Marriage license of Homer HOWARD found in Westfield (1950)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, November 23, 1950 - page 1, column 1:

According to a newspaper article, part of the 1931 Hendricks County marriage license of Homer Howard and Dorothy Elizabeth Roberts was recovered in Westfield, Hamilton County, Indiana in 1950. The license had been lost in March 1948 as part of the damage from the "Good Friday" tornado that hit Danville and Coatesville. The article states that the Howards' 14-year-old son, Donald Howard, was among those who had been killed by the tornado.

Hendricks County residents who graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette (1956)

source: Coatesville Herald (Coatesville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 7, 1956 - page 1, column 4:

BROWNSBURG:
--Richard J. Boltz - Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

COATESVILLE:
--Sally J. Elrod - Bachelor of Science in Home Economics

DANVILLE:
--Richard K. Apple - Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
--Theodore F. Kiefer - Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
--Robert G. Bosstick - Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy
--Robert K. Rawlings - Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

NORTH SALEM:
--Helen F. Callaway - Bachelor of Science in Home Economics

PITTSBORO:
--David O. Canganelli - Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

PLAINFIELD:
--Charles L. Snodgrass - Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Hendricks County Circuit Court complete book index (1886-1889) added

An index of Hendricks County Circuit Court Complete Records Book volume 8 (6 June 1886 - 8 January 1889) has been added to the Civil Court Records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site. A complete record book contains an extensive summary of a civil case from its beginning to its end. Making a complete record of a civil case was not a requirement - it required the lawyer to pay an additional fee to the clerk - so most civil cases are not included in these books. The option of having a complete record made of a civil case was abolished in Indiana by 1920.

The complete records books of the Hendricks County Circuit Court for volumes 2 through 16 (1834-1920) have been microfilmed. That microfilm is available for viewing locally at the Plainfield Public Library and the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis, and it can also be ordered through FamilySearch.

Members of Danville's volunteer fire department (1950)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, October 5, 1950 - page 8:

According to a newspaper ad in 1950 for National Fire Prevention Week, the members of Danville's volunteer fire department were:

Vanice Bennett
Elvin Campbell (driver)
Fred Creech
James Downard (driver)
James Gossett
Lloyd Hadley
Marvin Huffman
William Hughes
Sam Kirk (Assistant Chief)
Wallace Kirk
Harold Miles (driver)
James Morris
Leighton Platter (Lieutenant)
John Rader (Chief)
Hugh Smoot (Lieutenant)
Ralph Walter (Captain)
Raymond York (driver)

Hendricks County marriage index for 2002-2003 added

An index of Hendricks County marriage license book 67 (which covers 9 December 2002 through 6 September 2003) has been added to the marriage records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This marriage index now covers 1904 through 2003; more years will be added later.

The Hendricks County Government's Archive has digital files of the marriage license books for 1824 through 2003.

Hendricks County residents who graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington (1952)

source: Coatesville Herald (Coatesville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 12, 1952 - page 1, column 6:

DANVILLE:
Thomas H. Byrd, III - Doctor of Dental Surgery
Hugh Gibson - Bachelor of Arts in History
Rilus J. Hill - Master of Science in Education
Robert Kirtley - Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Physiology
Mrs. Beverly Smith Lewman - Master of Music in Piano
George Mitchell - Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Physiology
Mrs. Sandra Heston Randolph - Bachelor of Science in Home Economics
Shirley Stanley - Graduate Nurse
John A. Stroube - Doctor of Medicine
Albert S. Wade - Master of Science in Education
Ruth Wean - Bachelor of Science in General Business
Robert Webb - Doctor of Dental Surgery

NORTH SALEM:
Harry O'Bear - Doctor of Education

PITTSBORO:
Vincent Canganelli - Doctor of Medicine
Helen Fowler - Master of Music

PLAINFIELD:
Lowell E. McKim - Bachelor of Science in General Business
Jack L. Rivers - Master of Arts in Social Services
Ralph Rosemary - Bachelor of Laws
Jacqulyn Starken - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Merger of Danville library with New Winchester rejected (1986)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, May 29, 1986 - page 1, column 8:

According to a newspaper article, in May 1986, the Danville library invited Marion Township/New Winchester (which did not have a library) to join with Center Township and create a merged library district, where Marion Township residents would pay some property taxes to support the library, and in return they would have a representative on the library board. The invitation was in response to the end of a federal grant, which had allowed residents of townships that did not have a library to be served by the Danville library. Danville library had last made an invitation to Marion Township to merge in 1978.

