The Goes of South Ritter Avenue

      Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe arrived in Irvington in 1884. He was 47 and she was 36. They left their comfortable home and business in Indianapolis for a new chapter in the small town located in eastern Marion County. Few people lived in Irvington when they arrived, but Butler University had been in the community for nine years so the Goes speculated that the area was ripe for a new grocery store. Their gamble paid off. After renting a home for a few years, they moved into their own home designed by Louis Gibson at 128 South Ritter Avenue in 1890. They had five children who lived into adulthood and three of them lived in Irvington for most of their lives. In this post, you will get the opportunity to meet some of the earliest residents of Irvington.

Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe posed for this photograph in 1911. Behind the couple, you can see their neighboring houses at 127, 129, and 128 South Ritter Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Hezekiah Noble Goe (1837-1919)

     Hezekiah Goe hailed from Madison County, Indiana and married a local woman named Winifred A. Mauzy in 1864. They lived in Indianapolis as Mr. Goe started his various jobs as a clerk. Tragedy struck within one year as both his wife and newborn baby died in 1865. At some point, he met Margaretta "Cornelia" Farnsworth. They married in 1872 and started a family and a life together. 

     Besides running the family grocery store at 130 South Audubon Road, he also managed at least one rental property. In 1891, the Goes built a second home just south of the Pennsylvania Railroad at 220 South Ritter Avenue as an investment. An ad in the Indianapolis News on November 7, 1898, promoted an eight-room cottage for $15 a month. The house was within easy walking distance of their own home nearby. 

     We know from family records that Mr. Goe was active in the Methodist Church and that he loved to garden. Family photographs reveal that besides growing fruit and vegetables, he also raised chickens. The house had a large barn for his horses and later his automobiles. 

     He lived to be 82 years old. At his funeral, Professor Allen R. Benton, read the eulogy composed by Cornelia Goe, his wife of 47 years. 

     He loved the out-of-doors, the flowers, plant life, the work in his garden. Watching the growth of his planting was a source of great pleasure to him. He enjoyed sharing the results of his work with friends and neighbors, and possessed a fund of information which was often sought from him. So he was happy in his nature, liking people, and possessing a forgiving spirit. He did not cherish resentment. Sabbath, the last day of his life, he was very happy with his family, reading and enjoying his home in all that it afforded...When the even-tide came, a messenger hovered near--that unseen power called "death," the reaper, which spares neither young nor old, claimed its victim, after four brief hours...

Hezekiah Goe on December 12, 1912 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

One of the final photographs taken of Hezekiah Goe was snapped in 1919. Behind him, you can see a neighbor's home located at 5427 Julian Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

  Margaretta "Cornelia" Farnsworth Goe (1848-1940)

     In an age when most women in Indiana could only dream of a college education, Cornelia Farnsworth of Liberty, Indiana received her diploma from the Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio in 1869. Education remained the hallmark of her life. Newspaper articles reveal that after she married Hezekiah Goe in 1872 she joined numerous clubs for women. In Irvington she belonged to dozens of organizations and frequently hosted book talks, discussions, and lectures. 

     Her crowning professional achievement came when she served on the Irvington School Board in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The State of Indiana allowed women to serve on school boards after 1881, but few did. In fact, she became one of the earliest females to serve on a school board in the state. Many women believed that capable public servants like Cornelia Goe demonstrated to the public that women could hold office and deserved the right to vote in elections. It took a while for the men to catch on, but Cornelia Goe likely cast her first vote in 1920 at the age of 72. 

      She helped to raise her five children into adulthood. All of them received coursework or degrees past high school. She loved to travel and the society pages noted her excursions throughout the United States and to Europe. She lived a long life. Sadly, she had to endure the deaths of her beloved husband and three of her adult children. 

Margaretta "Cornelia" Farnsworth Goe in her later years. She was a pioneer female public servant serving on the Irvington School Board in the late nineteenth century. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Cornelia Farnsworth Goe posed with her daughter Cornelia Goe Kingsbury on May 30, 1920. After her daughter's death in 1923, Mrs. Goe helped to raise her grandchildren. Behind the women, you can see the rear of 128 South Ritter Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The Goe Children

Clara Mae Goe (1872-1958)

     Clara Goe, the oldest child of Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe graduated from Butler University and became an elementary teacher in a variety of Indianapolis Public Schools before landing at #57 in 1909. Upon her graduation from Butler, she presented a recommendation note from her French professor, Hugh L. Miller, and the former president of the college, Allen R. Benton. How do we know this? The Irvington Historical Society possesses the letters. We also have one of her early teaching contracts. Like her mother, Clara immersed herself in local Irvington clubs. She remained at the Ritter Avenue house for decades taking care of her elderly mother and along with her sister, Grace, raised her niece and nephew. To hundreds of former students she was simply known as Miss Goe.  She lived to be 85 years old.

