Judy, I had to reply to your e-mail. The first time I went to Indiana for
research was in 1990 and although I have alot of ancestry in Decatur County, my
main object was Jennings & Bartholomew for my dad's side and Floyd &
Washington
for my mother's side. I fell in love with Indiana and have gone back once
again, in 1992 and was able to do more research. There is a little town in
Jennings county that stole my heart - the little town of Scipio - my dad's
father & several of his siblings were born there and grew up there. Something
draws me back and I have the greatest desire to go again.
The people in Indiana that I have met, in the libraries, the courthouses, the
motels where I have stayed, and the Bed & Breakfast in Salem (The Lanning House)
are truly people you want to see again.
In 1990, because I had traveled by Greyhound Bus to do my research, the lady at
the courthouse took me out to the cemeteries on her lunch hour. She was 81 or
82 years old, was still working, and knew many of my now long gone "paternal"
people and took me to the old homesteads, and pointed out which house belonged
to which person and stopped in the middle of the street and told me to get out
of the car and take my pictures. And let me state here that the raindrops were
the size of quarters and they show in my pictures, but it was one of the nicest
days I have ever spent. Hats off to the Hoosiers, I say!!
I live in Washington state, but I do know what you mean of "most" of
California.
I lived down there for a couple years back in early 60's and of course visited
every year as my "then" in-laws were from there and my mother was in Long Beach
for several years.
Just wanted to add, along with you, the friendliness and thoughtfulness of a
bunch of swell people. They do have much to be proud of.
Antoinette
waughtel(a)oz.net
David Bowman wrote:
Recently I had an opportunity to visit Ohio, and make a side trip to
Indiana. While in Indiana, I encountered a lot of road work and detours. I
planned to go to Greensburg and eventually got there, but not before I took
a series of wrong turns on country roads and detours due to extensive
highway repair and road closure. While driving, totally confused as to
where I was, I found the scenery so beautiful. For as far as I could see,
it was so lush and green. Much more so than California. I finally got my
bearings when I saw a sign for Connersville. I had never intended to visit
Connersville, even though it was my Mothers birth place, because I really
needed to spend my short time in Greensburg. I drove to Connersville anyway
deciding this was meant to be and went straight to the library. Paulette
Hayes, the librarian, whom I had received a lot of information from when I
began my research, was there that day and directed me to the house where my
mother was born. It looked quite different from the early 1900 pictures I
have because over the years additions had been made but it was such a thrill
anyway. And of course I took pictures.
Later in the day I arrived in Greensburg and went straight to the
courthouse. Every one was so helpful and allowed me to spend hours looking
at the land records. Around closing time, a clerk directed me to the Lower
Union Presbyterian Cemetery in Jackson Twp. I had to drive so far out in
the country, I thought surely I was lost again, but there it was. A small
cemetery, in the middle of the most beautiful farm land. I tried to imagine
what it must have been like to live out there in the early 1800's so far
from town.
Several of us with Evans from Decatur Co have been trying to sort out our
ancestors. I particularly was looking for Rebecca Evans, my
grgrgrgrandmother. There was no mention of her in any library records,
however her husband Edward was shown as having died about 1860. Eventually,
around dusk, Isaw a large stone with the name Mary Elizabeth Roberts, the
daughter of this couple, and next to it was two smaller stones. Edward, I
couldn't read, but Rebecc's was b. 1793, d. 1872. What a thrill!!
For those of you from Decatur County, you can be proud. The people are so
friendly and helpful, I found a great pie shop in the square and of course
the historical buildings all through those small towns are really a sight,
especially the courthouse in Greensburg with the tree growing out of the
tower.
Judy Bowman
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Researching:
Alkire, Breckenridge, Burton, Cann, Claypool(e), Denton, Daugherty, Dunbar,
Evans, Gorrell, Hagan, Jimenez, Keel, Keith, Kern/es, Ladner, Lawler, Leffler,
Littell, Merrifield, Norris, Pettyjohn, Ponsler, Robertson, Robinson, Rogers,
Sinex, Sinnickson, Stiddem/Stidham, Tossawa/Tussey, Vantreese, Wachtel/Waughtel,
Walker, White, Wilcox, Winfield