Events, General

September 2026 CCGSI Meeting

Our monthly meeting will be held Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM at the Clay County Genealogy Library, located at 309 Main St., Center Point, IN.

We had originally scheduled Dawn Garrigus to present a program on the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR); however, due to scheduling conflicts, she will not be able to give her presentation this month.

Saline City Labor Day Picnic Recap

We had a wonderful time at the Saline City Labor Day Picnic! We served shredded pork, shredded chicken, mac ’n’ cheese, green beans, and applesauce, and enjoyed absolutely perfect weather. It was a great opportunity to connect with the community.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, donated, or supported us—near and far. 

New Sign Update

Thanks to a generous donation, we were able to purchase a new sign for the front of our building. The board has approved the design, and we received word today that it is completed. We will be picking it up this week and getting it installed for the community to see.

Upcoming Events

Officer Elections – December 2026

Elections for new officers are coming up in December. I will be nominating a committee to prepare a slate of candidates.

If you are interested in serving on the Election Committee, please let me know by this month’s meeting.

Committee responsibilities include:

  • Contacting active members to see if they would like to be on the ballot
  • Preparing the slate of candidates by the following meeting

The slate will be announced in November, and elections will be held in December.

November 17, 2026 – 1:00 PM

Piecing Together the Past

In November 2024, Bruce Moon of Plainfield, IN donated a quilt to the Clay County Genealogical Society. Volunteer Caroline Gilson began researching the embroidered names using library resources such as city directories, family files, and church histories. She discovered that most of the names were from Center Point and Clay City, and the date 1908 appears several times.

However, a reference to a church in Columbus, Nebraska opened an unexpected new line of questions.

Join us to learn about:

  • The quilt with over 400 embroidered names
  • Caroline’s theories, discoveries, and unanswered questions
  • Her 2026 research road trip to Nebraska

Thanksgiving Carry-In

Our November meeting will also be our Thanksgiving Carry-In. The Society will provide the meats, and we kindly ask everyone to bring a side dish.

December Meeting – Elections & Christmas Lunch

In December, we will hold a brief meeting, conduct officer elections, and then enjoy our Christmas lunch together. We will provide the meats and ask everyone to bring a side dish.

Have a great week everyone!

Tonia Tucker, President 

Events, General

August 2026 CCGSI Meeting

AUGUST MEETING
Our monthly meeting will be held Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM at the Clay County Genealogy Library, located at 309 Main St., Center Point, IN.

AUGUST PROGRAM
Following a brief business meeting, member Barbara Campbell Pell will present a program on the Kaiser Trunk and its journey to the United States. These trunks were known for their large size, sturdy construction, and the challenges they posed for immigrants who carried them across oceans and continents. It promises to be a fascinating look at a unique piece of history.

JULY PROGRAM RECAP
We had an excellent turnout for last month’s program on Madge Oberholtzer. Author Charlotte Halsema Ottinger shared insights from her compelling book about Madge and her role in bringing down D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan.
Charlotte has generously left a few copies of her book at the library for purchase. If interested, please contact the library at 812 835 5005 during open hours (Monday & Wednesday 10–4, Friday 11–4) or email researchclaycounty@frontier.com.

GRANTS
We are thrilled to announce that the Clay County Genealogical Society has been awarded $1,800 from the UDWI REMC Community Fund. These funds were used to purchase durable metal bookends—simple tools that make a big difference. Quality bookends help keep books upright and prevent warping, reduce stress on aging bindings, protect rare and irreplaceable genealogical volumes, improve airflow and reduce moisture buildup.
This grant directly strengthens our preservation efforts and helps safeguard our collection for future generations.  We are also proud to share that the Brazil Rotary Club has awarded us a $5,200 grant. This funding will be used to purchase metal shelving for the fragile Brazil Times volumes, which have been stored on the floor due to their weight and size. These shelves will allow us to properly preserve and display these important historical newspapers.

LANDSCAPING IMPROVMENTS
Last month we announced a generous donation from a community member to complete the landscaping around our building. We are happy to report that:
• New plants have been added
• A fence has been installed
• A new sign for the front of the building is currently in progress
These improvements help make our library welcoming, attractive, and representative of the pride we have in CCGSI.

Clay County Indiana