Northwest Indiana Society To Meet in Merrillville

The Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, March 20 at 10 am at the Lake County Public Library in Merrillville. Jeanne Bloom will be discussing the "Toulmin Method of Reasoning." The Toulmin Method is an informal method of reasoning. Jeanne will show how this method can assist researchers in proving some of their genealogical brick walls. She is a Certified Genealogist and a full-time professional researcher specializing in Cook County, Illinois, research. She also works on problem solving and compiling multi-generational family histories.

The Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society represents the interests of genealogists in Lake County and Porter County. The public is welcome at the meeting.

Query: GIBSON of Vermillion or Wabash Counties

Looking for any information on William B. and Malona Gibson Gibson, both born ~1814-15 in Montgomery County, NC, moved to Indiana, perhaps Vermillion or Wabash, children born in IN, Elizabeth, Eva Liza Jane and Sarah C Gibson. Moved to Iowa ~ 1855-57. Any info would be appreciated. Grandparents.
Fawn Conley
144 East Walnut Stree
Richmond KY 40475
fawn.conley@eku.edu

Query: McGRATH/LAKE/THOMAS of Vermillion County

Seeking info of JOHN W. McGRATH (1825-1876) and wife MARIAH JANE LAKE married 5 Sept 1850 Vermillion County IN. Daughter MARY ELIZABETH McGRATH b July 1851 Vermillion. Was she same MARY ELIZABETH McGRATH who married WARREN THOMAS 7 Feb 1869 Piatt IL? Any other children of JOHN/MARIAH?

Christine Levet Gerbel
103 Heritage Park Dr.
Danville, CA 94506
clgerbel@yahoo.com

Lake County To Host Military Symposium

The Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society, which represents Lake County and Porter County, will celebrate their 40th anniversary by holding a Military Symposium on Saturday, April 17 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Dyer-Schererville branch of the Lake County Public Library. Ron Darrah will be the featured speaker, and his topics will include the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I.

African-American Group To Discuss Research Challenges

The Indiana African American Genealogy Group will meet on Saturday, March 20 from 12 to 3 pm at the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis. The meeting will be devoted to members helping each other break down brick walls and address challenges. To get help, you should provide a detailed overview of your genealogy challenge and the research you have already completed. Please write down your problem and bring copies with you to the meeting. Or, for even better results, send your problem to indplsaagenegroup@yahoo.com. For an example of a well-written problem, please visit their blog.

Indianapolis To Host Records Preservation Workshops

The Indiana State Historic Records Advisory Board (SHRAB), in conjunction with the Indiana Commission on Public Records, will offer a series of free workshops in Indianapolis in March and April. The workshops are geared towards people who care for historical records, and are open to volunteers and professionals alike. The schedule is:

--Thursday, March 25--Indiana State Library, 9 am to 3 pm--Archives I. Basic archival principles, including: acquisition, control mechanicisms, basic preservation and in-state resource availability.

--Tuesday, April 6--Indiana State Library, 9 am to 3 pm--Archives II. Advanced archival principles, including: volunteer efforts, copyright and privacy issues, image dating and Web 2.0.

--Thursday, April 8--Indiana State Archives, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm--Preservation. Topics will include principles and resources, exhibit preparation, climate control and mending and drying.

--Tuesday, April 13--Indiana State Library, 9 am to 3 pm--Government Records. A workshop for professionals who manage county and state government documents. Topics will include scanning and microfilming, retention schedule use and public access issues.

--Friday, April 16--Indiana State Library, 9 am to 2 pm--E-Records. A workshop for experienced professionals who work with electronic documents. Dr. Philip Bantin of Indiana University will contact participants to develop the specific topics for this workshop.

Attendees can receive Library Education Units (LEUs) for each workshop, and lunch will be provided. Space is limited--the registration form (PDF) must be returned by March 17th.

