TSGS Cruiser Blog

Monday, August 3, 2009

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday

Patriotic 1923 Plaques
Found in Garvin Park, Evansville, Indiana
by Chris Myers
Dedicated on Flag Day... 14 June 1923



In Memorium for Joseph Copello



"United We Stand, Divided We Fall"


"Stars and Stripes Forever"
-Photos taken & submitted by Chris Myers

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Indiana State Fair 4-H Genealogy Project Judging

Judging Exhibits at 4-H State Fair


I had the pleasure & honor to judge 4-H Genealogy notebook exhibits yesterday at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis, Indiana. this was my second year and it is so neat to see the best exhibits from a large portion of Indiana's 92 counties. Jean and I judged the Division 3 entries. There are five divisions with Division 5 being repeated each year. Division 5 asks for eventually attempting to complete 8 generations of the 4-H members ancestors... which would be 254 individuals plus the 4-H'er for total of 255.


The notebook I am judging in above photo is one of three notebooks. This notebook contained the generation charts, family group sheets & additional information sheets. The two other notebooks stacked in front of me contain required photo copies of birth, marriage & death records, along with some photos and other documents to support the research completed by the 4-H'er. There are military, educational, occupational & church records included in addition to obituaries and other newspaper articles & photos of US Federal Census sheets and War Draft records. These exhibits are incredible compilations of research done by these kids and their family. This ends up being a family project including aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, grandparents & others. TSGS has had many of these notebooks from the Vanderburgh County 4-H Fairs on display at our Christmas events over the last 25+ years.

Above is a photo of several of us working on judging these notebooks... Becky West is to my right with the two ladies across from me at the table (judging Division 4 exhibits). The young lady standing at the file box is in charge of the Genealogy Project for the State Fair... behind her and only barely visible are three Division 5 (Advanced) judges. Not shown (further to my right) were four more ladies judging divisions 1 & 2.
Becky came along to keep company for the 3.5 hour trip from Evansville to Indy. I needed to be there at 9 AM their time (8:00 Evansville time). Allowing an extra half hour for a break and maybe delays in driving, I always leave 4 hours before arrival time. We had to leave at 4 AM Evansville time. We got up at 2:30 AM to get ready (and for me to get enough coffee into my body). We got to the registration table at 8:40 their time. I also entered two poster exhibits that were not sent by the County 4-H Office the day before. We took about a 45 minute break eating at the Farm Bureau Building (great lunch!). And then right back into judging... we were all done about 5 PM (Indy time) - this was essentially an 8 hour day. It was a lot of work... but is also fun, interesting and educational for us judges. One of the other judges & I may have a distant family relationship that we will be checking. We got home a little before 9 PM - a very long, but worthwhile day!
- Submitted by JGWest

Friday, July 31, 2009

From My Email Box - Joe Cook & Lyles Station

Email follow-ups on "Who is Joe Cook?" that was the subject of this past Monument Monday. And a link to a site for Lyles Station, a significant African-American community in Southwestern Indiana.

From Don Counts: A biography of Joe Cook from Juggler's World: Vol. 38, No. 1 http://www.juggling.org/jw/86/1/yesterdays.html

From Joe Weiss: See Browning [Online Database] obit for Joe Cook died 15 May 1959 in NY
http://browning.evpl.org/ Cook, a nationally known comedian, left Evansville in 1907. His parents had a grocery at 4th. & Oak Streets in Evansville where the Elks placed a plaque to honor Joe Cook and the Elks made him their first “Life Member.”

From Don Counts: This web site will be of local historical value concerning Lyles Station - http://www.lylesstation.org/geneo/messageboard.html


From Don Counts: September 11, 2009 Special Edition Heroes for The City-County Observer. This issue will be dedicated to the men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces. Here is where Don needs our help, he is going to be the Editor for the Special Edition Honoring Heroes. Please email him a story about your hero. It can be a person or group that served in the Military, Fire Department, EMS, police or sheriffs deputies. Heroes should be from Posey, Vanderburgh, or Warrick Counties. Please send those stories as soon as possible. Don's email: "Don Counts" dcounts@insightbb.com

- Compiled by JGWest

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Tombstone Thursday - Reitz



St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
Evansville, Indiana



Grave marker for Francis Joseph Reitz (1841-1930)


Reitz Family Memorial

- Photos taken & submitted by Don Counts


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

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

From the FIRST MATE's
PHOTO ALBUM...

