Indiana Local History <-> Genealogy 
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Harrison County, Indiana History and Genealogy - 1875 Map

HARRISON COUNTY, Indiana
History <-> Genealogy

Located in southern Indiana, with the Ohio River as it's southern boundary.
     The County seat is Corydon.  + Corydon was the capital of Indiana from 1816 to 1825 !

     Harrison County was first created, in 1808, as the 4th county in the Indiana Territory.  It was formed from portions of the counties of KNOX (to the west) and CLARK (to the east).

     In 1811, Harrison county encompassed a large area which included the present day counties of HARRISON and WASHINGTON, in addition to the eastern half of CRAWFORD and ORANGE counties, a southeastern portion of JACKSON county, the western half of FLOYD county, and smaller portions of CLARK, LAWRENCE, PERRY and SCOTT counties.
Read more about the Formation of Harrison County townships and boundaries and Townships of Yesteryear.

*County seat: Corydon  + Corydon was the capital of Indiana from 1816 to 1825 !
*Cities, Towns & Communities include: Bradford, Breckenridge, Bridgeport, Buena Vista, Central, Central Barren, Corydon, Corydon Junction, Crandall, Davidson, Depauw, Dixie, Dogwood, Elizabeth, Evans Landing, Fairdale, Fishtown, Frenchtown, Hancock Chapel, Hillcrest, Laconia, Lanesville, Little St. Louis, Locust Point, Lottick Corner, Macedonia, Mauckport, Moberly, Mott Station, New Amsterdam, New Boston (Boston), New Middletown, New Salisbury, Nanceville (historical P.O.), Northampton (historical), Palmyra, Ramsey, Rehoboth P.O., Rosewood, Seven Springs, Sugar Grove, Titus, Valley City, White Cloud, and Wynnsboro (historical).

Select this LINK to see GENERAL Harrison County information and links.
Select from the TOWN list above to learn which township the community is located in, and view information and links specific to that area.
Select from the TOWNSHIPs Table below to view information and links specific to the township.
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.
 

Townships in Harrison County
(North = Top)

 

Townships of Yesteryear
Harrison County
's Historic Townships which NO longer exit:

Exeter Township - was divided into Boone and Heth townships.

Driftwood Township - was located in the northern portion of early Harrison county.  In 1814, Driftwood township became part of Washington county when it was formed.

Madison Township - was located in the northern portion of early Harrison county.  In 1814, Madison township became part of the newly formed Washington county.

Ohio Township - was located in the western portion of early Harrison county.  Ohio township became part of Crawford county, which was formed in 1818.

Scott Township - was located in the western portion of early Harrison county, with the Ohio River as its western boundary.  The area which it encompassed remains within the present Harrison county boundaries.  The location of Scott Township may be seen on the 1875 Map of Harrison County.  Read also:  Historic Scott Township, by Frederick P. Griffin, from Notes of John A. Cabell, As published in the Souvenir Centennial Program for the 1959 Harrison County Fair. 

Washington Township [the 1st / early] - was located in the northern portion of early Harrison county.  In 1814, Washington township became part of the newly formed Washington county.  Later, another township of this name was again formed in southwestern Harrison county.
Whiskey Run Township - was located in the western portion of early Harrison county.  Whiskey Run township became part of Crawford county, which was formed in 1818.

Surrounding Counties:
                                   N =  Washington County, IN
W = Crawford County, IN     HARRISON COUNTY   E = Floyd County, IN
                                         S = The Ohio River /
                                   Meade, Jefferson, Bulitt, and Hardin Counties, KY
Visit neighboring KYGenWeb
See Local History <-> Genealogy State Selection Page to visit Kentucky sites of research interest.
See:  Kentuck Atlas and Gazetteer - from the University of Kentucky, Lexington.


