People of Allen County, Indiana

F Surnames

Fabini, Jason - football player

Born August 25, 1974, Fabini played high school football at Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A former American football offensive lineman originally drafted by the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Cincinnati. See Jason Fabini at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Fairfield, Asa Capt.

Asa Fairfield arrived in Fort Wayne from Kennebunkport, Maine, with his brothers Oliver and Charles in 1833 with the then-astouding sum of $30,000. He was married to Olive, the sister of the attorney Hugh McCulloch, also from Kennebunkport, who had been named judge of the probate court and cashier of the State Bank of Indiana. Fairfield spent $1,800 of it on 160 of the 240 acres he eventually acquired and farmed on the city’s south side. When he bought 815 Creighton, there was only a log house on the site; he later built a double log house and then a frame house before his death in 1868. The house was saved in 2007. Read the story Hard times hide storied history Repairs planned for 1860s Creighton house built by canal skipper by Rosa Salter Rodriguez of The Journal Gazette September 2, 2007. A similar story is Once home to wealth and fame, it had been marked for demolition column by Kevin Leininger publshed May 5, 2007 in The News-Sentinel newspaperposted on the Munson, Underwood, Horn, Fairfield and Allied Families website. See photos posted onthe original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook. “A YANKEE SEA CAPTAIN ON THE INDIANA FRONTIER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN ASA FAIRFIELD” about a January 31, 2015 lecture by ARCH ( Architecture and Community Heritage).

Farnsworth, Philo Taylor

See the Farnsworth House where he lived in Fort Wayne from 1948-1968 at 734 E. State Boulevard on the corner of St. Joseph and East State Boulevards.

PHILO FARNSWORTH: the most famous man you never heard of - 10 minute YouTube video by his great-granddaughter Jessica Farnsworth on TheHistoryofTV.

The story of television, the life of Philo T. Farnsworth by Everson, George, 1885-, Publication date [1949] on Archive.org.

Philo invented television according to most American sources. He lived in Fort Wayne from 1948-1968, his home 734 E. State Boulevard is at the corner of St. Joseph and East State Blvd with an Indiana Historical Bureau marker erected in 1992. May 26, 2022 discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. See January 1, 2014 Home of Philo T. Farnsworth Allen County Marker Text Review Report. The house, built about 1905, was designed by Joel Roberts Ninde, one of Indiana’s first female house designers. Read more in Dwelling on accomplishments Farnsworth house built by, for innovators by Rosa Salter Rodriguez published July 12, 2009 in the The Journal Gazette newspaper. Philo was born in a log cabin in 1906, at age 14 conceived of television while plowing farm fields, then invented electronic television sending his first signal September 7, 1927 at his San Francisco lab, covered in the November 1940 Popular Science magazine, honored with the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award. He moved to Fort Wayne and opened a television and radio manufacturing plant called the Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation. There, he established a lab, where he devised a “fusion reaction tube” and reportedly achieved self-sustaining fusion. A comment to a September 27, 2019 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook said there is a Farnsworth museum in the lobby of the L3Harris building on Lima/Cook with several of his TVs and notebooks. A December 27, 2022 discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook stated that Farnsworth used a non-mechanical process for tv. This involved scanning vs a spinning wheel. The idea was born from watching farmers go back and forth (raster scan) across the fields as they plowed.

June 15, 2023 post by History Scotland on Facebook:

John Logie Baird, the man who created the world's first successful publicly demonstrated television, died on this day in 1946. #history

Television pioneer John Logie Baird died - On this day in history

 

John Logie Baird on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia says the Scottish engineer is credited as inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube. Logie Awards in Australia on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. See the Baird Television web page. He is often known as "the father of television." In his laboratory on October 2, 1925 Baird successfully transmitted the first television picture with a greyscale image and demonstrated a viable system January 26, 1926 using radio or ordinary telephone lines. In England in 1878, John Loggie Baird, a Scottish amateur scientist, successfully transmitted the first TV picture, [28 years before Farnsworth was born in 1906] after years of work, in 1926, with his mechanical system. Baird’s system used a mechanical camera consisting of a large spinning disc, with a spiral of holes that Paul Nipkow had developed in 1884. This old mechanical technology was quickly replaced by superior electronic television. Copied from Television Invention | Kids Work! at KnowItAll.org.
  1. SEEKING PHILO FARNSWORTH. At the top of his wish list? A set made by electronic-television pioneer Philo Farnsworth in the late 1920s or early 1930s. “Only three still survive as far as we know and they’re all already in other museums,” McVoy said. “If a fourth ever shows up, we’d go to our donors and would be able to get it.” Copied from This Ohio museum shows that TV is older than you might think. STEVE WARTENBERG Associated Press, July 3, 2023 CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
  2. September 1, 2021 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

    Philo T. Farnsworth conceived of the idea for electronic television in the middle of an Idaho potato field at just 13 years old. At age 19, he produced the first functional prototype of his idea. For nearly three decades following that, Farnsworth worked to bring his invention to the American home but was stymied every step of the way by financial, legal, and technological problems.

    Hear the whole story in the new Talking Hoosier History episode: https://wp.me/p7f1qx-2ja

  3. January 7, 2019 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

    On January 7, 1927, inventor Philo T. Farnsworth applied for his first television patent. He conceived of the idea for electronic television at the age of fourteen and brought his conception to fruition in 1927 with his first electronic transmission.

    In 1939, he established the Farnsworth Television and Radio Company in Fort Wayne, eventually operating seven television and radio manufacturing plants in Indiana. Farnsworth also established a laboratory in Fort Wayne, where he reportedly achieved self-sustaining fusion.

