The Goes Hired an Architect for Their South Ritter Avenue Residence

      Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe moved to Irvington in 1884. They first leased the Downey family home at 5433 University Avenue and then bought lot number 35 in Levi Ritter's Addition to Irvington in 1886. By 1890, the industrious grocer and his family moved into their newly-built home at 128 South Ritter Avenue. A year earlier, a local architect named Louis H. Gibson published a book called Convenient Houses With Fifty Plans for the Housekeeper. It appears that the Goes chose "Plan No. 5" from this book with some modifications. Mr. Gibson, who designed numerous residences and other buildings in Indiana, had studied in Paris and worked as a draftsman for Edwin May, the architect of the Indiana State House. Architectural historian, Paul Diebold, first identified the Goe home as a Gibson design in 1994. Later, Gibson historian, Deedee Davis, confirmed that this was one of two Gibson houses in Irvington. We are still searching for the second one. Doreen McGuire Crenshaw, who lived in the house from 1967 until 1982, helped to establish that the plan with some changes matched the Gibson design. 

     The Goes and later two of their children remained in the tall house for decades. In the next post you will have an opportunity to meet the entire family. 

Hezekiah Goe posed with his three youngest children, Cornelia (next to him), Grace, and Percy in 1892 at his home at 128 South Ritter Avenue. If you zoom in behind the house, you can see the Scot Butler home located at 124 South Downey Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The Goes likely chose Plan No. 5 from Gibson's book, Convenient Houses (courtesy of Deedee Davis)

Louis H. Gibson, Convenient Houses With Fifty Plans for the Housekeeper, New York, 1889 (Courtesy of Project Gutenberg.org)

Louis H. Gibson, Architect (Find-a-Grave)

Interior of Goe family home at 128 South Ritter Avenue c1905 (courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Goe family interior at 128 South Ritter Avenue c1905 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The chair seen in the photo above still belongs to Goe family descendants. (courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The Goe home c1905 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for the use of these fascinating historic photographs. I also wish to thank Marion County and Irvington historian, Steve Barnett. 

To see a lecture by Deedee Davis on Louis Gibson, click on the link below:

Louis Gibson by Deedee Davis

Sources: "Louis H. Gibson (1854-1907)" Crown Hill Foundation (crownhillf.org); Paul Diebold, "Louis H. Gibson," Encyclopedia of Indianapolis.org; Deedee Davis, "Convenient and Beautiful: The Architecture of Louis H. Gibson," Indiana Landmarks, Youtube, 2018.

A Concrete-Block House in Irvington

      Friends and family were likely surprised to learn that 76-year-old James G. Kingsbury and 68-year-old Kate Kingsbury decided to move from their Layman Avenue home into a new residence at 71 North Ritter Avenue in 1907. They were not just moving into any home, but one that had been clad in concrete blocks. Local businesses mass produced concrete blocks for construction lowering the costs for such a residence. Another nearby home at 65 North Ritter Avenue also had a first story built of concrete block. Mr. Kingsbury's scrapbook noted that his home was the first concrete block house in the neighborhood. While he took out a building permit for the residence in 1905, the family did not move in right away. 

     James G. Kingsbury still served as the publisher of the Indiana Farmer although his sons, James L. and Theodore, took on more responsibility for the publication.  Only his young son, Theodore, still lived at home. On November 17, 1907, all seven of Mr. Kingsbury's sons gathered at the new house to celebrate Theodore's 21st birthday. Sadness, however, soon gripped the family as Kate Kingsbury, the third wife of James G. Kingsbury, faced a dire cancer diagnosis. She penned a column in the Indiana Farmer called "Aunt Kate" where she discussed domestic issues. In her final column, she wrote:

          For over a year I have been an invalid, and during that time there has not been a day that I have not had reason to thank God for neighbors. Fruits, flowers, and dainties, have been almost daily offerings. And how good things taste that come to you unexpectedly...And flowers! From the time of the early spring crocuses awaken from their wintry slumbers, until the frosts cut short the chrysanthemum blooms, I have not been a day without flowers...

     Mrs. Kingsbury died on April 1, 1908, leaving James G. Kingsbury a widower for a third time. Mr. Kingsbury continued to go to his office at the Indiana Farmer. On January 18, 1910, his family held a surprise birthday party for him after he returned from work. An Indianapolis News article noted that the entire house at 71 North Ritter Avenue was illuminated to celebrate his 78th birthday. A few weeks later, he surprised his friends and family by announcing that he had taken out a marriage license to wed a 62-year-old widow named Anna Risk. On February 10, 1910, the couple gathered at the Somerset Apartments to be married by the Reverend Frank O. Ballard of the Memorial Presbyterian Church. Only a few witnessed the moment, and then the couple honeymooned in Washington D.C. and New York City before returning to their Ritter Avenue home. 

     At some point before 3:30 AM on the morning of May 5, 1910, Mr. Kingsbury went to the window of his second-story bedroom on Ritter Avenue and looked to the east. There in the quiet of the night, he witnessed Halley's Comet racing over Irvington. Ever the journalist, he recorded the moment and the Indianapolis News reported that he was the first in the city to see the comet. 

     Mr. Kingsbury's death on June 11, 1913, was widely reported around the state of Indiana. His efforts to write about Hoosier agriculture had been impactful. He left behind his fourth wife, seven sons, one step daughter, and numerous grandchildren. Some of those descendants have been very generous with their time, stories, and photographs. I am very grateful to them. 

Up Next:  A Butler Fraternity House on Pleasant Run Parkway

      

"The First Concrete Block House in Irvington," as reported from the scrapbook belonging to the Kingsbury family, c1907. The photo is also important because it shows the side of 75 North Ritter Avenue, a house destroyed by fire in 1920. A double later replaced that home.  (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

