From My Email Box - "Spin Humor"

We all get far too many of the forwarded items in our email that purport to be true and generally relays information we just absolutely need to know. Often it warns us of the “sinful” actions of certain businesses, groups or persons. Usually with a political overtone or aimed at certain elements of society that some people deem unacceptable. We should be careful not to forward false messages of this manner or any other, as far as that goes. Just like we should avoid “unproven” genealogical data. What genealogy we send out needs to be verified, documented. I suspect that we are all guilty of forwarding messages & information before we fully check out its validity. Here are two very good sites to verify before forwarding messages:

Snopes.com Rumors has it
http://www.snopes.com/
About.com – Urban Legends by David Emery
Internet hoaxes, email rumors and urban legends http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/internet/a/current_netlore.htm
Another one is:
Hoax-Slayer
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/

In some cases the message is humorous, despite its intent to deceive or mislead. I got one of these yesterday from a friend. This one can be found on Snopes & About.com by typing in “horse thief” in their search engines. Snopes is best on this one: http://www.snopes.com/politics/humor/horsethief.asp

I have used fictitious names to protect the innocent!

Ibee A. Rumor, a professional genealogy researcher here in Heilman, IN, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that John West's [See photo below] great-great uncle, Sigmund West, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Ibee and John West share this common ancestor. The only known photograph of Sigmund shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory. On the back of the picture Ibee obtained during her research is this inscription: ''Sigmund West, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the 'Montana Flyer' six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.” [See photo below] So Ibee recently e-mailed Blogger John G. West for information about their great-great uncle.

Believe it or not, John West's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research: “Sigmund West was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Sigmund passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.”

NOW THAT is how it's done folks! That's real SPIN.

- Compiled & edited by JGWest

John G. West [above], who is related [alleged, no documentation offered] to the hanged horse thief, Sigmund West [below].

THE CAPTAIN'S LOG –TSGS News

Another poll is over. Interesting results: 42.8% thought it was the ClustrMap Counter that was the new item on the TSGS Web Site; 28.6% said the new thing was the Meeting Schedule on the main page; two choices attracted 28.6% total for photo album update & other. I would say that all choices (except other) would be valid picks with the Meeting Schedule being the newest of all. This poll was developed to encourage everyone to actually look at our web site to see what is on it and to point out all the new things on our TSGS Web Site. The meeting schedule for the current month on the main page is a significant change and should be very helpful to get a quick look at who will present what at our up-coming meeting. I will take it down within a few days after each meeting to put up the next meeting. The ClustrMap is a cool new counter showing where our visitors live and it has shown me that 8 countries outside the USA has visited our site. We have had 5 hits from a person or persons from Ireland. It would be neat to hear from some of these visitors from other countries, of course, it may be genealogists on vacation or military personnel. -by JGWest

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Researchers are familiar with Willard Library's Cox Collection, which contains a great deal of information on Posey County families, but some may not know that this collection contains a number of photographs of individuals and tombstones. Work is underway to photocopy all photographs and file them in alphabetical order. Among the family photographs are those for the following: Allison, Calvin, Carroll, Cox, Endicott, Fletchall, Knowles, Marvel, Montgomery and Odell-Camp. These photographs will be of great value to researchers and we'll keep you informed of the progress of this work. - Submitted by Brenda Jerome

Tombstone Thursday - Carl F. Boetticher

This is the Boetticher family plot (Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Indiana) with other family members buried here with the exact grave marker as Carl's (most can be seen in the cemetery view of the family plot). The large family monument is very beautiful with the two nearly full size angels at the top. The statue of the dog is a very special feature of the family plot and is the subject of many stories. At least one was published in recent years. All of you local Evansville history buffs should be able to help me add to this blog by making comments on this family and the statue of the dog. More on this family can be found on "Find A Grave" look at the Boetticher Family - This tombstone submitted by John G. West

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

From the FIRST MATE'sPHOTO ALBUM...