    The image below shows Farnsworth’s patent, courtesy of Google Patents. You can see the whole patent here: US1773980A US Grant

    Learn more about Farnsworth with the #IndianaHistoryBlog“THE DAMNED THING WORKS!:” Philo T. Farnsworth & the Invention of Television 

  4. January 7, 2019 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

    On January 7, 1927, inventor Philo T. Farnsworth applied for his first television patent. He conceived of the idea for electronic television at the age of fourteen and brought his conception to fruition in 1927 with his first electronic transmission. In 1939, he established the Farnsworth Television and Radio Company in Fort Wayne, eventually operating seven television and radio manufacturing plants in Indiana. Farnsworth also established a laboratory in Fort Wayne, where he reportedly achieved self-sustaining fusion. Learn more at: “THE DAMNED THING WORKS!:” Philo T. Farnsworth & the Invention of Television

    Image courtesy of the J. Willard Marriott Digital Library, University of Utah.

  5. January 6, 2023 post by I Grew Up in Mortdale 2223 on Facebook: [fun comments on Facebook to this post from a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia]

    📺 #OnThisDay 7 September 1927, American television pioneer Philo T. Farnsworth, age 21, succeeded in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using a device called an image dissector. When Philo T. Farnsworth was 13, he envisioned a contraption that would receive an image transmitted from a remote location, the television. Farnsworth submitted a patent in January 1927, when he was 19, and began building and testing his invention that summer. He used an "image dissector" (the first television camera tube) to convert the image into a current, and an "image oscillite" (picture tube) to receive it. On this day his tests bore fruit. When the simple image of a straight line was placed between the image dissector and a carbon arc lamp, it showed up clearly on the receiver in another room. His first tele-electronic image was transmitted on a glass slide in his laboratory. The New York World’s Fair showcased the television in April 1939, and soon afterward, the first televisions went on sale to the public.

  6. September 3, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

    On September 3, 1928, a 22-year-old inventor named Philo T. Farnsworth transmitted the first #television broadcast. 📺

    Development slowed during World War II, but Americans quickly adopted the technology in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, #CensusData show that nearly every home in the U.S. owns at least one #TV, making it one of the most influential innovations in history.

    Learn more about Farnsworth and the history of television: U.S. Census Bureau History: Philo Farnsworth and the Invention of Television

    #CensusHistory #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

    Did you know there is a Philo T. Farnsworth Statue given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Utah in 1990 in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Washington, D.C.?

    Philo T Farnsworth statue
  7. September 27, 2019 post by the Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook

    On September 27, 1927, inventor of electronic television, Philo T. Farnsworth, transmitted the first electronic television image at his San Francisco lab. He moved to Fort Wayne and opened a television and radio manufacturing plant called the Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation. There, he established a lab, where he devised a “fusion reaction tube” and reportedly achieved self-sustaining fusion.

    Learn more about Farnsworth with the #IndianaHistoryBloghttp://bit.ly/2pxmuM0

    The image below, showing Farnsworth with an early television camera, is courtesy of the University of Utah.

    A 2016 comment stated: we still have a Farnsworth museum in the lobby of the L3Harris building on Lima/Cook with several of his TVs and notebooks. There are several photographs taken at the museum in the article L3Harris Fort Wayne advances space technology Nathan Gidley, September 5, 2023 at CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15. The article says L3Harris moved from California

    L3Harris has a Farnsworth Innovation Center on the local campus which provides the space for the company’s missile defense satellite programs. It will support engineering, integration, testing and program management and brings the total size of the L3Harris campus to 150,000 square feet, the company said. By scaling up, the company is set to deliver future missile defense satellite programs. from the article Sept. 16 - L3Harris expanding in Fort Wayne, adding jobs for growing satellite work Lisa Esquivel Long, September 16, 2021 on Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly.

  8. Philo T. Farnsworth: Father of Television including transcript at Talking Hoosier History at IN.gov.
  9. Modern Mechanix magazine
    Modern Mechanix photo
  10. Perfected Television article by Dean S. Jennings in November 1934 Modern Mechanix
  11. Making TV sets for all America - Philo T. Farnsworth, the Father of Television, astonished his high school science teacher in 1922 when, at age 15, he described logically with diagrams how images could be transmitted and received electronically over great distances. By 1927, he first transmitted a television image over cable, and, in 1928, he could demonstrate the first completely electronic television system. Throughout the 1930s, in San Francisco and Philadelphia, he perfected the television tube technology. When Farnsworth came to Fort Wayne in 1939, he was seeking a first-rate cabinet and electronic shop, which he found at the Capehart Automatic Phonograph Co. Here, he began the first mass production of TV sets in the U.S. Although the television market was not profitable (the first TV station in Fort Wayne, WKJG, Channel 33, did not come on the air until 1953), numerous wartime technological advancements, particularly in radar and early missile- guidance systems, were made by the company, then Farnsworth Television Co., between 1941 and 1946. ITT Aerospace Optical Division bought Farnsworth in 1949. Copied from City was home for many inventions by Michael Hawfield fromCityscapes - People & Places series of articles from the archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  12. "I invented electronic television" around the 13:20 mark of I've Got A Secret - Philo Farnsworth, Buster Keaton 1957 Mar 21, 2013 by TheHistoryofTV on YouTube.
    The only televised appearance by the inventor of television Philo T. Farnsworth. They couldn't guess who he was, but gave him a carton of Winstons and eighty bucks. Also an appearance by Buster Keaton and Garry Moore

  13. Elma Farnsworth on Philo Farnsworth on "I've Got a Secret" - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG May 16, 2016 by FoundationINTERVIEWS on YouTube
    For her full interview, see http://emmytvlegends.org/interviews/p...
    "In 1957, he was a mystery guest on the TV quiz show I've Got A Secret on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. He fielded questions from the panel of celebrities as they unsuccessfully tried to guess his secret ("I invented electronic television."). For stumping the panel, he received $80 and a carton of Winston cigarettes."

