Former county surveyor Jesse Paul JOHNSON dies in Indianapolis (1937)

[obituary courtesy of Jim Cox]

source: Fort Wayne News Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, May 27, 1937

Maple Hill Cemetery; Plainfield, Hendricks County, Indiana

JESSE JOHNSON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, DIES
Former Albion School Head To Be Buried on Friday; Once County Surveyor

INDIANAPOLIS, May 27 - Jesse Paul Johnson, aged 49, former president and owner of the J. P. Johnson Company, road contractors, died of a cerebral hemorrhage here Wednesday. He was born in Michigan City August 19, 1887.

At one time he was school superintendent at Albion and was County Surveyor in Hendricks County seven years.

Funeral services will be held here Friday with burial at Plainfield.

Kate (VINCENT) PADDACK dies in Plainfield (1939)

source: Indianapolis Star, issue of Sunday, January 22, 1939 - page 10:

MRS. KATE PADDACK DIES AT PLAINFIELD

Plainfield, Ind. - January 21 - Mrs. Kate Paddack, 81 years old, died here today at the home of a daughter, Mrs. E.M. Dill, wife of the superintendent of the Indiana Boys' School. Mrs. Paddack had come here on a visit from her farm home, 12 miles south of Indianapolis.

Widely known in the Waverly and Greenwood vicinities, she was the daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Vincent. Her father was one of the first physicians in that section of Indiana, going by oxcart from Cincinnati, Ohio, to the Waverly community where he practiced for many years.

Mrs. Paddack, a widow, had lived in the farm home since her marriage 61 years ago. Besides Mrs. Dill, survivors include two other daughters, Mrs. Grace Zaring and Mrs. Willetta Dressler and a son, Vincent E. Paddack, all of near Greenwood.

Funeral services will be held at the farm residence Monday morning.

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".

Plainfield High School yearbooks 1951-1989 digitized

The Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library has digitized their collection of Plainfield High School yearbooks for 1951 through 1989. The yearbooks are in PDF format and are available via the Genealogy section of their website.

The yearbooks were digitized by Oklahoma Correctional Industries.

Supermarket to be built in Plainfield (1953)

source: The Friday Caller (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, December 17, 1953 - page 1, column 2:

According to a newspaper article, in December 1953 Mr. D.P. Daum announced that a Standard Super Market, operated by the National Tea Company, would be built in the next 4-5 months. It was to be built on a lot on Main Street next to Phillips Motor Sales, and was to have a parking lot big enough to hold 118 cars.

List of Guilford Township landowners in 1940 added

An index of the landowners in Guilford Township in 1940 has been added to the Land Records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site. This index was compiled from the Hendricks County Assessor's collection of plat books and lists the Congressional Township, Range and Section that the land was located in.

The Hendricks County Government's Archive has digital files of the plat books for scattered years between 1852 and 1940.

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1955

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 Plainfield Messenger for 1955. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now covers these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Clayton Commercial - 1945; 1948 through 1952 [scattered issues]
• Coatesville Herald - 1945 through 1961 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1961)
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1986
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1986
• The Friday Caller (Plainfield) - 1945 through 1956 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1956)
• Plainfield Messenger - 1945 through 1952; 1954-1955; 1983 through 1986

This index currently covers 1945 through 1986; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

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

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1954

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 Plainfield Messenger for 1954. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now covers these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Clayton Commercial - 1945; 1948 through 1952 [scattered issues]
• Coatesville Herald - 1945 through 1961 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1961)
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1986
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1986
• The Friday Caller (Plainfield) - 1945 through 1956 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1956)
• Plainfield Messenger - 1945 through 1952; 1954; 1983 through 1986

This index currently covers 1945 through 1986; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

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

David CARTER dies in Plainfield (1881)

submitted by Karen Zach:

Source: Crawfordsville Star (Crawfordsville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, June 2, 1881 - page 3:

The Barnhill boys, George Hadley and Lew Hornaday, with their families, went to Plainfield on Saturday evening to attend the funeral of their grandfather, David Carter, recently a visitor in this city, who died in Plainfield on Friday, aged 88 years.

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1983

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 Plainfield Messenger for 1983. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now covers these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Clayton Commercial - 1945; 1948 through 1952 [scattered issues]
• Coatesville Herald - 1945 through 1961 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1961)
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1986
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1986
• The Friday Caller (Plainfield) - 1945 through 1956 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1956)
• Plainfield Messenger - 1945 through 1952; 1983 through 1986

This index currently covers 1945 through 1986; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

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

Plainfield's Van Buren Elm Tree cut down (1945)

source: The Friday Caller (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, September 6, 1945 - page 1, columns 2-4:

According to a newspaper article, in September 1945 a famous tree in Plainfield was finally cut down by the workers from the Indiana State Highway Commission, after it was condemned. The "Van Buren Elm" had stood on the grounds of the Quaker Western Yearly Meeting House at the southwest corner of State Road 267 and US 40 in Plainfield. In June 1843, President Martin Van Buren was passing by in a stagecoach, when he fell out into mud at the base of the tree, leading to Congress giving money to improve the condition of the National Road. This tree then become a stop for souvenir hunters who took pieces out of it, and in August 1928 it was badly damaged by a tornado.

