"Cemetery vandal deserves God's mercy!"

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[In yesterday's Evansville Courier & Press, the following "Letter to the Editor" is worth posting here. - JGWest]

To the editor:

I tend to a small cemetery on Evansville's West Side where Benoni Stinson, the founder of the General Baptist faith, is laid to rest. The cemetery is encompassed by CSX railroad property but remains a private lot.

This week I was mowing grass. I was shocked to discover that a half piece of a concrete cross tie was missing and a complete cross tie had been dragged across the cemetery. These had been placed so that vehicles would not accidentally run over graves.

Apparently the thief could not haul away the heavier complete cross tie.

It is my hope that a person who is willing to degrade himself to the point of stealing from a cemetery will find the love of Christ, which Benoni Stinson preached to all in the early days of our community. May the perpetrator of such a vile act never suffer the wrath of God who loves him anyway.

Philip Peckinpaugh
Evansville

RACING DOWN the RIVER -Brief Genealogical Notes

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From Brenda Legate, Packet Editor:
Just a brief note to remind you that the deadline for submissions to the upcoming issue of the Packet is April 15th. I know that may be a time when folks are more worried about finishing their taxes than anything else, so please feel free to send your submissions in early!!! lol I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
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The Indiana Genealogical Society's 2010 annual conference will be Saturday, April 10 at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. Dick Eastman, author and creator of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, will be the featured speaker. Registration at the door will be $40 each. The Indiana Genealogical Society will hold a Seminar on Friday, April 9 at the Allen County Public Library, in conjunction with the 2010 annual conference. The theme of the seminar is "Preservation From The Bottom Up." Topics will cover preservation on the personal level, as well as the society, county and archive levels. The Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center will be open from 6 pm to midnight on Friday, April 9 for conference attendees.
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From Dick Eastman's Blog:
No Small Change by David Ferriero, U.S. Archivist, he is the head of the National Archives and Records Administration. It is an interesting article and I find it especially interesting that the Archivist is using a blog in an attempt to directly reach the audience that his agency serves. He refers to himself as "Collector in Chief." David Ferriero's blog may be found at http://blogs.archives.gov/aotus/

The Pew Research Center recently published a report, “The Impact of the Internet on Institutions in the Future,” in which it found that 72 percent of experts agreed with the statement: By 2020, innovative forms of online cooperation will result in significantly more efficient and responsive governments, business, non-profits, and other mainstream institutions. That optimism agreed to by the experts indicates their belief that the internet will prompt institutional change...
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From Don Counts:
There will be a special marker dedication in honor of "Our Real Daughter" Mary Forbes Gano Cobb. Date: Sunday 25th April 2010 at 2:00 EST. New London Cemetery, 2104 County Road S 766 W Howard County, Russiaville IN. RSVP Rebecca Anne Shelton, bek@evansville.net by 11 April 2010.
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From TSGS President, John G. West:
Remember to attend our ~
13 Apr 2010 Annual Dinner Meeting 5:30-6:30 p.m. Dinner & Fellowship Sirloin Stockade, 4610 Bellemeade Ave. 6:30 p.m. Welcome Remarks & Awards 7:00 p.m. Program "EVANSVILLE DURING THE DEPRESSION" Presented by Mr. Harold Morgan, Historian.

NAVIGATING ALONG the RIVER - Research Tips

Recently, Cyndi Howells of Cyndi's List stated on FaceBook: "I might end up sounding like a broken record here. But my initial tips on working your ancestors are: 1) get *all* possible records for each ancestor. 2) create a timeline for each ancestor that shows date-by-date what you know from your research. 3) map your ancestors--getting a geographical perspective is so important. 4) know the history of the time and place in which your ancestor lived." [This is used here with permission.] This is about the simpliest and best advice or tip I have seen in all of my genealogical researching over the last 50 years! Although this looks and seems simple it is not simple to do, but is essential to help prevent "brick walls" or "barking up the wrong tree!" The only thing that I might add to this would be to maintain "family group sheets" to help you keep up with family relationships as you research.

In 1996, I remember corresponding with Cyndi when she was just getting her list going good. She said that she hoped that everyone would be patient with her to get new links online since she was basically just an everyday housewife with children. As time went on Cyndi became a celebrity, author, lecturer, speaker appearing in magazines and TV. Cyndi's List is incredible and one of the most important "favorites link" of all for genealogists (and historians) to use daily! Here is the link to her site: http://www.cyndislist.com/

Cyndi's List is a free service to genealogists to help us find online resources and information. As her site states ~ "Your genealogy starting point online for more than a decade!" There are 280,000 plus links in over 180 categories. She is constantly updating links as quickly as they are broken and adding new links as they are found or reported. Thanks Cyndi Howells for all that you have done!

THE CAPTAIN'S LOG –TSGS News

13 Apr 2010 Annual Dinner Meeting
5:30-6:30 p.m. Dinner & Fellowship
Sirloin Stockade, 4610 Bellemeade Ave.
6:30 p.m. Welcome Remarks & Awards

7:00 p.m. Program
"EVANSVILLE DURING THE DEPRESSION"

Presented by Mr. Harold Morgan, Historian.

The Tri-State Genealogical Society would like to invite everyone to attend our Dinner Meeting as listed below. Harold Morgan is a great Historian, Author & Speaker. His presentations are interesting, educational and always entertaining. You do not need to be a member to attend. There is no fee charged just pay for your dinner as you come in. I would like to ask that if you plan on attending let me know, so we can get a number for the restuarant. Invite a friend!

John G. West, TSGS President jgw.mylines@gmail.com

"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