Indiana Local History <-> Genealogy 
[Contact: Ann Mensch]

Perry County, Indiana History and Genealogy

PERRY COUNTY, Indiana

*First created in 1827.
*County seat: Tell City; previously Cannelton.
Named for: Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero of the War of 1812
Located in souther Indiana, with the Ohio River at it's southern boundary.
*Cities, Towns & Communities include: Adyeville, Apalona, Bandon, Branchville, Bristow, Cannelton, Celina, Derby, Dexter, Dodd, Don Juan, Doolittle Mills, Fosters Ridge, Gatchel, Gerald, Hardingrove, Kitterman Corners, Lauer, Leopold, Lilly Dale, Magnet, Mount Pleasant, Oil Creek, Oriole, Penn Haven, Ranger, Rocky Point, Rome, Sassafras, Siberia, St. Croix, Tell City, Terry, Tobinsport, Troy, Uniontown and Waterbury.

Click HERE for General PERRY County information and links, OR
Select a TOWN from above to go to the township location, with links and information specific to that area, OR, select a TOWNSHIP from the following table:

Please note:  Though the information on this web page is believed to be correct, the possibility of error remains.  Please notify the webmaster should an error be found.  

Surrounding Counties:
 NW = Dubois County        N & NW =  Crawford County, IN
W = Spencer County, IN     PERRY COUNTY
                                          SE, S & SW = The Ohio River
    Across the Ohio River are Hancock, Breckinridge and Meade Counties in KY
   See:  Kentuck Atlas and Gazetteer - from the University of Kentucky, Lexington.
See Local History <-> Genealogy Index State Selection Page to visit sites for neighboring Kentucky.

   from A Living History of Perry County by James Mosby.

  • Reminiscences of a Pioneer Priest in the Diocese of Vincennes [Indiana, U.S.A.], by The Very Rev. August Bessonies, V. G. (born in France in 1815) - Rev. Bessonies, a Catholic priest, was the founder of Leopold, Indiana, in Perry County.  He writes of the day-to-day life in southern Indiana during the 1840s and 1850s, and tells of his reasons for beginning the town of Leopold :   "...The greater portion of my life was spent on horseback, and one time during the absence of Father Kundeck, I said mass on Sunday at Derby, Perry county; on Monday at Leavenworth, Floyd county; on Tuesday at Corydon, Harrison county; on Wednesday at Newton Stewart, Orange county; on Thursday at Jasper, Dubois county; on Friday at Taylorsville, Warrick county; on Saturday at Rockport, Spencer county, and at home again at Leopold, the following Sunday...".
  • Statue of Our Lady of Consolation at St. Augustine's Church in Leopold.
  • View of Tell City, Perry County, Indiana : Praemie zum Tell City Anzeiger, by A. Hinnen, [Indiana?] : G.F. Bott, [187-?] (Cin[cinnati], O[hio] : Strobridge & Co. Lith.), Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA (Call Number: G4094.T3A3 187- .H5).  [Url: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g4094t.pm002045>]

o   Indiana State Library.    140 North Senate Avenue - Indianapolis, IN 46204-2296

o   Online Databases

o   Indiana Cemetery Locator Database

o   Indiana Biography Index (published before 1990)

o   Indiana Biography Index (published since 1990)

o   Index of Indiana Marriages Through 1850.

o   Index of Indiana Marriages, 1993 through 2002

o   Newspaper Holdings: Holdings by county (in Indianapolis)

o   Images of Indiana: 92 Counties // from Adams to Whitley

o   Indiana Public Libraries

o   WWII Servicemen Database

o   Indiana Plat Books

o    Vital Information Exchange (VINE)

·         1880 Census Index, by familysearch.org

·         1820 Indiana Census Index, by Lori!

  • USA Veterans' Administration
  • See also a Tiger Interactive map of Perry County, Indiana.
  • Use the query form, at USGS, to map features including cemeteries, churches, populated places, and more.  Please note that the map town listed with a feature may be used as a map reference for the site, and may not be the town where the feature is actually located...Select a map to see the location of the actual feature.  This database may not be complete, and, as with any database, there may be errors.
  • The Political Graveyard, for Perry County, Indiana, created and maintained by Lawrence Kestenbaum, a web site about U.S. political history, politicians and cemeteries.
  • Tell City Historical Society
    • 548 - 9th Street - Tell City, IN  47586   Phone:  (812) 547-9695
    • Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 728 - Tell City, IN  47586-0383
  • Tell City Public Library
    • 2328 Tell Street - Tell City, IN  47586   Phone:  (812) 547-2661

Contacts to obtain many documents and cerified copies:

·  Perry County Health Department (For Birth & Death Certificates from ca. 1882)
        125 S 8th Street Courthouse Annex - Cannelton, IN  47520-1251  Phone: (812) 547-2746.

