Local & Military History
Whitley County, Indiana
Want to Share Your History?
Much of the “old” Whitley County has disappeared: downtown businesses, landmark buildings, farms and schools. However, we feel it is important to preserve history for future generations, to let them know what was here before they came.
So if you would like to be a part of our local history, give us a call at 260.244.5541 to setup an appointment or receive additional information on this project. We can come to you, or you can come to the library, wherever you feel the most comfortable. We can even do group interviews if you prefer. The process is really simple and painless; just talk to us the way you would talk to friends or family, passing on “stories”.
*Please note that this project is not just for Columbia City; we would like interviews from all over Whitley County – Churubusco, South Whitley, Collins, Laud, Collamer - all are welcome!*
Videos
All Oral History videos are available on YouTube. View and subscribe to our oral history channel here, or select from below:
Narrator | Area Discussed | Date Recorded |
---|---|---|
Anderson, Betty | Larwill, Tri-Lakes | 10/1/2009 |
Bailey, Ralph | Columbia City, WCCS | 9/22/2009 |
Boardman, Tom | Coesse | 2/11/2010 |
Bollinger, Marian | South Whitley | 11/16/2009 |
Brittain, Robert | Columbia City | 3/23/2009 |
Brown, Frances | Thorncreek, Columbia City | 5/5/2010 |
Cassell, Robert | Columbia City, Larwill, S. Whitley | 8/6/2008 |
City Hall of Columbia City | Told by Mayor Ryan Daniel | 12/12/2018 |
Coyle, Rosie | City Clerk of Columbia City, Coesse | 12/13/2018 |
Daniel, Daniel L. | Columbia City | 10/8/2008 |
Fleck, Jim | Columbia City | 11/2/2011 |
Geist, Joe | Tunker, Peabody, Columbia City | 1/26/2010 |
Haworth, Dick | Whitley County Agriculture | 11/5/2009 |
Heckman, Gene | Tri-Lakes, Thorncreek Township | 3/9/2010 |
Heinley, Elmer & Helen | Columbia City | 9/17/2009 |
Hively, Jeanie | Columbia City | 3/20/2012 |
Hockemeyer, Gregg | Columbia City Legal Community | 12/21/2018 |
Jefferson Home Extension Club | Churubusco, Columbia City, Laud | 3/5/2009 |
Johnson, Bonnie | Columbia City, Laud | 11/19/2008 |
Klingaman, Lynn | Rural Whitley County/Ag Museum | 9/8/2009 |
Mathieu, Chuck | Churubusco | 12/1/2009 |
McNagny, Patricia | Columbia City | 11/12/2009 |
Metzger, Roger | Columbia City Basketball/Newspapers | 12/10/2009 |
Myers, Mary J. | Collins, Churubusco | 4/29/2010 |
Oliver, Jayne | Columbia City | 4/15/2013 |
Overdeer, Bill | Columbia City, County Council | 4/15/2010 |
Parker, Mark | Columbia City | 12/6/2018 |
Parliamentary Law & Literary Club | Told by Marge Pence | 4/5/2010 |
Passages, Inc | Told by Tom O'Neal and Alice Anderson, Columbia City | 3/7/2011 |
Pontzius, Jon | Columbia City | 12/17/2009 |
Pugh, Mary Alice | Columbia City | 8/27/2009 |
Ramp, Richard & Viola | Columbia City | 9/25/2008 |
Reed, Max | Columbia City | 3/16/2010 |
Rosenberger, Janice | Laud, Jefferson Township | 2/16/2010 |
Rothert, Dulanna | Tri-Lakes | 7/24/2008 |
Rush, Mike | Whitley County Judicial System | 12/7/2018 |
Schneider, Alice | Columbia City | 5/16/2016 |
Schuman, Billie | Ormas, Etna, Columbia City | 10/8/2009 |
Sexton, Roy | Columbia City | 11/24/2012 |
Sexton, Susie | Columbia City | 10/4/2012 |
Smith, C. Taron | Smith and Sons Funeral Home | 11/19/2018 |
Smith, Nathan | Collamer | 3/23/2010 |
Strouse, Mary Louise | Columbia City | 10/29/2009 |
Tawasi Home Extension Club | Churubusco, Collins, Columbia City, Etna, Larwill, Tri-Lakes | 4/27/2009 |
Trier, Vernon | Columbia City | 8/31/2009 |
Wagner, Scott | Donated paintings | 5/24/2012 |
Waterfall, Clark | Columbia City | 11/12/2008 |
Whitley County Chamber of Commerce | Told by Jennifer Zartman Romano | 12/5/2018 |
Whitley County Community Foundation | Told by September McConnell | 11/27/2018 |
Whitley County Courthouse | Told by Bev Henley | 12/12/2018 |
Whitley County Economic Development Corporation | Told by Jon Myers | 12/7/2018 |
Whitley County Historical Museum | Annex (with Dani Tippmann) | 11/13/2018 |
Whitley County Historical Museum | Marshall House (with Angie Maley) | 3/11/2010 |
Whitley County Veteran's Marathon | Told by Gary Bird | 11/29/2018 |
Wineland, Don | Columbia City, Tri-Lakes | 10/22/2009 |
War Veterans
Let Us Interview You!