This c1913 photo in front of 71 North Ritter Avenue is remarkable as it shows a very young John K. Kingsbury (seated and holding a hat). He later became a beloved local doctor and a witness in the infamous trial involving D.C. Stephenson, the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, and murderer of Madge Oberholtzer. His testimony helped to convict the man. Seated (left to right) James G. Kingsbury, John K. Kingsbury, Anna Risk Kingsbury, Kate Kingsbury holding Frank Kingsbury, and Charles Kingsbury; Standing (left to right): Florine Kingsbury, Hannah Kingsbury, Pearl Kingsbury, Edna Gunckel, Cornelia Goe Kingsbury, Nathan Howard Kingsbury, Theodore Kingsbury, Franklin Kingsbury (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Nathan Howard ("Punk") Kingsbury, James G. Kingsbury, and Theodore Kingsbury after a big snowstorm at 71 North Ritter Avenue c1910. You can also see the south side of the Clancy home at 75 North Ritter Avenue. That home burned in 1920. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Charles Kingsbury, Kate Kingsbury, Hannah Kingsbury, and Nathan Howard Kingsbury c1910 on the steps of 71 North Ritter Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Theodore Kingsbury, Sylvia Ewan (Lil), and the Marsh sisters standing at the rear of 71 North Ritter Avenue c1910 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Edna Gunckel was the daughter of Kate Gunckel Kingsbury, the third wife of James G. Kingsbury. Letters in the Kingsbury family collection reveal that she remained close to the family for years. This photo was likely snapped c1910 in front of 71 North Ritter Avenue. After Mr. Kingsbury died in 1913, he left his stepdaughter some of his money. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Always the farmer, Mr. Kingsbury worked in the backyard of his home at 71 North Ritter Avenue c1910. Behind him you can see the rear of 76 and 98 North Layman Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Theodore Kingsbury and Sylvia Ewan c1910 behind 71 North Ritter Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

71 North Ritter Avenue after a snowstorm c1910 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

71 North Ritter Avenue on July 16, 2025

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for their wonderful help with this article. I also wish to thank Marion County historian, Steve Barnett, who helped me pin down a date on the house. 

Sources:  The 1910 Federal Census; Polks's Indianapolis City Directories, 1906-1914; Birthday party for Theodore Kingsbury: Indianapolis News, November 18, 1907, p. 7; Obituaries for Kate Kingsbury: "Mrs. Kingsbury Dead," Indianapolis News, April 2, 1908, p. 7; "Death of Mrs. Kingsbury," Indiana Farmer, April 11, 1908, p. 10;  J.G. Kingsbury Surprise Birthday Party: "Birthday-Anniversary," Indianapolis News, January 19, 1910, p. 7; J.G. Kingsbury and Halley's Comet: "Arise Early, Look East And You Will See It," Indianapolis News, May 5,1910, p. 1; J.G. Kingsbury to Anna Risk: "Will Marry Fourth Wife," Indianapolis Star, February 10, 1910, p. 1; "Society," Indianapolis News, February 10, 1910, p. 7; Obituary for James G. Kingsbury: "James G. Kingsbury, of Indiana Farmer, Dead," Indianapolis News, June 12, 1913, p. 7. James G. Kingsbury's Will:  "Kingsbury Will Probated," Indianapolis Star, July 8, 1913, p. 3. 

The Longs Celebrate an Anniversary--1954

     On September 14, 1954, Robert Bryant Long and Daisy Lee Long sat in their living room at 222 South Ritter Avenue on the day of their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple had lived in the bungalow for at least forty years. Mr. Long had earned a comfortable living as a salesman for the Bemis Bag Company located on Barth Avenue. He sold bags used for salt, rice, flour, potatoes, and feed for 53 years. Mrs. Long stayed at home and raised their two sons, Arthur and Robert, Jr. She was also involved in numerous clubs including the Irvington Woman's Club. The couple belonged to the Irvington Dramatic Club and they frequently starred in various productions often put on in Moore's Hall, formerly located on the northwest corner of South Audubon Road and Bonna Avenue. For example, on December 2, 1921, they both acted in a one-act play by A.A. Milne titled "Wurzel-Flummery." Mr. Long played the leading man named Robert Crenshaw, while Mrs. Long portrayed Violet Crenshaw, his daughter! 

     In the spring of 1922, the Longs took out a sizable building permit and remodeled the home. It is possible that they added the garage and sun porch at that time. During the Great Depression, the couple took in lodgers. We don't know the exact origin of the photograph below but it belonged to the Davis family, who lived across the street in the double at 217 South Ritter Avenue. The Davis family knew the Longs quite well as they leased their double from them. 

     Five years after this photo was snapped, Mr. Long died as he prepared to depart Florida for the trip back to Irvington. He was 76 years old. Mrs. Long lived on until 1970 and died at the age of 87.        

Daisy Lee Long and Robert Bryant Long sat in their living room at 222 South Ritter Avenue on September 14, 1954. (courtesy of Deedee Davis)

222 South Ritter Avenue, 2022 (Google Streetview)

     Thank you to Deedee and Dodie Davis for the photograph and information for this post. 

Sources:  Interview with Deedee Davis, July 27, 2023; Obituary for Robert B. Long--Indianapolis News, April 7, 1959, 7: Obituary for Daisy Long--Indianapolis News, November 17, 1970, 29; Irvington Dramatic Club--"Calendar," Indiana Daily Times, December 2, 1921; Federal Census Records for 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950; Building permit--Indiana Daily Times, May 10, 1922.

Pioneering Black Suffragist Lived in Irvington

      On June 19 and 20, 1916, women from all over the state of Indiana gathered during a convention to hear the keynote speaker and the president of the National Franchise League, Carrie Chapman Catt. Dozens of state leaders and some politicians also attended the two-day event. The estimated 500 delegates rose to their feet and applauded as Mrs. Catt stood to speak. Other franchise groups attended the conference as did some politicians. Mrs. Catt was blunt in her speech. She had been disappointed by the stance of several of Indiana's elected officials who did not support suffrage for women. She noted that the United States had been "inconsistent" with regard to the freedom of half of the population. She noted that more Republicans favored women's suffrage than Democrats. Part of her speech was xenophobic as she noted that "if there are incompetents voting now, then something should be done to stop the naturalization of ignorant foreigners." She also raged against apathetic women who supported the cause but did nothing. Her speech angered some in the audience including some Democrats. 

     Also sitting in the audience that day was another Carrie although most at the event likely did not know her name. Carrie Whalon of 438 South Ritter Avenue had come to the convention in her role as the president of the First Colored Woman's Suffrage Club. She was not alone and sat next to two of her fellow neighbors, Minnie Highbaugh and Lizzie Compton. It is not known how many of the 500 delegates present were black, but there were at least three.  