·  Perry County Circuit Court Clerk - (For Marriage, Divorce & Probate Records)
         Courthouse: 2219 Payne Street - Tell City, IN  47586  Phone: (812) 547-3741.

·  Perry County Recorder          

  • Courthouse: 2219 Payne Street - Tell City, IN  47586  Phone: (812) 547-4261.

Perry County Communities


ANDERSON TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Gatchel, Lilly Dale and Ranger.    Don Juan is seen, in section 26, on the 1875 map above, however, it is not reported on a present-day atlas.

 

Anderson Township Cemeteries include:

Avery Cemetery (est. ca. 1842 – 1940) – located on Avery Ridge Road

Covey Cemetery (est. ca. 1867) – located on Deer Creek Road at Lilly Dale

Deer Creek Cemetery & Church – located by SR 37 and Alamo Road

Dodson Cemetery – located by Aloe and Alcoa Roads

Frakes Cemetery – located south of Lilly Dale, on Deer Creek Road

Hammack Cemetery - located on Azalea Road

Hicks Cemetery – located on Arrowhead Road

Lilly Dale Cemetery & Church c. 1882 - present SR 37 & Deer Creek Road

Mackey Cemetery – located on Algood Road

Niles Cemetery – located on Alton Road

Nixon Cemetery – located on Acorn Road

Richards Cemetery – located on Academy Road

St. Joseph’s Cemetery (est. ca. 1820) – located by St. Joseph’s Cemetery Road and Arlington

St. Marks Cemetery & Church (est. ca. 1865) – located by SR 145 and Acorn Road

Staughter Cemetery (est. ca. 1877) – located on Attic Road

Terry Cemetery – located by Deer Creek and Abner Roads

[name unknown]  Cemetery – located on Abner Road

[name unknown] Cemetery – located on Arrowhead Road

[name unknown]  Cemetery - located by SR 145 and Accent Road

 


CLARK TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Adyeville, Bristow, Kitterman Corners, Sassafras, Siberia and Uniontown.  Foster’s Ridge P.O.  is seen, in section 30, on the 1875 map above, however, it is not reported on a present-day atlas.  It appears to have been located at/near the present-day Uniontown.  Lashers P.O., also seen on the 1875 map, appears to have been located near the Oil and Clark Townships line, southeast of the Middle Fork of the Anderson River.

 Clark Township Cemeteries include:

Beard Cemetery – located on Blue Ridge Road, by the intersection of Beard Cemetery Road, south of Sassafras, IN 

Bristow Cemetery (est. ca. 1885) - present Bristow Road & 145 at Bristow

Cline Cemetery (est. ca. 1891) – located on Cline Cemetery Road

Comstock Cemetery   - located on Comstock Road

Crooks, Thom Cemetery (est. ca. 1842) – located on Saint Meinrad Lake Road

Enlow Cemetery (est. ca. 1852) – located on Combo Road, at Celine Road, northeast from Uniontown, IN

Foster’s Ridge Cemetery (est. ca. 1869) – located on Centerpoint Road

Fox Ridge Cemetery   - located on Campton Road, north-northeast from Kitterman Corners, IN

Hobbs Cemetery (est. ca. 1820) – located on Channel Road, east of Kitterman Corners, IN

Lanman Cemetery (est. ca. 1835) – located on Culver Road

Lasher Cemetery (est. ca. 1845) – located on Clark Range Road

Lower Beard Cemetery - located on Lower Beard Cemetery Road

Mt. Pleasant Cemetery (est. ca. 1889) – located on Candlestick Road

Sigler Cemetery (est. ca. 1859) – located on Cloverdale Road, north of I64, near the Crawford county boundary

St. Isidore Cemetery & Church (est. ca. 1876) – located on St. Isidore Road

St. Martin’s Catholic Cemetery (est. ca. 1874) – located at Bristow, IN, by Bristow Road and 145

Stapleton Cemetery (est. ca. 1842) – located by Clementine Road, north from SR 62

Taylor Cemetery  - located on Chipmunk Road

Tennessee Beard Cemetery (est. ca. 1847) – located on Adyeville Road, east from Adyeville, IN (map)

[name unknown]   Cemetery – located on Creek Road

[name unknown]   Cemetery (est. ca. 1909 ) – located on Cascade Road

 


LEOPOLD TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Leopold and Terry.