  14. Elma Farnsworth Interview Part 1 of 12 - TelevisionAcademy.com/Interviews September 4, 2009 by FoundationINTERVIEWS on YouTube

  15. Numerous web sites like: Farnsworth Archives official site - Farnovision - Wikipedia - AncestryMagazine.com, Inducted 1984 Invent Now Hall of Fame, a 1999 Time Magazine article and 1999 MIT Inventor of the Week.
  16. Philo T. Farnsworth material at the Allen County Public Library.
  17. Several books on his life including "Distant Vision" by his wife Elma G. Farnsworth.
  18. Tech Savy Lender shows his Fort Wayne home.
  19. The U.S. Post Office issued a stamp in 1983 shown in a September 25, 1983 The Journal Gazette newspaper article posted November 27, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  20. 1957: Honoring inventor Philo T. Farnsworth by Corey McMaken published October 14, 2021 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  21. History Center Rescues Farnsworth Artifacts published July 20, 2010 on their History Center Notes & Queries blog.
  22. Science Central promotes the local "Philo T. Farnsworth-ITT Innovation Award."
  23. Internet Archive has several titles on Philo Taylor Farnsworth
  24. The ITT now Harris Corporation building off Cook Road in Industrial Park had a small Farnsworth Museum.
  25. 1955 Capehart & Farnsworth TV ad and 1950's photo of family with TVon the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  26. PHILO FARNSWORTH "SMALL SCREEN, BIG DREAMS" part 2 published Sep 7, 2012 by TheHistoryofTV
    Philo T. Farnsworth came up with the original idea for electronic television when he was 14. his is a story of true American Ingenuity. He invented a thousand things and was one of our unsung geniuses. Here in part two from an old PBS documentary, he wins his patent war against RCA, but ironically does not share in the fortunes made on his invention.
  27. Discover the Drama Behind The Farnsworth Invention a play written by Aaron Sorkin highlights a lesser known part of our technological history by Kayleen published March 22, 2012 archived on Internet Archive Wayback Machine originally on Visit Fort Wayne blog."
  28. See Philo T. Farnsworth: The Father of Television Part I published February 14, 2014, Part II published February 21, 2014, and Part III published February 28, 2014 by Nicole Poletika on Marking Hoosier History on the Indiana Historical Bureau blog now on the Marking Hoosier History Archive.
  29. Philo Farnsworth video at Indiana Bicentennial Minute by the Indiana Historical Society and the law firm of Krieg Devault with transcript of Jane Pauley narration.
  30. “If it weren’t for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we’d still be eating frozen radio dinners”. Johnny Carson updates with photos from “THE DAMNED THING WORKS!:” Philo T. Farnsworth & the Invention of Television Part I from Today in History blog. Discussed March 14, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook
  31. May 23, 2017 post by Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook.

    If inventing electronic television at the age of 14 wasn't enough, Philo T. Farnsworth is said to have achieved fusion (possibly self-sustaining, which is unheard of) at his Fort Wayne lab.

    Prior to "bottling a star," an effort for which he was encouraged by Albert Einstein, Farnsworth opened a tv manufacturing plant in the Hoosier city. Learn more about his groundbreaking fusion experiments and how his manufacturing plant revitalized Fort Wayne, especially during WWII:

    with Downtown Fort Wayne and Philo Farnsworth. 

    Philo T. Farnsworth: Conversing with Einstein & Achieving Fusion in Fort Wayne Part II May 23, 2017 by Nicole Poletika on

    Indiana Historical Bureaublog.

  32. Philo T. Farnsworth on Facebook points to The Boy Who Invented Television by Paul Schatzkin.
  33. March 7, 2016 Philo Farnsworth, the father of television in Indiana Bicentennial Minute 10 YouTubefrom the Indiana Bicentennial Commission on Facebook.
  34. YouTubePHILO FARNSWORTH: the most famous man you never heard of - by Jessica Farnsworth published March 27, 2013 by TheHistoryofTV and discussion March 11, 2017 and other Name Searches on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  35. His story posted April 27, 2017 on Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook.
  36. Photo of historic marker and house with discussion posted May 9, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
  37. Farnsworth's company made advancements to wartime technology during WWII by making major developments in radar and early missile guidance systems, from 90 Fun Facts on Facebook from The History Center.
  38. Did Philo T. Farnsworth bottle a star in his Fort Wayne basement laboratory on Pontiac Street? It is possible that in the 1960s the inventor of television achieved what still eludes scientists: self-sustaining fusion. Read Philo T. Farnsworth: The burden of genius by Nicole Poletika published March 1, 2018 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  39. FROM THE ARCHIVES: Television makes its midwest debut at plant of Farnsworth Corporation This was a story which originally appeared in the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel on August 9, 1939 and re-published March 1, 2018 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  40. More on Philo T. Farnsworth - Forgotten Genius Exhibit at the MZTV Museum published Oct 19, 2018 by Everything Zoomer
    We go in depth with an expert on Philo T. Farnsworth, more from Moses Znaimer, Philo's great grandson and the unveiling of the new Forgotten Genius exhibit. Exhibit is on now and running until April 2019. Along with the television artifacts, visitors can also scan QR codes spread throughout the exhibit to watch unique clips related to Farnsworth’s life, including the one and only time Philo himself appeared on television — as a guest on a 1957 episode of the game show I've Got A Secret.
  41. December 29, 2018 was a discussion about knowing Philo and working for his company on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook
  42. Philo T Farnsworth S1 E2 published May 9, 2021 by Indiana Roadside Markers
    Philio T. Farnsworth, inventor of the television made his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana from 1948 to 1967, opening the Farnsworth Radio and Television Corporation there in 1938. IN this episode host, Michael L Harris visits the site of Farnsworth's Fort Wayne home and shares Farnsworth's history.

  43. Radio History - A trip to the local history museum to see the Philo Farnsworth exhibit by Kevin Loughin posted December 23, 2017 on YouTube

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Felger, Herb and Ruth

Started Felger's Peat Moss in 1953 on Valentine Road where his parents lived before the Great Depression. See Felger's Peat Moss.

