Historical Society News
The Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County has hired a new Executive Director and staff.
Also, see the article in the Indiana Gazette here.
Chris Catalfamo, noted Civil War historian and devoted volunteer of the Historical Society, passed away on January 12, 2013. (information can be found here).
A wedding was held in the Historical Society's Silas Clark House during the 2012 Christmas season. Read the story online in the Tribune Review.
Clarence Stephenson, beloved local historian, dies at age 92.
Covered Bridge Safari
On Saturday, June 26, 2010, the Indiana County Parks & Trails' "Covered bridge safari" featured the Kintersburg, Harmon, Trusal and Thomas covered bridges. The Covered Bridge Committee's caravan route at Blue Spruce Park near Ernest, covered about 25 miles and required about three hours, including tour-guide narrations at each of the four caravan stops. Mary Yanity and Herb Gleditch represented the Historical Society.
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Native American Life in Indiana County
The Historical Society Program Committee sponsored a presentation by
Phillip and Sarah Neusius, IUP professors, at the Historical Museum on June
22 at 7pm. The subject was "Archaeological Evidence of Early Native American
Life in Indiana County." Here Miss Laney accepts a copy of Dr. Sarah Neusius' archaeology text book - a door prize at the program.
At the June 1, 2010 board meeting, the Pennsylvania
History Bill of Rights was adopted by The Historical and Genealogical
Society of Indiana County. Margaret (Peg) Ruddock died at her home in Indiana, PA, on Monday, February
1, 2010. Peg had been active with the Society since 1980. She will be missed.
Please see the
tribute to Peg on the Society's web page. Charles Spence, a volunteer for the Historical Society since 2000, was
presented with the Frances Strong Helman Award for 2009. This is an award
given for exemplary service to the Historical Society. Chuck has worn a number
of 'hats' within the Society, among them board of director positions for public
relations and finance, and officer positions as treasurer and vice president.
Chuck is a person who has demonstrated a dedication to the Society above and
beyond that which could be expected of any volunteer or other contributor to the
Society. This year the Historical Society presented Coralie Hershman with the
Volunteer of the Year Award. Coralie is a volunteer whose willing spirit and
gracious manner is evident to all who come in contact with her at the Society.
It is a pleasure to present her with this award. (A photo and more details
soon.) Each year our Society honors a volunteer who has proven themselves worthy for
a number of reasons. Shirley Dill was honored this year for her dedication to
the important role as bookkeeper for the Society. In turn, the Board of
Directors are honored to announce that Shirley will join our Board in 2009, as
Finance Committee Chairwoman.
In what some would say is about time, The Historical and Genealogical Society
of Indiana County’s President of the
Board, Herb Gleditsch, made announcement of the naming of The Frances Strong
Helman Library at the Society’s seventy-first Annual Membership Meeting on
October 16, 2008. Likewise
honored at this year’s Annual Meeting, Jean Williams joined Clarence Stephenson
as the only two to ever sit on the Society’s Board with the honored title of
Director Emeritus. The status is not only an honorarium to what might be
retiring board members but it is of benefit to the Society in that we are able
to make way for newer directors while keeping the connectivity to older
directors. A very exciting part of the Annual Meeting Agenda came when Finance Chairwoman Jan Parker,
with help from President Gleditsch, Director Emeritus Jean Williams and Program
Chairwoman JoAnne McQuilkin, set fire to the paid up Clark House mortgage.
Permissible only by the absence of our Museum Chairwoman, the event recognized
the significance of the occasion and as President Gleditsch most aptly put it,
“There is no crisis of confidence in this Society. We are going into the years
ahead with confidence that we can make it work.” (Left to right: Jan
Parker, Herb Gleditsch, Jean Williams, JoAnne McQuilkin)
The Board
of Directors of the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County
was pleased to present Chuck Spence as its Volunteer of the Year for 2007 at
the Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 25, 2007. Chuck has been one of our stalwart volunteers for many years and has been
involved in most aspects of the Society. He has served on the Board of
Directors for eight years, first as Vice President and then as Treasurer. He
was also involved in the planning of our Veteran’s area, was instrumental in
the organizing the Medal of Honor exhibit, and has been the primary
researcher for genealogical requests. A veteran of the Armed Services and a retired Chief Engineer of Penelec,
Chuck has put his many talents to use for the benefit of the Society. He and
his wife, Mary Jo, have five daughters and enjoy spending time traveling and
visiting with them. They are all accomplished individuals and their father
is very proud of a chemist, a nurse, a social scientist, a lawyer and a
microbiologist…….. all in the family! It was a pleasure and a ’no-brainer’ to single out Chuck for this award.