Clara Goe posed for this photograph sometime in the late nineteenth century. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Hugh Miller wrote his letter of recommendation first on May 19, 1897. Allen R. Benton added his on to the same page on November 11, 1898. (courtesy of the Estate of Theodore Kingsbury, Irvington Historical Society)

Clara Goe earned $925 for the year in 1917-1919 as a teacher for Indianapolis Public Schools (courtesy of the Estate of Theodore Kingsbury, Irvington Historical Society)

Edwin "Herbert" Goe (1876-1903)

     Herbert Goe, the second child and first son of Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe, was a talented athlete and student who attended Butler University. While at Butler, he joined Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After graduating, he started his career working for power companies in New York, Wisconsin, and finally Michigan. While working for Consolidated Lake Superior Power Company in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, he had an attack of appendicitis. Hezekiah Goe rushed to northern Michigan to be near his son. Herbert immediately wrote the saddest letter a parent could receive. He posted the letter on January 15, 1903. With his father at his side, he penned:

     My Dear Mother.

     This may be my last letter to you. The doctors say so. I want to tell you for all dear mother how I love you with all the fervor of a son. I am so weak. I want to write more. Oh, if you and the children had come up with dear father.

     Don't give up hope, Mother. I am trusting in God. Love Love Love to brothers and sisters--

    Your Dying Son,

     Herbert

The poignant note is still possessed by family members. Herbert Goe, who was only 27 years old, died shortly after writing his mother. As a testimonial to his popularity, 200 power company employees escorted the casket to the train station for the long ride back to Indianapolis. One can only imagine the grief back on Ritter Avenue over the loss of Herbert. 

Herbert Goe shortly before his untimely death in 1903. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Grace Goe (1880-1968)

     Grace Goe was a career woman who followed her mother's footsteps and attended Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio. Upon returning, she worked for a variety of companies as a stenographer. Her longest employment occurred at the Washington Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. She served as stenographer for that organization from 1928 until 1958. She, along with her sister, Clara, lived at 128 South Ritter Avenue for most of their lives. She and Clara cared for their elderly parents and later helped to raise their niece and nephew. She outlived all of her siblings. 

Grace Goe attended Western College for Women like her mother. The photo above is attributed as her dorm room c1896. (Kingsbury family collection)

Grace Goe worked as a stenographer for most of her life. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

   

Grace Goe worked as stenographer for a variety of companies. She can be seen in the white dress in this photograph c1910. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

     

Percy F. Goe (1888-1921)

     Percy Goe was the first child of Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe to be born in Irvington. He attended local schools as well as Butler University where he followed his older brother's footsteps and pledged the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He served his country during World War I, and later worked for several years for National Cash Register in Dayton, Ohio. At a turning point in his life, he decided to switch careers and become an income tax inspector, but that goal was cut short when his tuberculosis returned with a vengeance. Like his brother, he died at an early age likely devastating his poor Mother and sisters. 

Percy and Cornelia Goe, c1894; Both siblings contracted tuberculosis at an early age and succumbed in their early adulthoods. (photo of the Kingsbury family)

Butler University friends, Percy Goe, Harry Browning, Mark Houser, and Theodore Kingsbury posed for this photo c1910. Percy Goe's sister, Cornelia, married Theodore Kingsbury in 1912. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Percy Goe c1915 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Cornelia Goe Kingsbury (1890-1923)

     Cornelia Goe Kingsbury lived much of her life in Irvington. She was the only child of Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe to marry and to have children. She graduated from Emmerich Manual Training High School and Butler University where she pledged as a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Her marriage to Theodore Kingsbury in 1912 united two prominent Irvington families. The Kingsburys briefly lived in Washington D.C., but they returned to Irvington after the death of Hezekiah Goe presumably to be nearer to her family.  She bore two children, Cornelia and Richard, before dying of tuberculosis in 1923 at the age of 33. Her death greatly affected the trajectory of her young family. Her absence weighed upon her husband Theodore, who had to travel for his job as the state geologist. To help him, the Goes stepped up and invited the Kingsbury children to live at their home on Ritter Avenue for extended periods of time. 