In response to this proposed merger, registered voters in Marion Township - particularly senior citizens - filed a remonstrance with Marion Township Trustee Elvin Ray Cassity and his Township Advisory Board (which consisted of Kenneth Mason, William Huntley and Darrell Plunkett). Their remonstrance petition showed 203 signatures from registered voters against the merged library, and 48 signatures in favor of the merger.

Township Trustee Elvin Cassity stated in the newspaper article that Marion Township was primarily a farming community and the library tax would put a burden upon its residents. He hoped that the library would "keep true to its word and not bring it up again since the numbers clearly show how the people in the township feel."

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1948-1949

An index of the Hendricks County estate cases that had legal notices published in Hendricks County newspapers has been updated to include notices from the Coatesville Herald for 1948 and 1949. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now includes these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Coatesville Herald - 1948 through 1953
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1984
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1984

This index currently covers 1945-1984; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

This may not be a comprehensive list of all the Hendricks County estate cases for this time period; legal notices could be filed in any newspaper in the county.

Union Township residents serving in World War II (1945)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, January 25, 1945 - page 1, column 5:

According to a January 1945 article, a committee was gathering the names of all those residents of Union Township who were serving in World War II. Their list included the following names:

Morris Armstrong
Richard Bailey
Ronald Bailey
Charles Baire
Robert Bowman
Herschel Chelf
Lloyd Curry
Lowell Curry
Ronald Curry
Jewell Dale
Paul Dale
Hall Ellis
Clarence Everhart
Elmer Garland
Marion Ginn
Harold Green
James Groover
Charles Hall
James Hall
Charles Hancock
Leon Hancock
Harold Herrod
Merle Isley
Morris Isley
Howard Kingery
Henry Laakman
Robert Land
Russell Landreth
Byron Leach
Walter Leach
James Leak
Mary Jane Leak
Kenneth Leathers
Marion Linton
Lavaughn Long
Argil Mahan
Earl Martin
Joseph Martin
David Odom
Marvin Odom
William Odom
Woodrow Ogden
Harold Poland
Milburn Poland
Charles Pope
Franklin Porter
Charles Ratliff
Lee Ratliff
Joseph Rinehart
Richard Rinehart
Eugene Scamahorn
Emmert Smith
Melvin Smith
Milburn Smith
Richard Swain
George Thompson
Benjamin Trent
Ray Trent
James Weddle
Herbert Wetherington
Edwin Wills

Name change of Tommy Ballard PIERPONT (1945)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, September 13, 1945:

According to a public notice, in September 1945, Tommy Ballard Pierpont was petitioning the Hendricks County Circuit Court (case #6952) to change his name to Tommy Ballard. The petition was to be heard in court on October 5, 1945.

Hendricks County residents who graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington (1955)

source: Coatesville Herald (Coatesville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 16, 1955 - page 3, columns 4-5:

BROWNSBURG:
--Mary E. Ayers - Graduate Nurse and Bachelor of Science in Nursing
--Marjorie A. McClarnon - Dental Hygiene Certificate
--Mrs. Marjorie I. Brown Moore - Bachelor of Science in Business
--James C. Nash - Bachelor of Science in Business
--Jack Schenck - Doctor of Jurisprudence
--June M. Smith - Bachelor of Music

CLAYTON:
--Richard A. Alexander - Bachelor of Science in Physical Education
--Paul R. Logsdon - Bachelor of Laws

DANVILLE:
--Maurice James Black - Bachelor of Arts in Anatomy and Physiology
--Lucille Goodwin - Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education
--Robert W. Kirtley - Doctor of Medicine
--George L. Mitchell - Doctor of Medicine
--Mrs. Jamie Walter Schaphorst - Bachelor of Science in Education

NORTH SALEM:
--Patricia A. Porter - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

PLAINFIELD:
--Raymond E. Andrews, Jr. - Bachelor of Science in Business
--Martin H. Lease, Jr. - Master of Arts in Government

Galyan's grocery store opens in Plainfield (1959)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, December 3, 1959 - page 8:

On Wednesday, December 2, 1959, Galyan's Shady Acres Market Center held their grand opening on US 40 in Plainfield. Their full-page ad described themselves as "The Store of Tomorrow" and "A Dream Palace of The Finest." They also opened a Trading Post at the Plainfield location, which sold outdoor sporting equipment.

