AUTHOR POPE BROCK WILL DISCUSS "INDIANA GOTHIC" WITH MUSEUM GUESTS

The Daviess County Historical Society is pleased to announce that Pope Brock, a writer, teacher and DJ living in Arlington, Massachusetts, will be available on Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 3 p.m. (via Zoom) in the Kremp Room at the Daviess County Museum to answer questions and discuss his fascinating book, “Indiana Gothic: A Story of Adultery and Murder in an American Family,” about the 1908 shooting and killing of his great-grandfather, Ham Dillon, in Washington, Indiana. Dillon, an aspiring young Daviess County politician, was gunned down on Main Street by his brother-in-law, Link Hale, after Hale found out his wife, Allie Hale, was having an affair with Ham and had given birth to Ham’s child. Allie was the sister of Maggie Dillon, Ham’s wife. At his murder trial in the Daviess Circuit Court, Link Hale was found not guilty by reason of “temporary insanity” by a jury of twelve men.

Admission to this program is free. The Daviess County Museum is located at 212 E. Main St. In Washington, IN. 

Brock notes on the first page of his 1999 book that “the story you are about to read lay buried in my family for a long time” and was kept secret for nearly 80 years. It was not until the 1980s that a great aunt “dropped some clues” about the family scandal. After obtaining in 1994 some copies of microfilmed 1908 Washington newspaper clippings, Brock embarked on a two-year odyssey—including three trips to Indiana—to “reconstruct” the events leading up to his great-grandfather’s murder and Hale’s trial. Brock immersed himself in the details of early 20th century farm life in rural Daviess County. Throughout his book he references many people, businesses, and sites in Elnora, Odon, and Washington.

When Mr. Brock agreed to appear at the Museum, he wanted to have a discussion about “Indiana Gothic” and not just a lecture. He encourages and hopes there will be a lot of questions from the audience about his research into the Dillon family secret and his technique of combining fiction and nonfiction to create “Indiana Gothic.”

Pope Brock is the father of twin daughters, Dillon and Hannah. His website is www.popebrock.com.

For information on the Daviess County Historical Society, visit daviesscountyhistory.com.