USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana: containing a history of the townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies, etc., etc. > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
1823-Basil Roberts, Stanhope Royster, Jonathan John, the latter being succeeded in August by Alex- ander Dale.
1824-Basil Roberts, Stanhope Royster, Alex_ ander Dale.
In 1824 a Board composed of the Justices of the Peace from the several townships was substituted for the Commissioners, one of the Justices being chosen by the Board as President. From September of this year until November, 1827, the county was so gov- erned, during which period the Presidents of the Board were as follows:
1824-25-Moses Fay.
1825-26-Justice Wright.
70
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
1826-(From September to November) Gabriel Ginn.
1826-27 -- Marks Crume.
The office of Commissioner having been restored, the list continues as follows:
1827-Hezekiah Mount, William Dickey, David Ferree.
1828-Hezekiah Mount, William Dickey, and until September David Ferroe, when succeeded by Charles Hubbartt.
1829-Hezekiah Mount, William Dickey, Charles Hubbartt.
1830-William Dickey, Charles Hubbartt, and until August Hezekiah Mount, when succeeded by Charles Salyer.
1831-Charles Salyer, William Dickey, Charles Hubbartt.
1832-Charles Salyer, Charles Hubbartt, and un- til September William Dickey, when succeeded by Alexander Dale.
1833-34-Charles Salyer, Charles Hubbartt, Alex- ander Dale.
1835-Charles Salyer, Charles Hubbartt, and un- til September Alexander Dale, when succeeded by Hezekiah Mount.
1838-Charles Salyer, Charles Hubbartt, and until September Hezekiah Mount, when succeeded by Alexander Dale.
1839 -- Charles Hubbartt, Alexander Dale, and until September Charles Salyer, when succeeded by James Veatch.
1840-Alexander Dale, James Veatch, and until September Charles Hubbartt, when succeeded by Henry Simpson.
1841-James Veatch, Henry Simpson, and until August Alexander Dale, when succeeded by Thomas Moffett.
1842-James Veatch, Henry Simpson, Thomas Moffett.
1843-James Veatch, Thomas Moffett, and until September Henry Simpson, when succeeded by Jacob Troxell.
1844-James Veatch, Thomas Moffett, Jacob Troxell.
1845-Thomas Moffett, Jacob Troxell, and uutil September James Veatch, when succeeded by John Jemison.
1846 -- Thomas Moffett, John Jemison, and until September Jacob Troxell, when succeeded by Daniel H. White.
1847-Thomas Moffett, John Jemison, Daniel H. White.
1848-Thomas Moffett, Daniel H. White and un- til September John Jemison, when succeeded by James Steele.
1849-Thomas Moffett, Daniel H. White, James Steele.
1850-Daniel H. White, James Steele, and until September Thomas Moffett, when succeeded by W. W. Thrasher.
1851-Daniel H. White, W. W. Thrasher, and until August James Steele, when succeeded by A. T. Beckett.
1852-W. W. Thrasher, A. T. Beckett, and until November Daniel H. White, when succeeded by Will- iam H. Huston (Thrasher was succeeded in December by Joseph Dale).
1853-54-Joseph Dale, William H. Huston, A T. Beckett.
1855-Joseph Dale, A. T. Beckett, and until Sep- tember William H. Huston, when succeeded by John Stoops.
1856-John Stoops, A. T. Beckett, Joseph Dale.
1857-John Stoops, Joseph Dale, and until Sep- tember A. T. Beckett, when succeeded by George Scott.
1858-George Scott, Joseph Dale, and until Sep. tember John Stoops, when succeeded by Joseph M. Sutcliffe.
1859-Joseph M. Sutcliffe, George Scott, and un- til September Joseph Dale, when succeeded by W. T. Hensley.
1860-W. T. Hensley, George Scott, Joseph M. Sutcliffe.
1861-W. T. Hensley, George Scott, and until September Joseph M. Sutcliffe, when succeeded by Raney Gillman.
