July meeting wrapup

Members and visitors at the July meeting of the La Porte County Genealogical Society discussed the 1940 census. The FamilySearch index unfortunately has misnamed Coolspring Township as "Cool Spring." Anyone searching for ancestors in that area needs to be aware of this. Using the correct name will yield no results.

Harold Henderson gave a talk on the records and stories of the Indianapolis Orphan Asylum (1851-1941). Its work extended well beyond the capital city, and the problems faced by the orphanage are still familiar today. With some work, these records in the Indiana Historical Society can connect adoptive or foster children to their families of origin. Records less than 75 years old are not available to the public.

The society is looking for a program chairman or education chairman to create and maintain a schedule of programs several months ahead of time.

Weather permitting, the society meets at the Swanson Center for Older Adults, 910 State Street, La Porte, on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm. The public is welcome at all meetings. Membership dues are $10 individual, $12 family.

Nominations are still open for Genealogist of the Year. Details on our web site, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/Gen%20of%20the%20Year.jpg.

July 31 is the deadline to apply for one or more residency certificates for 2012. Our web site at has information for those who believe they have La Porte County ancestors (and can prove it!). There's information on how to apply for First Families of La Porte (before December 1840), Pioneer Families (1841-1860), Settler Families (1861-1880), and Civil War Families (1861-1865).

You can also read or search back issues of the society's newsletter, December 2005 through December 2009, including genealogical and historical information from members' research and abstracting work in local records, on our blog at http://lpcgs.blogspot.com.

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