Tea Time at an Irvington Cottage

The ladies of Burgess Avenue paused for a tea break in the backyard of Isadora Louiso Cannavan's home at 324 Burgess around 1944. Her daughter, Veta Cannavan Stokesberry lived nearby at 352 Burgess Avenue.  The leafy retreat provided a perfect respite on what appears to be a gloriously sunny Indiana day.

The people pictured in the historic image from left to right are: Veta Cannavan Stokesberry, May Louiso Markmeyer (her half-sister), Isadora Louiso Cannavan, and Mary Ellen Stokesberry. The young girl (Mary Ellen) seen in the photo graduated from Howe High School and now lives in Hawaii. The historic image is courtesy of Ann Stewart.

An Elegant Gathering at the Stokesberry Bungalow

This early color photo reveals an elegant birthday gathering at the Stokesberry Home at 352 Burgess Avenue. Veta Cannavan Stokesberry sits at the head of the table. Her husband, Chester likely took the picture. Sitting to Veta's right are Charles and Hattie Ruhsenberger of 5930 East Washington Street. Across the table are Isadora Louiso Cannavan (324 Burgess Avenue) and in shadow, May Louiso Markmeyer. The occasion was the birthday celebration of the two sisters Hattie and "Dora." In my attempt to make the photo larger, I have lost some of the resolution, but the photo still reveals so many interesting details. It was likely taken around 1945.

The table has a lace cloth over it and Veta Cannavan Stokesberry has pulled out lovely tea cups and plates for the event. You will also note the beautiful candles and delicious looking birthday cake. One of Chester Stokesberry's paintings hangs over the buffet in the dining room. It is also great to see the color of the wallpaper. This wonderful image is courtesy of Ann Stewart.

Birthday Gathering at the Stokesberry Bungalow at 352 Burgess Avenue

Sometime around 1937, Hattie Jones Ruhsensberger (1872-1973) and her sister Isadora Jones Louiso Cannavan (1868-1955) gathered in the living room at the home of Chester and Veta Cannavan (1905-1985) at 352 Burgess Avenue. Veta was the daughter of "Dora" and hosted the event. The two sisters had remained close over the years, and they loved to celebrate their January birthdays. Hattie dwelled at 5930 E. Washington Street and Dora lived in several places before moving to Irvington to be near her daughter and sister. Dora worked as midwife and upon her death in 1955, the local newspaper called her "an angel on horseback." She also attended wounded World War One veterans at a military hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. You may learn more about the Ruhsenberger family by following the link listed below.

Chester Stokesberry moved into this two-bedroom bungalow in 1927 with his first wife Marie. The home was only a year old at the time and was likely built by contractors Keith and Effie Stonehouse in 1925. The Indianapolis newspapers reported dozens of new bungalows for sale in the Irvington area in the mid-1920s. Most contained a long living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and one bath. Some like this one had a breakfast nook and built-in features next to the fireplace. After their marriage, Veta Cannavan Stokesberry took up residence and the Stokesberrys would live in this house until the 1980s.

Chester Stokesberry (1895-1984) was a jeweler, watchmaker, clockmaker, and an artist. Some of his work appeared at various exhibitions including at the John Herron Art Institute. His paintings are highly collectable in 2011. He specialized in landscape scenes. In the photo you can see two of his works on the walls of the Burgess Avenue bungalow. The Ellenberger Park painting hanging above the ladies in the photo eventually moved to the Ruhsenberger home and is still in the family's possession. The other three works featured on this post recently sold at a local art auction. The scene depicting snow is called "January Thaw." These paintings were completed in 1956.

Be sure to study the black and white photograph. Veta Stokesberry kept a beautiful home and she loved antiques. The exterior photo of the home was taken on July 24, 2011. The historic image and the stories are courtesy of Ann Stewart.