1862-Raney Gillman, George Scott, and until December, W. T. Hensley, when succeeded by Eph- raim Jeffrey.
1863-Ephraim Jeffrey, Raney Gillman, A. T. Beckett (latter appointed in June in the place of Mr. Scott, deceased).
1864-66-Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.
1867-Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, and until September Robert Holland, when succeeded by John Beck.
1868-John Beck, A. T. Beckett, and until De- cember Ephraim Jeffrey, when succeeded by Ezra Martin.
1869-John Beck, Ezra Martin, and until Sep- tember A. T. Beckett, when succeeded by Hiram B. Langston.
1870-71-Hiram B. Langston, John Beck, Ezra Martin.
1872-Hiram B. Langston, Ezra Martin, and until June John Beck, when succeeded by William A. Hol- land. (Langston was succeeded in November by John Spivey.)
John Baker
-
73
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
1873-John Spivey, William A. Holland, Ezra Martin.
1874-John Spivey, William A. Holland. and until December, Ezra Martin, when succeeded by Linville Ferguson.
1875-William A. Holland, Linville Ferguson, and until September, John Spivey, when succeeded by John Sims.
1876-77-William A. Holland, John Sims, and until December, Linville Ferguson, when succeeded by Henry Saxon.
1878-Henry Saxon, William A. Holland, and until September John Sims, when succeeded by Sam- uel P. Jemison.
1879-82-William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemi- son, Henry Saxon.
1883-William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemison, and until December, Henry Saxon, when succeeded by Henry C. Rees.
1884-William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemison, Samuel P. Rees.
CHAPTER VIII.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
ROADS-MAIL AND STAGE ROUTES-WHITEWATER VALLEY CANAL-HYDRAULIC COMPANY-TURNPIKES AND BRIDGES-RAILROADS.
NE of the great inconveniences attending the settlement of a new country is the utter destitu- tion of improvements. The pioneer as he journeys onward into the wilderness over hills, through track- less and tangled thickets, crossing bridgless streams and through swamps, at the very outset is impressed with the idea that a road would be most desi- rable.
The first roads in Fayette County were mere trails or paths for horses made by the Indians while en route to and from their favorite hunting grounds and camps, or to the trading-posts established at points along the beautiful Whitewater, whence they went to barter their pelts and furs.
One of these early paths was the "Indian Trace " leading from Connersville, or the trading-post of John Conner, to the northwest to an Indian village located in the center of the Thorntown Reservation, in what is now Boone County, this State.
One of the earliest provisions of the laws enacted for the government of the Northwest Territory was that which provided a "road fund." Various roads through the county were early proposed and some of them constructed, but these for years were little more than tracks through the woods cleared of timber, with no bridges, and in the rich and fresh condition of the soil became next to impassable in the wet seasons. As early as 1820 Commissioners were appointed to lay out "State roads." One materially affecting Fayette County was from Lawrenceburg through Brookville by way of Southgate and Tanner's Creek, Connersville, Waterloo and Centreville to Winchester. Over a half century ago it was familiarly called the Connersville State road, and from Brookville it was a continuation of Main Street, up the hill northward
through Green Brier (Blooming Grove) and West Union (Everton) to Connersville.
"In 1819 or 1820 another road was made from the Whitewater Valley, near Connersville, passing through Rush County, and crossing Big Flat Rock not far from where Smelser's mills were afterward built; then crossing Blue River above Morristown; thence to the site of Indianapolis. I am under the impression that this road was made by George Pogue and John McCormack, as it has always been under- stood that these two gentlemen were the first persons who, with their families, moved from the Whitewater Valley, and settled in the neighborhood of where Indianapolis now stands."-[Elijah Hackleman. ]
MAIL AND STAGE ROUTES.
Connersville, Everton, Harrisburg, Waterloo and Plumb Orchard constituted the postoffices of the county in 1830.