  • Reminiscences of a Pioneer Priest in the Diocese of Vincennes [Indiana, U.S.A.], by The Very Rev. August Bessonies, V. G. (born in France in 1815) - Rev. Bessonies, a Catholic priest, was the founder of Leopold, Indiana, in Perry County.  He writes of the day-to-day life in southern Indiana during the 1840s and 1850s, and tells of his reasons for beginning the town of Leopold :   "...The greater portion of my life was spent on horseback, and one time during the absence of Father Kundeck, I said mass on Sunday at Derby, Perry county; on Monday at Leavenworth, Floyd county; on Tuesday at Corydon, Harrison county; on Wednesday at Newton Stewart, Orange county; on Thursday at Jasper, Dubois county; on Friday at Taylorsville, Warrick county; on Saturday at Rockport, Spencer county, and at home again at Leopold, the following Sunday...".

 

Leopold Township cemeteries include:

Frakes Cemetery – located on Landcaster Road

Lanman Cemetery (est. ca. 1848) east of Tipsaw Lake

Rennie Cemetery  – located at Leopold - Oriole Road

Rhodes Cemetery (est. ca. 1851) – located by Lily Road and French Ridge Road

St. Augustine Cemetery & Church (est. ca. 1840) – located on Leopold Road

St. John’s Cemetery (est. ca. 1841) – located on Lily Road

[name unknown]   Cemetery (est. ca. 1864)– located by Leopold Road and West Leopold Circle

 


OIL TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Apalona, Bandon, Branchville, Celina, Doolittle Mills, Oriole and St. Croix.  Oil Creek P. O. (post office) is seen, at/by Branchville, on the 1875 map above, however, it is not reported on a present-day atlas.  A creek by that name does run through the township.

 

Oil Township cemeteries include:

Bangle Cemetery – located on Landcaster Road

Colby Cemetery  – located by St. Croix Road and Odell Road

Ewing Cemetery – located on Outpost Road

German Ridge Cemetery (est. ca. 1866) – located on Opera Road

Guillaume Cemetery  – located by  Branchville Road and Old SR 37

Holy Cross Cemetery & Church (est. ca. 1869) – located by Ontario Road and SR 62

Jefferies Cemetery c. 1872 - present SR 66 & Jefferies

Luxemburger Cemetery (est. ca. 1869) – located on Oriole Road south of Oriole

Miller Cemetery – located on Charmaine Road

Rickenbaugh Cemetery (est. ca. 1838) – located north of Celina Lake

Senn Cemetery  – located on Oliver Road

Sprinkle Cemetery – located by SR 66, north of Mt. Pleasant

Underhill Cemetery (est. ca. 1898) – located on Oklahoma Road

Valley Cemetery (est. ca. 1874) – located on Omaha Road

Walker Cemetery (est. ca. 1863) – located by Outpost Road and Oriole Road

Wodlums Cemetery  – located on north of Oriole in Hoosier National Forest

[name unknown]  Cemetery (est. ca. 1858) – located on St. Croix Road

[name unknown]  Cemetery (est. ca. 1856) – located by SR 66 and Orange Grove Road

 


TOBIN TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Dodd, Gerald, Hardingrove, Lauer, Rome and Tobinsport.  Rocky Point is situated at the Troy and Tobin Townships border.   Waterbury is seen on the 1875 map above, however, it is not reported on a present-day atlas.


Tobin Township Cemeteries include:

Brasher Cemetery (est. ca. 1882) – located on Addison Dam Road

Bryant Cemetery (est. ca. 1904) – located on Thrifty Road

Carr Cemetery (est. ca. 1880) – located on Thrifty Road

Conner Cemetery (est. ca. 1865) – located on Tide Road

Conner Cemetery (est. ca. 1820) – located north of Rome on Ohio River

Cooks Cemetery (est. ca. 1855) – located by Gerald Road and Thunder Road

Electra Plane Crash (17 March 1960) – located on Millstone Road – Air Crash Memorial Site information (archived on web.archive.org)

German Ridge Cemetery c. 1860 - 1952 – located on German Ridge Road

Gilliand Cemetery (est. ca. 1864) – located on Gilliand Road

Groves Cemetery (est. ca. 1840) – located on SR 66, south of Poison Creek Road

Harding Cemetery (est. ca. 1852) – located by Urban Road and Truman Road

Harris Memorial Cemetery & Church (est. ca. 1851) – located on SR 66 north of Tobinsport

