CANCELLED: Danville library to host book talk about Indiana Civil War unit

UPDATE: This program has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

The Danville Public Library will hold a book talk and signing by local author Jennifer Thompson on Saturday, March 28 at 10 am in the library's program room on the ground floor. Thompson is the author of Above Us or Around Us: The Story & Men of the Bloody Eighth. At the beginning of the Civil War, the Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry (with 784 men) organized for three months of service (April 25 - August 2). When the war did not end as quickly as expected, the regiment (with 1046 men) reorganized for three years of service. This presentation will provide a brief history of the three-month and three-year Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, some problems faced in the regiment, and claims to fame and tragic endings of some of the soldiers.

Jenny Thompson graduated with a Bachelor;s in General Studies from IU in 2002 and a Masters in Military Studies - Civil War from AMU in 2006. She has served as the editor of the Hardtack since 2006. She is an adjunct History professor at American Public University System (American Military University and American Public University). On March 3, 2017, the Caroline Scott Harrison DAR Chapter presented her the "Woman in American History Award" for her outstanding work and accomplishments.

Thompson will have signed sets of her four volume book available for $70 (they are $95 on Amazon). If you want a set, please contact her at jkt60jet@gmail.com so she will know how many sets to bring to the program.

Pre-registration is required - register online via the events link on the library's website, or call (317) 745-2604.

Danville library to discuss Civil War life

The Danville library will hold a free program, "Civil War Life from a Different Perspective - Part II" on Saturday, April 27 at 10 am in the library's program room on the ground floor. Hendricks County Historical Museum volunteer Tim Macsay will discuss miscellaneous information about the Civil War Navy, Balloon Corps, people, spies, inventions and more. Several items from the Hendricks County Museum’s collection will be displayed, and some hardtack will be available for tasting.

Pre-registration is required for this free program - to pre-register, call the library at (317) 745-2604 or visit the library's website and click on the Events link.

Danville library to host presentation about Civil War life

The Danville Public Library will hold a presentation in the library's program room on Saturday, August 25 at 10 am about Civil War life. Tim Macsay, a volunteer with the Hendricks County Historical Museum, will give a demonstration of the weapons used during the Civil War, and there will be an opportunity to taste hardtack, which soldiers ate.

Pre-registration is required - register online via the library's events calendar, or by calling (317) 745-2604.

Plainfield library posts Civil War letters online

The Plainfield library's Indiana Room has digitized the Civil War letters of John Mills, who was a resident of Guilford Township. These letters are available online at https://www.plainfieldlibrary.net/services/genealogy/ - scroll down to "Collections in the Archives".

Former Hendricks County Recorder J. Lee BROWN dies in Iowa (1906)

from The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 14, 1906 - page 1, column 3:

FORMERLY RECORDER
J. Lee Brown died at his home near Chariton, Iowa, May 24, of pneumonia. At his funeral services Col. Bartholomew paid a touching tribute to his memory. Mr. Brown was recorder of Hendricks County from 1866 to 1870 and upon leaving his office moved to Iowa. He was elected county auditor there three times and in 1883 was elected auditor of state. He became involved in an altercation with the governor and was impeached. Upon trial he was acquitted and reinstated in his office. He was a native of New Jersey, coming to Indiana in 1859. He served in the 70th regiment and at the battle of Resaca received a wound that necessitated the amputation of an arm. His wife who was Miss Esther Templin survives with nine children. The Chariton Herald pays him a marked tribute as a good citizen.

Obituary of Civil War Veteran Henry C. MOORE (1915)

From the Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, February 4, 1915 - page 1, column 3:

HENRY C. MOORE DEAD
Henry C. Moore, 74, a former resident of this county, died at the Soldiers' Home at Danville, Ills., Saturday. He was an uncle of A.C. Underwood of this place. Mr. Underwood and his father, J.T. Underwood, attended the funeral, which was held Monday at Danville, Ills. Deceased lived for many years near Pittsboro and he is well known in that part of the county. He had been at the Soldiers' Home for about 15 years. He was an old soldier, having served with Henry Kirk and George W. Scearce of this place in Co. A of the 51st Ind. Henry Kirk was at Danville last week to visit the sick man. He was held in high regard by his old comrades.

