The Camp Atterbury Veterans Memorial was dedicated in August 1992 to mark the 50th anniversary of Camp Atterbury, a military camp built to train soldiers. It serves to honor the loyalty and bravery of the men and women who were trained, deployed, or…

Hopewell community members held grand celebrations as local men prepared to depart for duty as soldiers in the Civil War. On August 28, 1861, Hopewell families bade a sad, but boisterous, farewell to the 7th Indiana Infantry Regiment, Company F as…

Many Hoosier families sent a son or daughter to serve in the military during World War II (1939-1945). Pride in their child’s service mingled with worry about their safety. Families’ anticipation of news about the war mixed with trepidation about…

Hours after Confederate forces fired on Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861, Johnson County residents left their fields and shops to gather at the telegraph office in Franklin for news of the insurrection. The telegraph gave few details and by 9 pm the…

Young men from Johnson County filled six infantry companies in the American Civil War. One of the most well-documented is the 7th Indiana Infantry Regiment, Company F. After the fall of Ft. Sumpter in Charleston, South Carolina on April 13th, 1861,…

An important chapter in Johnson County military history ended in 1938, when the last member of the 7th Indiana Infantry Company F passed away. Adolphus H. Smith was 96 years old when he peacefully died on June 10 in his home in Edinburgh. Prior to…

Johnson County in what would become the state of Indiana was not an active battle site during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). No troops were mustered from among the early inhabitants of the area. When the American Revolution was fought…

Historic Greenlawn Cemetery in Franklin, Indiana was established in 1845. Today it has grown from its original three acres to approximately thirty acres and is on the National Registry of Historic Places. This serene park-like setting is the final…

One grave of particular interest here in Greenlawn Cemetery is that of Civil War Captain Van Nuys who is buried in the Pine Section of the cemetery. Imagine that it is 1861 and that you are a young white man just turned 21 in Indiana. You are…

Courage in the face of danger is a trait shared by those who choose duties in the military or emergency services. They serve at home and abroad, protecting our freedoms and our lives from all kinds of destructive forces. These are the persons who go…

The courthouse square in Franklin, Indiana has been central to both commemoration and protest. For some residents, these monuments honor the many brave men and women whose lives have been cut short by the ravages of war. They testify to their…