September 3, 2013

The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, September 3, 2013 in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

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

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

The treasurer’s report was given. 

The treasurer read several notes that were received with dues renewals.

The treasurer asked about renewing the membership to Indiana Landmarks.  A motion was made and seconded to renew the membership.  The motion carried.

The President read a Thank You note from the retiring head librarian, Beverly Symon.  A member suggested that, in the future, the Society should buy a book in her honor.

The President read a letter about the Indiana Genealogy and History Fair which the Genealogy librarian will be attending on October 25^th and 26^th in Indianapolis, Indiana.  She asked if the Society had anything that we would like her to take to put on display.

A member had updated the Minute Book of Little Pigeon Creek Baptist Church 1816-1840 with the book that is in the Indiana State Museum.  He had digitized it as well.  The President and a member asked the Evansville Bindery for quotes on getting the book reprinted. He had also received a quote from Woods Printing Company of Holland, Indiana.

After much discussion, it was decided to order 100 books from the Evansville Bindery. As the member had added several pages since receiving the quote, there will be a slight increase in the cost.  The Society decided to go ahead with the order.  A motion was made and seconded to buy 100 copies of the book.  The motion carried.

Since the book is now digitized, if there is a need to order more copies in the future, it will be a much simpler process.

A motion was made and seconded to sell the new book at $20.00 each with $4.00 for shipping and handling.  The motion carried.

It was mentioned that A member would be giving an oral history of Little Pigeon Creek Baptist Church in 2016 and it would be nice to have copies of the book on hand.

The President read a letter from the Grandview Civic Association stating there were booth spaces available for the upcoming Fall Festival September 13-14.

The President announced that he would like to have ideas for a speaker for next year’s Historian of the Year Banquet at the next meeting.

A member read a letter from a member who had sent in a brief family history to be placed in the files in the Genealogy Room.  He read several e-mails which he had received. 

He also went through a box of items that had been sent to us by Will Dawson from San Diego, California.  The box contained a class sweater worn by his father-in-law, J. Louis Brown, Jr., from the Grandview High School Class of 1942 which was in excellent condition for being 71 years old.  There were several booklets and letters included which had information that could be used in future newsletters.

A motion was made and seconded to keep the same officers for the 2013-2014 year.  The motion carried.  The officers are:

                        President                                  Steve Sisley

                        Vice-president                          Duane Walter

                        Secretary/Treasurer                  Patricia Dawson

A member mentioned there will be a Think Lincoln brainstorming meeting on Friday, September 6, 2013, at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.  At the last meeting they had a list of 75 ideas for the State Bicentennial in 2016.  The Spencer County celebration will be in 2018.

The President reported on the dowsing that was done at Nancy Hanks Lincoln’s gravesite and at the Lincoln Homestead at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial on Monday, August 12, 2013.  They found readings for several cabins and the half-faced camp the Lincolns lived in when they first arrived in Indiana. 

A member showed the Christmas ornament she made to be placed on the State Christmas Tree at the Indiana State Museum.  The ornament represents four historical places in Spencer County:  the Abbey at St. Meinrad, the Lincoln Cabin at the Lincoln Homestead at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, the Spencer County Courthouse, and Holiday World at Santa Claus, Indiana.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:01 PM.

There will be no meeting in October.

The next meeting will be November 5, 2013 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.