Monday, February 29, 2016

Query: Isaac Yost, Indiana Born

I am in search of finding more information on my 3x's paternal grandfather. His name is Isaac Yost, and he was born in Indiana in or about 1825-1827. He later moved to Iowa and married Nettie Hix on Dec 2, 1858, in Van Buren County, Iowa.

The information that I'm looking for is who his mother and father were and any other information that you can give me of my Yost relatives in Indiana. I know that I'm a granddaughter from his son George Emery Yost (B: 1875) and his son George Chesley Yost (B: 1911).

Dawn Beltrami
735 Dorothy Street
Houston, TX  77007
imoff2europe@gmail.com

Friday, February 26, 2016

1700 Databases and Growing

It's a good thing that 2016 is a Leap Year. That extra day will come in handy while exploring the more than 1,700 databases on the Indiana Genealogical Society's website!

New on the website:

College Records:

- Graduates of Central Normal College, Danville (1936)
An index of 285 students, their hometowns and the degrees they received, as listed in the college’s catalog for the 1936-1937 school year.

- Students of Indiana University, Bloomington (1854-1885)
An index of 8,650 students, their hometowns and subjects of study, as listed in the college’s catalogs for the 1853-1854 through the 1874-1885 school years.

- Students of Moores Hill College, Dearborn County, Indiana (1901-1905)
An index of 1,175 students, their hometowns and subjects of study, as listed in the college’s catalogs for the 1900-1901 through the 1904-1905 school years. NOTE: Moores Hill College later relocated to the University of Evansville.
 

County Records:

- Selected World War I Rosters of Cass County, Indiana Residents (1917-1918)Browsable digital images of rosters of various residents who were connected to World War I, either through volunteer service, registering for the draft or serving in the Home Guard, as listed in a county history.
 
- Students of Brazil High School, Clay County, Indiana (1919)
Browseable digital images of students in grades 9 through 12, as listed in Brazil High School's 1919 yearbook, The Brazilian.

- Teachers of Brazil High School, Clay County, Indiana (1919)
Browseable digital images of teachers in grades 9 through 12, as listed in Brazil High School's 1919 yearbook, The Brazilian.
 
- Students of Linton-Stockton High School, Greene County, Indiana (1946)
Browsable digital images of students in grades 9 through 12, as listed in Linton-Stockton High School's 1946 yearbook, The Revue.

- Teachers of Linton-Stockton High School, Greene County, Indiana (1946)
Browsable digital images of teachers in grades 9 through 12, as listed in Linton-Stockton High School's 1946 yearbook, The Revue.

- Students of Crawfordsville High School, Montgomery County, Indiana (1932)
Browsable digital images of students in grades 7 through 12, as listed in Crawfordsville High School's 1932 yearbook, The Athenian.

- Teachers of Crawfordsville High School, Montgomery County, Indiana (1932)
Browsable digital images of teachers in grades 7 through 12, as listed in Crawfordsville High School's 1932 yearbook, The Athenian.

- Graduates of Vevay High School, Switzerland County, Indiana (1938)
An index of 48 students who graduated, as listed in a 1938 commencement program.

These databases are available to IGS members. Not an IGS member? Join today! You'll get access to more than 1,700 databases, the IGS publications, discount on the annual conference, and more. Click here to join.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

IGS 2016 Conference: Registration Now Open!

It's time to register for IGS 2016 Annual Conference! The conference is 16 April 2016 at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne.

We're excited to have Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG, and Jen Baldwin. Their sessions are:

Jeanne Bloom:
  • Miracles, Mysteries & Mayhem: Online Family Trees 
  • The Art of Negative Space-Research: Women 
  • You're Not In Kansas Anymore: Essential Resources for Urban-Area Research 
  • Bringing Life to Our Ancestors: Manuscript Collections 

Jen Baldwin:
  • Being More Than Social on Social Media 
  • Paperless Genealogy: Eliminating The Binders, File Cabinets and Post-It Notes 
  • Preserving Your Personal Archives Go 
  • Back to School: Utilizing University Resources 
The full schedule and additional details can be found on the IGS website.

Cost is just $45 -- and only $35 for IGS members (until April 4)!

Register online on the IGS website or download and print a registration form to mail in.


Monday, February 15, 2016

Online Historical Indiana Plat Maps

Plat maps are wonderful, not only to jump-start the process by narrowing down when your ancestor owned the land, but to see at a glance who your ancestor's neighbors were (which is especially helpful when doing collateral research).

