2012 OFHS Annual Meeting

Midwest Genealogy Center

Independence, Missouri

Meet us in Missouri in 2012!  Fabulous Independence will be the site of the Owsley Family Historical Society's annual meeting, May 31-June 2nd.  Top attractions are the FrontierTrailsMuseum--Independence was the outfitting headquarters for the Oregon, Santa Fe, and California trails, and Joseph Smith chose this town as Centerpiece for the Latter Day Saints so there is a Mormon Visitor's Center here.  Not to miss are the Harry Truman Library and Museum, the Truman home (which was owned by his mother-in-law and then Bess), and the Truman courtroom and office.   Victorian mansions, the 1859 jail, trolley to historical sites are just some of the subjects previewed in the Independence Visitor's Guide which can be ordered at (800) 748-7323 or www.visitindependence.com/ContactUs.aspx.  Nearby attractions are the National World War I Museum and the steamboat Arabia which has been dredged up from the Missouri River and converted to a great museum displaying its varied cargo. 

Independence was right in the middle of the Kansas-Missouri bloody border war to determine whether these states would be admitted to the Union as slave or free.  Frank James and William Clark Quantrill played their parts in this area.  And Ousleys were murdered at Lone Jack during the troubles (you may want to read about Order No. 11). Francis Parkman's classic, The Oregon Trail, a journal kept by a young Bostonian when he and his cousin took a steamboat to Independence in the 1850's--good description of pioneers outfitting in Independence, Parkman's adventures on the Trail and living with Indians, shooting buffalo, plus much more.  A good read!

Genealogists will want to come early or stay late to research at the wonderful Mid-Continent Library.  Mid-Continent has the third largest genealogical collection in the U.S. and has moved to new quarters since our last visit.  I can hardly wait!

And Independence is the home of OFHS former Program Directors and talented genealogists, William Gann and Gary Toms.  We have been invited to a garden party at their home.

Connie Howard has arranged for us to meet at the great Hilton Garden Inn once again. Details will be in the Registration Packet sent to OFHS members next spring.  So save the dates, tell your relatives, and meet us in Missouri! 

Sheila Patterson, OFHS Co-Program Director

lmnop9@juno.com or (541) 343-8093 PDT