JD Ritzy's Fantasy of Lights

Evansville, Indiana

Easter Seals in Evansville IN has a Christmas Light Display to raise money, cars drive through and see the various displays. The above photo is for Andrew Nash. He was our daughter Nikki's boyfriend when they were in Pre-School at the Rehabilitation Center. She was three and he was in her class. He had spina bifida and would wait for her to get to school. When she got off the school bus, she in her walker and he in his chair, they would race to class. A year or two later he passed away. There is a small marker for him at the Rehabilitation Center and when ever we are there she always stops to see his marker. She is now 21. His parents are Debby and Brad Nash. I think this is one of the best pictures I have ever taken. - Submitted by Don Counts (photo taken by Don Counts).

DOCK at the LIBRARY -TSGS Meetings/Events

CLASSMATES TAKE OVER TSGS MEETING

Each Presenting a Program

Evansville Bosse High School Class of '67 makes it big at TSGS for this coming Tuesday's regular monthly membership meeting: 13 January 2009 at Evansville's Willard Library. Becky West will present the HELP Session at 6:30 PM in the Bayard Room with Connie Conrad presenting the program for the membership meeting that begins at 7:30 PM after the HELP Session. Becky and Connie are Bosse High alums from the same class.

This photo taken at the Ohio Valley INSSAR Chapter meeting (Aug. 2008) in Willard Library's Bayard Room presenting a similar program on adoption that she will provide for the HELP Session.

I took this photo of Connie (below) at the Indiana Genealogical Society's Annual seminar held in Evansville, Indiana in 2008, where she presented a similar program as she will show us.

Everyone is welcome to come see these Bosse Grads talk, it should be very informative and entertaining. John G. West, TSGS President

13 Jan. 2009 TSGS Meeting Programs

6:30 p.m. Help Session
"A Journey to the Beginning:
My Adoption Story"
As traveled by Becky West

7:30 p.m. Regular Meeting
"So You Think It Doesn't Exist"
Presented by Connie Conrad

"Snow Magic for Tombstone Photography"

The great use of snow to help read tombstones, COOL!

This from Find A Grave Forums: http://www.findagrave.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showgallery&Number=744421

Poster: deba82 Posted: 12/15/08 06:30 PM

I discovered the wonders of snow myself a few years ago when returning to the cemetery and trying to get a better picture of a gravestone for someone. It was very hard to photograph because the stone was black and my 1st visit was a failure. (poor lighting) Overnite we had a snowstorm but i went back anyway. The face of the stone was covered in snow. I was agrivated. I trudged to the car.....got my snowbrush....trudged back and brushed the stone off. Like magic the letters and designs on the stone appeared. Everything that was hidden in shadows before came bursting out. Even the epitath which was impossible to read (still a bit tricky).....What a neat thing. Anyone else have any snow gravestone pics?Check out the winter/summer differances on Lyman Fargo's stone if you get a chance.....Lyman Fargo

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSvcid=15022&GRid=15543699&

Submitted by Don Counts

From the FIRST MATE'sPHOTO ALBUM...

DAR Historical Marker Dedication

Captain Henry Vanderburgh Chapter, NSDAR

Willard Library, Evansville, IN May 22, 2008

SAR members of the Ohio Valley INSSAR Chapter
provided the Color Guard for this DAR ceremony.
L-R: Kenneth Gilkey, Donald Counts, Christopher Myers.
Photo taken by Peggy Gilkey.

Transcription
On The Bronze Book Plaque
(Left Page)
Welcome
to Willard Library
A Landmark of Service
Crowning Achievement
of Willard Carpenter
(Right Page)
Join Us
Read for Pleasure
Research Genealogy
Study Local History
Increase Our Knowledge

(On The Stone Marker below DAR Emblem)

Willard Carpenter, Philanthropist, Community Leader,

Founder of Willard Library 1885

Marker placed May 22, 2008

by Capt. Henry Vanderburgh Chapter NSDAR

Organized 1896, Evansville, IN

See more photos of this event at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inovcsar/willardlibmarker.html

This is the first photo of a new regular feature that will appear about once a week, usually on Wednesdays. Generally, one photo will be exhibited with a little info about it. The focus of the photos will be genealogical in nature or related to the tri-state area. Visitors may submit photos with who, what, where and when (if known) to me at: TSGS Cruiser