June 4, 2019

 

The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

 

The meeting was called to order by the vice-president at 6:35 PM with 14 members and three guests present.

 

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

 

The treasurer’s report was given. 

 

The secretary reported she had received:

·         The 2018-2019 Yearbook of the Society of Indiana Pioneers.  Two members are listed in the book.

·         A letter from the Indiana Historical Society with the 2019Awards Nomination packet.

·         Handouts for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 conference on August 21-24 in Washington, D.C.

·         Another donation from a member through the U.S. Bank Employee Giving Campaign.  A Thank You note was sent to her for the donation.

 

The secretary had also sent a Thank You note to a member for his donation to the Society from his Bicentennial mug fundraiser.

 

The secretary had a request to be reimbursed for toner, an ink cartridge, and envelopes which she uses to do Society work.  A motion was made and seconded to pay for the expenses.  The motion carried.

 

The vice-president recognized the three visitors.  One visitor is from Crawfordsville, Indiana, and is currently doing restoration on tombstones in the Ebenezer Cemetery in Luce Township.

 

A discussion on how to clean tombstones followed.  The guest told he had learned how to restore stones through a class he had taken given by the State of Indiana.  A member, who is also a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, reported the web site for the organization has a section on how to clean stones and what materials to use.

 

The former guidance counselor at South Spencer High School was present to talk about scholarships and how to organize them.  After much discussion, the vice-president tabled the matter until the next meeting.

 

A member informed the group that the election of officers normally takes place in June as we do not have a meeting in July.  A motion was made and seconded to keep the same slate of officers for the 2019-2020 year.  The motion carried.  The officers are:

 

                                    President                     Steve Sisley

                                    Vice-president             Duane Walter

                                    Secretary/Treasurer     Patricia Dawson

 

A member mentioned the Rockport American Legion was hosting the regional and state baseball tournaments.  He is in the process of contacting the 1959 state champions.  They are also trying to contact other state champion team members and are advertising the reunion as a “Homecoming”.  The state tournament is July 26-30.  This is the first time Rockport has hosted it since 2011.

 

A member reported the new play “Here I Grew Up” will be presented at the Lincoln Amphitheater in Lincoln City on June 28 & 29, 2019 and July 11, 12, and 13, 2019.  A member said some of the performers were at the Lincoln Pioneer Village on May 11, 2019.  Another member said some performers were also at the library in Dale recently.

 

A member asked about a Nancy Hanks Lincoln Doll that was made by George Honig.  She said there was a Nancy Hanks Lincoln Doll in the Smithsonian, but it was made by a woman.  A member told there was an article and picture of the doll George made on the georgehonig.org web site.

 

A member informed the Society the cemetery hill at the Lincoln National Park had been cropped off some time ago.  The head of the state department didn’t like the knoll the way it was.  He also said the Lincoln collection formerly owned by Charles Baker, editor of the Grandview Monitor, was now being sold off.       

 

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 7:47 PM.

 

The next meeting will be August 6 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.

 

There will be no meeting in July.