IGS Updates African-American Settlements Database

The Indiana Genealogical Society has updated the database, Individuals Associated with Indiana’s African-American Settlements (1817-1930), which is in the African-American Records section of Members-Only. This database is being compiled by Dawne Slater-Putt, CG and is part of a larger effort to study Indiana’s African-American settlements from their earliest days through about 1930.

The database includes the individual’s name, approximate year of birth and date of death (if known), and the names of the townships and counties with which the individual was associated. Women are cross-referenced under their maiden names. The database also includes links (when available) to newspaper articles, tombstone photos, marriage records and other source materials.

This database is free and is being shared with the Indiana Genealogical Society and the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center. There are now over 8,000 entries in the database.

IGS Publishes Martin County 1890 Solders Enrollment List

The Indiana Genealogical Society has published an index to the 1890 soldiers enrollment list for Martin County. It has been added to the other indexes that are available for purchase in the Shop section of the IGS website.

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 Indiana Genealogical Society's indexes contain detailed information from these lists and are published on CD-ROM. IGS has now published the indexes for 71 counties.

Marriage Indexing: Progress Report

The latest progress report for the Indiana Marriage Indexing Project shows that volunteers have almost finished indexing the records that are available for Marshall County:

--Clark County (1811-1959)--84.93% complete
--Dubois County (1811-1959)--64.04% complete
--Harrison County (1811-1959)--85.24% complete
--Marshall County (1811-1959)--99.73% complete

More volunteers are always welcome. Sign up at the FamilySearch Indexing website.

Boone County Society To Meet in Lebanon

The Boone County Genealogical Society will meet on Tuesday, March 23 at 6:30 pm at the Lebanon Public Library. Ron Darrah from the Indiana Genealogical Society will present a program about Civil War research. The meeting is open to the public.

Allen County Library To Discuss Footnote.com

The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne will present a class, "Using Footnote.com," on Thursday, March 18 from 10 to 11 am in the library's Meeting Room A. You'll learn how to browse through documents or search for a specific individual's documents or a historic event using Footnote.com, and also how to view, print, and save original historical and federal documents. To register, call (260) 421-1225 or e-mail genealogy@acpl.info.

Allen County Library To Discuss Periodicals

The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne will present a session, "Using Periodicals at the Genealogy Center," on Tuesday, March 16 from 2 to 3 pm in the library's Meeting Room A. The lecture will discuss the benefits of using genealogy and local history periodicals, provide a brief overview of how to use the Periodical Source Index (PERSI), and give information on how to locate a specific issue. To register, call (260) 421-1225 or e-mail genealogy@acpl.info.

Allen County Library To Discuss Writing Family Histories

The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne will present a class, "Writing Your Family History: A Primer," on Wednesday, March 17 from 10 to 11 am in the library's Meeting Room A. The class will not be discussing or reviewing genealogy software, but will give an overview of some of the attributes of good genealogical writing and will offer some guidance on how to produce a book or article of lasting quality. To register, call (260) 421-1225 or e-mail genealogy@acpl.info.

Allen County Society To Offer Workshop

The Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana will hold a workshop, "Getting Started in Family History & Genealogy Research," on Saturday, April 3 from 9 am to noon at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. Instructor Marge Graham will discuss how to gather and organize your information for best results, and how to use proven basic research methods. Participants will also tour the library's Genealogy Center and learn about available resources.

Registration for the workshop is $10, and pre-registration is required. To register, see http://www.acgsi.org/workshop.pdf

Marion County Society To Present Double Program

The Genealogical Society of Marion County will hold a double program on Saturday, March 13 at the Spades Park Branch of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. At 12:30 pm, Ron Darrah will present a program, "Getting Started in Genealogy," which will give you suggestions for how to proceed and get organized. At 1:30 pm, Cathi Taylor will present a program, "The Story Handed Down Was...Uncovering The Truth!", which shows how various records were used to prove or disprove a family story. Admission is free.