     So who was Carrie Whalon? We must start with the fact that there are several unknowns about her life including the spelling of her last name. Both her will and death certificate spell her name as Whalon, but in many newspapers, including the black-owned Indianapolis Recorder, her name was spelled as "Whallon" or "Whallen" in many articles. Carrie Stofer was born in 1870 as the daughter of Jack Stofer and Minnie Berry Stofer  Grubb Williams in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. At some point, she married William Jackson and had two children, Stofer and Louvenia (possibly Lavenia). We do not know what happened to Mr. Jackson, but the 1900 Federal Census indicates that she married  Thomas Tipton, a laborer at a planning mill in Montgomery County, Kentucky. Mr. Tipton had six children of his own and with Carrie's two children made for a very large family. Gaps in her life remain, but we know that she married for the final time on August 1, 1910, to John Whallon (also spelled Whallen) in Louisville, Kentucky. There were Whalons living at the intersection at Greenfield and Ritter Avenue in Irvington so this is likely how she ended up moving north. 

     We are not sure of the exact moment that Carrie and John Whalon moved to Irvington. We do know that her children did not move up to Indianapolis right away. An Indianapolis Recorder article indicated that her son Stofer came up from Mount Sterling, Kentucky to visit his Mom, Mrs. Carrie Tipton Whalon, at 425 West St. Clair Street. Another Recorder blurb from the same year noted that Mr. and Mrs. Whalon moved into their home at 5521 Greenfield Avenue. John Whalon is listed at that address until 1915. 

      By 1916, Carrie Whalon no longer lived at the Greenfield Avenue address. She appears to have moved in with the Tarpennings, a white family at 260 South Ritter Avenue, where she "lived in the rear" of the home. She was frequently listed as a "cook" so she likely served as a domestic for various Irvington families. She did not live there long.

     In the summer of 1916, Carrie Whalon achieved a dream of buying her own home. The Indianapolis Recorder noted that Mrs. Whalon purchased a "beautiful two-story frame home at 438 South Ritter Avenue." A later ad called it a "pretty" three-bedroom cottage. Behind her would have been an open field, and farmland existed south of her along Brookville Road. She would have heard the rumble of the trains along the nearby Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and from the new Irvington Ice and Coal Company located about a half block north. Her son and later his wife and grandson moved in with her. 

      While she was busy setting up her new house, she was also very committed in 1916 as president of the First Woman's Colored League in Indianapolis. The club met weekly in various women's homes primarily on the west side of Indianapolis so Mrs. Whalon would have had the added expense of traveling from Irvington to the west side. The inaugural meeting took place on April 27, 1916, at the home of Mrs. Ida Winston at 401 West Pratt Street (later 9th Street). Mrs. Whalon spoke as the presiding officer and served tea to the new members along with two white guests, Grace Julian Clarke and Mrs. Orville O. Carvin of Irvington. Both Mrs. Clarke and Carvin had long been involved in the suffrage movement and were there to advise the ladies on their new club. Black women were seldom invited into long-standing franchise leagues, thus the need for a separate club. 

     Throughout the year, the ladies of the First Woman's Colored League continued to meet. On October 5, 1916, the women invited Mrs. Claudia Pash to speak to the club as she had already voted three times as women in certain parts of the United States had the right to vote. On October 17, 1916, Carrie Whalon hosted the group at her home in Irvington. The women asked their husbands and other men to attend since black men in Indiana did have the right to vote. All over the state, women were encouraging their husbands, brothers, and fathers to elect candidates who were in favor of women's suffrage. The First Woman's Colored League was no different. 

     After the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, millions of women cast their vote for the first time. Although we have no record of it, it is highly likely that Carrie Whalon was one of those women. She joined the Republican Party and was very involved in a local black chapter in Irvington. An Indianapolis Recorder article noted that Mrs. Whalon served as the secretary of the club. During the Indianapolis mayoral primary in 1921, there were three candidates on the Republican ticket. In April of that year, the club met at the Knights of Pythias building at 202 1/2 South Audubon Road to endorse a local favorite, Thomas Carr Howe. He spoke to the club that night as did numerous other speakers. Although Mr. Howe did not win the nomination, Carrie Whalon and other black women in Indiana now had a political voice in state and federal politics. 

     At some point during the 1920s, Carrie Whalon became sick. Doctors diagnosed her with cancer. She continued to remain politically active. She was also very involved at the First Baptist Church at 231 Good Avenue where she helped to organize a chapter of the Mother's Aid Society. In another era, it is likely that Mrs. Whalon would have run for a political office, but there were few opportunities for black women in the 1920s as the Ku Klux Klan dominated the state of Indiana in that era  Likely knowing that the end was near, she signed her last will and testament on January 4, 1926. She left her house and her money to her children and to her mother. Her death certificate in 1927 indicated that she was buried at the Floral Park Cemetery on Holt Road although there does not appear to be headstone. 

African-American women lined up at the polling station at 904 Indiana Avenue on November 2, 1920 to vote. Carrie Whalon would have cast her first ballot at a polling site in Irvington. We do not have a photograph of her. (photo appeared in Indianapolis News, November 2, 1920, 13) 

Carrie Whalon and her son Stofer Jackson along with his wife Sarah Jackson resided at 438 South Ritter Avenue. The family lived in the cottage from 1916 until her death in 1927. Stofer Jackson worked as a driver for Dirk's Grocery in Irvington for many years. The Whalon-Jackson home was located two houses north of Greenfield Avenue. On the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map (1908), you can see it just below the "T" and "O" in the name "Tomlinson." The house was demolished in the 1970s for a warehouse. (IUPUI digital archives) 

Carrie Whalon was very active in the First Baptist Church of Irvington at 231 Good Avenue. At least two other members, Lizzie Compton and Minnie Highbaugh, were also involved in the suffrage movement. (photo taken in 2012) 

For further reading on Indiana's suffrage movement:  Anita Morgan, "We Must Be Fearless," The Woman Suffrage Movement in Indiana. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press, 2020. 

     I wish to thank Anne Hardwick who greatly aided in the research for this post. I also wish to thank Steve Barnett and Paula Schmidt at the Irvington Historical Society. If anyone has a clarification or additional information about this interesting woman, please reach out to us. 

