9 September 2014 Meeting

Of the La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society

The La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society met at the La Porte Park Department Headquarters on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. The meeting was called to order by the President, Dorothy Palmer. A business meeting followed.

Following the business meeting residency certificates were awarded to three individuals who had documented their ancestry in accordance with the rules. A Settler residency certificate was awarded to Leslie Rankin of Monticello, IL who documented her ancestor, Carl Backhaus/Bachus as a resident of the County in 1870. Robert Warren Bowman, Jr., of new London, CT received a certificate for documenting his Civil War ancestor, George Culbertson Dorland. James Randall Steele of Richmond, CA received two First Family certificates (one documenting his descendancy from Miriam Waldron Benedict and one for descendancy from Henley Clyburn). Both were documented residents of the County in 1829.

Applications along with documentation must be received no later than July 31 each year to be considered for awarding at the September meeting of the society. Applications may be requested from the La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society, 904 Indiana Avenue, La Porte, IN 46350 or from Committee Chair, Fern Eddy Schultz at netster@csinet.net.

The Residency Committee, consisting of Fern Eddy Schultz, Chair, Gloria Arndt and Dottisue Gansmer, reviewed all materials submitted with the applications. Shultz thanked the committee and honorees for participating in the program and encourages others to also submit an application with documentation. The next awarding will be at the general meeting of the Society, September 8, 2015 at the La Porte City Parks and Recreation Department Building, 250 Pine Lake Avenue, La Porte. For more information about the project and the society, please visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.

The next meeting of the society will be on October 14, 2014, at the La Porte Parks and Recreation Building, at 7 PM. The program will be “Research in the La Porte County, Indiana Court House”, presented by Fern Eddy Schultz, La Porte County Historian.

August Meeting Wrap-up

The La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society met at the La Porte Park Department Headquarters on Tuesday, August 12, 2014. The meeting was called to order by the President, Dorothy Palmer. A business meeting followed. Genealogist-Historian Fern Eddy Schultz showed a mystery photograph from the files of the Michigan City News-Dispatch showing a submarine on Franklin Street, in front of a movie theatre. Some detective work, involving the title of the movie, led to the precise date of the exhibition and more information.

After the business meeting, a program by Lester Chadwick introduced many to an incident in United States history. A chance remark overheard at a family reunion led to Lester’s interest.  Lester played a short video which helped to explain what happened at Mountain Meadows, Washington County, Utah Territory, on September 11, 1857. A wagon train from Arkansas, bound for California, was attacked by the local Mormon Militia and a few Paiute Indians. The adults of the train were killed, while under the Militia’s escort. Seventeen children were spared, and among them was Lester’s Great Grandfather, Felix Jones. Lester told of the insights which he has gained through research into the Incident, and from gatherings of descendants of the children.

Program chair Patricia Harris reminded the group that the presentation of the Residency Awards will be the feature of the September 9 meeting.

The society meets at 7 pm on the second Tuesday of each month, weather permitting, at the La Porte City Parks and Recreation Department building at 250 Pine Lake Avenue. The business meeting will start promptly at 7:00, and the social time and refreshment period will come between the business meeting and the program. The public is welcome at all meetings. For more information about the society's activities in awards, research, abstracting, transcribing, indexing, publishing, and records preservation, visit our  website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.

August 12, 2014 Meeting

On September 11, 1857, in Utah Territory, 100-140 members of a wagon train bound from Arkansas to California were killed in a cruel and treacherous attack. On Tuesday, August 12, 2014, the members and guests at the regular meeting of the La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society will learn more about this strange episode in American history. Lester Chadwick, a relative of some of the casualties, will present a program about the “Mountain Meadows Massacre.”

The society meets the second Tuesday of every month at the La Porte Parks Department Headquarters at 250 Pine Lake Avenue. The meetings begin promptly at 7 PM, and the program follows. Applications for this year’s residence awards closed on July 31.The award presentation is scheduled for September 9, 2014. However, nominations for Genealogist of the Year are accepted until September 30. Click on the links on our site, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/, to read the details.

July 2014 Meeting

July 2014 genealogy meeting wrap-up

Tuesday, July 8, the La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society met at the La Porte City Parks and Recreation Department Headquarters on Pine Lake Avenue in La Porte. The business meeting was called to order by the President, Dorothy Palmer. The latest issue of the society’s newsletter, “The Door,” was mailed using a new mode. The Editor, Lester Chadwick, asked that any problems be reported to him. He was of the opinion that savings on the cost of postage will help hold down expenditures from the budget.

After refreshments provided by Patricia Harris, an interesting program was presented. Audrey Kinezian, the Starke County Genealogist and an officer of the Starke County Genealogical Society, spoke of “Starke Co., IN Records for the Genealogist – the Lower Townships of La Porte Co. That Were Once Part of Starke Co”. Anecdotes from her early experiences in genealogy and her evolving interest in Indiana resources helped illustrate the large variety of sources which can further one’s pursuit of facts about his ancestors. Audrey outlined the resources available, especially those at the Starke County Public Library.

