Family Hosted Wedding in Bosart Avenue Home

 

A Beautiful Day for a Wedding--Saturday, April 2, 1921

     Residents near the intersection of North Bosart Avenue and East New York Street likely noticed many cars parked along the nearby streets. By 3:00 PM, the sun was out and the temperature neared 60 degrees. It was a perfect day to host a wedding in Irvington. If the neighbors opened their windows at that hour they would have heard Elizabeth Engle's rendition of the bridal chorus on the Webster family piano at 131 North Bosart Avenue. Miss Engle took piano lessons from Edna Webster and it was time for her most important recital thus far. 

The Websters Move to Irvington

     Dana and Annie Dicks Webster first moved to Indianapolis from New England in 1906. Mr. Webster had been hired by the Aetna Insurance Company as a safety engineer. They first lived on North Central Avenue, but by 1916 the Webster family, including daughters Arline and Edna, moved into their newly-built home at 131 North Bosart Avenue. Today, we know this area of Irvington as the Bosart-Brown neighborhood. Mr. Webster's name appeared in newspapers all over the state of Indiana as he was in high demand as a guest speaker about worker safety. Mrs. Webster stayed home to raise their two daughters. She was an outstanding seamstress and during the war years she knitted for the Red Cross and later for Goodwill industries. Both Arline and Edna graduated from Arsenal Technical High School and Arline attended Purdue University. Later, long after both girls had moved out and married, Mr. Webster became upset by the tax increases upon his Bosart Avenue property and in 1938 he led a successful petition drive to lower the tax rate in the city. On this day, however, his mind was focused on his daughter, Edna and her soon-to-be husband, Thomas Shimer. 

Annie Dicks Webster wore a "Harding blue" dress on the day of her daughter's wedding in 1921. Both Mr. and Mrs. Webster, who were in their mid-forties, posed along their sidewalk at 131 North Bosart Avenue. Behind the couple, you can see the home of Agnes Haddow at 133 North Bosart Avenue and in the distance you can see the Morrow home at 4702 East York Street. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer)

The Shimer Family Pre-dates the Founding of Irvington

     Edna Webster had been born in Connecticut, but her fiance, Thomas Shimer, had been born into a family who had lived in the area since the early nineteenth century. The Shimers owned farms along Brookville Road for decades. By 1921, they had sold off much of the land and lived in various houses along South Emerson Avenue. Nelson Shimer, the father of Thomas, was ten years old when founders, Jacob Julian and Sylvester Johnson, began buying land north of the Shimer farm for a planned community named Irvington. In his lifetime, he watched as developers and contractors built houses and commercial structures on former meadows and woodland. By 1921, Nelson had retired from farming as he was 61 years old. Mila Murphy Shimer had been busy on the farm as she helped raise nine children. For many decades the couple resided at 422 South Emerson Avenue so their commute to the Webster home would have been a short one.  

Nelson Shimer was 61 on the day of his son's wedding, while Mila was 59. They lived nearby on South Emerson Avenue. In this photo, they stood along the sidewalk belonging to the Webster family of 131 North Bosart Avenue. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer)

Thomas Shimer and Edna Webster Marry

     With Miss Engle playing the piano, sixty guests crammed into the home attempted to watch as Edna Webster and Thomas Shimer took their vows in front of the fireplace at 131 North Bosart Avenue. The couple stood near lattice work buttressed by ferns. Greenery and flowers draped the nearby staircase and even from the hanging lights. Ralph Shimer, the groom's cousin, served as the best man while Arline Webster, Edna's older sister, served as the maid of honor. Both Thomas and Arline had graduated from Arsenal Technical School. Did they meet there? We do not know. Thomas served his country during World War One and had found work in the insurance industry upon his return. Following their honeymoon, the couple took up residence in the Spink-Arms Apartments at the southeast corner of East Washington Street and Downey Avenue. 

Thomas Shimer and Edna Webster married at her home at 131 North Bosart Avenue on April 2, 1921. The couple would eventually move into a bungalow at 5815 East New York Street in Irvington. (photo courtesy of Chris Shimer)

131 North Bosart Avenue along with 133 North Bosart and 4702 East New York Street on December 4, 2023. 102 years earlier, a wedding took place at this house. 

Sources:  I wish to thank Chris Shimer for his help with this post. About the actual day--"Wedding," Indianapolis News, April 2, 1921, 14; Mrs. Webster--"Annie Webster Dies at Hospital," Indianapolis News, July 26, 1957, 5; Mr. Webster and tax revolt--"Taxpayers Unite in Strong Demand for Heavy Slashes," Indianapolis News, August 31, 1938, 1. Federal Census Records for 1920; Polk's City Directory for 1916-1921. 

