Collections Indexes
Welcome to our list of self-published indexes. These pertain to record and manuscript groups that are in our large collection of documents, diaries, photo albums, and more within our collection.
If you are planning to come to the Research Library and Archives to do your own research, please peruse these indexes to see what we have that you might be interested in seeing.
Then, please call Phyllis Codling McLaughlin or Carol Collelo at (812) 265-2335, or send an email to research@historicjeffersoncounty.org, or click here to arrange an appointment.
Family Files Index
Our family history files consist of hundreds of file folders with information about individual families. The folders contain items such as obituaries, newspaper articles, letters, pictures and documents. These are not static files; they are updated periodically with information being added to existing family folders and new files being created.
Fauna Mihalko Collection Index
Fauna Mihalko was a genealogist at the Madison-Jefferson County Public Library for many years. While at the library, she put together a major collection of family history information focused on Jefferson County. Similar to our Family History Files, the Fauna Mihalko collection contains obituaries, letters, newspaper clippings, letters and correspondence Ms. Mihlako amassed while doing her research.
Jae Breitweiser UGRR Collection Index
Jae Breitweiser and Dotty Reindollar purchased Eleutherian College in Lancaster, IN to save it from destruction. In 1997 it was designated a National Historic Landmark. The college played an important role in the underground railroad, which prompted Ms. Breitweiser to do extensive research on the topic. The result of that research is a very large collection of materials covering the following subjects: black genealogy, white genealogy, underground railroad, anti-slavery, black history, Eleutherian College, Jefferson County, IN history, Indiana history, United States history, Thomas Jefferson descendants, record (census, registration, slave holdings, etc.) and other research/contacts.
Marriage Documents
We have original marriage documents from the 1803 through 1926 time period, the majority of which are concentrated in the years 1820 – 1859. The information on the index is: groom’s name, bride’s name, date and year of the document, and the type of document – affidavit, application, license and/or return. We have other more complete lists of marriage information, but this index is of those for which we have original documents.
JPG Family Files
Our large collection of materials from the Jefferson Proving Ground (JPG) was curated by Mike Moore, a mathematician who worked at the proving ground for many years. This index is of the family files and pioneer interviews.
JPG Photo Files
This index is of the many photos from JPG that we have on file. Mike Moore, who curated this collection, has managed to identify virtually all the people who are in the photos. A real treasure trove of material.
Jefferson County Apprenticeship Records
These apprenticeship records were originally compiled by Mary Hill, probably from court records. Ms. Hill’s records were transcribed by Robert Scott in 2000.
Death Records, 1879-1905
This is an index of death records from 1879 through 1905. It is in order of last name of deceased.
Jefferson County Estate Inventories
This record consists of 16 large, hardbound ledgers containing detailed listings of estate inventories taken as part of the probate process. Listings include the contents of dwellings (furniture, clothing, pots, jewelry, etc.) as well as real estate and financial holdings. Also included are some business inventories for companies that became insolvent.
Property Deeds, Mortgages, Indentures, etc.
We have a number of original deeds, mortgages and indentures for the 1817 – 1936 period. It is arranged by the last name of the seller, but as an excel file it is easily searchable by either the buyer’s or the seller’s name.