Howard County Genealogical Society To Meet in Kokomo

The Howard County (Indiana) Genealogical Society will meet on Monday, June 1 at 6:30 pm in the Community Room of the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (220 N. Union St., Kokomo IN 46901-4614). The meeting is open to the public.

Query: McLAUGHLIN of Henry, Madison counties

McLAUGHLIN - I’m looking for information on Charles McLAUGHLIN, and his wife Rebecca. I believe they lived in or around Henry County, IN. I beleive Charles died in 1878 in Madison County, IN. I would like to have an obituary for both of them. They are my great grandfather’s in-laws. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

Meg Rodecap
2101 Luanne Lane
Auburn, IN 46706
megger@netscape.com

Query: RODECAP of Middletown and Muncie

RODECAP - I am having a hard time finding my great grandfather David Solomon RODECAP’s obituary. I know he was born in Middletown, Indiana approximately 1865, and he died in August of 1927 or 1928. I believe he died in Muncie, Indiana. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

Meg Rodecap
2101 Luanne Lane
Auburn, IN 46706
megger@netscape.com

IGS 2009 Conference Wrap-Up

The Indiana Genealogical Society thanks all those who attended our 20th annual conference on April 25th--the temperature was a summerlike 87 degrees (and at times the winds felt almost that strong!). IGS also thanks Ron Darrah for all his hard work as conference chair, and the Genealogical Society of Marion County for providing volunteers to staff the registration table and conference sessions.

For those who were not able to attend:
--Curt Witcher was elected as President and Marlene Polster as Corresponding Secretary, with Dawne Slater-Putt and Shirley Richison Fields re-elected to the positions of Vice-President and Treasurer, respectively.

--Jinsie Bingham, Dona Stokes-Lucas and Corasue Hatton were re-elected as District Directors for the West Central, Central and East Central Districts, respectively.

--The Society of Civil War Families of Indiana inducted 27 new members in a special ceremony.

--Mary Kraeszig won the Elaine Spires Smith Family History Writing Award for her article "Thomas Jefferson Riley Native Hoosier and Confederate Soldier."

The next conference will be on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. Dick Eastman, of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, will be the featured speaker.

IGS Gives Grants To Local Groups

At its annual conference on April 25th, the Indiana Genealogical Society announced that it had awarded the following grants:

--a Cemetery Restoration Grant to Kosciusko County Historical Society for its ongoing restoration of Syracuse Cemetery

--a Resource Development Grant to Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society for its publication, "Lake County Estate Inventory, 1914-1923"

--a Resource Development Grant to Wabash Valley Genealogy Society for its "Vigo County Historic Records Preservation Project"

The grants are for $500 each. The application deadline is December 31, 2009. Visit the Grants section of the IGS website for more information.

IGS Civil War Society Adds New Members

The Society of Civil War Families of Indiana inducted 27 new members at a ceremony during the Indiana Genealogical Society's annual conference in Indianapolis on April 25th:

• Debby L. Warren--ancestor Hiram H. Phipps of Parke County, who served in the 14th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Phoebe A. Neeb--ancestor Hiram H. Phipps of Parke County, who served in the 14th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Maureen E. Duncan--ancestor Barnabas Hopper of Decatur County, who served in the 53rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Dow Junior Cooksey--ancestors: John Wyatt Cooksey of Owen County, who served in the 149th Indiana Volunteer Infantry; Henry Criss of Owen County, who served in the 33rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry; Lewis Pate of Lawrence County, who served in the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Cheryl Kirkpatrick--ancestor Clark L. Wilcox of Allen County, who served in the 11th Indiana Volunteer Artillery.


• Vikki M. Sordean--ancestor John Douglass of Sullivan County, who served in the 71st Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Cleotis Hamilton--ancestor William Allen Nelson of Sullivan County, who served in the 1st Indiana Volunteer Heavy Artillery.


• Darlene K. Reeder--ancestor John Henry Monts of Crawford County, who served in the 23rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Anthony K. Reeder--ancestor Joseph Wesley Reeder of Vermillion County, who served in the 71st Indiana Volunteer Infantry/6th Cavalry.