Over 100-Year-Old Halloween Party Invitation

      During the autumn of 1919, twenty-two-year old Margaret Striebeck wrote out Halloween invitations for the children who attended the Tuxedo Park Baptist Church at 29 North Grant Avenue. Miss Striebeck, who lived with her parents in their Emerson Heights bungalow at 606 North Bosart Avenue (formerly numbered as 530), was on the cusp of her long teaching career for the Indianapolis Public Schools. She grew up on Pine Street near what is today called the Cottage Home neighborhood, but by the time she was in her late teens, her parents had moved to their brand new bungalow on Bosart Avenue. Miss Striebeck not only lived the rest of her life at the Bosart home, but remained a life-long member of the church as it was even mentioned in her obituary in 1976. 

     The invitation has survived through the years because it was never given out. Perhaps she wrote out too many cards or perhaps she was unhappy with the blemish on the back of the invitation. 

Invitation for a Halloween Party at the Tuxedo Park Baptist Church on October 28, 1919 (Margaret Striebeck Collection) 

Miss Margaret Striebeck (1897-1976) lived most of her life at 606 North Bosart Avenue. She taught for 34 years at School 54 (3150 East 10th St.) and School 15 (2302 East Michigan Street). She retired in 1959. (Margaret Striebeck Collection) 

Miss Striebeck was a life-long member of the Tuxedo Baptist Church located at 29 North Grant Avenue just west of Irvington. (photo Google Earth, June, 2011)

Source: "Miss Striebeck Services Thursday, " Indianapolis Star, December 1, 1976, 65.

Irvington at 150: Street Names A-D

 Anyone researching their historic home in Irvington must understand that some of the street names in the neighborhood have been changed two and three times. To complicate matters even further, addresses have also been changed. Local historian, Larry Muncie, has done much of the groundwork on the history of street names. In one of his books, Irvington: Three Windows on Irvington History (1989), Mr. Muncie even provides maps to help understand the changes. 

Irvington was a separate town from 1870 until it was annexed by the city of Indianapolis in 1902. There appears to have been two major corrections on street names in the area. The first came in 1898 when the town board tried to clear up the confusion for some of the names. The next major correction occurred in 1903 when an engineer working for the city of Indianapolis recommended that several street names be changed due to similar or exact names within the city of Indianapolis. There were other years when names changed, but those two were the most important. 

After Butler University moved into the neighborhood, developers made an effort to name some of the streets after prominent writers or scholars. They also named several of the avenues after early families. In some cases, we do not know the origin of the name but we can speculate. In the following series, we will attempt to clarify the origin of the neighborhood's street names. If you have additional information on street names, please let us know! 

Arlington Avenue: Formerly called Line Street, the earliest known use of "Arlington Avenue" appears in an April 8, 1896 Indianapolis News article, (9) about a rail line in Irvington. Two years later, the Irvington Town Board formerly adopted the name. The presumption is that the street is named after Arlington Cemetery in Virginia; however, there is no evidence for this fact yet. Arlington Avenue (Line) is one of the original streets of Irvington. 

Atherton Drive: When investors redeveloped Butler University's Irvington campus into a housing addition in the mid-1940s, they added Atherton Drive. They named the circular street after John H. Atherton, the long-time Secretary-Treasure for Butler University. Mr. Atherton raised millions of dollars for the school over the years and was instrumental in securing the Fairview site for the campus; thus spelling the doom for the Irvington location. 

John J. Atherton (courtesy of Indianapolis News, March 22, 1944)

Audubon Road: When the founders of Irvington placed covenants upon the residents, they decreed that no birds could be shot within the town limits. So, in 1903, when the neighborhood had to change the name of Central Avenue, they chose to rename it after John James Audubon, the famous naturalist and birder.  To complicate the matter even further, Audubon Road north of Lowell Avenue used to be called Maxwell Street. That small section was also renamed in 1903 after the birder. Audubon Road (Central) is one of the original streets of Irvington. 

Portrait of the naturalist, John James Audubon in 1826 (public domain)

Auvergne Avenue: James Downey and Charles Brouse had grand ideas when they platted their addition to Irvington in the far southwestern part of the neighborhood in the mid-1870s. They envisioned beautiful villas on large lots. While at least a handful of imposing homes were constructed, their vision was compromised by the economic depression that lingered through the 1870s. They named one of their winding streets, Auvergne Avenue, after the region in France. Most of the residences along the small street were largely constructed after World War II but at least one nineteenth-century home still remains at 740 Auvergne Avenue. 