Irvington Historical Society

Sources: State Suffrage Convention and Carrie Chapman Catt:  "Leaders of Suffrage Leagues and National Head to Confer," Indianapolis Star, June 18, 1916, 47; "Disappointed Over Suffrage Conference," Indianapolis News, June 20, 1916, 3; Carrie Whallon, Minnie Highbaugh, and Lizzie Compton at the convention: Indianapolis Recorder, June 24, 1916, 2; Marriage to John Whallon, Kentucky Marriage Licenses on Ancestry.com; Visit from her son: Indianapolis Recorder, May 20, 1911, 8; Move to Greenfield Avenue--Indianapolis Recorder, July 22, 1911, 4; Purchase of 438 South Ritter--Indianapolis Recorder, June 24, 1916, 8; First Woman's Franchise Club: Indianapolis Recorder, April 15, 1916, 8; Indianapolis News, April 22, 1916; Indianapolis Recorder, May 6, 1916, 2; Indianapolis Recorder, September 23, 1916, 2; Indianapolis Recorder, October 7, 1916, 2; Republican party chapter in Irvington--"Robison Best Asset of Shank Campaign," Indianapolis News, April 21, 1921; Death announcement--Indianapolis Recorder, August 31, 1927; Her will and death certificate were obtained on Ancestry.com 

     

Cottage Built in 1905 Along Whittier Place

      Many changes greeted the citizens of Irvington in 1902. The community had been independent with its own town board and marshall for thirty-two years, but all of that changed in February when the city of Indianapolis annexed the suburb. The neighborhood would now receive city fire and police protection along with other benefits like sewers and sidewalks. In the summer of 1902, the city announced the extension of Whittier Place from Lowell Avenue to the corporation line. (later Pleasant Run Parkway) Within a few years, several families started building their dream homes along that small section of the street.    

334 North Whittier Place Connected to an Indiana Historian

        In the winter of 1905, members of the Cottman family obtained a building permit to construct a frame house at 334 North Whittier Place for Julia Cottman, the widowed mother of historian George S. Cottman. City directories indicate that she lived there until1907, but she later moved in with her son's family at 336 North Ritter Avenue. George S. Cottman was a writer and historian. In fact, he founded the Indiana Magazine of History in 1905. He later wrote books, pageants and essays while continuing to serve as the editor for his journal. He married Vida Tibbott, a former teacher whose family had deep roots in Irvington. Mrs. Cottman, who was much younger than her husband, was very involved in local women's clubs. She frequently hosted meetings in her home.

     After the elderly Julia Cottman moved in with her son, they rented her Whittier Place home to the Jenney family and then the Cottmans moved to the Seattle, Washington area in September of 1908, likely surprising many of their Hoosier friends. They did not remain gone for long as an Indianapolis News blurb announced that Vida Cottman returned one year later and moved into Julia Cottman's Whittier Place home in September of 1909. Mr. Cottman followed soon thereafter. The 1910 Federal Census indicates that George and Vida resided at the Whittier Place home along with their two-year old son, Evans and with 84-year-old Julia Cottman. Presumably, they didn't return to their Ritter Avenue address immediately because they had also rented that home out in their absence. By 1911, the Cottmans were back at 336 North Ritter Avenue. Their son, Evans, later wrote a short memoir about growing up in Irvington although he does not mention his brief tenure along Whittier Place. 

    

Members of the Hackleman family, who lived at 5438 Lowell Avenue, lined up with other neighborhood children for a parade c1910 in front of the Cottman home at 334 North Whittier Place. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Grace Hackleman and Florence Hackleman rode their bikes while their sister, Gladys, posed in a nearby tree c1910. The Hacklemans resided at 5438 Lowell Avenue. Behind the girls, you can see the Cottman home located at 334 N. Whittier Place. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) 

George S. Cottman was a prominent Indiana historian of the early twentieth century. He authored numerous books and pageants. The Cottmans briefly lived at 334 N. Whittier Place although they spent most of their Irvington years at 336 North Ritter Avenue. (photo courtesy of RayBoomhower.blogspot) 

George S. Cottman authored an early history of the state of Indiana in 1925. 

The Cottman home as photographed by Google in July of 2019

     I wish to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon for the use of her incredible Conner/Hackleman photo collection. I also wish to thank Paula Schmidt and Steve Barnett at the Irvington Historical Society.

Irvington Historical Society

Sources: Opening of Whittier Place north of Lowell Avenue: Indianapolis Journal, August 19, 1902; Building permit and construction of Cottman home: Indianapolis Commercial, February 1905; Cottman Seattle move: Indianapolis Star, September 27, 1908, 18; Indianapolis News, September 25, 1909, 22;  

A Snowy Day at the Corner of North Ritter Avenue and Michigan Street

      Little Gladys Hackleman, the youngest granddaughter of Americus and Mary Jane Conner, posed along the sidewalk on a snowy day in front of 340 North Ritter Avenue in 1913. Her mother, Pearl Conner Hackleman, likely pulled her in the wagon from their home located nearby at 5438 Lowell Avenue.

     While Gladys, with her basket full of snow, might have been the subject of the photo, behind her you can see the two residences located at 351 and 345 North Ritter Avenue. Both of these homes have stories to tell.

Gladys Hackleman of 5438 Lowell Avenue sits in front of 340 North Ritter during the winter of 1913. Behind her you can see 351 and 345 North Ritter Avenue as well as a glimpse of 5514 East Michigan Street. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

     351 North Ritter Avenue: A Young Couple Moves into Their Dream Home

     Gilbert and Stella Laymon watched patiently as their new home was erected on the southeast corner of North Ritter Avenue and Michigan Street in 1909. They had been renting a home across the street for several months. Dr. Laymon was only 29 years old and running a  thriving dental business. The couple had two children, Ruth and Russell, who likely knew the older siblings of Gladys Hackleman. Perhaps they had also been out playing in the snow on that winter's day. On July 25, 1909, the Indianapolis Star featured the Laymon home at 351 North Ritter Avenue complete with a photo of the house and floor plans. The residence had been constructed by the Home Building and Realty Company for $3,500. David A. Coulter, the president of the company, built dozens of custom homes like this one throughout the city. His creations were frequently featured in the Sunday papers. 

     The new Laymon home contained beamed ceilings, a fireplace with built-in bookcases, beautiful interior columns, and oak and mahogany woodwork. The 1910 Federal Census reveals that the family also employed a seventeen-year-old live-in servant named Floy (possibly Flora) Blankenship. Despite their apparent upper middle-class status in a charming home and in a desirable neighborhood, the Laymons left Irvington for Miami Beach in 1918 where Dr. Laymon served as one of the earliest dentists to operate in that newer community. They spent the rest of their lives in Florida. 

The Laymon home appeared in the Indianapolis Star on July 25, 1909.