IGS Adds African-American Databases To Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added more databases to the African-American Records section of its Members Only area:

--African-American Veterans in Gibson County, Indiana (1890)
--African-American Veterans in Hamilton County, Indiana (1890)
--African-American Veterans in Knox County, Indiana (1890)

These databases were compiled from the 1890 soldiers enrollment lists for the respective counties. They are premium databases, accessible only to IGS members. There are over 235 databases in the Members Only area. More databases will be added over time.

Allen County Library To Discuss Scanning of Photographs

The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne will hold a class, "Basics of Scanning Photographs," on Wednesday, March 10 at 2:30 pm in the library's Meeting Room C. Kay Spears will explain the terms that are used when talking about scanning photographs. She will share the essentials of organizing, scanning, and storing family (or other) photographs digitally, as well as provide suggestions on the equipment you may need. Registration is required--to register, call (260) 421-1225 or e-mail genealogy@acpl.info

Allen County Society To Discuss 2010 Census

The Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana will meet on Wednesday, March 10 at 7 pm in Meeting Room A of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. There will be a program about the 2010 census. The public is welcome.

Research Tip: Alternative To Death Records

If you have Indiana ancestors, chances are you have run into the research barrier of 1882--the year that the state first required counties to record births and deaths. For those that died before 1882, you may think that you have few resources, save for finding their obituary or tombstone--a task that is even more daunting when you see how many tombstones are illegible or in pieces, if the cemetery hasn't disappeared altogether. Probate records are a great--underutilized--source for death information.

The above (from the Indiana Genealogical Society's Records Preservation Project for Hendricks County), is an example of the kind of genealogy gems that you can unearth in probate records. This affidavit, stating that they died on July 23, 1857, is part of the process of the probate court appointing an administrator for the estate of the deceased.

Once appointed, the administrator would pay any bills owed by the estate and then submit the receipts to the court. The bills for the funeral and burial are often among those receipts. In the example below, the receipt for the tombstone gave not only the dimensions and the name and 1858 date of death to be inscribed, but even the sad verse that was to accompany it:

Even people who wrote wills before they died could have a probate record--in those instances, the court would recognize their executor instead of an administrator. So make sure you keep this resource in your research toolbox!

Registration Open for IGS Conference in Fort Wayne

Registration is now open for the Indiana Genealogical Society's 2010 Conference, which will be held on Saturday, April 10 at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. The conference theme is "Charting Our Course."

Dick Eastman of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter will be the featured speaker, with sessions on:

--Genealogy Searches on Google
--Blogging for Genealogists
--Conservation: Keeping Up With Technology
--Grandpa In Your Pocket: Portable Gagdets for Genealogists

There will also be sessions on immigration records, photo restoration and digital projects. The library's Genealogy Center will be open on Friday, April 9 from 6 pm to midnight for conference attendees.

Pre-registration is $30 for IGS members, $35 for non-members. Registration at the door will be $40 for members or non-members. Register online at the IGS website, or download and print the registration form.

IGS Adds Wabash County Cemetery Databases To Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added more cemetery databases to the County Records section of Members Only:

Wabash County:
--Index of Boundary Line Cemetery, Wabash County, Indiana
--Index of Daniels Cemetery, Wabash County, Indiana

These indexes were donated by Jim Cox and Penny L. North. They are free to the public--no membership is required in order to view them.

The Indiana Genealogical Society now has over 235 databases in the Members Only area of its website. More databases will be added over time.

IGS Publishes More 1890 Soldiers Enrollment Lists

The Indiana Genealogical Society has created indexes to the 1890 soldiers enrollment lists for Johnson County, Knox County, Scott County, Spencer County and Vanderburgh County. They have been added to the other indexes that are available for purchase in the Shop section of the IGS website.

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 Indiana Genealogical Society's indexes contain detailed information from these lists and are published on CD-ROM. IGS has now published the indexes for 70 counties.

Marion County Society To Discuss Spanish-American War

The Genealogical Society of Marion County will meet on Saturday, February 13 at 1 pm at the Irvington Branch of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (5625 E. Washington St.). Ron Darrah will present a program, "A Splendid Little War," about family history and the Spanish-American War. The public is welcome to attend.

