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Elkhart County Genealogical Society

The Elkhart County Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization seeking to further interest in genealogy in the Michiana area, to contribute to the preservation of genealogical and historical records of the Michiana area, to stress the importance of accuracy in research through careful documentation, and to publish a quarterly journal containing records of the area and other genealogical information of importance to society members.

The Elkhart County Genealogical Society publishes The Michiana Searcher four times a year which is sent free to members. Membership is $14 yearly (Jan 1 - Dec 31) and payable to the Elkhart County Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 1031, Elkhart, IN 46515-1031.

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of each month. Guests are always welcome.

Sailor Memorial Library

The Elkhart County Genealogical Society's library has moved to the Rush Memorial Center, 304 W Vistula St, Bristol, Indiana, (574) 848-4322. The Sailor Memorial Library will operate 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. We will be closed during the months of December and January when the Rush Memorial Center will also be closed. Please come visit us!


Upcoming ECGS Events

Elkhart County Genealogical Society Meetings

All meetings start at 7:00 P.M. Meetings will be held at 7:00 pm on the third Thursday at Elkhart Public Library, 300 South Second Street, Elkhart, unless noted. There is no meeting in December or January. GUESTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

The Elkhart County Genealogical Society will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 18th 2010 at 7:00 PM in the lower level of the Elkhart Co. Public Library. The program "Preserving Our Heritage" will be presented by members Peter and Anita Rodgers. They will stress the importance of capturing cemetery monuments - the proper techniques for cleaning, photographing, and preserving the images for posterity - for your own albums or posting to the Internet.

The meetings are free and open to the public! A yearly membership at $14.00 per family will reward you with notifications of the meetings and four issues of our local historical publication "The Indiana Searcher". Please join us!!

THANK YOU !!! Anita Rodgers, VP and Program Chair.

No meetings in December or January.

No meetings in June, July or August

All meetings are open to the public.

Meetings subject to change.


NEW MICROFILM CENTER AT RUSH

The Elkhart County Genealogical Society (ECGS) spearheaded a new microfilm research center at Rush Memorial. Using money generated from book sales over the past 13 years, and with financial input from the Elkhart County Historical Society (ECHS) and Elkhart County Government, a new, “state of the art”, microfilm scanner was purchased and put into use in February. In March 2008, the County Parks Department (ECHS operates under them) will be purchasing a new microfilm media cabinet and a wooden library table to complete the microfilm research facility.

The new microfilm scanner is located in the 1st floor library of he Elkhart County Museum (Rush Memorial Center). The reader has the ability to copy information from the microfilm to an attached computer. From the computer, you can then save your information on a CD or flash drive, or even e-mail the information to your home computer. You may also bring your own laptop and take advantage of the wireless service when researching in the genealogical and historical society libraries.

ECGS has over 300 microfilms of CRIMP (County Records of Indiana Microfilm Project) records. These consist of old records (marriages, probate, wills, etc.) from the Elkhart County Courthouse. These microfilms are unique as there are only three complete copies. These copies are located in the ECGS library, Indiana State Library, and the Mormon Library in Utah. It is anticipated that more early microfilm records from the Elkhart County Courthouse will be available in the future.

ECHS has over 400 microfilms of early newspapers from Elkhart County. They also have all the census for Elkhart County (1830 - 1930). It is also anticipated that additional early newspapers from the area will eventually be purchased.

The plans for the Microfilm Center is to have it be the first place a person stops when they begin researching their ancestors in Elkhart County.

A future issue of the Michiana Searcher will have a listing of all items on microfilm at the center. At that time, the staff of ECGS will be willing to look up information from these films for a small fee for those who live out of town and are unable to visit the center.

