February 8, 2007

 

Dear Friends,

 

Based on several factors such as the items to discuss (not many items on the agenda) and the possible weather problems during this time of year we have decided not to hold a January meeting this year.  We will hold an additional one during the time when the museum is open this summer when we need to discuss items for the events being held at that time of year.

If you have any article that you would like to have in an upcoming newsletter let Byron know – otherwise we will continue to find something of interest from the library at Edinburgh.

 

            If you have any questions about something prior to the April meeting please contact Byron Freese or one of the other officers and we will try to address the question.

           

            Thanks to all who participated in the Safe Halloween that was held at Edinburgh in October..

We had a good turnout and many new faces to visit the museum.  Thanks to all who participated in decorations, handing out candy and taking care of the refreshments.

 

It is time to renew you membership for another year (if you have not already done so). The last year you did is on the upper right hand corner of your mailing address.

Dues are $5 for a family and $3 for a single.  

Since we do not have a meeting scheduled you can wait until the April meeting or you can also send the renewal to Byron Freese at 12974 E23 County Home Road, Scotch Grove  IA  52310.

Dues can also be given to any of the officers.

 

Officers this year is as follows:

            President – Daryl Wherry                                             Secretary – Cindy Gunther

            Vice-President – Jim Christianson                                 Treasurer – Byron Freese

                                                                                                Curator – Wilma Merfeld

            We have had several request this year from persons via the Internet Web site that has been set up. Enclosed is a list of several of them. If you have information on any of these let us know so that we can respond with some answers.  Our web site is http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajchs/jchs.html

Please visit this if possible to see what we have started on as our web site. It is in the process of changing with new and changed items.

           

Some items to keep in mind:

1. Plans for the Pancake Breakfast – Sunday May 6 for the opening of the Museum – if you normally do something for this prior to the April meeting let an officer know if you need help or have a question.

2. Any grants beneficial to the museum.

3. Ideas for any special Sundays and for Edinburgh Day - Which will be held August 26, 2007

 

                                                                             Happy New Year             

                                                                                    Daryl Wherry - President

                                                                                    Jim Christianson – Vice President

                                                                                    Cindy Gunther - Secretary

                                                                                     Byron Freese – Treasurer

                                                                                    Wilma Merfeld - Curator

Jones County Historical Society Website

 

Since the creation of the Jones County Historical Society website http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajchs/jchs.html in July of 2006, it has been the source of numerous contacts from different parts of the United States and from Scotland.

 

Our first contact was on July 10, 2006 from Portia Benadom Beebe of Lake Isabella, CA by email and phone.  Her mother was Helen Port, daughter of Dr. Frank Port and Alice Port and her father was Dr. Samuel Coy Benadom, the second son of Samuel Edward and Elsie Benadom.  She offered to donate items that belonged to her grandparents.

 

Carl and Lorry Berndt were looking for information on Harriet Rowe Mott.  The Revolutionary War Pension file of Harriett's father stated she had a family record that she began keeping in the 1830's. 

 

Connie Sterner of New York was looking for information on Walter Benton who spent about 10 years in Anamosa Iowa around the 1870s or 1880s and apparently he ran a successful lumber yard there before moving on to Minneapolis where he got into the Linseed Oil business. 

 

Don Wilson of Lake Stevens, WA was looking for information on Mildred (Ellison) Paul (1889-1994).  Mildred’s son-in-law, Jack Smith of DeWitt, IA thought that Mildred may have left some family papers to either the genealogical society or the historical society. 

 

Terrence J. Lindell, Professor of History at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa inquired about a photo of George H. Wolfe (1825-1889). Wolfe served as captain of Company C, Fourteenth Iowa Infantry, beginning in late 1861. This company later became part of the Forty-first Iowa Infantry Battalion, then Company M of the Seventh Iowa Cavalry. 

 

Our latest contact was on December 4, 2006 from Dr. Euan W. MacKie, Hon. Research Fellow, Hunterian Museum of the University of Glasgow, Scotland.  Dr. MacKie contacted Byron Freese by phone and email asking for assistance to collaborate with research concerning the rotary quern.  His research paper centered on the history of the rotary quern in North Britain, the use of which goes back more than 2000 years.  He thought it interesting to end his paper with the story of the quern that ended up in Scotch Grove.  Byron provided Dr. MacKie with many photos of the quern, the red river cart, and information for each item.  Dr. MacKie sent a copy of his manuscript to the Society. 

 

For more information on the website or on the inquiries, please contact Byron Freese, 563-487-3651, befreese@netins.net or Sharon Oltmanns, sdoltmanns@aol.com

 

If you might have any information to add to the responses please contact Byron or Sharon so that we can add your reply to the requestor.  You may also write to the Jones County Historical Society at 13838 Edinburgh Road  Scotch Grove,  IA  52310

 

Jones County Historical Society Grant Committee

 

The JCHS Grant Committee brainstormed potential grants and proposed programs and projects during meetings conducted in November, December, January, and February. 

 

Some of the potential grants included the Dubuque Racing Association Grant, Jones County Endowment Fund Grant, Farm Bureau Grant, Prairie Meadows Grant, and other non-profit grants found on the State Historical Society website and the Iowa Non-Profit Resource Center website. 

 

The committee submitted applications for the Jones County Endowment Fund grant for the Preservation and Display of Museum Artifacts project and the Dubuque Racing Association grant for the Preservation Standards project. The committee is in process of looking into other grants for other projects. 

 

To satisfy the requirements for some of the grants applications, the committee needs to outline some of the proposed programs and projects into an implementation plan with a workable timeline and budget along with consideration for available resources. 

 

For more information, please contact Byron Freese, 563-487-3651, befreese@netins.net

or Sharon Oltmanns, sdoltmanns@aol.com.

 

Right now, Sharon, Byron and Jim Christianson have been working on the grants.  If you would like to help or if you know of some other grants that might be available please contact one of us.  We will also need help on planning and research for some of these grants.