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Jacob Witmer collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: S1398

Scope and Contents

This collection contains correspondence and legal documents ranging from 1927 to 1930 regarding the estate of Jacob Witmer of Shelby County, Indiana and administrated by his nephew John H. Wilson. The collection also includes Velma Whitmer's notebook containing transcriptions of letters written by her mother and grandmother (1901-1907) and poems written by herself and her sister Mary (1912-1914); an April 29, 1837 deed signed by Nathan H. Wilson of Bartholomew County, Indiana granting land to his township for a school; a February 1885 issue of American Farmer (Fort Wayne, Ind.); various photographs of Ray D. Everson, managing editor of the Indianapolis News (1928-1932); newspaper articles about the centennials of the village of St. Louis (August 2, 1929) and the Hope Moravian Church (May 29, 1930), both located in Bartholomew County; and various recipes for liniments and salves (undated). The collection also has undated, typewritten articles by Monte M. Katterjohn, S.S. Lappin, William Hougland, and two unidentified authors regarding the origins of petroleum in Indiana, Leatherwood Church and the shrub by the same name, the John Owen statue in Moscow Cemetery (Rush County), young Blue Herons in Rush County, Dr. Wayne Alter and his bloodhounds, and Purdue University’s extension work regarding the fight against tubercle bacillus. Several of the articles have accompanying photographs.

Dates

  • 1837-1932, undated

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical / Historical

Jacob Witmer was born on May 4, 1849 in Shelby County, Indiana to John and Barbara Witmer. Jacob and his sister Elizabeth spelled their last name "Witmer," but their brother John and his descendents spelled it "Whitmer." He was a farmer and lived on his family's old homestead and was an active member of the Hope Moravian Church. He passed away at the age of 78 on June 27, 1927.

Sources:

Ancestry.com. "Jacob Whitmer." Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011. Accessed May 16, 2019. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/.

FindaGrave.com. "Jacob Witmer." Memorial ID 88983940. Accessed May 15, 2019. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88983940/jacob-witmer.

"Jacob Whitmer is Found Dead." Hope Star-Journal (IN), July 1, 1927.

Extent

0.02 Cubic Feet (2 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by subject.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2019/05/16 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2019/05/16 by Laura Eliason.
Title
Jacob Witmer collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671