Rush County Genealogical Society, Indiana

06/09/2026

From Rushville’s DAR FB page:

We are offering another Stone Cleaning Class with the help of Arnett's Monument Cleaning & Care Services LLC in conjunction with the Rushville Chapter DAR. This class will be Saturday, June 13 from 11-3:00. Learn how to properly clean monuments with proper technique and tools. Cleaning kits will be available to purchase. Call the office at 932-3055 to sign up.

05/21/2026

05/20/2026

The 2026 Indiana State Library Summer Lecture Series and Lunch and Learns have officially been scheduled. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for an enriching lineup of programs throughout the summer. More events can be found on our website.

Summer Lecture Series
June 13
DNA Workshop with Angela Guntz: “Unlock Your Family’s DNA Story”
Ready to take your genealogy research to the next level? This workshop will help
you understand your DNA results, unravel genetic mysteries, and make deeper family history connections. The session includes three one-hour segments.

July 11 (12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.)
Author Dr. William Hinkle will present insights from the book A History of the Indiana State Prison (1860–1910), co‑authored with Drew Lazzara and Charles Penfold.

August 8 (12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.)
Professional genealogist John Barr of Old Northwest Genealogy will present
“Combining Land and Probate Records to Get the Full Story.”

Lunch and Learns

June 9 (12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.)
Presented by Katie Springer, Director of the Indiana State Data Center.
An informative session designed to guide attendees through accessing and interpreting statistical resources for research projects.

September 8 (12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.)
Hosted Digital Collections and Indiana Memory
Presented by Chris Marshall, Digital Collections Coordinator.

Learn about the library’s hosted digital collections, how to navigate Indiana Memory, and ways these resources can support your work.

05/20/2026

Genealogy for Night Owls, May 21, 2026
This free, in-person research event at the Indiana State Library features extended hours and one-on-one consulation sessions with various local historical, genealogical, and lineage organizations. Registration is FREE amd REQUIRED.

Schedule of Events
5:10 Library tour
5:30 Presentation
Unique Items from the Library Collections
4:45 Research on your own
5:45 Ask-an-Expert sessions begin
7:00 ASk-an-Expert sessions end
8:00 Genealogy for Night Owls ends

The tour and Ask-an-Expert sessions are optional, so you may spend the entire evening on your rsearch if you prefer.

The Ask-an-Expet sessiosn aer only 15 minutes in length, so please try to have questions prepared in advance.

The library tour is about 20 minutes in length and will cover the material available tof genealogical researchers at the Indiana State Library.

Genealogy Division librarians will be on hand to answer questions concerning the collection as well as reference questions. They can also assist you in locating materials. The second floor microfilm area will be open and staffed by librarians from the Indiana Division. The Rare Books and Manuscripts and Reference Divisions will not be open during the Night Owls and we will not be able to retrieve manuscript collections during this event.

05/04/2026

Reminder: Our next RCGS Meeting witll be Wednesday, May 20th at 6:30 at the Love Community Center in the Meeting Room next to the Library. Christina Clary from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center will be giving a presentation on a new tool to use with FamilySearch called Full Text Search. I am hearing from professional grenealogists and DAR researchers that they are finding so much more information using this tool. Should be well worth your time!

We hope you will join us at the Love Community Center. Makes for a much more pleasant meeting when we have several people there.
Everyone is welcome.

For members you will soon receive an invitation with the Zoom information included. If you are not a member and would like to join the meeting, please send a request to our email at [email protected] and we will send you the Zoom Information.

04/01/2026

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03/31/2026

Watch your email for the March 31, 2026 Newsletter! We have 3 guest authors this month telling the story of three Revolutionary War Soldiers buried in Rush County! This is sent to members only.

Sent!
If you would like to receive our newsletter, here is a membership application.

03/31/2026

Save the Date: August 19, 2026, 6:30 pm at the Love Community Center: Patty Wiseman will be our Speaker.

Patty Wiseman has been researching her family history for over 15 years. With nearly all of her ancestors emigrating from Germanic regions to Southern Indiana in the mid-1800s, she expanded her research across the pond to uncover the European side of her family's story.

Her search for deeper knowledge about German genealogy led her to the Indiana Chapter of Palatines to America, where she served as Vice President before being elected Chapter President in April 2025.

Patty is also interested in the latest genealogical tools, exploring DNA research and artificial intelligence to break down those stubborn brick walls and to make research more efficient.

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From Indiana to Germany: Tracing Your Germanic Roots

Do you know your Indiana ancestors came from Germany, but aren't sure where to start? This lecture will guide you step by step through the process of bridging the Atlantic — from the records in your own backyard all the way to the villages your ancestors once called home.

We'll begin by identifying American sources — from passenger lists and naturalization papers to church records and obituaries — that can point you toward your ancestor's Germanic home village. Once you've identified a likely location, you'll learn practical strategies for verifying the village and finding the likely parish that served it, a critical step before diving into German records.

From there, we'll walk through how to locate and access German parish registers, including the growing number available online through ARCHION, Matricula, and FamilySearch. Because parish records are handwritten in old German script, we'll also highlight the best tools and resources to help non-German speakers read old German script and navigate key German genealogical terms and abbreviations.

Finally, we'll briefly mention the other record types available in Germany — civil registration, emigration lists, and more — that can provide more detail to your ancestors' lives.
Whether you're just getting started or have hit a brick wall, this lecture will give you a clear and confident roadmap for your German research journey.

03/22/2026

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