 

The society meets at 7 pm on the second Tuesday of each month, weather permitting, at the La Porte City Parks and Recreation Department building at 250 Pine Lake Avenue. The business meeting will start promptly at 7:00, and the social time and refreshment period will come between the business meeting and the program. The public is welcome at all meetings. July 31 is the deadline for residency applications.  If you had an ancestor who came to La Porte County early, check the certification categories link from the main page of the web site. For more information about the society's activities in awards, research, abstracting, transcribing, indexing, publishing, and records preservation, visit our web site at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.

July Meeting Post

July Meeting to feature Starke County resources

On Tuesday, July 8, the La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society will hold its regular meeting at the La Porte Parks & Recreation Department Office Meeting room at 250 Pine Lake Avenue.After a business meeting starting promptly at 7 PM, Audrey Kinezian, Starke County Genealogist and professional genealogist, will present a program outlining the types and extent of records existing in Starke County which concern residents of what is presently La Porte County. 

Why would records of La Porte County residents be in another county? What records can you find? Come to the meeting and find the answers. 

A reminder that July 31 is the deadline to submit your completed applications for Residency awards. The awards are given for First Families, Pioneer Families, Settler Families, and Civil War Ancestors. Check our website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/ for more information on these awards and other activities and services offered by the society.

Kingsbury Cemetery Tour

June 10, 2014

Preparing for the annual Cemetery Tour, La Porte County, Indiana, Genealogical Society members, Dorothy Palmer and Gloria Arndt, look over biographical facts of Civil War veteran, William W. DeMyer, a resident of Kingsbury Cemetery in Kingsbury, IN.

            Burials at the cemetery, established in 1836, include some of the county’s earliest pioneers, as well as a separate cemetery, the Winchell Cemetery, whose residents were displaced from their original resting place in 1941 by the construction of the Kingsbury Ordinance Plant and moved to their new home within the boundaries of the Kingsbury Cemetery.

            The tour, scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at 6:00 pm, will focus on a brief history of the cemetery presented by Lloyd and Shirley Mounce as well as a biographical sketch of James Good, by society member and descendant, Joan Good McCoy.   A Mexican-American War veteran, Wallace Wilcox, and two Civil War Veterans, Emulus Travis and DeMyer, will be presented by Dorothy Palmer.  Maggi Griswold will recreate the life of John Winchell, a veteran of the War of 1812.

The public is welcome.

May 2014 genealogy meeting wrap-up

Tuesday, May 13, the La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society met at the La Porte City Parks and Recreation Department Headquarters on Pine Lake Avenue in La Porte. Fourteen members and guests were in attendance.The business meeting was called to order by the President, Dorothy Palmer. Among the committee reports, Editor Lester Chadwick said that his study of alternative formats for the “The Door” suggested some benefits in using double-sized paper and folding the publication for mailing. Patricia Harris reported on the successful trip to Allen County Public Library. Harold Henderson said that the committee on indexing, abstractions and publications is almost done with the early probates.

After refreshments provided by Laura Shields, Archivist/ Records Manager Vicky Rydzynski of the St. Joseph County Archives presented “What the St. Joseph County Archives Can Do for You.” Ms. Rydzynski explained that the archives is the official repository of documents for all the local government bodies in the county, including cities, school corporations, and libraries. The primary duty is preserving the records, but assistance to researchers is provided when possible. Some records are the property of the bodies which generate them, and may be subject to the rules of that body. Her first advice is that you find as many details as possible on the person of interest. A group of volunteers are steadily indexing some of the records, and their indexes are available on the South Bend Area Genealogical Society website, http://www.sbags.org/. Armed with a narrow range of dates and type of record, the busy staff at the archives will be able to show you which items and group of records will be most helpful. A call in advance is always recommended. The archives are located at 1140 S. Lafayette Blvd. South Bend, IN 46601-3328, and the phone is 574-235-9091.

The records are in more than one location, so advance notice could help avoid delays. Cameras are allowed, since some records are too fragile to allow scanning. When scanning is possible, a fee may apply.

It isn’t too early to nominate someone as the Genealogist of the Year. The deadline is September 30, 2014. Contact Gloria Arndt or check the website mentioned below.

The society meets at 7 pm on the second Tuesday of each month, weather permitting, at the La Porte City Parks and Recreation Department building at 250 Pine Lake Avenue. The business meeting will start promptly at 7:00, and the social time and refreshment period will come between the business meeting and the program. The public is welcome at all meetings. July 31 is the deadline for residency applications.  If you had an ancestor who came to La Porte County early, check the certification categories link from the main page of the web site. For more information about the society's activities in awards, research, abstracting, transcribing, indexing, publishing, and records preservation, visit our web site at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.