A Young Couple Moved into a New House on Lowell Avenue in 1912

      On Wednesday evening, May 15, 1912, dozens of guests arrived at the Goe family home on South Ritter Avenue to witness the marriage of Theodore Kingsbury to Cornelia Goe. Their union brought together two very prominent Irvington families. Theodore was the seventh son of James G. Kingsbury, the publisher of the Indiana Farmer. Theodore hardly knew his biological mother as she died when he was two years old. His stepmother, Kate Gunckel Kingsbury, helped to raise him in homes on Lowell and Layman Avenues along with his stepsister, Edna Gunckel. At the time of his marriage, he worked for his father at the Indiana Farmer.

     Cornelia Goe was the daughter of Hezekiah and Cornelia Farnsworth Goe of 128 South Ritter Avenue. She had two brothers and two sisters. She graduated from Emmerich Manual High School and later attended Butler University. Her father earned a comfortable income running a popular grocery store in Moore's Hall at 130 South Audubon Road. Since her family attended the Irvington Methodist Church, the Reverend John Bickel officiated the wedding that night. We do not know if the couple went on a honeymoon, but we do know that on June 12, 1912, James G. Kingsbury hosted a dinner for the couple at his home at 71 North Ritter Avenue.

     Three days later, the newlyweds moved into a new house at 5515 Lowell Avenue. Theodore would have known the location of the house quite well as it was built in the backyard of a previous home belonging to his father at 98 Layman Avenue. William Babbitt took out a building permit in the spring of 1912 and erected the Dutch Colonial Revival residence for $1600. Babbitt used concrete blocks to clad the first floor and wood shake for the second floor. The elderly Kingsburys lived just around the corner at 71 North Ritter Avenue--also in a concrete-block home. 

     The Kingsburys lived here for five years before moving to Washington D.C. Cornelia appears to have adopted the Irvington Presbyterian Church and attended services with her husband's family. Various Presbyterian groups met at their home including the group seen below in the photographs. She was also very involved in a women's group called the Irvington Coterie Club. They met on Thursdays and newspaper accounts reveal that she hosted the ladies numerous times in this house. The club focused on historical topics as well as current events. Theodore spent much of his time during the warmer months on various golf courses. He was quite good at the sport and frequently made the sport pages for his low scores. 

     Within one year of moving into the residence, Theodore Kingsbury suffered the loss of his father in the spring 1913. The burden for operating the Indiana Farmer fell upon both he and his brother, James L. Kingsbury. Joy found a way into the home in 1915, with the birth of the couple's first child, Cornelia. If you are keeping track, that is the third Cornelia mentioned in this article. 

      In 1917, the Kingsburys relocated to the nation's capital where he found employment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They didn't stay there long, however, and by 1919, the couple found their way back to Irvington. 

Cornelia Goe Kingsbury sat on the steps of her new house at 5515 Lowell Avenue c1912 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Theodore Kingsbury sat on his porch at 5515 Lowell Avenue c1912. Behind him you can see the residences at 5506 and 5510 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Cornelia Goe Kingsbury sat on the front porch at 5515 Lowell Avenue. If you look closely, you can see a horse in the alley next to the residence. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

A group from the Irvington Presbyterian Church met in the home of Theodore and Cornelia Kingsbury in either 1912 or early 1913. James G. Kingsbury was a founder of the church and considered an elder at this point in his life. Pictured: Front row left to right--James L. Kingsbury, Charlie Davis, Theodore Kingsbury, Cornelia Kingsbury (above Theodore), Reverend John S. Martin, Merrill Woods; Second Row--Grace Goe, Anna Kingsbury, James G. Kingsbury, Edna Boyle, Mary Martin, ?, Maude Martin Davis, ?, ?, Clara Goe; Top row--listed in order on photo although some names have been left off by the original documenter: Mrs. Martin, Gertrude Meisenhelder, Bonnie Major, ?, Mr. and Mrs. Layman?, Edith Schowe, Hermine Reller, and ? (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for their stories and photographs. I also wish to thank Alyssa Stewart and Steve Barnett for their help with research on this house. 