351 North Ritter Avenue in the winter of 2020 (photo courtesy of Amy Hall)

     345 North Ritter Avenue: Tragedy Follows Tragedy

     If I had been writing a fictional novel about the two-story Arts and Crafts bungalow located at 345 North Ritter Avenue, most would have said that the following story would have been implausible. How could so much tragedy exist within the walls of one residence? I have been researching and writing this blog for eleven years and I have never encountered such a story.

      Walter and Nora Burns along with their four children moved into 345 North Ritter Avenue in late 1912. The home had been newly-built and it must have been exciting to move into the pleasant dwelling. All six members of the Burns family could have peered out their window in the winter of 1913 to see little Gladys Hackleman riding in her wagon across the street. How could they know that the world and their family was about to change? 

     The United States avoided entry into World War I until 1917. Dozens of young Irvington men enlisted or were drafted into service and shipped to Europe. Paul and Victor Burns of 345 North Ritter Avenue answered the call of duty. Paul, the younger of the two, was gassed in France, but survived the attack. His father, an editor for the Indiana Daily and later other Indianapolis newspapers, published his letters in the local papers. Paul recovered from the attack and was sent to a small village near Paris to load munitions. In August of 1918, he died after a tragic accident. The news must have been devastating for the Burns family. On October 8, 1918, as the war was winding down, Victor Burns died as a result of injuries he suffered in a battle. Instead of two blue stars hanging in their window, the family now displayed two gold stars. 

      At the same time that the Burns brothers were fighting and dying in Europe, a terrifying disease, the Influenza, began to sweep the world peaking in 1918. Margaret Burns, the seventeen-year-old daughter of Walter and Nora became sick with the dreaded illness. Her health deteriorated and newspapers of the time noted that the Burns family made frequent trips to Arizona most likely to help with her breathing. She lingered for two years and died at the Ritter Avenue home on November 27, 1920. 

     Marie Burns was now the only surviving child. In 1917, she married Varian Parker and the newlyweds moved into the family home on Ritter Avenue. The Burns family could not catch a break. Young Varian became ill and died on July 17, 1923, after an operation. For Mr. Burns it was too much. He had lost his sons, his daughter, and now his son-in-law. He went into the basement of the family home and attempted suicide. Two weeks later he died from his wounds. 

     Mrs. Burns and her daughter did their best to move on in life. They joined the American Legion Auxiliary and stayed active in the Irvington Methodist Church. Mrs. Burns passed away first in 1938 at the age of 66 leaving Marie Parker all alone at the Ritter Avenue home. She died in 1943 at the age of 52. Her obituary noted that she only had two surviving aunts and one uncle. 

Gladys Hackleman posed for this photo in front of her grandparents' home at 340 North Ritter Avenue in the winter of 1913. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

345 North Ritter Avenue via Google Streetview, July 2019

     Now, dear reader, if you think that this ends the saga of a tragic house history, you would be mistaken. In 1943, the Ragsdale family moved into the home. In a shocking turn of events, two of the Ragsdale sons died in World War II. In 1944, the photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt came to Irvington for Life magazine. He was there on assignment to photograph local residents who were interviewed about their thoughts on what should be done with the Germans and Japanese after the war. His photos reveal the anguish of several local families including that of Mr. and Mrs. John Ragsdale, who sat on their front porch for the interview. You may read and see photos of other families in the link below. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ragsdale were photographed by the famous photographer, Alfred Eisenstaedt, on their front porch at 345 North Ritter Avenue in 1944 for Life magazine. 

Link to Life magazine article about Irvington families during World War II below:

Life Magazine

     I would like to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon for access to scans from her family's scrapbooks. She is the great great granddaughter of Americus and Mary Jane Conner, the great granddaughter of William E.M. and Pearl Conner Hackleman, and the granddaughter of Wayne and Grace Hackleman Carson. 

Sources:  Laymon family--"Building Permit," Indianapolis News, March 6, 1909; "How Others Have Built," Indianapolis Star, July 25, 1909; "Dr. Gilbert Laymon," (obituary), Miami News, January 8, 1944; "$17,750 Left to Children," (death of Stella Laymon), Miami News, September 23, 1945. Burns family--"Paul E. Burns Gives His Life on Battlefield," Indianapolis Star, August 13, 1918, 1; Victor Burns--"Dies at Front," Indianapolis Star, November 1, 1918, 1; "Miss Margaret Burns Dies," Indianapolis Star, November 28, 1920; Obituary of Varian Parker--Indianapolis News, July 17, 1923; Death of Walter Burns--"Only Two Members Left of Walter L. Burns Family," Indianapolis News, April 16, 1924, 10; "Tribute is Paid to Walter Burns," Indianapolis Star, April 19, 1924, 11; "Mrs. Nora Burns Succumbs at 66," Indianapolis Star, March 31, 1938, 4; "Funeral Services Today for Mrs. Marie Parker," Indianapolis Star, August 12, 1943, 12; 

     

 

An American Four-Square on Ritter Avenue

      The Reverend Americus Conner and his wife, Mary Jane Cadwallader Conner, lived all over the state of Indiana and in Irvington. In 1912, the couple along with their foster daughter, Mary Seeger, returned to the neighborhood to reside at 340 North Ritter Avenue. Also living nearby was their daughter Pearl Conner Hackleman and her family at 5438 Lowell Avenue. 

     Their newer home at 340 North Ritter Avenue was built on speculation in 1908 for the Reverend John P. Findley, who then rented the place to Gilbert and Stella Laymon. The Laymons resided in the house briefly and watched as their new home at 351 North Ritter Avenue was under construction across the street and completed in 1909.  Jason and Gertrude Baker also lived in the house from 1909 until 1911.  The Conners came next and resided in the two-story dwelling for about five years before moving out in 1917. During their time in the home, the family spent much of their lives on the road as Reverend Conner was an evangelist and in high demand among Protestant churches as a speaker. An Indianapolis News article indicated that the Conners along with their foster daughter started a new business called the Boys' Friend Chautauqua Company with a capital stock investment of $7500 in the summer of 1912. 

     Americus has been lecturing Hoosiers for years over the dangers of what could happen to boys if they were not given proper instruction. In the new campaign, he added a separate talk for girls led by his foster daughter, Mary Seeger. Mrs. Conner traveled with the group to assist with logistics. Sometimes the troupe would spend as long as a week in one town. Their Ritter Avenue neighbors likely seldom saw the family as in 1912 alone, they held revivals in New Albany, Muncie, Huntington, Seymour, Franklin, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

     Although the Conners were members of the Disciples of Christ, they preached wherever they were invited. In little Windfall, Indiana in 1914, both the Methodist and Disciples hosted the family, while in that same year, they preached to the Presbyterians of Rushville. In Greenfield, some local businessmen paid their fee so that Hancock County Protestants could attend the daily talks for free.  The Conners charged each venue for their revivals as it was after all, a family business. 

