Meridian Hills Country Club
Indianapolis, Indiana
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Submitted by Robert H. Everitt
More than sixty members and guests of the Society of Indiana Pioneers met on Saturday, November 7, 2009, at Meridian Hills Country Club in Indianapolis for the 94th Annual Meeting. Members greeted one another and inspected the interesting array of items that Chairman Louise DeMore and her hard-working committee had gathered for sale at the Society’s second annual silent auction.
In his State of the Society report, President Tom Ewbank commended Dr. Mary Alice Hines for her work as Public Relations Chair and highlighted the work of Mary Jane Meeker and volunteer speakers in revitalizing the Speakers Bureau. Winner of the 2009 Society of Indiana Pioneers John H. Holliday Award was the Junior History Club at St. Mary’s Elementary School in Greensburg, Indiana.
Nominating Committee Chair Marcia Krieg put forward a slate of candidates for positions on the Board of Governors for terms expiring in 2012, which were unanimously accepted by the membership:
- Tiffany Benedict Berkson, Indianapolis
- Jinsie S. Bingham, Greencastle
- Barbara J. Campbell*, Indianapolis
- James P. Fadely, Indianapolis
- Judge Thomas G. Fisher*, Indianapolis
- Dr. John D. MacDougall*, Indianapolis
- Eric N. Ward*, Boston, MA
*Elected to serve a second successive term.
The newly constituted Board of Governors then convened for a brief meeting and accepted the slate of officers for one-year terms:
- Kenneth L. Beasley, President
- Carolyn A. Rose and Stanley R. Evans, Co-Vice Presidents/Presidents-Elect
- Robert H. Everitt, Secretary
- Bruce W. Oakley, Treasurer
- Marcia A. Krieg, Registrar
- Joan R. Everitt, Yearbook Editor
Following a brief recess to make final bids on items in the Silent Auction, members enjoyed a delightful luncheon prepared and served by the Meridian Hills staff. President-elect Ken Beasley offered a tribute to the members whose deaths were reported during the past year, and Honorary Member Evie Rhodehamel led the traditional Roll Call where members’ ancestors were identified by the time period during which they settled in the state of Indiana. Special note was made of the fact that Evie’s mother, Elizabeth Cruft Holliday, assisted in the Roll Call at the first annual meeting of the Society in 1916.
Fellowships Chair and member of the Board of Governors Jim Fadely introduced Jennifer Harrison as the 2009 winner of the Society of Indiana Pioneers Fellowship. Jennifer, working toward her MA degree at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis, expressed her appreciation to the Society for support of her research and presented a most engaging description of the subject of her thesis focused on the Lemen family who entered southern Indiana and southern Illinois in the early 19th century. Members of the family were driving influences in organizing groups to oppose slavery in the formative years of those Midwestern states.
Following a slide presentation of the 2009 Pilgrimages to Crawfordsville/Montgomery County and French Lick & West Baden/Orange County by Nelson Price, Louise DeMore announced the Silent Auction’s final results, which netted more than $1,100. Following tradition, the meeting was adjourned with the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana”.
