Brown's Hill Was a Popular Sledding Site

     Newspaper publisher Hilton U. Brown and his wife Jennie Hannah Brown purchased five acres of land on the southwest corner of East Washington Street and Emerson Avenue in 1891 for $3500. Mr. Brown first heard about the opportunity from an Irvington realtor named Charles W. Brouse. The property came complete with a pioneer farmhouse previously owned by the Weesner and White families. Mr. Brown demolished that residence but used the hewn walnut and oak timbers for a barn that an Englishman named Hector Fuller constructed on the site. The Browns erected a large home on the site using boulders from the nearby Pleasant Run stream. The couple raised their ten children on the expansive grounds complete with an orchard and an ice house built into the hill near the stream. 

     Soon after the home was finished, the Browns allowed local children to sled down the hill. Mr. Brown did have rules for the children. They were not to quarrel nor to throw snowballs. Over the decades thousands of local children flocked to the site. Jean Brown Wagoner, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brown and an author, noted in one of her newspaper columns that, "It made a fellow suck in his breath and then let out a yell as he started down." With the arrival of spring, the Browns frequently had to reseed the hill to keep it from being a muddy mess. 

    Over time, the Brown children moved out. Mrs. Brown died first, but Mr. Brown lived on until the age of 99. He passed away on September 20, 1958. His family sold the property to the Washington and Emerson Corporation shortly after his death. Several people in the neighborhood wondered what would become of the grand old place. Grace Booth Bay, in an Indianapolis News newspaper article, called for the home to be a senior home. She had grown up near the residence and remembered the boulders being put into place. Others hoped it would be turned into a museum. Some thought it might become a funeral home. On May 15, 1959, vandals broke into the empty house and broke windows, tore off a fireplace mantel, and littered the house with material they snatched from desk drawers. 

     Without public input, the community likely reacted with shock on June 24, 1959, as a crew began to demolish the beautiful home. The hill, however, remained for another ten years. Sledders continued to fly down the slope. Then, despite public opposition, including from Mayor Richard Lugar, the Indianapolis Board of Zoning Appeals (Division 2) allowed Howard Fieber, the President of Washington and Emerson Corporation, to flatten Brown's Hill for a filling station.  Today, the laughter and thrills from that incline linger on in memories and in photographs like those below. 

The Widner brothers, who lived on Farrington Avenue, enjoyed a slide down Brown's Hill c1962. Across the street, you can see the Forsyth family home at 15 South Emerson Avenue. William Forsyth was a renown-impressionistic artist. He purchased the house in 1908 from the Parker family, who predated the foundation of Irvington. Developers razed that home in 1966 or 1967 for a filling station. You can also see the double located at 25-27 South Emerson Avenue and the cottage next door at 29 South Emerson Avenue. (photo courtesy of Estate of Frank N. Widner)

This view of Brown's Hill was snapped in 1962 from the Forsyth property at 15 South Emerson Avenue. The Brown mansion had already been torn down, but the hill still existed on the southwest corner of East Washington Street and Emerson Avenue. It was later flattened for a filling station. (photo courtesy of Susan Forsyth Selby Sklar Collection at the Irvington Historical Society)

Hilton U. and Jennie Hannah Brown built their stunning home at 5087 East Washington Street on a hill in 1892 at the southwest corner of Washington and Emerson Avenue. It was demolished in 1959 and the hill was removed in 1969 for a filling station. This photo shows the home in a publication celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the neighborhood in 1912. (image courtesy of the Irvington Historical Society)

Robert Selby, the son-in-law of William and Alice Forsyth, painted this image of Brown's Hill. You can also see the Brown home in the painting. (photo courtesy of Irvington Historical Society) 

     I would like to thank members of the Widner family and Susan Forsyth Selby Sklar for their incredible photographs and Paula Schmidt, the archivist at the Irvington Historical Society. 

Sources:  Information about the construction of the Brown home and the rules for sledding on Brown's Hill--Hilton U. Brown, A Book of Memories, Old Swimmin' Hole Press, Greenfield, IN, pp 278-288; Jean Brown Wagoner, "Downhill All the Way," Indianapolis News, December 23, 1975, 13; Last years of the Brown home and hill--"Hilton U. Brown Home Sold, Indianapolis News, March 31, 1959, 15; Wayne Guthrie, "When Mary's Marry, It's a Grand Mix-up," Indianapolis News, April 15, 1959, 13; "Hilton U. Brown Home Entered by Vandals," Indianapolis Star, May 16, 1959, 4; "Landmark Passes," Indianapolis News, June 24, 1959, 23; Art Harris, "Brown's Snowy Hill May Lose its Slide," Indianapolis News, October 12, 1968, 1;  Wayne Guthrie, "Efforts to Save the Hill Laudable," Indianapolis News, February 6, 1969; "Saving Brown's Hill," Indianapolis News, April 21, 1969, 6; Letter to Editor, Mary Elizabeth Ramier, "Disenfranchised," Indianapolis News, June 9, 1969, 9; Information William Forsyth family--Rachel Berenson Perry, William J. Forsyth: The Life and Work of an Indiana Artist, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2014. 

Family Life Along Lowell Avenue in the Early 20th Century

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The "Singing Evangelist" and His Family Move to Irvington

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Conners Built a Large Home on Whittier Place

      By the time that workers began building the large two-story home at 88 Whittier Place (then numbered as 100) in the spring of 1903, Reverend Americus Wood Conner and his wife Mary Jane Cadwallader Conner had already lived in numerous homes throughout Irvington, the state, the nation, and even in Canada. Mr. Conner spent most of his career preaching in Indiana. Sometimes he would be called to serve at several churches within one county. In Rush County, for example, he served as the minister to congregations in Milroy, Plum Creek, and Fairview. 

