Clayton Students & Teachers Databases Added

A list of Clayton High School's students in 1920, as well as a list of its teachers in 1920, have been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. Both lists were compiled from the school's 1920 yearbook, Claytonian.

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: Tombstone Error in Danville East Cemetery (1936)

An item found in The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 4, 1936 - page 8, column 2:

WE ALL MAKE 'EM
While attending the Memorial [Day] services at the [Danville] East cemetery, Sunday afternoon, our attention was called to an old grave stone that bore a strange legend. The inscription read "Lutitia Melogue, born June 7, 1827; died July 29, 1818." Thus she died nine years before she was born. Later, someone had taken a nail and tried to make a 4 out of the 1, to make the date of her death read 1848, but without much success.

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: Couple Marries In Sheriff's Office (1925)

An item found in The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, August 20, 1925 - page 1, column 5:

SENTENCED IN SHERIFF’S OFFICE
After getting their marriage license from Clerk Woodward, Monday, Wallace L. Jarrett, of Jamestown, and Ethie A. Stewart, of North Salem, didn’t know where to go to use the license. When F.M. Sageser arrived to tie the knot, they were waiting in the sheriff’s office, and after a little discussion, the ceremony was performed there.

Marriage Index Updated

Entries from Hendricks County Marriage Book Volume 31 (1 November 1968 - 2 February 1970) have been added to the database Index to Hendricks County Marriage Books, which is on the Hendricks County GenWeb site. This index includes the names of the bride and groom, their date of marriage and the corresponding book and page number. It is an ongoing project--so far it covers the period of 1904-1970, as well as 1824-1848.

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: Severed Hand Buried In Lizton Cemetery (1935)

An item found in The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, March 14, 1935 - page 1, column 4:

LOSES RIGHT HAND
Word has been received here that Oscar Eugene Holman, age 19, recently suffered the loss of his right hand when it was severed in machinery while at work in an automobile tire plant at Akron, Ohio. The hand was buried in the cemetery at Lizton. Young Holman is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Holman and the family formerly lived here. The father was a meat cutter here for a number of years and the family often visits Mr. and Mrs. John Graham of this place.

Surname Index To Probate Order Books Updated

Entries from the surname index included at the front of Hendricks County Probate Order Book Volume 11 (13 June 1882 - 10 June 1884) have been added to the database Surname Index to Hendricks County Probate Order Books, which is on the Hendricks County GenWeb site. The surname index was compiled by the clerk at the time they were writing the entries. It includes the subject of the probate case, the type of case (estate, guardianship, etc.), and the corresponding book and page number.

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: First Women in County As Petit Jurors (1937)

An item found in The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, January 28, 1937 - page 1, column 3:

TWO WOMEN SERVE ON DAMAGE SUIT JURY
First in History of the Hendricks Circuit Court

For the first time in the history of Hendricks County women have served on the jury. Two women who made Hendricks County history were Mrs. Walter E. Hadley of Plainfield and Mrs. Abigail Durham of North Salem. Both were impaneled on the jury last Thursday for the trial of A.E. Lowe vs. Steward Pritchett and Jewell Pritchett. The trial was on a damage suit arising from an automobile wreck north of Danville. Lowe was awarded $300 damages.

Only one other time has a woman's name been drawn for jury duty and this was due to a mistake as Clerk Walter E. Hadley thought that Leo Halfaker of Middle township was a masculine name. Mrs. Halfaker came to Danville to see why she had been chosen for jury duty and the mistake was found. Mrs. Halfaker was excused. However, Mrs. Hadley and Mrs. Durham seem to enjoy the fact that they were the first women to serve on a Hendricks County jury.

Avon Students & Teachers Databases Added

A listing of Avon High School's students (grades 7-12) in 1945, as well as its teachers in 1945, have been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. Both lists were compiled from the school's 1945 yearbook.

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: First Woman in County As Grand Juror (1938)

An item found in The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, March 3, 1938 - page 1, column 5:

IT'LL JUST BE TOO BAD
Now, you men, watch your step. This county is going to be different. Some things may be brought to light that men have always overlooked. We are tellin' you, this is a serious proposition. Three women have been named for service on the grand jury for the March term of court. Women have been named on petit juries in this county before, but as far as we know, these are the first to be named on the grand jury. The three women named are Mrs. Beulah Mitchell and Mrs. Mabel C. Thompson, both of Center Township, and Mrs. Ruth B. Wilson, Guilford Township. The complete list of jurymen can be found in another column of this issue.

Probate Records - Samples

The Indiana Genealogical Society has a photo album on Facebook showing examples of some of the records they've found while working on the Hendricks County probate records. You do not have to be a Facebook member to view the photo album.

Teachers Database Updated

Entries from the 1948 school year have been added to the database Index to Teachers in Hendricks County Schools, which is on the Hendricks County GenWeb site. It is a list of all of the teachers in the county's schools, as published in area newspapers at the beginning of each school year by the county's schools superintendent. The list was comprised of the teacher's name and their location, and sometimes included the subjects they were teaching.

The database is in progress--it currently covers 1948-1963.