• Deborah Kerr--ancestor William Fugate of Vigo County, who served in the 57th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Judy Bucher--ancestor Willis Prewitt of Clark County, who served in the 23rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Kathy A. Clayton--ancestor Isom Stuck of Vigo County, who served in the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and the 33rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Rose A. Stein--ancestors: Aaron Overstreet of Hendricks County, who served in the 99th Indiana Volunteer Infantry; William H. Walter of Fayette County, who served in the 139th Indiana Volunteer Infantry; Samuel D. McCarty of Jefferson County, who served in the 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• John Earl Dersch--ancestors: Eli Low of Parke County, who served in the 57th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and William H. Wood of Parke County, who served in the 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Joyce E. Oehler--ancestor Alfred Wyatt of Clay County, who served in the 2nd Indiana Volunteer Cavalry.


• Janice S. Phillips--ancestor Warren Askren of Harrison County, who served in the 53rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Barbara A. McQueen--ancestor Andrew Snyder of Clay County, who served in the 13th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Marcella R. Campbell--ancestor James E. Kincaid of Clay County, who served in the 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Donna K. Adams--ancestor George B. Raley of Sullivan County, who served in the 1st Indiana Heavy Artillery, and Franklin Kimberlin, who served in the 14th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and the 20th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Norman E. Nash--ancestor David B. Chastain of Sullivan County, who served in the 17th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Cynthia L. Davidson--ancestor Isaac V. Davis of Fountain County, who served in the 63rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Diana L. Watson--ancestor Robert G. Edsall of Kosciusko County, who served in the 57th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Linda J. Everly--ancestor Thomas C. Lloyd of Sullivan County, who served in the 71st Indiana Volunteer Infantry/6th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry.


• Deneta A. Campbell--ancestor Calvin Presnell of Clay County, who served in the 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Brenda L. Barker--ancestor David D. Larsh of Boone County, who served in the 139th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and the 154th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.


• Alice L. Everly--ancestor Thomas C. Lloyd of Sullivan County, who served in the 71st Indiana Volunteer Infantry/6th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry.


• Marlene Lu--ancestor Isom Stuck of Vigo County, who served in the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and the 33rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

The Society of Civil War Families of Indiana is a lineage society and affiliate of the Indiana Genealogical Society. Membership is open to those members of IGS who can prove they are a direct descendant of any person who served in an Indiana military or naval unit for the Union, or who was a resident of Indiana when they joined a non-Indiana unit for the Union.

The deadline to apply for membership this year is December 31, 2009, with new members to be inducted during a ceremony at the IGS annual conference on April 10, 2010 at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. Application forms are available on the SCWFI section of the IGS website.

State Library To Discuss Its Porter-Griffin Family Collection

The Indiana State Library in Indianapolis will hold a program, "The Porter-Griffin Papers," on Thursday, May 28 from 9 to 10 am in their Indiana Authors Room. Marcia Caudell, Reference & Government Services Collection Librarian, will talk about the keys to American political and social history found in this collection held by the State Library. This collection includes the business records, political correspondence, and legal and personal papers of the Porter family's daughters and their descendants from 1845 to 1940.This program is free and open to the public.

Hamilton County Library To Discuss Military Records

The Hamilton East Public Library in Noblesville will offer a program, "Marching Through Military Records," on Saturday, May 30 in their South meeting classroom from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. The program will discuss the records of the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and World War II.

The program is free, but registration is required--register online via the library's website, or contact their Outreach Department--phone (317) 776-6939.

IGS Adds Cemetery Indexes to Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added these cemetery indexes to the Members-Only section of its website:

--Index of Augusta Cemetery, Noble County

--Index of Jefferies Cemetery, Whitley County

--Index of Port Mitchell Cemetery, Noble County

--Index of St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Whitley County

These indexes are free databases and were donated by Penny L. North and Jim Cox.

African American Genealogy Conference in Indianapolis

The Indiana African American Genealogy Group will hold their 6th annual Genealogy Conference on Saturday, August 22 from 8 am to 3:45 pm at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. The theme of the conference is "Starting, Restarting or Continuing Your Genealogical Research." Speakers will include author John F. Baker, Jr. and genealogist Casandra Brown. Registration is $25 for IAAGG members, $35 for non-members. For more information, please visit their website.

