Query: Cornelius W. Doremus, 87th Infantry, Civil War

I'm researching my 2nd great-grandfather who was in the 87^th Indiana Infantry Regiment in Co B. His name was Cornelius W. Doremus. Both he and his brother Christopher J. Doremus enlisted the same day -- August 2, 1862. Unfortunately Cornelius got sick and passed not quite four months later, November 23, 1862 in Louisville, Kentucky.

What I'm trying to find is any photo of this regiment. I have 3 photos of Christopher but none of Cornelius and I wonder if any exist. I have Cornelius's pension record but I'm going to order his compiled service record and any medical records. Though they fought at Perryville Oct 8th, I'm not so certain Cornelius was with them or fought any battles.

What I'm trying to find is any information on this regiment from time he enlisted to time he died and especially if a photo exists of the 87th, let alone Co B. I really want to find out what life was like for him and anything I can about him. I do know of the monument that sits on the courthouse lawn in Winamac. It has all the men listed by name who died from Pulaski County.

Thank you for your time and any suggestions you may have.


Dawn Colbert
cherokeerose12002@yahoo.com

Query: John Harmon Wilkinson, Howard & Tippecanoe Counties

            I am looking for any info on John Harmon Wilkinson or pictures of my grandfather. Birth 07/21/1884, Howard County, IN; died 05/04/1961, Lafayette, IN. Looking for birth certificate, things like that.

Tina Knight

8696 N. 1050 W

Colfax, IN 46035

tknight@tctc.com

Digitization Kit #25: Clay County Genealogical Society

The Indiana Genealogical Society recently delivered Digitization Kit #25 to the Clay County Genealogical Society in the historic coal town of Center Point, Indiana.

The CCGS is housed in this former store building at 309 Main Street. The Society has a great genealogy and history collection maintained by a strong volunteer contingent. 

If you have Clay County ancestors, you need to contact or, even better, visit Center Point. The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 10 to 4. Meanwhile, take a look at their website at www.ccgsilib.org, as shown below. 

Does your organization have Indiana genealogy materials that need digitizing, but you're short on equipment? Consider applying for a digitization kit as part of IGS's Indiana Genealogy Digitization Project.

Research Tip: Don't Forget Indiana Ghost Towns

Wikipedia can be a good source for finding ghost towns.

Go to the Wikipedia page for the county you're interested in and scroll to the list of communities. The page for Warren County, Indiana, for example, lists the following "extinct places:"

• Chatterton (in Adams Township)
• Baltimore (in Mounds Township)
• Brisco and Point Pleasant (in Pine Township)
• Locust Grove and Walnut Grove (in Prairie Township)
• Chesapeake, Dresser, and Sloan (in Steuben Township)
• Warrenton and Kickapoo (in Warren Township)

Being able to locate these places will help you better understand the documents where you find them mentioned. 

New FREE Databases for Howard, Owen and Vigo Counties and More!

The following new FREE databases on the Indiana Genealogical Society website were made possible through the Indiana Genealogy Digitization Project. Check them out:

Howard County:

Contributed by Kokomo-Howard County Public Library
- Alumni of New London High School, Howard County, Indiana (1884-1930)
From a 1930 alumni souvenir.
- Alumni of New London High School, Howard County, Indiana (1931-1948)
A handwritten list in the back of a 1930 alumni souvenir.
- History of Young Men Christian's Association, Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana (1937) []
Miscellaneous materials about the Kokomo YMCA, including a 1930s basketball team roster and photo and a 1937 newspaper article.

Owen County:

Contributed by Ten O'Clock Line Treaty Museum (Gosport, Indiana)
- Burials at Gosport Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana (1901-1928)
A typewritten list of burials that was found in an old notebook.
- Owners of Lots at Lake Hollybrook, Owen County, Indiana (1930) 
A typewritten list of lots in Lake Hollybrook that had been sold as of July 14, 1930.

