Sunday, September 30, 2018

New Resource For Northern Indiana

 [The following news item came through the Society of Indiana Archivists Listserv.]

Colleagues: A great new resource available!

 George M. Pullman’s contribution to the annals of transportation in the United States is great. According to the Michigan City Indiana Public Library, Michigan City’s beginnings trace to Pullman-Standard, originally the Haskell & Barker Car Company founded in 1852.

 The Indiana University Northwest Calumet Regional Archives in Gary, IN holds a portion of Pullman-Standard records where volunteers have transcribed content from thousands of personnel records into spreadsheets https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/20515.

 Now, a project to digitize a portion of the Pullman-Standard Railroad Car Manufacturing Company Employee Personnel Records, Michigan City, IN Plant is underway. Although the records are not complete for the period 1912 - 1970, those digitized will benefit genealogists, historians, and scholars.

 This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library. The project also acknowledges the support of Indiana Memory where the digitized images will be available.

 

Best!

Alison Stankrauff

University Archivist

Wayne State University

Walter Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs
5401 Cass Avenue

Detroit, Michigan 48202


313-577-4027

 

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Hoosier Heritage Event, Floyd County, October 4

Hoosier History and Heritage Celebration



The public is invited to attend the annual “Hoosier History and Heritage Celebration” and meet the newest members of the “First Families of Floyd, Clark, and Harrison Counties Legacy Project” on October 4 at the Floyd County 4-H Fairgrounds Newlin Hall. A drop-in pioneer social will begin at 6 PM with local history and First Families displays and music by Indian Creek Bluegrass Band. The Falls of the Ohio Archaeological Society will exhibit regional artifacts. Surveyor David Ruckman will show equipment used in retracing the Indiana Wilderness Road, a route used by early travelers of the territory. Attendees are welcome to dress as pioneers. Light refreshments will be served. 

At 7 PM, the Louisville Sons of the American Revolution Memorial Color Guard will open the formal program. New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan will officially proclaim “First Families of Floyd, Clark, and Harrison Counties in Indiana Day” and “Family History Month” in the city. Certificates will be awarded to the year’s honorees who have verified direct ancestors in the tri-county area before 1841. Presenters will be Daniel Bays, Harrison County historian; Jeanne Burke, Clark County historian, and Melissa Wiseheart, Floyd County genealogist.  

The First Families Legacy Project is cosponsored by the Southern Indiana Genealogical Society and the Floyd County Public Library Indiana Room. For more information about the Celebration or First Families, please visit sigsweb.org or call Donna Kepley Foster at 812-923-3492.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Query: Lura May/John Lauby, Elkhart County


            I’m looking for information on and/or advice on how to go about researching my ancestry. My maternal great grandmother Lura May married John Lauby, and my grandmother Mary Lauby graduated from Washington Township School, Elkhart County, in 1917.

            This I know as fact, but I would like to know more and look further back if I can. Any assistance is appreciated.



Holly Mcelhiney

3205 Leslie Ct

Portsmouth VA 23703

Query: Minnie Florence Dixon, Posey County

Another "Historical-Genealogical" confusion; she sent it to the right place, though.


Sunday, September 9, 2018

Query: Berenice Irene Martin, Parke County


            Berenice Irene Martin, born June 17, 1896 to John David Martin and Rose Ellen Roop Martin, was my maternal grandmother. Her mother died Sept.14, 1901, reportedly in an auto accident. Her father lived to 1910.

            Via Ancestry.com, I find her with parents, sister Olus, grandmother and aunt living together in 1900 in Union township, Parke County. Next record of her is marriage in 1926, Detroit, Michigan. Her sister Olus born 8/22/93, worked as a house servant in 1910, married in 1914, all in Indiana.

            There were varied family stories from my mom, Berenice's daughter, as to her childhood. There was talk of an orphanage, so if you have any information you could share I hope to hear back from you.



 Trina Delany

Query: Mason Vermillion/Polly Cannon, Vigo County


             Many of my relatives come from the Vigo County towns of Terre Haute and a place called New Goshen.  The surname of these relatives are the Vermillion family.  My great-great- great-grandfather was Mason Vermillion and one of his wives was Polly Cannon.  Some of his brothers that were supposed to have been in that area were Reason, Cornelius, and William.  There may have been more. 

            I just want you to see in your records if the Vermillions in the 1800s lived there.  I realize that this request in the future may not be given to me without some fee that I may have to pay; but at least let me know if this family was in fact in that area in the 1800s around 1828 or so.



Robert Maxwell

263 South 2875 West

Cedar City, Utah 84720



Query: Samuel Briggs, Porter County


            I am researching an ancestor, Samuel Briggs, who died at the Porter County Poor Farm on 6/12/1895 and am looking for records of the residents from the facility. 

            I found a newspaper article that announced the death in the Indianapolis News on the 13th of June 1895 and the Indiana Archives gave me a patient log that listed Samuel Briggs and the date of his death.  I was hoping to find more detail about his admission and mention of next of kin. 

            Do you know if those records exist and if so where they would be kept? Thank you for your assistance.



Nancy Briggs Zehler



Saturday, September 1, 2018

New Free Databases for Jasper and Lake County

The Indiana Genealogical Society recently added 30 free databases that were contributed by recipients of our Indiana Genealogy Digitization Project, a project to give portable scanning kits worth $500 to qualified non-profit groups in Indiana.

Here are the recent additions:

Jasper County:

(Click here to use the Jasper County databases.)
Contributed by General Van Rensselaer Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution:
- Directory of students in Rensselaer schools (1878)
- Directory of teachers in Rensselaer Central schools (1969)
- Graduates of Fair Oaks High School, Union Township (1921)
- Graduates of Fair Oaks High School, Union Township (1929)
- Graduates of Fair Oaks High School, Union Township (1938)
- Graduates of Fair Oaks High School, Union Township (1941)
- Graduates of Fair Oaks High School, Union Township (1962)
- Graduates of Fair Oaks High School, Union Township (1965)
- Graduates of Rensselaer Central High School (1990)
- History of Brusnahan family (1935)
- History of First Presbyterian Church, Rensselaer (1847-1937)
- History of First Presbyterian Church, Rensselaer (1847-1947)
-  Students at Fair Oaks Public School, Union Township (1914)

Contributed by Jasper County Historical Society:
- Charter members of Jasper County Historical Society (1966)
- Graduates of Rose Bud School, Union Township (1911)
- Graduates of Rose Bud School, Union Township (1915)
- Graduates of Rose Bud School, Union Township (1916)
- Graduates of Rose Bud School, Union Township (1917)
- Graduates of Rose Bud School, Union Township (1920)
- History of Jasper, Benton and Newton counties (1929)
- History of Methodist churches
- History of Welsh Cemetery
- Members of Grand Army of the Republic in Rensselaer (1904)
- Selected members of St. Augustine's Church, Rensselaer (1897)
- Students & teachers of Rensselaer Graded School (1888)
- Students & teachers of Rensselaer Graded School (1890)

Lake County:

(Click here to use the Lake County databases.)
Contributed by Whiting-Robertsdale Historical Society:
- Standard Oil Company Hospital, Whiting - register of patients admitted (1935-1945)
- Standard Oil Company Refinery, Whiting - selected employees (1931)
- Voters of Whiting (1946)
- Weddings mentioned in Whiting newspapers (1894-1946)

NOTE: The Indiana Genealogy Digitization Project is ongoing. Applications for the scanning kits are still being accepted. Click here for details.