Today there is a plaque marking the site.

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1984

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 Plainfield Messenger for 1984. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now covers these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Clayton Commercial - 1945; 1948 through 1952 [scattered issues]
• Coatesville Herald - 1945 through 1961 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1961)
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1986
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1986
• The Friday Caller (Plainfield) - 1945 through 1956 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1956)
• Plainfield Messenger - 1945 through 1952; 1984-1986

This index currently covers 1945-1986; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

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

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1986

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 Plainfield Messenger for 1986. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now covers these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Clayton Commercial - 1945; 1948 through 1952 [scattered issues]
• Coatesville Herald - 1945 through 1961 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1961)
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1986
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1986
• The Friday Caller (Plainfield) - 1945 through 1956 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1956)
• Plainfield Messenger - 1945 through 1952; 1985-1986

This index currently covers 1945-1986; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

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

Hendricks County residents who graduated from University of Evansville, Evansville (1984)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Monday, July 30, 1984 - page 7, columns 2-3:

According to a newspaper article, in May 1984 these Hendricks County residents graduated from the University of Evansville in Evansville:

BROWNSBURG:
Christine Hill - Associate of Science in Legal Assistance (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hill)
Gary Redman - Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Redman)

PLAINFIELD:
Thomas Johnson - Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Sciences (son of Mr. and Mrs. Verne Johnson)

Hendricks County residents who graduated from Butler University, Indianapolis (1984)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Monday, June 11, 1984 - page 7, columns 5-7:

According to a newspaper article, these residents of Hendricks County graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis in June 1984:

BROWNSBURG:
Stacy Buckner - Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Pamela Faulkner - Bachelor of Arts in Home Economics
Cynthia Jackson - Bachelor of Arts in Home Economics
Brad Sowers - Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Linda Williams - Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

DANVILLE:
Brenda Archer - Master of Science in Education
Robert Machin - Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television

PITTSBORO:
Carolyn Carlat - Bachelor of Science

PLAINFIELD:
Deborah Bagley - Bachelor of Arts in Home Economics
David Clark - Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
Lois Magnabosco - Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Susan Nelson - Bachelor of Science in Public-Corporate Communication
James Pearson - Master of Arts in English
Michael Sexton - Masters of Business Administration in Business Administration
Della Shelton - Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church opens in Plainfield (1955)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, October 27, 1955 - page 1, column 2:

According to a newspaper article, in October 1955 a Lutheran congregation (part of the Missouri Synod) organized in Plainfield. They met in the basement of the Plainfield library and called their congregation St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church. The congregation was to serve the need of Lutherans not only in Plainfield, but also Danville, Mooresville, Brownsburg and Clayton. Dr. M.F. Kretzmann of Danville was to serve as the temporary pastor.

Hendricks County estate index updated for 1985

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 Plainfield Messenger for 1985. This index is in the probate records section of the Hendricks County GenWeb site.

This index now covers these Hendricks County newspapers:

• Clayton Commercial - 1945; 1948 through 1952 [scattered issues]
• Coatesville Herald - 1945 through 1961 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1961)
• Danville Gazette - 1945 through 1986
• The Republican (Danville) - 1945 through 1986
• The Friday Caller (Plainfield) - 1945 through 1956 (the newspaper stopped being published in 1956)
• Plainfield Messenger - 1945 through 1952; 1985

This index currently covers 1945-1986; more newspapers and more years will be added later.

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

Highway 267 between Brownsburg and Plainfield becomes a state road (1955)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, December 8, 1955 - page 1, column 7:

According to a newspaper article, in December 1955 the state took over control of highway 267 between Brownsburg, Avon and Plainfield after years of requests by Hendricks County officials to do so. The heavy travel by trucks and cars meant it was in constant need of repair, and the state taking it over meant they would now be responsible for its repair and maintenance. Part of the state takeover meant the road would receive state highway markers as well as speed zone signs.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church opens in Plainfield (1955)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, October 13, 1955 - page 1, columns 5-6:

According to a newspaper article, on October 16, 1955 St. Mark's Episcopal Church dedicated its building (710 East Buchanan Street, near Hobbs Street). It was formerly the building owned by the Plainfield Christian Church, which moved to a new location in 1954. St. Mark's first started in Plainfield in November 1953, when they held their services in the Plainfield library. In October 1954, Rev. William L. Casady was named the vicar of St. Mark's.

Kroger's in Plainfield closes after 27 years (1955)

source: Plainfield Messenger (Plainfield, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, May 5, 1955 - page 8, column 2:

According to a newspaper article, in May 1955 the Kroger grocery store in Plainfield closed after 27 years. It had opened (circa 1928) in the Barnes Building on West Main Street. Kroger had leased the building from owner Ralph Barnes. Leon Hern was the store manager and Dayle Cain was the manager of the meat department at the time of closing. They had been transferred to the Kroger at 5400 West Washington Street.

NOTE: In 2017 the Kroger in Plainfield is located on the north side of US 40 (Main Street) and Quaker Boulevard/267.