Vigo County:

Contributed by Wabash Valley Genealogy Society (Terre Haute, Indiana)
- Benefit for West Terre Haute Police Department, Vigo County, Indiana (1941)
A program for a July 18, 1941 show to benefit the West Terre Haute Police Department. It includes the names of performers and ads for local businesses.
- Confederate Soldiers Buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana
Information about 11 Confederate prisoners of war who died in a local prison and were buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

College, Military, or Statewide:

Contributed by the Genealogical Society of Marion County (Indianapolis):
- Graduates of Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis (1914-1945)
A 1956 history of the Indiana University Training School for Nurses.
- Selected Employees of Indiana Bell Telephone Co. (1965)
A booklet containing news of various employees and the company's 1964 annual report.
- History of Allison Engine Division, Indianapolis in World War II 
 A booklet published by the Allison Engine Division of General Motors Corporation, Indianapolis.

Does your organization have Indiana genealogy materials that need digitized? Consider applying for equipment through the Indiana Genealogy Digitization Project. 

Query: Merrimon Straughn, Henry County

            Merrimon Straughn was my 4^th-great grandfather.  He was married to Hannah Vickery, daughter of Jehu Vickery and Lydia Levenwood Leonard, who I believe were Quakers. Our family records indicate the station in Dudley Township, Henry County, was named after Merrimon, now known as Straughn, IN.  Supposedly, they were inn keepers of Straughn's Station. 

            For more info on this family, where would you suggest I look?  I have located digital images of both of their gravestones.  

Virginia Bright Brooks

virginiabrooks@centurylink.net

Query: John Myers, Marion County

            I'm trying to find out how John Myers, living in Perry Township, Marion County, Indiana died in July of 1860.  I've found his burial and he is listed on that census, but two days later is dead.  Also his youngest two sons don't show up on records after that census - William and Peter, both under the age of 10. 

            If anyone can help me answer the questions about what happened to these family members, I'd be very thankful.

Billie Dearborn

PO Box 246

Packwood, WA 98361

dearborn@centurytel.net

Research Tip: Other Records for Indiana's Colleges and Universities

Yearbooks and catalogs are probably the first two things that come to mind when thinking about resources for ancestors who went to college or who were faculty. However, there are several other types of records that you should consider.

Student Directories

Student directories, sometimes known as handbooks or manuals, contained information on the students as well as the faculty and various campus organizations, including fraternities and sororities.

This example from Indiana University's student directory, which they called "the red book," for the 1929-1930 school year, included the student's name, year, hometown, and the name of their residence hall or fraternity/sorority, as well as a phone number.

Indiana University Student Directory, 1929-1930

Student Newspapers

Student-produced newspapers can offer a glimpse into the daily life on campus. They contain information not just on the school's sports teams, but various clubs and associations, sprinkled in with news from alumni.

This example from Indiana Central College (now University of Indianapolis)'s student newspaper for January 1941 includes news of several alumni who have gotten married, as well as a trip to an indoor pool — a treat during an Indiana winter.

(Indiana Central College) Reflector, January 1941.

Commencement Programs

Commencement programs can contain detailed information about those who are graduating, as well as the schedule of events and commencement speakers.

Ball State University's June 1969 commencement program contains a list of the graduates for the Master of Science degree, including their name, hometown, where they earned their undergraduate degree, and the subject of their degree. We can also see that they're not actually graduating until August.

Ball State University commencement program, June 1969.

Alumni Directories

Alumni directories are valuable because students were likely to keep in touch long after their graduation. The directories of alumni that the schools would periodically publish are valuable not just for finding out a woman's married name, but for the level of detail they could include.

Earlham College's 1957 alumni directory, for example, show the alumnus's name, degree they earned, year of graduation, spouse's name, children's name, children's years of birth, occupation, and current residence.

Earlham College Alumni Directory, 1957.

Finding These Records

Many of these resources can only be found at the college or university, or at public libraries in the areas surrounding these institutions. However, be sure and check Google Books and Internet Archive to see what they have for these institutions. Some institutions are beginning to digitize their own resources, including:

• Ball State University, Muncie
• Catalogs, 1918-2015
• Commencement Programs, 1913-2015
• Butler University, Indianapolis
• Alumni Directories, 1856-1912
• Catalogs, 1855-1937
• Central Normal College & Canterbury College, Danville
• Catalogs, 1877-1951
• Commencement Programs, 1878-1949&
• Indiana Central College, Indianapolis (later became University of Indianapolis)
• Bulletins, 1908-1944
• Catalogs, 1902-1908
• Commencement Programs, 1902-1989
• Student Newspapers, 1922-1999 and 2001-2013
• Indiana State University, Evansville (later became University of Southern Indiana)
• Commencement Programs, 1871-2014
• University of Notre Dame, South Bend
• Catalogs/Bulletins, 1850-1914
• Commencement Programs, 1845-2016
• Student Directories, 1922-1974

You can also find Indiana college and university records in the "College Records" section of the IGS website.