Hendricks County Library To Sponsor Research Trip To Fort Wayne

The Danville Public Library is sponsoring an overnight trip to the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne on July 9-10 to do research. Participants will carpool to Fort Wayne and back. If you are interested in going on the trip, please contact the library's Indiana Room--phone (317) 745-2604; e-mail dplind@dpl.lib.in.us

State Library To Give Family History Orientation Tours

The Indiana State Library in Indianapolis will give an orientation tour of their family history resources on Tuesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 21 from 9:30 to 11 am. Pre-registration is required--to register, phone (317) 232-3689.

Clinton County Library to Discuss Cemetery Symbols

The Frankfort Community Public Library in Frankfort will hold a presentation, "Symbolism in Cemeteries," on Tuesday, May 5 from noon to 1 pm. Genealogist Tami Pelling will give a photographic presentation explaining various tombstones symbols found in cemeteries in and around Clinton County--everything from angels and anchors to urns and willow trees. This presentation is part of the library's "Brown Bag Lunch" program and attendees are invited to bring a sack lunch or try Harry's soup. For additional information, please contact Tami Pelling directly at fayettefiles@yahoo.com or visit the library's website.

IGS Releases Once A Hoosier... Volume

The Indiana Genealogical Society has published Volume III of Once A Hoosier..., its ongoing project to compile information on people who were in Indiana for some part of their life and moved on to other states. This volume is 99 pages on CD-ROM containing approximately 125 entries and is a fully searchable PDF. It is available for purchase in the IGS online Shop.

IGS Releases Cemetery Locations Volume

The Indiana Genealogical Society has Indiana Cemetery Locations Volume IV available for purchase in its online Shop. Volume IV contains the locations and driving directions for cemeteries in: Cass County, Clark County, Clay County, Crawford County, Daviess County, Dubois County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Gibson County, Harrison County, Huntington County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Posey County, Scott County, Vanderburgh County and Wayne County. All 92 counties are now listed in the 4-volume series, which is published on CD-ROM.

Please note: this series does not include any burial listings.

IGS Releases More 1890 CD's

The Indiana Genealogical Society has indexes to the 1890 soldiers enrollment lists for DeKalb County, Delaware County, Lake County, Pike County and Porter County available for purchase in its online Shop. The soldiers enrollment lists enumerated the veterans of all past wars (including the Civil War) who were living in that county in 1890. If the veteran was deceased, the list included information on their widows and children. The IGS indexes contain detailed information from these lists and are on CD-ROM.

Noblesville Hosts Genealogy Roundtable

The Hamilton East Public Library in Noblesville will host a genealogy roundtable on Tuesday, May 14 from 2:15 to 3:15 pm in their genealogy classroom. This month's roundtable is a "show and tell"--bring your family history books, scrapbooks and other completed projects to share.

Cemetery Restoration Workshop in Bloomington

The Monroe County Historical Society will lead a workshop on Saturday, October 10 in the maintenance and restoration of White Oak Cemetery in Bloomington. Registration is $30. For more information, please visit their website.

Hamilton County Library To Demonstrate Genealogy Databases

The Hamilton East Public Library in Noblesville will offer a class, "Using Heritage Quest Online, New England Ancestors and Footnote.com," in their Computer Training Room on Saturday, May 9 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. This hands-on class will demonstrate how to use these genealogy databases. Participants will have time at the end of the class to work on their own research.

The class is free, but registration is required--register online via the library's website, or contact their Outreach Department--phone (317) 776-6939.

Polish Society To Hold Conference In Chicago Area

The Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA) will hold their annual conference September 18-19 at the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg. Speakers will include Julianna Smith and Loretto Szucs from Ancestry.com, archivist Craig Pfannkuche and Don Litzer, formerly with the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. The conference theme will be "Unraveling The Mysteries." For more information, visit their website.

Clinton County Group To Discuss Area Newspapers

The Clinton County Genealogical Society will meet on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:30 pm in the Ivy Tech Room of the Frankfort Community Public Library. Bruce Aughe will present a program on "American Standard Newspapers, 1896-1902," a newspaper that was printed in Frankfort. The public is invited to attend. For additional information, please contact Tami Pelling--genealogy_123@yahoo.com

IGS Adds Cemetery Indexes to Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added more cemetery indexes to the Members-Only section of its website:

--Index of Freeze Cemetery, Wabash County

--Index of Wolf Lake Cemetery, Noble County

These indexes are free databases and were donated by Penny L. North and Jim Cox.

