Sunday, January 25, 2015

Hendricks County divorce index 1951-1952 added

An index to divorce cases settled in Hendricks County during 1951-1952 has been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. Entries were added from Hendricks County Circuit Court Order Book 100 (18 April 1951 - 26 June 1952).

The Hendricks County Government's Archive has digital files of the circuit court order books for the years 1824-1959.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Hendricks County marriage applications index 1945-1946 added

An index to Hendricks County Marriage Applications Book 25 (which covers 10 October 1945 through 25 October 1946) has been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. The index is in progress - so far it covers 1905 through 1946.

ABOUT THESE RECORDS: Beginning in May 1905, Indiana law required the recording of marriage applications, which included biographical details about the bride and the groom, as well as their parents. In Hendricks County, the information from these applications was kept in a separate set of books from the marriage record from May 1905 until June 1950.

The Hendricks County Government's Archive has digital files of all of the marriage application books.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Hendricks County obituaries index updated

Entries from 2014 have been added to the database Deaths from The Republican's Year in Review, which is on the Hendricks County GenWeb site. The Republican is a weekly newspaper published in Danville, Indiana. Once a year it publishes a special "Year in Review" issue, which includes a listing of the deaths that were mentioned in each issue of that year.

This database includes the person's name and the issue of the newspaper their obituary appeared in. It now covers 1892-2014.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Hendricks County divorce index 1950-1951 added

An index to divorce cases settled in Hendricks County during 1950-1951 has been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. Entries were added from Hendricks County Circuit Court Order Book 99 (7 March 1950 - 17 April 1951).

The Hendricks County Government's Archive has digital files of the circuit court order books for the years 1824-1959.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Memorial for Charles Virgil SEARS (1955)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 103 (September 1954 - October 1955), the death of Charles Virgil Sears on May 29, 1955 led the Hendricks County Bar to issue this memorial about him in the circuit court minutes of June 1, 1955:

"He was a native of Hendricks County, having been born near Danville on February 17, 1875. Here Virgil lived during most of his life.

He graduated from Danville High School and Central Normal College, and later continued his education at National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio.

Virgil began the practice of law in Hendricks County in 1903 and practiced in this county actively until his retirement about 1946.

He was active in political affairs and held the office of Prosecuting Attorney for Hendricks County from 1903 to 1907, and again in 1911 and 1912. From 1934 to 1942, he was Hendricks County Republican Chairman.

At the time of his death, he was the second oldest member of the Hendricks County Bar.

He had been a member of the Board of Directors of the Danville State Bank for the past twenty years, and for the last fifteen years, had been President of that Bank. He had served as town attorney for Danville and Clayton, and also as attorney for Hendricks County.

Virgil was a conscientious student of the law and one of the most capable attorneys that Danville has produced. He was quiet and unassuming and to become acquainted with him was to respect and admire him and his knowledge of the law.

He had the confidence of all of those with whom he came in contact; and his entire life can be pointed to as an example of any young lawyer who aspires to be a capable, honest and well-respected attorney.

In his passing, our profession generally, and the Hendricks County Bar in particular, have lost an affable, courteous, quiet, learned and able member.

The members of his family have lost a kind and loving husband and father; and the community has lost an outstanding and valuable citizen."


Friday, January 2, 2015

Nina SIMS receives $72,000 in alimony (1955)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 103 (September 1954 - October 1955), in July 1955 Nina Sims was granted a divorce from Frank Z. Sims (case #19724). Their case had originally been filed in Marion County Superior Court but had later been transferred to Hendricks County Circuit Court. As part of the divorce decree, Nina was to receive several items from their house at 1128 North Oakland Avenue in Indianapolis as well as their farm in Johnson County, plus the deeds to three graves they had purchased in Memorial Park Cemetery on the east side of Indianapolis. Frank was to pay her $72,407.93 in alimony, plus $10,551 for her attorney fees (he already having paid $3,500 for her attorney fees).

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Memorial for Carey W. GASTON (1951)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 100 (April 1951 - June 1952), the death of Carey W. Gaston in December 1951 led the Hendricks County Bar to issue this memorial about him in the circuit court minutes of December 20, 1951:

"Carey W. Gaston first saw the light of day in Seaman, Ohio, on the 17th day of December, 1875. In his early youth, he adopted Indiana as his home and in Danville the greater portion of his life was spent. He came to Central Normal College in 1897 where he taught Mathematics, Penmanship and Commercial Law for many years. During those early years he studied law in the Indiana Law School at Indianapolis, which is now a branch of the Indiana University School of Law; while there met Iris T. Bell who became his wife November 25, 1903. On June 12, 1901, Mr. Gaston was admitted to the practice of law in the Hendricks County Bar and on the same date, John T. Hume, of Stilesville, Indiana, was admitted to the Hendricks County Bar. On that date, he formed a partnership of the practice of law with John T. Hume and this association continued for more than forty years. A most profitable partnership experience was ended when John T. Hume died on the 21st of October, 1944. Mr. Gaston continued in the practice of the law from that time until his death.

For many years Mr. Gaston was associated with all civic and local government agencies. He was, for many years, County Attorney for the County Commissioners of Hendricks County. He was for many years a valuable member of the Board of Children's Guardians and rendered much service in helping with the problems of the widows and orphan children back in the days before 1935 and before a Welfare Department came into existence. Mr. Gaston was a believer in public education. He was proud of his heritage as a son of a Civil War veteran; he loved his Masonic Fraternity; he loved his Church, and above all, he loved his home and his family. His only daughter, Marjorie, will probably miss him most of all.

Mr. Gaston held the court and the profession of the law in high esteem. He was conscientious and thorough. Most inexperienced members of the Bar could always obtain his valuable counsel. Today the Court, the Bar and the public pay tribute marking the close of a valuable and interesting career.

Claude D. Raber
A.J. Stevenson
BAR COMMITTEE
"