Irving Circle Park in the 1930s

      Harvey and Ada Belle McCord along with two of their children moved into the double at 5706 University Avenue in the spring of 1932. One of the perks of living at that address included the nearby Irving Circle Park. Shortly after relocating from Seymour, Indiana to Irvington, Ada Belle McElroy McCord (1871-1952) and her sister Myrtle McElroy Wiley (1887-1934) walked a few steps from the McCord home to a bench in the park. The sisters had grown up in a large family near Lancaster in Jefferson County, Indiana. What were the two women chatting about as they sat on the bench? Myrtle might have spoken of her two children or her life as a widow. Ada Belle might have talked about life in the neighborhood or her worries about her daughter Pauline, who had tuberculosis. Perhaps they kept it on the surface and talked of the weather or of the lovely park. Behind the women, you can see the double located at 245-247 South Audubon Road. The 1932 Polk's Indianapolis City Directory indicates that Harry L and Myrtle Ball lived at 245 South Audubon while Mrs. Margaret Myers resided at 247 South Audubon. Did either a member of the Ball or Myers families see the McElroy sisters in the park that day? 

Myrtle McElroy Wiley and her sister, Ada Belle McElroy McCord relaxed on a park bench in the Irving Circle Park in 1932. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

     In a much clearer image, members of the McCord and Cox family posed for a family photo at the Irving Circle Park during the spring of 1938. Ada Belle McCord, who is in the center of the photo, was the mother of Emma McCord Lawton (left) and Gladys McCord Cox (right). Below her gaze, you can see her grandson, William Lawton, in a baby carriage while her granddaughter, Linda Cox, stood next to her cousin. All of the folks in this photo lived nearby at 5706-5708 University Avenue. Tragically, eight-year-old Floyd Cox, the son of Gladys Cox, is not in the photograph as he died of anterior poliomyelitis  on August 5, 1937.  One of the remarkable aspects of this photo, for the sake of historical documentation, is the view of the fountain basin for the Irving Circle Park. It used to be quite low and there was a "geyser" in the middle that shot up a single spout of water. 

Emma McCord Lawton, Ada Belle McCord, Gladys McCord Cox, William Lawton (in the carriage), and Linda Cox posed for a photograph in the Irving Circle Park in 1938 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

In the 1990s, the neighborhood reimagined the basin and fountain in the Irving Circle Park. (Photo by Bill Gulde on September 14, 2021)

Sources: Information for this post came from the unpublished family history researched and written by Steve Lawton, the grandson of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. I also consulted the 1937 Polk's Indianapolis City Directory for information pertaining to 245-247 South Audubon Road. 

The McCord Family Moved to University Avenue

     Harvey and Ada Belle McCord's move from Seymour, Indiana to Irvington in 1931 likely surprised many of their neighbors and friends. The McCords had been a fixture in Jackson County for many years as they raised all six of their children in that community. In fact, all six of the McCords graduated from high school and some even went on to college, a rare feat in early twentieth-century Indiana. Mr. McCord's humble beginnings as a baker did not reveal his future path as his neighbors later elected him twice as the sheriff of Jackson County as a Republican in a heavily Democratic area. He also became involved in real estate. 

     By 1930, three of their older children, Margaret, Robert, and Gladys had settled in Indianapolis and had started their families. Another older daughter, Pauline, moved to Arizona where the climate was better for her tuberculosis diagnosis. Perhaps longing to be near their grandchildren, Harvey and Ada Belle, along with their two youngest children, Emma and Harvey, Jr., sold their beautiful Seymour home and moved to Indianapolis.

     The McCords first rented a small bungalow at 1035 North Euclid Avenue just west of Irvington. An Indianapolis News article reveals that Harvey McCord purchased the double at 5706-08 University Avenue in the spring of 1932 from Marvin Deputy. Perhaps Mr. McCord bought the property with the idea of one side producing income or perhaps he bought it with the idea of renting it to family. The structure still contained a large wrap-around front porch popular during the Queen-Anne era of construction. The McCords would be able to sit out on the veranda and see the nearby Irving Circle Park and the Children Guardian's Home. 