The Veterans History Project (VHP) collected and preserved the remembrances of American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them.
In support of this effort, the Peabody Public Library interviewed a number of veterans either at the library itself or at other designated locations. These collections of first-hand accounts are also made available to all here at the library in the Indiana Room. Please note that the hard copies in the Indiana Room cannot be checked out and are only accessible during library hours.
If you would like to share your valuable stories please contact us at 260.244.5541 or e-mail us with your request.
Videos
Narrator | Branch & Location of Service | Service Dates |
---|---|---|
Brown, Charles | U.S. Army: Ft. Richardson, Alaska | 1941-1946 |
Brown, Frances | Military Wife: Alabama | WWII era |
Brown, Lewis | Merchant Marines: Atlantic – Pacific | 1944-1945 |
Byer, Gerald Eugene | U.S. Naval Reserve: Boston, New York, Pacific, Portland | 1942-1946 |
Cassell, Robert | U.S. Army: Europe | 1942-1945 |
Cornmesser, Robert | U.S. Navy: USA, South Pacific, Philippines, Subic Bay, Mindonau, Panama Canal, Mediterranean, Rome, Naples, Malta | 1944-1946, 1950-1952 |
Coverstone, George | U.S. Navy: Atlantic & Pacific | 1943-1946 |
Gipe, Dick | U.S. Army: France, Belgium, Holland, Germany | 1944-1947 |
Goudy, Dewey | U.S. Army Air Force: Italy | 1943-1945 |
Hammer, Janice | Military Wife (WWII and Korea) | 1942-1968 |
Haworth, Richard | U.S. Air Corp: Florida, Indiana, Texas | 1942-1945 |
Herr, John Benjamin | U.S. Army: Omaha Beach [He was also a POW in Germany] | 1942-1945 |
Keuneke, Arnold | Signal Corp of Air Force—Army: Mostly N. Africa & Italy | 1942-1945 |
Marsh, Howard | U.S. Army: France & Germany | 1944-1946 |
Mercer, Frank | U.S. Army: South Pacific – New Guinea | 1943-1945 |
Meyers, Edward | Air Corps, U.S. Air Force: Texas, Kansas, Florida, Africa, Italy, Arizona | 1943-1945 |
Mitchell, Clarice | U.S. Navy: Pacific Ocean Theater | 1943-1945 |
Nowling, Arthur | U.S. Army: Japan, Asiatic Pacific Theatre | 1945-1946 |
Perry, Clifford | U.S. Army: West Coast | 1942-1945 |
Pittenger, Talbert | U.S. Navy: Pacific Area | 1943-1945 |
Pontzius, Wilma | WAVES (U.S. Navy): San Diego, Great Lakes IN, Chicago | 1944-1946, 1950-1952 |
Ramp, Richard | Army Air Force: Olk., Cal, Idaho, Ft. Myers FL, Norwich England | 1942-1945 |
Shaw, Clarence | Army Air Force? (Artillery): Europe | 1942-1945 |
Strouse, Edgar John | U.S. Air Corps: Basic Miss, Johnson Island | 1944-1951 |
Tarleton, William | U.S. Navy: Pacific | 1943-1945, 1947-1952 |
Walker, Robert | U.S. Air Force Reserves: Kessler, Miss – San Antonio Tex – Training etc. | 1942-1945 |
Waterfall, Clark | U.S. Army, Veterinary Corp: ASTP Michigan State University, Ft. Bnj Harrison, Indianapolis, Manch & Durmstadt Germany | 1944-1947 |
Narrator | Branch & Location of Service | Service Dates |
---|---|---|
Cornmesser, Robert | U.S. Navy: USA, Manus Island, the Philippines, Subic Bay, Mindonau, Panama Canal, Mediterranean, Rome, Naples, Malta | 1944-1946, 1950-1952 |
Coulter, Leroy | U.S. Air Force: USA, England, Vietnam | 1950-1970 |
Daniel, Daniel | U.S. Navy and Reserves: Great Lakes, IL; Norfolk and Little Creek, VA | 1951-1955, 1955-1959 |