     In 1917, the Conners and Mary Seeger started the year with their ministry in southern Indiana. They preached in Evansville, Boonville, and Mount Vernon.  A post in the Martinsville Reporter-Times (March 21, 1917, 1), noted that all three of them vacated their Ritter Avenue home and moved into the sanitarium at Bethany Park in Morgan County, Indiana for the summer. They continued their ministry well into the 1920s and eventually the elderly Conners moved in with their daughter Pearl Conner Hackleman at her Lowell Avenue home. 

The Reverend John P. Findley built 340 North Ritter Avenue on speculation in 1908. Gilbert and Stella  Laymon moved into the house in 1909. The Conners arrived in 1912. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble  Spurgeon) c1915

Built in the American Four Square style in 1908, 340 North Ritter Avenue has housed numerous Irvington families over the years. The woman in the photograph might be Mary Jane Conner. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1915

Americus and Mary Jane Conner along with their foster daughter, Mary Seeger, resided at 340 North Ritter Avenue from 1912 until 1917. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1915

In this photograph, you can not only see 340 North Ritter Avenue, but you can also see 338 North Ritter Avenue. The Conners lived at 340 in 1915 while the Agnew family lived next door at 338. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1915

     I would like to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon, the great great granddaughter of Americus and Mary Jane Conner, for her family stories and the use of her photographs. I would also like to thank Steve Barnett and Paula Schmidt at the Irvington Historical Society for their assistance with research.

Sources:  Articles related to the Conner Chautauqua Circuit from 1912 to 1917: "Youth Camp," Muncie Star-Press, February 10, 1912, 5; Huntington Herald,  April 8, 1912, 3; Seymour Tribune, May 4, 1912, 1; Franklin Evening-Star, September 7, 1912, 1; Fort Wayne Gazette, December 17, 1912, 3; Greenfield Reporter, March 15, 1913, 1; Elwood Call-Leader, April 5, 1914, 3; Boonville Standard, January 5, 1917, 1; Evansville Courier-Press, January 30, 1917, 3. Details about topics that the Conners covered in revival and Mary Seeger's role: "The Boys' Friend," Greenfield Daily Reporter, March 11, 1913, 1

Irvington at 150: Street Names N-R

In part four of five in our series on Irvington street names, we continue to explore the history of various avenues throughout the neighborhood. When the city annexed Irvington in 1902 officials consolidated names to reflect the nearby matching street. However, there are several unique names that began in Irvington. A California city, a constellation, a popular tree, local families, and a beloved Hoosier poet all have a home on street signs in the historic suburb.  

New York Street: Formerly called Shank Street after a prominent local family, the city of Indianapolis changed the name in 1909 to coordinate with New York Street, which originates downtown. The Shanks owned several acres at the intersection of Arlington and Washington Streets in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 

Norway Drive: William Alexander and Flora McDonald Ketcham, who founded the Irvington neighborhood of Pleasanton, named one of their streets "Norway." Mr. Ketcham, a Civil War veteran and leader in the Grand Army of the Republic, received front page news when he passed away suddenly in 1921. In none of his lengthy biographical profiles is there mentioned a connection to the nation of Norway. Mrs. Ketcham passed away in 1938. She also appears to have no connection to Scandinavia. Since they named the other two streets after trees, perhaps Norway refers to a spruce or maple. 

Oak Avenue: The beautiful winding street known as Oak Avenue was likely named after the majestic trees still present in the 1870s when the neighborhood was platted. Some of those specimen still exist in 2020. Generations of families have resided and played under these ancient trees. East of Arlington Avenue, the city renamed Third Street as Oak Avenue as well. 

Chuck Vogt posed with his sister, Jane, and his new bike under the giant oak tree near 5733 Oak Avenue in 1947.  Behind the siblings, you can also see the residence at  5728 Oak Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chuck and Joyce Vogt)

Ohmer Avenue: Nicholas Ohmer was a very early investor in Irvington. A resident of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Ohmer and possibly his brother George Ohmer, built 312 Downey Avenue in 1873. The beautiful Second-Empire style, a French design, was in vogue when the brothers built the elegant brick home. Mr. Ohmer was a horticulturalist and likely became involved in the neighborhood due his connection with Sylvester Johnson, a founder of Irvington. There is little evidence that Mr. Ohmer lived in the house and if he did then it was for a brief period of time. His primary residence was located at 1350 Creighton Avenue in Dayton. Both he and his brother George also operated a series of restaurants throughout the Midwest in or near train stations including one in Union Station in Indianapolis. When Ohmer's Irvington home was restored in 1966 the residents of the neighborhood decided to interpret the house from the Benton family's tenure in the home. A nearby street was named for Mr. Ohmer and local historian, Steve Barnett, has discovered that part of Julian Avenue was also named Ohmer. Both the house in Dayton and his creation in Irvington are on the National Register of Historic places. Not many Americans can claim that honor. Furthermore, Mr. Ohmer built his own suburb around his orchard in Dayton in the 1880s and it also bears his name as Ohmer Park. 

Nicholas and Susanna Spratt Ohmer of Dayton, Ohio: Mr. Ohmer built what would become known as the Benton House at 312 South Downey Avenue in Irvington in 1873. Mrs. Ohmer's brother, Thomas B. Spratt also became an early investor in Irvington. (photo courtesy of Ohmer family via Ancestry.com)

Nicholas Ohmer built this beautiful home for his very large family at 1350 Creighton Avenue in Dayton, Ohio in 1864. He also founded the suburb of Ohmer Park in Dayton. (Screenshot of home)

Some accounts note that George Ohmer, the brother to Nicholas, helped in the investment of 312 South Downey Avenue (the Benton House). He became quite wealthy as he operated numerous restaurants around train stations in the Midwest. He is given credit for helping both Thomas Taggart, an Indiana politician, and inventor Thomas Edison early in their careers. (photo courtesy of Ohmer descendants via Ancestry.com)

Named for the Benton family who dwelled here in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the house was built by Nicholas and George Ohmer in 1873.  (photo by Wm. Gulde, spring 2020)

Orion Avenue: The Irvington Town Board reached for the stars in 1898 when they renamed Nora and Water Streets after the constellation. (Indianapolis News, November 8, 1898, 12)

Pasadena Street: At about the same time that the first residents started to build houses in Irvington in the early 1870s, a different group of Hoosiers moved to southern California and founded the city of Pasadena. They wanted to name their new home the Indiana Colony, but that name was rejected by the US Post Office so they settled on the Chippewa name that literally means "crown of the valley." Nearly fifty years later when developers east of Irvington needed a new street name, they chose "Pasadena." By the late 1920s, the Stradley, Thomas, and Goodnough families lived in charming bungalows and Tudor-Revival cottages along the new street just north of Washington Street. 