Walk-Ins Welcome at IGS Conference

For those who have not pre-registered for the IGS annual conference (April 25th), you are welcome to walk in on Saturday morning and register at the sign-in table. Walk-in registrations will be $35 a person.

Native American History Lecture in Fort Wayne

The Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society will host a lecture on Sunday, April 26 at 3 pm. Jeffrey Webb will speak on "Little Turtle’s War: Dynamics of Indian Resistance and Accommodation in the Midwest." Webb is an author and history professor from Huntington. His lecture (which is free) will discuss the life and career of Chief Little Turtle of the Miami Indians and how it impacted the settlement of the Great Lakes region. For more information, visit their website, or phone (260) 426-2882.

Greensburg Library To Show Decatur County Postcards

Indiana County Genealogist Russell Willhoit will present a program on Wednesday, June 17 at 1 pm at the Greensburg Public Library showing postcard images of the area. This free program will be repeated on Thursday, June 18 at 6 pm and is part of a week-long celebration of Greensburg's sesquicentennial. For more information, visit http://www.greensburg150.com/events.asp.

IGS Website Online Again

The Indiana Genealogical Society's website experienced a major glitch earlier this week. We have since moved our site to a new server and are now back online. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank everyone for their patience, particularly those wanting to register for the IGS conference or purchase a membership.

Franklin County Library Hosts Program on Veterans

The Brookville Public Library in Franklin County will host a program on Wednesday, May 20 at 6:30 pm on some of Franklin County's veterans. A commemorative book about area veterans that is being compiled for 2011 will also be discussed.

Kokomo Library to Host Internet Genealogy Workshop

The Genealogy & Local History Department of the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (220 N. Union St., Kokomo IN 46901-4614) will hold a genealogy workshop on Thursday, May 21, 2009 from 7 to 9 pm in their computer lab. To register for the workshop, contact the Computer Lab--phone (765) 457-3242.

Shelbyville To Host GenFest 2009

GenFest, an annual gathering of researchers, will be held June 12-14 in Shelbyville. There will be a cemetery tour and the Shelby County Genealogical Society will be among those open for research. There will also be displays from vendors. There is no cost to attend but registration is required. For more information (including a registration form), visit http://www.sscpl.lib.in.us/library2005/genfest_2009.htm.

IGS Adds Cemetery Indexes to Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added more cemetery indexes to the Members-Only section of its website:

--Index of Abshire Cemetery, Wabash County

--Index of Boggs Cemetery, Whitley County

--Index of Cramer Cemetery, Wabash County

--Index of Garrison Cemetery, Whitley County

All of these indexes are free databases and were donated by Penny L. North and Jim Cox.

Deadline Approaches to Register For IGS Conference

The deadline to receive the early registration rate for the Indiana Genealogical Society's annual conference is Saturday, April 18. Those who register online or who mail in their registration form before that date will be eligible for the early registration rate--$30 each for IGS members, $35 for non-members. After April 18, the registration rate goes up to $35 each.

DAR Workshop At Kokomo Library

The Genealogy & Local History Department of the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (220 N. Union St., Kokomo IN 46901-4614) will sponsor a workshop on Saturday, May 23 from 10 am to noon by Daughters of the American Revolution. Members of the DAR will discuss the application process to becoming a DAR member. For more information, please contact Marcia Ford--e-mail mford@khcpl.org; phone (765) 457-3242, or DAR representative Diane Knight--phone (765) 452-8285.

Cemetery Tour in Decatur County

Indiana County Genealogist Russell Wilhoit will lead a tour of South Park Cemetery in Greensburg on Sunday, June 14 at 2 pm and 4 pm, part of a week-long celebration of Greensburg's sesquicentennial. For more information, visit http://www.greensburg150.com/events.asp

Tri-State Society To Meet in Evansville

The Tri-State Genealogical Society will meet on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 pm at Willard Library in Evansville. Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG will present a program, "History of a Kentucky River Town." There will also be a help session offered at 6:30 pm, with Janet Goebel leading a program on "Research at the Family History Library."

Howard County Genealogical Society To Meet in Kokomo

The Howard County (Indiana) Genealogical Society will meet on Monday, May 4 at 6:30 pm in the Community Room of the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (220 N. Union St., Kokomo IN 46901-4614). The meeting is open to the public.