Sources:  Kingsbury-Goe wedding: "Kingsbury-Goe Wedding," Indianapolis News, May 16, 1912, p. 7; "Irvington," Indianapolis Star, June 16, 1912, p. 26; House construction: "Building Permits," Indianapolis News, May 21, 1912, p. 15; Irvington Coterie Club: "Affairs of Clubs," Indianapolis Star, May 20, 1014, p. 13; "Clubs," Indianapolis Star, December 12, 1915, p. 37; Irvington Presbyterian Church involvement: "News of Churches," Indianapolis Star, August 29, 1914, p. 3.

Layman and Lowell Avenues in the Early 20th Century

     Between 1903 and 1907, James G. and Kate Kingsbury resided in the two-story home located at 98 North Layman Avenue. Almost as soon as he moved in, Mr. Kingsbury took out a building permit for an addition on to the home in the autumn of 1903. He also applied for a building permit in the following year to repair a barn on the property. 

     The Kingsburys were not the first to reside in the house. The Hannas lived at 98 North Layman in the late 1890s and the Williams family resided in the house in the early 1900s. Thomas Hanna (1841-1901) had been the Lt. Governor for the state of Indiana from 1881-1885. 

     For reasons unknown, 74-year-old James G. Kingsbury and 67-year-old Kate Kingsbury moved to a new house located nearby at 71 North Ritter Avenue. Photos from the Kingsbury family show the homes that existed at the intersection of Lowell and Layman Avenues between 1903 and 1915. 

James G. Kingsbury posed with his son, Theodore Kingsbury, at 98 North Layman Avenue c1903 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

James G. Kingsbury posed in front of his home at 98 N. Layman Avenue c1903. Behind him, you will note that no houses had yet been built on the south side of the 5600 block of Lowell Avenue. If you look closely, you can see the side of 5716 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Friends and family of the Kingsburys gathered in the dining room of their home at 98 North Layman Avenue c1903. Seated (left to right): Kate Gunckel Kingsbury, James G. Kingsbury, Hannah Rodney Kingsbury (holding a cat); Standing (left to right): Edna Gunckel, Nathan Howard ("Punk") Kingsbury, Annie Rodney (sister to Hannah), and  Theodore Kingsbury (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

308 North Layman Avenue

     Frederick M. and Alice Dickerman resided in the newly-constructed home at 308 North Layman Avenue in 1906. If they had looked out their dining room window, they would have seen James G. Kingsbury mowing his yard at 98 North Layman. Mr. Dickerman worked as a postal clerk for a railroad. The Dickermans lived in a variety of Irvington homes before moving to Los Angeles, California. 

James G. Kingsbury mowed his yard at 98 North Layman Avenue. Behind him you can see 308 North Layman Avenue c1906. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

5602 Lowell Avenue

     Cornelia Kingsbury, the daughter of Theodore and Cornelia Goe Kingsbury, was the subject of this photograph in the winter of 1915. The Kingsburys resided at 5515 Lowell Avenue at the time. Behind the baby, you can see several houses in the 5600 block of Lowell Avenue. The most visible home is 5602 Lowell Avenue (on the left). Wellington and Anne Downing had resided in that home since 1905. Mr. Downing was a contractor and built many homes in that section of Irvington. 

Cornelia Kingsbury in front of her home at 5515 Lowell Avenue in 1915. Behind her, you can see the intersection of Lowell and Layman Avenues. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Up Next:  The First Concrete Block House in Irvington? 

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for their stories and photos of Irvington. I also wish to thank Katherine Meadows who assisted me with research on 98 North Layman Avenue. 

Sources: Interview with Kathy and Dick Meyer, June 9, 2025; 1910 Federal Census; Polk's Indianapolis City Directory, 1903-1915; Frame addition to 98 North Layman Avenue: "Building Permits," Indianapolis Journal, November 14, 1903, p. 8; Repairs to Barn: "Building Permits," Indianapolis Journal, April 9, 1904, p. 10.