In 2004 Galyan's was purchased by Dick's Sporting Goods and the Plainfield location closed.

Hendricks County obituaries index updated for 2016

Entries from 2016 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. At the beginning of the year it publishes a special "Year in Review" issue, which includes a listing of all the deaths that were mentioned in each issue of the previous year.

This database includes the person's name and the issue of the newspaper their obituary appeared in. It now covers 1892-2016.

IGA supermarket opens on courthouse square in Danville (1950)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, July 20, 1950 - page 1, columns 2-3:

The IGA supermarket in Danville may be remembered for its location at 1120 West Main Street, which is at the northeast corner of the intersection of US 36 (West Main Street) and County Road 75 West (aka Mackey Road) on the west side of town. However, back in July 1950, it actually opened on the south side of the courthouse square, at 59 West Marion Street. Back then, Marion Saunders was the owner, and it was known as Saunders' IGA Market. In 1950, it took over half of the remodeled Hoosier Hotel building. The article about its July 1950 grand opening touted the fact that the store would be open 7 days a week and offer "complete self-service", with 2 "high-speed checkout counters capable of servicing 2,000 customers per day".

So at one time in the 1950's, there was a Kroger on the west side of the courthouse square, and an IGA supermarket on the south side of the courthouse square.

Plainfield genealogy group to discuss American frontier history

The Family History Hounds genealogy group will meet on Thursday, February 2 from 1 to 3 pm at the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library. The meeting will be held upstairs in the library's meeting rooms. Knox County Historian Dennis Latta will present a program, "How We changed The Frontier and How The Frontier Changed Us," about American's pioneering history and how it influences us today.

If you are interested in the group, or have questions, please contact Plainfield library's Indiana Room - e-mail askindiana@plainfieldlibrary.net or phone (317) 839-6602 extension 2114.

102-year-old Millie F. REED dies (1976)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Monday, October 4, 1976 - page 5, columns 1-2:

MISS REED DIES AT AGE OF 102
Danville - Miss Millie F. Reed, 102-year-old Danville resident, died Tuesday in Golden Rule Nursing Home here.

A native of Avon, Miss Reed received a bachelor's degree from DePauw University in 1898 and her master's in botany from Butler University in 1927.

A member of the Primitive Baptist Church here, she operated an art studio in Detroit for many years and also taught art and music in several Indiana schools.

Surviving are two nieces, Mrs. Beula Muston of Avon and Mrs. Fern Hadley of North Salem; a cousin, Mrs. Dessie Starkey of Brownsburg; four other nieces; a nephew; a cousin, and a sister-in-law.

Services were Thursday in Weaver Funeral Home here, with Dr. Larry Lilly officiating. Burial was in East Cemetery.

Hendricks County Circuit Court complete book index (1887-1890) added

An index of Hendricks County Circuit Court Complete Records Book volume 9 (15 March 1887 - 7 June 1890) has been added to the Civil Court Records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site. A complete record book contains an extensive summary of a civil case from its beginning to its end. Making a complete record of a civil case was not a requirement - it required the lawyer to pay an additional fee to the clerk - so most civil cases are not included in these books. The option of having a complete record made of a civil case was abolished in Indiana by 1920.

The complete records books of the Hendricks County Circuit Court for volumes 2 through 16 (1834-1920) have been microfilmed. That microfilm is available for viewing locally at the Plainfield Public Library and the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis, and it can also be ordered through FamilySearch.

Adoption of James Michael CULL and Stacie CULL (1976)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Wednesday, July 28, 1976 - page 11, column 7:

According to a legal notice, in July 1976 Edward E. Halcomb and Sue C. Halcomb filed a petition in the Hendricks County Superior Court (case # A 76-30) to adopt minor children James Michael Cull and Stacie Cull. Their biological parents were listed as Linda Sue Cull Greathouse and Danny B. Cull, who could not be found. The petition was scheduled to be heard in court 30 days after the legal notice had been published.