Easter, Benjamin | U.S. Army: Muchen, Germany | 1953-1955 |
Forrester, Richard | U.S. Air Force: Texas, Japan, Korea, Florida | 1951-1952 |
Frey, Franklin | U.S. Army: Europe, Japan, Korea | 1951-1953 |
Gates, Paul | U.S. Army: USA, Germany | 1950-1952 |
Hammer, Janice | Military Wife (WWII and Korea) | 1942-1968 |
Heinbaugh, William | U.S. Navy: USA, Port Huneme, Kwajalein, M3-Naval Amphibious base, Coronado | 1948-1952, 1958-1959 |
Henley, Keith | U.S. Air Force: Germany, Norway, Pentagon, Alaska, Recruiting Duty | 1951-1973 |
Kissinger, Keith | U.S. Army: Germany | 1951-1952 |
Klingaman, Lynn | U.S. Army: USA, France, Germany | 1952-1955 |
Leas, Robert | U.S. Army: Japan, Korea | 1953-1954 |
*Loy, Grant | U.S. Marine Corps: USA & Japan | 1957-1960 |
Pontzius, Wilma | WAVES (U.S. Navy) : San Diego, Great Lakes IN, Chicago | 1944-1946, 1950-1952 |
Rohrer, Gene | U.S. Marine Corps: USA & Korea | 1950-1953 |
Schrader, Jack | U.S. Marine Corps: Korea | 1951-1954 |
Shaw, James | U.S. Navy: USS Titania KA13, Anchorage Alaska A099 [Aog9?], USS Cavalier APA-37, Hawaii, Yokohama, Sasebo, Japan & Korea | 1952-1955 |
Strouse, Edgar John | U.S. Air Corps: Basic Miss, Johnson Island | 1944-1951 |
Tarleton, William | U.S. Navy: Pacific | 1943-1945, 1947-1952 |
Wilson, Ray | U.S. Marine Corps Reserves: Miami Fl, Cherry Point NC | 1948-1952 |
Yaney, James | U.S. Army Medical Corps: Korea, Japan | 1953-1961 |
*Served between the Korean War and the Vietnam War
Narrator | Branch & Location of Service | Service Dates |
---|---|---|
Alspaugh, James | U.S. Army: Ft. Knox Kentucky, Ft. Polk, Louisiana, Ft. Hood, Texas | 1966-1968 |
Chivers, Craig | U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air National Guard: SC, NC, Cuban Missile Crisis, South Vietnam | 1961-2003 |
Coulter, Leroy | U.S. Air Force: USA, England, Vietnam | 1950-1970 |
Crabill, Roger | U.S. Army: USA, Vietnam | 1967-1969 |
Davis, Larry | U.S. Marine Corps: Okinawa, Japan, Caribbean, Panama & Cuba | 1969-1972 |
Davis, Tim | U.S. Marine Corps: Vietnam, DaNang | 1967-1968 |
Disbrow, Charles | U.S. Air Force: Texas, Japan, Pakistan | 1962-1970 |
Eckert, Richard | U.S. Air Force: Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Thailand, New Jersey | 1966-1970 |
Hayes, Julia | Military Wife: France, Florida, Illinois, NY, Colorado, Puerto Rico, Indiana | 1960-1978 |
Hayes, Michael | U.S. Air Force: U.S., France, Korea, Puerto Rico | 1958-1978 |
Henley, Keith | U.S. Air Force: Germany, Norway, Pentagon, Alaska, Recruiting Duty | 1951-1973 |
Hess, Richard | U.S. Army/Reserves: Ft. Knox, KY, Ft. Carson, CO., Vietnam | 1964-1969 |
Hicks, William | U.S. Army: CONUS, S.E.A. USAREUR | 1966-1986 |
Johnson, Ronald | U.S. Army: Korea | 1969-1970 |
Koch, Richard | U.S. Air Force: Biloxi, Ms, Arkansas, and Crete Lubbock, Tx | 1964-1968 |
Lehman, Harold | U.S. Army: Ft. Polk, Ft. Eustis, Qui Nhon RVN, Ft. Wayne; ANG USAF: Middle East, Africa, Panama | 1966-1972, 1973-2005 |
Nowling, John | U.S. Army: An Khe, Vietnam, Ft. Campbell, KY | 1966-1968 |
Robertson, Mike | U.S. Marine Corps: Okinawa, Vietnam, Pakistan | 1970-1974 |
Tagtmeyer, Jeanne | U.S. Air Force: Chanute AFB, Cam Ranh Bay, SV, Cannon AFB, NM, Shaw AFB, SC, CCK AB, Taiwan | 1968-1975 |
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