Ada Belle, Harvey, and Emma McCord stood near their garage at 5706-08 University Avenue in 1932 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Emma McCord (later Lawton) stood at the edge of the sidewalk leading to 5706 University Avenue. The photo is important for not only documenting the future Mrs. Lawton, but also for what is behind her. The double at 5706-08 University Avenue still had its Queen-Anne wrap-around front porch in the 1930s. ( see Sanborn below) Also visible in the photo is the home at 5712 University Avenue. Note the mansard roofline. The residence was the former home of the First Baptist Church, an African-American congregation and was erected in 1891. The congregation moved out the building in 1910 for a larger church on Good Avenue. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Emma McCord Lawton posed on the front porch at 5706 University Avenue in 1937. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

An early twentieth-century Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows that 5706-08 University Avenue used to have a wrap-around porch. (photo courtesy of IUPUI)

5706-08 University Avenue and 5712 University Avenue in the summer of 2021. 

     Harvey, Ada Belle, Emma, and Harvey, Jr. moved into 5706 while their daughter Gladys and their son-in-law, Floyd Cox, moved into 5708. Floyd managed the Haag's Drug Store on the northwest corner of East Washington Street and Audubon Road so he could easily walk to and from work. Gladys and Floyd also placed an ad in the Indianapolis News on October 28, 1932, announcing that they had a room to rent at 5708 University Avenue and that they would also include breakfast as part of the deal. It was the Great Depression after all and any additional income was helpful.  

Floyd Cox was the son-in-law of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord.  He was a pharmacist for Haag's Drug Store at East Washington Street and Audubon Road in the 1930s. The Cox family also lived in the apartment adjacent to the McCords at 5708 University Avenue during that decade. (Indianapolis Star, May 16, 1935)

     The McCords celebrated two joyous events shortly after moving to Irvington. First, their daughter, Pauline, who had been living in Arizona, came home to spend the summer with her parents in 1932. She later returned to Arizona. Secondly, the entire family gathered in the spring of 1935 for the wedding of Emma McCord, the youngest daughter, to Burrell Lawton at the Irvington Methodist Church. The family still possesses film footage of the McCords gathering at the church for the wedding.  Emma and Burrell drove out to Colorado and along the way encountered one of the worst floods in the history of that state. Burrell Lawton documented the event with his movie camera. They also hiked in the Rockies and visited with family. 

In the spring of 1935, Emma McCord and Burrell Lawton traveled to Colorado to visit family. Along the way, they encountered one of the worst floods in the history of that state. At some point in their journey, they came upon this washed-out road. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

     Back in Irvington, the University Avenue double became a compound for McCord relatives. The Cox, Coffey, Lawton, and other relatives resided in the double. At some point, Harvey and Ada moved into 5708 while other McCord family members leased 5706. Mr. McCord remained active in his lodges and clubs. Mrs. McCord was very involved in the Methodist church. Her grandson, Steve Lawton, described her as a person who dressed up everyday. She even wore high-heeled shoes on most days. 

In the winter of 1937, either Mr. or Mrs. McCord, took this beautiful snowy-weather photo scene from their front porch at 5706-08 University Avenue. The front porch of 5712 University Avenue is visible as is the fence for the Children's Guardian Home at 5751 University Avenue. (photo courtesy Steve Lawton)

     Harvey and Ada Belle spent most of the war years near their children and grandchildren. Life changed for the family when Mr. McCord died in 1945. Ada Belle moved in with her daughter Gladys in nearby Wanamaker. The last of the McCords moved out of the double on University Avenue in 1946. Mrs. McCord passed away in 1952. 

     Editor's Note: Most of the information for this post came from Steve Lawton's unpublished family history. Mr. Lawton is the grandson of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. To learn more about the Lawton family, click on the link below. Other sources for this post include Indianapolis City Directories, Federal Census Records, and Obituaries for the McCord family. 

Who Lived Here? Two German-Born Siblings

      In July of 1925, local contractor Marion Cordill, took out a building permit for the construction of a small bungalow at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Mr. Cordill was very busy during that summer as he constructed several residences along Arlington and Julian Avenues. His crew completed the dwelling by October as ad an in the Indianapolis Star touted: 

     New five-room bungalow, 1/2 block from Washington Street; hardwood floors, fireplace, breakfast nook, brick porch, thoroughly modern garage...(October 11, 1925, 25)

     In either late-1926 or early 1927, two German siblings, Wendell and Antoinette Goerich, moved into the modest bungalow and remained for the next several decades. 

