The Rockport Journal, April 29, 1927

Article was typed as it was worded in the newspaper.

HISTORICAL MEETING

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Spencer County Society Holds Enthusiastic Meeting in Carnegie Library With Good Attendance.

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GEORGE HONIG PRINCIPAL SPEAKER

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The Spencer County HIstorical Society held its regular meeting in the Carnegie library Monday evening with the president, T. C. Basye, presiding. This was pronounced one of the best meetings held in recent years by the organization.

The attendance was large and included among them were several out-of-town people--Mrs. Fannie Harris of Gentryville, Rev. Bentley and T. C. Baker, from Grandview, and Mr. and Mrs. George H. Honig, of Evansville.

The first speaker was George H. Honig, sculptor, from Evansville. Mr. Honig has done a great deal of research work into early history of Spencer county and his address dealt largely with these pioneer settlers of the county. He showed that the pioneers were not the unworthy from the eastern states, but were from the most highly educated class and were men of ability and farsightedness. He mentions a number of them including Daniel Grass.

He said the name of Mt. Duval was in honor of Hon. William R. Duval, of Kentucky, who served in congress and as territorial governor of Florida. The friendship held for him by Daniel Grass and others led to the naming of the new settlement in Indiana to Mt. Duval, which in a few years was changed to Rockport.

Mr. Honig urged the people to take more interest in local history. He said if we should take the subject of history out of our schools for twenty-five to fifty years that our country would cease to exist as a nation. He emphasized the importance of the influence these pioneers had upon our county and that influence is still being felt. He said that Lincoln visited Grandview, Knob City and Rockport many times while he lived in the county. His address was full of things of interest concerning the early pioneer history and some day, no doubt, his collections will be compiled into a pioneer history of the county.

John G. Rimstidt was the second speaker. His talk was concerning the steps that were taken in the purchase of the lands at Lincoln City, now forming Nancy Hanks Lincoln park.

The third speaker was Rev. W. R. Bentley, of Grandview, who, while a new man in the county, is gathering a vast store of useful facts pertaining to the early history of the county. His remarks were concerning the Lincolns and their relations to the settlement in and around Grandview. He emphasized the work that is being done by the Grandview Lincoln Trail Club of that town. He says they have about 100 members and are gathering new facts concerning early history almost every day.

Mr. Basye, who presided so efficiently, then turned the meeting over to Mrs. Bess Ehrmann, who after a few appropriate remarks, called for the nomination of officers for the next year. The old officers were nominated and elected without opposition. They are: T. C. Basye, president; Mrs. Bess Ehrmann, vice-president; Miss Laura Wright, secretary; and U. S. Lindsey, treasurer.

The invocation was given by Rev. F. T. Taylor and the benediction by Rev. W. R. Rings.