A Journey Through Time (Third Grade Textbook) 80 pages  $10

My Pioneer Childhood in Early Jay County 49 pages $10

Tell Me a Story, Grandpa (Underground Railroad) 12 pages  $5

A Journey Through Time 2008,  80 pages  $10

This history is the current third grade textbook for students in the Jay School Corporation. It tells the early settlement of Jay County, maps showing Jay County’s location, a time line listing the “firsts” in Jay County from 1816-2007. A brief history is given for each of the major communities – Bryant, Dunkirk, New Corydon, Pennville, Portland, Redkey, and Salamonia. Schools featured are Liber College, Farmers’ Academy, Eastern Indiana Normal School, and the current schools in the Jay School Corporation. The county courthouses are featured. This book has a glossary of terms and bibliography.

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

My Pioneer Childhood In Early Jay County 49 pages  $10.00
Compiled in 2004 by Janice Stucky in 2004 for the Jay County Historical Society, Inc.

This book was compiled for 3rd grade students through elementary school.
As much as possible, the actual words told to early writers have been used. Each chapter is illustrated. Pioneers had childhood recollections of living in Jay County between 1836 and the 1860s. They include Joseph Cromwell Andrew, Rachel Beekman, Nancy Brooks, Benjamin Franklin Current, Martin VanBuren Coons, Elizabeth Caroline [Hawkins] Clark, James Daniels, Martha Jane [Hesser] Daugherty, Susan Comfort [Andrew] Daugherty, John Edmundson, Jim Edwards, Elizabeth [McKinney] Hall, Catherine [Shrack] Hartman, Joseph Campbell Hawkins, William James Hesser, Clarissa Hoppes, Elijah “Lige” Hoppes, Mary [Shanks] McCoy, Maria [Grissell] Meredith, Dilwyn P. Smith, Rachel Ann [Wilson] Steward, Abraham Studabaker, and William Garner Sutton
To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Tell Me A Story, Grandpa  12 pages  $5.00
By Miriam Edmundson – revised edition
This is an original story about the Underground Railroad through the Balbec area in Penn Township. The characters in the story are based on Miriam’s parents, her niece, and her nephew. Betty is a fourth-grade student. She and her younger brother learn of the Underground Railroad Marker at Balbec.
To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may also call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail us at research@jaycountyhistory.org.

     North Briant was laid out north of Briant on October 6, 1873. It was also called Rowley Town after Ezekiel Rowlett, who laid it out.

     In December of 1897 Briant and North Briant were incorporated as Bryant. The post office chose the spelling of Bryant.

     Come to Bryant for their annual “Bryant Days” festival in September. While you are there see the two-cell jail that remains in the alley.

Dunkirk

The photo taken about the 1920s at the time of the interurban

     Dunkirk is situated on Highway 167 in the far southwest corner of Richland Township. Dunkirk is unique because a portion is in Blackford County. Delaware County begins as the southern line of Dunkirk. Currently there are approximately 2,500 residents, making it the second largest community in the county.

     The Isaiah Sutton and Willam Shrack families settled here in half-faced log cabins in October of 1837. Isaiah’s cabin was up first, so the settlement was called Sutton Town for many years.

     With a railroad being proposed, Isaiah platted Quincy, a little town of three blocks, on his land. It was December 10, 1853. The railroad arrived in 1857. The railroad called their station Dunkirk even though it was in Quincy.

     When the time came to request a government post office came, there was already a Quincy. The post office accepted the name of Dunkirk. Then Mr. Sutton requested his little community’s name be changed to Dunkirk.  

     Visit the Glass Museum on the corner of South Franklin and West Washington Streets. It is open from May to October on Tuesday through Saturday during library hours. See glassware from all over the world, including glassware produced in the former local factories. Don’t miss the glass crown worn by early “Cinderellas” crowned during the Glass Days annual festivals. Each year the festival is held just after Memorial Day. On the Friday of the festival Saint Gobain gives short tours of our only remaining glass factory. You can see how as many as 2.4 million beer bottles are produced daily.

