James Whitcomb Riley, the "Hoosier Poet," wrote one of the most beloved children's poems of all time. But, did you know it was nearly titled something else? That's the subject of this month's IN History
Eugene V. Debs
On Nov. 5, 1855, Eugene V. Debs was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was a peace advocate, socialist activist, pioneer in industrial unionism and five-time Socialist candidate for president. Debs was elected as a Democrat to the Indiana General Assembly in 1884. He garnered national recognition as a union organizer for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and the American Railway Union. He cofounded the American Socialist Party in 1900 and helped form the Industrial Workers of the World in 1905. Debs campaigned from a prison cell during the 1920 race after being sentenced to 10 years in 1918 for violating the Sedition Act. President Warren G. Harding commuted his sentence in 1921. Debs died in 1926. Debs’ Terre Haute home, which he and his wife had built in 1890, was mocked by some critics as a display of wealth by someone reputed to champion the working class. Today it is a National Historic Landmark and houses the Eugene V. Debs Museum. Pictured here is a 1904 Debs campaign poster. (Public domain)
Ben-Hur
Ben-Hur
On Nov. 12, 1880, Harper and Brothers published Crawfordsville resident Lew Wallace’s novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ,” which became one of the best-selling books of the 19th and early 20th centuries. “Ben-Hur” later provided inspiration for a successful stage adaptation that ran from 1899-1920 -- including a staged chariot race using real horses on treadmills. Film adaptations came to the big screen in 1925 and 1959. The latter film earned 11 Academy Awards – a record at the time -- including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. Learn more about “Ben-Hur” and its run at Indianapolis’s English Theater via the Indiana Historical Bureau’s Blogging Hoosier History. Wallace’s multifaceted career also included service as a Union general during the Civil War and as governor of the New Mexico Territory. The General Lew Wallace Study in Crawfordsville remains a testament to his creativity -- designed by Wallace in an eclectic combination of Greek revival, Romanesque, and Byzantine styles, and built it in 1895. The study and its grounds are now a museum. This image shows an 1899 poster promoting the Broadway premiere of “Ben-Hur” at Manhattan Theatre in New York City. (Wikimedia Commons)
Janet Flanner
Janet Flanner
On Nov. 7, 1978, prolific New Yorker columnist Janet Flanner died. She was born and spent her younger years in Indianapolis and was the daughter of Frank Flanner, a founder of the long-respected Flanner and Buchanan Funeral business. Flanner attended Tudor Hall School for Girls (now Park Tudor High School) and wrote for the Indianapolis Star as a cinema critic. In her 20s, Flanner moved to France, where she began publishing her "Letter from Paris" series for the New Yorker under the pen name "Genêt." Her nearly 700 letters, written between 1925 and 1975, provided sophisticated and insightful commentary on European politics and culture— from the exciting Parisian art scene in the 1920s to the rise of Hitler in the 1930s. Flanner also introduced readers to notable figures, such as Pablo Picasso, Albert Camus and Edith Piaf. Learn more about Flanner's remarkable career via the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. In this photo, Flanner is seen with fellow writer Ernest Hemingway. Both are wearing U.S. military uniforms as war correspondents covering the liberation of Paris at the end of World War II. (Wikimedia Commons)
Billy Sunday
Billy Sunday
On Nov. 19, 1862, famous baseball player and evangelist Billy Sunday was born near Ames, Iowa. After his father’s death in the Civil War, his mother sent Sunday and his brother to an orphanage. As a teenager he supported himself as a farmhand and firefighter, playing baseball recreationally. In 1883, Sunday was signed by the Chicago White Stockings as an outfielder. He wowed fans with his diving catches and bold base running, eventually gaining national renown. In 1891, Sunday accepted a position at Chicago’s YMCA, turning down a lucrative baseball contract. He began preaching in tents and tabernacles across the country, including Indianapolis, eventually preaching to 125 million. His evangelical visits became national front-page news as he captivated crowds with one-liners and slid across the stage as though going for home plate. A Prohibitionist, Sunday built this home in Winona Lake, Indiana, where he headquartered his ministry from 1911 until his death in 1935. (Winona History Center, Grace College)
Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
On Thanksgiving Day 1915, All-American footballer and Olympian Jim Thorpe (1887-1953) joined the Villagers, a football team in Pine Village, Indiana, in a game against the Purdue All-Stars. Armed with Thorpe, the Villagers beat their opponent 29-0. The Pine Village team was an important precursor to modern professional football organizations and helped form the Indiana Football League in 1917. After World War I, the Villagers played intermittently until 1927. Thorpe, a track-and-field gold medalist in the 1912 Olympics, played professional baseball, football and basketball. A mixed-race American Indian born in Oklahoma, Thorpe has at least one other connection to Indiana. Among his various coaching stints, he served as an assistant football coach at Indiana University for the 1915 football season, working with the backfield and kickers. This image shows Thorpe as depicted on a 1933 Goudey Sports Kings football card. (Wikimedia Commons)
John Gibson
John Gibson
On Nov. 7, 1816, at age 76, John Gibson left his office as secretary of the Indiana Territory as part of Indiana’s transition to statehood. Gibson served in this position during the entire life of the territory from 1800 to 1816 and served as acting governor on multiple occasions. As a soldier, Gibson was a veteran of multiple wars, including the American Revolutionary War. One of his first acts as secretary was to conduct a census of the territory that found the population to be just under 5,000. Gibson was known for having strong relations with Native Americans and serving as an interpreter during treaty negotiations. The territory’s first governor, future U.S. President William Henry Harrison, did not start his duties until 1801. For nearly a year preceding Harrison’s arrival, Gibson served as acting governor. After the War of 1812 began, Gibson once again became acting governor as Harrison focused on military responsibilities. Gibson worked during this stint to oversee moving Indiana’s territorial capital from Vincennes to Corydon. Gibson, who died in 1822 at age 82, is the namesake of Gibson County. Though its authenticity has been the subject of discussion, this portrait is believed to depict Gibson. It is owned the Grouseland Foundation, which operates Harrison’s home in Vincennes as a museum. (Grouseland) ??????????????????????
OCTOBER GALLERY
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