Written by Victoria Vasquez & Cheryl Wilcox | June 16, 2026
History isn’t just found in books for Cheryl Wilcox—it is woven directly into her DNA. As a proud descendant of Indiana’s early pioneers, Cheryl has spent her life connected to the deep roots of the Hoosier State. Now, she is bringing that lifelong passion for heritage to a new chapter by officially joining the Porter County Clerk Archives team. Her unique personal connection to Indiana’s past promises to bring fresh inspiration and dedication to preserving our shared history. Cheryl will be a welcomed addition to the department’s record digitization project.
Wilcox was sworn in by Jessica A. Bailey, Clerk of the Circuit Courts as a full-time deputy clerk for the archives department on June 3, 2026. She originally began volunteering with the archives record digitization project in May, 2025. Cheryl is a genealogist with a special interest in forensic genealogy, which applies genetic, historical, and genealogical research methods that are commonly used to assist in criminal investigations and solving cold cases. Contrary to traditional genealogy, the field of forensic genealogy helps individuals trace their family tree both forward and backward to find lost relatives.
Cheryl previously assisted with the Starke County’s digitization project and had volunteered for the Larry Clark Genealogy Department at the Valparaiso Public Library under the supervision of Linda Novotny, former Porter County archives clerk. Nearly six years ago, she also volunteered with FamilySearch, the world’s largest free genealogy organization and website operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preparing documents for a scanning project at the Knox County, Indiana Courthouse. Wilcox currently serves as the secretary of the Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society and has held that position since 2022.
Cheryl has deep roots in our Hoosier state of Indiana. Several years ago, through genealogical research, she discovered that her 5x great-grandparents, John and Jerusha Keller, arrived in Harrison County, Indiana Territory in 1805. When it came time to elect representatives to serve in the general assembly of the Indiana Territorial government, the vote was held on March 3, 1809 at the log cabin of her Keller grandparents. The Keller’s continued to farm and eventually moved to Wabash County in 1828 where their son, Judge Jonathan Keller was appointed by the state of Indiana to appraise the land on which the Wabash & Erie Canal would be built. He was also appointed as the first mail carrier in the area and appointed to run the Miami Indian Mill to grind corn for local Native Americans.
One historical occasion noted in Cheryl’s family story is that of her uncle Judge Jonathan Keller. On October 23, 1826 the Miami Indian Treaty, known as the Treaty of Mississinewa was signed along the mouth of the Mississinewa River in present day Wabash, Indiana. Jonathan was present at this historic treaty event where the Miami and Potowatomi tribes ceded large portions of their ancestral lands in Indiana and Michigan to the United States in exchange for annuities, livestock and goods.
The treaty negotiations lasted for approximately two weeks, drawing a crowd of upwards of 2,000 Native Americans alongside dozens of government representatives. In September, 2024 Cheryl and her husband David visited the treaty grounds, now preserved as the Paradise Spring Historical Park where they explored reconstructed log cabins, walking paths and the natural flowing Kin-Com-A-Ong Spring, the site of the historical signing.
The Society of Indiana Pioneers is an organization that honors the memory and work of Indiana’s frontier pioneers. Cheryl has the privilege of being a member after establishing her family ties to early Indiana history and its settlers. In addition, with deep colonial roots in nearly every branch of her family tree, Cheryl recently proved her direct lineal descent from Revolutionary War patriot Landon Carter (1758-1838) who served as a drummer in the Continental Army’s Virginia Regiment led by Colonel Alexander Spotswood. He participated in the Battle of Brandywine and Battle of Germantown, guiding troops using the sound of his drum. Through this patriot connection, Cheryl was recently accepted as a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), a lineage-based women’s service organization dedicated to historic preservation, education, and patriotism.
Beyond genealogy, Cheryl’s interests include uncovering lost history buried within Porter County’s landscape. She participated in an archaeological dig in June, 2022 with the Kankakee Valley Historical Society’s Collier Lodge excavation project. The dig was held at the old lodge on the banks of the Kankakee River in the town of Kouts, Pleasant Township. Cheryl did not delay in signing up and was the first to volunteer for the project led by Notre Dame’s Professor of Anthropology Mark Schurr.
For five days, Cheryl joined Notre Dame students and local volunteers at the dig site. Wilcox’s efforts resulted in finding a tiny piece of striped pottery while carefully excavating by hand through several feet of dirt. She later learned it was thousands of years old. She also uncovered a “dart tip” that Dr. Schurr identified to be from the first Middle Woodland period 200 BC to 500 AD.
Cheryl brings a wealth of experience to the archives department, enhancing the project’s distinct approach. In addition, she is a polished journalist for three publications writing for the North Valpo Neighbors and South Valpo Neighbors Magazines and the Duneland Chamber Magazine. Wilcox is a published author and credited for the children’s book titled, “Whistleberry Junction.” Cheryl is ready to step into her new role as an Archives Clerk and will handle tasks such as repairing fragile records and identifying family names of early settlers from the mid-1800’s. She looks forward to assisting the public with their open records requests to help families bridge the past to the present.
The Dash 