James Downey and Charles Brouse named one of their platted streets after the Auvergne region in France. (public domain)

Bancroft Street: While this street is often associated with the Emerson Heights neighborhood, it actually has its origins in Irvington. The street has had three separate names. The link north of the Pennsylvania Railroad and south of Howe High School used to be called Brook Street. Another link between University Avenue and Brookville Road was formerly known as Parker Street. The Irvington Town Board changed those two names in 1898 to Bancroft. Later in 1903, the city of Indianapolis changed Pleasant Street just north of Washington Street to Bancroft as well. Although unconfirmed, the street was likely named after the American historian George Bancroft. (1800-1891)

Bankers Lane:  The small street that connects East Washington Street to Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive first appeared in the Indianapolis City Directory in 1941. Named for Frances and Anna Banker, who resided at 4711 East Washington Street next to the lane, the street became well known because of the streamlined Art-Deco apartments built along it in 1943. Mr. Banker earned a comfortable living as the president of the Brooklyn Brick Company. He also owned an extensive property in South Dakota. 

A photo from his obituary published in the Indianapolis News, November 26, 1945

Photo published in her obituary in the Indianapolis Star, October 1, 1944.

Beechwood Avenue: One of Irvington's original streets, the southern avenue was likely named for the large numbers of beech trees that still existed when Julian and Johnson platted the town. East of Arlington Avenue, the street used to be known as Center Street.

Berry Avenue: One of Irvington's shortest streets, Berry Avenue, was formerly called Perry Street until 1903. The old name had to be changed after the city of Indianapolis annexed the town. The origin of the name is unknown at this time.

Bolton Avenue: Formerly called Maple Avenue, the city of Indianapolis changed the name to Bolton Avenue after the poet Sarah T. Bolton in 1903. Although largely forgotten today, Mrs. Bolton was a popular poet in Indiana in the nineteenth century. Her most famous poem was "Paddle Your Own Canoe." A nearby park in Beech Grove is also named for her as she owned land there. 

City officials wanted to change the name from Maple to Tarkington Avenue, but local residents objected due to the length of the writer's name so they compromised on renaming the street after the Indiana poet, Sarah T. Bolton. (public domain)

Bonna Avenue: The tragic story of Bona Thompson is now quite frequently told in Irvington. The young Butler graduate went on a European tour with her mother, but became ill and died of typhoid fever. Her grief-stricken parents donated the money and the land for the Bona Thompson Library at Butler's Irvington campus in 1902.  When city officials needed to change the name of Railroad Street in 1906 they blundered and misspelled the new street name as Bonna instead of Bona. For more than a century, no one has bothered to change the incorrect spelling of Miss Thompson's name. 

Bosart Avenue: The Bosart family, who resided in the large brick home formerly belonging to the Wallace family at 4704 East Washington Street, owned the land on what would become Bosart Avenue. As both the city of Indianapolis and Irvington started to expand, the Bosart land became highly valuable in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 

Ruth Bosart (1858-1943)

Timothy Bosart (1844-1900) (photos courtesy of the Bosart family via Ancestry.com) 

Brookville Road: The old highway known as Brookville Road predates Irvington by many years and is named for the city in southeastern Indiana. Later federal highway officials gave it the number U.S. 52. 

Burgess Avenue: Due to the fact that it meanders, town founders seemed to confused as to where Burgess Avenue terminated. Josephus Collet named the original Burgess Avenue in his addition after the Reverend Otis A. Burgess, the president of Butler University in the 1870s. His street started east of Emerson Avenue (then National) and then snaked south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad all the way to Ritter Avenue. Then, in 1898, local officials decided to rename Grand Avenue in between University and Ritter as Burgess as well. That section of Burgess Avenue (then Grand) was part of the original plat. 

The Reverend Otis Burgess was responsible for moving Butler University (then North Western Christian University) to Irvington in 1875. Developer Joseph Collet named a street after him. 

Butler Avenue: North Western Christian University moved to Irvington in 1875. They changed their name to Butler University in 1877. The nearby street just east of campus was also named Butler Avenue. In 1898, town officials changed a small section of Lake Street from Washington Street to the Pennsylvania Railroad as Butler Avenue as well. 

Campbell Avenue: John W. Chambers platted four additions near Lowell Avenue in the early 1870s. By the end of the decade, he faced legal trouble like many land speculators after the Panic of 1873. It was Chambers who named a small street north of Lowell Avenue (then Walnut Street) and south of Michigan Street (then Chambers Street) as Campbell. It is unknown at this time why Campbell was chosen as the name although Mr. Chambers did name other streets in his subdivisions after fellow investors. 

Addendum: Steve Barnett, the director of the Irvington Historical Society, notes that the street might have been named for Dr. John Campbell (1831-1917), who operated an early drug store in the neighborhood. The Campbells moved to Colorado in 1881. 