If you want to find out more about using college catalogs, be sure to check out this blog post.

——
[This article originally appeared in Indiana News, IGS's FREE monthly email newsletter. Click here to subscribe and have articles like this delivered straight to your inbox!]
 

Digitization Kit #24: Martin County Historical Society

Yesterday IGS delivered Kit 24 to the Martin County Historical Society, which is located in this great Museum in Shoals, Indiana. A former courthouse, the building is crammed with great artifacts and exhibits and especially with tons of documents waiting digitization. Get ready for some great resources coming out of Martin County. This Museum is well worth a visit to see some early Americana, Indiana-style.

Does your organization have Indiana genealogy materials that need digitizing? Consider applying for a portable scanning kit from IGS. You can find details and the application form on the Indiana Genealogy Digitization Project page.

New Databases From Around Indiana

Take a look at these new databases from around the great state of Indiana.

Free Database - Union County:

- Alumni of Short High School, Liberty, Union County, Indiana (1876-1937)
A list of alumni, as published in the school's 1938 yearbook, The Libertonian. This database was contributed by Wayne Klusman.

Members-Only Databases: 

These databases are available to IGS members. Not a member yet? Join today and get access to these and more than 1,900 other databases on the IGS website!
 
County Records: 
Blackford County
- Graduates of Hartford City High School, Blackford County, Indiana (1913)
A list from the June 6, 1913 commencement program.

Floyd County
- Students of New Albany High School, Floyd County, Indiana (1896) 
A list of students (grade 12 only) from the school's 1896 yearbook, Souvenir.

Hancock County
- Graduates of Brandywine Common School, Hancock County, Indiana (1924)
A list from the May 10, 1924 commencement program. NOTE: A common school went up to 8th grade.

Jay County
- Students of Portland High School, Jay County, Indiana (1933) 
Browsable digital images of students in grades 9 through 12, as published in the school's 1933 yearbook, The Tifoon 1933
- Teachers of Portland High School, Jay County, Indiana (1933)
Browsable digital images of teachers in grades 9 through 12, as published in the school's 1933 yearbook, The Tifoon 1933.

Morgan County
- Students of Martinsville High School, Morgan County, Indiana (1914) 
A list of students (grade 12 only), as published in the school's 1914 yearbook, The Squealer.
- Teachers of Martinsville High School, Morgan County, Indiana (1914) 
A list of teachers, as published in the school's 1914 yearbook, The Squealer.

Porter County
- Students of Valparaiso High School, Porter County, Indiana (1919) 
A list of students in grades 9-12, as published in the school's 1919 yearbook, The Valenian.

Randolph County
- Graduates of Union City East Side High School, Randolph County, Indiana (1927) 
A list from the May 6, 1927 commencement program.

Rush County
- Graduates of Rushville High School, Rush County, Indiana (1936) 
A list from the May 27, 1936 commencement program.

Wayne County
- Alumni of Hagerstown High School, Wayne County, Indiana (1881-1932) 
A list of alumni, as published in the school's 1933 yearbook, 1933 Epitome.

College Records: 
- Graduates of Indiana University, Bloomington (1920) 
A list from the June 4, 1920 commencement program. This database includes the graduate's name and the degree they received.
- Students of Indiana Central University, Indianapolis (1906-1908)
A list compiled from the school's annual catalogs for the 1905-1906 school year through the 1907-1908 school year. This database includes the student's name, hometown and subject, as well as the catalog year. NOTE: Indiana Central University later changed its name to the University of Indianapolis.
- Graduates of University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame (1928)
A list from the June 3, 1928 commencement program. This database includes the graduate's name, residence and the degree they received.

Statewide Records:
- Students At Indiana School for the Deaf, Indianapolis (1848-1917) 
A list compiled from the school's annual reports for the years 1848 through 1917 (some annual reports are missing - 1854, 1890, 1910, 1912 and 1916). This database includes the student's name, hometown, county and year of the annual report.

Indiana School for the Deaf