August 6, 2019

The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

The meeting was called to order by the president at 6:35 PM with 13 members present.

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

The treasurer’s report was given. 

The secretary reported on the following communications she had received:

· Received an e-mail from Doug Adams inquiring about a diploma from the Public High School of Rockport, IN.

· Received an inquiry about family research of Salem Parker.  A member was able to give the woman information.

· Received a letter from EBI Consulting about the Verizon cell tower they are going to build on west Eureka Road near the dump site.

· Received a membership renewal and kind words about the newsletter from a member of Louisville, KY.

· Sent Thank You note to Gary & Pat Thomas from Tell City, IN, for donation in memory of member Lois Gray.

· Received a letter from Access Cultural and Environmental Solutions about the proposed expansion of the Troy Substation.

· Sent a ‘Thank You” note to a member for another donation from U. S. Bank in memory of her father. 

The president gave a “Thank You” to a member for the work he has done and is doing in cleaning tombstones in Ebenezer Cemetery.  He has also cleaned some tombstones at Hackleman Cemetery.

The president reported 100 more 2018 Bicentennial Books had been reordered.  There were 50 books left over from the first printing, so that makes a total of 150 books available for sale.  A member mentioned he was going to put a list of Society books for sale in the September newsletter stating that books make great Christmas presents.  He was also going to mention that a gift membership was another great Christmas idea.

A member said the Society did need to recognize the member for her donations.  A motion was made and seconded made a motion to send her a 2018 Bicentennial Book with an inscription inside.    The motion carried.  The president will send her a book.

There was a discussion about having a Christmas dinner meeting at The Rustic as we did last year.  A motion was made and seconded to have the meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at The Rustic starting ordering at 6:00 PM.  The motion carried.

The recent Indiana State Historical Society meeting was attended by several members.

A member told the Society in Michael Burlingame’s book, Chapter 2, Abraham Lincoln continued to live with his parents for a year after they left Indiana.

A member mentioned a book he had read, The Field of Blood:  Violence in Congress and the Road to the Civil War by Joanne B. Freeman, things that happened back then are very similar to what is happening now.

A member reported the Lincoln Amphitheater will be presenting the play “Here I Grew Up” again next year with some changes.

A member asked how to go about getting tombstones cleaned at the Fairview Cemetery near Grandview.  Another member stated that Jack Troth with Schum Monuments was going to meet with him at the Ebenezer Cemetery on Wednesday, August 7, and he should come to talk to him.

The next topic for discussion was concerning the Historian of the Year.  A member said he liked the way it was handled last year - not having a banquet, but honoring the selected people, in that case, two local newspapers.  The president asked if the Society could do it at the December meeting.

A motion was made and seconded for the selections of the Historian of the Year and the Commemorative Historian.  The motion carried.  They would be honored at the December 3 meeting at The Rustic.  The secretary is to check with The Rustic to see if the date is available.

A member suggested putting both names on the same plaque to make is simpler for the family.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:07 PM.

The next meeting will be September 3, 2019 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.