As Veterans Day nears next week, people are reflecting on their lost loved ones who were veterans. Many people often find interest in researching and keeping records on family veterans, especially if they are long gone. To that end, the Heartland Museum in Clarion has a couple of new resources that are available thanks to the efforts of a few special people.
The Heartland Museum has long been known for their military and veterans-related displays. They have many military uniforms that reflect various wars throughout history. They an abundance of artifacts from local veterans and even a scaled down model of the U.S.S. Iowa. The museum also houses resources for people interested in genealogy and research related to veterans.
Jessie Shupe’s Scrapbooks
An item that was donated to the museum in the last several months will add nicely to that collection. The item in question are scrapbooks that were compiled by Jessie Shupe of Clarion. From the time she was young, Jessie, who was born in 1920, took an interest in clipping out items from area newspapers about local service members.
The scrapbooks feature tons of material from The Wright County Monitor in addition to other area papers. There are hundreds of pictures of local servicemembers, especially during the World War II era. There are articles about where people are stationed, when they returned home, many marriage announcements, in addition to the sad stories of those killed in action.
Sherri O’Brien, who donated the scrapbooks, explained their background. She said that Jessie Shupe was a great family friend and became an “adopted grandma” for her kids. “The scrapbooks were a keepsake that Jessie began as a young lady in her early 20s,” noted O’Brien. “She clipped items from the local newspaper anytime one of our local service members was written about. She continued collecting throughout WWII.” She added that after Jessie passed away, she thought the museum would be a good place for the scrapbooks.
The folks at Heartland whole-heartedly agreed. Heartland Museum Board Member Terry Hilpipre said, “This is really the best collection of local newspaper articles we have featuring servicemembers.” Museum president Melody Lager concurred that they will be a boon to people who are doing research and genealogy projects. “When people are doing that research,” said Lager. “They often want to see a physical copy of material rather than just digital.”
Though Jessie passed away in 2013, people can still enjoy the legacy she left in her scrapbooks. Hilpipre added that they may eventually undertake a cataloging process for the materials to make searching easier, but for now, they are available for browsing at the museum. O’Brien affirmed, “Jessie would be really excited that people are using her scrapbooks.”
Isaiah Nebbe’s Slideshow
The other new veterans resource at Heartland Museum is courtesy of an Eagle Scout project. Isaiah Nebbe of Clarion has been a scout since he was in third grade. Now, as a senior, he was ready to try to achieve the Eagle Scout Award, scouting’s highest rank. But to do that, scouts need to complete a large service project.
Isaiah said the project he pursued came to him due to his troop placing flags on veterans’ graves at the local cemeteries every Memorial Day. He explained that he was interested in the concept of honoring veterans specifically. Isaiah eventually came up with the idea to document every single veteran’s grave at Evergreen Cemetery and the Catholic Cemetery east of Clarion.
This project included gathering not only the names and wars served for all the veterans buried at the cemeteries, but also taking photos of every single gravestone and, likely the most time consuming, determining the GPS coordinates for each grave. This will allow people to find burial locations quickly and accurately without having to wander around the cemetery.
Andrew Tew, Isaiah’s scout leader, said that Isaiah was very determined with the project. Tew said he also demonstrated good leadership by recruiting and managing volunteers to assist him, which is essential for an Eagle Scout project. Jonn Nebbe, Isaiah’s dad who is also the troop’s assistant scout master, added, “The opportunity allowed for an Eagle Scout project that could continue to grow and be added to over time. It is a memorial that could potentially live forever, as opposed to a constructed memorial that would fall apart or need upkeep over time.”
Isaiah ultimately compiled all the information into a PowerPoint electronic slideshow that he presented to Heartland Museum. He said he was excited to complete the project “so the fallen won’t be forgotten. What they have done is important and worth remembering.”
The museum is happy to have this slideshow. Lager said that Isaiah’s project will be another great resource for genealogy and veterans research. The slideshow will soon be available electronically at the museum.
The Heartland Museum is open by appointment. Visitors can call (515) 602-6000.