Pleasant Run Parkway: Noted landscape architect, George Kessler, began his tenure with the city of Indianapolis in 1907 and worked with officials through 1915. He had already designed boulevard systems in Kansas City and Cincinnati. In 1909, he presented a bold plan to the city that linked green spaces with winding boulevards that followed streams or rivers. Irvington became part of that plan when Mr. Kessler proposed Pleasant Run Parkway along the Pleasant Run stream. Although his vision was not completed until the late 1920s, boulevards like Fall Creek Parkway, Brookside Parkway, Kessler Boulevard, and Pleasant Run Parkway are some of the most beautiful in the city of Indianapolis. 

Poplar Road: When William Alexander Ketcham and his wife Flora McDonald Ketcham platted Pleasanton in 1915, they named one of the streets after a genus containing 25-30 species--Poplar. By the early 1920s, middle class families began building along the beautifully planned street. Reflecting the modern era in which the residences were built, several of the families along Poplar had a portre cochere attached to the side of their homes. 

Evelyn Schneider posed with her doll in 1925 in front of her home at 327 Poplar Road. The Schneiders were among many families who moved into new homes in the Pleasanton neighborhood of Irvington. To see more images of this street, click on the "Poplar Road" tab below. (Photo courtesy of Bill Ferling)

Rawles Avenue: Lycurgus Rawles joined Jacob Julian and several other investors in developing southern Irvington in 1873. His death at age 38 in that year ended his brief tenure in the venture. His father, John Rawles, stepped in and served as the administrator of his estate by selling off lots. More research is needed on this family, who seemed to have more connections to Lafayette than they do to Irvington. To honor the Rawles family, early developers named a street for them connecting South Arlington Avenue to Audubon Road.  In 1903, the city renamed Trislar Avenue west of Audubon Road and east of South Ritter Avenue as Rawles Avenue as well.

John Rawles, the father of Lycurgus Rawles, sold off his son's remaining real estate after Lycurgus passed away in 1873. (Ad in The Indiana Sentinel, March 22, 1876) 

Ridgeview Drive: When the Buckeye Realty Company under the leadership of John Chilcote developed the Irvington Terrace neighborhood in 1913, they originally named this street as Kensington presumably after the palace in England. Several families sought to build their own modest "palaces" along the street. R.L. Castle erected many of the residences. In October of 1916, the city of Indianapolis changed the name to the generic Ridgeview Drive. They also changed nearby Eldridge to Kenmore Road. 

An ad in the Indianapolis News, November 15, 1914, (39) for 319 North Ridgeview Drive, formerly addressed as 95 Kensington Avenue. 

Riley Avenue: Beloved Hoosier poet, James Whitcomb Riley, would have still been alive when the Irvington Town Board honored him by naming a street Riley Avenue sometime around the turn of the century.  While the avenue today is most associated with the Emerson Heights neighborhood, it originated north of Washington Street and began life as Summit Avenue. In 1898, the Irvington Town Board considered calling it Appian Way after the famous the Roman road, but eventually Riley Avenue won the day. We do not know if Mr. Riley ever visited the stretch named for him. Further research is needed! 

James Whitcomb Riley (public domain)

Ritter Avenue: When Levi Ritter purchased over 80 acres of land in Warren Township in 1869 he had the idea of owning a Jersey cattle farm. His vision changed once he heard that Jacob Julian and Sylvester Johnson were planning to develop a suburb next to his acreage. Mr. Ritter built a large home for his family on the southwest corner of East Washington Street and what was to become "Ritter Avenue." According to a 1903 Indianapolis Journal article, old growth trees, iron weed, and "red-topped" thistle dominated the landscape around the family. On September 16, 1871, Mr. Ritter platted the first addition to the new suburb of Irvington. He kept the original plan in place with winding streets. Although it is difficult to imagine today, Mr. Ritter, Mr. Julian, and Mr. Johnson kept a fully-stocked horse stagecoach barn on the northeast corner of East Washington Street and Ritter Avenue. After Mr. Ritter's death in 1893, his widow, Caroline Ritter continued to live on the site until she sold the property to the Indianapolis Public Schools in 1903. IPS #57 has operated continuously on the Ritter land since 1904. 

Sources:  Larry Muncie, Three Windows on Irvington History, 1989; George Kessler--Paul Diebold, Greater Irvington II, 2020; Rawles--"Administrator's Sale, Indianapolis News, March 22, 1876, 2; Ridgview Drive--""Taxi Men Oppose Rate Ordinance," Indianapolis News, October 3, 1916, 11; Riley Avenue--"Call it Audubon Road," Indianapolis News, January 17, 1903, 2; Ritter Avenue--"Old Ritter Homestead: First House Built After Establishment of Irvington," Indianapolis Journal, June 28, 1903, 8.

Irvington at 150: The Beginning

 Jacob B. Julian and Sylvester Johnson walked into the Marion County Courthouse on November 7, 1870, to file a plat for a new experiment called Irvington. Neither man hailed from the area as both were from Centerville, Indiana in Wayne County. A simple ad in the Indianapolis News on the following day documented the moment:  

     A plat of the town of Irvington was filed for yesterday. It has one hundred and nine lots, containing one to ten acres each. 

The original plat created by Julian and Johnson as seen in this early map: The men quickly added the Julian and Johnson Addition south of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Just to the west, Levi Ritter added 80 acres of additional land for development in 1871.  

In the Julian and Johnson Addition, the developers added one of the first parks in Marion County. By 1874, builders erected a school across the street from the circular green space. 

The men had been inspired by the development of the town of Glendale (1851), a suburb north of Cincinnati. In that neighborhood, families of means built large homes on wide lots out in a country atmosphere. Glendale was located along a major rail line and had a small commercial section along with a school. Julian and Johnson strategically purchased farmland and woods east of Indianapolis in Warren Township due to its proximity to two major rail lines and its location along the National Road. These men were investors, but they were also planning to sell a way of life.