The Goerich siblings resided in this small bungalow at 36 South Arlington Avenue from 1926 until 1982. (photo taken on August 10, 2021)

The Goerich Siblings

Wendell (Wendelin) Goerich (1883-1966)

     Sometime in the early twentieth century, a young man named Wendell Goerich left the village of Dingelstadt in the German state of Thuringia for a new life in America. For many years, beginning as early as 1909, he boarded with Oliver and Luella Snell (Schnell) who lived on Spann and later Fletcher Avenue. Was he related to the Snells? Did they sponsor him? There are still many unanswered questions about his early years. He immediately found a job as switchman with the New York Central Railroad. He was 25 years old.

     Working as a switchman in the early twentieth century was a very dangerous job. The men worked in all kinds of weather and if they were not careful they could be crushed in between train cars. Young immigrants like Mr. Goerich frequently put themselves in great danger with such positions. In December of 1909 Wendell Goerich suffered such an accident and lost his left arm. A publication called The Brotherhood of Rail Trail Men documented that the young immigrant received a claim of $500 for the loss of his limb. Incredibly, Wendell Goerich went back to work for the New York Central Railroad and remained  for the next fifty years. 

     During World War One, many German immigrants living in the United States faced suspicion and discrimination. In Indianapolis the school board terminated the teaching of German and the town elders in one eastern Indiana town attempted to rename their town to Pershing from East Germantown in honor of the American general. On December 7, 1917, the Indianapolis Star published a list of unnaturalized German immigrants living in the city. Wendell Goerich was on that list. What did this mean? Mr. Goerich had to voluntarily register with the city police and he had to stay at least a half a mile away from any factory producing munitions for the war. He was now on a watch list. To prove that he sided with the Americans during the war, the young German even registered for the draft although he had no chance of serving due to his accident. 

The Arrival of Antoinette (Antoninette) Goerich (1896-1988)

     On October 1, 1921, twenty-four-year old Antoninette Goerich arrived at Ellis Island. A ship passenger list reveals that her final stay would be in Indianapolis where she would be living with her older brother, "Wendelin" Goerich. The clerk who processed her paperwork described her as 5'6" with blond hair and gray eyes. She had traveled across the ocean with dozens of other immigrants like herself to live with family members who were already rooted in America. 

Antoinette (Antoninette) Goerich arrived in the Indianapolis in 1921. I recently unearthed this photo of her in a local antique mall. She moved to 36 South Arlington Avenue in either 1926 or 1927.

Miss Goerich signed the back of her photo. Her signature matches that of the one found on her naturalization papers. (see below)

By 1927, Miss Goerich changed the spelling of her first name. A clerk misspelled her last name on this form. 

     Little is known about her early years on the south side of Indianapolis, but by late 1926 or early 1927, both she and Wendell lived in a brand new house at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Had Wendell learned of the house through the ad published by the contractor Marion Cordill? We will likely never know, but the Goerich siblings spent most of the remainder of their lives in the little bungalow with the breakfast nook. 

     Antoinette Goerich appears to have kept the household running while Wendell, who was now a yardmaster, left for the job. The siblings joined Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and both were involved with local Moose chapters. Miss Goerich loved to read and she belonged to Irvington's Brown Library Great Books Club. She was also an excellent quilter and was featured in the Indianapolis Star on October 2, 1957, along with other women of the church for their beautiful quilt. 

     On January 4, 1960, seventy-six-year-old Wendell Goerich was struck by an automobile as he crossed the street at Audubon Road and Washington Street. Amazingly, he survived his second big accident. He would go on to live another six years, dying at the age of 82 in 1966. Antoinette Goerich found herself alone in the small bungalow, but she seems to have had many friends and neighbors who checked in on her. The Garza family, who resided at 44 South Arlington Avenue, described her as a kind woman who was very good with children. Regina Garza Ruopoli, who grew up near Miss Goerich, fondly recalled visiting her. The elderly woman frequently gave the children treats including grapes from her arbor in the backyard where she also kept a small pond surrounded by flowers. At Christmas she gave her fruit strudels to her neighbors and friends.