     Drive by the 1909 passenger depot, for the Pennsylvania Railroad, at the north end of Main Street. It sits in Webster-Depot Park. At one time there was a tunnel under the tracks on the north side for passengers to board the train safely from the other side. In the summertime there is a farmer’s market on Saturday mornings and free music concerts in the park on Saturday nights.

Pennville
     Pennville is a community of about 700 people. It is in the northwest corner of the county on Highway 1 in Penn Township.

     This community has had more names than any other in the county. In 1836 Samuel Grissell named the little village, of which he was proprietor, New Lisbon. For an unknown reason, he changed the name a year later to Camden. When applying for a government post office many years later, the name had to be changed as there was already a Camden. Penn was chosen in honor of William Penn, as many Quakers had settled in the area. Due to careless handwriting, Penn was often confused with Peru. Changing Penn to Pennville solved the problem.

     Drive by the Chandlee/Maddox house on River Road/Lagro Street that was begun in 1841.  It was built from brick burned on the nearby Miami India reservation, and is the oldest house standing in Pennville.  It is a private residence.

 
Portland

Earliest Portland photo ca 1850

     Portland is the county seat of Jay County. It is in Wayne Township. It has about 6,300 people. Our county seat is the only community that has retained its original name, being platted and named on September 4, 1837.

     Drive over the concrete Bowstring Arc/Arch Bridge on South Meridian Street. It is the only bridge of its kind remaining in Indiana.

     Stop by the Jay Community Resourse building across from the post office on South Meridian Street to see the 1910 Elwood Haynes automobile. Elwood was born in Portland.

     Visit the 1916 courthouse on West Main Street. It is the 4th courthouse for Jay County. Notice the marble throughout. Hunt for the fox in the marble at the west entrance. See the beautiful dome that tells our history in four murals.

     Stop by the John Jay Learning Center at the southeast corner of East Main and South Meridian Streets to see what can be done in restoring a 1926 historic building to serve our citizens for generations to come.

     Take a break at McDonalds on North Meridian Street. Look across the street to the southern point of the Portland Shoppes. Here the 1st natural gas well went down for the state of Indiana.

     Go east on Votaw Street to the fairground. See the beautiful round Floral Hall built in 1891.

     Turn south to East Main Street. Go east to the end of the street to visit the Jay County Historical Society’s museum. Learn why we are the only Jay County in the United States. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 4:00 and by special appointment.

Redkey

     Redkey is located southwest of Portland at the crossroads of Highways 1 and 67 in Richland Township. It has about 1,400 people.

     The Josiah Wade family was the first to settle here in 1836. Until Harrison Wade, son of Josiah, platted a little village of Mt. Vernon in 1854, the settle was known as the Wade settlement.

     In 1856 Rev. James Redkey had his land next to Mt. Vernon platted. That plat was called Redkey. When application was made for a government post office, there was already a Mt. Vernon, so the name of Redkey was taken. Redkey was incorporated in 1883.

     Enjoy the historic buildings while visiting the street festival held at the end of May. Notice the flatiron building along the railroad tracks and the former Shambarger Restaurant building.

     Visit the Key Palace Theatre to hear live entertainment. It is well-known in the area for blues music. Performance times can be found on the Jay County Visitor’s and Tourism Bureau website.

Salamonia
     Salamonia is located southeast of Portland on 800E and 400S in Madison Township. It has about 150 people.

     Lancaster was laid out in 1839 by Henry Abel and Benjamin Goldsmith. When application was made for a post office, there was already a Lancaster so the name of Salamonia was chosen.

     Salamonia was incorporated in March of 1867.

     See the 1911 brick schoolhouse that has been restored and is being used as a community building. School was held there until 1924.

