February 5, 2019

The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

The meeting was called to order by the president at 6:30 PM with ten members present.

The minutes from the last meeting were read.

The treasurer’s report was given. 

The secretary reported on the following communications she had received:

· Received a card from a member from Louisville, KY.

· Sent a Thank You note to member Daryl Lovell for his donation of the updated Dale History book to the Rockport Genealogy Room.

· Received a book “The Indiana Lincoln Memorial:  Commemorating Lincoln’s Mother and his Fourteen Years in Indiana”, from the Johnson County Museum of History in Franklin, IN.

· Received an e-mail from people inquiring about the location of Pigeon Switch which was mentioned in the 2018 Bicentennial Book.

· Received a letter from Old National Bank about our business account.

· Received mailings from the Indiana Historical Society about upcoming events, membership renewal, services survey, and nomination for Spencer County Historian.

· Received e-mail from Darlene Gottwald inquiring about her mother in Perry or Spencer Counties in the 1960”s.

The president had comments on the December meeting at The Rustic in Rockport and suggested the possibility of maybe having a Historian of the Year Banquet there.

A member read a Thank You letter she had received from Nancy Kaiser, curator of the Lincoln Pioneer Village for the Society’s participation in the “Treemendous Christmas in the Village”.  Two members had decorated a tree in the George Honig room in the museum.

A member mentioned she had a collection of antique dolls she donated to the Village museum.  While going through the donation, she found a family bible which she kept for herself. 

The president reported he, Wayne Boultinghouse, and Barbara and James Hevron presented the Co-Historians of the Year plaques to The Spencer County Leader, Kathy Tretter editor/ publisher and The Rockport Journal-Democrat, Vince Luecke, editor, on Friday, December 7, 2018, at the Spencer County Commerce Center in Rockport. 

The president mentioned the Time Capsule project a member was working on that was to be opened in 50 years.  The capsule had been donated by a former Spencer County resident and is going to be kept at the Spencer County Youth and Community Center in Chrisney, Indiana.  To make sure the capsule is not opened prematurely, they are going to encase it in plexiglass with an oak wood frame so it will still be visible to people.  They estimate it will cost about $450.00 for the materials and the building.  A motion was made and seconded to pay up to $450.00 for the case.  The motion carried.  They are hoping to have the sealing of the capsule sometime in March.

A member suggested the Society include a1968 Sesquicentennial book and a 2018 Bicentennial Book in the capsule.  A motion was made and seconded to include the books.  The motion carried.

A member mentioned another member was not at the meeting because he was in Indianapolis concerning the Lincoln Mallet.  The mallet has been on display at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis since last February.  It was recently purchased by the Indiana State Museum and will be on permanent display there.

The president announced he had received a call from a person with the Spencer County Regional Chamber of Commerce.  They are creating a game called Spenceropoly as a culmination of Spencer County’s Bicentennial.  It will be a board game using local businesses and the money will have a sponsors’ name and logo printed on the cash.  She wanted the Society to sponsor the $5.00 money.  The president told her he couldn’t do that until he brought it up at the meeting.  She wanted an answer at that time, so he told her, “No”.

A member said the Lincoln Day ceremony at the Lincoln National Boyhood Memorial would be held Sunday, February 10, 2019.  Bill Bartelt will be the guest speaker.  Wayne Boultinghouse, relative of the Gentry and Roby families will give the eulogy at the grave site, weather permitting.

A motion was made and seconded for the Society to donate a 2018 Bicentennial Book to the two nursing homes in Dale, Indiana.  A member and his wife had donated one to Miller’s Merry Manor in Rockport.  The motion carried.

The president mentioned the Bicentennial Book committee was formed for two purposes:

            1.  Collect pictures and keep them in the county for public use.

            2.  Create a book and raise money.    

He stated there is money left in the Bicentennial Book account and approximately 70 books which haven’t been sold.  A member suggested since the committee has the money, they should go ahead and purchase more books before transferring the money to the Society.  Two members will get together to order more books.

There was talk about how to store the pictures that were collected at the county meetings.  It is hoped once different localities are sorted, more people will get interested in identifying the pictures and they can be placed in the libraries for the public to enjoy.  Emphasis was on the quality of the digital storage devices to be used.

A member announced he had received a call before coming to the meeting from Schum Monuments about the Langford plaque the Society wants to place near the cave under the Rockport Bluff where his ancestors lived when first coming to Rockport.  The sign will be 18” x 20” and will cost $860.00.  This includes the plaque, the post, mounting the plaque, and setting the post.  A motion was made and seconded to go ahead and purchase the plaque subject to approval by the city.  The motion carried.  The member will contact the mayor about putting up the sign.

A member mentioned Vice-admiral Jerry Tuttle from Hatfield, Indiana, died in Virginia on October 30, 2018.  Jerry was a 1952 graduate of Luce Township High School.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:12 PM.

The next meeting will be March 5, 2019 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.