At the Libraries: Planning a Research Trip to Indianapolis and Jeffersonville, Indiana

In one week, I will start a trip to Kentucky to attend the National Genealogical Society’s Family History Conference in Louisville. We are leaving a week early by train, traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago and then from Chicago to Indianapolis, where we will rent a car for the next two weeks.

My husband’s Davey, Wollenweber, and Voehringer families lived in Indianapolis and Jeffersonville, and in Louisville, Kentucky. My Lancasters were from Shelby County, Kentucky, and my Pollys from Lewis County. I have lots of planning to do to make the best of my research time.

Indianapolis
My first stop is Indianapolis. After touring the Capitol building (8 to 5), I will check out the Indiana Archives and the Indiana State Library.

In checking the archives’ website (arc@iara.in.gov), they are open from 9 to 4. I see there are license records for Edward N. Flynn and Rose C McFall, who were physicians in Indiana. The military record for Joseph H. McFall is also there. The final record I want is the court case, Jeremiah Sheehan v. Mary Crosby. I will email them to make an appointment and tell them the files I’m interested in.

At the State Library (https://www.in.gov/library/about/), they are also open 8 to 4:30. They have a Clark County Collection. I am interested in the orphan home run there, as my husband’s grandmother was in an orphanage in Jeffersonville after her mother died. They also have directories, maps, and some microfilms of court, deeds, probate, and wills, just as FamilySearch does.

I hope I can get the research done in both places on the same day, but if not, I can always go to the library on the morning of the day we head out.

Clark County & Jeffersonville
Clark County is in the southern part of the state on the Ohio River across from Louisville. There are two towns in Clark County to check out. Charlestown has a public library open 9 to 8 pm with a genealogy section (https://youseemore.com/clarkco/contentpages.asp?loc=49). They have information about the Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot's history.

I will also check out the Jeffersonville Township Public Library, which has a Family & Local History Room collection in its Indiana Room (https://jefflibrary.org/local-history/indiana-room-collection/). Before visiting, I will contact them ahead of time to let them when I’m coming.

In Jeffersonville, the Clark County Museum is open 10 to 4. I hope it will have exhibits and displays to learn more about the mid-century (1800s) history (https://www.clarkcountyinmuseum.org/).

In all three places, I’m hoping to learn more about the IOOF Tabor Lodge and the Wall Street Methodist Episcopal Church. I’d like to find photos of the school Fred N. Davey attended. Lastly, Edward N. Flynn was a doctor and the mayor of Jeffersonville.

At the courthouse, I hope to view probate and court records, as well as deeds. I have the wills for Thomas Davey and his wife, Mary Davey, but no other probate records. I have the purchase of their land, but not the sale. I’m hoping the courthouse clerks can help me.

While in Jeffersonville, I’ll visit the Walnut Ridge Cemetery and take photos of Thomas & Mary’s tombstones.

Conclusion
Careful planning will yield better results. Sometimes, a facility does not have something new to add to my knowledge of the family, but every once in a while, I’ll find a real gem. I cannot expect to do reasonably exhaustive research if I don’t try to find materials that can fill out the family’s story. Not everything is digitized and online. Libraries will have books, subject files, and photos. Historical societies might have the same plus artifacts and ephemera. I like to use photographs of these items to illustrate my writing. Next up: plan the Kentucky portion of the trip!

Me checking out books at the Dublin Public
Library in Texas last year

#52Ancestors-Week 19: At the Library

This is my eighth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe.

I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family (https://mam-massouthernfamily.blogspot.com/) or My Trails into the Past (https://mytrailsintothepast.blogspot.com/). I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.