Orange County
Indiana

   

In 1980, my father, Rev. Claude Wilson created his only published book,  Ames Chapel Methodist 1879-1979.  Although, he had published many articles throughout his career as a minister, this book held a special place in his heart.  It was about his church, his life, and his family and friends.  As a child, I remember visiting many of the people mentioned in the book.  The importance of these visits holds more significance to me as an adult working on the continuation of the family genealogy.  The past thirty-two years has brought many changes to our family.  My mother, Bessie Brown Wilson passed away in February 1981 and Dad followed over ten years later in November 1991. They are buried at Ames Chapel Cemetery.   I have three adult children, Pastor Matthew D. Hickman, Jessica Faye Denny, and Tara Starr Bauer.    I have nine grandchildren; Makyla, Laineigh, and Aaron Hickman; Zachary, Chelsea, Shelby, and Lillian Denny; and Izabelle and Olivia Bauer.  Dad and Mom would have been proud of the ever-expanding brood,  grandson Matt’s ordination into the ministry and work as a Christian writer, and granddaughters Jessica and Tara in their careers in health care. Dad would have also loved the internet and its capability to disseminate information to a greater audience.  He would have been amazed at the amount of genealogy information available with a few key strokes and the way the net has made the world even smaller as more and more of us virtually connect.  Of course, I imagine that Dad has already completed the family tree in Heaven.  I can see him walking around, introducing himself, and asking, “Aren’t you so and so’s relative?”  It is with that thought that I am proud to allow his work to be accessible and grateful to Charlie Tredway for his tireless efforts in making Orange County, Indiana genealogy an excellent resource. Respectfully Submitted by: Marsha L. Wilson, M.Ed. for The Family of Rev. Claude Derrill Wilson