Reverend Americus Wood and Mary Jane Cadwallader Conner moved into their brand new home at 88 Whittier Place in 1903. They only lived in the house for two years before selling it to Eunice Macy in 1905. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1905

Reverend Americus Wood Conner preached in Disciples of Christ Churches throughout Indiana and beyond. He was described in a Fort Wayne Gazette article (September 6, 1900) as "tall and spare" and "full of humor and with a bright snappy way of speaking." (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

     In 1893, Americus and Mary Jane moved to Irvington, the home of Butler University (then called Butler College). The college was affiliated with the Disciples of Christ and would have been very important to the couple. Mr. Conner's brother,  Reverend James W. Conner already lived in the community. City directory research indicates that the Conners resided in numerous homes throughout the neighborhood during the 1890s although Americus spent part of the decade preaching in Danville, Indiana and in other smaller congregations.

     On June 21, 1899, the Indianapolis Journal announced a new corporation and publication called The Boys' Friend.  With a capital stock of $5000, Americus along with directors, James Conner, Pearl Conner (later Hackleman), William Redman, and William Doan launched what would become his life's work. Reverend Conner theorized that boys and young men needed strong male role models in order to succeed in life. He opened an office in the Majestic Building in downtown Indianapolis and then went on the Chautauqua Circuit. He spoke in churches, teacher institutes, and at revivals. Many of his talks were conducted at Bethany Park, a Disciples' campground in Morgan County, Indiana. He also wrote a corresponding book in 1899 titled The Boggs Boys or Corralling the Kids of Kiddsville, a fictional account of  what can happen if boys do not have proper male role models.  

The Conners frequented Bethany Park in Morgan County, Indiana often for revivals. Reverend Conner also held his talks about the Boys' Friend Movement here. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1910

Bethany Park c1910: Reverend Americus Wood Conner led the Boys' Friend Movement in the state of Indiana. He frequently asked that both fathers and sons attend his lectures. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon)

Besides publishing a monthly magazine in the early twentieth century, Americus Conner also found time to write and publish the book, The Boggs Boys (1899). You will note that the book was published in Irvington! 

     Shortly after launching the business venture, Mary Jane and Americus joyfully hosted the wedding of their daughter Pearl to William Edward Michael Hackleman, a talented composer of Protestant music. The wedding made the society pages of the Indianapolis News on September 13, 1899, because of the fact that the bride's father and two uncles conducted the service. After their marriage, the Hacklemans lived with the Conners at their home at 5522 East Washington Street. However, a disastrous fire in 1901 at the home forced the families to find temporary housing. 

     1903 must have been an exciting year for both the Conners and the Hacklemans as both families moved into newly-constructed homes at the intersection of Lowell Avenue and Whittier Place. The Conners moved into 88 Whittier Place while the Hacklemans moved into 5438 Lowell Avenue.  Although they no longer lived together, the families could see each other every day. The life of a preacher in those days was always a bit nomadic, so it must have come to no surprise to the Hacklemans that Americus and Mary Jane Conner placed their beautiful home on the market in 1905 and moved to Lafayette, Indiana where Americus preached at a Disciples church there. 

      In later years, the elderly Conners returned to Irvington and lived out part of their final years with their daughter Pearl and son-in-law, William, at the Lowell Avenue home. Across the street, they would have noticed their former home later occupied by the Macy, Fay, Butler, Lucas, Hughel, Rumpler, and Ragsdale families and others. In 1909,William Fay turned the second story of 88 Whittier Place into a separate apartment. Mr. Conner passed away in 1932 while Mrs. Conner lived on until 1938. Both died at 1201 North Alabama Street in the home of Pearl Conner Hackleman, who had moved out of Irvington after the death of her husband, William in 1927. 

Pearl Conner Hackleman, the daughter of Americus and Mary Jane Conner, built a house at 5438 Lowell Avenue in 1903 on the opposite corner from the Conners along with her music-publishing husband, William Edward Michael Hackleman (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1905

Americus and Mary Jane Conner moved into their spacious Irvington home at 88 Whittier Place (then numbered as 100) in 1903. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1905

The Conners sold 88 Whittier Place to Eunice Macy in 1905 for $3000. (photo courtesy of Anne Gribble Spurgeon) c1905

Many families have lived in 88 Whittier Place since 1903. The Conner family was the first. This image was snapped in October of 2021. (photo by William Gulde)

     I wish to thank Anne Gribble Spurgeon, the great-great granddaughter of Americus and Mary Jane Conner, for the use of the photos and for the stories about her family. I also wish to thank Steve Barnett and Paula Schmidt at the Irvington Historical Society for their leads and research.

Sources:  Information about Rush County tenure as a minister--"Church News," Rushville Republican, June 27, 1893; Wedding of Pearl and W.E.M. Hackleman--"Unusual Wedding," Indianapolis News, September 13, 1899, 9; Incorporation of Boys' Friend Magazine--"Incorporated," Indianapolis Journal, June 21, 1899, 8; Lecture about Boyhood Movement--"Steuben County Teachers," Angola Herald, September 11, 1901, 4; Sale of 88 Whittier Place to Eunice Macy--"Real Estate," Indiana Tribune, September 24, 1905;  Obituaries for Americus Conner--"Former Local Minister Dies," Journal & Courier (Lafayette, IN), May 11, 1932, 11, and "Disciples Pastor Succumbs Here," Indianapolis Star, May 11, 1932, 10; Obituary for Mary Jane Conner--"Church Worker Dies Here at 82," Indianapolis Star, July 29, 1938, 3; Conversion of second story of 88 Whittier Place into an apartment--Ad placed in the Indianapolis Star, March 30, 1909, 12.  

     

 

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.