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Author: jacord521
Surnames: Huntsinger, Brauch, Felthaus
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
I received this from a nice gentleman in 2003. Perhaps it will help you.
Vanderburgh Co. Message Board from Steve McCallister 8 Dec 2003
Evansville State Mental Hospital, known as Woodmere, did indeed have a cemetery (or two)
on its grounds for indigent patients that died there. However, as I recall, all the graves
were unmarked, and the exact location became lost. When Division Street was widened a few
years ago to become Lloyd Expressway close to Vann Avenue, a number of these graves were
found, unearthed and disturbed (earthmoving machines are not archeologists). At any rate,
it is my recollection that the relics were NOT moved to Oak Hill, but rather to a single
mass grave at Memorial Park, where a single large marker was erected. I don't believe
individual names were listed on the marker, since a list has never been found. It would
seem to me however, that a county death certificate would/should have been issued for
someone who died in 1921, since the State Hospital was in the County at the time. A copy
could I suppose be obtained from the Health Department or from whichever office is
responsible for old!
records these days. A sidelight to this, was that the hospital did burn in the 1940s
sometime, and most if not all prior records were lost.
Jim, My Mary Huntsinger died in Woodmere. She was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery. Her
death certificate says she died at Woodmere from "Exhastion due to chronic
mania." Tough way to go.
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