Flickr Commons:
Photo Tribute to
Lester Flatt

Yesterday's blog was about finding photos on Flickr Commons that you could use for your family history or other projects. My Great- Grandmother (Dad's grandmother) was Mary "Polly" Flatt daughter of David Flatt & Lee Ann Richardson. David was a cousin to Lester Flatt's father. Flatt along with Earl Scruggs (and a few more) under the leadership of Bill Monroe gave birth to Bluegrass music. Flatt & Scruggs left Monroe & started their own group.







Above is the Sparta, Tennessee Memorial to Flatt. Sparta was Flatt's home.
Flatt & Scruggs with the Foggy Mountain Boys pictured on their album "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" with Scruggs and his banjo & Flatt with his Martin D-28 guitar.
- Compiled by JGWest



Tuesday, July 28, 2009

NAVIGATING ALONG the RIVER -
Research Tips

Flickr Commons

Looking for images to add context to your genealogy research? Try Flickr Commons (http://www.flickr.com/commons). Each photo included in the Flickr Commons repository have no known copyright restrictions. Many individuals and organizations contribute their photos to The Commons, including the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and universities as well, such as the University of Virginia. The goal of the The Commons is two fold: 1) to increase awareness to publicly-held photography collections and 2) provide a way for the general public to contribute information and knowledge. The second objective is fulfilled when YOU make comments on pictures posted.

A quick search for Evansville related information retrieves this picture of Albion Fellows Bacon, a social reformer of Evansville. The Albion Fellows Bacon center in Evansville (http://www.albionfellowsbacon.org/) is named after her and her work.



An article from the November 28, 1912 issue of the Charlotte Observer recounts the following story involving Albion - "Mrs. Albion Fellows Bacon, of Evansville, has written Indiana's first law for housing reform. She is small and sweet, that sort of woman you may think of as sitting at home and rocking her babies to sleep. And this she did. But in the intervals and after she had them to sleep, the twins and two more, she did this other service for her State. In her home town of Evansville, where her husband is a merchant, Mrs. Bacon began her interest in other people's houses as a Friendly Visitor and as the organizer of the Flower Mission. But she hadn't made many visits before she discovered it wasn't roses and mignone that were needed so much as sewers and sinks and a few other incidentals that are fundamental before one may begin to garnish life. One day she came back from the "Cotton Mill Block," where they had typhoid and tuberculosis always with them, to exclaim passionately, 'How can they wash without water or dry without drains?' To a prominent charity worker she went with the question, 'Why is it the landlord's don't put in hydrants down there?' And the charity worker answered wearily, 'Because they don't have to. There is no law to require it.' 'I knew then,' Mrs. Bacon says, 'that there would have to be a law. But I didn't dream that I would have to get it. I just thought somebody ought to do it. But after awhile it got so that a procession of white faced, wailing babies from the tenements began to appear in the dead of night waving their little arms and crying, 'Sleep no more' till we are cared for.' When you get to 'seein' things at night, you are ready for work.'"

Mrs. Bacon died December 10, 1933 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Evansville, Indiana.

- Submitted by Taneya Koonce

Monday, July 27, 2009

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday

Evansville's Joe Cook ~ Entertainer

This is very nice memorial plaque to a guy that entertained others and promoted his city. I wished that I knew more about him... or even the corner where he lived in Evansville where this plaque once adorned. Maybe someone will have the time to check some of the city's early directories to find his home. If anyone knows more about Joe Cook, please share it with us.

- Photographer unknown, photo submitted by Chris Myers