IGS To Hold Board Meeting in March

The Indiana Genealogical Society's board will hold their quarterly meeting on Saturday, March 6 at 10 am at the Plainfield Public Library. This meeting is a makeup date for the February 6 board meeting, which was cancelled due to weather.

Boone County Society To Meet In Thorntown

The Boone County Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, February 23 at the Thorntown Public Library. Jamey Hickson will present a program, "Genealogy: Problem Solving." The public is invited to attend.

IGS Seeks Quarterly Editor

The Indiana Genealogical Society is seeking applicants for the position of editor of the society's quarterly publication, Indiana Genealogist. The editor is responsible for the creation of the 50-page quarterly (published 4 times a year, plus a separate index issue), including receipt of submissions, choices for publication, copyediting, page layout, transmission to the printer, creation of the index, and creation of PDF files for long-term storage. Experience using page layout software (Microsoft Publisher, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Page Maker or something similar) and familiarity with Adobe Acrobat is required. The editor reports periodically to the IGS Board and the Publications Committee and is paid $500 per issue.

If you would like to apply for the position, or would like more information, please contact Marlene Polster, Publications Committee chair--lakecogen@sbcglobal.net.

Allen County Library Offers Session on Genealogy Center

The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne will offer an explanation of their Genealogy Center collection on Monday, March 15 from 2 to 3 pm in the library's Globe Room. If you've taken the tour of the genealogy center but are still confused, this session is for you. A staff member will explain the catalog, microtext area, and how to use the facility. To register, call (260) 421-1225 or e-mail genealogy@acpl.info.

Hamilton County Society To Discuss Irish Research

The Hamilton County Genealogical Society will meet on Wednesday, March 3 at 7 pm at the Hensel Government Building (10701 N. College Ave., Carmel IN). There will be a program, "Irish Research." The meeting is free and open to the public.

The Hamilton County Genealogical Society (formerly known as the North Indianapolis Area Genealogists) meets from October through May on the first Wednesday of the month at 7 pm at the Hensel Government Building in Carmel. Meetings include programs and roundtable discussions. The meetings are free and everyone is welcome.

Query: MILLER/TRAUGH of Jasper County

While searching on Ancestry, I found an Asa MILLER listed in the Jasper County, Indiana Index to Death Records, 1882-1920. I called the Health Department there and was informed that they did not have a death record of the above. He was listed in the index on page 68 and again on 69. I have been informed by the cemetery sexton in Remington that he is not buried there. The index seems to show a year of death as 1882. Can anyone tell me what avenues are left for researching this individual? I had found him on the 1880 census (age 78)living with his son-in-law and daughter, Albannus and Mary TRAUGH in Remington.
Sharon Rauworth
2920 S. Eugene Circle
Mesa, AZ 85212
slr1137@q.com

Query: SWADLEY/KELLEY of Warren County

I am seeking info on the James Madison Swadley family of Pine Village, Warren County, Indiana, particularly on his daughter Samantha O. Swadley that married a Charles Edward Kelley.

Rick Wolfe
56 3rd Street
Petrolia Kansas 66720

Query: RANSTEAD of St. Joseph County

I would like to know more about the Hamilton Cemetery in New Carlisle, St Joseph, Indiana. I'm looking for a my James Ranstead who supposedly died on Aug 20, 1836. He was in the Rev War in 1780 from Hampshire, Massachusetts. I'm not able to travel to the area any longer and would appeciate any information that could be passed on. Thank you so much for your help.
MaryAnne Langdon
530 S. E. Rice Road
Topeka, Kansas 66607-2339
Email Address: n2myroots@att.net

Query: Town of Scipio

We live in Scipio and are wondering if the name of our town came from the Roman General Scipio Africanus. There is a town near us named Sardinia which is one of the cities offered to Scipio Africanus by Hannibal. Do you know where these names originated?
Andrea Scandrett
8625 N CR 600 W
Scipio, IN 47273
Email Address: scandrett6@verizon.net

Query: Hill of Decatur County

I am researching the Martin Hill family, a brother of my cousin Ken Hill’s great great-grandfather Thomas Hill. Martin was b. Jan 13, 1803 in Virginia, Married in Kentucky 1824 & subsequently moved to Decatur Co; having at least 2 children, Elizabeth b. ca1838 & Minerva or Mary b. ca 1839. I believe Martin’s wife Ann died in the early 1870’s & he remarried & he died sometime after the 1880 Decatur census.

