Pioneer Family History
The Madison County Historical Society presents "The Pioneer Family History" Exhibit which will run the entire month of July and until August 17, 2012. The display is at the History Center, 7 West 11th Street, Anderson, Indiana. The Exhibit Hall is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays with Wednesdays having extended hours from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. for this exhibit.
The early pioneer families featured this year are: Vinson, Dilts, Smith, Moore, Brunt, Maynard, Forrest, Curtis, and Gilmore. This is a great time for family members to visit and exchange stories, documents, pictures, and memorabilia.
Many of the early pioneer families came into Madison County around 1819-1820. Many came in small bands of three or four families. The first bands came to Pendleton and Chesterfield areas.
Since timber was abundant, the first home was a log cabin. With neighbors helping each other, the cabins went up fairly quickly. However, some families lived in tents until a cabin was built. William Dilts arrived in 1821 in Union Township near Chesterfield. At approximately the same time, Frederick Bronnenberg arrived and stayed when one of his oxen died.
In 1840, Amos Gustin and wife, Margaret, cleared land in Union Township and built a log cabin in the woods. In about 1889, Joseph McGranahan, a retired grocer, arrived in Anderson. His son, William operated a grocery for 30 years in the early 1900s on Main Street.
You will find more family histories at this display. Come early and stay late as there is a lot of years to cover. Our special "Thank You" to Melody Hull, Lucretia Lawler, Suzy Chambers and Phyllis Leedom for all their hard work in setting up this display and all the research done to share this collection with the community.
The exhibit is free to everyone in the community. It is for you and your family; that's why we do it! For more information and/or questions, please call us at (765) 683-0052 during public hours. Thank you!
