Almeda Huiet: The Forgotten Victim of Rowan, Indiana

Rowan, Indiana. Standing alone in a small, remote Central Indiana Cemetery is a weird feeling. You're alone, but you're not alone. These empty cornfields would feel insignificant if it weren't for these hundreds of forgotten stones. As remote as it is, you're standing in the final resting place for hundreds of lives, and all of them matter, even Almeda's. But as I stand here, there may be only a handful of people alive that knew who this 18-year-old was.

TIMELINE
1870: Almeta Eleanor Hewitt was born in 1870 near Dayton, Ohio.
1880: Mida was 10 years old in 1880 when a wealthy childless family in Rowan learned of her situation.
1884: In an effort to get away from her father, Mida moves to Chicago in 1884 at 14 years old.
1886: Suddenly, at the end of 1886, Mida leaves Chicago and returns to Roanne.
1888: By the end of 1888, Mida moves back to Chicago at 168 East Superior Street.

WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Rowan is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.

Episode 24 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters

If you liked this: Episode 180 (Hagerstown, Indiana)

Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

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