Early accounts indicate that Sylvester Johnson, a founder of Irvington, visited Glendale, a town north of Cincinnati. The beautiful community became the model for Irvington. (photos courtesy of Glendale Archive and Cincinnati Refined) 

Both Julian and Johnson had earned comfortable livings in Wayne County as attorneys and as land speculators. Both men were Quakers and both had been irked by a local issue that involved the removal of the county seat from Centerville to Richmond. Their vision for Irvington was similar. Of course, it was a profit-making venture, but Johnson, who was devoted to the cause of temperance, wrote in covenants that banned the sale of intoxicating liquors. He also added numerous other provisions as well including the stipulations that no slaughterhouses nor soap factories would be built within the town limits. Julian was given the naming rights. Early accounts vary, but either Jacob or his daughter, Mary Julian Downey, named the new town after their favorite author, Washington Irving. 

The men must have done a good job of promoting the experiment as many people signed up to purchase lots before the town was even chartered. Levi Ritter, who owned 80 acres just to the west of the original plat, joined into the plan and it appears that he built the first new house in the neighborhood although there were still a few farmhouses nearby. Grace Julian Clarke, the niece of Jacob Julian, attributed his accomplishment to the fact that his house was clad in wood and not brick like many of the original residences so it was easier to build. His home used to stand on the grounds of the present School #57 and of course, the nearby street is named for his family. Johnson and Julian completed their homes soon after Mr. Ritter. A blurb in the Hancock Democrat (February 23, 1871) noted that Jacob Julian intended to build a residence in Irvington. A Cambridge City Tribune (October 31, 1872) article recorded that Mr. Julian and his family removed from his old house in Centerville to his new residence at Irvington, a suburb of Indianapolis, on Tuesday last.  Both Julian and Johnson sited their brick Second Empire homes facing South Audubon Road (Central Avenue). The imposing residences could be seen from the National Road and must have been impressive mirages for travelers who might have been sojourning across the state. 

Jacob Julian and Sylvester Johnson both hailed from Centerville, Indiana. They founded Irvington in 1870. Levi Ritter joined the duo as an investor in 1871. (Irvington Historical Society)

Julian, Johnson, and Ritter followed the Glendale plan of meandering streets. The romantic design had become popular in the United States. Crown Hill Cemetery, begun in 1863, had a similar plan. Homeowners in the new suburb were required to plant trees. Towering oak, maple, catalpa, elm, ash, and sycamores grew into incredible canopies providing pleasant shade for future residents. Many of the new neighbors possessed cows that were allowed to graze in the public green spaces. Sheep, horses, and chickens were also allowed within the town limits although many spats in the neighborhood over the animals spilled into the local press.  

The investors touted the possibility that a female seminary would be placed in the north circle although none ever materialized. Each person who built in Irvington was required to spend from $2500 to $10,000 on their homes. George W. Julian, the brother of Jacob Julian, spent $18,000 on his own home at 115 South Audubon Road (then called Central) in 1873. He rued the cost of his new residence and in his journal called the builders "scalawags." For most families in the 1870s, Irvington was out of financial reach. It largely became an exclusive enclave for white and Protestant families during the early years. Although few in number, some African Americans moved into the neighborhood and lived along the fringe in small houses. Many worked for the wealthy white families nearby. 

James Downey, the son-in-law of Jacob Julian, built one of the first homes in the neighborhood when he erected this Second Empire residence in 1871 on the northwest corner of East Washington Street and Audubon Road (then Central). Mr. Downey was a major promoter of the neighborhood during the early years. He and his wife, Mary Julian Downey, built an even larger brick home at what is today University Avenue and Downey Avenue. The nearby street was named for the family.

Jacob Julian moved into his beautiful home at 29 South Audubon Road (then Central) on October 24, 1872. Sylvester Johnson lived in a home that mirrored Julian's at 26 South Audubon Road. (photo courtesy of Isabel Layman Troyer) 

As the sounds of workmen building gorgeous villas on large lots emanated throughout the bucolic community, a startling development took place in 1873 that rocked Irvington and sent one its founders, Jacob Julian, into financial ruin. Economic malaise began in Europe and spread to the United States where investors had over-speculated on land near rail lines. Banks failed and it sent the country into the greatest depression it had ever experienced until an even bigger crisis came along in 1929. For Jacob Julian, it must have been a bitter moment. He had speculated on land all over the state of Indiana. He managed to hold on until 1876, but then was forced to declare bankruptcy. Some wondered if the new town would survive. Talks had been underway to lure a college into the neighborhood. Could that save the town?

Stay tuned for more posts on Irvington's 150th birthday. 

In 1897, the Indiana Woman profiled Irvington. Many of the early homes can be seen in this edition. The Irvington Historical Society has reproduced copies of the publication for sale at the Bona Thompson Center. 

Sources:  Information regarding James E. Downey: ad in the Indianapolis News, May 11, 1872; Downey home: "Death of Mrs. Downey, Wife of One of the Projectors of Irvington," Indianapolis News, October 14, 1898; Downey-Hibben home on University: Grace Julian Clarke, "Some of 'Original' Irvington's History Recalled by House Razing," Indianapolis Star, May 26, 1929

Sources regarding Jacob Julian: Obituary--"Death of Jacob B. Julian, An Aged Lawyer and Life-Long Indiana Resident," Indianapolis News, May 26, 1898; Moving to Irvington--Cambridge City Tribune, October 31, 1872, 1; Bankruptcy--"Petition in Bankruptcy," Indianapolis News,  September 4, 1876

Sources regarding Levi Ritter: New Plat--Indianapolis News, September 16, 1871; First home in Irvington--"Old Ritter Homestead, First House Built After Establishment of Irvington," Indianapolis Journal, June 28, 1903

George W. Julian house price and scalawag quote--Patrick Riddleberger, George Washington Julian, Indianapolis, 1966, 278. 

Sources regarding early Irvington:  "Hear Irvington History Retold," Indianapolis Star, August 29, 1912; Layout and future depot--Cambridge City Tribune, January 26, 1871; Paul Diebold, Greater Irvington, 1997; Gertrude Hecker Winders, A Glimpse of Irvington Then and Now, 1870-1970, 1970; Larry Muncie, Irvington Stories, 1992; Larry Muncie, Irvington: Three Windows on Irvington History, 1989