Presented by the DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society in conjunction with the Waterloo-Grant Twp. Library


Waterloo Cemetery Walk

Contact information: Roselyn Wells 235-0954

July 12, 2021

(Severe weather rain date. July 13)

6:00 p.m.

At the Waterloo Cemetery (Meet and possibly park at the back of the old part of the cemetery) This will be the east side of the road.


Come join us and learn about some prominent Waterloo residents of the Waterloo Cemetery. Some of the stories will make you sad, others tragic but all will be interesting to hear about. This is a compilation of different cemetery walks giving a wide range of stories told and frankly our favorites. Come soar with Devon Bartholomew, laugh with Altenburg Hanes, marvel at the gold rush days and stories about early DeKalb. Some names that will be familiar to you, may be Hanes, Kelley, Lockhart, Bartholomew, Darby, Edge, McCague, Shoemaker, Thomson, Sattison, Bevier among others. Please bring mosquito spray if needed or umbrellas if it is lightly raining or misting.

DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society and Waterloo-Grant Twp. Library combined meeting

Early Waterloo History
by
Roselyn Wells

March 9, 2020, Monday

6:00 social time 6:15 meeting time





The DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society and Waterloo-Grant Township Library will have a combined meeting about "Early Waterloo History." Before the PowerPoint presentation we will have "slides" of a one of a kind 1869 map owned by Greg and Deb Iddings. We are showing it separate so we can blow it up to show detail. The map pictures are in 9 sections in the and it is lightened for clarity. The PowerPoint presentation will include early pictures of Waterloo scenes, people, churches, schools and a rare look at John Rea murals that he painted for the Waterloo tavern. The last name of the tavern was the Katch Kan Tavern and now sits empty and belongs along with the rest of the block to the Town of Waterloo. This tavern is very historical as Toots Smith, in the past, and his family shared that the Al Capone Gang stopped there and Ronald Reagan walked down from the tv station to partake of a meal. You do not have to be a member to attend.





DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society presents:

Lulu's Love Affair
by
Roselyn Wells
February 10, 2020
Waterloo-Grant Township Library
6:00 social time 6:15 meeting time




Corunna street from the late John Martin Smith Collection. Used with permission originally from John Martin Smith.

In honor of valentine's day, Roselyn will talk about one of her relatives that loved a married minister with four children. She was only 19 and lived in Corunna. She was a lovely church going lady. What happened to her and to her love interest? This is a very interesting story with plots and turns and you might not believe the ending. Many believed in 1915, you should not have your name in the paper except for a birth announcement and when you died. Her name was in the paper and it was a huge scandal that would affect many people.

You do not have to be a member of the DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society to attend.

 The above picture is of a Corunna street scene. The minister was hired by a local church but he also owned a music store in Corunna.







DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society Meeting

December 9, 2019

Trash or Treasure
by
Roger Lash
at the
Waterloo Library
6:00 social time 6:15 meeting time


Our Christmas present to ourselves! So fun to watch. You can just come and watch or bring a couple of items to see if Roger can tell you whether it is trash or treasure! You can bring more than two and put under your chair or near you and if we have time we can check them out too! Please bring some kind of snack to share.






2019 ANNUAL BANQUET

“Mary Shelley”

By Lou Ann Homan

August 17 Saturday @ 5:45 Dinner at 6:00 (Program after dinner)

At the Masonic Lodge
223 W. Hobart St. Ashley, IN

(Across from the smiley face water tower)


Members, guests and the public are welcome.

For more information: DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society,
PO Box 6085, Auburn, IN 46706

or Roselyn Wells, 925-0384 & [email protected]


MENU:

Baked steak, pecan chicken, salad, almond green beans, roll, cheesy potatoes, homemade pie.


Meal reservations are $12.00 per person and are due on or before August 10

Mail your check (and who will be attending) to: DeKalb County Indiana Genealogy Society (D.C.I.G.S.)
P.O. Box 6085, Auburn, IN 46706


Storyteller Lou Ann Homan with her mesmerizing voice and commanding stage presence, her stories capture your imagination. The body of work that she shares comes from years of teaching, storytelling, writing, and, of course, dreaming.

