Members of The Society of Indiana Pioneers receive a number of tangible and intangible benefits from being part of a recognized history organization:
Members receive a free copy of the Society Yearbook each year. The Yearbook includes a listing of all members, along with their pioneer ancestors; a review of the Society's activities during the previous year; information on the Society's current and past officers and members of the board of governors; and a listing of all deceased members, plus other pertinent information.
Members have first priority on reservations for the Society's travel outings, known as "Pilgrimages."
Members can make personal, genealogical and business connections through discovering common backgrounds at Society events, including the Annual Meeting and Luncheon in November of each year.
There are four membership classes available in the Society
of Indiana Pioneers: Regular, Junior, Associate and Honorary.
Requirements for each membership class are detailed below.
Regular Membership is open to men and women eighteen (18)
years of age or older, who prove one or more of his or her ancestors
meets the qualifications of an Indiana Pioneer. An Indiana Pioneer
is one who lived within the present boundary of an Indiana county
on or before December 31, 1840, unless that county is one of the following: Adams, Benton, Blackford, DeKalb, Fulton, Howard, Jasper, Jay, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Newton, Noble, Porter, Pulaski, Starke, Steuben, Tipton, Wells, White, or Whitley; in which case the Pioneer must
have lived within the present boundary of that county on or before December 31, 1850.
Junior Membership is available to persons under eighteen
(18) years of age who would be otherwise eligible for Regular
Membership but are excluded due to their age. All other requirements
for Regular Membership must be met. Junior members are not eligible
for service on the Board of Governors or as an officer of the
Society.
Our application may be downloaded in either PDF or Microsoft
Word format, or requested from the office at the address
shown at the top of this page. A separate file is also available,
containing the instructions for
completing the application.
We have a video that describes in detail how to complete the application, hosted by the Society's genealogist, Michele Kerr.
The membership application may be printed and filled it out in black pen or you can fill out the form
in either Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF version) or Microsoft Word (Word version) and then print the document. When completed, mail it to
the Society at the address shown in the page header.
If you prefer, you may also request application materials through
the mail from the same address.
PLEASE NOTE: The application (PDF or Word versions) must
be downloaded to
your computer before beginning to work
on the application. If given a choice by your browser, choose
to "Save" the document on your hard drive first,
then open the document. Otherwise you may lose your
work when you try to save the application.
Proof of lineage, (birth, death, marriage and the connection
between the generations), must be submitted with the application. Also
note that unless you advise us in writing to the contrary,
your application may be photocopied for the use of other
members or prospective members.
MEMBERSHIP PAYMENTS: To ensure that your membership request
is handled in the most efficient manner possible, please
include a check or money order, payable to "Society of Indiana
Pioneers," for the Annual Membership Dues and Application
fee indicated below when sending your application to the
Society. Currently, this is $50.00 for regular members and
$35.00 for junior members (17 and younger). This eliminates
the need for the Society to invoice you separately for your
dues and application fee. Thank you.
Associate Membership is available to persons who are dedicated
to the object of the Society and who have an interest in the
pioneer era of the state of Indiana. Associate Members are not
eligible for service on the Board of Governors or as an officer
of the Society, but may serve in other capacities, including
service on any committee except the Nominating and Eligibility
Committees.
Honorary Membership is conferred on persons recommended
by three Regular Members of the Society, and given unanimous
approval by the Board of Governors.
Membership
fees, certificates and pins
Application
fee(one ancestor)
$25.00
Additional
lines (each)
$15.00
Annual
membership dues(regular and associate members)
$25.00
Junior
annual membership dues (option for members
who are 17 or younger)
$10.00
Sustaining
membership dues
$35.00
Life
membership
$600.00
Membership
certificate with Ancestor's name
Actual size 8 1/2" x 11", with member's name
and ancestor's name imprinted, suitable for framing (specify
ancestor's name when ordering)
$15.00
Society
logo pin, charm or lapel tack
Approximate size 5/8" high x 1/2" wide, features
logo in blue and white enamel on bronze with gold tone.
Indicate whether pin, charm or lapel tack is desired when
ordering.