In the spring of 1833, long before the county had advanced to the era of gravel or macadamized high- ways, the notes of the bugle horn could be heard an- nouncing the arrival of the stage coach from Cincin- nati, which if not detained by a " stick in the mud " was on time. The mail lines of stages of which we write were at this period owned and managed by Abner McCarty, of Brookville, who informed the public by a notice in a paper of that village that "the stages will leave William Honries, near City Hall, in Cincinnati, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for Brookville; leave Brookville every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for Cincinnati; leave Centreville every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for Brookville; every Saturday for Richmond; leave Richmond every Sun- day for Brookville.
4
74
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
"To and from these points was via Harrison, Tren- ton, Brookville, Connersville and Milton to Centre- ville. From Brookville via Fairfield, Dunlaps- ville, Liberty, Brownsville and Abington to Rich- mond."
The entrance of the route from Cincinnati into the village of Connersville, as given by a pioneer, was "over by Swifts' and Orr's, where it left the main road and passed by old Uncle Sol Claypool's, then across the strip of woods in the river bottom to the ford opposite where Root's foundry now stands."
WHITEWATER VALLEY OANAL.
One of the early demands of the people of a new country is for means of intercommunication. So soon as the western country began to be settled there began the cry for national aid in opening up all sorts of avenues for ingress and egress to and from the frontier lands. New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio hal given great attention to the subject of canals, and Indiana early in its history turned its attention to the same subject.
The project of a canal through the Whitewater Valley was agitated as early as 1822 or 1823, by Alvin Joselyn, then connected with the Brookville press; subsequently there was held at Harrison, Ohio, a convention of delegates from Franklin Wayne, Union, Randolph, Fayette and Dearborn counties. A survey was soon made under the super- vision of Col. Shriver's Brigade of United States Engineers. Col. Shriver died before the survey was completed, and after his death the work was continued by Col. Stansbury, who began at the mouth of Gar- rison's Creek, but discontinued his labor on the approach of winter.
Nothing further seems to have been done until in 1834, when from the Connersville Watchman it appears that "a corps of engineers are surveying the route of the contemplated canal down the valley of the Whitewater."
In January, 1836, was passed by the General Assembly of Indiana the celebrated act to provide for a general system of internal improvements under which were commenced the Wabash and Erie Canal, the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, Indiana Cen- tral Canal and the Whitewater Valley Canal. The last named work was to extend from Hagerstown to Lawrenceburg. (The State of Ohio, or a company chartered by the Stato, afterward constructed a branch from Harrison, Ohio, to Cincinnati.)
The passage of this bill was celebrated at Con- nersville by an old-time jollification on the evening of the 18th of January, which, however, ended in a very appalling accident by which one young man lost his life and three others were maimed. An account
of the demonstrations and of the accident will be found in the sketch of Connersville.
The survey and location of the Whitewater Valley Canal were completed and the contracts for building the various sections were let at Brookville, Septem- ber 13, 1836, which event was there the occasion of a celebration, and that day made a general gala day. The orator on the occasion was Hon. David Wallace. Gov. Noble, ex-Gov. James B. Ray, Dr. Drake, of Cincinnati, and George H. Dunn, Esq., of Lawrence- burg, were chosen as representative characters to per- form the ceremony of "breaking ground " for the new canal.
Under the auspices of the State, the canal was completed from the Ohio River to Brookville, as well as about half the work from Brookville to Cambridge City. The cost of the work to Brookville was $664, - 665. At this time (1839) the State found itself in debt some $14,000,000, and was compelled to abandon all public works.
The first boat to reach Brookville was the " Ben Franklin." This was on Saturday, June 8, 1839. The citizens gave vent to their joy by the firing of cannon and other demonstrations.
At the session of 1841-42, the Legislature char- tered the Whitewater Valley Company, with a capital stock of $400,000. Samuel W. Parker, of Conners- ville, afterward member of Congress from this dis trict, took an active part in getting up the company, and, in connection with J. G. Marshall and others, secured the granting of the charter by the Legisla- ture, of which they were both active members. One of the principal contractors under the State and com- pany was Thomas Tyner.