Lost Irvington: The Kingsbury Home on Lowell Avenue

      The home belonging to James and Mary Kingsbury has been missing since 1917. In fact, it has been gone longer than it ever stood on what is today the northeast corner of Lowell and Bolton Avenues. James G. Kingsbury, the editor and publisher of the Indiana Farmer, a publication for Hoosiers involved in the agricultural and horticultural business, moved his large family into 5860 Lowell Avenue in 1886 or 1887. We do not know if they were the first owners of the grand Italianate home, but they lived in the residence until 1903. The family also owned a 28-acre farm behind the house on what is today North Bolton and Campbell Avenues. 

     Long before he moved to Irvington, James G. Kingsbury had likely known about the community as he was very involved in the Prohibition Party along with one of the founders of Irvington, Sylvester Johnson. Many of his children also attended Butler University. One of his sons, James L. Kingsbury moved to the area one year before his father and settled along Layman Avenue. Irvington's "dry" laws likely appealed to Mr. Kingsbury as well. 

     In total, James G. Kingsbury had four wives. His first wife, Mary Layman Kingsbury died before he moved to Irvington. Not long after relocating, Mary Taylor Kingsbury, his second wife, died at the young age of 43 on August 5, 1888. A year later, James G. Kingsbury married Kate Gunckel of Cincinnati on September 4, 1889. She lived long enough to move with him from his lovely home on Lowell Avenue to another residence on Layman Avenue. Only his fourth and final wife, Anna Graham Risk Kingsbury, outlived him. 

      When a census taker arrived at 5860 Lowell Avenue in 1900, he found a very full house. Besides 68-year-old James G. Kingsbury and 61-year-old Kate Gunckel Kingsbury, the enumerator also noted 25-year-old Charles Kingsbury, a son, who worked with the telephone company; 21-year-old Howard Kingsbury, who worked as a railroad clerk; 20-year-old John Fletcher Kingsbury, who served as a mechanic; and 13-year-old Theodore Kingsbury, who was still in school. Mr. Kingsbury also welcomed his former mother-in-law, 84-year-old Jane B. Taylor and his 22-year-old step daughter, Edna Gunckel into the home. Miss Gunckel worked as a proofreader. A 20-year-old servant named Lena Funke and her 2-year-old son, Edgar Funke also boarded in the house. 

     In an interview with a reporter for the Indianapolis News in 1903, Mr. Kingsbury noted that he had created a model farm and had hoped that one of his seven sons would take over the business; however, none of them were interested so he sold the house and the land to Willis Wright of Terre Haute, Indiana. The Kingsburys held one final reunion in the residence on July 3, 1903. After their departure, many people moved in and out of the house until W.H. Cooper applied for a permit to demolish the structures in 1917. Fascinatingly, Josephine Hyde Woodbury, pioneering female developer, purchased the farm and created a new subdivision called "Edgehill." A beautiful brick American Foursquare home was built for the Lewis family on the site of the former Kingsbury home in 1920. 

The Kingsbury home at 5860 Lowell Avenue c1895 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Kingsbury home at 5860 Lowell Avenue c1895 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

5860 Lowell Avenue c1900 (courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The Kingsbury home at 5860 Lowell Avenue can be seen on this 1889 map of Irvington. The residence and barn are located just next to "89" on this map. You will note that Bolton Avenue north of Lowell Avenue did not exist yet. Pleasant street, denoted in a dotted line, was never built. . (Irvington Historical Society)

James G. Kingsbury created a model farm behind his house at 5860 Lowell Avenue. He can be seen here c1895. The farm stretched up to Pleasant Run stream and over to Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

"Kendall," a farm hand, (far left) stood near Nathan Howard (Punk) Kingsbury, Theodore Kingsbury, and John Fletcher (Butch) Kingsbury. Charles Kingsbury stood next to Billy the horse c1892. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury Family)

James G. Kingsbury, the Secretary of the Indiana Farmer, kept an office for the publication on the grounds of the Indiana State Fair. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Site of former Kingsbury home on June 23, 2025

 Up Next:  The Intersection of Lowell and Layman Avenues in the Early 20th Century

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for the stories and use of the photographs from the Kingsbury family. Kathy is a descendant of James G. and Mary Taylor Kingsbury. 

