TSGS Meeting Report For Those Not In Attendance

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TSGS Annual Dinner Meeting 2011

I did not take an actual count, but I estimate about 30 people made it to the dinner last night. About 7:00 as President, I called the meeting to order announcing that the deadline for the next issue of the Tri-State Packet (our quarterly membership journal) is this Friday, 15 April. We recognized three individuals for significant contributions to our society and to the genealogical community. These awards, created over 30 years ago, may go to members or non-members and generally not given to TSGS officers for doing the job they have been elected to do. The first "TSGS Certificate of Appreciation" award announced was to Pastor John F. Schroeder for is work with Zion UCC records which resulted in the publication of these German church records in four volumes to date. The second award was presented to Don Counts for stepping up this year to fill any position that needed someone to get things done, including to agree serving as TSGS President for next year. The last one went to Becky West for also stepping up to serve (actually drafted) as TSGS Program Chair when we had no one and, then, agreeing to do it again next year! Becky is not a genealogist researcher but is a "spouse tag-a-long" or better "drag-a-long" to our meetings & events over the past 30 years. She has done a lot of typing and other routine chores for the 10 terms that her husband (me) has served as President.

This year, I felt that we needed saying a special "thanks" to those that present programs at our monthly meetings. I created a Certificate of Appreciation for these great programs we enjoy at each meeting. Those present to be recognized were Robert Hall: "The Legend of Washington Irving" - John G. West: "1871 Murder Confession" - Larry & Rena Goss: "Old Family Love Letters." Don Counts surprised me by presenting me a special gift in recognition of my long service to TSGS. Don gave me a DVD of a book he compiled "America's Godly Heritage."

Lyn Martin gave her Willard Library report. The President recognized the library staff that were present from the genealogical department, in addition to Lyn were: Peggy Newton, Vannetta McDowell, Pat Sides and John Scheer.

Becky West, TSGS Program Chair, introduced the program presented by Connie Conrad "Tombstone Art" a slide presentation. The slides were really interesting. I thanked Connie for her program and presented her with a TSGS Certificate for her entertaining program.

John G. West, TSGS President

"Tri-State Connection to TV Show!"

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There is a connection to the Tim McGraw episode of the NBC TV show "Who Do You Think You Are?" in the Tri-State area. Tim discovered that when George Washington was 16 years old he kept a journal and mentioned that he stayed with Tim's ancestor Jost Hite. Twenty years later George Washington met with Captain John Posey and the Hite family was brought up. Posey lived on land adjacent to George Washington's Mt. Vernon home. This John Posey was the father of General Thomas Posey of which Posey County, Indiana is named. The General served as the Aide-De-Camp to General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. General Posey died of Typhus fever on March 19, 1818 in Shawneetown, Illinois, aged 67, and was buried in the Westwood Cemetery. When the General died he was serving as the Governor of the Indiana Territory.

General Posey's grave marker in Westwood Cemetery in Shawneetown, Illinois.
SAR Color Guard from the General Thomas Posey Chapter of Posey County, Indiana. L-R: Robert Hall, Ruth Hall, Wil Teague, Becky West, John G. West (I am carry the 13-Star Betsy Ross Flag while Hall & Teague are carrying muskets to guard the flag)

I am a member of the General Thomas Posey Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution that meets in Mt. Vernon, Indiana in Posey County. We were invited to participate in a SAR/DAR grave re-dedication ceremony for General Posey in Shawneetown, since our chapter was named for him. Several of us dressed in our Revolutionary War uniforms to provide a Colonial Color Guard for the ceremony.

-Written by JGWest

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

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Ichabod Crane...

brought Washington Irving

to Willard Library

Thanks Bob Hall for a great presentation on the life & times of this great author.

TSGS Meeting Tonight!

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TSGS Meeting Tonight!

Everyone is welcome.

7:00 PM

Second Floor of Willard Library

Program by Robert N. Hall

"The Legend of Washington Irving"

Bring a friend.

Dock at the Library - TSGS Meeting Notice

Meeting: October 12, 2010

(2nd. Tuesday of the month)

7:00PM at Willard Library on the 2nd. Floor.

Attendance Prizes will be selected at the end of the meeting

(must be present to win!).

Speaker: Robert Hall

"The Legend of Washington Irving"

with glimses of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

featuring Ichabod Crane.

THE CAPTAIN'S LOG –TSGS News

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One of my favorite local speakers will be presenting one of his best programs: "The Legend of Washington Irving." Robert N. Hall will give the program for our October TSGS meeting. I heard this program nearly 20 years ago and can not wait to hear it again. In the program, Bob tells us about this famous author and then discribes two of his best remembered classics: Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hallow. Bob dresses as Ichabod Crane to give the whole program some character!

12 October 2010
Speaker: Robert Hall, "The Legend of [Author] Washington Irving" with glimses of Rip Van Winkle & The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Ichabod Crane.

I would like to invite anyone interested in hearing this program or interested in researching their family history to come to this meeting that begins at 7:00 PM at Willard Library on the 2nd. floor. You do not need to be a member to attend our meetings.

John G. West, TSGS President

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

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... last night's TSGS meeting.

