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Counties in Indiana The U.S. state of Indiana has 92 counties. Each county serves as the local level of government within its borders. Although Indiana was organized into the United States since the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, its land was not always available for settlement. Eventually, land was purchased from Native Americans by treaties and Indian removals. The oldest counties are generally in the south near the Ohio River, whereas newer ones were in the north in territory acquired later. The oldest and newest counties in Indiana are Knox County, created in 1790, and Newton County, created in 1859. As of the 2000 United States Census, the population of Indiana was 6,045,485, the average population of Indiana's 92 counties is 65,712, with Marion County as the most populous (860,454), and Ohio County (5,623) the least. The average land area is 396 square miles (1,030 km2). The largest county is Allen (657 sq. mi., 1,702 km²) and the smallest is Ohio (87 sq. mi., 225 km²).[1] According to the Constitution of Indiana, no county may be created of less than 400 square miles, nor may any county smaller than this be further reduced in size. Many Indiana counties are named for United States Founding Fathers and personalities of the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and Battle of Tippecanoe; early leaders of Indiana Territory and Indiana, as well as surrounding states like Michigan and Kentucky; plus Native American tribes and geographical features. What follows is an alphebetical order listing of Indiana's counties, their county seats, the date of their founding and the origin of the county's name. ADAMS--Decatur--2/7/1835--named for President John Quincy Adams ALLEN--Ft. Wayne--12/17/1823--named for Col. John Allen, killed at River Raisin BARTHOLOMEW--Columbus--1/8/1821--named for Gen. Joseph Bartholomew, wounded at the Battle of Tippecanoe BENTON--Fowler--2/18/1840--named for Thomas H. Benton, U.S. Senator BLACKFORD--Hartford City--2/15/1838--named for Judge Isaac Blackford BOONE--Lebanon--1/29/1830--named for Daniel Boone BROWN--Nashville--2/4/1836--named for Gen. Jacob Brown of War of 1812 CARROLL--Delphi--1/7/1828--named for Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence CASS--Logansport--12/18/1828--named for Gen. Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan CLARK--Jeffersonville--2/3/1801--named for Gen. George Rogers Clark CLAY--Brazil--2/12/1825--named for Senator Henry Clay CLINTON--Frankfort--1/29/1830--named for DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York CRAWFORD--English--1/29/1818--named for Col. William Crawford, burned at the stake in 1782 DAVIES--Washington--2/24/1816--named for Col. Joseph H. Daviess, killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe DEARBORN--Lawrenceburg--3/7/1803--named for Gen. Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War DECATUR--Greensburg--12/31/1821--named for Commodore Stephen Decatur DEKALB--Auburn--2/7/1835--named for German nobleman, Baron DeKalb DELAWARE--Muncie--1/26/1827--named for Delaware Indian tribe (an earlier Delaware County was formed 1/20/1820) DUBOIS--Jasper--12/20/1817--named for Toussaint Dubois, who served under William Henry Harrison ELKHART--Goshen--1/29/1830--named for the Elkhart River FAYETTE--Connersville--12/28/1818--named for Gen. Lafayette FLOYD--New Albany--1/2/1819--named for Col. John Floyd of Kentucky FOUNTAIN--Covington--12/30/1825--named for Major Fountain of Kentucky, killed at Ft. Wayne in 1790 FRANKLIN--Brookville--2/1/1811--named for Benjamin Franklin FULTON--Rochester--2/7/1835--named for Robert Fulton GIBSON--Princeton--4/1/1813--named for Gen. John Gibson, official of Indiana Territory GRANT--Marion--2/10/1831--named for Samuel and Moses Grant, killed by Indians in 1789 GREENE--Bloomfield--1/5/1821--named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene, a participant in the American Revolution HAMILTON--Noblesville--1/8/1823--named for Alexander Hamilton HANCOCK--Greenfield--1/26/1827--named for John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence HARRISON--Corydon--12/1/1808--named for Gen. William Henry Harrison, 1st Territorial Governor of Indiana HENDRICKS--Danville--12/20/1823--named for Indiana Governor, William Hendricks HENRY--New Castle--12/31/1821--named for Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia HOWARD--Kokomo--1/15/1844--named for Tilghman A. Howard, Indiana statesman (originally Richardville County, named for Miami Chief, Richardville) HUNTINGTON--Huntington--2/2/1832--named for Samuel Huntington, signer of the Declaration of Independence JACKSON--Brownstown--1/1/1816--named for Gen. Andrew Jackson