Sources:  Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, 1886-1918; US Federal Census Records, 1880, 1900, 1910; Interview with Kathy and Dick Meyer, June 9, 2025; Kingsbury family in the 1880s: "Personal Mention," Indianapolis Journal, May 27, 1884, p. 3; "Death of Mrs. Kingsbury," Indianapolis Journal, August 7, 1888; "Personal and Society," Indianapolis Journal, September 5, 1889, p. 7;  Prohibition Work: "Articles of Association," Indianapolis Journal, January 17, 1885, p. 7; "The City in Brief," Indianapolis Journal, November 10, 1885, p. 8; "Prohibitionist Satisfied," Indianapolis Journal, December 21, 1889, p. 1; Agricultural work:  Indiana Farmer and agricultural work: "The Agricultural Board," Indianapolis Journal, January 8, 1885, ; "In Brief," Indianapolis Journal, June 10, 1887, p. 8; Buying and selling house:  "Personal," Indianapolis News, June 11, 1887, p. 2; "Movement in Real Estate," Indianapolis Journal, May 27, 1888, p. 5; "Real Estate Transfers," Indianapolis Journal, October 31, 1889, p. 7; "Model Fruit Farm Sold," Indianapolis News, July 4, 1903, p. 24; "Twenty-Seven Transfers Made Matter of Record Yesterday," Indianapolis Journal, August 4, 1903, p. 8; Demolition--"Building Permits," Indianapolis Star, November 7, 1917; Edgehill--"Edghill in Irvington," Indianapolis News, June 21, 1919, p. 3.

Blizzard of 1961

      Hundreds of high school basketball fans gathered in gymnasiums across the state of Indiana for sectional tournaments on Saturday night, February 25, 1961. As they started to cheer for their teams, a winter storm raged outside complete with howling wind, heavy snow, ice, and even thunder. Many of those teens and some adults had to spend the night in the gym as all highways in the state were closed. Many Hoosiers also lost power that evening. In nearby Cumberland,  passengers from New York City had to sit for over four hours in their train cars along the Pennsylvania Railroad because of downed power poles. The Indiana State Police spent hours rescuing stranded motorists. The sun came out on Sunday, but most schools, including the city schools, closed on the following Monday much to the chagrin of some parents. 

     In Irvington, several inches of snow and ice fell upon the neighborhood that night. Leona Thomas Harton, who resided at 5318 Lowell Avenue with her husband, Russell Harton, grabbed her camera and documented the morning after the blizzard. Her beautiful snapshots show ice on tree limbs and several inches of snow on the ground and on rooftops. 

Russell Harton of 5318 Lowell Avenue shoveled his sidewalk after a blizzard which struck on Saturday, February 25, 1961. He also had to clear his driveway because he still had to go to work at International Harvester on the following Monday. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

Leona Thomas Harton of 5318 Lowell Avenue snapped this image on Sunday, February 26, 1961. A blizzard had struck the state the night before. The most visible homes in the photo are the rear of the residences located at 99, 95, and 85 North Hawthorne Lane. (photo courtesy of Tom Harton)

     I wish to thank Tom Harton for the use of his family's wonderful Irvington snapshots. I also wish to thank Anne Hardwick. 

Sources:  Paul M. Doherty, "Blizzard Paralyzes State," Indianapolis Star, February 26, 1961, 1, 20; John Akelmire, "Was it Necessary to Shut All of Those Schools on Monday?" Indianapolis News, February 28, 1961, 8. 

Dennison-Davidson Home in the Early 20th Century

      The Hackleman children, who lived at 5438 Lowell Avenue, had plenty of playmates in the neighborhood. They must have been particularly excited when the Davidson family moved into 5428 Lowell Avenue because the children in that house were of similar ages. Photos from the Hackleman family collection reveal that the children frequently played next door.  

     We are still learning about the earliest history of the two-story Dutch Colonial Revival home, but we do know that Arthur E. Dennison purchased the lot for his future home at 5428 Lowell Avenue in September of 1903. By 1904, Dennison had moved into the house. City directories indicate that he was a landscape architect and the president of the Kant-Swag Gate Company. An ad in the Indianapolis Star in 1906 boasted that Mr. Dennison's farm gates were "bull strong" and would "last a lifetime and never sag." We do not know much about Mr. Dennison or his family yet, but he moved out in 1908 paving the way for Robert and Mary Galvin Davidson to buy the property in either 1908 or 1909. They remained for the next two decades. 