Cornelia Goe (left) with her friend, Mayme Potter c1902 in the front yard at 128 South Ritter Avenue (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family) 

Hezekiah Goe posed with his daughter, Cornelia, next to the family home at 128 South Ritter Avenue in 1911. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The Goe family home at 128 South Ritter Avenue c1920 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer and the extended Kingsbury family for their stories and photos about the Goe family. 

Sources:  Hezekiah Goe--Eulogy by Cornelia Goe read at his funeral by Allen R. Benton, September 3, 1919 (possessed by the Kingsbury family); "H.N. Goe, City Grocer Forty Years, is Dead," Indianapolis News, September 1, 1919, p. 7. Rental house construction--"Irvington," Indianapolis Journal, September 18, 1891, p. 6

Cornelia Farnsworth Goe--"Mrs. Goe Rites Wednesday," Indianapolis News, April 29, 1940, p. 12; Western Alumni News--"Personal and Society," Indianapolis Journal, July 3, 1887, p. 5; Irvington School Board--"Irvington," Indianapolis News, September 10, 1891, p. 6  "Women for School Officers," Indianapolis Journal, December 28, 1892, p. 6; Travels--"Irvington Items," Indianapolis Journal, August 4, 1895, p. 11 (European travel)--"Personal and Social," Indianapolis News, April 30, 1897, p. 9

Children--Clara--"Clara Goe, Ex-Teacher, Dies," Indianapolis News, May 30, 1958, p. 18; Edwin Herbert Goe--"Funeral Notice," Indianapolis News, February 12, 1903, p. 8; Letter from Herbert to his mother, January 15, 1903, (Kingsbury family archives); Grace Goe--"Miss Grace Goe Rites Tomorrow," Indianapolis News, August 16, 1968, p. 36; Percy Goe--"Funeral to be Wednesday," Indianapolis News, May 10, 1921, p.15; Cornelia Goe Kingsbury--"Mrs. Cornelia Kingsbury," Indianapolis Star, October 24, 1923, p. 7.

The Goes Hired an Architect for Their South Ritter Avenue Residence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Louis Gibson by Deedee Davis

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

M.C. Goe Groceries and Notions--1905

      Hezekiah and Margaretta Cornelia Farnsworth Goe moved to Irvington in 1884 to open one of the earliest groceries in the new town.  Mr. Goe ran the business, but named the store after his wife, M.C. Goe. Her name appeared on other transactions as well including the construction of rental property in 1891. The Goes prospered with their new enterprise and moved into a second store located in the Moore's Block at 130 South Audubon Road on January 1, 1892. (We do not know the exact location of their first store in Irvington. It likely sat on South Audubon Road as well.) The three-story brick structure housed other businesses as well including a barbershop, a drug store, the post office, and the headquarters for the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal lodge. The building was conveniently located across the street from the Irvington Depot and on the northwest corner of Bonna Avenue (then Railroad Street) and Audubon Road. 

     Other grocers soon moved into the neighborhood including Daniel D. Pike. To stay competitive, Mr. Goe kept a fully-stocked store. Most of his dry goods came from the Wholesale District just south of downtown. How do we know this? On December 3, 1895, he was shopping for items in the basement of Schnull & Co. on South Meridian Street when he heard a commotion above him. Mr. Goe along with two Schnull employees got into an elevator, but then they realized that the building was on fire. A portion of an upper floor crashed upon the elevator and trapped the three men. They could hear the crackling of the flames above them. The two younger men managed to escape through a small hatch in the roof of the elevator, but Mr. Goe was "too robust." He took off his jacket and his vest, but could still not squeeze through the hole. The two young men retrieved an axe and helped to liberate him "with a prayer upon his lips." 

     Mr. Goe remained in business for several more years. He divested himself of the store in 1908 to the Kemper brothers. Zeb Kenady took over the operation in 1909 and remained for several years. The Moore block is no longer standing and was bulldozed in the late 1930s. 