Catherwood Avenue: Formerly known as Warren Street from Washington to the Pennsylvania Railroad and then as Parkman and Jennison Streets south of the rail line, the city of Indianapolis consolidated all of the names into Catherwood Avenue in 1903. The street was named for the writer Mary C. Catherwood, a writer who briefly lived in Indianapolis in late nineteenth century.  Although her work is forgotten today, her books were widely read in Indianapolis. 

The nineteenth-century regional writer, Mary C. Catherwood (1847-1902), briefly lived in Indianapolis. She was known for her attempt to capture Midwestern regional dialects in her work. (public domain) 

Clyde Avenue: James Downey and Charles Brouse, local developers, envisioned a beautiful community south and west of Irvington. Two of the streets in that development were called Louise (no longer exists) and Clyde. Louise Street was most likely named after the daughter of Charles Brouse. It is not known at this time who Clyde might have been related to as neither Downey nor Brouse seem to have anyone by that name in their families. The addition later became part of Irvington. 

DeQuincy Street: While DeQuincy Street is most commonly associated with the Emerson Heights neighborhood just west of Irvington, the street has its origins in Irvington just north of Washington Street. Originally called Quincy Street, the town board added the "De" in 1898. 

Dewey Avenue: On April 30, 1898, Admiral George Dewey at the Manilla Bay in the Philippines told his subordinate, "You may fire when ready..." Six hours later, the United States Navy defeated the Spanish Navy in that now famous battle as part of the Spanish-American War. Thousands of miles away in the town of Irvington, Indiana leaders in that community sought new names for some of the streets. One of the avenues they wanted to rename was East Street, a very undeveloped meandering path between University and Arlington Avenues. It is believed that when they learned of the victory, local officials renamed the street as Dewey Avenue in 1898. Second Street east of Arlington Avenue in Elizabeth Cain's addition was also renamed for the Admiral. 

Very few streets in Irvington are named for military leaders, but after Admiral George Dewey led the victory against the Spanish in the Philippines, the neighborhood honored him with a street name in 1898. Numerous other municipalities across the country did as well including New York City. (public domain)

Downey Avenue:  Jacob Julian, one of the founders of Irvington, asked his son-in-law, James Downey to join him in the investment. Mr. Downey became one of the chief promoters for the new town. He and his wife Mary also built two of the earliest homes in the neighborhood. Their second residence, a large brick Second-Empire villa was located on the southeastern corner of University (then called Spratt) and Downey Avenue. The Downeys did not remain in Irvington for very long as they moved to the western United States. Despite at least one attempt to rename it, the street name has never been changed. 

An ad placed by James E. Downey for Irvington in the January 19, 1871 edition of the Indianapolis News

Sources: Larry Muncie, Three Windows on Irvington History, 1989; "Changes in Street Names," Indianapolis Journal, January 18, 1903, 3; "Irvington's New Names," Indianapolis News, November 3, 1898, 7; Interview with Steve Barnett, Director of the Irvington Historical Society, November 15, 2020. "Would Change Names of 149 Streets in City," Indianapolis News, December 18, 1916, 8. 

I would like to thank both Larry Muncie and Steve Barnett for their assistance with the research for this post. 

A Beautiful Wedding in a Time of War

Preparing to depart for the Great Lakes Naval Base in 1918, Howard Caldwell came home to see his fiancee, Elsie Felt, at her home at 64 North Irvington Avenue. The couple had first met at Butler University (then called Butler College). Howard graduated from the school in 1915 and Elsie in 1917. For a brief stint, Howard worked in Kokomo, Indiana for the Haynes Auto Company. When the United States entered World War I, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He wanted to be an officer but his eyesight was poor so he memorized the eye chart and managed to get into officer's training school at the Great Lakes Training Station.

Happy Couple: Howard Caldwell and a beaming Elsie Felt posed on her porch at 64 North Irvington Avenue. The couple married on March 23 of that year. 

Elsie Felt was the daughter of Judge Edward and Martha Felt. Her father served as a justice on the Indiana Court of Appeals. The family had previously lived in Greenfield, but moved to Irvington 1910 so that Judge Felt could be nearer to his office in downtown Indianapolis and so that the Felt children could attend Butler University. The Felts lived in a large home on Irvington Avenue and the residence would serve as perfect place for a marriage.

The Felt family lived in Greenfield, Indiana for many years before moving to 64 North Irvington Avenue in 1910. Mr. Felt served as a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals. Their oldest son, Edward, Jr., died in 1909. 

Elsie Felt dressed for cooler weather in 1918. In this photo, she stood in her backyard at 64 North Avenue. 

Dashing Howard Caldwell smiles for the photographer in 1918 in the front yard of the Felt home at 64 North Irvington Avenue. 