Jay County Newspaper Clippings 1871-1887 $30
Jay County Newspaper Clippings Vol. 2, 1887-1889 $30
Jay County Newspaper Clippings Vol. 3, 1889 $30
 Portland’s 1st Newspapers 1854-1859 $25.00

 
Jay County Journal Newsletters are the monthly publications of the Jay County Historical Society, Inc. Each book is a complete year of the issues. They are indexed.  To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Portland’s 1st Newspapers was compiled by Janice Stucky in 2007. Only articles about Jay County from the Portland Journal 1854-1856 and Jay County Democrat 1856-1859 are included. The Portland Journal was the first newspaper. Actual articles may be seen in the Recorder’s Office at the courthouse.  To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Volume 1 covers the years 1871-1887.  Rex Bertram transcribed information from those Jay County newspapers which were available on microfilm at the time this project was done in 2005.  This material may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Rex.  To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Volume 2 covers May 19, 1887 to April 25, 1889.  Rex Bertram transcribed information from those Jay County newspapers which were available on microfilm at the time this project was done in 2005.  This material may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Rex.  To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Volume 3 covers May 2, 1889 to November 28, 1889.  Rex Bertram transcribed information from those Jay County newspapers which were available on microfilm at the time this project was done in 2005.  This material may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Rex.  To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Jay County Cemetery Locations 2011 5.00
Bluff Point Cemetery 1845-2006 – $30.00
Boundary Cemetery 1861-2000 - $25.00
Green Park Cemetery 1886-1999 - $25.00
Gravel Hill Cemetery 1896-2009 – being updated
Salamonia Cemetery – East Park, West Park, and Grandview 1840-2000 – $25.00
Tales of the Old Pine Tree [Mt. Vernon Pioneer Cemetery in Redkey] - $10.00
Jay County Cemetery Locations

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Included in Bluff Point Cemetery , compiled by Kathy Selman, are a history of Bluff Point and plat maps of Bluff Point. Included are a plat of the cemetery, tombstone pictures and inscriptions, obituaries of burials with tombstones, known burials with no tombstones, military veterans, and an index. This cemetery is in Pike Township. 

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

 Boundary Cemetery, compiled by Kathy Selman includes the history of Boundary City and Green Lawn Cemetery, tombstone pictures, plots, inscriptions, obituaries, known burials not in the record, military veterans, and an index. This cemetery is located in Pike Township.

 To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

 Gravel Hill Cemetery is currently being updated.  It is expected to be available in early 2010.  A brief history of the cemetery will be included. Items in the database will include name, birth, death, section, row, and if the person was a veteran. The cemetery is located at the intersection of county roads 50W and 650N in Jackson Township.  

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

 Green Park Cemetery was compiled by the Green Park Cemetery Association in 2000.  This book contains a preface, a map of the cemetery, section codes, miscellaneous burials for which no location is known, and burials in alphabetical order. This cemetery is at the intersection of W. 7th Street and Blaine Pike in Portland, Indiana. 

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Salamonia Cemetery, compiled by Phyllis [Strock] Franklin, includes a brief history of Salamonia, list of lot owners, surveys of the cemeteries, burials without stones, veterans, index, and an interpretation of data. This cemetery is in Madison Township.

 To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

TALES of the Old Pine Tree were a series newspaper articles from the Times-Journal articles by J. Walter Fiers. They tell of burials in the Mt. Vernon Pioneer Cemetery in Redkey.  We have as many articles as we could locate.

