August 4, 2015

 

The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

 

The meeting was called to order by the president at 6:36 PM with eight members present.

 

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

 

The treasurer’s report was given.  The treasurer stated that membership renewal showed the Society has 32 members.

 

A member had looked into the Parker plots at the Hatfield Cemetery that had been discussed at a previous meeting.  Since no one had been buried there recently, he used dowsing to find that there were empty plots and there should be no problem if family members want to be buried there in the future.  He also mentioned it would be great to be able to obtain some of the family history that the elder James Parker had accumulated.

 

A member announced the next newsletter would contain information about the Bloomfield Barrens located in Spencer County.

 

The president reported he had talked to a local official concerning the Lincoln Ferry Park.  The State of Indiana, according to newspaper articles, was trying to get rid of it. The official said the State wasn’t trying to get rid of it, but they would give it to a group willing to take it and maintain it.  The president again mentioned that the park had a historic connection to Abraham Lincoln history and was a historic piece of property in its own right.

 

A member had attended a “Think Lincoln” meeting and also asked the local official about the park.  He was told that “No, the State doesn’t want to get rid of the property.”  This was the opposite of what had been quoted by a commissioner in the newspaper.

 

A member informed the Society that the State Historian would be visiting Spencer County in March or April of 2016 for a ceremony concerning Daniel Grass.  Grass is buried behind the South Spencer County School Corporation’s Superintendent’s office on Fifth Street in Rockport.  The member felt someone should meet with him to show the county’s important historical locations.  The Society has discussed, in the past, erecting a marker for his grave.  A member stated the State does have a blue marker that can be obtained for this purpose.  It will be interesting to see what kind of ceremony the State Historian is planning.  

 

A member stated the “Torch Run” that will go through all 92 counties next year will cost the State $2.5 million.  The torch will be in Spencer County for four hours and do several things, one of which is to ride the new roller coaster at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana.  A member has nominated a Society member to be a torch runner for Spencer County.

 

The president read a letter from the Spencer County Clerk concerning old county records.  He is going to contact her for further information.

 

It was mentioned a new book for the Genealogy Room was available for purchase.  The Society decided not to make the purchase since we already owned those related to Spencer County.

 

There was a short discussion about the Lincoln Amphitheater.  The new director who was hired will be paid from the state tourism budget and not the amphitheater budget.  The State drug its feet in getting a contract signed with Holiday World before December 31, 2014.  Holiday World had a list of activities it wanted to hold at the amphitheater in 2015, but that was not to be.

 

The Society welcomed a renewing member to the Society.  It had been several years since she had belonged.

 

A member brought up the matter of the Society paying for insurance coverage on the contents of the Genealogy Room.  There had not been an index made of the materials in the room and it would be impossible to replace many of the books as they are out of print.  The president had talked with the librarian about the matter.  After discussing the issue, a motion was made and seconded for the Society not to renew the liability insurance when it comes due in December.  The motion carried.

 

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:16 PM.

 

The next meeting will be September 1, 2015 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.