Memorial for James G. MILES (1898)

Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 42 (March 1898 - February 1899) includes a memorial for lawyer James G. Miles, who died March 15, 1898. He was born July 2, 1827 in Parke County, Indiana, and was admitted to the bar in 1849 in Clay County, Indiana after having studied at law at Bloomington, Indiana. He married Susan J. Wade on November 12, 1850 in Franklin County, Kentucky. They had 14 children, 5 of whom died in infancy. The others - 7 daughters and 2 sons - survived, along with the widow.

In the Civil War, he joined Company M of the 71st Indiana Regiment (also known as the 6th Indiana Cavalry) and eventually was elevated to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant (at Pulaski, Tennessee he was "pro marshal"). He was discharged on September 15, 1865. In October 1863, his family moved from Clay County to Danville, Hendricks County. When he was discharged in 1865, he joined them there, and he lived in Danville ever since.

While in Danville, he practiced law and served as a deputy in the county clerk and county auditor's offices. He also served in the House of Representatives in the Indiana legislature in the 1881 session.

The memorial notes:

"As a lawyer he was studious and painstaking. His practice was entirely on the civil side and largely in matters probate. He had the respect and goodwill of the bar and many friends in the community at large. As a citizen he stood well among us. The large number of children he reared and their character and worth, is a testimonial of a high order to his worth as a parent and citizen."

George ARMSTRONG Adopted by Rev. DICKERSON (1866)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 9 (August 1861 - September 1866), in March 1866 Reverend Henry L. Dickerson of Danville filed a petition to adopt George Armstrong, who was born on 5 March 1864. Armstrong's father, George Armstrong of Leesburg, Kosciusko County, Indiana, was a soldier in the 30th Indiana Infantry who had lost his wife and was not able to care for the child, and thus he had signed an indenture with Dickerson back in 1864 relinquishing the care of the infant. Dickerson had cared for the infant for 22 months and the father's whereabouts were now unknown. The court approved the petition and changed the child's name to George Dickerson.

Civil War Photo of Josiah MARVEL

The Indiana Historical Society's Facebook page posted this photo of Josiah Marvel of Hendricks County, with the following information:

"Meet Union soldier and Hendricks County boy Josiah Marvel. Although only 15 years old, Marvel enlisted in the Seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteers in 1861. At the time, enlarging photographs was tedious work, and specialists reproduced and enhanced them with a crayon to increase contrast and hide blemishes. This portrait is a beautiful example of this early, but complicated, photographic process."

Joseph MILLER and Jane FLETCHER Married (1861)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Court of Common Pleas Order Book Volume 4 (January 1860 - May 1861), on 24 May 1861 the judge of the Court of Common Pleas, John Coburn, shut down the court for the day so that he could go to Cartersburg to officiate the marriage of Lt. Joseph S. Miller ("formerly a worthy & highly esteemed member of the Danville Bar but now of the USA") and Miss Jane Fletcher. Among the witnesses present: Senator Blair and Ben Harrison of the Indianapolis Bar; Daggy of the Greencastle Bar; Harper of Cincinnati; Root of Indianapolis; Honest Ed Clark ("formerly of this place but now of Indianapolis") and Bill Astley.

Judge Coburn reportedly remarked that "it looked like War & Peace mixing together"; his escort C.F. Rooker said "it looked like preparing for Peace in time of War."

