In January 1990, I (Doretha Diefenbach) requested info on my Great-Grandmother from the Evansville State Hospital. I was told she was never a patient there. I insisted and was told to contact the State of Indiana Department of Mental Health, which I did.
On January 31, 1990 I received a letter stating:
"We have checked our files under both names (Mary Elizabeth Gilman & Ellsworth) but nothing was found.
Sorry we are unable to help you locate information on your great grandmother. Good luck with any other leads you may have."
For several years I continued with family research of other family tree branches including the Ellsworths. In 2006 I was using Heritage Quest to look up Ellsworths and came across Elizabeth Ellsworth in Vanderburgh County as an inmate at the Evansville State Hospital. Again, I contacted them.
I told them my relationship to her and they gave me minimal info, stating I would have to contact Alan January at 317-591-5220 ext. 232 for further information. I was also told records were destroyed around the time the Lloyd Expressway was built.
There was a cemetery on the grounds where they were excavating for the new road. I was confused as to why they said she never was there and when the expressway was built, all the remains were moved to Memorial Park Cemetery and a list of names of all the patients buried on the grounds. Her name was not on this list.
I came across a book at Willard Library (Died in Vanderburgh Co.-Buried in Monroe Co., Indiana compiled by Eleanor Tenbarge) which was selected records from Smith Funeral Home. These records were of persons who died at Woodmere aka Evansville State Hospital aka County Infirmary with burial in Bloomington, In. The bodies were sent to the State Anatomical Board in Bloomington, In.
I went to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and the lady there said they had no record.
I'm positive her remains were sent to Indiana University Medical Center or as the book stated, The State Anatomical Board, possibly for research. Burial place of remains unknown. I found this in 2006.
Mary (Riley) Hedges, her grand-daughter, said the family was informed about a week after her death and was told she was buried on the hospital grounds. The family had a plot for her and didn't understand why they were not told sooner of her death.
I have contacted Alan January and I received all the info from the State. This told me nothing more.
I went back to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and told them I had proof she died in Evansville at the Evansville State Hospital. The lady went to a shelf and removed a book that had the Evansville State Hospital records with minimal info.
At this time, I didn't have Ancestry.com and genealogy was done THE HARD WAY…LEG WORK. When I was able to access it, there it was, a Death Certificate. It stated: Removal Cadaver May 31, 1942 Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Mary Elizabeth Gilham Ellsworth died May 30, 1942 at the age of 78 at Evansville State Hospital, Evansville, Indiana, Kriekhaus Funeral Home handled arrangements and her body was sent to Bloomington, Indiana.
On January 31, 1990 I received a letter stating:
"We have checked our files under both names (Mary Elizabeth Gilman & Ellsworth) but nothing was found.
Sorry we are unable to help you locate information on your great grandmother. Good luck with any other leads you may have."
For several years I continued with family research of other family tree branches including the Ellsworths. In 2006 I was using Heritage Quest to look up Ellsworths and came across Elizabeth Ellsworth in Vanderburgh County as an inmate at the Evansville State Hospital. Again, I contacted them.
I told them my relationship to her and they gave me minimal info, stating I would have to contact Alan January at 317-591-5220 ext. 232 for further information. I was also told records were destroyed around the time the Lloyd Expressway was built.
There was a cemetery on the grounds where they were excavating for the new road. I was confused as to why they said she never was there and when the expressway was built, all the remains were moved to Memorial Park Cemetery and a list of names of all the patients buried on the grounds. Her name was not on this list.
I came across a book at Willard Library (Died in Vanderburgh Co.-Buried in Monroe Co., Indiana compiled by Eleanor Tenbarge) which was selected records from Smith Funeral Home. These records were of persons who died at Woodmere aka Evansville State Hospital aka County Infirmary with burial in Bloomington, In. The bodies were sent to the State Anatomical Board in Bloomington, In.
I went to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and the lady there said they had no record.
I'm positive her remains were sent to Indiana University Medical Center or as the book stated, The State Anatomical Board, possibly for research. Burial place of remains unknown. I found this in 2006.
Mary (Riley) Hedges, her grand-daughter, said the family was informed about a week after her death and was told she was buried on the hospital grounds. The family had a plot for her and didn't understand why they were not told sooner of her death.
I have contacted Alan January and I received all the info from the State. This told me nothing more.
I went back to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and told them I had proof she died in Evansville at the Evansville State Hospital. The lady went to a shelf and removed a book that had the Evansville State Hospital records with minimal info.
At this time, I didn't have Ancestry.com and genealogy was done THE HARD WAY…LEG WORK. When I was able to access it, there it was, a Death Certificate. It stated: Removal Cadaver May 31, 1942 Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Mary Elizabeth Gilham Ellsworth died May 30, 1942 at the age of 78 at Evansville State Hospital, Evansville, Indiana, Kriekhaus Funeral Home handled arrangements and her body was sent to Bloomington, Indiana.
