Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts & Archives
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Biographical sketch
Scope and Content note
Box and folder listing
Cataloguing information
Processed by
Charles Latham
21 January 1992
VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 3 manuscript boxes, 1 bound volume, 1 reel of microfilm
COLLECTION DATES: Inclusive 1820-1944; Bulk 1820-1880
PROVENANCE: Mary Covert Pritchard, Indianapolis IN (Paul Covert papers; lent Bergen-Covert letters for copying), September 1959, 1972; James B. Deer, Moore, S. C., April 1979
RESTRICTIONS: None
COPYRIGHT: Held by Indiana Historical Society
ALTERNATE FORMATS: BV 0065 is microfilmed as F 0095
RELATED HOLDINGS: Information on the Hopewell Academy is located in M 444, Samuel List Papers (Box 1, Folder 13)
ACCESSION NUMBERS: 59.0901, 72.0003, 81.0104
Both the Bergen and Covert families were early settlers of Johnson County, Indiana.
Isaac Covert, born in New Jersey in 1755, came to Johnson County from Kentucky in 1825, having apparently stopped in New York State on his way west. He bought land in Franklin Township,, then returned to Kentucky to die the same year. His son, John Covert, born in New York in 1782, moved to Johnson County in 1825. He owned land in Franklin Township, was a founder of the Presbyterian church in Hopewell, and served as one of its elders. His son, William Covert, continued to farm near Hopewell, and married Margaret Bergen (1815-1885).
Margaret Bergen was the daughter of Peter Bergen (1788-1868), who had come to Johnson County in 1829, was a founder of Hopewell Church, and owned land in Union Township, on which he had a tile kiln. His brother, John Bergen (1795-1842) was a blacksmith; he worked in Pleasureville and Christianburg, just north of Shelbyville in Kentucky, 1824-1828, then moved to Hopewell, Johnson County, Indiana, and worked there after 1830.
William and Margaret Covert's son, Peter G. Covert (fl. 1880-1920), lived in Hopewell, ran a general store and undertaking business, and was involved in many local organizations.
Sources: Materials in collection
Yearbook of Society of Indiana Pioneers
County atlases of Johnson County
This collection, which came from two different donors over several years, consists of Xerox copies of letters, a few deeds, and several ledgers. It fills three manuscript boxes, two large and one small. It is arranged by correspondent, and chronologically within correspondent. The subject matter of most of the letters is family news.
In Folders 1-4 of Box 1 are letters addressed to Peter Bergen between 1821 and 1856. In Folder 5 is an 1848 letter of John Covert, and in Folder 6 John Bergen's account book as he worked as a blacksmith in Kentucky and at Hopewell. Folders 7-15 contain letters written to Margaret Covert from her relatives between 1859 and 1886.
Folders 16-19 of Box 1 and Folders 1-4 of Box 2 contain business records of Peter G. Covert, particularly the undertaking business which he ran in connection with his general store, and the Union Village Gravel Road Company.
The Baconian Literary Society of Hopewell Academy is represented by material in Folders 5 and 6 of Box 2 and Folders 1 and 2 of Box 3. Folders 3-5 of Box 3 contain bits of the records of other local organizations in Hopewell and nearby Bargersville. In Folder 6 are three recipes for cures, at least one of which seems to be meant as a form of humor.
BOX 1
Folder
1. Letters to Peter Bergen -- 1821-1834
2. Letters to Peter Bergen -- 1835-1839
3. Letters to Peter Bergen -- 1840-1849
4. Letters to Peter Bergen -- 1850-1856
5. John Covert letter-- 1848
6. John Bergen-- account book-- 1824-1839 (See BV 0065 or F 0095)
7. Letters to Margaret Covert-- 1859-1863
8. Letters to Margaret Covert -- 1864-1866
9. Letters to Margaret Covert -- 1867-1870
10. Letters to Margaret Covert -- 1871-1879
11. Letters to Margaret Covert -- 1880-1886
12. Letters to Margaret Covert -- n.d.
13. Covert family letters -- 1820-1834
14. Covert family letters -- 1847-1858
15. Covert family letters -- 1876-1886, n.d.
16. Peter G. Covert-- casket co.--1864-1876
17. Peter G. Covert -- casket co. account book 1879-1881
18. Peter G. Covert -- bills and receipts from Folder 17
19. Peter G. Covert -- printed material from Folder 17
20. Peter G. Covert -- account books 1879-1890, 1895-1898
BOX 2
Folder
1. Peter G. Covert-- casket co.-- 1884-1897
2. Peter G. Covert -- casket co.-- 1907-1920
3. Union Village Gravel Road Co-- minutes 1878-1887; Paul Covert-- casket co.-- 1902-1907
4. Union Village Gravel Road Co.--minutes 1885-1887, accounts 1893-1911
5. Hopewell Academy-- Baconian Literary Society 1858-1870
6. Hopewell Academy -- censors' book 1863-1864
Box 3
Folder
1. Hopewell Academy-- Baconian Literary Society minute, 1869-1882
2. Hopewell Academy -- papers taken from Folder 1
3. Hopewell Choir-- minutes 1890
4. Hopewell Cemetery Association-- 1886-1944
5. Bargersville Horse Thief and Felony Detective Company, 1874
6. Recipes for cures
MAIN ENTRY: Bergen-Covert family papers, 1820-1944 (bulk 1820-1880)
SUBJECT ENTRIES: Covert family
Bergen family
Bergen, Peter, 1788-1868
Bergen, John, 1795-1842
Covert, Margaret Bergen, 1815-1885
Covert, Peter G.
Frontier and pioneer life--Indiana
Blacksmiths--Indiana--Hopewell
Undertakers and undertaking--Indiana--Johnson County
Roads, Gravel--Indiana--Johnson County
Traditional medicine--Indiana--Formulae, receipts, prescriptions
Cemeteries--Indiana--Hopewell
Oratory--Indiana--Hopewell--Societies, etc.
Johnson County (Ind.)--History--Sources
Hopewell (Ind.)--History--Sources
END