Lou Ann was twice awarded the prestigious Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant. She also was twice awarded the Frank Basile Emerging Stories Fellowship. She has received two commissions from Indiana Landmarks and Storytelling Arts of Indiana for the “If These Walls Could Tell” series.

Lou Ann’s enthusiasm for teaching graced Indiana classrooms for thirty years and she is now teaching at Trine University. She is an award winning Saturday morning columnist for the KPC Media Group. Lou Ann is no stranger to the IndyFringe Festival either as she has performed four one-woman original shows.

This year Lou Ann is specializing in a 55 minute, one-woman show of Mary Shelley. Mary was the author of “Frankenstein” but who was she? In this original piece Lou Ann brings Mary to life! It is a chilling piece of history!

It really doesn’t matter what kind of stories you are looking for; she will be able to pull it out of her repertoire. “Storytelling,” says Lou Ann, “is like breathing…natural and rhythmic. Stories are all that really matters.”




Lady Bluebeard of Indiana

Presented by Amanda Blackman

Monday, July 8, 2019

Social Time 6:00 p.m., Meeting time 6:15 p.m.

At the Waterloo-Grant Township Library



Belle Gunness with her children. Picture from Wikipedia

Belle Gunness is a notorious figure in Indiana history. Learn why she continues to fascinate 111 years after her scandalous tale. She lived in LaPorte, Indiana and has her own section in the local History Museum. Please use your own judgment about bringing your children as the story gets quite graphic sometimes. You do not have to be a member to attend.

Amanda is an Art teacher and says, “She has an endless fascination with history and true crime.”




Cemetery Symbols

By Jeannie Regan-Dinius




May 13, 2019, Monday

Social Time 6:00 p.m.

Meeting Time 6:15 p.m.

The Waterloo-Grant Township Library


Cemeteries tell us much about who came before us. The size, shape and documentation vary from religious groups, time period, and location. But, all are important outdoor museums. The symbols on the tombstones tell us much about religion, culture, and pop culture. Jeannie R. Regan-Dinius, will talk about cemetery symbolism in American cemeteries.

Jeannie R. Regan-Dinius, Director of Special Initiatives, has a life-long interest in history, family history, and research. She earned her Bachelors in Public History from Ball State University, where she studied also anthropology and American Studies. She has her Masters in Urban Planning and Information Management/Library Science from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis with additional graduate course work in public history.

Before coming to the State, she was the Executive Director of a 96-acre historic park in Huntington, IN. She came to the state in 2000 to help work on the Underground Railroad research initiative. She was given the additional responsibility of the Cemetery Registry, the Historic Theater Initiative, and public outreach.

Jeannie has served on the board of directors for the Indiana Women’s History Association for over 6 years, having served as secretary, president, and currently as treasurer.



“Cedar Creek Anthology”

By some members of the DeKalb New Tech 2018 Media Lit Class

April 8, 2019, Monday

6:00 p.m. social time 6:15 meeting time

At the NATMUS museum (located by the ACD museum in Auburn)

(meeting room toward the back)



Picture of Mary Winterbottom Mott

(from the History of DeKalb County, Indiana 1885)


We will have a few members of the DeKalb New Tech 2018 Media Lit Class present a program for us. This is similar to our cemetery talks we have done. The class have memorized their parts. It is a fantastic project that the teachers at Dekalb, Cindy Boyd and Briana Schrock have implemented.

The high school students researched the people of DeKalb County that they chose to portray along with period clothing, shoes and accessories they might have worn. If we have time, we will also read a few of the cemetery parts that were our favorites.

Come, sit back and travel back in time. You do not have to be a member to attend and relatives and friends of the students are welcome. Our future DeKalb County History and genealogy is in the hands of our young people and we are so happy to see this.

This meeting was originally cancelled in February because of icy roads.




“SCHOOL DAYS, SCHOOL DAYS. GOOD OLD GOLDEN RULE DAYS!”