      Mr. Davidson was an attorney with an office in downtown Indianapolis. Mrs. Davidson stayed home and raised their children, Margaret, Katherine, Mary, and little Robert, who died at age two . The three older girls played with the three Hackleman girls. Photos revealed that they staged elaborate costume parties or perhaps plays. To learn more about the Davidson family, click on the link below the post. 

Neighborhood children enjoyed swinging in the front yard at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1911. Behind the girls, you can see the Dennison-Davidson home at 5428 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Neighborhood children observed a calf at 5438 Lowell Avenue. Behind the girls, you can see the Dennison-Davidson home at 5428 Lowell Avenue. The photo is remarkable because if you look closely you can see the side of the large house at 5408 Lowell Avenue. That home has been gone for decades. (photo c1910 courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Neighborhood children posed with a pet calf and dog c1910 in the backyard at 5438 Lowell Avenue. Behind the girls, you can see the Dennison-Davidson home at 5428 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Mary Galvin Davidson posed with her three daughters, Margaret, Katherine, and Mary c1910. The Davidsons lived at 5428 Lowell Avenue for many years. (photo courtesy of the descendants of the Davidson family via Ancestry.com) 

Members of the Davidson and Hackleman families and perhaps other neighborhood children gathered on the lawn for a costume party at 5428 Lowell Avenue c1914. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Children in costumes posed on the lawn of 5428 Lowell Avenue c1914. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

A girl in a costume posed on the porch of the Dennison-Davidson home at 5428 Lowell Avenue c1914. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Children acted out a scene from "Princess Winsome" at the Dennison-Davidson home at 5428 Lowell Avenue on July 26, 1911. The Indianapolis News on page seven of that date identified the girl on the porch as Eunice Bickel.  (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

     I would like to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon for the generous use of her family archival collection. I would also like to thank Paula Schmidt and Steve Barnett at the Irvington Historical Society. 

Irvington Historical Society

Sources: Dennison era--Ad, Indianapolis Star, June 15, 1906, 2; Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, 1904-1908. 5408 Lowell Avenue--Larry Muncie, Irvington Album, Indianapolis, 1994, 50. Mr. Muncie published a 1912 photo of the house in his book. For information on the Davidson family, click on the link below. 

Family Life Along Lowell Avenue in the Early 20th Century

     William E.M. and Pearl Conner Hackleman moved into their beautiful home at 5438 Lowell Avenue in 1903. The residence was both a blend of the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles. Their four children, Florence, Grace, Edwin, and Gladys spent their early years in the house. Income from Mr. Hackleman's thriving religious music company allowed the children to enjoy the comforts of middle-class American life. All of the children graduated from high school and three of them later earned college degrees. The Hacklemans moved from the home in 1922 after nineteen years of living in Irvington. Their next home was located at 1201 North Alabama Street in the Old Northside neighborhood of Indianapolis. 

Gladys and Edwin Hackleman of 5438 Lowell Avenue teeter tottered in the side yard of their property c1911. You can also see a glimpse of 5442 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

The sandbox in the backyard at 5438 Lowell Avenue also served as an arbor during the summer months. Gladys, Grace, and Edwin Hackleman posed for the photo c1910. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Mary Jane Conner, the grandmother of the Hackleman children, enjoyed a game of croquet with her grandchildren in the side yard at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1910. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Gladys and Edwin Hackleman played with miniature train cars on their front porch at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1910 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

The Hackleman children, Grace, Edwin (in the carriage), and Florence, posed in their backyard at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1907. Behind the children, you can see the carriage house and a residence located at 333 Whittier Place. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Gladys and Edwin Hackleman posed with a wagon at 5438 Lowell avenue c1911 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Edwin Hackleman posed near his front porch at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1910. Behind him, you can see the side of 5442 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Little Gladys Hackleman sat for this snapshot on her front porch at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1910. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Gladys Hackleman walked with her baby doll and carriage c1911. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Gladys Hackleman drove her toy car in front of her home at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1911. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Florence and Gladys Hackleman stood near their front porch at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1910. Behind the kids, you can also see the residence located at 5442 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Edwin and Grace Hackleman posed with kittens on their front porch at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1907 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