     Living alone and far away from any family began to take its toll. She told her neighbor Rudy Garza that "it is hell getting old." In 1982, Miss Goerich moved into a nursing home in Beech Grove. Her home was put on the market nearly 57 years after she and her brother first moved in. She died in 1988 at the age of 91. 

Antoinette Goerich c1980 sat in her rocking chair at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Her neighbors reported that she generally wore cotton dresses and she likely knitted the items visible in the photo. (photo courtesy of the Garza family) 

    If you knew the Goerich siblings and have memories to share, please do so in the comments section under this post. I would love to find a photo of Mr. Goerich. Thank you!!

Sources:  Interview with Rudy and Christina Garza along with their daughter, Regina Garza Ruopoli; I would also like to thank Jon Oliger, Paula Schmidt, and Bill Selm;  Wendell Goerich--World War One Alien List: Indianapolis Star, December 7, 1917, 12; Accident--Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, 1910, 425; World War One registration via Ancestry.com; Accident--Indianapolis Star, January 5, 1960, 21; Obituary--Indianapolis Star, April 21, 1966, 57; Antoinette Goerich--Ship Passenger list and naturalization papers via Ancestry.com; House for Sale--Indianapolis Star, October 17, 1982; Obituary--Indianapolis News, June 28, 1988, 57; Death certificates for both Wendell and Antoinette Goerich via Ancestry.com.      

     

 

Two Giant White Pine Trees Dominate South Arlington Avenue

     The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. (Chinese Proverb)     

      Irvington has always been a leafy neighborhood. The founders of the community had an expectation that residents would plant trees. Some of those early trees still shade the narrow streets. Century-old maples, oaks, catalpas, and numerous other species can be found throughout the area. When Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased the bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970, they noticed that the front yard was bereft of trees. While they did have a beautiful persimmon tree in the backyard, the couple wished for some shade or beauty along Arlington. In 1974, they traveled to visit a friend's property in Trafalgar, Indiana with the idea of digging up a few saplings for their Irvington property. Christina wanted dogwood trees, but they couldn't seem to locate any so they settled on two small white pine trees. They loaded the two evergreens atop their long Ford station wagon and drove home. Mr. Garza planted the pines and over the years the family marveled at the fast growth of the trees.

     Mrs. Garza particularly liked to use the branches and pinecones to decorate the home at Christmas. Over the years, their children enjoyed racing around the trees and in some cases jumping over them which is why one tree is shorter than the other.  As the trees matured, the utility company asked the Garzas to trim some of the lower branches so that the water meter could be read properly. By 2021, both trees were still standing at four and five-stories tall despite some harsh winter winds and strong summer storms. The half-a-century-old trees could live for another fifty to one hundred years. 

Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970. Four years later they planted two white pine trees in the front yard. In 1979, they posed next to one of the pines. Behind the couple, you can see several homes in the 100 block of South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Rodolfo (Rudy) Garza proudly posed next to one of his pine trees after a winter storm in 1980. Behind Mr. Garza, you can seen the wintry scene at the intersection of South Arlington and Julian Avenues. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Rodolfo (Rudy) Garza posed with daughters, Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza in 1979 next to one of the pine trees in their front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind the family, you can see 17, 21, 27, 31, and 33 South Arlington Avenue. 17 South Arlington was later demolished for a CVS Pharmacy. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Regina Garza, the daughter of Rudy and Christina Garza, posed next to one of the pine trees in 1979 in her front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind her, you can see 103, 107, 109, and 115 South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

In 2021, the white pine trees planted by the Garza family in 1974 now tower over the small bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue. (photo William Gulde)

I wish to thank Rudy and Christina Garza, Regina Garza Ruopoli, and Jon Oliger for photos and information regarding this post. 

South Arlington Avenue Intersection Then and Now

      Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased the modest bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970 and remained for the next 47 years. The Garza family photos not only capture important moments in their lives, but the photographers also inadvertently documented structures along that street that are now lost to time. 

     South Arlington and Julian Avenues: In the first photograph, likely snapped in 1971, Regina Garza and her sister Sonia Johnson, stand on the sidewalk leading up to 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind the girls, you can see members of the extended family walking along the street. The intersection visible in the photo is that of Julian and South Arlington Avenues. Along Julian you can see the large two-story garage that used to stand behind 103 South Arlington Avenue. The tall tree seen behind the girls, is gone and is now merely a stump in an empty lot in 2021. The photo reveals that Arlington used to be very narrow and that the 6000 block of Julian Avenue had no sidewalks at that point in history. 