Ferguson Family

July 1895 Patrick to Joseph Ferugson telegram
Facebook photo

Dozens of photographs were purchased at estate sale in 2017 including a telegram to a Joseph Ferguson from Patrick Ferguson. The telegram simply says “father is dead, funeral Thursday morning at 9.” It’s dated July 2/3, 1895. If anyone in the area is related to this family and wants to reunite with this box of photographs contact the poster of the October 25, 2018 post on Facebook. 

Fewdle Lords

1960s rock and roll band, photos and videos posted and discussed May 28, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. Quite a few items in Google Searchlike in GarageHangOver and many music videos like The Fewdle Lords - Farewell To Today And Tomorrow published February 17, 2011 on YouTube.

Fischer, Regina "Jenna"

television star on "The Office" An Emmy nominee, plays Pam Beesley on "The Office" television show since 2005, and appeared in several movies. Jenna was born March 7, 1974 in Fort Wayne, but raised in Saint Louis, Missouri. See biography on Internet Movie Database and Wikipedia for more information.

Fischer, Jenna

Born March 7, 1974 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Her mother, Anne (Miller), is a history teacher; and her father, James E. "Jim" Fischer, is an engineer. She has one younger sister, Emily, a third grade teacher. She first performed at the age of six, when she participated in an acting workshop taught by her mother at Henry School in St. Louis, a workshop also attended by actor Sean Gunn, with whom she grew up. Stars in the Office TV show as Pam Beesley for which she received an Emmy nomination. See Jenna Fischer on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. See photo on Five Fort Wayne Actresses Who Made it on the Big Screen by the The News-Sentinel newspaper now archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

October 8, 2015 post by Visit Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Did you know these four people were born in Fort Wayne?

DaMarcus Beasley (US men's national soccer team), Dick York (Bewitched), Shelley Long (Cheers), Jenna Fischer (The Office).

Can you name more famous Fort Wayne natives? #tbt

Fishering, Richard Baxter

August 25, 1922 - February 11, 2016, a son of George William Fishering and Muriel (Baxter) Fishering. He was a 1941 graduate of South Side High School. Awared the state's highest honor Sagamore of the Wabash. He was survived by his beloved daughter, Lisa (Fishering) Osmon; and his truly cherished granddaughter, Meret V. Duvall; and sisters, Nancy (Philip) Wehrenberg and Suzanne (William) Carl. He was preceded in death by his adored wife, Kathleen (Koenemann) Fishering in 1999, whom he married on Valentine's Day 1956; and brother, George W. Fishering II in 2008. From his February 11, 2016 obituary at Greenlawn Funeral and Cremation Services.

Fitch, Jon

From the June 12, 2012 Journal Gazette newspaper article Local MMA fighter Fitch subject of documentary "Fort Wayne native Jon Fitch has something else to add to his résumé other than world-class MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighter. He can add film star. The former Purdue and Carroll wrestler, who fought for the welterweight title, is featured in a documentary, Such Great Heights, which will be released today. The film follows Fitch as he prepares for his 2008 fight against UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. Fitch lost the fight by unanimous decision, ending a 16-match winning streak. Since then, he has a 5-1-1 record." See also Jon Fitch Documentary Director Jonah Tulis: Aspiring to Great Heights written by Brian J. D'Souza 25 June 2012. Such Great Heights - Trailer YouTube. Such Great Heights on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Fitzwater, E. Oliver Al

Died November 3, 2014, son of Ellis O. Sr. and Margaret E. Fitzwater; brother, Oren Fitzwater, sister Jenny (Tom) Busch, daughter Lori K. (Michael) Ianucilli, son E. Oliver. See D.O. McComb and Sons obituary. Enlisted in the Army in 1961, earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star while leading nine men during the Vietnam War, Fort Wayne 'hero' among those laid to rest in Arlington by Mahamed Sulejmanagic published January 31, 2015 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Fleming, William

Born in 1828 in Wicklow, Ireland, married Ann McLaughlin in January 1850, she died in 1854 Ann. His second marriage on July 7, 1859 was to Helen F. Mayer whose father George operated Fort Wayne’s Mayer House hotel. He died on January 13, 1890. Fleming bought the Wabash and Erie canal in 1876 and was founder of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, which became the Nickel Plate Railroad. See his photo and read more in William Fleming Helped Open the Way for Fort Wayne by Tom Castaldi published October 16, 2014 by History Center Notes & Queries blog.

Florea, Richard

Born in New York City on May 22, 1937, his family (his parents were originally Hoosiers) eventually moved to Marion, Ind., when Florea was a 7th-grader. His broadcasting career began at radio station WMRI while he was still a Marion High School student. He was one of five inductees honored Saturday, May 18, 2019 at the 54th annual Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame luncheon in Indianapolis. Copied from THE LAST WORD: Dick Florea, ‘Fort Wayne’s Walter Cronkite,’ inducted into Journalism Hall of Fame by Kerry Hubbartt published May 20, 2019 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. Florea served 48 years in broadcasting, including 17 years as anchor at WKJG, where he was also host of “Editor’s Desk” and “Our Town,” both focused on community issues and people. ... Florea, the hall concluded, had been dubbed “the Walter Cronkite of Fort Wayne.” When he retired in 2001, Florea told The News-Sentinel he had loved his work but looked forward to having more time to explore his interest in genealogy. Copied from Fort Wayne TV pioneer Dick Florea named to Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame by Kevin Leininger published March 13, 2019 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. A graduate of Purdue University, he was the main evening news anchor at WKJG-TV-33, the city’s first TV station, from 1966 until 1983, as well as News Director from 1970 to 1987. A past president of the Indiana Broadcast Pioneers and the Associated Press Broadcasters of Indian, he retired from WKJG after 35 years in 2001. Dick was inducted into the Richard M. Fairbanks Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame November 14, 2015 in Indianapolis. See Fort Wayne Newsman in Hall of Fame by Eric Olson, 21Country Featured Reporterformerly published November 17, 2015 on 21AliveNews.comnow in the Wayback Machine. He was also active in Habitat for Humanity discussed in Florea's faith flouishes at Habitat for Humanity published July 2, 2013 in Senior Life newspapers. Richard's wife Phyllis, 75, died September 15, 2011. Her D.O. McComb and Sons obituary says she organized the first Johnny Appleseed Festival in 1975 and remained active in its leadership for many years. Fort Wayne broadcast legend Dick Florea to be inducted into Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame with video by Linda Jackson published March 13, 2019 on WKJG NBC.

