This is a non-fiction account of the early settlers of Winchester, Indiana, founded in 1818. The people in the book are buried in an old graveyard, long ago abandoned and forgotten. The author remembered the graveyard fondly from her childhood. Upon returning to her home town after retirement, she found the graveyard almost completely destroyed, with only seven standing tombstones. Determined to restore this final resting place for Winchester's earliest pioneers, she formed a committee, set to work, and with the help of community members, local contributions, and the work of talented restorationists, the work was completed and the cemetery is now a serene and beautiful place, and a proper memorial to Winchester's settlers. But the author could not get the people buried there out of her head. What were they like? How did they live? What did the artwork and insignias on the tombstones mean? She spent over two years researching the genealogy of each of the 276 persons known to be buried there using local historic resources, old newspapers, and genealogy sites on the web. She also spoke with some descendants. The result is a book full of history from the years 1800-1890. In this book you will meet the people and learn about early life in Indiana. You will learn about how the settlers lived and how they died. Included is a chapter on what markings on gravestones mean. You will hear first person from a few of the people buried there, including a five year old boy, a Civil War soldier who died in a confederate prisoner of war camp, and a man who ran a groggery who had a run-in with the women of Winchester. The book is full of the kind of facts that genealogists love, but is equally appealing to a middle-school student interested in early Indiana history told in a easy-to-read fun way. There is sadness as you read about the deaths of so many children, and young mothers. There is interest as you read about how the community developed and the contributions made by the people in the graveyard. There is humor as you read about the women who got in a fight on one of the main streets! There are also ninety-one obituaries which in themselves provide significant history. The author grew up in Winchester, became a registered nurse, lived her adult life in the Bay Area of California, and chose to retire back in her little hometown. The graveyard, which was a beloved place in her childhood, became a passion in her retirement, from its restoration to the story of its inhabitants. It is easy to read, informative and hard to put down.
About the Author: Sharon E. Smith graduated from high school in Winchester, Indiana, went on to Ball State University and Ball Hospital School of Nursing, became a registered nurse, and spent the next forty years working in the healthcare industry. She is the mother of two sons, Eric S. Wiltshire, PhD., a professor of music at the University of Oregon, who resides with his family in Eugene, Oregon, and Brent R. Wiltshire, M.S., a mechanical engineer and stay-at-home Dad who resides with his family in Old Mystic, Connecticut. She is the grandmother of four grandgirls, Hallie, Emily, Kaira and Iris. After attending her 40th high school reunion she married her old seventh grade boyfriend and classmate, Robert R. Smith, and they are reliving their childhood in Winchester, Indiana.