HARRISON COUNTY, INDIANA
Established in 1808; County seat is Corydon.
+ MAPS + TOWNS + TOWNSHIPS + NEIGHBORING COUNTIES +
+ CHURCHES + CEMETERIES + MUSEUMS and HISTORIC SITES +
+ NEWS & NEWSPAPERS
+ COMMERCE, TOURISM & ONLINE COMMUNITY  +
+ HISTORY & GENEALOGY: Articles & Online Databases + BIOGRAPHIES +
+ NATIVE AMERICAN: THE PEOPLE + NATURE +
+ ARCHIVES & LIBRARIES for Further Research +
+ COUNTY GOVERNMENT & Vital Records +
+ PROFESSIONAL HISTORICAL GENEALOGY RESEARCH +



MAPS

·         Interactive Present day Map of Harrison County, Indiana.

·         1875 Map of Harrison County, Indiana, from Higgins Belden & Co. (see citation)

·         1895 Map of Harrison County, Indiana, by Pam Rietsch

·         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.


NATIVE AMERICAN: THE MIAMI PEOPLE

·         Native American Links


MUSEUMS & HISTORIC SITES

·         Harrison County Convention and Visitors Bureau – Corydon is an Historic area for Indiana's Territorial and early Statehood era.    "...commemorates the history of Indiana's first state capital and the development of Indiana from the territorial period through statehood..."

·         Harrison County Chamber of Commerce

·         Corydon Capitol State Historic Site    202 East Walnut Street - Corydon, Indiana 47112  Phone: (812) 738-4890.

·         Squire Boone Grist Mill is on the Indiana State Register of Historic Sites.

·         Historic Southern Indiana.



CHURCHES

·         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.



CEMETERIES

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

o        Indiana Cemetery Locator Database

·         Cemeteries in Harrison County, Indiana

·         USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project for Harrison County, Indiana

·         Interment.net for Harrison 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.

·         Little Flock Baptist Cemtery, by Terry Straub

·         Funeral Homes: Beanblossom-Cesar Funeral Home
     201 N Oak Street - Corydon, IN   Phone: (812) 738-2116
Gehlbach & Royse Funeral Home Inc.
     318 E Chestnut Street - Corydon, IN   Phone: (812) 738-4131


COMMERCE, TOURISM & ONLINE COMMUNITY

·         Harrison County, Indiana Chamber/Convention and Visitors Bureau

o        Historic Corydon

o        Harrison County Attractions

·         Harrison County Chamber of Commerce

·         Corydon Battle Park - Historic Civil War Battlefield

o        Indiana Legion Organization of Companies - Harrison County, Indiana volunteer militia companies including: Mauckport Rifles, Heth Rifles, Valley Rifles, Washington Guards, Scott Guards, Scott Life Guards, Jordan Guards, Harrison County Border Scouts, Harrison Cavalry, Harrison Guards, Palmyra Guards, Carter's Invincibles, Lawson's Grey Rifle Corps, Spencer Guards, Spencer Artillery, Ellsworth Rifles and Rosewood Guards.


NATURE

·         Squire Boone's Caverns & Village    P.O. Box 411 - Corydon, Indiana  47112    Phone:  (812) 732-4381
   Located south of Corydon, off Hwy. 135, east of Central, in Boone Township.
   Squire and his brother, Daniel Boone, discovered the dazzling cave formations and underground waterfalls two centuries ago.

o        About Squire Boone (died ca. 1815, and is buried in the caves)

o        Squire Boone Grist Mill is on the Indiana State Register of Historic Sites.

·         Ohio River Scenic Route

·         Hayswood Nature Preserve - (Harrison Township)    From the intersection of SR 62 and SR 135, just west of Corydon, go south on SR 135 about 1 mi. to the county park entrance.

·         Post Oak-Cedar Nature Preserve - (Harrison Township)    "Located Take SR 62 about 12 miles west of Corydon and turn south on SR 462. Just before entering the State Forest, turn south (left) onto Cold Friday Rd. (there is a small sign) and drive about 1 mile to a marked parking lot."

·         Harrison-Crawford Wyandotte Complex - Woods Area & Caves Area

·         Marengo Cave - a U.S. National Landmark in neighboring Crawford County (Liberty Twp.)        P.O. Box 217 - Marengo, IN 47140   Phone: (812) 365-2705.

·         Virtual Cave TripIndiana Karst - Harrison County is within the larger "Lost River" area which contains  significant caves in the state of Indiana.