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Foellinger, Helene

Publisher of The News-Sentinel newspaper, was born on December 12, 1910, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a daughter of Oscar G. and Esther Anna (Deuter) Foellinger. She died March 25, 1987, mother Esther Deuter died July 24, 1969, and father Oscar Foellinger, died October 8, 1936, was publisher of the The News-Sentinel newspaper. Esther Deuter Foellinger and her daughter Helene Foellinger established the Foellinger Foundation which has a video about three generations of Foellinger's. Helene established the Foellinger Theatre in 1949 at Franke Park in honor of her father Oscar. In 1979 she funded the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory to honor her mother, and at Helene's death in 1987 a very generous gift was given to the Foellinger Auditorium at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where Helene was in the Class of 1932. See our Foellinger Foundation section.

Honoring Helene Follinger Primetime 39 Season 2023 Episode 3120
Guests: Cheryl Taylor & Sarah Strimmenos. This area’s only in-depth, live, weekly news, analysis and cultural update forum, PrimeTime airs Fridays at 7:30pm. This program is hosted by PBS Fort Wayne’s President/General Manager Bruce Haines. Aired; 05/19/2023

  1. Obituary for Helen R. Foellilnger on Find A Grave Memorial.
  2. Helene Foellinger inducted 1974 biography at Depauw University
  3. HELENE FOELLINGER · 1974 by Joseph F. Sheibley of Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.
  4. Helene Foellinger: Pioneer in the industry by Chelsea Brune published July 7, 2008 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  5. A photo was on Great Memories and Histories of Fort Wayne, Indiana Photos on Facebook.
  6. Foellinger legacy helps children and families published October 7, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
  7. Photo with the statement: The Foellinger family's home on Old Mill Road was designed by prominent local architect Guy Mahurin in the late 1920s. Mahurin also designed Fort Wayne’s Scottish Rite Auditorium, Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth Congregational Church, and other iconic structures. Copied from a November 10, 2022 post by the Foellinger Foundation on Facebook.
  8. Headshot of Helene Foellinger from high school

    January 18, 2023 post by the Foellinger Foundation on Facebook:

    Helene Foellinger graduated valedictorian at South Side High School in 1928. She was the editor of The South Side Times during her junior and senior years, during which the paper won four national awards, including Best High School Newspaper in the United States by the National Scholastic Press Association.

  9. Foellinger Foundation documentary premieres in March Kymmi Amato February 16, 2023 on Fox 55 Fort Wayne.
  10. A March 17, 2023 post by the Foellinger Foundation on Facebook announced the video that tells the life story of Helene Foellinger and the three generations of Foellingers who preceded her: 'An Influence for Good' is now available to watch online!
  11. March 13, 2013 post by The History Center on Facebook:

    It's Women's History Month and here's a quick look at one of Fort Wayne's most outstanding women: Helene Foellinger.

     

     Helene Foellinger 1974 by Joseph F. Sheibley at the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame.

  12. March 21, 2023 post by The History Center on Facebook:

    The History Center proudly contributed video segments from our collection and footage of our displays for the Foellinger Foundation documentary, "An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story". Use the link below to watch the documentary on the Foellinger Foundation's website.

  13. March 21, 2023 post by the The History Center on Facebook:

    Fort Wayne’s history has been comprised of extraordinary people from all walks of life. One of these was Helene Foellinger. In 1936 after the sudden death of her father, the owner and publisher of the News-Sentinel, she became the youngest newspaper publisher and one of the only female owners in the nation. Foellinger owned the paper until 1980 and retired from it in 1981. Along the way she, along with her mother, founded the Foellinger Foundation to serve the people of Allen County and continue the family’s tradition of civic involvement. The Foellinger Foundation recently released a documentary, "An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story," in celebration of this extraordinary woman. The History Center proudly contributed video segments from our collection and footage of our displays for it. Today we share those video segments in a set of three posts. The first video is of the announcement of the construction of the Botanical Conservatory. The video is from our collection of WANE-TV videotapes and is from March 20, 1979. #sociallyhistory

  14. March 21, 2023 post by the The History Center on Facebook:

    Here is the second video segment from the History Center's collection that was provided for "An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story". It is from our collection of WANE-TV videotapes and is from groundbreaking of the Botanical Conservatory on October 9, 1981. #sociallyhistory

  15. March 21, 2023 post by the The History Center on Facebook:

    Here is the final video segment from the History Center's collection that was provided for "An Influence for Good: The Helene Foellinger Story". It is from our collection of WANE-TV videotapes and is from Helene Foellinger’s retirement on October 30, 1981. #sociallyhistory

  16. Pressing On — Foellinger Foundation

    January 22, 2024 post by Foellinger Foundation on Facebook:

    Foellinger Foundation exists today because of the generosity of the Foellinger family. But how did the Foellinger family generate their wealth? Their family values of integrity, accountability, responsibility, and results—plus a commitment to civic involvement—led to successes for both the family, and all of Allen County.

    FOELLINGER.ORG Pressing On — Foellinger Foundation Foellinger Foundation exists today because of the generosity of the Foellinger family

Foellinger, Oscar G.

OSCAR G. FOELLINGER, president and general manager of the News Publishing Company of Fort Wayne, deserves a large share of credit for the making of the News-Sentinel, one of the outstanding examples of Indiana journalism. The community of Fort Wayne has reason to esteem him for many other activities, leadership in matters vital to the city and to the welfare of its inhabitants.

Mr. Foellinger was born at Fort Wayne, April 11, 1885, son of Martin C. and Christina (Stellhorn) Foellinger. He was educated in the parochial schools of the Immanuel Lutheran Church and began life without any particular advantages, social or financial, except a resolute purpose, an unwavering ambition and ability to work, and with experience to direct the work of others.