In July of 1905, Hezekiah Goe (in the dark suit) along with some of his employees gathered in front of M.C. Goe Groceries and Notions for this photograph. We do not know the names of the children or of the
 other adult male in the image at this time. (Photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Hezekiah Noble Goe (1837-1919) opened his first grocery store just as the Civil War ended on Illinois Street north of downtown Indianapolis. He moved his store to Irvington in 1884. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Margaretta Cornelia Farnsworth Goe (1848-1940), known as Cornelia, served as one of the first female school board members in the state of Indiana. Her husband, Hezekiah Goe, named the grocery store in Irvington after her. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

 Up Next: The Goes Build a Home on South Ritter Avenue

I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for the image and the stories of the Goe family. 

Sources: Ad for Mckenzie's Family Syrup in M.C. Grocery, Indianapolis Journal, November 13, 1885, p. 8; Fire-" A Half Million Loss," Indianapolis Journal, December 4, 1895, p. 1; Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, 1884-1909; New store--"Irvington Town Topics," Indianapolis News,  December 26, 1892; Commemorative Biographical Record of Prominent and Representative Men of Indianapolis and Vicinity, (Chicago, 1908), pp. 643-644

A Layman Avenue Scene in 1962

      Frank and Marie Widner frequently visited with their good friends, Louis (Bud) and Anna Lucille (Lucy) Downey of 315 North Layman Avenue. The men had gone to Indiana University together and had remained life-long friends. Mr. Widner, who snapped the photo, worked as an editor for the Indianapolis Times. Later, he served as the night editor for the Indianapolis Star.  Mr. Downey worked as a sales representative for Gulf Oil. The sharply-focused photo taken in 1962 shows a sunny but perhaps chilly day. Behind the friends, you can clearly see many of the houses on the east side of the street all the way to Michigan Street. The canopied-avenue looks much the same today as it did 63 years ago. 

Ann Lucille "Lucy" Downey, Marie Widner, and Louis "Bud" Downey in front of 315 North Layman Avenue in 1962; Frank Widner, a journalist, took the photo. (photo courtesy of Mike Widner)  

     I wish to thank Mike Widner for the photo and information on the Widners and the Downeys. 

Sources:  Widners--Email correspondence with Mike Widner; "Frank Widner Former News Editor of the Star Dies, Indianapolis Star, May 9, 1995, p. 19; Obituary for Marie Louise Kiefer Widner, Indianapolis Star, May 14, 1998, p. 23; "Louis C. Downey Dies; Services Set Wednesday," Indianapolis Star, May 29, 1967, p. 27; Obituary for Anna Lucille Sparrow Downey Lane, Indianapolis Star, July 6, 2005, p. 18. 

Lost Irvington: The Downey Home

      Several wealthy families resided in the grand home that used to sit at 5433 University Avenue from 1874 until 1929 including the Downeys, Goes, Thompsons, and Hibbens. The imposing two-story home complete with a tower sat on four acres of ground on the southeast corner of University and Downey Avenues. It has been gone for almost 100 years and nine smaller houses now occupy the site. A speculator, a banker, a grocer, an artist, a prominent teacher, and others all left their mark upon the residence. The deliberate demolition of a house like this seems impossible today, but the last owner, Mrs. Jessie Landon, likely saw dollar signs in the summer of 1929 since the place sat on such a large lot. Her timing, however, could not have been worse. Just as contractors reduced the home to rubble the country fell into the Great Depression. It would take twelve years before the area was redeveloped.  

The Downey Years (1874-1884) 

     James E. and Mary Julian Downey arrived in Irvington in 1871. In fact, they built the very first home in the new town in 1871 on the northwest corner of East Washington Street and Audubon Road. Three years later, they built an even bigger home on what would become 5433 University Avenue in the Woodland Park Addition in 1874. Their timing, however, could not have been worse as an economic panic swept the United States and ruined the lives of many investors including the Downeys. The couple formally declared bankruptcy in 1878, but managed to keep their home and four acres of land for several more years before moving out of state. 

     Red-headed James E. Downey married Mary Julian in Centerville, Indiana. When Mary's father, Jacob Julian founded Irvington along with another investor named Sylvester Johnson, the Downeys followed the Julians to the new town of Irvington. Mary Julian Downey might be the only person in Indianapolis to have had two streets named after her family. She lived next to Downey Avenue and could walk two blocks to the north to walk down Julian Avenue. She loved her Julian name so much that she gave three of her sons that middle name and one of her sons received it as a first name. In total the couple would have eight children live into adulthood. She is also credited, along with her father, of naming the new community after her favorite author, Washington Irving. Joseph Robert Downey, the only son not to receive the Julian name, wrote about his life in 1950 and his memories of that house were published by the East Side Herald. 

