Coroner Dave Brown’s history project results in gift to county

Courtesy photo/Elizabeth Brown Bearing the names of every Putnam County coroner since the county was founded in 1822, a new plaque will hang in the atrium of the Putnam County Courthouse. Coroner Dave Brown (standing) did the the research and had the plaque made before presenting it to the commissioners Tuesday morning.

From Oswald Thomas in 1822 through David R. Brown in 2016, a total of 52 men have been appointed or elected to the position of Putnam County coroner in the last 195 years.

Now the names of every one of those men will be on display at the Putnam County Courthouse for future generations to see.

Brown presented the plaque bearing all the names to the commissioners during their first regular meeting of 2017 on Tuesday morning.

Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan Having researched the project for several months, Putnam County Coroner Dave Brown (center) presents a plaque bearing the name of every Putnam County coroner since 1822 to Putnam County Commissioners President Dave Berry Tuesday morning after the first commissioners meeting of the year. Commissioners Rick Woodall (left), Don Walton and Berry received the gift from Brown, Deputy Coroner Milissa Cash, Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Walters and Reserve Deputy Coroner Todd Zeiner.

“I’ve been working on a history project,” Brown told the commissioners.

That project began with reviewing records at the courthouse, but those only went back to the 1970s, revealing names many remember such as Thomas Miller, Don Pearson, James Rudolph, Mike Hurt, Dale Oliver and Wayne Hopkins, who held the office from 1968 through 1983.

Brown then reached out to the Putnam County Public Library and the DePauw University Library.

“I was unaware we had such a great archivist at the public library,” Brown said of his research.

The real jackpot, though, was contacting Secretary of State Connie Lawson, who put Brown in touch with the Indiana Archives and Records Administration, revealing names all the way back to the county’s founding in 1822.

Brown noted that many of the coroners in the county’s history also served as undertakers. Among those on the list, the surnames of Oscar J. Rector, Charles H. Rector, John W. Whitaker, Wayne E. Hopkins and F. Mike Hurt still grace local funeral homes.

Brown noted that these men, and many others on the list, had other jobs through which they actually made their livings. Being coroner is more a matter of public service.

“This is quite a history of public service,” Brown said. “I’m just proud to be part of it.”

That pride also extends to Brown’s current staff.

“I’m proud of our team,” he said, “so I’m proud of what these folks have done throughout history.”

Besides presenting the plaque, Brown had some other good news to report.

For several months, Brown has been pursuing the $6,223 purchase of a three-body cooler for the county’s morgue area at Putnam County Hospital.

During the December meeting of the Putnam County Council, Brown reported that $2,400 was already allocated for the purchase, but the remaining $3,823 was still needed.

In a surprise on Tuesday, Brown reported that the entire price would be covered by the Putnam County Health Department. Health Officer Dr. Robert Heavin and administrator Joni Young, who also works for Brown, found the money from a couple of sources in their budget.

“Through his good graces, Doc Heavin is covering the cost,” Brown said.

The money includes $1,000 from the Preparedness Fund, which comes from state grants to the county to prepare for large health and safety events.

The remaining $5,223 comes from the department’s non-reverting fund for health supplies, which has seen a recent influx of funds since the county started accepting insurance for the services it provides.

“I always look for ways to give back to the county,” said Young, who then took her findings on to Heavin. “He immediately said yes.”

Saving money for the county has also been on Brown’s mind for the last four years. As such, he has added the morgue area at the hospital as well as moving some autopsy cases to the hospital to save the county on the cost of transporting and storing bodies.

In 2016, the coroner’s office investigated 86 cases, up from the average of 65 annually.

In other business:

• The officers for the Board of Commissioners will remain the same in 2017 as in 2016.

Commissioner Don Walton made the motion nominating David Berry as president and Rick Woodall as vice president. Woodall seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

• Commissioners need to make a board appointment in addition to those noted during December meetings.

The Clinton Township appointee to the Walnut Creek Fire Protection District was made last year in error. The term did not actually expire until the beginning of this year.

The commissioners are opening the appointment to interested residents of Clinton Township. Travis Lambermont currently holds the position, but others have already expressed interest in applying.

“There have been people express interest,” Berry said. “I’d like to keep that open until the end of the month to give people the chance to express interest.”

Letters of interest are due to the Putnam County Auditor’s Office by Jan. 31. The commissioners will then review the applications, conduct interviews and choose a board member in February.

The Walnut Creek Fire Protection District is governed by a three-member board composed of one resident each from Clinton Township, Monroe Township and the Town of Bainbridge.

• A pair of change orders on federal aid bridges were approved.

Commissioners approved a $10,000 change order for Crowe’s Bridge, as well as a 14-day extension for the completion of work on Bridge 248 in Jackson Township.