It is divided into six civil townships, viz: Columbia, Harbison, Bainbridge, Hall, Patoka and Ferdinand. The population in 1830 was 1,774, in 1840, 3, 632, and at this time [1849] about 5,600. The northeastern part of the county is rolling, the other portions level, and about one-fifth of the whole is in the bottoms of White River, Patoka and other streams. A large portion of the county has a very good soil, though considerable tracts are of a different description, and it is estimated that one-eighth of the county is occasionally inundated. There are no prairies in the county, and the most common timber is white and black oak, poplar, walnut, sugar, beech, hickory, etc., with much undergrowth of dogwood and spice bush. The principal articles exported from the county are hogs, cattle, horses, corn, etc. There are in the county fourteen stores and groceries, four warehouses, one brewery, one distillery, three lawyers, seven physicians, three preachers, three Catholic, five Methodists and two Cumberland Presbyterian Churches, eight grist and saw mills and two carding machines, and there are fifteen blacksmiths, twenty-nine cabinet makers, seventeen house carpenters, five millwrights and nineteen tailors.
Coalmines are abundant. White River and Patoka both admit of being navigated three or four months in the year, and there is no reason but want of enterprise and industry, whey Dubois should not be among the rich counties of the State.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Dubois County is located in the southwestern part of the state and is traversed by the Patoka River while White River forms part of its northern border. The county was originally part of Knox, later Gibson, and finally a section of Pike County. Dubois County covers an area of 427 square miles and is divided into twelve townships.
The incorporated cities are Jasper, 3,905, and Huntingburg, 3,440; towns: Birds-eye, 366; and Holland, 323. The census of 1890 showed 20,253; 1900, 20,357; 1910, 19,843; 1920, 19,915; 1930, 20,553.
Dubois County is noted for its large deposits of coal, sandstone, limestone, and fire clay. There is a large amount of timber remaining, notably in the Ferdinand State Forest.
Jasper is located fifty-four miles northeast of Evansville. The city is the home of numerous woodworking industries, wagon and carriage shops, machine shops, glove and canning factories, a creamery, and a grain elevator.
Located in the city is Jasper College, a department of St. Meinrad's College.
The Convent and Academy of the Immaculate Conception is located in Ferdinand. This institution was completed, and its little chapel within the wall dedicated, in 1867. The Sisters are chiefly engaged in teaching at the parochial and public schools. A prominent part of the educational program of the various branches is the study of music and painting.
The Courthouse at Jasper was one of the first in the state to provide for housing of historical material. On the lawn is a soldiers' and sailors' monument, dedicated in 1894. In the courthouse is a space set-aside for the housing of war relics, and in the corridor is a cabinet containing pioneer and historical material.
The St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church of Jasper, an excellent example of German ecclesiastical architecture, is considered one of the state's points of artistic interest. Just northwest of the city is a limestone marker to perpetuate the location of the historic Buffalo Trail.
Huntingburg is the home of a pottery company founded in 1849 and which still carries on the tradition of the craft. At the Fairmount Cemetery is a cenotaph to Jesse Stork, the first American soldier killed in the Spanish-American war. The inscription was prepared by his commanding officer, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt.
Dubois County is outstanding in that 97 percent of its farms are owned by the farmers. In 1936, the county had 2,209 farms averaging 116.9 acres each. The total value of these farms was $7,244,160. Livestock figures gave a total of 53,063 head in the county.
The total of sixty-three manufacturing establishments was listed in the 1935 federal census. These employed 1,651 wage earners who were paid $1,165,522. Value of the manufactured products was $5,508,238.
Dubois County's tax valuation as of 1936 was $11,481,720.