Regina Garza and Sonia Johnson stand along the sidewalk leading up to 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1971. (Photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Lost Irvington--39 South Arlington Avenue:  Likely snapped in the winter of 1975, Sonia Johnson posed next to the pine tree planted by her father, Rudy Garza, in the front yard of their home at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind her, you can see a car driving south along pre-widened Arlington Avenue. The most visible home in the photo belonged to her Grandpa and Grandma Willett of 39 South Arlington. The small cottage was likely built in 1905, for Charles Wambold, a painter and "paper-hanger." Numerous families lived in residence over the years including the Armstrongs, Vannettes, the Reeds, the Coreys, Kelleys, and the Willetts. For many years, the house sat empty and appeared abandoned. It was demolished sometime after 2007. 

Sonia Johnson posed in her front yard at 44 South Arlington most likely in the winter of 1975. The pine tree next to her is four stories tall in 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Garza family) 

The Roaring Twenties Meets the 1980s:  Sisters, Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza, posed in their front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue in the winter of 1980. The fashionable teens both attended IPS #57 and later Howe High School. Behind the young women, a garage belonging to the Willett family at 39 South Arlington is visible. A small news item in the Indianapolis Star reveals that Alfred L. Reed applied for a building permit to erect the garage in September of 1925. The structure has since been razed. 

Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza posed in front of 44 South Arlington Avenue in the winter of 1980.

 (photo courtesy of Garza family)

  

A Quiet Field:  Lots 10 and 11 of Tilford and Thrasher's Addition are both empty in 2021. Fireflies, bees, and many birds now call this plot of land "home." Little evidence of the house and the garage once located on the land still exist although some yarrow planted near the front of the cottage blooms without fail and landscape rock near the former garage still rests along the back alley. 

Taken from the front porch at 44 South Arlington Avenue on the morning of July 13, 2021. (William Gulde)

Sources: I wish to thank Regina Garza Ruopoli, Christina Garza, and Rodolfo Garza for the generous loan of their photos and for their stories of 44 South Arlington Avenue. I also wish to thank Jon Oliger for his memories of Arlington Avenue. Other sources on the history of the 39 South Arlington Avenue include:  Erection of 39 South Arlington--Indiana Tribune, April 22, 1905, 4; Information on families of 39 South Arlington--Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, and US Federal Census records for 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940. Erection of Garage--Indianapolis Star, September 25, 1925, 13. 

Swedish Couple Moved to Irvington

     Hulda Paulina Axberg of Karlstad, Sweden bade goodbye to her father, step mother, and numerous siblings on May 4, 1906, as she traveled alone to the coastal city of Gothenburg to board a ship bound first for Liverpool, England and then for the United States. Like millions of other immigrants, she arrived at Ellis Island, New York with little money but with hopes for a new life. Her older sister, Elin, who arrived earlier, served as her sponsor. She listed "servant" as her occupation and in fact, she would serve as a domestic in various American homes throughout her life.

     Three years later, another Swede, Hilding Urban Hendrickson, departed from the small coastal Swedish town of Simrishamn where his father served as a ship captain.  Unlike Hulda Axberg, nearly all of Hilding's siblings immigrated to the United States. Some of his brothers settled in Rochester, New York, while he and his brother, Francis, moved to Indianapolis. Lars Hendrickson, the father of Hilding and Francis, insisted that his sons have a trade. Both Hilding and Francis listed "tailor" as their occupation when they arrived at Ellis Island. 

Hulda Axberg shortly after her arrival in the United States from Sweden c1906 (image courtesy of Donna Sanderson)

Hulda Axberg moved from Karlstad, Sweden, a beautiful city along Lake Vanern (photo--public domain).