Hendricks County residents who graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette (1955)

source: Coatesville Herald (Coatesville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 16, 1955 - page 3, columns 6-7:

DANVILLE:
--James Gordon Graham - Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
--Charles S. Porter - Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

PLAINFIELD:
--Louis Edward Gaston - Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Richard J. GROOVER appointed Hendricks County Circuit Court Judge (1959)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, April 16, 1959 - page 1, columns 6-7:

In April 1959, Richard Justin Groover was appointed by Governor Harold W. Handley to fill the unexpired term of Hendricks County Circuit Court Judge George W. Hadley, who had died suddenly at his home in North Salem. Groover was born March 26, 1923 to Mr. and Mrs. Glen G. Groover. He graduated from Pittsboro High School and was a World War II veteran, having served 15 months in the Army. He was town marshal for Brownsburg in 1947 and in 1952 opened a law office at 127 South Washington Street in Danville. In 1952 he was elected Hendricks County Prosecutor. On April 24, 1954, he married Joy Nash.

Adoption of Pamela Jo RIDDELL (1976)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Monday, August 30, 1976 - page 7, column 7:

According to a legal notice, in August 1976 Richard Cox, Jr. and Anita Cox filed a petition in the Hendricks County Superior Court (case # A 76-34) to adopt minor child Pamela Jo Riddell. Her biological father was listed as Robert E. Riddell, who could not be found. The petition was scheduled to be heard in court 30 days after the legal notice had been published.

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1950-1951

An index of the Hendricks County estate cases that had legal notices published in Hendricks County newspapers has been updated to include notices from the Coatesville Herald for 1950 and 1951. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now includes these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Coatesville Herald - 1950 through 1953
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1984
• The Republican - 1945 through 1984

This index currently covers 1945-1984; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

This may not be a comprehensive list of all the Hendricks County estate cases for this time period; legal notices could be filed in any newspaper in the county.

Civil War widow Mary M. HOPWOOD dies (1953)

source: Coatesville Herald (Coatesville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, July 23, 1953 - page 1, column 5:

WIDOW OF CIVIL WAR VET DIED MONDAY
Mrs. Mary M. HOPWOOD, age 94 years, widow of Mote R. Hopwood, Civil War veteran, passed away at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Freeman Cooper, southeast of Amo Monday morning.

Funeral services were held at the Clayton Baptist Church Wednesday afternoon.

Mrs. Hopwood is survived by two grandchildren, Mrs. Freeman Cooper, and Robert R. Hubbard of Memphis, Tennessee; four great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Hendricks County residents who graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington (1953)

source: Coatesville Herald (Coatesville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 4, 1953 - page 1, column 2:

BROWNSBURG:
Lois Joanne LINGEMAN - Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
Marjorie A. MOORE - Bachelor of Science in Education

COATESVILLE:
Roy O'NEAL - Bachelor of Arts in Botany
Betty J. SUTHERLIN - Bachelor of Science in Education

DANVILLE:
Mrs. Barbara HUFFMAN CLAYPOOL - Graduate Nurse
Harold W. HALL - Master of Science in Education
Lloyd L. HILL - Doctor of Medicine
Rilus J. HILL - Master of Science in Education
Edward D. MILLER - Doctor of Medicine
Harold W. UNDERWOOD - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

NORTH SALEM:
Harry H. O'BEAR - Doctor of Education

PITTSBORO:
Kenneth L. IDLE - Master of Science in Education
Robert E. LONG - Bachelor of Arts in Economics

PLAINFIELD:
Ronald TRENT - Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics

List of Lizton grade school students in 1968 added

An index of the Lizton students in grades 1 through 6 in 1968 has been added to the school records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site. This index was compiled from the North Salem High School 1968 yearbook, Echo. This yearbook is in the collection of the Danville library.

Adoption of Olivia Ann BAKER and siblings (1959)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, October 1, 1959 - page 8, columns 6-7:

According to a public notice, in October 1959 there was a petition in the Hendricks County Circuit Court (case #243) to adopt Olivia Ann Baker, Richard Purdy Baker, Jr. and Franklin Blackstone Baker. The children's biological father, Richard Purdy Baker, was listed as not being a resident of Indiana. The case was scheduled to be heard in court on November 20, 1959.