I am looking for any assistance you might be able to give me.

Doug Sinrud
P O Box 790
Burlington, WA
98233
Email Address: oldblue@fidalgo.net

Query: Boeckle(y) of Perry County

I am looking for information concerning Tell City and the Swiss Colonization Society. These two subjects were mentioned in the will of my g-g-g grandfather, Andreas Boeckle(y) (spelled in other various fashions). His will stated that he owned stock in the Swiss Col. Soc. and that he owned lots of land in Tell City. He arrived in the U.S. from Austria in 1852 and settled in Cincinnati. He married Catherine Mohr, who was born in Switzerland. Andreas died in 1861. Are there any existing land records for Tell City or information concerning members of the Swiss Col. Soc.? Thanks for you help.
Joyce Venneman
2421 Joyce Ave.
Southgate, Ky 41071
Email Address: jevenn@yahoo.com

IGS Adds February Newsletter To Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has now added the February 2010 issue of the IGS Newsletter to the IGS Records section of Members Only. The issue contains entries from the "...Always A Hoosier" project, and also has updates from around the state.

The newsletter is a premium database and is accessible only to IGS members.

IGS Adds Wabash County Cemetery Database To Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added another cemetery database to the County Records section of Members Only:

Wabash County:
--Index of America Cemetery, Wabash County, Indiana

This index was donated by Jim Cox and Penny L. North. It is free to the public--no membership is required in order to view it.

The Indiana Genealogical Society now has over 230 databases in the Members Only area of its website. More databases will be added over time.

Allen County Library To Offer Tour

The Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne will offer a tour of their Genealogy Center on Saturday, March 14 from 1 to 2 pm. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer size of the department, this tour will help familiarize you with the different areas and their contents, as well as the research procedures. Space is limited--to register, call (260) 421-1225 or e-mail genealogy@acpl.info.

IGS Adds Allen County Cemetery Database To Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added another cemetery database to the County Records section of Members Only:

Allen County:
--Index of Eel River Cemetery, Allen County, Indiana

This index was donated by Jim Cox and Penny L. North. It is free to the public--no membership is required in order to view it.

The Indiana Genealogical Society now has over 230 databases in the Members Only area of its website. More databases will be added over time.

IGS Adds Databases to Members-Only

The Indiana Genealogical Society has added several databases to the Members Only area of its website:

College Records
--Students of University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame (1935)--a listing of seniors as found in the school's yearbook for 1935, The Dome. This database also includes the students' photos and biographical information.

County Records
--Directory of Businesses in Leavenworth, Crawford County, Indiana (1868)--a listing of business owners in the town of Leavenworth, as found in a railroad and shipping directory for the state.
--Directory of Businesses in Dubois County, Indiana (1868)--a listing of business owners in various towns in Dubois County, as found in a railroad and shipping directory for the state.
--Directory of Businesses in Tipton County, Indiana (1868)--a listing of business owners in various towns in Tipton County, as found in a railroad and shipping directory for the state.
--Miami Indians Who Received Land on Miami Reservation, Grant and Wabash Counties, Indiana (1873)--a listing of Miami Indians who received land on the Miami Reservation in Grant County and Wabash County when it was partitioned in 1873, as found in a newspaper article.

NOTE: These databases are part of the 2 for 92 Project, where IGS will develop a minimum of two genealogical databases for each of the 92 counties in Indiana and post them to the Members Only area.

These are all premium databases, accessible only to IGS members. The Indiana Genealogical Society has now posted 230 databases to the Members Only area of its website. More databases will be added over time.