      Joseph Downey described their wooded lot as full of beech, oak, maple, dogwood, and paw paw trees. He noted that his father, ever an entrepreneur, was both a "promoter and plunger" who was always trying to find ways to make money. Five-year-old Joseph nearly died in the house after he and his brothers slid down the steep staircase railing. He hit his head on the lowest newel post. One local doctor thought that he might not live, but he did. The Irvington years were some of the happiest in his life and their sudden departure from the town upset him greatly. 

     While Irvington was largely a peaceful place and far away from the problems of the city, it was not immune from crime. At 3:00AM on May 20, 1878, the Downeys were awakened by a noise inside the house. Mr. Downey rushed downstairs and saw two men in the darkness. One was crawling on his knees. Upon confronting the intruders, one of the men shot at Mr. Downey, but the bullet sailed over his head and into a wall. The thieves ran out of the house with some of the family silver. They were never caught. 

     With bills mounting, the Downeys welcomed boarders into their home. They were fortunate in that Butler University officials moved the campus from north of downtown Indianapolis and into Irvington. Some of those first tenants included students, but their most prominent renters were the Merrill sisters. Much has been been written about Catharine Merrill over the years. A beloved teacher, she made history, as one of the earliest female university professors in the United States. A brilliant woman, she lived in Europe from 1859 until 1861 where she studied German. In Ireland she witnessed beggars from the potato famine. In England, she visited a great exhibition featuring artwork by Joseph Turner. In Italy, she wrote about the efforts of people to unite that country just as her own country fell apart and into the Civil War. While living in the Downey home, Miss Merrill had access to the "western parlor" where she held salons every Thursday evening. Students, professors, and neighbors attended these events where there might be poetry readings, book discussions, or even games. Young Joseph Downey recalled sitting on the lap of Butler professor, David Starr Jordan, who drew various kinds of fish on a piece of paper for him. Miss Merrill's kindness towards the Downey children was never forgotten. After Miss Merrill retired from Butler University, she moved out of the Downey home. One year later, the Downeys also moved away. 

The 1889 map of Irvington shows the Downey Home on Lot 21 and facing Spratt Avenue (University Avenue)

Rocky Mountain News, September 1, 1914

Mina Merrill and Catharine Merrill (courtesy of the Indiana State Library Digital Collection)

The Rental Years (1884-1890)

     Columnist, Grace Julian Clarke, noted in one of her essays on Irvington that after the Downeys moved out of Irvington that a rental company took over the ownership of the home. As of this writing, we only know of one family who leased that house during these years, and we only learned about that fact very recently. 

     Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe leased 5433 University Avenue in 1888. Why do we know this fact? In the possession of the descendants of the Goes is another photograph of the Downey home. On the back of that photo, someone has written "birthplace of Percy Goe," one of the five children of Hezekiah and Cornelia. Mr. Goe earned a comfortable living as a grocer and opened up a business at 130 South Audubon Road. The couple soon built a beautiful residence of their own at 128 South Ritter Avenue. More will soon be written about that lovely home.  

  

Faded photograph of the Downey-Thompson-Goe-Hibben home c1915; The image was snapped during the Hibben-era by a member of the Goe family. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Percy Goe (1888-1921) was the fourth child of Hezekiah and Cornelia Goe. He was born at 5433 University Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

The Thompson Years (1890-1902)

     Edward and Mary Thompson along with their daughter, Bona, arrived in Irvington full of hope. All hailed from Edinburg, Indiana where Mr. Thompson became wealthy as a banker and from farming. They purchased the Downey home so that their only surviving child could attend nearby Butler University. By all accounts, she was a gifted student who won prizes for her speeches. While living in the house, the Thompsons added a new dining room, a kitchen with built-in cabinets, and a fruit-storage closet for canned foods. They enlarged the house by a story and a half complete with dormers in the roofline. The servants likely slept up there. They also lengthened the front tower. They added gas, electricity, and a shower. Their daughter would have a pleasant place in which to study and live.