Howard and Elsie selected March 23, 1918, as their wedding date. It was a cool day with a high temperature of only 43 degrees, but at least there was no rain. Headlines in the Indianapolis News likely worried the family as the slaughter of the Great War continued in Europe. Truman Felt, the brother of Elsie, was stationed in France and could not be home for the big event.

Howard Caldwell married Elsie Felt on March 23, 1918 at the Felt home at 64 North Irvington Avenue. In this incredible photograph, the happy couple posed in the front yard of the Felt home. Behind them, you can see several houses along North Irvington Avenue. 

The Felts filled the residence with fragrant flowers. Sweet peas and pink tapers greeted the guests as they walked into the home.  The wedding was held in the early evening so the house was lit by candle light. A harpist strummed as people found their seats in the living and music rooms. Mable Felt, the sister of Elsie served as her maid of honor. Howard, an only child, chose a fraternity brother, Robert Masters, as his best man. The Reverend W.B. Farmer of the Irvington Methodist Church performed the ceremony as the Felts were very active participants in the Methodist church. In fact, Judge Felt led an adult Sunday school course at the church for many years. Several of the guests were Butler University graduates.

The ceremony began when three children walked down the aisle while Mrs. Mansur Oaks sang three songs, including "A Birthday," "At Dawning," and "Adoration." The little maid of honor, Elizabeth Carr, held a french basket filled with roses. The Felts had placed an altar in the music room where the ceremony was to be conducted. They rented an electric fountain and surrounded it with pink and white lilies. The groom and his best man waited while Mable Felt, the maid of honor, walked down the aisle wearing a pale green chiffon dress and holding a bouquet of sweet peas. At the appropriate moment, Elsie Felt appeared and walked down the aisle flanked by a garland of smilax vines. Her beautiful white gown was in the georgette fashion, from France. She wore a tulle over her hair fastened with a silver head band.

Elsie Felt Caldwell on her wedding day on March 23, 1918

After the ceremony, the guests gathered in the dining room for a reception although they likely could not all fit in that room. Judge Felt was a strict believer in temperance so it is unlikely that alcohol of any kind would have been allowed at the reception. Howard and Elsie went off on their honeymoon and then moved to Kokomo although Elsie moved back in with her parents while Howard was away for officer training. Fortunately, the war ended before he could be shipped overseas. Truman Felt survived the war but was injured. Mable Felt, an active member of the YWCA, traveled to Europe in 1919 to assist with the French chapter.

Mable Felt, the daughter of Edward and Martha Felt, traveled to Europe just as World War I ended to assist with YWCA activities. 

64 North Irvington Avenue is still just as beautiful in 2019 as when the Felts dwelled there. 

Howard and Elsie would not live in Kokomo for very long and soon they welcomed their first child, Martha Virginia in 1919. They took up residence with his mother, Martha Caldwell, at 30 North Bosart Avenue.

   To listen to a rendition of the song "At Dawning" performed at the wedding, click on the link below:

"At Dawning"

Sources:  Wedding:  "Caldwell-Felt," Indianapolis News, March 25, 1918, 7; "Marriage of Former Greenfield Girl," Hancock Democrat, March 28, 1918, 1; Truman and Mable Felt: "Boys in France Enjoy Thrills, Indianapolis Star, August 28, 1918, 16; "Truman Felt, Son of Judge, Injured," The Times (Munster, Indiana), December 27, 1918; "Indianapolis Girl Returns After 19 Months Overseas," Indianapolis Star, November 12, 1920, 11.

I am indebted to Ginny Hingst, the granddaughter of Howard and Elsie Felt Caldwell, for her stories and photographs.

The Caldwells Move to Bosart Avenue

Benjamin and Martha Caldwell and their talented son, Howard, moved away from their home in Lewisville, Indiana to a brand new house at 30 North Bosart Avenue in 1911. Mr. Caldwell, a carpenter, built the Bosart Avenue home in the Dutch Colonial style. Howard had just graduated from the Spiceland Academy and enrolled at Butler University where he once again excelled. The east side of Indianapolis was booming in construction so Mr. Caldwell likely found plenty of work. The home remained an important part of the Caldwell family for over twenty five years.

30 North Bosart Avenue in 2019

In December of 1913 tragedy struck the Caldwell family when Benjamin took a job in Lewisville building a barn for A. R. McIlvaine. He developed a deep chest cold but kept on working. Eventually, the cold turned into pneumonia. The 47-year-old carpenter was not able to make it back to his Bosart Avenue home as he died on the family farm near Lewisville. Somehow, Martha Freeman Caldwell, his widow, was able to keep the Indianapolis home. Howard was a sophomore at Butler University at the time.

Benjamin Caldwell's obituary was carried in the National Road Traveler (Cambridge City) shortly after his death on December 17, 1913. His obituary stated that he "was a man of few words and attended strictly to his own business. The family and friends feel that they can truthfully say that no man could be more devoted to his family, could have no more love for the partner of his joys and sorrows, and could have no greater interest in the welfare of his home...His sympathy was always with those in distress and was manifested by acts of kindness and deeds of charity and benevolence." His funeral was described as the one the largest ever held in Lewisville, Indiana.  (obituary courtesy of Ginny Hingst) 

Bosart Avenue was actually not very far from the western edge of Butler University's campus on Emerson Avenue so Howard could easily walk or ride a bike to his classes. He joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and remained active with that organization for much of his life. At college, he was the sports editor for the Butler Collegian. Butler President, Thomas Carr Howe, threatened to expel him after the journalist exposed that the football team's partying the night before an important game contributed to a loss. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and Howard remained on campus. While at Butler University, he met Elsie Felt, who was the daughter of a prominent judge. Their courtship would eventually lead to marriage.

Martha Caldwell as a young widow likely focused her attentions on making sure that Howard graduated from Butler University. After his graduation in 1915, Howard continued to live in the Bosart Avenue home as he worked for a variety of publications including the Marion County Mail which he helped to publish along with his fellow classmate and fraternity brother, Joseph Ostrander.

Howard and Elsie married in 1918 and lived in Kokomo, Indiana where Mr. Caldwell had been working since 1917 for the Haynes Auto Company in the advertising department. His fraternity brother Halsey Keeling also worked there. Martha Caldwell seems to have rented out rooms or perhaps the entire Bosart Avenue home to James Hallet in 1919. By 1920, Howard and Elsie and their new baby, Martha Virginia, moved back to Indianapolis and lived with Mrs. Caldwell on Bosart Avenue.

While living with Mrs. Caldwell, Howard formed the Caldwell-Baker Advertising Agency in the 1920s. They also welcomed a second child in their lives, Howard Caldwell, Jr. in 1925.  Their Bosart Avenue days were numbered for the moment as the family moved to the Felt family residence at 64 North Irvington in 1926. Judge Edward Felt, the father of Elsie Felt Caldwell, died in a tragic accident at the house when he fell from a ladder. The Caldwells moved into the larger large home with Mrs. Felt and remained until 1930.

In 1930, the Caldwells dwelled in the Audubon Court Apartments, but the Great Depression had taken a toll on the country and Mr. Caldwell's advertising agency so they moved back into the Bosart Avenue home with Mrs. Caldwell in 1932. This allowed the family to save money for a down payment on their very own home at 81 N. Hawthorne Lane. Today, 30 North Bosart Avenue looks much like it did in 1911.

Elsie Felt Caldwell posed with her daughter Martha Virginia Caldwell in the backyard of 30 North Bosart Avenue c1919. (photo courtesy of Ginny Hingst)

Little Howard Caldwell, Jr. posed in his backyard at 30 North Bosart Avenue in 1926. Behind him, you can see the rear of 34 North Bosart Avenue. The Binford family lived there at the time and became close friends with the Caldwells.  (photo courtesy of Ginny Hingst)

Howard Caldwell, Jr. in 1926 in the backyard of 30 North Bosart Avenue. (photo courtesy of Ginny Hingst)

The Caldwell family posed for this snapshot in 1932 in the backyard of 30 North Bosart Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell had just moved from the Audubon Court Apartments back into his mother's home to help save money during the Great Depression. Behind the family, you can see the home at 26 North Bosart Avenue. Onias and Hattie Alford lived in that house at the time. Pictured:  Howard Caldwell, Sr, Martha Virginia Caldwell, Elsie Felt Caldwell and Howard Caldwell, Jr. (photo courtesy of Ginny Hingst)

Howard Caldwell, Jr. on the left posed with "Edward" in the front yard of 30 North Bosart Avenue in 1934. The fire hydrant behind the boys is still located in the same spot in 2019. (photo courtesy of Ginny Hingst) 

Sources:  On Benjamin Caldwell: Obituary, Knightstown Banner, December 19, 1913, 13; "Recalling School 57 and 'Schoolboy Crush,'" Indianapolis Prime Times, September 2003, 5; Early years of Howard Caldwell, Sr.: "Caldwell's Contribution Valuable to Profession," Indianapolis Prime Times, April 2003, 5; "Caldwell with Haynes," Indianapolis Star, August 12, 1917, 18

I am indebted to Ginny Hingst for her kindness in loaning me photos and stories of the Caldwell family.

Wallace-Bosart Home Predates Irvington

It is impossible not to notice the beautiful brick two-story home at 4704 East Washington Street. Most sources indicate that the large farmhouse was likely built around 1862 for the Wallace family. Little is known at this point about that family other than that they lived in the house until 1881 and that a nearby street is named for them. Ads placed in the Indianapolis News from March until November 1881, listed the house as for sale.