·         National Caves Association - Caves and Caverns Directory

·         National Speleological Society - (headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama)

o        Harrison-Crawford Grotto (a local chapter)    P.O. Box 147 - Georgetown, IN 47122-0147   E-Mail: DBlack@venus.net

·         Basically Bats - To learn more about those critters which reside in caves. ;-)


NEWS & NEWSPAPERS

·         Corydon Democrat Newspaper

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

o        Newspaper Holdings: Holdings by county (in Indianapolis)


BIOGRAPHIES

·         Squire Boone's Caverns & Village    P.O. Box 411 - Corydon, Indiana  47112    Phone:  (812) 732-4381
   Located south of Corydon, off Hwy. 135, east of Central, in Boone Township.

o        About Squire Boone (brother of Daniel)

·         Katherine R. Miller (interview with a Rosewood, Indiana native, born in 1911), by Stephen Condra.

·         countyhistory.com: for Harrison County, by Ronald Branson!


HISTORY <-> GENEALOGY: Articles and Online Databases

·         Corydon Capitol  is an Historic area for Indiana's Territorial and early Statehood era.    "...commemorates the history of Indiana's first state capital and the development of Indiana from the territorial period through statehood..."

·         Historic Harrison County by the Historic Harrison County project team.

·         Harrison County, Indiana Chamber/Convention and Visitors Bureau

o        Historic Corydon - Corydon was the capital of Indiana from 1816 to 1825.

o        Harrison County Attractions

·         Squire Boone Caverns and Grist Mill - Tourism website

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

o        Online Databases

o        Indiana Cemetery Locator Database

o        Indiana Biography Index

o        Index of Indiana Marriages Through 1850.

o        Index of Indiana Marriages, 1993 through 2000

o        Newspaper Holdings: Holdings by county

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

o        Indiana Public Libraries

o        Map of Indiana Libraries.

o        WWII Servicemen Database

·         INGenWeb for Harrison County Genealogy by Terry (Teresa) Straub.

·         1880 Census Index, by familysearch.org

·         1820 Indiana Census Index, by Lori!

·         Corydon War Memorials: The Historical Marker Database HMdb.org

o        War of 1812: In Honor of the Men From Harrison County who were killed or died from wounds at the Battle of Tippecanoe, 7 Nov 1811 and War of 1812

o        Civil War:  Morgan’s Raid in Harrison County, Confederate and Northern Losses

o        Civil War:  Battle of Corydon

o        WWI:  World War I Memorial

o        WWII:  Tribute to World War II Veterans of Harrison County

o        All Corydon Historical Markers

 


ARCHIVES & LIBRARIES for Further Research

·         Harrison County Public Library & Carnegie Genealogy Library
   105 North Capital Avenue - Corydon, Indiana 47112   Phone: (812) 738-4110.

o        History and Genealogy Resources!

Hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.;

 Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 Closed on National Holidays

·         The Southern Indiana Genealogical Society
   P.O. Box 665 - New Albany, IN  47151-0665.
   (SIGS serves the seven southern Indiana counties of Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Perry, Scott and Washington.)


COUNTY GOVERNMENT & Vital Records

·         Harrison County Health Department (For Birth & Death Records from ca. 1882)    245 Atwood St., North Wing - Corydon, IN 47112-8402
   Phone: (812) 738-3237     E-mail:  HarrisonCoHealth@hotmail.com

o        Vital Records Information and Order Forms

·         Harrison County Clerk's Office (For Marriage, Divorce and Probate Records)     300 North Capitol Avenue - Corydon, IN 47112  Phone: (812) 738-4289.
     The fee is .50 per page for copies of marriage records.

·         Harrison County Recorder (For Land Records/Deeds)
    300 North Capitol Avenue, #204 - Corydon, IN 47112  Phone: (812) 738-3788.

·         Harrison County Assessor      300 North Capitol Avenue,  #303 - Corydon, IN 47112  Phone: (812) 738-4280.

·         Harrison County Government



 


Harrison County Townships and Communities
The Development of Harrison County's 11 Townships

See also: Townships of Yesteryear

     At the time of its formation, Harrison county was divided into 3 townships:  Exeter (in the south), Harrison (in the central portion) and Washington township (in the north).