      In 1897, Bona graduated from Butler University and then matriculated to Wellesley College. Mrs. Thompson had not been feeling well for some time. She thought a trip to Europe might lift her spirits and perhaps her health so she and Bona sailed across the ocean in 1899; however, the trip did not go as planned. While in Paris, it was Bona who started to feel unwell and not Mrs. Thompson. She seemed to rally and then they traveled to England, but once again Bona seemed to be suffering from something. The pair arrived back to the US to discover that Bona had contracted typhoid fever on their journey. She was not able to go back to Wellesley and could scarcely make it out of her bedroom in the large house on University Avenue. 

     Bona Thompson lingered for weeks before dying on October 12, 1899, at the age of 21. Their neighbor and friend, Dr. Allen R. Benton at 312 South Downey conducted the funeral service. Devastated by the loss of their only child, Edward and Mary donated land and thousands of dollars to Butler University for a new library. Mrs. Thompson grew sicker and watched from across the street as workers began building the new Bona Thompson Memorial Library, but she never lived to see it completed. Some folks in the neighborhood noted that she had died from heartbreak, but many others said that she wanted to live to see the completion of the library. She and her husband had even gone to Hot Springs, Arkansas in hopes of a respite in her health, but nothing worked and she died in the spring of 1902.  Dr. Allen R. Benton conducted the funeral service on April 16.  Six months later, Edward Thompson had a series of strokes and died on December 18, 1902. Dr. Benton once again led his third funeral at 5433 University Avenue. 

T.C. Steele painted a portrait of Bona Thompson from a photograph after her death. The original painting hangs at Butler University while a copy hangs at the Bona Thompson Memorial Library, currently the home of the Irvington Historical Society. 

Neither Edward nor Mary Thompson lived long enough to see the completion of the library named in their daughter's honor, but both knew that construction had started. The library is located at 5350 University Avenue and served Butler University students from 1903 until 1928. 

The Hibben Years (1903-1929)

     Thomas and Jane Hibben moved into the Downey home and immediately made significant changes to the residence. They not only enlarged the place,  but they also re-landscaped the property with stunning flower gardens. Mr. Hibben, whose family came from Rushville, Indiana, had made a fortune in the dry goods wholesale business. His father was a founder of the firm Hibben and Hollweg. Thomas joined the firm in 1900. It appears that one of his passions was art and he was considered one of the best etchers in the Midwest. With their comfortable income, the Hibbens purchased numerous paintings and etchings and filled their home with art. 

     Mrs. Hibben might have already known about the grand house as her Aunt Catharine Merrill had leased rooms from the Downeys in the late nineteenth century. Perhaps she visited the residence as a girl and might have witnessed a few of those Thursday-evening salons. The Hibbens were likely very proud of their children who all went on to achieve some impressive feats. By age 28, Paxton Hibben, served as a legate for the American delegation in the Netherlands. Their daughter, Helene, a future teacher, received commissions as a young woman as sculptress. Some of her bas reliefs of prominent Hoosiers are still around today.  Their son Thomas, Jr. became an architect and James became a chemist. Hazen served as teacher with her sister, Helene. 

     Thomas Hibben's sudden death in 1915 at the age of 54 shocked his family. His obituary ran on the front pages of the local newspapers. Mrs. Hibben died in 1920. Their daughters Helene and Hazen continued to live on in the house until 1929. The sisters operated an early pre-school for wealthier Irvington families where kids learned to speak some rudimentary French. In 1929, the women sold their home to Jessie Landon, one of the wealthiest women in Indianapolis. She and her husband Hugh lived at the former Eli Lilly mansion called Oldfields at the time. 

       Then, Mrs. Landon did something unthinkable for many Irvington residents. She bulldozed the Downey home in the summer of 1929. Why did she do it? Was she plotting a new development? Neighbors must have been very concerned since Butler University had just pulled out leaving many of the nearby buildings vacant. In the end, she did nothing with the property. She fell ill and died the following year. 

     A little over a decade later, contractors erected smaller homes on the once grand acreage. With World War II coming to a close, dozens of new families flocked to the site. 

(Indianapolis News, July 6, 1915, p. 1)

Thomas E. Hibben, Sr. was also a talented etcher. His work, Spanish Doorway, may be seen at the Irvington Historical Society. 