Florence Hackleman pulled her siblings, Grace and Edwin and the family dog c1907. Behind the family, you can see the carriage house located at 5438 Lowell Avenue and a distant barn located behind 5428 Lowell Avenue. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Edwin Hackleman beamed as he posed next to his tricycle near his front porch at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1909 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

A large gathering of young girls met on the front porch at the Hackleman home at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1910. Behind the group you can also see the side of 5442 Lowell Avenue. Was this a birthday party? A Sunday School class? A Girl Scout meeting? We do not know. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

5438 Lowell Avenue c1905 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

The Hackleman siblings of 5438 Lowell Avenue (in birth order): Florence, Grace, Edwin, and Gladys c1910 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

    I would like to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon for the use of her images and stories. She is the great grand daughter of William Edward Michael and Pearl Conner Hackleman and the granddaughter of Gladys Hackleman and Wayne Carson. 

The "Singing Evangelist" and His Family Move to Irvington

            On October 17, 1909, a forty-one-year-old choir director and composer, mounted a wooden box at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In front of him were around 30,000 people who silently awaited his direction. As soon as he gave the signal, eight cornet players stepped forward and dramatically performed for the crowd who had gathered from all corners of the United States. Some had come from as far away as Japan. They were there to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Disciples of Christ. So many people had showed up in Pittsburgh that the city had run out of hotel rooms. Many of the faithful lodged with families near the convention. Forbes Field had only recently opened as the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The crack of the bat and the cheers from the crowd were the most common sounds emanating out the park, but on that Sunday morning anyone strolling near the stadium would have heard thousands singing in unison, "Nearer My God to Thee," "Onward Christian Soldiers," and "My Country Tis of Thee" all organized and led by a talented musician from Irvington, Indiana named William Edward Michael Hackleman. 

William Edward Michael Hackleman (1868-1927) was a talented musician and composer. Besides being a talented vocalist, he also played the cornet. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

William E. M. Hackleman spent much of his life on the road directing and singing in choirs in the Disciples of Christ churches. In this photo (c1905), he posed next to an unidentified structure possibly in Irvington. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

     Born in 1868 near Orange, Indiana in Fayette County, young William Hackleman showed much musical aptitude at an early age. He attended the Central Normal College in Danville, Indiana and later the prestigious Toronto Conservatory of Music. In Canada he studied voice under Francesco D'Auria, an Italian composer of religious music. He returned to Indiana and immediately made a name for himself as a gospel singer, cornet player, choir director, and composer. He also became a music publisher. In 1896, he and another Disciples of Christ minister named Reverend E.B. Scofield purchased a bookstore at 15 Virginia Avenue in Indianapolis and called the new venture Scofield and Hackleman. They sold bibles and hymnals. In 1897, he started his own publishing company and one of his hymnals, Gospel Songs, was sold around the country.

     When he wasn't writing Christian hymns, William traveled the state and nation. His musical talents were in high demand at Disciples of Christ revivals and services. Local newspapers called him the "Singing Evangelist." He spent many of his summers working at Bethany Park in Morgan County, Indiana. At some point, he came in contact with the Reverend Americus Conner and his wife Mary Jane Conner. Reverend Conner came from a long line of ministers and was very involved at Bethany Park. The Conners also had a daughter named Pearl. William and Pearl were married by her father and two of her uncles on September 12, 1899, at the Conner home in Irvington.

     At first, the Hacklemans lived in the Conner house at 5522 East Washington Street, but all of that changed after 3:00 A.M. on November 20, 1901, when the home burned to the ground. Thankfully, neither the Conners nor the Hacklemans were home so no one perished; however, neighbors who arrived on the scene thought that Mr. Hackleman's mother might be trapped on the second floor. One brave young Butler University college student, James Baldwin, crawled upstairs to rescue her, but she was sleeping in another part of town. Not long after Mr. Baldwin exited, the two-story frame home began to collapse. A chimney narrowly missed Charles E. Newlin, a member of the fire brigade. 