If you are in the area, please stop in and visit the microfilm center, library and museum. It would be a great way to start or continue your family research. You may want to visit the ECHS blog page where you can see pictures of the viewer.www.elkhartcountyhistoricalmuseum.blogspot.com



Elkhart County Genealogical Society Addressees

Send all USPS mail to:
Elkhart County Genealogical Society
PO Box 1031
Elkhart, IN 46515-1031

Send all queries by USPS mail to:
ECGS Queries Chairman
PO Box 1031
Elkhart, IN 46515-1031

Book purchases:
Elkhart County Genealogical Society Publications
P.O. Box 1031
Elkhart, IN 46515-1031

For questions about membership, contact Carlene Willings.

For questions about the Michiana Searcher, contact Carlene Willings c/o Elkhart County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1031, Elkhart, IN 46515-1031.


PUBLICATIONS OF THE ELKHART COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

PRAIRIE STREET CEMETERY

The latest publication of the Elkhart County Genealogical Society is the Prairie Street Cemetery by Patricia K. Johnson and Jeffrey L. Keim. Prairie Street Cemetery was formed in 1895 by the Prairie Street Mennonite Church. In 1998, the church donated the cemetery to the City of Elkhart. A number of individuals who were buried in the Oakland Ave (Pleasant Plain) Cemetery were re-interred in the Prairie Street Cemetery when the former cemetery was vacated to put in a new road in the early 1900's. Most of these burials date prior to 1895, some as early as the 1850's. Names of those who were moved include Rush, Tavernier, Krieghbaum, Livengood and Markel among others.

Since the cemetery was taken over by the city, there have been more than 1,200 new burials. Burials thru 2006 are included in this book. It is estimated that over 11,000 burials are listed. There are over 21,000 names in the index. The authors, in many cases included parents and spouses names.

This book consists of 318 pages including a full index. If you would like a copy of the book, please remit $ 45.00 plus tax (Indiana residents only - tax $ 2.70) plus $ 4.00 for postage and handling.

Mail to:
Publications, Elkhart County Genealogical Society, PO Box 1031, Elkhart, IN 46515-1031


The Elkhart County (Indiana) Genealogical Society is offering the following books, published by ECGS, at a 50% discount for a limited time period. Other books published are in limited supply and are not included in this special offer. Those books are listed at the end and are available for purchase at the regular price.

Original Special
Index To The Records Of The Walley-Mills-Zimmerman Funeral Home,
Elkhart, Indiana Vol. II - October 1988 - October 1999

A.L. Skwiercz and J.L. Gold (2001) Includes maiden name index for Volume I and II. Hard bound 207 pages
$ 20.00 $ 10.00
+ $0.60 tax
Index To The Records of The Andrew Stephens (1913 - 1928) and
Hartzler Gutermuth-Inman (1926 - 1996) Funeral Homes, Elkhart, Indiana,
compiled by A. L. Skwiercz and J. L. Gold. (1997)

Separate indexes for the Stephens and the Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home.
Over 12,000 names. Hard bound 240 pages
$ 24.00 $ 12.00
+ $0.72 tax
Names In The Historical Directory - Elkhart County, Indiana -
1892 From The Plat Book Of Elkhart County
Compiled by P. K. Johnson (2000) 829 names Spiral bound 17 pages
$ 6.00 $ 3.00
+ $0.18 tax
Rice Cemetery Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana Vol. II
P. K. Johnson and J. L. Keim (2002)

LIMITED SUPPLY (4 books)
Over 12,000 names. All burials are included. Additional references
(newspaper, marriage, funeral homes, etc) are listed.
Hard bound Archival paper 341 pages
$ 40.00 $ 20.00
+ $1.20 tax
Burial Transit Permits July 1950 - January 1984 Elkhart City and
August 1950 - December 1982 Elkhart County Indiana
P. K. Johnson and L. A. Jacobson (2002)