March 11, 2019, Monday

6:00 p.m. social time 6:15 meeting time

At the NATMUS Museum (meeting room toward the back)



Please join us to talk about school memories. Bring pictures, items from school, yearbooks and/ or graduation diplomas, either your own or your parents, relatives, etc. We will enjoy reliving some of our or others school experiences on this night. You do not have to be a member to come to our meetings.

The above picture is of West Richland School, grades 5,6,7 and 8. Estel Shippy was the teacher and the picture was taken April 9, 1927.




“Cedar Creek Anthology”

By some members of the DeKalb New Tech 2018 Media Lit Class

February 11, 2019, Monday

6:00 p.m. social time 6:15 meeting time

At the NATMUS Museum (meeting room toward the back)

We will have a few members of the DeKalb New Tech 2018 Media Lit Class present a program for us. This is similar to our cemetery talks we have done but they have memorized their parts. It is a fantastic project that the teachers at Dekalb, Cindy Boyd and Briana Schrock, have implemented. The high school students researched the people of DeKalb County that they chose to portray along with period clothing, shoes and accessories they might have worn. If we have time, we will also read a few of the cemetery parts that were our favorites.

Come, sit back and travel back in time. You do not have to be a member to attend and relatives and friends of the students are welcome. Our future DeKalb County History and genealogy is in the hands of our young people and we are so happy to see this.




“Vintage Clothing”

January 14, 2019, Monday

6:00 p.m. Social Time 6:15 p.m. Meeting Time

At the NATMUS Museum (meeting room)




Bring clothing to show, that is vintage. It can be a hundred years old , something you bought or even something you used to wear as a child. You can tell us something about the history if you have it. If your clothing is really fragile or older, you can just hold it up.

The picture is the wedding vest that belonged to George William Hanes that he wore to his marriage to Harriet Altenburg Hanes. The vest was worn at their wedding in 1866. They were early settlers to DeKalb County. George William’s family came to DeKalb in 1837 and Harriet’s family came in 1838. They lived close to Butler on U.S. 6. You do not have to be a member to come to the meetings.









Prior 2018 DCIGS Meetings

Prior 2017 DCIGS Meetings

Prior 2016 DCIGS Meetings

Prior 2015 DCIGS Meetings

Prior 2014 DCIGS Meetings

Prior 2013 DCIGS Meetings

Prior 2012 DCIGS Meetings

   

MEMBERSHIPS

Membership in the Society is open to anyone who is interested in genealogy.
The cost of membership is $10.00 for an individual and $15.00 for a family membership (January to December).  A quarterly newsletter, DeKalb Diggings, which you will receive, is sent by April 15, July 15 and October 15 and January 15.

Click Here for a, Membership Form







RESEARCH

PLEASE NOTE:  Due to a large number of query requests, we have temporarily suspended the acceptance of new queries.  This service will start again in the near future.

Only brief queries will be researched. Cost will be for copies. As a member you may place a free query in our newsletter.
Send queries to: DeKalb County Genealogy Society, c/o Query Editor, P.O. Box 6085, Auburn, Indiana 46706

Queries may also be sent to the following email:

Roselyn Wells rozwells at mediacombb.net  (please note that this is a new e-mail address.  If you sent a query to the old e-mail address of rozwells at sbcglobal.net, please resubmit your request, after April 15, 2012.  Thank you!

 

CURRENT PROJECTS

DeKalb County Church Records Project

Past and present churches in the county. A history and records of the churches before 1930. If you know of old DeKalb County church records that are not located at a church please let us know.

Pioneer Settlers

This ongoing project is chaired by Patricia Dyson.
More Information below.

Will Index

This project is done and is published in book form.  Possibly an update will be published later when more probate records are gone through and the wills that are newly filed can be kept up to date.  Thank you to our former committee of Roselyn Wells and Carol Pettit and also to past members that have worked on this project.

Will Index Information (Books 1-6)   Will Index (Books 1-6)

PIONEER CERTIFICATE

Our DeKalb County ancestors made it happen.

Some traveled many rough miles to get here while others were born in DeKalb County. They cleared the land, built roads and houses, planted and harvested the first crops.

If your direct descendant lived in DeKalb County prior to December 31, 1850, you may apply for a Pioneer Certificate.

Pioneer Settlers Application

PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE