Joseph Bartholomew (March 15, 1766 – November 3, 1840) was a general in the Indiana Militia and served in numerous military conflicts.

Bartholomew married Christiana Pickenpaugh in 1788 and they moved to Northern Kentucky, near present-day Louisville, with his mother.

His daughter Martha and several of his grandchildren were some of the earliest converts to Mormonism, and several were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

[4] After moving to Kentucky in 1788, Bartholomew remained active in the local militia, and engaged in numerous skirmishes with Native Americans.

After moving to Indiana, he received a commission as major in the Clark County militia on September 21, 1803.

Recently promoted to colonel, he led 120 militia members under Governor William Henry Harrison.

[7] The Indiana territorial legislature passed a resolution on December 4, 1811, which read, "Resolved… that the thanks of this house be presented to Col. Luke Decker and Col. Joseph Bartholomew, the officers, non-commissioned officers and men composing the militia corps under their command…for the distinguished valor, heroism and bravery displayed by them in the brilliant battle fought with the Shawnee Prophet and his confederates on the morning of the 7th of Nov, 1811 by the Army under the command of His Excellency William Henry Harrison.

"[8] When Bartholomew's son fell ill, he volunteered to enlist as a private in his place under the command of Colonel Russell of the 7th Regiment to fight in the White River Campaign during the War of 1812.

[13] He was selected to be a member of the commission that would choose the location of the capital of Indiana, and helped pick Indianapolis as the new site.

In 1973, a stone monument marking the approximate location of Gen. Bartholomew's Block House Fort (built during the Black Hawk War) was placed in the Dawson Cemetery in McLean County, IL.