In January 1990, I (Doretha Diefenbach) requested info on my Great-Grandmother from the Evansville State Hospital. I was told she was never a patient there. I insisted and was told to contact the State of Indiana Department of Mental Health, which I did.
On January 31, 1990 I received a letter stating:
"We have checked our files under both names (Mary Elizabeth Gilman & Ellsworth) but nothing was found.
Sorry we are unable to help you locate information on your great grandmother. Good luck with any other leads you may have."
For several years I continued with family research of other family tree branches including the Ellsworths. In 2006 I was using Heritage Quest to look up Ellsworths and came across Elizabeth Ellsworth in Vanderburgh County as an inmate at the Evansville State Hospital. Again, I contacted them.
I told them my relationship to her and they gave me minimal info, stating I would have to contact Alan January at 317-591-5220 ext. 232 for further information. I was also told records were destroyed around the time the Lloyd Expressway was built.
There was a cemetery on the grounds where they were excavating for the new road. I was confused as to why they said she never was there and when the expressway was built, all the remains were moved to Memorial Park Cemetery and a list of names of all the patients buried on the grounds. Her name was not on this list.
I came across a book at Willard Library (Died in Vanderburgh Co.-Buried in Monroe Co., Indiana compiled by Eleanor Tenbarge) which was selected records from Smith Funeral Home. These records were of persons who died at Woodmere aka Evansville State Hospital aka County Infirmary with burial in Bloomington, In. The bodies were sent to the State Anatomical Board in Bloomington, In.
I went to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and the lady there said they had no record.
I'm positive her remains were sent to Indiana University Medical Center or as the book stated, The State Anatomical Board, possibly for research. Burial place of remains unknown. I found this in 2006.
Mary (Riley) Hedges, her grand-daughter, said the family was informed about a week after her death and was told she was buried on the hospital grounds. The family had a plot for her and didn't understand why they were not told sooner of her death.
I have contacted Alan January and I received all the info from the State. This told me nothing more.
I went back to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and told them I had proof she died in Evansville at the Evansville State Hospital. The lady went to a shelf and removed a book that had the Evansville State Hospital records with minimal info.
At this time, I didn't have Ancestry.com and genealogy was done THE HARD WAY…LEG WORK. When I was able to access it, there it was, a Death Certificate. It stated: Removal Cadaver May 31, 1942 Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Mary Elizabeth Gilham Ellsworth died May 30, 1942 at the age of 78 at Evansville State Hospital, Evansville, Indiana, Kriekhaus Funeral Home handled arrangements and her body was sent to Bloomington, Indiana.
On January 31, 1990 I received a letter stating:
"We have checked our files under both names (Mary Elizabeth Gilman & Ellsworth) but nothing was found.
Sorry we are unable to help you locate information on your great grandmother. Good luck with any other leads you may have."
For several years I continued with family research of other family tree branches including the Ellsworths. In 2006 I was using Heritage Quest to look up Ellsworths and came across Elizabeth Ellsworth in Vanderburgh County as an inmate at the Evansville State Hospital. Again, I contacted them.
I told them my relationship to her and they gave me minimal info, stating I would have to contact Alan January at 317-591-5220 ext. 232 for further information. I was also told records were destroyed around the time the Lloyd Expressway was built.
There was a cemetery on the grounds where they were excavating for the new road. I was confused as to why they said she never was there and when the expressway was built, all the remains were moved to Memorial Park Cemetery and a list of names of all the patients buried on the grounds. Her name was not on this list.
I came across a book at Willard Library (Died in Vanderburgh Co.-Buried in Monroe Co., Indiana compiled by Eleanor Tenbarge) which was selected records from Smith Funeral Home. These records were of persons who died at Woodmere aka Evansville State Hospital aka County Infirmary with burial in Bloomington, In. The bodies were sent to the State Anatomical Board in Bloomington, In.
I went to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and the lady there said they had no record.
I'm positive her remains were sent to Indiana University Medical Center or as the book stated, The State Anatomical Board, possibly for research. Burial place of remains unknown. I found this in 2006.
Mary (Riley) Hedges, her grand-daughter, said the family was informed about a week after her death and was told she was buried on the hospital grounds. The family had a plot for her and didn't understand why they were not told sooner of her death.
I have contacted Alan January and I received all the info from the State. This told me nothing more.
I went back to the Vanderburgh Co. Health Department and told them I had proof she died in Evansville at the Evansville State Hospital. The lady went to a shelf and removed a book that had the Evansville State Hospital records with minimal info.
At this time, I didn't have Ancestry.com and genealogy was done THE HARD WAY…LEG WORK. When I was able to access it, there it was, a Death Certificate. It stated: Removal Cadaver May 31, 1942 Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Mary Elizabeth Gilham Ellsworth died May 30, 1942 at the age of 78 at Evansville State Hospital, Evansville, Indiana, Kriekhaus Funeral Home handled arrangements and her body was sent to Bloomington, Indiana.
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