Conner Prairie
Noblesville, Indiana
Saturday, November 4, 2006

Submitted by Robert H. Everitt

Eighty Society of Indiana Pioneers members and their guests met on Saturday, November 4, at Conner Prairie near Noblesville for the Annual Meeting. After hearing reports from President Jamia Jacobsen and other officers and committee chairs, a slate of candidates to serve on the Board of Governors and as officers was presented and unanimously accepted by the membership.

In a special presentation, the title of Honorary Member was posthumously bestowed on Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States and the only one to be elected from the State of Indiana. Accepting the award on behalf of President Harrison was Phyllis D. Geeslin, Executive Director of the President Benjamin Harrison Foundation.

Guests of the Society for this event were the three winners of the Inaugural Society of Indiana Pioneers Fellowships. Winners of the $1,000 Fellowships were doctoral candidates Keith A. Erekson (Indiana University Bloomington), Kevin L. Gooding (Purdue University), and Matt Salafia (University of Notre Dame). Each of the winners made a brief presentation on the topic selected for his doctoral research.

Reporting on the 2006 Pilgrimages, Nelson Price presented slides and commentary on the Spring two-day pilgrimage to Springfield, Illinois and the Fall pilgrimage to the Crane Naval Warfare Center in Martin County and points of interest in Bedford, Indiana.

After a roll call of members by former president Evie Rhodehamel and a luncheon served family style, members heard a most interesting presentation by author and lecturer Trudy Bell: “Indiana’s Katrina: the Great Easter Flood of 1913”.

Following tradition, the meeting was adjourned with the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana”.