He was working even while in school, and in 1901, at the age of sixteen, he became an employee of the Citizens Trust Company of Fort Wayne, with which he remained about five years, reaching the post of assistant cashier. His time has been fully taken up with newspaper work since 1905. He was business manager for the Journal Gazette Company until1910, and in the latter year joined the News Publishing Company, was made general manager in 1912, and since 1919 has been both president and general manager. He is also a director of the Lincoln National Bank & Trust Company. Outside of his own business the activities that have perhaps made him best known in the community has been his leadership in the fight against tuberculosis. He has for some years been a director of both the Fort Wayne and Indiana State Anti-Tuberculosis League. He has been a member of the executive committee of the Fort Wayne League, has acted as camp general of the Camp Christmas Seal Health Camp for under-par children and has devoted not only time but his personal means to the success of this charitable progress. He has attended many state conferences of the Indiana Anti-Tuberculosis League and has taken part in the formulation of its policies and in the direction of its interests. Mr. Foellinger individually and through his newspaper has constantly worked for improved highways. During the World war he was a local leader in the first, second and fourth Liberty Loan drives and War Savings Stamp campaigns, in the campaign for clothing for the destitute victims of the war, and in the Red Cross Auction. He was in the original Y. M. C. A. building campaign of 1916; has taken part in the annual Community Chest campaigns, and in those for the Day Nursery and the Red Cross membership drives. He has served as president of the Quest Club and chairman of its civic interest committee, and is a director of the Fort Wayne Boy Scouts Council. He is a member of the Fort Wayne Industrial Commission, the Clinton Street Association, the Rotary Club, Fort Wayne Country Club, Hamilton Club of Chicago, Columbia Club and the Trinity English Lutheran Church. Fraternally he is affiliated with Home Lodge No. 342, A. F. and A. M., the thirty-second degree Scottish Rite bodies and Mizpah Temple of the Mystic Shrine. Mr. Foellinger as a young man was a first lieutenant in the Indiana National Guard with the Fort Wayne Battery from 1903 to 1906. He is a member of the National Press Club, the American Newspaper Publishers Association. Without official aspirations he has done a great deal of substantial work for the Republican party in Indiana. He was delegate at large from the state to the Republican national convention of 1924, when Calvin Coolidge was nominated. In 1928 he was state manager for Hoover in the primary campaign and state manager for the Hoover for President Clubs.

Mr. Foellinger married, November 16, 1909, Miss Esther Anna Deuter, daughter of Michael and Hannah Deuter, of Fort Wayne. Mr. and Mrs. Foellinger have two daughters, Helene Ruth and Loretta Esther.

Copied from page 11-12 (20 of 786 at FamilySearch.org) of INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 3 by Charles Roll, A.M., The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931 also on DebMurray.tripod.com.

Esther Deuter (1890-1969) and Oscar Foellinger (1885-1936) were born and raised in Fort Wayne, descendants of German families that immigrated to the area in the mid-1800s. They married in 1909 in a ceremony at Oscar’s home. They had two children, Helene Foellinger (1910-1987) and Loretta Foellinger Teeple (1914-1950) who grew up on Indiana Avenue. Both daughters were outstanding students at South Side High School and returned to Fort Wayne after graduating from the University of Illinois. Oscar Foellinger left school at a young age, but developed practical skills by working at several banks and newspapers. In 1918, he became a partner in The News Publishing Company, owner of The News-Sentinel, and in 1920 he purchased the newspaper. Under his leadership, it became a strong publication in the region with high circulation, continual innovations in content and photography and a “Building Fort Wayne” column promoting civic improvements. From an early age, the newspaper business was Helene’s predominant interest. At South Side High School, she was the valedictorian, excelling in journalism and mathematics and serving as the editor of the newspaper. She was also the newspaper editor at University of Illinois. Following her graduation in 1932, Helene began her career as a reporter and features writer for The News-Sentinel. Soon after, she became editor and columnist for the new women’s section. When Oscar died unexpectedly in 1936, Helene decided she was up to the challenge of running the newspaper. At age 25, she became the youngest publisher in the country and one of its few female publishers at the time. In her 49-year tenure with the newspaper, Helene worked hard to earn the respect of her employees, her profession and her community. She received national attention for her achievements and work ethic. Before her retirement, Helene became the first woman inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, and she received numerous other awards recognizing her outstanding contributions to journalism, philanthropy and her community. Esther and Helene Foellinger decided to focus their resources on the creation of a Foundation to carry forward their family’s tradition of civic involvement and private philanthropy for community betterment. Investments came from their personal assets and estates and contributions from The News-Sentinel. Copied from What’s in a Name? at the Foellinger Foundation.

See Oscar Foellinger House.

Fogwell

A BOTANIST'S VIEW OF FOGWELL FOREST NATURE PRESERVE by Paul E. Rothrock, Ph.D. Taylor University, Professor of Environmental Science and Biology published March 06, 2002.

Fogle, Dailey M.

1921-2013 - 91, was a well known photo journalist for the The Journal Gazette newspaper and a former resident of Churubusco in Whitley County. Read Longtime JG photographer Dailey Fogle dies at 91 May 15, 2013 by The Journal Gazette and his Sheets and Childs obituary.

Foley, Clyde Julian Red

Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968)[1] was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the genre, selling more than 25 million records. His 1951 hit, "Peace in the Valley", was among the first million-selling gospel records. A Grand Ole Opry veteran until his death, Foley also hosted the first popular country music series on network television, Ozark Jubilee, from 1955 to 1960. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, which called him "one of the most versatile and moving performers of all time" and "a giant influence during the formative years of contemporary Country music." Copied from Red Foley on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

His obituary is in the Desert Sun, Volume 42, Number 41, 20 September 1968 in the California Digital Newspaper Collection.

