Finding Family Connections

This summer my internship at the Clark County Historical Society helped me to discover some of my own family’s history. While I did know that some of my family had lived in Clark County I never knew to what extent or for how long. After learning about the many different records held in Clark County's archives I began to do some family research on ancestry.com. This led me to learn more about Joseph P. Clark who was my great-great-great grandfather. He fought in the Civil War as part of the 110th infantry Company C and was a life-long resident of New Carlisle, a city in Clark County.

I began to do more research on Joseph by looking at the probate records that the archives held. Here, I found the estate packet which detailed how his property and money were handled after his death. From this I learned who is children were and where his house was once located. I was able to look up where his house lot was and a visitor to the archives that day was actually from New Carlisle. He told me that today a Lee's Chicken sits where my grandfather's house once stood.

While I was working on my internship my main project was re-organizing the oversized items in the collection. Here I came upon many military records including company rosters. What I had passed before now came back to me. It was the 110th infantry Company C troop roster, one of only three troop rosters in the entire collection. Scanning down the roster I found my grandfather's name listed. It was really neat to see the official troop roster with his name listed and helped me to make a more physical connection to him.

Additionally, Sara and Georgia were working on re-housing flags in the museum collection. Knowing about my grandfather's infantry unit they showed me the 110th's regimental flag that they had come across. It was the flag that the unit had carried into battle. Seeing this flag and other materials related to my great-great-great grandfather really helped bring his history alive for me.

My experience in the archives really allowed me to learn more about my family and create a stronger connection with the past. These physical documents and objects act as links to the past in which we can all learn more about ourselves. 

Clark County Historical Society- Oversized Collection