Posey County was created on November 1, 1814 and was formed fromWarrick County. The County was named for Thomas Posey, a governor of Indiana Territory.
The County Seat is Mount Vernon. Mt. Vernon wasn't always the County Seat. The first location was at Blackford, in the northeastern corner of Marrs Township, the town being named after Judge Isaac Blackford, a famous lawyer in Indiana for more than forty years. In 1817, it was removed to Springfield, near the town of Harmonie, where Frederick Rapp and his colony of Rappites lived. The legislative act of February 12, 1825 moved the County Seat to Mt. Vernon. First settled in 1803 by Andrew McFadin, the town site long ago known as McFadin's Bluff. By 1849 Mt. Vernon contained substantial buildings for the Courthouse and public offices, two good hotels and about 200 houses with 1,000 inhabitants. See also County History for more historical details.
Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Posey 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 Posey County Courthouse History
Posey County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1814 , Probate Records from 1815 and Court Records from 1815 and is located at 300 W. Main Street, PO BOX 606 (mailing address), Mount Vernon, IN 47620; Pho: (812) 838-1306, Fax: (812) 838-1339 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.
Posey County Recorder has Land Records from 1812 and is located at 300 W. Main Street, PO BOX 9 (mailing address), Mount Vernon, IN 47620; Pho: (812) 838-1314. 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.
Posey County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at Coliseum Building,
126 East Third Street,
Mount Vernon, IN 47620;
(812) 838-1328
Below is a list of online resources for Posey County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Maps. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Posey 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 Posey County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Posey 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
Posey County, organized in 1814, was named in honor of Governor Thomas Posey, who was appointed Governor of the Indiana Territory to succeed General Harrison. It is the extreme southwest county in the State, containing about 420 square miles, and is bounded on the north by Gibson, on the east by Vanderburgh, on the south by the Ohio, and on the west by the Wabash. Posey is divided into the following townships, viz: Point, Black, Marrs, Robinson, Lynn, Harmony, Bethel, Smith and Robb. The population in 1830 was 6,883, in 1840, 9683, and at this time [1849] about 13,000. The surface of the country on the Ohio and Wabash, with the exception of the bluffs commencing at Mount Vernon and extending four miles below, is flat bottomland, subject to yearly overflows, varying from half to two miles in width. The bottom near New Harmony is about three miles wide. The interior of the country is undulating or rolling, and some parts are comparatively hilly, but upon the whole, lies remarkably well, for all agricultural purposes. The only prairie in the county is about three miles in length and one in breadth, and there are, properly speaking, no barrens, though the soil is thin in places, and near the junction of the rivers there are so many ponds and so much low ground that it cannot be improved to advantage. The bottomlands comprise about a sixth, and the forestlands three-fifths of the whole. The soil, in the bottoms, is a rich, sandy loam, formed from the deposit of the rivers; that in the interior is mostly a dark, rich loam, resting upon a yellow clay formation. It is best adapted to corn and grasses, though fine crops of wheat, oats, etc., are annually raised in various portions of the county. The timber is mostly of a good quality, consisting of the different kinds of oak, walnut, poplar, cherry, ash, pecan, hickory, beech and sugar, and coal is found in abundance. The surplus articles exported are estimated at $350,000 annually, and they consist of about 2,000,000 lbs. Of pork, 600,000 bushels of corn, livestock, and such other agricultural products as are common in the west.
There are in the county 28 mills, four distilleries doing a large business, two printing offices, a well managed County Seminary, district schools in most of the districts, nine lawyers, 18 physicians, 10 preachers, and the usual proportion of mechanics. Working Men's Institutes have been established at Mount Vernon and New Harmony. The latter is liberally endowed and has a fine library. Lectures upon scientific subjects are delivered at stated times to the members, and occasionally to the public generally. Mr. McClure and the Owen family have done much to promote the prosperity of this society. The taxable land amounts to 195,807 acres.