OBITUARIES Country Music Star Red Foley Dies; 58

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (UPI) Red Foley, the Grand Ole Opry spiritual singer who helped pioneer country music, was found dead in his motel room by a cleaning woman Thursday night.

The 58-year-old singer had been dead 8 to 10 hours, apparently from natural causes, according to Allen County Coroner Gordon Franke.

Foley, the father-in-law of singer Pat Boone, had appeared in two performances of the Grand Ole Opry in Fort Wayne Wednesday and apparently planned to return to his home in NashviUe, Tenn., Thursday afternoon. An airplane ticket with a reservation for Thursday was found in Foley’s pocket, police said.

Born Clyde Julian Foley on a 24-acre farm in Blue Lick, Ky., Foley was considered a “singers’ singer” among his country music contemporaries.

Minnie Pearl, who had starred on the Grand Ole Opry with Foley, burst into tears when informed of his death at Nashville.

“He was one of the dearest friends I ever had,” she said. “I never wanted to follow him on stage because he was so great. No one could sing like him.”

“I’ve lost a very dear friend,” said Roy Acuff.

Tex Ritter called Foley “a great friend and great artist.” Foley was one of the first country and western singers tc record music in Nashville. His biggest hits were “Peace in The Valley,” “Just A Closer Walk With Thee,” “Ole Shep,’ “Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy,” “Tennessee Saturday Night,” and “Cincinnati Dancing Pig.”

  1. Red Foley on Find A Grave.
  2. Red Foley on AllMusic.
  3. Discussed February 8, 2023 and again February 8, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook posting this video: I Was With Red Foley (The Night He Passed Away) by Hank Williams, Jr. on YouTube .

Font, Walter

Curator at the The History Center started in 1983, retired in 2017. Documented and organize thousands of items in the museum's collection, as well as doing historical research and serving as editor of the museum's Old Fort News publication. History Center curator passing the challenge to a new generation by Kevin Kilbane published June 30, 2017 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Foote, Charles W., Commodore Foote

1848-1937. At three feet, five inches, with his diminutive sister Eliza, spent over half a century traveling the world performing with various troupes, including The Little People, P. T. Barnum, the Royal American Midgets, and the Lilliputian Opera Company. Legendary Locals of Fort Wayne, by Randolph L. Harter, Craig S. Leonard discussion August 1, 2015 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group. Commodore Foote Print at The History Center. Commodore Foote and the Fairy Queen on Travalance. Discussed March 18, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

Ford, Mary Dell

Dell Ford, legendary Journal Gazette writer, dies at 92 Brett Stover March 23, 2023, The Journal Gazette newspaper.

Mary Dell Ford was one of Fort Wayne’s greatest writers, and possibly the city’s greatest journalist. Dell Ford, as she...

Posted by The History Center on Tuesday, February 20, 2024

February 20, 2024 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Mary Dell Ford was one of Fort Wayne’s greatest writers, and possibly the city’s greatest journalist. Dell Ford, as she was known, worked for the local Journal Gazette as a journalist and reporter for 46 years, from 1953 to 1999. Ford was Fort Wayne’s most notable native-born journalist. She was well educated, well-regarded, and well-connected. Writing was all Ford ever wanted to do. With the guidance of a North Side High School teacher, Ford’s focus turned from fiction to journalism. At North Side, she wrote for the Northerner, at the time the school’s weekly paper. After graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Michigan in 1952, she briefly worked at the St. Petersburg Times in Florida before returning to Fort Wayne to join The Journal Gazette on Dec. 21, 1953. Ford worked full time for the paper from 1953 until her retirement at the end of 1999, and she continued to contribute stories through 2008. Her work ran the gamut from interviews with future presidents to stories on local theater. As an education reporter for more than a dozen years, she was there for two big stories – school reorganization and desegregation. She also reviewed local theatrical productions and traveling shows and wrote the ‘Night Out’ column for five years in the 1960s. In October 1958, then-Journal Gazette publisher James R. Fleming asked Ford if she’d like to interview ‘the next president of the United States.’ That Sunday, Ford interviewed then-Sen. John F. Kennedy at the Keenan Hotel. When Sen. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, Ford was in Washington, D.C., covering a local participant in the National Spelling Bee. She stayed over for the funeral and stood with the national press corps on a hill overlooking John F. Kennedy’s grave where his younger brother would soon be buried. Dell Ford passed away on March 22, 2023 and is buried in Lindenwood Cemetery. Visit the History Center to see our new temporary exhibit “Dell Ford: Writer, Journalist, and Legendary Local”. #sociallyhistory

Ford, Mary Forker

Married to Harland B. Ford. Mary Forker was born on Oct. 25, 1905, in Noble County, Ind. She is the daughter of Simon Edward and Mina Mae Bowen Forker. She attended public school in Fort Wayne, Ind. She married Harland B. Ford and they had one daughter, Jane. Before her marriage Mrs. Ford was employed by the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. She later became a free-lance writer. Information from Contemporary Authors. Murder, Country Style. New York. 1964, at 6271396 ACPL; The Silent Witness. New York. 1964; Shadow of Murder. New York. 1965; Long Journey Home. New York, 1966; Roswell Heritage. New York. 1968. Copied from Indiana Authors and Their Books on indiana.edu. She lived in the Reed Street and Colerick Street area and wrote light mysteries from June 29, 2022 discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

Fort Wayne Bicycle Club

1881 Fort Wayne Bicycle Club

Fort Wayne Bicycle Club, 1881. in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library. Charles McClain, C. W. Edgerton, Charles Guild, Perry DeHaven, Stephen A. Bond, Samuel Hanna, Chaussey Griffith, Herman Siemons, Frank Fee, (deceased), Theordore F. Thieme, H. J. Meyer, Charles Schieman, Dave Caldwell, (deceased), A. W. Jaxtheimer, William D. Bostick, (deceased) John Ross, William Paul, (deceased), Frank Phillips, Louis Ohnhaus, A. Roberts and Jess Evans (deceased).