                    Farm of Wm. John Wallace--19 acres, great deal of fruit, outbuildings,
                    and a handsome brick house. Price low, terms easy. (March 31, 1881)

The Wallace-Bosart home in 2017. The two-story brick porch was likely added around 1915.

The Wallace-Bosart home appeared in an Indianapolis Star article on March 5, 1906 (p.3). The house had a one-story wrap around porch at the time and a windmill in the back. 

In early 1882, Timothy and Ruth Bosart along with their five children moved into the lovely estate. The children had plenty of room to play and in the backyard sat a three-story Second Empire structure with a windmill on top of it. Mr. Bosart had earned a comfortable income in the wholesale grocery business and then in the new electric power industry. He actually filed several patents and served as the Vice President and business manager for Jenney Electric Company. Mr. Bosart owned quite a lot of property and helped to develop the area north of his house now known as Bosart-Brown.  The street that bears the family name was also put in sometime in either the late nineteenth-century or early twentieth century. An Indianapolis Star article noted that sidewalks were added along Bosart Avenue north of Washington Street on May 2, 1903.

Two tragedies struck the Bosart family within two years. The first blow came on May 4, 1900, when Mr. Bosart died of a massive heart attack while at work. He was only 55 years old. The second and more horrifying event occurred on June 1, 1902. Mrs. Bosart along with her young son, Russell, and her mother, Lucetta Murray had gone to Crown Hill Cemetery to visit Mr. Bosart's grave. Upon leaving the cemetery, Mrs. Bosart's mother failed to see a streetcar. Lucetta Murray was instantly killed in front of her daughter and grandson.

Timothy Bosart (1844-1900), was a successful businessman. He helped to develop much the area around East Washington Street and Bosart Avenue. His untimely death of a heart attack shocked his family. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

Ruth Bosart (1858-1943) did her best to hold the family together after her husband's passing. Some of her adult children lived with her in the large house at 4704 East Washington Street. She died at the age of 84 having been a widow for forty-three years. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

Lucetta Murray, the mother of Ruth Bosart, was killed in horrible streetcar accident in 1902 near Crown Hill Cemetery.  (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

Despite the sadness in her life, Ruth Bosart continued to manage and live in the large home with her children. In March of 1906, a reporter from the Indianapolis Star, profiled the Bosart family and property. He noted the flowing well, the large veranda that wrapped around the house (removed), and the number of fireplaces in the dwelling. At the time, the property was managed by Ruth's son, Oscar Bosart.

Several joyful moments took place on the property including an unusual event, a graduation ceremony. On June 13, 1909, the nearby Emerson School at New York Street and Linwood Avenue held their eighth-grade celebration on the lawn of the property. The students recited poetry by Longfellow including, "The Birds of Killingsworth" and "Tales of a Wayside Inn." They also sang words to Mendelssohn's "Spring Song." The Assistant Superintendent, Nebraska Cropsey, distributed diplomas to the 15 graduates who all held a garland of flowers while the remaining students and families watched.

The windmill on the Bosart property at 4704 East Washington Street as it looked in 1906. An Indianapolis Star article noted that the mansard-roofed structure was also likely used as a smokehouse in the nineteenth century. 

Dora Bosart, the daughter of Timothy and Ruth Bosart, became quite active in the Women's Franchise League, an organization dedicated to getting women the right to vote. The Smith College graduate, campaigned in the years leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment. At some point, she met and fell in love with a British naval war hero, Alfred Evans. The young man was a veteran of the Boer Wars in South Africa and he had fought in World War One. The couple lived at 4704 East Washington Street along with other Bosarts until 1925 when they moved to Long Beach, California.

The Bosart sibling to have the most important role in the home was Oscar Bosart.  Along with his wife, Mabel, and their children, the next generation of Bosarts transformed the residence into the Green Lantern Tourist Home in 1936. A "Talk of the Town" article from the Indianapolis News in 1937 revealed that Oscar and Mabel had the house painted white with green shutters to reflect the Civil War era. The author pointed out that the house had been painted red, gray, and brown in previous years. A 1944 Indianapolis Star ad touted the inn as having "running water in rooms." Weary travelers along the National Road could stop off and stay with the Bosart family.

The matriarch of the family, Ruth Bosart, moved to Long Beach, California to live with her daughter in 1928 and died there in 1943. Oscar and Mabel Bosart continued to dwell in the family home for the next several decades. Their daughter, Jane, was married in the house and the society page of the Indianapolis Star on April 20, 1941, wrote of the beautiful candlelit service. One of their sons, Oscar, Jr., sadly drowned in an accident near New York City in 1936. Their youngest son, Robert, served the country during World War II as a pilot in the North African and Italian campaigns.