Our Society has many great volunteers and Chuck is one of the best. With
honor, we call him our “Volunteer of the Year.” Arnold Wolfe was the guest speaker at the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 25th,
2007, in the Historical Museum. Marker Text: Outspoken opponent of slavery, Mitchell was widely known as an abolitionist.
In September 1845, he harbored five fugitives from slavery on his property here.
Following a raid by bounty hunters, two men escaped; three were returned to
slavery. Mitchell was tried and convicted for violating the Fugitive Slave Act
of 1793, and suffered heavy financial losses. The incident contributed to the
more restrictive Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. The marker commemorates Dr.
Robert Mitchell of Indiana, a leader of the Underground Railroad, and five
fugitive slaves who were sleeping in a log cabin owned by Mitchell in what is
now Clymer, then Green Township. Clarence Stephenson, renowned county historian,
conducted the research and applied for the marker on behalf of the Historical
Society. The public was invited to attend the dedication ceremony, which took place on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. on Rt. 286, Highway East in
Clymer.
Start at Indiana courthouse. Head east on 286 (Philadelphia Street). After 1.1 miles take Clymer exit
(still 286 E). Continue 8.5 miles on 286 East. Continue straight at the stop light in Clymer on 286 E. Marker is on the
other side of the bridge heading out of town. -------------
The Pennsylvania History Bill of Rights
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The Passing of a Treasured Volunteer and
Friend
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Chuck Spence presented with
Frances Strong Helman Award for 2009-------------
Coralie Hershman named
as Volunteer of the Year for 2009
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Shirley Dill named
as Volunteer of the Year for 2008
Shirley is a pleasure to work with and although you may not see her in our
library and museum frequently, rest assured that she sees results of each and
every program, of each grant writing attempt, and the generosity of each and
every monetary donor. Her work involves a tremendous amount of accuracy and
persistence. We are pleased to be able to honor Shirley for her volunteer
spirit! -------------
Society Announces Naming of The Frances
Strong
Helman Library
The nomination to the board came from then Library Chairman Pat Johner. The
motion was seconded by Dick Cassel and passed by our Board of Directors last
April. The news was kept under wraps to be announced at this year’s membership
meeting by newly designated Director Emeritus Jean Williams and President
Gleditsch.
As written by County Historian Clarence D. Stephenson in his article from the
Indiana County Heritage, Vol. 8., No 2, entitled, Rescuing the Past: “The death
on September 23, 1980, of Frances Strong Helman, one of the founders of the
Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County, left a very large gap in
the continuing work of the Society. Her shoes are indeed hard to fill, but her
example is an inspiration to the many volunteers who are carrying on the work to
which she was so devoted. She leaves as her permanent memorial a record of
forty-two years of labor advancing the cause of the Society. Frances Strong
Helman has compiled her own memorial item by item during her life and it is
inscribed ‘Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County.’ She will be
remembered as long as the Society endures.”
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Jean
Williams Honored by Director Emeritus Status
Jean Williams joined the Society in 1982 and within a year was serving on the
Finance Committee. She has planned many of the Society’s events including the
well received Home and Garden tours, antique shows, and her own very special
Christmas programs. Jean has served on and chaired most of the Society’s
committees, including serving as an Officer in her role as Secretary and then
Treasurer. She’s introduced fund raising events, membership drives and as
Coralie Hershman so aptly put it during the program, her handwriting is
everywhere! Jean has cataloged our photograph collection, our textiles, and
artifacts; often making needed repairs and always cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.
Jean has been known for always leaving an article in better shape than when she
found it. And she’s never been hesitant to enlist whatever help she deems
necessary to complete a task. And what tasks she’s taken on - including the
Clark House Cookbook, the Angel Tree, many and various raffles, flower gardens,
brick walkways, and card parties. You name it and Jean’s tried it! And not only
the Society, but many volunteers as well have benefited from Jean’s examples of
leadership and her work ethic.
On October of 1998, Jean was presented with the Society’s greatest honor, the
Frances Strong Helman Award, by then President Jim Shertzer. Congratulations
again to this amazing Indiana County woman for her enthusiasm and energy which
are matched only by her love of the Society.-------------
Society Burns Mortgage Papers in Museum
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Chuck Spence named as Volunteer of the Year
for 2007
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Arnold
Wolfe of the Rainbow Diamond Club with
glass made in Indiana, PA.
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Historical Marker Dedicated in Clymer, October 16, 2007:
Dr.
Robert Mitchell
(1786-1863)
Directions to the Robert Mitchell Historic Marker