The citizens of Cambridge City celebrated the commencement of operations by the company, on the 28th of July, 1842, by a barbecue, which was attend- ed by about 10,000 persons. The first wheel-bar- row load of earth was dug and wheeled out by Hon. Samuel W. Parker; the second, by Hon. Jehu T. Elliott, of New Castle, since a Judge of the Supreme Court. Every one present will remember the witty little speech of Parker on first "breaking ground" in the name of the company, and the able-and more for- mal address which he afterward commenced, but which a terrible thunder-storm prevented him from completing. Letters from Henry Clay and other dis- tinguished persons who had been invited, but failed to attend, were read on the occasion.
In October, 1843, the canal was extended from Brookville fifteen miles to Laurel; to Connersville, twelve miles further, in June, 1845; and in October, the same year, it was completed to Cambridge City, the entire cost to the company being $473,000.
The first boat that arrived at Connersville was in
75
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
the fall of 1845. It was called the "Patriot," and was commanded by Capt. Gayle Ford.
On the first day of January, 1847, a tremendous freshet damaged the canal so badly that it cost upward of $100.000 to repair it; by the flood was car- ried off the aqueduct across Symon's Creek, near Cambridge, and that across the West Fork of White- water, at Laurel, besides washing immense channels around the feeder dams at Cambridge, Connersville, Laurel, Brookville, the one four miles below, and that at Harrison, and also did much damage along the whole line. A second flood in November, 1848, only a few weeks after the ropairs had been com- pleted, damaged it to the amount of $80,000. It was, however, again repaired and operated, to some extent, for several years, until superseded by rail- roads, one the Whitewater Valley Railroad, con- structed along the tow-path, and part of the way in the bed of the canal, which had been previously placed in the hands of a receiver, and the right-of- way transferred to the railroad company for that pur- pose.
The canal constructed by the company oxtended north only to Cambridge City. (The length of the canal from Lawrenceburg to Cambridge City was seventy miles.) Subsequently, in or about the year 1846, the Hagerstown Canal Company was organized and the canal completed to that place in 1847. But a small number of boats, however, ever reached that place, and the canal soon fell into disnse, oxcept as a source of water-power.
HYDRAULIO COMPANY.
The Whitewater Valley Canal Company trans- ferred its hydraulic interest to the Connersville Hydraulic Company, which was organized in Decem- ber, 1865, with a capital stock of $10,000, under the following officers: President, P. H. Roots; Treas- urer, F. M. Roots; Secretary, Samuel Enyart; Board of Directors, P. H. and F. M. Roots, and Matthew Pfafflin. The Hydraulic Company secured a lease from the Canal Company in February, 1866, which was approved by the receiver and the United States Circuit Court of the Southern District of Indiana. The company control the Hydraulic from Cambridge City, including the feeder dam at that point, and the one at Lockport; also to Heron's lock, about one mile below Connersvillo. It is officered at this time (1884) by F. M. Roots, President; F. T. Roots, Superin- tendent and Treasurer; E. Woodward, Secretary; F. M., F. T. and D. T. Roots, Directors. It has been under the same management from the beginning.
TURNPIKES AND BRIDGES.
Gravel roads and macadamized highways may be said not to have progressod in the county until the
decade between 1850-60. A number of such roads were projected in and through the county soon after the passage of the bill relating to such highways, approved May 1, 1852.
Articles of association under the name of the Milton & Rushville Turnpike Company were filed in the spring of 1854, with the object in view of constructing a gravel road from " Milton in Wayne County, in the direction of Rushville, in Rush Coun- ty, to the oastern boundary line of said county, via Bentonville in Fayette County," but it is the under- standing that this road was not then constructed.
Articles of association were next filed by the Con- nersville & Rushville Gravel Road Company, for the purpose of constructing a road " from a point on the Connersville and Rushville State road, a half mile west from the corporation limits of Connersville, thence west on and near the line of said State road, to where the same intersects the county line dividing Rush and Fayette Counties at Vienna; distance about eight miles." This road was constructed.
