I am a librarian/historian researching the Beech Settlement in nowrthwest Rush County, IN. It was settled in the early 1800's by free African Americans, most from NC and VA, and was located near Carthage, IN, a Quaker settlement.

There was a library in the Mt. Pleasant church (later an AME congregation), and I am researching the families that used the library. Those families include ROBERTS, JEFFRIES, BASS, MCCOWAN, BROOKS, BROWN, WATKINS, WINBURN.

Also, since some of those names appear in relation to the Longtown, OH settlement, I'm curious about any connections between the Rush County families and the Longtown families.

Ann O'Bryan
Associate Librarian
IUPUI University Library
Indianapolis, Indiana
aobryan@iupui.edu