Hilding Urban Hendrickson moved to the United States along with several of his brothers. He is shown here as a young man already living in Indianapolis and earning a living as a tailor c1915. (Irvington Historical Society)

The Hendrickson brothers moved from Simrishamn, Sweden, a small town along the eastern coast, to the United States in the early twentieth century. (photo--public domain)

     The Swedish community in Indianapolis in the early twentieth century was not large so it is not surprising that Hulda Axberg met Hilding Hendrickson as they had much in common. They married on May 2, 1914, at the Woodruff Place United Presbyterian Church. Mr. Hendrickson was just beginning to build his reputation as an outstanding tailor. He and his brother opened a shop in downtown Indianapolis providing an income for the two young immigrants and their wives. Hilding and Hulda rented numerous homes on the eastside of Indianapolis before purchasing a beautiful home at 824 North Rural Street.  The couple celebrated the arrival of their two sons, Robert in 1916 and James in 1918. Both young men attended and graduated from Arsenal Tech High School.

     When World War II erupted, Hilding and Hulda, like millions of other American parents watched and likely fretted as their sons went into that conflict. Robert Hendrickson served in the European Theater as a bomber pilot over Germany while James Hendrickson had the grim task of assisting with the clean up of Nagasaki, Japan after the city was destroyed by an atomic bomb. 

Hilding and Hulda Hendrickson posed with their sons, Robert and James, c1919 in Indianapolis. (photo courtesy of Irvington Historical Society) 

James Hendrickson playfully teased his mother while on leave from duty during World War II. Mrs. Hendrickson clearly enjoyed having her son home at 824 North Rural Street in Indianapolis c1944. (Photo courtesy of Donna Sanderson)

James Hendrickson, on leave from his service during World War II, posed next to the family home at 824 North Rural Street in eastern Indianapolis c1944. (photo courtesy of Donna Sanderson)

Google Streetview captured 824 North Rural Street in 2007 shortly before it was demolished. 

     With the war over and their sons now out of the house and starting their own lives, Hilding and Hulda sold their Rural Street home and moved into a small cottage in southern Irvington at 406 South Butler Avenue. Hilding's brother, Francis and sister-in-law, Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson, lived nearby at 47 Whittier Place. Hilding and his brother dissolved their tailor shop and he then worked for Blocks Department Store for twenty years.

      At their little cottage on South Butler Avenue, the couple hosted family celebrations. Donna Sanderson, the granddaughter of Hilding and Hulda Hendrickson, remembers the delicious smells emanating out of the kitchen as her grandmother baked some Swedish specialities. She also remembers staying in the attic-turned-bedroom and listening to the rain hit the roof lulling her to sleep. The tall grandfather clock visible in the photos sat in each of the Hendrickson homes. 

The Hendricksons moved into this southern Irvington cottage at 406 South Butler Avenue after World War II. (photo snapped on June 24, 2021)

Hulda Axberg Hendrickson relaxed in her oversized chair at her home at 406 South Butler Avenue c1957 (photo courtesy of Donna Sanderson) 

The extended Hendrickson family frequently gathered at 406 South Butler Avenue for the holidays. In this photo, likely snapped in 1957, Hulda Axberg Hendrickson (on the end) sits next to her daughter-in-laws, Freda Hendrickson (later Brown), Florence Hendrickson, Jane Hendrickson, and her nephew, Charles Hendrickson. (photo courtesy of Donna Sanderson) 

Hulda Axberg Hendrickson posed next to her grandchildren, Jim Hilding Hendrickson and Donna Hendrickson on Christmas Eve, c1955 at 406 South Butler Avenue. The two kids can also be seen in the photo on the table. (photo courtesy of Donna Sanderson) 

Hilding and Francis Hendrickson, both immigrants from Sweden, looked on as their grandchildren were photographed on Christmas Day, 1957 at 406 South Butler Avenue. The kids in the photo are: Donna Hendrickson, Jerry Hendrickson, Mary J. Hendrickson, and Jim Hendrickson. Note the beautiful grandfather clock in the corner of the room. (photo courtesy of Donna Sanderson)

      In their elder years, the Hendricksons moved to 958 North Hawthorne Lane in northern Irvington in 1962. They likely owned the home before that date and they seem to have rented the residence to Swedish natives, Ellen and Glenn Bertelsmann in the early 1960s. Mrs. Bertelsmann was Hulda's sister. In her later years, Hulda worked as a domestic for the Ruckleshaus family in Indianapolis.