At about this time several roads were projected and constructed, and in 1856, as shown by a map of the county, the following gravel or macadamized roads were in process of construction, or completed, the distance in the county being given:
Connersville and Milton, five miles.
Milton and Brownsville, five miles.
Connersville and Brookville, nine miles.
Bentonvillo and Dublin, four miles.
Bentonville and Milton, two miles.
Besides the above there are other turnpikes in the county, as set forthi below:
The county line (Fayetteville and Fairfield), seven miles.
Connersville and Alquina, five miles.
Connersville and Brownsville, six miles.
Connersville and Waterloo Township, four and one-half miles.
Connersville and Fairview, eleven miles.
Connersville and Harrisburg, eight miles.
Harrisburg and Bentonville, seven miles.
Connersville and Rushville (to Vienna), nine miles. (This latter has been suffered to go down, and is not now kept up as a pike).
There was once a turnpike known as the Fayette- ville and Laurel pike, five miles in length, but it, too, has gone down.
These highways have been partly constructed by taxation, but largely by subscription.
The toll gate, that rolic of barbarism, can be seen along at least seven of these roads.
The first bridge of any particular size in this | county was built over Whitewater River, on the road leading from Connersville to East Connersville. The
76
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
contractors were Minor Meeker, H. B. Woodcock and James Veatch. It was built between the year 1838 and 1842. The contract for a now wrought iron bridge over Waterloo ford was awarded to the Canton, Ohio, Wrought Iron Bridge Company, in June, 1881, for $16,637.37. This company had constructed, two years prior, the bridge at Nulltown. The new bridge at Waterloo was viewed and accepted by the Commis- sioners in March, 1884. Cost $4,555. The greater number of the larger bridges of the county have been built within the last decade.
RAILROADS.
The Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis Rail- road was constructed by the Junction Railroad Com- pany, which was incorporated by the State of Indiana, February 15, 1843, for the purpose of constructing a railroad from Rushville, Ind., by the way of Conners- ville and Oxford, to connect with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad at Hamilton, Ohio. The Legislature of Ohio, on the 8th of March, 1849, granted to this company the right to extend its road from the State line to Hamilton, and gave to it all the rights, privileges and powers granted to railroad com- panies by the general law of Ohio, passed in Febru- ary, 1848. The company was organized in 1849, and surveys were made preparatory to the location of the road from Rushville to Hamilton; but a difference of opinion arose as to the best route, which 'produced a temporary suspension of operations on the road Early in 1852 the company was re-organized, and new officers elected, who adopted measures to make the location of the road upon the route originally designated in the charter. The construction of the road was commenced in 1852, and was continued with moderate progress, at intervals, until 1864, when it was completed to Connersville.
-
.
In 1853 the officers of the company were as fol- lows: President, John Woods; Directors, J. D. Jones, of Cincinnati; J. M. Ridenour, of College Corner; S. W. Parker, of Connersville; W. M. Smith, of Connersville; John Woods, of Hamilton; George Hibben, of Rushville; J. Blake, of Indianapolis; Treasurer, William Tindall, of Connersville; Secre- tary, J. Loach, of Connersville; Chief Engineer, A. H. Campbell, of Liberty. Mr. Campbell served as Chief Engineer of the road continuously up to 1871.
In February, 1853, the Ohio & Indianapolis Railroad Company was incorporated for the purpose of constructing a railroad from Rushville to Indian- apolis. This company was organized by the friends and stock-holders of the Junction Railroad, for the purpose of obtaining a direct communication upon a continuous railroad of the same gauge between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. This company in
April, 1853, was consolidated with and merged into the Junction Railroad Company. By this means the Junction Railroad was extended from Indianapolis to Hamilton, ninety-eight miles, where it connects with the Cincinnati, Hamilion & Dayton Railroad.