Faith Baptist Church breaks ground in Avon (1959)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, August 13, 1959 - page 12, columns 3-4

According to a newspaper article, a Baptist church was to hold its groundbreaking on Sunday, August 16, 1959 northeast of the intersection of U.S. 36 and State Road 267, in the Avon Heights addition. The church had moved from Brownsburg on March 1, and since that time had been holding its services in the Avon Bank Community Building. Owen Bowling was the pastor.

NOTE: Today the church is known as Faith Baptist Church of Avon. Its address is 7090 E. US 36.

Danville builds a swimming pool (1959)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, July 30, 1959 - page 1, columns 6-7

According to a newspaper article, the Danville Swimming Pool was to hold its grand opening in Danville Park on Saturday, August 1, 1959 at 10 am. Henry Cox was the pool manager, and membership cards were 25 cents each.

In May 1983, the Danville Town Board voted to rename the swimming pool in Ellis Park to "Gill Pool", in honor of William T. "Billy" Gill, who was the general contractor when it was built and was credited for generally leading the project.

NOTE: Today the pool is known as the Gill Family Aquatic Center.

Mary GOSSETT's suicide ruled a murder (1871)

contributed by Karen Zach:

source: Daily Wabash Express (Terre Haute, Indiana) - issue of 19 August 1871:

An Indianapolis correspondent states that, in May, 1869, Mary J. Gossett the wife of a prominent and wealthy citizen of Plainfield, Hendricks County in this state was supposed to have committed suicide by shooting herself through the head. Her life was insured in the Northwestern Mutual Life of Milwaukee, in favor of her husband for $10,000. At first the insurance company refused to pay, but finally did so, but have since kept a detective working up the case and on Thursday afternoon A.W. Gossett, Phoebe Gossett his second wife and John Bach, who keeps a restaurant near the Union Depot in Indianapolis were arrested and placed in jail. It is alleged that Mrs. Gossett was murdered by Bach, in accordance with an arrangement between Bach and Gossett, for the purpose of securing the insurance on her life, and to enable Gossett to marry his present wife with whom, it is alleged, he was too intimate.

Hendricks County Circuit Court complete book index (1890-1892) added

An index of Hendricks County Circuit Court Complete Records Book volume 10 (21 August 1890 - 17 September 1892) has been added to the Civil Court Records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site. A complete record book contains an extensive summary of a civil case from its beginning to its end. Making a complete record of a civil case was not a requirement - it required the lawyer to pay an additional fee to the clerk - so most civil cases are not included in these books. The option of having a complete record made of a civil case was abolished in Indiana by 1920.

The complete records books of the Hendricks County Circuit Court for volumes 2 through 16 (1834-1920) have been microfilmed. That microfilm is available for viewing locally at the Plainfield Public Library and the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis, and it can also be ordered through FamilySearch.

Name change of James MICHAEL (1959)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 18, 1959 - page 8, column 4:

According to a public notice, in June 1959, James Michael was petitioning the Hendricks County Circuit Court (case #7622) to change his name to James Michael Wallace. The petition was to be heard in court on July 25, 1959.

Site for new high school in Clayton purchased (1958)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, March 20, 1958 - page 1, column 5:

According to a newspaper article, in March 1958 Liberty Township trustee Harry Ward paid $15,000 to purchase a 27 acre piece of land on the northeast corner of US 40 and Hazelwood Road (aka County Road 0) south of Clayton. This site, which was formerly the Dorothy Walker Wilson property, was to be used to build a new Liberty Township High School.

NOTE: Cascade High School opened in the fall of 1964 on a site north of the intersection of US 40 and County Road 200 West.

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1952-1953

An index of the Hendricks County estate cases that had legal notices published in Hendricks County newspapers has been updated to include notices from the Coatesville Herald for 1952 and 1953. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now includes these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Coatesville Herald - 1952 through 1953
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1984
• The Republican - 1945 through 1984

This index currently covers 1945-1984; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

This may not be a comprehensive list of all the Hendricks County estate cases for this time period; legal notices could be filed in any newspaper in the county.