Kentucky Hosts Seminar on National Archives Research

The Kentucky Genealogical Society will hold their annual seminar on Saturday, August 1 from 8:30 am to 4 pm at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History (100 W. Broadway, Frankfort KY 40601). Craig R. Scott, MA, CG will be the featured speaker, and the theme will be "Research in the National Archives." Topics will include pension research and finding female ancestors.

Registration includes a boxed lunch and is $30 for members of the Kentucky Genealogical Society or the Kentucky Historical Society; $35 for non-members. Visit http://www.kygs.org/meetings/sem2009.pdf for a registration form.

State Library To Discuss Its Genealogy Sources

The Indiana State Library in Indianapolis will hold a program, "Unique Genealogy Sources," on Thursday, May 21 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in their History Reference Room. Leigh Anne Johnson, Genealogy Collection Librarian, will talk about how to enhance your research and find hidden information that you never knew existed by using some of the lesser-known genealogy sources that are available at the State Library. This program is free and open to the public.

IGS Adds Cemetery Indexes to Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added more cemetery indexes to the Members-Only section of its website:

--Index of Sanford Cemetery, Noble County

--Index of Allbright-Young Cemetery, Wabash County

--Index of Universalist Church Cemetery, Whitley County

All of these indexes are free databases and were donated by Penny L. North and Jim Cox.

Johnson County Library To Discuss Civil War

The Johnson County Public Library (401 S. State St., Franklin IN) will host a program on Saturday, May 16 at 10 am by Ron Darrah. The program will be on "Family History and The Civil War." This event is free and open to the public.

Allen County Society To Discuss Heritage Groups

The Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana will meet on Wednesday, May 13 at 7 pm in Meeting Room A of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne (gathering time begins at 6:30 pm). There will be a program discussing heritage societies, including Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, the Mayflower Society, and the Ark & Dove Society. The meeting is open to the public and guests are welcome.

IGS Adds Surnames List to Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added a listing of surnames to the Members-Only section of its website. Researchers can search by surname or county, and they can also add their own Indiana surnames. This is a free database.

Military Records To Be Discussed in Carmel

The North Indianapolis Area Genealogists will meet on Wednesday, May 6 at 7 pm at the Carmel-Clay Township Building (10701 N. College Ave.) in Carmel, Indiana. Ron Darrah will present a program on "Military Research in The Early Republic, 1781-1861." This event is free and open to the public.

IGS Adds Databases To Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added more databases to the Members-Only section of its website:

--Public Service Company of Indiana Employees Serving in World War II (1944)

--Revolutionary War Veterans Living in Indiana Who Received Pensions (1835)

--Roster of 79th Indiana Volunteer Infantry In The Civil War (1861-1865)

--Students of Earlham College, Richmond (1859)

Descendants of Indiana Civil War Veteran Sought

Bill Trimble of DeSoto, Kansas has found the muster-out papers belonging to Walter Earls, who was a private in Company G of the 25th Indiana Infantry in the Civil War. He would like to find a descendant of the family to give the papers to. According to Indiana's Adjutant General records, Walter Earls was a resident of Indianapolis and joined the regiment as a recruit. He mustered in on September 30, 1864 and mustered out on July 1, 1865.

IGS research has discovered a Walter Earls who lived in Marion County, Indiana at the time of the Civil War. This Walter Earls (sometimes spelled in records as EARLES or ERLS) was born about 1827 in Kentucky and died September 12, 1904 in Marion County. He was married on January 24, 1849 in Marion County to Elizabeth SMART (born about 1826 in Kentucky; died after 1870). They were in the 1850 census in White River Township, Johnson County, Indiana, and the 1860 and 1870 censuses in Perry Township, Marion County, Indiana.

Walter Earls and Elizabeth Smart had children:
--Minerva Earls (born about 1851 in Indiana; died after 1860)
--Harriet Earls (born about 1853 in Indiana; died after 1860)
--Mary F. Earls (born about 1856 in Indiana; died after 1870)
--Anna or Annie Earls (born about 1858 in Indiana; died after 1870)
--John H. Earls (born about August 1859 in Indiana; died after 1870)
--Isaac Earls (born about 1864 in Indiana; died after 1870)

If you have any information about Walter Earls or the Earls family, please contact:

Bill Trimble
8435 Timber Trails Dr.
DeSoto, KS 66018
E-mail dmpd248@gmail.com