Over 3,000 names of those who died out of the County and the remains shipped back for burial. Death date, place and burial location are given. Hard bound. Archival paper 180 pages
$ 25.00 $ 12.50
+ $0.75 tax
Index to Goshen The First 150 Years W. K. Hoffman (2002)
All names found in the book were indexed along with locations, events,
homes and customs. Many "First..." are also listed. spiral bound
$ 6.00 $ 3.00
+ $0.18 tax
Marriage Records, Elkhart County, Indiana, 1830-1867 (2004)
P. K. Johnson and J. L. Keim Over 4,400 marriages listed. Indexed by both
groom and bride. Hard bound, archival paper. 257 pages
$ 34.00 $ 17.00
+ $1.02 tax
Grace Lutheran Church Records (1873-1948) (2003) P. K. Johnson
Over 2,400 members included. Baptisms, marriages and burials listed.
All indexed. Includes some records from Zion Lutheran.
Hardback, archival paper. 294 pages
$ 36.00 $ 18.00
+ $1.08 tax
Index to The Records of the Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, Elkhart,
Elkhart County Indiana Andrew L. Skwiercz and John L. Gold. (2003)

Abt 5,000 names. Separate index for maiden names.
Hardback , archival paper 182 pages
$ 28.00 $ 14.00
+ $0.84 tax
Index to The Records of the Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, Bristol,
Elkhart County Indiana (2003)
Compiled by Andrew L. Skwiercz and John L. Gold.

Includes some records from Wagner Funeral Home. Separate index for maiden names. Spiral, archival paper
$ 9.00 $ 4.50
+ $0.27 tax

These publications are not on sale.

These publications are in limited supply.


Cost
Index to The Records of the Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, Bristol,
Elkhart County Indiana (2003)
Compiled by Andrew L. Skwiercz and John L. Gold.

Includes some records from Wagner Funeral Home. Separate index for maiden names.
Spiral, archival paper
$ 4.50
+ $0.27 tax
Waterman-Westbrook-Clouse Funeral Home Elkhart, Elkhart
County, Indiana (1940-2005) A. L. Skwiercz and J. L. Gold (2005)
Index includes maiden names. Hard bound, archival paper 171 pages
$ 28.00
+ $1.68 tax
Marriage Records, Elkhart County, Indiana 1867 - 1889, J. L. Keim
and P. K. Johnson (2006) Over 6,000 marriages listed. Indexed by both
groom and bride. Hard bound, archival paper 358 pages
$43.00
+ $2.58 tax
West Goshen Cemetery, Goshen, Elkhart County Indiana
Jeffrey L. Keim (2006) This book lists all burials (over 2,500) up to the end of 2005.
Along with the name and dates located on the tombstones, additional information is
included when available, such as birth and death dates, and marriage dates. This is a
very comprehensive book covering approximately 145 pages. A complete index is included.
145 pages, hard bound, archival paper. A limited printing of this book was done.
$30.00
+ $1.80 tax
NEW
Prairie Street Cemetery, Elkhart, Elkhart County Indiana
Patricia K. Johnson and Jeffrey L. Keim (2007)
Prairie Street Cemetery was formed in 1895 by the Prairie Street Mennonite Church. In 1998,
the church donated the cemetery to the City of Elkhart. A number of individuals who were
buried in the Oakland Ave (Pleasant Plain) Cemetery were re-interred in the Prairie Street
Cemetery when the former cemetery was vacated to put in a new road in the early 1900's.
Most of these burials date prior to 1895, some as early as the 1850's. Burials thru 2006 are
included in this book. It is estimated that over 11,000 burials are listed. There are over 21,000
names in the index. The authors, in many cases included parents and spouses names.
318 pages including a full index. Hardbound, archival paper.
$ 45.00
+$ 2.70 tax

Postage and handling $ 4.00 for the 1st book $ 1.50 for each additional book.
Indiana residents only must add the 6% tax.

Please send orders to:
Elkhart County Genealogical Society; Publications
P.O. Box 1031
Elkhart, IN 46515-1031

Download a PDF file listing all ECGS publications for sale.

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