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Author: Jesse_Stamper
Surnames: MCADAMS, MOWRER
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
The records of Harrison County, Indiana are still intact, there has never been a
courthouse fire, or at least not a fire that has destroyed any records. I believe some of
the courthouse employees in the past have pitched some of the early, but not too important
records, such as court docket books.
Could you perhaps tell us the name of the person you are looking for? If you are trying to
figure out when exactly he/she came to this county (or reached his majority), deeds, tax
lists, and voter lists would be the best option, probably. Unfortunately, I don't know
anything about the voter lists. I remember when I visited New Amsterdam awhile back, there
was a small store, can't recall the name, that had copies of some of the early records
of that town, including voter lists. They were quite interesting and I found the names of
several of my McAdams and Mowrer ancestors on those lists. My ancestor, Samuel McAdams,
Sr. (died 1824) was one of the founders of New Amsterdam.
I suppose the town government would retain the voter records, but they may have been moved
to the Harrison County Archives Building across the street from the Courthouse, I
don't know. I have always wanted to go through the voter and tax lists. Perhaps some
day I will.
I believe the Corydon library has a book of the 1809 tax list and perhaps a few others,
but not many. The library also has a published book consisting of early school census
records which are very helpful prior to the 1850 census. I believe the book covers the
years 1842, 1846 and 1847. Whether or not original school census records go back to the
1830s, I don't know.
And as always, deeds are good at establishing a date of arrival, or at least a land
purchase (or sell), in Harrison County, Indiana.
Also, you said your ancestor apparently left no probate records, but depending on how
important it is for you to establish a date of arrival, you can always check the probate
records of this person's neighbors. It would be a time consuming task, but you never
know, you may find out he purchased an item from his deceased neighbor's estate sale.
I frequently find the names of several different ancestors and their siblings in old
probate records I copy, especially when the person left a large estate consisitng of many
farming tools and livestock. Usually they were friends, close neighbors or lived in the
vicinity.
Jesse Stamper
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