The Forming of Ripley County
(Some history)
RIPLEY COUNTY, IN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

LOCAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGY LIBRARY

email RCHS (rchslib@gmail.com)

P. O. Box 525
Versailles, Indiana 47042
812-689-3031

Hours:
Monday - Tuesday - Thursday - Friday
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Membership Fees:
Life Membership $150
Annual Membership & Renewal $20
Renewals due by 1st of each new year.
Library Use Fees:
Members Free
Non-Members $10 Daily

Everyone pays copy fee of $1.00 per page.


The next quarterly meeting will be July 14th at the Osgood Museum at 2:00 p.m.


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RCHS is not legally liable or responsible for the content on non-RCHS websites that are linked to on these pages.


Due to being very under-staffed at this time
Requests for information MUST BE MAILED to us!

There is a $10.00 research fee, plus copy fees of $1.00 a page. Send an extra $1.00 postage for more than 5 pages of copies. Questions mailed without the fee and an SASE will be answered with minimal information, but copies will not be sent until the fee is received.
This is a Non-Refundable fee....research does take time to do. Please include a large self addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) in your request.


Past Quarterly Bulletins


The following links are presented to this website by Joseph M Jarvis, with thanks from RCHS! (Opens in new tab.)
Transcription of the 1880 will of Harvey Jarvis
Transcription of the 1840 will of James Jarvis

Effectively Tapping in to Local, County, State Historical Societies and Libraries by Barry J. Ewell is an excellant presentation for genealogists - both the newbies and experts! Companion article for the presentation.
These files are in PDF form. Get the latest Adobe Reader here

ADOLPHUS DIMMICK a small bio.


NamePrice
Add $7.50 if mail order
NamePrice
Add $7.50 if mail order
Lest We Forget WWII by Norris & Joan Krall25.00 Ripley County Indiana, Volume 1 (hard bound) 65.00
Ripley County Indiana, Volume II (paperback
spiral bound)
25.00Brown Twp.Tales by Alan Smith 20.00
Osgood, IN Sesquicentennial 1856-2006 17.00Vintage Postcards by Alan Smith 20.00
Jackson Township Cemetery Index 13.00Brown Township Cemetery Index 10.00
Johnson Township Cemetery Index 10.00Broken Wings, By Robert Kelly 20.00
Versailles, IN School Life 1818-1966 20.00Napoleon & Vicinity 1820 Sesqui-Centennial 1970 Historical Souvenir 12.00
Sugar Branch by Don Morrison
the Morrison family in Switzerland County (Historical fiction)
16.00The Dark Line by Don Morrison
the Morrison family in Switzerland County (historical fiction)
20.00
A Century of Schools by Alan Smith 20.00 Adams Twp. Cemetery Directory10.00
History of Adams Twp 1950 by Harold Freeland 20.00 Milan Indiana: A Storied Past 1854-200416.00
Old Timbers by Chilton Thompson 23.00 Revolutionary War Soldiers and Patriots
with ties to Ripley County Indiana by Marlene Jan McDerment
34.00
Story of the Bradt Fund, the F. Hale Bradt Family
and their Versailles, Indiana farm 1906-2001
n/c Take the River a DVD PBS presentation25.00
Tales of Versailles by Alan Smith16.00 The First Bright Days of Elvis by Josephine Rascoe Keenan14.00
Wilbur's War by Hale Bradt15.00 In Those Dazzling Days of Elvis by Josephine Rascoe Keenan14.00

to purchase one or more books or for more information


The Toph Papers
Index to surnames found in the 3,000+ pages.
Close the window to return here.
The Peoples' History by Violet Toph
Index of a collection of Ripley County anecdotes


Visit the RCHS buildings

located in Versailles.


RIPLEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY library located in the old Versailles Bank Building.
RIPLEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY museum located at the corner of Main and Water Streets in Versailles.

Smith-Engel log cabin built about 1830 located behind museum. Built & owned by Jacob & Nancy Funkhouser


Ride to the Oregon Territory with Joseph Willams
who was a 64 year old Ripley County preacher that wanted to preach to the settlers out west in this new territory. Ride with the group he went with and experience life as he tells it while enroute.

Courtesy of Margaruite Walker

Click an icon at the bottom of the diary pages to move forward-backward-home.
A weathered stone marks the grave of the Rev. Joseph Williams, who died January 9, 1859 at 81 years of age. The emblem of United Methodist ministers was placed there during the Bicentennial Year by the Ross' Run Chapter, DAR. An itinerant minister from 1805 to 1809, Mr. Williams "located" when he married. But he continued in ministry, probably organizing a class meeting.
Photo by Ann Gibbs.


Ripley County Veterans St. Magdalene Catholic Cemetery


Ripley County Genealogical Data LINKS
Here is where you will find the link to the following, among other links:

  • Birth, Death and Cemetery Records
  • Marriages 1818-1880 - from the Violet Toph Papers
  • Ripley Obits
  • Ripley County townships maps
  • Ripley County Biographies
  • County Court Records on INSANITY....those committed to Central State in Indianapolis
  • More Ripley County genealogy data....
  • Links to the State Library...and more links to Indiana pages, and also many links to other genealogy pages!!
  • Clink on Ripley County Genealogical Data LINKS to go to the Links page.....


    The Society of Indiana Pioneers


    Some Ripley Trivia
    Morgan and his raiders entered Ripley County from Jennings County on Sunday, July 13, 1863. Their first stop was at Rexville in Shelby township, where a general store was looted. From Rexville they marched to Versailles where they were met at the new courthouse by a hurriedly summoned band of the militia and citizens. The raiders seized the guns belonging to the militia and broke them against the corner of the courthouse, which at that time was not completed. The Deputy County Treasurer, B. F. Spencer, had buried the county funds for safety from the raiders. The treasurer's office was looted and it is reported that several thousand dollars was taken by the raiders. Private citizens having funds or valuable jewelry and silverware hid them in a safe place. Many housewives hung their jewelry in the bean vines and other secret hiding places. Horses were hidden as well as possible in advance of the raiders, as they constantly seized fresh horses, leaving worn out nags, occasionally, in their stead. Housewives were ordered to prepare meals for the marauding cavalry and feed was appropriated for their animals, all available supplies were used or carried away. The detachment, to be known forever in American history as Morgan's Raiders, did not march in a compact body but followed a general course in scattered units, the central force of about three thousand men, containing the leaders--John Morgan, and his two lieutenants.


    It is


    This site maintained by Lori - RCHS life member & webmaster