Memorial for Daniel F. HILL (1895)

Hendricks County Civil Order Book Volume 39 (May 1895 - April 1896) includes an entry commemorating the death of lawyer Daniel F. Hill:

"Daniel F. Hill enlisted in the 11th Ind. Vols. for three years, and was mustered into the U.S. service as a sergeant August 31, 1861, and after about two years' service was discharged for disability. On May 18th, 1864, he again enlisted and was mustered into the 132 Ind. Vols. as adjutant for one hundred days, and was honorably discharged on expiration of term of enlistment. He again entered the military service February 21, 1865, for twelve months, as captain of Co. G, 148 Ind. Vols., and served in that capacity until September 5th, 1865, when he was mustered out with his company.

Soon after the war he was elected Justice of the Peace, of Middle Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, serving for several years. From Middle Township he moved to Danville, in the year 1889, where he resided until his death, June 9th, 1895. In the year 1872 he was admitted to the bar. While living in Middle Township he was engaged in farming and conducting a store in the village of Pittsboro. In 1892 he was elected prosecuting attorney of this the 55th judicial circuit, and filled the office for the term of two years.

For more than a year he had been a great sufferer. The Bar extends to his family their most sincere sympathy in their bereavement."

Charles Foley, Chairman
E.G. Hogate, Secretary

Civil War Veteran Jesse MOON Dies in Clayton (1934)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, September 27, 1934 - page 1, column 2

LAST LIBERTY CIVIL WAR VETERAN DIES
Jesse D. Moon, Member of 117th Infantry, Buried Yesterday

Jesse D. Moon, aged 91, a member of Co. B, 117th Indiana Infantry during the Civil War, and the last of the veterans residing in Liberty Township, died at his home in Clayton, Monday morning. He had been confined to his home a number of years but had been able to be about the house until a short time before his death. The immediate cause of death was pneumonia.

Comrade Moon enlisted in Co. B. of the 117th on July 22, 1863. He was honorably discharged February 24, 1864, but re-enlisted in February, 1865, in Co. K, of the 148th Infantry and served until the close of the war.

He was the son of John and Lucinda Moon and was born on a farm between Clayton and Hazelwood and has lived in Wayne, Sullivan and Hendricks counties.

In 1867, he was married to Miss Rebekah Jane Osborne, and to them were born two sons, John and Harvey. After the death of his wife he was married to Fannie Burkhart. In 1911 he moved from the farm to Clayton, where he had resided until his death.

He is survived by two daughters, Grace and Mrs. John Booker of Sullivan, and one son, one granddaughter, one great-grandson, one sister, Mrs. Emma Busby, and one brother, Rigdon Moon, both of Clayton, and one step-son, Roley Moon.

Funeral services were conducted at the Clayton Presbyterian church, yesterday afternoon, in charge of the Rev. Ruben Masten of Belle Union with interment in the Clayton cemetery.

Flora (ROBBINS) WOODS Files For Divorce (1934)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, May 10, 1934 - page 1, column 2:

BRIDE OF A YEAR SEEKS DIVORCE FROM UNION SOLDIER
Marriage in old age did not turn out well for an aged Danville couple who lived together just one year. Flora Woods, age 61, filed suit in the local clerk's office, last Thursday, for a divorce from George Woods, age 89, a Civil War veteran.

The plaintiff alleges cruel and inhuman treatment and that the defendant left her without means of support. They were married in March, 1933, and separated in March of this year. Mrs. Woods asked that her former name, Flora Robbins, be restored.

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: Civil War Veteran's Wife Deeks Divorce (1934)

An item found in The Republican (Danville, Indiana) – issue of Thursday, May 10, 1934 – page 1, column 2:

BRIDE OF A YEAR SEEKS DIVORCE FROM UNION SOLDIER

Marriage in old age did not turn out well for an aged Danville couple who lived together just one year. Flora Woods, age 61, filed suit in the local clerk’s office, last Thursday, for a divorce from George Woods, age 89, a Civil War veteran.

The plaintiff alleges cruel and inhuman treatment and that the defendant left her without means of support. They were married in March, 1933, and separated in March of this year. Mrs.Woods asks that her former name, Flora Robbins, be restored.