There is an index of names. Major family names include Allegre, Current, Evans, Fiers, Hesser, Manor, McKinney, Redkey, Roberts, Smith, Sutton, Wade, and Wilson  To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Written by J. Walter Fiers, these books have excellent genealogical information of the pioneer families living in their districts is given.
Theywere compiled in 2002 for the former Jay County Genealogy from a series of weekly newspaper articles of Mr. Fiers published in the Redkey Times newspaper. The articles are devoted to history of Richland Township schools, beginning with the Booth and Wade log schools.
Major family names in Book 1 are Allegre, Anderson, Andrew, Andrews, Armstrong, Beekman, Booth, Bridgford, Bromagem, Brooks, Burns, Campbell, Caylor, Clore, Clouse, Coons, Current, Daugherty, Davis, Evans, Ewing, Hesser, Hoppes, Kern, Manor, Mitchell, Pierce, Redkey, Reeves, Richardson, Roberts, Smith, Sutton, Wade, and Wilson.
The building of the five Halfway Schools – three of which were brick – is told in Book 2. It is from the name of this school that the Halfway Lodge in Redkey got its name. Major names in Book 2 include the following: Allegre, Anderson, Andrew, Bell, Booth, Boots, Carder, Clore, Coons, Current, Daugherty, Dragoo, Evans, Ewing, Fulkerson, Green, Hamilton, Hesser, Hickman, Hoppes, Jackson, Kern, Manor, McKinney, McVey, Nibarger, Redkey, Reed, Rook, Shrack, Smith, Stewart, Sutton, Wade, and Wilson.
Book 3 concludes with Mr. Fiers’ obituary. Major names included are: Anderson, Bell, Bridgford, Brooks, Brotherton, Carl/Carle, Clevenger, Coons, Current, Daugherty, Dragoo, Dunn, Ewing, Fiers, Fulkerson, Gunckel, Hall, Hayes, Hesser, Hickman, Holley, Hoppes, Horn, Jackson, Kern, LaFollette, Manor, McKee, McKinney, Orr, Phillips, Pierce, Redkey, Rees, Richardson, Roberts, Ross, Smith, Stewart, Sutton, Wade, Whetsel, Whipple, and Wilson.
To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

 Fiers’ Dunkirk Pioneer Days is a history of Dunkirk, IN and vicinity written by J. Walter Fiers in the early 1900′s.  Dunkirk is in Richland Township, Jay County, IN.  

Fiers’ Redkey Pioneer Days is a history of the earyl settlers of Redkey, IN and vicinity written by J. Walter Fiers in 1910 and 1911.  Redkey is in Richland Township, Jay County, IN. 

 Also included in Redkey’s book is an article entitled Pioneer Days by M. V.Coons. It was published in the Redkey Times newspaper in 1903. Martin V. Coons was the “first white child born in Richland township”.

These books were compiled for the former Jay County Genealogy Society from a series of newspaper articles of Mr. Fiers that were published in the Redkey Times newspaper. Some articles are undated. They were published in the early 1900s. Some original newspaper clippings are in two scrapbooks in the Indiana Room of the Jay County Public Library.  Our editions have been indexed.

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Obituary Books – each year $25.00 Abstracted by Cathy Jo Garringer for the Jay County Genealogy Society Currently being indexed
Obituary books are available for the years 1950, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 2007 and 2008.  We are in the process of indexing these books.

These obituaries have been abstracted from The Commercial Review in Portland, Indiana.

To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org .

Lutheran Church Records 1855 -2006 Volumes I, II, and III  $50.00

Abstracted by Phyllis [Strock] Franklin
Records are from St. James Lutheran Church in Salamonia, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Ft. Recovery, Recovery Township, Mercer County, Ohio. This is a three-volume set.
Volume I contains the following: Church History, German Places of Origin of Early Church Members, St. James Communicates from September 12, 1859 to April 11, 1879, St. James Families Recorded in Early St. James Records from 1880 to 1900. St. James Communion Records from 1908 – 1965. St. James Church Membership from 1968 – 2004, Trinity Communicates from September 19, 1869 to 1893, Trinity Families Recorded from 1880 – 1900, Trinity Communion Records 1908-1960, and Trinity Church Membership from 1968 to 2004.
Volume II contains the following: Baptisms from the collective records of both churches, maiden names of mothers from the collective baptismal records, baptismal sponsors, and confirmations.
Volume III contains the following: deaths from the compiled records, marriage records, and witnesses to marriages.
To purchase materials contact the Jay County Historical Society at 903 East Main Street, Portland, IN 47371. You may call 1-260-726-7168 or e-mail research@jaycountyhistory.org