      On May 3, 1964, the extended Hendrickson family gathered at the Hawthorne Lane home to celebrate the fiftieth wedding anniversary of the Swedish couple who took a chance on the United States. Five years later, Hulda Axberg Hendrickson, the immigrant from Karlstad, died in 1969. Tragically, Hilding Urban Hendrickson, the tailor from Simrishamn, met his ending in an auto accident after being struck by a train at the dangerous intersection at Sherman Avenue and Massachusetts Street in 1970. 

The last home for Hulda and Hilding Hendrickson was at 958 North Hawthorne Lane in northern Irvington. (photo taken on June 24, 2021) 

Credits:  I wish to thank Donna Sanderson, the granddaughter of Hilding and Hulda Axberg Hendrickson. Her attention to detail and family history documentation made this an easy post to write. 

    

The Hendrickson Family Photo Collection

    Francis and Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson purchased the boarding house located at 47 Whittier Place in 1921. Mr. Hendrickson was a successful tailor in downtown Indianapolis along with his brother Hilding Urban Hendrickson. The brothers, both born in Sweden, operated a successful business for decades. Hilding and his wife, Hulda Axberg Hendrickson, also lived on the east side of the city in several houses including two Irvington homes at 406 South Butler Avenue and at 958 North Hawthorne Lane. 

47 Whittier Place in the spring of 2021

     In the late 1990s, members of the Hendrickson family cleared out the old boarding house on Whittier Place and had a sale.  Someone loaded many historic family photos into a box and placed them on a table. Mark Capes, a local resident, purchased the box thinking that there might be photos of Irvington's past. He protected the photos for several years and then allowed me to see them. I encouraged him to donate the box to the Irvington Historical Society, which he generously did several years ago. Recently, archivist, Paula Schmidt, asked me to revisit the collection. Who are these people? Where were these photographs taken? Are there Irvington shots in this collection?

     Most of the photographs did not have names, but several listed the studio and the city where the images were snapped. The vast majority of the images date to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The Hendricksons could be found in Sweden, Rochester, New York, and in Indianapolis. Of course, many of the images belonged to Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson, Francis Hendrickson's second wife. She came from the Moundsville-Wheeling, West Virginia area. We are still learning about her family, but both she and her sister, Bertha and her brother, Henry also moved to Indianapolis. 

      While there was not one image of Irvington in this vast collection, the photographs still tell a story of two Irvington brothers. As we learn more, we will update this post. Below is a sampling of what is in the collection.

Francis Hendrickson (1870-1970) and Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson (1872-1950)

Elizabeth Hornbrook and Francis Hendrickson posed for this photo most likely on their wedding day, November 20, 1910, in Indianapolis. Francis had been briefly married before to Josephine Infante. Their union produced Francis Hendrickson, Jr. Eventually, the boy came to live with his dad and stepmom in Indianapolis. 

Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson (far left) looks on as her baby son, Charles, is being held by two older women. The photo was likely taken in Indianapolis, but we are not sure. 

Francis and Elizabeth Hendrickson posed with their two sons, Charles (1914-1997) and Francis, Jr. (1902-1987) 

The Hendrickson family around 1914. 

For many years, Francis and Elizabeth Hendrickson lived at 515 E. 22nd Street in Indianapolis. In this photograph, likely taken around 1917, we can identify some of the people. Left to Right--Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson, possibly Mary Hornbrook, possibly Bertha Hornbrook Pierson. Second row--Francis Hendrickson, Henry Holbrook, Frank Holbrook, and possibly Charles Pierson. 

In the distance, you can see the church still located on the northeast corner of East 22nd Street and North Park Avenue. The photo was snapped around 1917 at 515 E. 22nd Street in Indianapolis. (left to right) Possibly Bertha Hornbrook Pierson, possibly Charles Pierson, Unknown, Henry Hornbrook, Francis Hendrickson; on porch--Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson

Francis Hendrickson is the younger man in this series of photographs most likely snapped around 1915. The older man is possibly his brother-in-law, Charles Pierson. 

Francis Hendrickson, Jr was the son of Francis Hendrickson, Sr. and Josephine Infante. The 1910 Federal Census reveals that he lived with another family in 1910, but was eventually reunited with his Dad and stepmom. This photo was published in the Indianapolis Star after he ran away from home in the spring of 1915. He later returned. 

