2014 Genealogist of the Year Award Presented

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9 December 2014 Meeting

Of the La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society

The La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society met at ‘Round the Clock restaurant on Tuesday, December 9,   2014. The meeting was called to order by the President, Dorothy Palmer. A business meeting was omitted, except for the announcement of the program for the January meeting. Fifteen members and guests enjoyed a holiday meal and discussion.

Following the meal, the committee for the Genealogist of the Year Award was called upon. Chairperson Gloria Arndt, speaking for committee members Fern Eddy Schultz and Dorothy Palmer, explained that the award honors a recipient for service to the area of genealogy in La Porte County. The Genealogist of the Year Award is given to a living individual who has promoted genealogy in La Porte County, IN by publications, programs, and/or by assisting others in their search for source records. This would also include someone who has abstracted, indexed, and/or taught about source records or methodology. Arndt then announced that the recipient for 2014 was Alan Zeller, who has served as an officer of the society and presented programs at society meetings.

For more information about the society, please visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/. Letters or inquiries may be addressed to the La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society, 904 Indiana Avenue, La Porte, IN 46350.

The next meeting of the society is scheduled for 7 PM, on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. The meeting will be at the usual meeting place, the La Porte City Parks Department headquarters building at 250 Pine Lake Avenue, La Porte

November Meeting Report

11 November 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, November 11 2014. The meeting was called to order by the President, Dorothy Palmer. A business meeting followed. In honor of Veterans Day, Palmer read “In Flanders Field”, by John McCrae, a Canadian Surgeon who died in World War I.

Following the business meeting, a program was presented by Patricia Gruse Harris, author and genealogist. “Military Cemetery Flag Holders, the organizations they represent and how to obtain information on ancestors’ service,” was closely followed by the members in attendance. Harris described and illustrated the vast variety of emblems used to hold veterans’ flags in cemeteries, and provided information on the types of documentation preserved by the governmental bodies and organizations which place them. She described not only the flag holders, but also the grave markers and plaques authorized for veterans’ graves.

For more information about the society, please visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.

The next meeting of the society will be on December 9, 2014, at the ’Round the Clock restaurant at 6 PM. The members will share a holiday meal and honor the recipient of the “Genealogist of the Year” award, presented for service to the area of genealogy in La Porte County. Those wishing to attend should contact Dorothy Palmer, the society president, by December first.

 

 

November Meeting - Honoring Veteran's Day

The La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society will meet at 7 PM Tuesday, November 11, 2014. The business portion of the meeting will be followed by a program presented by Patricia Gruse Harris, author and genealogist. She will speak on ”Military Cemetery Flag Holders, the organizations they represent and how to obtain information on ancestors’ service.”

All members are reminded that the December meeting, featuring the awarding of the Genealogist of the Year Award, will be at ‘Round the Clock restaurant at 6 Pm on December 9. The President, Dorothy Palmer, will expect those who intend to attend to notify her at this November 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 web site at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.

October 14 Meeting of the LPCIGS

October 14 Meeting of the LPCIGS

Nineteen members and guests were present for the regular monthly meeting of the La Porte County (IN) Genealogical Society at the La Porte City Parks Department Building oat 250 Pine Lake Avenue in on Tuesday evening, October 14. President Dorothy Palmer called the meeting to order at 7:06 pm.

The business portion of the meeting included an announcement that the Board had decided that the annual holiday meal and presentation of the Genealogist of the Year award will be held at a local restaurant, at 6 pm on Tuesday, December 9. Members will be notified by email and at the November 11 meeting of the final details and deadline for RSVPs.

A further feature of the meeting was the explanation by Palmer of how she, and Pam Pulice, a member and local videographer, recorded a video interview of member Paul Graham, a WWII veteran who lived through the Battle of the Bulge, for the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. Graham’s video, and the documents supporting it, will be forwarded to the Library of Congress by way of Senator Dan Coats for the Library archives.

Following the business portion of the meeting, La Porte County Historian Fern Eddy Schultz informed the audience what records could be found in the La Porte County courthouses. She began with a concise history of the various courts in the county and the buildings which housed them. She then outlined the records which the courts and county offices have produced. She emphasized the value of the 1939 WPA inventory of the records, and said that learning what records were in our local files would be a good start to realizing which records are to be found in other jurisdictions. Schultz encouraged researchers to seek all types of records which were generated contemporaneously with their ancestors. Stopping once you find the birth, marriage, and death records could mean that you miss important facts and clues about your family.

The next meeting will be at 7 pm, Tuesday, November 11, at the La Porte City Park Department Headquarters. Genealogist and author, Patricia Gruse Harris will present a program in honor of Veteran’s Day, “Military Cemetery flag Holders, the organizations they represent and how to obtain information on ancestor’s service”.

More information about the society, its objectives, and awards can be found at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/.

Extra!

Passing along a message from Lisa Ellam at the South Bend Area Genealogical Society…

YOU ARE NEEDED!

The South Bend Area Genealogical Society and the Northern Indiana Center for History have collaborated to preserve the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church original church transfer records.  These early records of many early immigrant church members identify the parish where they lived in Sweden and provide detailed family information.  The original one hundred and thirty three year old paper records are housed at the Northern Indiana Center for History. 

Volunteers are needed to help place the original records in archival sleeves: 

Thursday, October 30, 2014
2:00 – 5:00
Center for History, 808 W Washington St, South Bend, IN 46601 

Come whenever you can and stay as long as you are able!

If you would like to volunteer please contact me at ellam.lisa@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Lisa

 

La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society (LPCIGS)

October 14, 2014 Meeting

Where do you search for clues to the lives of your ancestors? What types of information can you find?  When did the records you seek begin? How can you find the exact records which will give you the answers? For many of these questions you must look to the records and ledgers in the local County Courthouse. The program featured at the November meeting of the La Porte County, Indiana Genealogical Society will start you on the correct road to finding the records held in the La Porte County Courthouse(s). County Historian Fern Eddy Schultz will present the program after the business meeting, which begins at 7 PM, at the La Porte Parks Department Headquarters at 250 Pine Lake Avenue. Guests are always welcome at the meetings, and we’ll try to assist you with your quest for information about your ancestors.

The society has a website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inlcigs/. Look to this site for more information about the Society.