Department History

To understand the history of the Gibson County Sheriff's Department and Jail, it is important to have some background knowledge of Gibson County.

LOCATION

Gibson County lies principally north of the 30th parallel of latitude and is situated in the southwest corner of the state of Indiana. It is bounded on the north by the Wabash River and Knox and Pike counties (the White River separates it from Knox County); on the east by Pike and Warrick counties; on the south by Warrick, Vanderburgh and Posey counties; and on the west by Posey and Knox counties and the Wabash River. Its greatest length from east to west is 48.5 miles and from north to south 24 miles.

Since the date of the organization of the county, portions of its territory have been taken off and assisted in forming the counties of Posey, Vanderburgh, Pike and Warrick. The present area of the counties consists of 490 square miles. The population in 1890 numbered 24, 920. Presently, the population exceeds 30,000.

GENERAL HISTORY

The county was named in honor of General John Gibson, a brave and gallant soldier of the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars. He also served as Secretary of the Territory of Indiana from 1800 until the admission of Indiana into the Union as a state in 1816.

During the progress of events that led to the full and perfect organization of the county in the civil and legislative functions, a judicial power was necessary to the protection of the rights and general welfare of the people.

THE SEAT OF JUSTICE

The seat of justice for Gibson County was located in February 1814 and was ordered by the court that it should be known as Princeton.

Having the location agreed upon, the next step was the erection of a building suitable for the accommodation of the public officers. In 1815, the first brick courthouse was completed and occupied. This first building was used by the county for over a quarter of a century, until it was necessary to construct a new courthouse in 1841.

A new courthouse was completed in 1843 at a cost of about $9,000. This building was a substantial one and was used for about 40 years. In 1884, the present courthouse was erected at a cost of about $120,000. It is of modern style of architecture and is a commodious and handsome edifice.

ESTRAY PEN

The county agent was instructed to contract with some suitable person to build an estray pen of 40 square feet in the northwest corner of the Princeton square. On November 10, 1817, the Sheriff filed a protest with the board in regard to the insufficiency of the jail, stating that it was not a safe place to confine criminals or even debtors.

JAIL HISTORY

Gibson County, like all other counties, has had need of a jail in order to safely house law violators who have seen fit to be disobedient and have been held for trial or punished by serving time. In Gibson County, there have been five different jails where prisoners have been kept.

The first jail was ordered built by the court in Febuary 1814. (Click here to see its plans and specifications.)

When the first jail was determined to be unsafe for housing prisoners in 1833, the board ordered that Robert Stockwell, John Arbuthnot, John I. Neely, Jonathan Guick, Isaac Montgomery, Charles Jones and Joshua Duncan consult and present a plan for a new jail.

Robert Stormont and Joseph Hartin were selected to be the contractors for the new jail, to be built on a lot purchased for only 60 dollars. The second jail was completed in the spring of 1835 and the old jail was sold at auction. The proceeds helped fund the construction of the new jail.

Gibson County's second jail proved useful for many years. However, a third jail was constructed later at the corner of Emerson and Main streets near downtown Princeton. While not thoroughly up-to-date, it was comparatively safe and sanitary. The jailor's residence was built in connection with the jail.

Later a fourth jail was built by the construction of firm of Puckett Lumber Company at the same location.

Gibson County's fifth jail was built in 1988 by Deig Brothers Lumber and Construction Company of Evansville, Indiana, at the corner of Emerson and Main streets for nearly $3 million. The modern 32,000-square-foot facility is all concrete and steel, designed to accommodate a third floor to be added at a later date.

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