Helene sculpted a bas relief of James Whitcomb Riley. She also sculpted numerous other prominent Hoosiers of the early twentieth century. (Irvington Historical Society)

Indianapolis Star, August 18, 1928, p. 18

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer for the photograph and new information about the Goes in the Downey Home. I also wish to thank Steve Barnett for his expertise and knowledge about the Downey Home. 

Sources;

Downey Era--Joseph R. Downey, Boyhood Days in Irvington, Irvington Historical Society, 1991 (first published by the East Side Herald in 1950); Bankruptcy--"In Bankruptcy," Indianapolis News, November 27, 1878, p. 4; Burglary--"Burglary," Indianapolis News, May 20, 1878, p. 1; Mr. Downey Obituary--Rocky Mountain News, September 1, 1914.

Catharine Merrill--Katharine Merrill Graydon, Catharine Merrill, Life and Letters, (Mitchell Publishing, 1934). 

Rental Years--Information on the back of a photograph provided by the Kingsbury family 

Thompson Era--US Census Records, 1900; "Miss Bona Thompson," Indianapolis News, October 13, 1899; Obituary for Mary Thompson--Franklin Democrat, April 18, 1902, p. 1; "Funeral of Edward C. Thompson," Indianapolis Journal, December 23, 1902, p. 3; 

Hibben Era--US Census Records, 1910 and 1920; History of Hibben School--"Hibben School Founded to Care for Children During Days of War," Indianapolis Star, August 23, 1931, p. 8; "Thomas E. Hibbens Dies at N.Y. Athletic Club," Indianapolis News, September 6, 1915, p. 1; "Mrs. Janie K. Hibben Dies," Indianapolis Star, October 17, 1920, p. 1.

General Overview--Grace Julian Clarke, "Some of 'Original' Irvington's History Recalled by House Razing," Indianapolis Star, May 26, 1929, p. 72; "Another Landmark Gone," Butler Alumni Quarterly, July 1929, pp. 79-80; Edward J. Hecker, Sr., "Old Irvington Residence Recalled," Irvington Review, December 12, 1940; Sheri Patterson, "Memories of Irvington Downey Home Recalled," Indy East, July 31, 1985, p. 1

A Walk Down East Washington Street in 1989

         36 years ago, Robert Phelps, who lived at 5317 Lowell Avenue, walked down East Washington Street on a sunny day in 1989 and snapped many images of the business corridor. He managed Chaille's Shoes at 5622 East Washington, and you can see that sign in one of his shots. At least three of the buildings seen in the images below are no longer standing. Let's take a walk with Mr. Phelps, shall we?

Our first stop will be at the Red Shield (Salvation Army) Thrift Store at 5639 East Washington Street. You might find a great deal in here or next door at Old John's Home Center. Watch out for that speeding traffic! (Current Site of the Irvington Public Library)

Let's see if we can find some parking behind the building. Do you see the Salvation Army Drop-off box? Older Irvingtonians will remember this building as the former site of the Standard Grocery Store. It seems crowded today. 

Let's drop by PIP Printing at 5649 East Washington Street so I can get a few items copied. (Current site of Irvington Public Library) 

Do you mind if I peek behind these stores? Oh, I don't think I am supposed to be back here. There are two fences and one of them has barbed wire. Let's get out of here. (Current site of Irvington Public Library)

Let's cut through the Irvington Presbyterian Church parking lot on South Audubon Road. I see the Saxony Apartments across the street. 

Over here! Be careful as you cross! I see the Audubon Court Apartments. Watch out for that trash can. I don't think it is long for this world. 

Let's grab a Pepsi from the machine and stop into some of the shops. I see that A La Cheri Beauty Salon is offering a deal on perms. I think I will pass on that but let's visit Mr. Phelps at Chaille's Shoes. Next door, we could learn a few dance steps at McCleish School of Dance. 

    Alright, our tour is over for now. You can turn off your Milli Vanilli cassette tape and head back to the future. Onward!! 

Provenance of photos: Robert Phelps snapped the images. His neighbor, Kent Hankins, the former President of the Irvington Historical Society, obtained the photos and donated them to the Society. We are so grateful! 

Family Moved Into an East Washington Street Cottage in the 1920s

      In the summer of 1905, John Woodward purchased a lot in Irvington and erected a pretty cottage at 5858 East Washington Street. William W. Fellows was the first resident of the house. He operated a feed store at 201 South Audubon Road. A variety of other people leased the home throughout the 1910s. At some point during that decade James L. Kingsbury purchased the house. While the details are not yet known, we know that he sold the house to his youngest brother Theodore Kingsbury in 1919. 