Due to their large size and often fragile condition, historical plat maps for Indiana are not likely to have been digitized, so as a general rule you must visit local libraries and archives to view them. However, here are some notable exceptions.

Unless otherwise noted, these resources are free. ($ indicates a paid resource.)

NOTE: Some atlases are listed twice in Ancestry; they are in two different collections. It may or may not be a different atlas.

This list was updated 12 May 2016. Our thanks to Meredith Thompson for compiling this list.

ALLEN COUNTY:
- 1860 map (Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library)
- 1898 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1898 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY:
- 1879 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1879 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)

BENTON COUNTY:
- 1888 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1909 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

BOONE COUNTY:
- 1865 map (Library of Congress)
- 1878 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1878 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1904 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

CARROLL COUNTY:
- 1874 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1897 map (Library of Congress)
- 1898 map (Library of Congress)

CASS COUNTY:
- 1878 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1916 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

CLARK COUNTY:
- 1875 map (Library of Congress)

CLINTON COUNTY:
- 1865 map (Library of Congress)
- 1878 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1919 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

DAVIESS COUNTY:
- 1888 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1888 atlas (Ancestry.com - $) 

DEARBORN COUNTY:
- 1859 map (Library of Congress)
- 1875 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1899 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)

DECATUR COUNTY:
- 1867 map (Library of Congress)
- 1882 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1882 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

DEKALB COUNTY:
- 1863 map (Library of Congress)
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

DELAWARE COUNTY:
- 1887 atlas (Ball State University)

ELKHART COUNTY:
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1915 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1915 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1929 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1937 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

FAYETTE COUNTY:
- 1875 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

FLOYD COUNTY:
- 1859 map (Library of Congress)
- 1882 map (Library of Congress)

FOUNTAIN COUNTY:
- 1865 map (Library of Congress)

FRANKLIN COUNTY:
- 1858 map (Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library)
- 1882 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

FULTON COUNTY:
- 1883 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)

GIBSON COUNTY:
- 1881 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1899 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1899 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)

GRANT COUNTY:
- 1861 map (Library of Congress)
- 1877 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1877 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

GREENE COUNTY:
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

HAMILTON COUNTY:
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1880 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1922 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)

HANCOCK COUNTY:
- 1887 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1906 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)

HARRISON COUNTY:
- 1882 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1906 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1906 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

HENDRICKS COUNTY:
- 1852-1943 plat maps (Hendricks County Government Archive)
- 1865 map (Library of Congress)
- 1865 map (Hendricks County Government Archive)
- 1878 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1878 atlas (Hendricks County Government Archive)
- 1878 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1904 atlas (Hendricks County Government Archive)
- 1904 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

HENRY COUNTY:
- 1857 map (Library of Congress)
- 1875 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1875 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1893 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1893 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

HOWARD COUNTY:
- 1877 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1877 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1877 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

HUNTINGTON COUNTY:
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

JACKSON COUNTY:
- 1878 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1900 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)

JASPER COUNTY:
- 1909 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

JAY COUNTY:
- 1881 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1887 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

JENNINGS COUNTY:
- 1884 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1884 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

JOHNSON COUNTY:
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1900 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1900 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)

KNOX COUNTY:
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1937 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY:
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1879 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1909 map (Library of Congress)
- 1914 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1914 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

LAGRANGE COUNTY:
- 1874 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1893 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1893 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1893 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

LAPORTE COUNTY:
- 1862 map (Library of Congress)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1892 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1921 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

MADISON COUNTY:
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1901 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1901 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

MARION COUNTY:
- 1855 map (Library of Congress)
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1889 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1931 map (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)

MARSHALL COUNTY:
- 1908 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

MARTIN COUNTY:
- 1892 map (IGS County Records - free)

MIAMI COUNTY:
- 1877 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1877 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

MONROE COUNTY:
- 1856 map (Indiana University - Indiana Spatial Data Portal; NOTE: you will need to download the map)

MONTGOMERY COUNTY:
- 1864 map (Library of Congress)
- 1878 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1898 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1917 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1917 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

MORGAN COUNTY:
- 1875 map (Library of Congress)
- 1909 map (Library of Congress)

NEWTON COUNTY:
- 1916 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1916 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