About two miles above Mount Vernon, on the river bluff, are several mounds covering from one-fourth to one acre each, and from 15 to 60 feet in height, which, when opened, are found to contain human bones, and Indian pipes and weapons. On the Wabash, 12 miles from its mouth, is a mound called the "Bone Bank," in which have been found Indian vases, urns, and detached bones of the Mastodon, or some animal of immense size. Three miles above Mount Vernon and tow from the Ohio, is a causeway over two miles in length and several feet in height, now used as a part of the public highway, which is evidently the work of a generation long since passed away. Some suppose it to have been designed for a fortification, and the formation favors the opinion. At any rate, it must have required much time and immense labor for its construction.
There is a large amount of bottomlands on the Ohio and Wabash, which are so low that they have been considered of little value, but the most of them will hereafter be dyked and become very valuable, and at no distant day, Posey will be one of the richest counties in the state.
1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
Posey is the extreme southwestern county of Indiana. On the west the Wabash River separates it from the state of Illinois, and on the south the Ohio River separates it from Kentucky. Most of the land is level, or slightly rolling, with a few small hills. The soil is well adapted to the growing of all grains, vegetables, and melons.
In the early history of Indiana, Posey County was the site of one of the most remarkable sociological experiments in the world. This was at New Harmony, where the great Scotch philanthropist, Robert Owen, began his idealistic community enterprise.
The county covers 402 square miles and is divided into ten townships. Its incorporated city is Mount Vernon, 5,033; towns: New Harmony, 1,022; Poseyville, 810, and Cynthiana, 556. Total county population, 1890, 21,529; 1900, 22,333; 1910, 21,670; 1920, 19,334; 1930, 17,853.
Mount Vernon is on the Ohio River, twenty miles west of Evansville, and is served by two railroads as well as the steamboats plying the river. As a shipping point and trade center, it is quite important. Its industries include flour, paper, and sawmills, foundries, and canning factories.
One of Mount Vernon's outstanding points of interest is its World War Memorial Building erected by Posey County. Another is the Masonic Temple, of the historical significance because it was once the home of Governor Alvin P. Hovey. There is a soldiers' and sailors' monument in the County Seat, dedicated in 1908.
New Harmony was founded in 1814 by George Rapp and his band of German followers and purchased in 1824 by Robert Owen. The city is one of the state's recognized art centers, rich in cultural and esthetic history. Among the points of outstanding interest are The Art Gallery and Museum of the Working Men's Institute, organized in 1838. Contained here is a geological and historical collection. The Institute's Library, also founded in 1838, contains a comprehensive collection of material pertaining to local history. In the Murphy Gallery, also part of the Institute, are notable paintings purchased in Europe upon organization in 1840.
The Old Fauntleroy Home, which was erected by the followers of Rapp in 1815, is known as the birthplace of the famous Minerva Club, the first woman's club in the United States to have a written constitution. It was purchased in 1924 and maintained as a shrine for clubwomen by the Indiana Federation of Clubs. There are several buildings and markers of various types in memory of the founders of New Harmony. One Rappite Dwelling No. 10 stands unchanged since 1815.
Probably the most outstanding residence is the home of Mrs. Aline Owen Neal. It was originally the laboratory in which David Dale Owen, who, at the time he occupied it, was U. S. Geologist. It was here he worked out his theories of architecture, which assisted him in planning the Smithsonian Institution. In the home also are contained some original drawings by pupils of Raphael.
A notable memorial is to be found in Maple Hill Cemetery, a monument to Joseph Neef. Neef, at one time an officer under Napoleon Bonaparte, introduced the Pestalozzian system of education to America.
Men outstanding in the county, in addition to those mentioned were William Maclure, Thomas Say, Frederick Rapp, Robert Dale Owen, as well as other members of the talented Owens, and Dr. Edward Murphy.
This county had a total of seventeen manufacturing establishments, according to figures of the 1935 federal census. A total of 650 wage earners were employed on payrolls of $449,092. The value of the products was $3,332,532.
The county had 1,795 farms averaging 131.1 acres each. These farms were valued at $9,306,178. A total of 57,860 head of livestock was reported. The county's tax valuation as of 1936 was $15,514,227.