     Theodore and Cornelia Kingsbury and their daughter, Cornelia, had been living in Washington D.C. due to Mr. Kingsbury's job with the Department of Agriculture. They had only been there about two years when they decided to return to Irvington. Part of that decision might have been the fact that Mrs. Kingsbury's father, Hezekiah Goe, died that year. Perhaps she wanted to be nearer to her mother and siblings. In fact, the family did not move into their Washington Street home right away, likely to give the tenants a chance to find another residence. A census enumerator visited the Goe family home at 128 South Ritter on January 8, 1920, and noted that 33-year-old Theodore Kingsbury and 28-year-old Cornelia Goe Kingsbury along with four-year-old daughter, Cornelia Kingsbury, lived with 71-year-old Cornelia Farnsworth Goe, the matriarch of the Goe family. Also living in that large home included Cornelia Kingsbury's sisters, 47-year-old Clara Goe, a teacher, and 38-year-old Grace Goe, a stenographer. 

     By the end of 1920, Theodore and Cornelia Kingbsury moved into their home on East Washington Street. The following year, the state of Indiana hired Mr. Kingsbury as a gas inspector and supervisor. He traveled the state of Indiana ensuring that gas and oil wells were properly plugged. Later, he became the State Geologist. Their return from Washington D.C. seemed to be working out and then tragedy struck. 

     1923 started out as a normal and joyful year for the young Kingsbury family. Mr. Kingsbury kept busy with his job and on the golf course. Mrs. Kingsbury remained active with the Irvington Coterie Club where she presented papers and helped to host. Joy entered the house when the couple welcomed their second child, Richard Kingsbury, on May 4, 1923. Neighbors might have noticed that Dr. John K. Kingsbury, a cousin to Theodore, had been visiting the house cottage often as Mrs. Kingsbury had been afflicted by tuberculosis for most of her life. She seemed to really struggle after the birth of her son and died five months later on October 23, 1923 at the age of 33. 

     Theodore Kingsbury was now faced with the task of raising two small children on his own. He briefly married, but that union ended in divorce. The 1930 Federal Census indicated that young Cornelia and Richard moved back in with the Goe family at 128 South Ritter Avenue for several years while Theodore traveled the state and the Midwest as a geologist.

     The Kingsbury era of the home ended in 1931 with the arrival of the Ihrig family. 

Little Richard Kingsbury rode his tricycle in front of his house at 5858 East Washington Street c1925. Behind him you can see the neighboring houses at 5864 and 5868 East Washington Street. A man can be seen with a ladder at the home of Mrs. Hattie Mills, a widow, who lived at 5864 East Washington Street. (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Richard "Dick" Kingsbury posed in front of his house at 5858 East Washington Street c1928 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

Richard Kingsbury (front) posed with sister, Cornelia Kingsbury and three unidentified boys at 5858 East Washington Street c1928 (photo courtesy of the Kingsbury family)

5858 East Washington Street in 2025 (photo courtesy of Molly Zentz)

     I wish to thank Kathy and Dick Meyer. They have been so generous with their time and stories about the Kingsbury family. I also wish to thank Steve Barnett and Molly Zentz for their help with this post. 

Sources: Construction of House: "Realty Transfers," Indianapolis Star, June 3, 1905, p. 9; "Building Permits," Indianapolis Star, August 8, 1905, p. 12; "Realty Transfers," Indianapolis Star, September 12, 1905, p. 12; Jones Family--Polk's Indianapolis City Directory, 1907-1910; Theodore Kingsbury purchase of home--"Realty Transfers," Indianapolis News, October 20, 1919, p. 5; Life in the house--"Ex-Editor Named State Gas Supervisor," Indiana Daily Times, August 5, 1921, p. 1; "Club Calendar," January 21, 1923, p. 41; Death of Cornelia Kingsbury--"Mrs. Kingsbury Dead," Indianapolis News, October 24, 1923, p. 3. Mrs. Kingsbury's death record was signed by Dr. John K. Kingsbury. He also noted that she had been living with tuberculosis for 28 years. 

Editor's Note: 5858 East Washington Street was known as 5832 East Washington Street from 1905 until 1910.