Lamb Cemetery (est. ca. 1897) – located on SR 66 west of Rome

Lamb Cemetery (est. ca. 1811) – located by Tobinsport Road and High Water Road

Lower Cummins Cemetery c. 1814 - present SR 66 & North Cummins Cemetery Road

Maier Cemetery – located on German Ridge Road

Millstone Cemetery & Church – located on Millstone Road

Old Bryant Cemetery - located on Thrifty Road, which branches west off SR 66, about midway between Derby and Rome, IN

Schraner Cemetery (est. ca. 1902) – located by German Ridge Road and Gerald Road

Shoemaker Cemetery (est. ca. 1831) – located on West Rome Road

Smith Cemetery  – located on Addison Dam Road

St. John Cemetery (est. ca. 1880) – located on Triplett Road

St. Peters Cemetery (est. ca. 1860) – located on SR 66, west of German Ridge Road

Upper Cummins Cemetery (est. ca. 1882) – located by SR 66 and North Cummins Cemetery Road

Wegehast Cemetery (est. ca. 1847) – located on SR 66, west of Rome, IN

[name unknown] Cemetery (est. ca. 1838) – located on West of Rome

 


TROY TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Cannelton (former county seat), Tell City (county seat) and Troy.  Rocky Point is situated at the Troy and Tobin Townships border.  Troy township is the home township of the Perry county seat.  All of it's towns are located on the Ohio River, which is it's southern boundary.  The Hoosier National Forest, which encompasses most of the eastern half of Perry County, includes the northeastern corner of Troy township.

 

 

Troy Township Cemeteries include:

Bolin Cemetery – located by Silver Point and Sybil Roads

Chestnut Grove Cemetery – located on Chestnut Grove Road

Cliff Cemetery – located by Cannelton Heights

Greenwood Cemetery – located by SR 37, at Tell City, IN

Log Church Cemetery – located on Deer Creek Road

Mt. Zion Cemetery – located by Mt. Zion Church Road

Powell Cemetery – located on Swan Road

St. Mary’s Cemetery – located by SR 66

St. Michael’s Cemetery – located on Girl Scout Road

St. Pius Cemetery – located by Troy Ridge and Shaw Roads, east from Troy, IN (map)

Troy Cemetery – located on Cemetery Road, in Troy, IN

[name unknown] Cemetery – located on Swan Road, off 237

 


UNION TOWNSHIP includes the communities of Derby, Dexter, Magnet and Mount Pleasant.  The Hoosier National Forest, which encompasses most of the eastern half of Perry County, includes most of Union township within it's boundaries.  The towns of Derby and Magnet are located on the Ohio River which is at the township's eastern boundary.

 

Union Township Cemeteries include:

[name unknown] Cemetery (est. ca. 1858) – located by SR 66 and Ulysses Road

[name unknown]  Cemetery (est. ca. 1859) – located by Parks and Usher Roads

[name unknown]  Cemetery   Ureka Road

Badger Cemetery (est. ca. 1869) – located by SR 70 and Urban Road

Cross Road Cemetery – located on Universal Road

Derby Cemetery (est. ca. 1818) – located on SR 66 north of Derby

Horton Cemetery (est. ca. 1876) – located on Horton Cemetery Road

Old Chapel Cemetery (est. ca. 1848) – located on Chapel Road

Phelps Cemetery (est. ca. 1870) – located on Ultimate Road

Smith Cemetery (est. ca. 1908) – located on Tiger Road

Stephenson Cemetery (est. ca. 1840) – located by Dexter - Magnet Road

T. A. Ley Cemetery  - located on  Ultimate Road

[ Additional Research Resources for All Indiana Counties ]
[ Return to Indiana Local History ]


PROFESSIONAL HISTORICAL GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Ann McRoden Mensch, Professional Historical Genealogist

Researching on-site, and with the vast resources of the Allen County Public Library, holding one of the largest genealogical collections in North America.  Search the Library's online catalogue to see some of the printed resources available for a location or topic.

Printed resources for this page include:

  • Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer.  First Edition, Second Printing.  Yarmouth, Maine:  Delorme.  1998.
  • School and Library Atlas of the World.  Fred W. Foster, Ph.D. (Editor).  Sycamore, Illinois:  School and Library Publishing Company.  1982.
  • New Sectional Township Map of Indiana.  Chicago, Illinois : Higgins Belden & Co., 1875.
  • The Perry County Historical/Pictorial History - Limited Edition History Book, by Michael Rutherford, sponsored by the Perry County Chamber of Commerce.
  • To identify other printed resources for Perry County, Indiana, search the Allen County Public Library's online catalogue.

[ Return to Indiana Local History ]

Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001-2009, by Ann Mensch.  All Rights Reserved.