Oscar and Mabel Bosart took over the management of the property. The young couple, photographed in 1914, were likely standing in front of an older porch at 4704 East Washington Street. They later turned the home into an inn in 1936. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family descendants via Ancestry.com)

By 1917, the Bosarts had removed the older porch and added a two-story brick porch. In this photo, Mabel Bosart posed with her children, Jane and Oscar, Jr. (Photo courtesy of the Bosart family via Ancestry.com)

So, the next time you drive or walk by the large house on the northeast corner of Washington Street and Bosart Avenue, you will know that you are viewing one of the oldest homes still standing on the east side of Indianapolis.

Sources:
Timothy Bosart obituary, Indianapolis Journal, May 5, 1908, 8; Lucetta Murray's Death, Indianapolis News, June 1, 1902, 2; Ruth Murray Bosart obituary, Indianapolis Star, May 1, 1943, 3; Profile of Bosart Family, Indianapolis Star, March 5, 1906, 3; Ads for Wallace Sale, Indianapolis News, March 31, 1881, 1; Dora Bosart and the Women's Franchise League, Indianapolis Star, November 3, 1914, 8; Graduation Ceremony, Indianapolis Star, June 13, 1909, 20; Jane Bosart Wedding, Indianapolis Star, April 20, 1941, 47, Talk of the Town, Indianapolis News, October 19, 1937; Date of Wallace-Bosart home--

• Bodenhamer, D. J., Barrows, R. G., & Vanderstel, D. G. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1262.

Over Forty Years in a Bosart Avenue Bungalow

Carl and Marianna Swego Koepper bought a bungalow at 21 North Bosart Avenue from William H. Polk in either late 1929 or early 1930.  Mr. Koepper, a hardworking and industrious man, worked his way up from being a teller at Indiana National Bank to eventually becoming a vice president. Despite his rise in income and status, the couple remained in the modest bungalow until 1971. They had no children, but they were very involved in the lives of family members who dwelled on the near south side of Indianapolis and in Irvington. Mrs. Koepper stayed home and kept a beautiful house. She also loved to garden.  In her backyard she grew flowers and vegetables. Family film footage shot in 1938 and 1939 reveals that Mr. Koepper had a fun sense of humor.  Eventually, the couple left their Bosart Avenue home for an apartment on the north side of Indianapolis. Sadly, both of them passed away in the 1970s. Historic photos reveal glimpses into the lives of this much-admired couple.

Koepper Clan:  Henry and Josephine Koepper posed with their three sons on Christmas Day in 1932 on the front porch at 21 North Bosart Avenue. Pictured (left to right): Hubert, Josephine, Henry, Carl, and Norman Koepper

Christmas Gathering: Extended members of the Koepper family gathered at 21 North Bosart Avenue on December 25, 1951. Standing on the left with Christmas presents in his hands was David Koepper. Nearby, Marianna Swego Koepper walked by the family Christmas tree. Lydia Koepper watched the day's events from a chair by the front door.  A young Steve Koepper sat on the floor and looked directly at the family photographer.  The most visible person on the couch was Susan Koepper.

Lovely Backyard in the Summer of 1953:  Marianna Swego Koepper kept beautiful flower and vegetable gardens in the backyard of her home at 21 North Bosart Avenue.  Beyond the Koepper home, you can see the Dutch Colonial located at 20 North Bosart Avenue.  

Rich Harvest:  Marianna Swego Koepper can be seen in the backyard of her home at 21 North Bosart Avenue picking tomatoes from her lush vegetable garden in the summer of 1953.  

Joy of the Season:  Members of the Koepper family gathered at the home of Carl and Marianna Swego Koepper on Christmas Day in 1966.  The Koeppers dwelled in a lovely bungalow at 21 North Bosart Avenue.  Note the unpainted woodwork, crown moulding,  and built-in cabinetry behind and above family.  Pictured:  Mary Koepper, the wife of Hubert Koepper can be seen at the far left. Seated at the table-- Robert and Inge Koepper and their sons, Mark and Ronald;  Standing behind everyone-- Hubert Koepper.  Robert was the son of Hubert and Mary Koepper.

Decades Together:  Carl and Marianna Swego Koepper posed for this photo in 1970 in the living room of their home at 21 North Bosart Avenue.  They moved out of this dwelling and into an apartment on the north side of Indianapolis in 1971.

Mystery Flutist:  Either Carl or Marianna Swego Koepper snapped this artistic photograph of a young lady giving a recital for the couple in their home at 21 North Bosart Avenue. If anyone recognizes this talented young lady, drop me an e-mail at the address listed on the side of this blog.  

21 North Bosart Avenue in 2015.

The historic images and stories for this post are courtesy of Steve Koepper.