Verda Gerwick, founder and long-time president of the Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society or "The Fort," as many of us call it, passed away July 19, 2003. She was a friend to many and a teacher to beginners in genealogy and long remembered.
As the story was told, it started one day many years ago when Verda was attending a ladies aid society meeting. Someone asked who donated the land for the Hinthorn Cemetery. Everyone seemed to think they knew who it was, and yet no one could agree as to the donator’s name. Soon an argument had broken out. So after leaving the meeting Verda decided to find out and started doing research on the subject so that at the next meeting she would be able to let everyone know. As the story goes, Verda seemed to like doing research so well that she never went back to the ladies aid meetings. Instead, she started a new hobby - doing research on her own ancestors! It just kept growing from there. Just ask any genealogist and they will tell you, it is a "contagious disease."
Over time Verda was asked to help others, and in 1965 the Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society was organized, making it one of the oldest genealogical societies in the state. The early society had meetings in the Lexington library or the basement of the old city hall building on North Cedar Street during that time.
In 1979 the society purchased the building at 318 West Main from Richard Schuler for $13,100. The down payment was made possible by the community and society members. This two story building in the late 1800’s was the Lexington State Bank and later the T.M. Patton Insurance Building. The society moved into the building in October of 1979. After so many years of stashing her files at her home, in the library, or at the city hall basement, Verda was thrilled to have a whole building to organize and arrange. The apartment in the upstairs was rented out and served as income to help pay society expenses. Members were enjoying their long-awaited new place when a fire in February 1981 destroyed the second floor and some of the records. However, thanks to the Lexington firemen and others in the community who helped carry out materials, most of the collection was saved, and the society was able to continue to this day.
There are so many stories to tell about things Verda and her volunteers accomplished. She would sit in courthouses all over the state and even other states for hours and copy records then bring them back to type up. She and her many volunteers walked numerous cemeteries in the area to read gravestones. After years of "cemetery stomping" they were able to say that "The Fort" has a record of all the cemeteries in McLean, Livingston Woodford, and Ford Counties. But that still wasn’t enough for Verda. She and her volunteers started looking up obituaries to go with all the gravestones they found. While she couldn’t say she found them all, she accumulated a collection of obituaries like no other. "The Fort" can brag on a collection of indexed obituaries like no other.
Over the years Verda did extensive research -on the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors home in Normal, the Chatsworth Train Wreck, the Patton Cabin, and her favorites "the soldier boys." She found graves of veterans that had no markers then ordered government markers and made sure that they were put on the graves or made markers for them in her garage. She helped many people who were adopted find their parents, and she learned how to track down an adopted ancestor's parents. Every so often there would be an article in the local papers someone finding an old tombstone. Verda researched where that person was buried and she made sure it was put back on their grave. But Verda’s good works were not only for the dead, she would also help students who were working on history papers for school or a family history story. She helped 4-Hers, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts with projects they were working on for a badge or award.
One of Verda’s projects that she was most proud of was working with Miles Ward and the American Legion in Lexington locating veteran’s graves, and the wars in which they served, so they could be recognized and on Memorial Day their graves could be decorated. A story published in the Pantagraph in May of 1973 tells how the American Legion had an honor roll called of deceased veterans that were buried in the Lexington area. There were Veterans from the Revolutionary War, Black Hawk War, War of 1812, Indian Wars, Union and Confederate soldiers of the Civil War, Mexican War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War and the Vietnam War. This is a heritage that we should all be proud of, as these Americans helped keep our country free. Any veteran in the cemetery books at "The Fort" has a flag decal on the page to honor their service.
The Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society and its volunteers will do their best to keep up Verda Gerwick’s work and plan to keep "The Fort" open as always. Please feel free to stop in and one of the volunteers will be glad to show you around and help as much as possible with your research questions.
As the story was told, it started one day many years ago when Verda was attending a ladies aid society meeting. Someone asked who donated the land for the Hinthorn Cemetery. Everyone seemed to think they knew who it was, and yet no one could agree as to the donator’s name. Soon an argument had broken out. So after leaving the meeting Verda decided to find out and started doing research on the subject so that at the next meeting she would be able to let everyone know. As the story goes, Verda seemed to like doing research so well that she never went back to the ladies aid meetings. Instead, she started a new hobby - doing research on her own ancestors! It just kept growing from there. Just ask any genealogist and they will tell you, it is a "contagious disease."
Over time Verda was asked to help others, and in 1965 the Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society was organized, making it one of the oldest genealogical societies in the state. The early society had meetings in the Lexington library or the basement of the old city hall building on North Cedar Street during that time.
In 1979 the society purchased the building at 318 West Main from Richard Schuler for $13,100. The down payment was made possible by the community and society members. This two story building in the late 1800’s was the Lexington State Bank and later the T.M. Patton Insurance Building. The society moved into the building in October of 1979. After so many years of stashing her files at her home, in the library, or at the city hall basement, Verda was thrilled to have a whole building to organize and arrange. The apartment in the upstairs was rented out and served as income to help pay society expenses. Members were enjoying their long-awaited new place when a fire in February 1981 destroyed the second floor and some of the records. However, thanks to the Lexington firemen and others in the community who helped carry out materials, most of the collection was saved, and the society was able to continue to this day.
There are so many stories to tell about things Verda and her volunteers accomplished. She would sit in courthouses all over the state and even other states for hours and copy records then bring them back to type up. She and her many volunteers walked numerous cemeteries in the area to read gravestones. After years of "cemetery stomping" they were able to say that "The Fort" has a record of all the cemeteries in McLean, Livingston Woodford, and Ford Counties. But that still wasn’t enough for Verda. She and her volunteers started looking up obituaries to go with all the gravestones they found. While she couldn’t say she found them all, she accumulated a collection of obituaries like no other. "The Fort" can brag on a collection of indexed obituaries like no other.
Over the years Verda did extensive research -on the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors home in Normal, the Chatsworth Train Wreck, the Patton Cabin, and her favorites "the soldier boys." She found graves of veterans that had no markers then ordered government markers and made sure that they were put on the graves or made markers for them in her garage. She helped many people who were adopted find their parents, and she learned how to track down an adopted ancestor's parents. Every so often there would be an article in the local papers someone finding an old tombstone. Verda researched where that person was buried and she made sure it was put back on their grave. But Verda’s good works were not only for the dead, she would also help students who were working on history papers for school or a family history story. She helped 4-Hers, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts with projects they were working on for a badge or award.
One of Verda’s projects that she was most proud of was working with Miles Ward and the American Legion in Lexington locating veteran’s graves, and the wars in which they served, so they could be recognized and on Memorial Day their graves could be decorated. A story published in the Pantagraph in May of 1973 tells how the American Legion had an honor roll called of deceased veterans that were buried in the Lexington area. There were Veterans from the Revolutionary War, Black Hawk War, War of 1812, Indian Wars, Union and Confederate soldiers of the Civil War, Mexican War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War and the Vietnam War. This is a heritage that we should all be proud of, as these Americans helped keep our country free. Any veteran in the cemetery books at "The Fort" has a flag decal on the page to honor their service.
The Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society and its volunteers will do their best to keep up Verda Gerwick’s work and plan to keep "The Fort" open as always. Please feel free to stop in and one of the volunteers will be glad to show you around and help as much as possible with your research questions.