     After the fire both families rebuilt separate homes at the intersection of Lowell Avenue and Whittier Place. The Conners built a large two-story home at 88 Whittier Place while the Hacklemans erected a beautiful two-story home at 5438 Lowell Avenue. Both dwellings were completed by 1903. Mr. Hackleman kept up his busy pace of writing and arranging hymns. Often he would compose the music while others would write the words. He also spent much of the year away from his beautiful home and his wife and four children. 

William E.M. and Pearl Conner Hackleman built this home at 5438 Lowell Avenue in 1903. You can also see the nearby residence of 5428 Lowell Avenue. (photo--c1905, courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Members of the Hackleman family at 5438 Lowell Avenue gathered for a photograph c1910 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

William E.M. Hackleman's comfortable income from the sale of religious hymnals and other investments allowed the Hackleman family to live in this beautiful house at 5438 Lowell Avenue for many years.  (photo--c1905, courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Columns and fretwork framed the music room at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1905. Mr. Hackleman likely arranged or composed many of his pieces in this room. The ornamental fretwork was removed and stored in the attic by a later family. Later, the ornamental woodwork was removed from the house. Recently, most of the pieces have been returned to the current owners of the home. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

The Hackleman home at 5438 Lowell Avenue reflected the tastes of early twentieth-century middle class Americans. (photo--c1905, courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

The Hackleman family dining room at 5438 Lowell Avenue c1905 (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

     Locally, Mr. Hackleman attended Downey Avenue Christian Church and frequently led the choir there. He also became very active in the Irvington Citizen's League. Some of the more conservative members of the community became concerned by the number of locals who came into the neighborhood to picnic, often drinking beer. He called for an ordinance banning these merry afternoons, but nothing much came of it. In 1907, he had to retract a statement attributed to him in a Louisville, Kentucky Christian tract. In the brief article, Mr. Hackleman alleged that Butler University allowed Sunday baseball games when in fact the institution did not allow sporting events on that day. Mr. Hackleman quickly tried to tamper down the uproar and admitted his error in an Indianapolis Journal article. 

     The story didn't seem to damage his reputation as he was in higher demand than ever as a singer, director, and composer culminating in that historic moment in Pittsburgh in 1909 with 30,000 people singing in unison. 

Next Post: The Hackleman children grow up in Irvington....

The Hacklemans of 5438 Lowell Avenue had four children survive into adulthood: Florence (1900-1989), Grace (1902-1999), Edwin (1905-1975), and Gladys (1908-2000)  (photo--c1910, courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

     I would like to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon, the great granddaughter of William E. M. and Pearl Conner Hackleman, for the images and stories about her family. I would also like to thank Brenda DeVries and Kyle Boot for a tour and additional information about the Hackleman home. 

Sources: Pittsburgh Convention--"Impressive," Evening Review (East Liverpool, OH), October 18, 1909, 1; "Rooms Wanted," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 23, 1909; Wm. E. M. Hackleman early years--"News and Notes," The Muncie Daily Herald, January 25, 1896, 8; "W.E.M. Hackleman Killed in Auto Crash," Indianapolis Star, October 4, 1927, 1; Bookstore and publishing--"Purchase a City Bookstore," Columbus Republican (IN), September 15, 1898; Ad for Silver and Gold in Song by W.E.M. Hackleman, Indianapolis News,  June 18, 1898 and Herald & Review (Decatur, IL), September 2, 1899, 5; Singing Evangelist title--"Big Revival at Christian Church," Knightstown Banner (IN), February 17, 1911, 1 and The Muncie Daily Herald, January 25, 1896, 8; Bethany Park--"Bethany Notes," Indianapolis Journal, August 1, 1902, 3; Marriage--Indianapolis Journal, September 13, 1899, 3; Fire--"Irvington House Destroyed," Indianapolis News, November 20, 1901, 8; Music composing with others like Mrs. Adelia Pope of Greenfield, Indiana--"Local Brevities," Rushville Republican, March 21, 1902, 4; Involvement with Downey Ave. Christian Church--"Series of Hymn Services," Indianapolis News, February 8, 1908, 22; Irvington Citizens League--"To Oppose Beer Picnics," March 26, 1900, 5; Butler University Baseball Controversy--"The Guide Retracts," Indianapolis Journal, August 21, 1902, 3;