NOBLE COUNTY:
- 1860 map (Library of Congress)
- 1874 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1893 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1914 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

OHIO COUNTY:
- 1883 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

PARKE COUNTY:
- 1874 atlas (Parke County GenWeb)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1908 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

PERRY COUNTY:
- 1894 map (Library of Congress)

PIKE COUNTY:
- 1881 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

PORTER COUNTY:
- 1876 atlas (Library of Congress) 
- 1895 atlas (Library of Congress)

POSEY COUNTY:
- 1900 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

PULASKI COUNTY:
- 1907 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

PUTNAM COUNTY:
- 1864 map (Library of Congress)
- 1879 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

RANDOLPH COUNTY:
- 1865 map (Library of Congress)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

RIPLEY COUNTY:
- 1883 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1884 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1900 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1921 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

RUSH COUNTY:
- 1856 map (Library of Congress)
- 1867 map (Library of Congress) 
- 1879 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1908 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

SHELBY COUNTY:
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1880 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1900 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1957 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

SPENCER COUNTY:
- 1879 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1896 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

STARKE COUNTY:
- 1898 map (Library of Congress)

STEUBEN COUNTY:
- 1880 atlas (Library of Congress)
- 1880 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1912 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1912 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY:
- 1863 map (Library of Congress)
- 1875 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1875 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1875 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1895 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1911 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1911 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

SULLIVAN COUNTY:
- 1899 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)

SWITZERLAND COUNTY:
- 1883 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

TIPPECANOE COUNTY:
- 1866 map (Library of Congress)
- 1878 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1878 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1913 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1920 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

UNION COUNTY:
- 1884 atlas (IUPUI - Historic Indiana Atlases)
- 1884 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1884 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

VANDERBURGH COUNTY:
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1899 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1903 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

VERMILLION COUNTY:
- 1872 map (Library of Congress)

VIGO COUNTY:
- 1858 map (Library of Congress)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1895 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1895 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

WABASH COUNTY:
- 1861 map (Library of Congress)
- 1875 atlas (Internet Archive)
- 1875 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1875 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

WARREN COUNTY:
- 1865 map (Library of Congress)

WARRICK COUNTY:
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1880 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1899 atlas (Indiana State Library - Map Collection)
- 1903 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

WAYNE COUNTY:
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1874 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1893 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1893 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

WELLS COUNTY:
- 1881 atlas (Library of Congress)

WHITE COUNTY:
- 1896 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1920 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

WHITLEY COUNTY:
- 1902 map (Library of Congress)
- 1916 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)
- 1916 atlas (Ancestry.com - $)

Close-up of portion of the Dearborn Co, Indiana plat map, 1860. Library of Congress.


Sunday, February 14, 2016

Query: Frank Samuel Weaver, Grant County

I am looking for the birth record of a great, great uncle, whose death certificate says that he was born in Grant (Co?), Indiana, on July 7, 1881.  His name is Frank Samuel (or Samuel Frank) Weaver. He says father’s name is Nelson.

I have searched and cannot locate a Nelson as father (possibly middle name??) and/or birth record for Frank. He died in Alliance, Ohio, July 27, 1949. His mother's name is Bell/or Isabelle (Patterson)Weaver from Virginia. Says father is from North Carolina. Is it possible that he was born at the Weaver settlement, Liberty Township, Grant County?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. If cost involved, please inform. Thank you.

Deborah Jamerson
2604 Caprice Ave N.W. Apt. 7
Canton, Ohio 44709
djamerson1@neo.rr.com

Query: Robert Willis, Randolph County

My g-g-g-grandfather Robert Willis came to Randolph Co. Indiana, from Tennessee to homestead. His wife's name was Mary Mumpower.

Robert was born in Virginia about 1784 and died in Randolph Co. in 1857. I have a 1850 census for him in Randolph Co.. I'm trying to find the names of his parents, or brothers’ first names. Have been looking for ten years.

Thank you for any help.

Carole Willis Lang
P. O. Box 233
Brohman, MI 49312
langcarole99@gmail.com

Query: Obituary Lookups, Bedford Area

Is there anyone I could contact about obituary look-ups in Bedford area?  I have fewer than 10, all from the 20th Century.

At what level of government are death records kept?  Is there any online access other than Ancestry, Family Search, etc.? Thank you.