In 1866 an effort was made to complete the con- struction from Connersville to Rushville, and the following winter and spring the company berame financially embarrassed, and the work was suspended.
In April, 1867, a party of some twelve individuals of means purchased a controlling interest in the stock, and assumed the purchase of the unsold first mortgage bonds of the company, and commenced work to complete the road and equip with rolling stock the entire line to Indianapolis. This was effected so far that trains ran over the whole road from Cincinnati to Indianapolis, in June, 1868.
The estimated average cost of the construction of the road per mile from Indianapolis to Hamilton ready for the rolling stock was made by the Chief Engineer at $21,516.75.
The Whitewater Valley Railroad from Cincinnati, constructed along the tow-path, and, part of the way, in the bed of the canal, passes through the county from south to north to Cambridge City, its northern terminus. The articles of association of the company constructing the road were filed with the Secretary of State June 8, 1865, and the road was completed to Connersville in the spring of 1867, and soon there- after to Cambridge City. From the latter city the road passed to Hagerstown on the Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central.
The Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville Rail- road filed its articles of association with the Secre- tary of State December 6, 1881. The road was origi- nally a branch of the C. & I. Junction R. R., extending from Connersville through Cambridge City to New Castle, and was known as the Connersville & New Castle Junction R. R. The road was built directly after the completion of the C. & I. Junction R. R. It was subsequently extended and became known as the Fort Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati Railroad.
The Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis R. R .- The railroad crossing the northwestern corner of the county, running from Rushville to Cambridge City, known as the J. M. & I., of which it is a branch, was completed July 4, 1867. The road was originally a part of the Lake Erie & Louisville R. R., extending from Freemont, Ohio, to Rushville, Ind., and by con- nections to Louisville.
The C. H. & I. R. R. has 15.3 miles of main track in the county of Fayette; the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Lonisville, 4.87 miles; the J. M. & I., 8.43 miles; and the Whiewater Valley 14.16 miles, making in all 42.76 miles.
.
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
77
CHAPTER IX.
AGRICULTURE.
IMPLEMENTS-CATTLE-HORSES-HOGS-SHEEP-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FAIRS.
"Oh, friendly to the best pursuits of man, Friendly to thought, to virtue and to peace, Domestic life in rural leisure passed ! Few know thy value, few taste thy sweets, Though many boast thy favors, and affect To understand and choose thee for their own."
N the early settlement of this section, ponds, marshes and swamps abounded where to day are found fertile and cultivated fields. The low and marshy ground was avoided for the higher grounds, not only on account of the wetness but for sanitary purposes. The cabin was built usually by or near a spring, and convenience alone was considered in the location of other buildings; the corn-crib was as apt to be in close proximity to the front door as in the rear of the dwelling. These were all built of logs, and often in their rude, round form. For years in places no fences enclosed the pioneer's possessions; however, the first substantial enclosures did not differ materi- ally from the old "worm" fence constructed of rails as those of to-day appear. The soil was new and pro- ductive. For years the crops were not extensive, for with the pioneer so remote from a place of market, it was a mere question of home supply. Yet his re- moteness from the point from which indispensable and necessary supplies were to be obtained, was a question of no little moment to him. Salt, iron and other commodities are indispensable even to a rude state of civilization, and great hardships were under- gone to secure them. As acres were cleared and the crops increased, the market question became one of consideration, and the difficulty of getting the crops of the soil to the nearest market, then Cincinnati, sit- uated sixty miles distant, was embarrassing. These commodities had to be wagoned over hill and through dale, the way often being almost impassable, as the only roads were mere paths, with the old logs and underbrush cleared out. Some few are yet living who will remember the "three notches" along these paths indicating a public highway. Days were con- sumed in making the journey, and little encourage- ment had the farmer to increase the products of his fields beyond the home and neighborhood demand. Speaking of the travel over one of these roads, one of the pioneers of Fayette writes: "Nothing was more common than to find by the wayside at nearly every
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.