     By 1811, Harrison county had 6 townships:  Exeter in the south; The center portion containing the 2 townships of Harrison (west) and Franklin (east); and the northern area was divided into the 3 townships of Washington, Madison and Driftwood townships.  At that time (1811), Harrison county encompassed a large area which included the present day counties of HARRISON and WASHINGTON, in addition to the eastern half of CRAWFORD and ORANGE counties, a southeastern portion of JACKSON county, the western half of FLOYD county, and smaller portions of CLARK, LAWRENCE, PERRY and SCOTT counties.

     In 1814, Washington county was formed, from the northern portion, effectively reducing Harrison county to about half of its original size, with the 3 northern townships of Washington, Madison and Driftwood becoming part of the newly formed WASHINGTON county.

     By 1817, Harrison county had once again divided into 6 townships:  Exeter, Franklin, Harrison, Ohio, Posey and Whiskey Run, however the following year (1818) the townships of Ohio and Whiskey Run became part of the newly formed CRAWFORD county, and southern Exeter township was divided into 2 new townships: Boone and Heth, while the townships of Morgan and Blue River were formed in the north.

     In 1838, a new Washington township was formed in the southwestern part of Harrison county, and given the same name as the earlier, no longer existing, township.  By 1848, Taylor township had been formed, in the southeastern corner of Harrison county, from Boone township.  Five years later, the townships of Jackson, Spencer, Webster and Scott were also formed.  The last named, Scott township, was dissolved in 1939, when a large portion of the township became part of an Indiana state forest.  (See Harrison-Crawford Wyandotte Complex)


Blue River Township communities include:  Depauw and Hancock Chapel.  Depauw is situated at the Blue River and Spencer townships line.

·         Historic Harrison County : Historic Blue River Township, By Frederick P. Griffin, from notes of Miss Loretta Davis & Mr. Emory Bruner, As published in the souvenir Cenntenial Program for the 1959 Harrison County Fair.
Four of the earliest churches, each with corresponding cemeteries, serving the Blue River Township area were:
   Hancock's Chapel, a Methodist church, in the SE 1/4 of Section 33, T-1S, R-3E.
   Blue River Chapel, a Christian church, in the NW 1/2 of Section 2, T-2S, R-3E.
   Mt. Zion, destroyed by fire (NE 1/4 of Section 7, T-2S, R-3E).
   Mt. Tabor, which had once been a Christian Church of Christ, was also destroyed by fire, but later rebuilt; located in Section 10, T-2S, R-3E.
Other cemeteries in Blue River Township include:
   The Boston Cemetery, in the NW 1/4 of section 33, T-1S, R-3E.
   Breedlove Cemetery (aka Goldsberry Cemtery), in the SW 1/4 of Section2, T-2S, R-3E.
   Collins Cemetery, in the SE 1/4 of Section 30, T-1S, R-3E.
   The Ferguson Family Plot, in Section 2, T-2S, R-2E.
   Milltown Cemetery, in the SW 1/4 of Section 14, T-2S, R-2E.
   The Collins-Sipes Cemetery is located in Blue River Township, 1 1/2 miles southwest of Hancock Chapel, in the NE 1/4 of Section 5, T-2S, R-3E (Source: Indiana State Library, Genealogy Division).

Arian Collins graciously reported the following were interred in the Collins-Sipes Cemetery:

1.  Lawson Henderson SIPES (born Sept. 10, 1808, in North Carolina; died Dec. 3, 1872, in Blue River, Harrison County, Indiana). Husband of Mary (WALK) SIPES.

2.  Andrew James COLLINS (born Dec. 6, 1858 in Harrison County, Indiana; died Oct. 4, 1861, in Harrison County, Indiana). Son of James Andrew and Sarah Catherine (SIPES) COLLINS.

3.  George W. COLLINS (born Aug. 3, 1861 in Harrison County, Indiana; died Sept. 7, 1865, Harrison County, Indiana). Son of James Andrew and Sarah Catherine (SIPES) COLLINS.

4.  Mary J. COLLIN (born Sept. 12, 1864, in Harrison County, Indiana; died July 30, 1865, in Harrison County, Indiana). Daughter of James Andrew and Sarah Catherine (SIPES) COLLINS.