Neill Carter
2070 W Broken Arrow Dr.
Wickenburg, AZ  85390
ntcart@usfamily.net

Friday, February 12, 2016

New Database: Indiana School for the Blind, 1847-1891

The Indiana School for the Blind opened in Indianapolis in 1847. It attracted students from across the state.

The Indiana Genealogical Society recently added an index to the Indiana School for the Blind roster from 1847-1891, taken from the school's 1891 annual report. Information includes:
  • Student's name
  • Hometown
  • Years attended 
In the early years of the school, students could stay indefinitely. A history of school reports that students who graduated without work often returned to the school for an undetermined length of time.

This database is available to IGS members. Log in on the IGS website, click on the databases, and select "Statewide Records."

Not an IGS member? Join today! You'll get access to nearly 1,700 databases, the IGS publications, discount on the annual conference, and more. Click here to join.




Monday, February 8, 2016

FOUND: Photo of William Leonidus STOKES (1873-1935) family - Elwood, Madison County, Indiana


Shelley Cardiel (cardiels@comcast.net) has found this photo, identified as being Lee STOKES, his wife Eva (DEAN) Stokes, and their infant daughter, Mary Adeline (Stokes) STOUT. It was taken in the early 1900's in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.

Limited research has found that William Leonidus "Lee" Stokes (born February 1873; died 3 November 1935 in Madison County; buried in Elwood Cemetery) was the son of Andrew H. Stokes (1831-1904) and Mary Ann THOMPSON (born 1839). Lee Stokes married Eva Mae Dean (born 1872 or 1873 in Grant County, Indiana) - she was the daughter of Zachariah Thomas Dean (1850-1915) and Sarah Lucinda MYERS (born 1853 or 1854 in Rush County, Indiana).

Lee Stokes and Eva Mae Dean's daughter, Mary Adeline Stokes, was born in December 1899 in Elwood and married Edward Earl Asa Stout (1897-1935).


If you are a descendant of this family, or you know someone who might be, please contact her.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Query: John Henry Johnson, Indiana

John Henry Johnson was born in Indiana on Aug. 17, 1862.  I do not know in which county he was born.  Am seeking information on his parents.  I know his mother was Sarah Belle and at some time she was married to Kyle or Lyle Holcomb.  I want to know his father's name.

I also need to know if and when John changed his last name to Johnson, as I've heard from older family members. I am also confused as to whether or not he had any full or half siblings. Any information you can give me would be most appreciated.

Patricia (Johnson) Van Wyk
404 E. 19th St. S.
Newton, IA 50208-4139
mrspatvanwyk@gmail.com

Query: Nancy/Maria O'Donnell, Michigan City, IN

The Oct 8, 1873 issue of the Delphi Journal newspaper (digitized and online) has a small article stating that the body of my 3x great grandmother, whose name was Nancy/Maria O'Donnell, was found "in the river" in Michigan City, IN, sometime during the last week of September 1873.

Foul play was suspected given the injuries to her head and neck. My 2x great grandfather, Ferdinand Brechtel, was at the inquest. I've not been able to find anything more about her, what happened to cause her death, or where she was both or buried. This has been a 5-year brick wall for me.

 I've had no luck in LaPorte County or Michigan City, IN, with libraries, courts, etc. Would Court of Common Pleas have info on death inquests? No one I've talked to can find any court or coroner records that go that far back.

Any ideas you have will be greatly appreciated. I've searched Hoosier State Chronicles, Chronicling America and NewspaperArchives.com diligently and can't find anything more.

Thank you!

Denise Brennan
denisebrennan517@gmail.com

Monday, February 1, 2016

Can Your Society Use A Camera?

The Indiana Genealogical Society has a surplus digital camera that it would like to give to an Indiana county genealogical society.

This is a former project camera that IGS no longer uses. The unit is a Canon PowerShot SX1is 10 megapixel camera 20x optical zoom model with an 8GB SDHC card. It has both a visual and a digital viewfinder. It uses 4 AA batteries, either standard or rechargeable.Several of these cameras are listed on eBay in the $150-200 range.

This one is available to you at no charge. If your society can use this camera for genealogy, email a request to IGS Corresponding Secretary Ron Darrah at rdarrah@att.net by February 12.

If more than one society requests the camera, we will draw names out of a bowl to determine the winner. IGS will pay for shipping. Good luck to your society!

UPDATE: the camera has been claimed. Keep watching the IGS blog and the IGS Facebook page for other opportunities.