The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

 

The meeting was called to order by the president at 6:35 PM with five members present.

 

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

 

The treasurer’s report was given.

 

Several letters and e-mails were read.  One letter was read from a member wanting more information on one of his relatives, Jack Killian, who was a Rockport photographer and beekeeper.  The president mentioned that a man from Tell City, Indiana had purchased undeveloped glass negatives of Jack Killian’s and it would be interesting to get prints of the negatives.

 

Some pictures had been given to the Genealogy Room of the 1937 flood.  They were going to be enlarged and displayed during the Library’s Celebration of the Arts which is to be held September 10, 11, and 12.  The president had received a flyer with the listings of the activities, the presenters, and the times.

 

More information was given on the purchasing of the missing years of the local papers on microfilm.  The 1954 Rockport Democrat is on two reels and the cost is $76.20 which includes shipping and handling and the making of the copy.  The Rockport Democrat, the missing years 1971 – 1980, is on 14 reels and the cost is $40.00 for each reel which includes shipping and handling and the making of the copy. 

 

The Indiana State Historical Society and the Indiana State Library have worked together to get copies of all the papers.  They would keep the negative and we would purchase a copy.

 

There still is the matter of the missing 1950 Rockport Journal.  The Rockport Journal-Democrat has a bound copy.  The publishing company may give permission to the Society to have the paper copied if it would be rebound.

 

A motion was made and seconded to purchase the missing years and also to send the 1950 Rockport Journal to Indianapolis to be microfilmed and rebound pending the approval of their publishing company.  The motion carried.

 

A member mentioned that a man who was on the 1958 flatboat trip had a copy of the Life magazine which had an article about the trip.  He is trying to get in touch with the man to get a copy of the article and find out more about a film that was taken at that time.

 

The president mentioned that Clayton Spurlock’s daughter is transferring his 4 VHS tapes about Rockport to DVD’s and they will be available to the public.

 

A member stated that he would be in favor of the Society making a donation toward having more of Clayton Spurlock’s VHS tapes transferred to DVD’s.  The president was going to talk to the head librarian about the possibility of such a project.

 

The president mentioned that a family history CD that had recently been given to the Genealogy Room wasn’t working correctly and he was going to contact the person to see about getting another copy.

 

A member mentioned that a member of the Meeks family would be contacting the president soon about setting a time for a ceremony.  This mostly likely would be held in October.

 

The president mentioned several books.  It was decided not to purchase them.

 

The Huffman Mill Bridge was discussed again.  Apparently there isn’t any grant and the county isn’t going to move or raise the bridge.

 

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:40 PM.

 

The next meeting will be November 3, 2009 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.  There will not be a meeting in October.