5.  Emma SIPES (born may 10, 1865, in Harrison County; died Dec. 21, 1869, in Harrison County, Indiana). Daughter of Caroline SIPES.



Boone Township communities include:  Davidson and Laconia.

·         Historic Harrison County : Historic Boone Township, by Miss Dora Faith, Laconia, As published in the Souvenir Centenial Program for the 1959 Harrison County Fair.

·         Squire Boone's Caverns & Village    P.O. Box 411 - Corydon, Indiana  47112    Phone:  (812) 732-4381
   Located south of Corydon, off Hwy. 135, east of Central, in Boone Township.
   Squire and his brother, Daniel Boone, discovered the dazzling cave formations and underground waterfalls two centuries ago.

o        About Squire Boone (died ca. 1815, and is buried in the caves)



Franklin Township communities include:  Breckenridge and Lanesville.

·         Historic Harrison County : Historic Franklin Township, by Frederick P. Griffin, from the notes of Mr. Charles Simler, As published in the souvenir Cenntenial Program for the 1959 Harrison County Fair.

·         Franklin Township Cemeteries include the following:  (see Cemeteries List for location descriptions)
   Armstrong Family Plot
   Blankenbaker Cemetery
   Brubeck Family Plot
   Chamberlain - Decker Family Plot
   John Cline's Grave - (veteran of American Revolution, on farm)
   Davis Family Cemetery
   Fullinglove Family Plot
   Sarah Gimble Grave - (on farm)
   Gwin-Shafer-Zimon Family Plot
   Harbison Family Cemetery
   Harmon Family Plot
   Lanesville M. E. Cemetery - by Lanesville
   Lieber Family Cemetery - (on farm)
   Pfrimmer's United Brethren Chapel Cemetery (became United Methodist)
   Riley Family Plot
   Raudenbusch Family Cemetery
   Rheinhardt Family Cemetery
   St. John's Lutheran Cemetery - southeast by Lanesville (northeast from old St. John's Cemetery)    St. John's Lutheran Cemetery (old) - NE 1/4, section 32, Township 3 S, Range 5 E
   St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery - at Lanesville
   St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery
   St. Peter's Evangelic Lutheran Cemetery
   Schmetzer Family Plot
   Sickell Family Plot
   Thomas Cemetery
   unknown Cemetery (on farm/no stones) - SW 1/4 section 12, Township 3 S, Range 5 E
   unknown Cemetery (on farm/no stones) - SE 1/4 section 17, Township 3 S, Range 5 E
   unknown Cemetery (on farm/no stones) - SE 1/4 section 21, Township 3 S, Range 5 E
   unknown Cemetery (on farm/no stones) - NE 1/4 section 28, Township 3 S, Range 5 E
   unknown Cemetery (on farm/no stones) - SW 1/4 section 4, Township 4 S, Range 5 E
   Woertz Family Cemetery (aka German Reformed Cemetery) - on farm
   Wolfe's Cemetery - (portion within Floyd county)
   Wright - Schwartz Family Plot
   Zollman Family Cemetery



Harrison Township communities include:  Corydon, Dixie and Hillcrest.

·         Historic Harrison CountyHistoric Harrison Township, by Mr. Frederick P. Griffin and notes of Mr. Benton Windell, As published in the Souvenir Centennial Program for the 1959 Harrison County Fair.

·         Corydon War Memorials: The Historical Marker Database HMdb.org

o        War of 1812: In Honor of the Men From Harrison County who were killed or died from wounds at the Battle of Tippecanoe, 7 Nov 1811 and War of 1812

o        Civil War:  Morgan’s Raid in Harrison County, Confederate and Northern Losses

o        Civil War:  Battle of Corydon

o        WWI:  World War I Memorial

o        WWII:  Tribute to World War II Veterans of Harrison County

o        All Corydon Historical Markers

·         Corydon Democrat Newspaper

·         Harrison County, Indiana Chamber/Convention and Visitors Bureau

o        Historic Corydon

o        Harrison County Attractions

·         Harrison County Chamber of Commerce

·         Corydon Capitol  is an