Hilding Urban Hendrickson (1889-1970) and Hulda Paulina Axberg Hendrickson (1886-1969)

Hilding (Urban) and Hulda Axberg Hendrickson, both natives of Sweden, posed with their sons, James and Robert c1919 in Indianapolis. Mr. Hendrickson was a tailor while Mrs. Hendrickson ran the household. They lived in numerous homes in eastern Indianapolis, including two in Irvington. 

Hilding Urban Hendrickson posed with his brother, Francis Hendrickson, c1910. The pair operated a successful tailor shop in downtown Indianapolis. 

Other Hendrickson Family Photos

One of the most interesting photos in the collection is of a family in Sweden. "Johan Emil" wrote a note in Swedish to Francis Hendrickson on the back of the image that reads, "Greetings from all of us, as well as from our home." If you look closely, you can see a beautiful grandfather clock made in the Dalarna region of Sweden. It unclear why there is netting around the light. 

Elizabeth Schwartz Hendrickson (1876-1958), the wife of Emil Hendrickson, posed with her daughters, Lillian, Martha, Dorothy, and Edith c1909 in Rochester, New York. The couple would welcome two additional daughters later in life.

Emil Hendrickson (1876-1951) posed with his oldest daughter, Lillian and an unknown young man in Rochester, New York c1910. 

Hornbrook Family Photos?

     Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson hailed from Moundsville, West Virginia. Many of the photos in this collection likely came from her side of the family. While we recognize some common faces, we have been unable to identify most of the images from her family. Her sister Bertha Hornbrook married Charles Pierson and also lived in Indianapolis. Please study these photos and let us know if you recognize any person or place! 

Mary Hornbrook Schlobohm (1858-1918) in the center of the photo was the sister of Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson. In this early twentieth-century photo, she posed with her two daughters, Lulu and Esther in Marshall County, West Virginia. 

A child with a brick house behind 

On the back of the photo someone has written "Edwin with Brownie," 1926

An older man near flowers

A family portrait next to a wonderful home possibly taken in the Wheeling/Moundsville, West Virginia area

Family portrait with neighborhood houses behind them

"Harold and Mary" written on the back of the photo: Most likely Harold Hornbrook Schlobohm, the nephew of Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson, and his future or current wife, Mary McNickel Schlobohm. The lived in West Virginia. 

The woman seated is most likely Mary Hornbrook Schlobohm (1858-1918), the sister of Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson. She is seated next to her husband, George Franklin Schlobohm (1858-1952). Their children behind them are Arthur Clifford Schlobohm (1894-1918),  George Schlobohm, Jr. (1897-1951), Possibly Esther Schlobohm (1889-?), Harold Schlobohm (1899-1953), Possibly Lulu Schlobohm (1894-1978), and Russel Earl Schlobohm (1885-1959). The photo was most likely taken in Moundsville, West Virginia. 

A Christmas card from an older couple

An older couple in a posed photograph

A woman in mourning on a porch

A young woman in Indianapolis

Detroit Photos

     A member of either the Hendrickson or Hornbrook family went on a sightseeing adventure in the Detroit area in the early twentieth-century. Thanks to Dan Austin, with Historic Detroit.org, we can identify some of the locales in the photos. 

The Tashmoo was a passenger steamboat that operated in between Detroit and Port Huron, Michigan. Thousands of passengers rode on the boat from 1900 until 1936.  

Two women posed at the Hurlbut Memorial Gate in Detroit, Michigan c1910. 

A woman posed near a conservatory in Detroit, Michigan c1910

Two women posed in a park in Detroit, Michigan c1910

Sources:  I wish to thank Donna Sanderson, the granddaughter of Hilding Urban and Hulda Hendrickson, for her incredible research on the Hendrickson family. I also wish to thank Dan Austin of Historic Detroit.org for his work in identifying some of the places in the photos. Much of the biographical information came from various obituaries belonging to Francis Hendrickson, Elizabeth Hornbrook Hendrickson, Bertha Hornbrook Pierson, Charles Pierson, and Henry Hornbrook. The photos belong to the Irvington Historical Society. 

To learn more about the Tashmoo, click here: Tashmoo

To learn about the Hurlbut Memorial Gate in Detroit, click here: Hurlbut Gate