We had about 20-25 attend our meeting! We are trying to get more of our 425 members to attend, with a slight increase noted over some meetings of our last fiscal year of 15-20 attending. We would love to have more members & guests to come join us.
Our guest soeaker was Ken Gilkey, Presideent of the Ohio Valley Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Ken gave an interesting account of George Rogers Clark capture of Ft. Sackville (Vincennes, IN). The after meeting comments were very good. Thanks, Ken!

The red & green 13 striped flag is known as the George Rogers Clark flag. Colonel Clark was a brother to William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

After cleaning the small G.A.R. sawhorse type stand, I showed it to our members to see if anyone knew why these were at Oak Hill Cemetery. This one was on loan to show. Everyone that gave a comment suggested this plus the other 8 or so others were used to set a coffin upon at the cemetery before it was moved to lower the coffin into the grave. (They may have been, also, used in the homes or other places where the body of the deceased may have been on display before going to the cemetery.) All agreed that it was interesting that these existed. "G.A.R." was determined to stand for the Grand Army of the Republic.

We had a very good meeting that many missed... next month's meeting will feature Robert N. Hall a very entertaining speaker who will discuss the works of author Washington Irving including Rip VanWinkle and the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (kind of a fall/Halloween theme). Mr. Hall will be dressed as Ichabod Crane! I have heard this and about 5 other programs by Bob and I believe this is his very best of the great programs I have had the opportunity & pleasure to hear!

- Photos taken & submitted by JGWest

"Happy Easter"

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Rock Chapel... Jasper, Indiana

Thanks to Ernie Payne, on our way home from Spring Mill, we stopped in Jasper to see the open rock chapel on the grounds of St. Joseph Catholic Church. It is made up of round (ball-shaped) rock formations called geodes that are cemented together. Ernie & I share a love of geology and fossil collecting. Don Counts took this photo. Others in the SUV were driver Ken Gilkey, Chris Myers & J.D. Strouth.

The six of us (plus Robert Hall, Rex Legler, & Ed Hitchcock) of the Ohio Valley Chapter of SAR attended the Indiana Society of SAR Annual Meeting in Spring Mill Park on Saturday. J.D., Don & I were re-elected to our State SAR Offices


Easter Blessings to All!


- Photo of Rock Chapel taken & submitted by Donald R. Counts

General Thomas Posey Grave Dedication (2004)

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[This would normally have been posted on Thursday in the regular weekly feature "Tombstone Thursday," except that was Thanksgiving Day... so, I am posting this today. Click on photos for larger images.]

General Thomas Posey (name sake for Posey County, Indiana) is buried in Shawneetown, Illinois. The Illinois Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invited the Gen. Thomas Posey Chapter of the Indiana Society to provide a Color Guard for the Grave re-dedication ceremony on 16 Oct 2004. Robert Hall & I being members of that chapter, as well as, the Ohio Valley SAR Chapter answered the call with another member of the OVC Color Guard. It was a cold windy, but sunny day!
Photo of the new marker dedicating Gen. Posey's tomb... many may not know that he was Lt. Governor of Kentucky, a Governor of the Indiana Territory, a Louisiana Senator, an Indian Agent & an Aide-De-Camp to General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He died of typhus fever on 19 Mar 1818 and is buried in Westwood Cemetery.

Members of the Ohio Valley SAR Chapter Color Guard (L-R): Robert Hall, Ruth Hall, Wil Teague (Capt. of the Guard), Becky West, John G. West (carrying the 13-Star "Betsy Ross" Flag).

Will Teague & John West posing by the tomb of Gen. Thomas Posey.

One of my SAR friends, Wade Harshman, posted on Facebook for me... a link to Wikipedia for Gen. Thomas Posey, I have incorporated some of its information in this blog. Thanks, Wade! Here is the link for more info on General Posey. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Posey

- Photos submitted by JGWest

[Tombstone Thursday is dedicated in memory of Donald G. West 1952-2000]

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

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Local DAR & SAR
very active in the Evansville, Indiana area...

These two photos taken at the 2009 West Side Nut Club Fall Festival Parade of the Captain Henry Vanderburgh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Photos submitted by Vannetta McDowell.

SAR & DAR participate in the West Side Fall Festival Parade

These two photos at the 2009 Fall Festival Parade are of the Ohio Valley SAR Chapter of the Indiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Photos taken by Cheri Baumberger & submitted by Don Counts.

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

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Photo taken at the 2006 Evansville Central High School for their JROTC Awards Banquet by Ruth Hall. This was the photo that Ruth was taking when Chris Myers caught her in his photo giving the impression that Ruth was addressing everyone at the Banquet... see the September 18 TSGS blog "A Photo is Worth a Thousand Words." (http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/photo-is-better-than-thousand-words.html)

In this photo seated at table is (L-R) Bob Hall (Ruth's husband), John G. West, Becky West, and Peggy Gilkey's elbow is to the far right (in white blouse & blue vest). [Click on photo to get a larger image.] We were there to present the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution's JROTC Medal, Ribbon & Certificate to an Outstanding Cadet. Representatives of the US Military Branches, DAR, etc. along with SAR present awards to deserving cadets for various achievements. We do the same thing for Evansville Harrison High School.

- Photo taken by Ruth Hall