JASPER--Rensselaer--2/7/1835--named for Sgt. Jasper, killed at Savannah JAY--Portland--2/7/1835--name for John Jay, Governor of New York JEFFERSON--Madison--11/23/1810--named for President Thomas Jefferson JENNINGS--Vernon--12/27/1816--named for Jonathan Jennings, Indiana's first governor JOHNSON--Franklin--12/31/1822--named for Judge John Johnson, one of Indiana's 1st Supreme Court Judges KNOX--Vincennes--6/30/1790--named for Gen. Henry Knox, first Secretary of War (first county) KOSCIUSKO--Warsaw--2/7/1835--named for Gen. Kosciusko, hero of the American Revolution LAGRANGE--LaGrange--2/2/1832--named for Gen. Lafayette's home near Paris LAKE--Crown Point--1/28/1836--named for Lake Michigan LAPORTE--LaPorte--1/9/1832--named after a French term meaning "the door" LAWRENCE--Bedford--1/7/1818--named for Capt. James Lawrence, War of 1812 MADISON--Anderson--1/4/1823--named for President James Madison MARION--Indianapolis--12/31/1821--named for Gen. Francis Marion of the American Revolution MARSHALL--Plymouth--2/7/1835--named for Chief Justice John Marshall MARTIN--Shoals--1/17/1820--named for Maj. John T. Martin of Kentucky MIAMI--Peru--1/30/1833--named for Miami Indians MONROE--Bloomington--1/14/1818--named for President James Monroe MONTGOMERY--Crawfordsville--12/21/1822--named for Gen. Richard Montgomery, killed at Quebec MORGAN--Martinsville--12/31/1831--named for Gen. Daniel Morgan of the American Revolution NEWTON--Kentland--2/7/1835--(reorganized in 1859)--named for Sgt. John Newton of the American Revolution NOBLE--Albion--2/7/1835--named for Noah Noble a governor of Indiana OHIO--Rising Sun--1/4/1844--named for the Ohio River (the smallest county) OWEN--Spencer--12/21/1818--named for Col. Abraham Owen, killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe ORANGE--Paoli--2/1/1816--named for Orange County, North Carolina PARKE--Rockville--1/9/1821--named for Benjamin Parke, first Territorial delegate to Congress PERRY--Tell City--11/1/1814--named for Commodore Oliver H. Perry PIKE--Petersburg--12/21/1816--named for Gen. Zebulon Pike, killed in the War of 1812 PORTER--Valparaiso--2/7/1835--named for Commodore David Porter who served in the War of 1812 POSEY--Mt. Vernon--11/1/1814--named for Thomas Posey, the last governor of the Indiana Territory. PULASKI--Winamac--2/7/1835--named for Count Casimer Pulaski, killed in the American Revolution PUTNAM--Greencastle--12/31/1821--named for Gen. Israel Putnam who served in the American Revolution RANDOLPH--Winchester--1/10/1818--named for Thomas Randolph, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe RIPLEY--Versailles--12/27/1816--named for Gen. E.W. Ripley of the War of 1812 RUSH--Rushville--12/31/1821--named for Dr. Benjamin Rush SCOTT--Scottsburg--1/12/1820--named for Gen. Charles Scott who fought in the Indian Wars SHELBY--Shelbyville--12/31/1821--named for Isaac Shelby who served in the American Revolution SPENCER--Rockport--1/10/1818--named for Capt. Spier Spencer, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe STARKE--Knox--2/7/1835--named for Gen. John Starke, victorious general at the Battle of Bennington ST.JOSEPH--South Bend--1/29/1830--named for Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary STEUBEN--Angola--2/7/1835--named for Baron Von Steuben who served in the American Revolution SULLIVAN--Sullivan--12/30/1816--named for Daniel Sullivan who was killed by Indians SWITZERLAND--Vevay--10/1/1814--named for the country of Switzerland TIPPECANOE--Lafayette--1/20/1826--named for the Tippecanoe River and battleground TIPTON--Tipton--1/15/1844--named for Gen. John Tipton a U.S. Senator UNION--Liberty--1/5/1821--named for the union of states VANDERBURGH--Evansville--1/7/1818--named for Henry Vanderburgh, a territorial judge VERMILLION--Newport--1/2/1824--named for the Vermillion River VIGO--Terre Haute--1/21/1818--named for Col. Francis Vigo, an outstanding pioneer WABASH--1/20/1820 (reorganized 1/30/1833)--named for the Wabash River WARREN--Williamsport--1/19/1827--named for Gen. Joseph Warren who was killed at Bunker Hill WARRICK--Boonville--3/9/1813--named for Capt. Jacob Warrick who was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe WASHINGTON--Salem--12/21/1813--named for President George Washington WAYNE--Richmond--11/27/1810--named for Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne the hero of Fallen Timbers WELLS--Bluffton--2/7/1835--named for Capt. William Wells who was killed during the Ft. Dearborn massacre WHITE--Monticello--2/1/1834--named for Col. Isaac White who was killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe WHITLEY--Columbia City--2/7/1835--named for Col. William Whitley who was killed at the Battle of the Thames
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