1881 Fort Wayne Bicycle Club

Cycling Club Description: Cycling Club: boys and bicycles with park and pavilion in background, ca.1900 in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library

1881 Fort Wayne Bicycle Club

Bicycle Club (Velos) in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.

Description: Bicycle Club (Velos): showing men and bicycles, ca. 1900; included are Billy Peltier, Will Gowdy, Harry Pickard, Dave Eckert, Amos Ritcher(?), Dr. Sleman(?), Stephen B. Fleming, Ferd Urbahno(?), Clem Edgerton, Frak Lightfoot, Ross McCullough, John L. Han

 

A December 31, 2023 Becky Osbun Comment to a post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook with this same image states: Photo taken on June 26, 1892: Picnic at Swifts Farm, Fort Wayne Cycling Club. "Modern bicycles became common in the 1890's in Fort Wayne, and the Fort Wayne Cycling Club used to have races on Forest Park Boulevard. In the late 1890's, young people also began to enjoy bicycle parties." - Indiana Historical Society.

Picnic at Swifts Farm, Fort Wayne Cycling Club

Picnic at Swifts Farm, Fort Wayne Cycling Club is sharper and zoomable at the We Do History digital collection by the Indiana Historical Society. Modern bicycles became common in the 1890s in Fort Wayne, and the Fort Wayne Cycling Club used to have races on Forest Park Boulevard. In the late 1890s young people also began to enjoy bicycle parties.

Photo-gravures of Fort Wayne! : its artistic residences, business streets, parks and beautiful suburbs ; together with its largely diversified business and manufacturing industries. Publication date 1889 on Archive.org

Fort Wayne Bicycle Club is mentioned several times under Wheel Notes on the front page of the May 20, 1896 Fort Wayne Sentinel (1896-05-20) on Archive.org.

  1. Ordinaries, Safeties and Fun A resume of the early bicycle period in Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1879 - 1900, Ordinaries, Safeties and Fun is a partial reprint of the original work by Cleo Goff Wilkens. These selected sections are presented with the permission of Mr. William Decker at the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society.
  2. Fort Wayne Cycling Carmen Doyle January 23, 2012 History Center Notes & Queries blog.
  3. Bicycling in Fort Wayne January 31, 2012 History Center Notes & Queries blog.
  4. The Bicycle Boom and the Bicycle Bloc Cycling and Politics in the 1890s MICHAEL TAYLOR Earlier that week, Harrison had been joined by wheelmen for a parade in Fort Wayne, home of the Sound Money Bicycle Club. With four-hundred members, the club took part in parades, held public races, and escorted Republican speakers from Fort Wayne to nearby towns such as Cedarville and New Haven. When Richard Guenther came to the city in September to help secure the decisive German vote for McKinley, soundmoney cyclists escorted him to the Princess Rink, where he was to deliver an address on the money question. Gubernatorial candidate James Mount received a similar welcome when he arrived on October 7. 24 24 “In a Big Tent,” Fort Wayne News, October 26, 1896, p. 1; “The Parade To-Night,” Fort Wayne News, October 30, 1896, p. 1; “Wheelmen are Mostly for McKinley and Sound Money,” Fort Wayne Gazette, August 26, 1896, p. 1; [untitled], Fort Wayne News, September 12, 1896; “Political Notes,” Fort Wayne News, October 6, 1896, p. 1; “At New Haven,” Fort Wayne Weekly Gazette, October 1, 1896, p. 2; “A German Rally,” Fort Wayne News, September 15, 1896, p. 1.
  5. Three Rivers Velo Sport, Three Rivers Velo Sport ( 3RVS ) is Northeastern Indiana’s premier cycling club. Founded in 1969, 3RVS is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organization that promotes bicycling-related activities in the greater Fort Wayne area.

February 11, 2016 post by Riverfront Fort Wayne on Facebook:

#tbt It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage, but you'll look sweet, upon the seat, of my bicycle built for two! ❤️ photo: The History Center #valentinesday #notreallybuiltfortwo #riverfrontfw

May 19, 2016 post by The History Center on Facebook:

#TBT to this moment in 1901 when members of the Fort Wayne Bicycle Club were riding through #DTFW.

Tomorrow is #biketoworkday! Members of the History Center staff will be riding the trails to work to celebrate with Kickstart Fort Wayne and documenting some historic sites along the way!

September 28, 2016 post by The History Center on Facebook:

The Fort Wayne Bicycle Club formed in 1884 & primarily rode what style of bike? Find out the answer to this and more sports history at 200@200 - The Spirit of Competition! http://www.fwhistorycenter.com/vex20/index.htm.

May 14, 2018 post by The History Center on Facebook:

In recognition of National Bike to Work Week, we are highlighting local cycling history. During the late 1800s, cycling became popular and was considered a sport and a part of developing good health and citizenship. The Fort Wayne Bicycle Club was formed in 1884. By 1888, practical cycling was popular and bicyclists transitioned from Large-Wheel Ordinary bicycles to Small-Wheel Safety bicycles.

Marion Black was one elite local cyclist. In 1894, competing at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Black and his race partner, Will Peltier, set a state record for tandems, completing the half mile race in 1:00.3 on their Stearns tandem. The men operated a bicycle shop in Fort Wayne, Black and Peltier, at 12 W. Wayne Street. This Stearns bicycle bears an 1898—99 Fort Wayne city license number. Owned by Marion Black, it was likely ridden in many of his racing competitions. You may not be setting records, but you can embrace Fort Wayne’s cycling past and present by riding your bike to work this week. #sociallyhistory

June 3, 2021 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Since the 19th century, bicycles have become one of the most popular and reliable forms of transportation around the globe. The most universal forms are the ordinary and safety bicycles. In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as International World Bicycle Day. Today is a global holiday meant to be enjoyed by all people regardless of any characteristic. The bicycle as a symbol of human progress and advancement, “[promotes] tolerance, mutual understanding and respect and [facilitates] social inclusion and a culture of peace.” World Bicycle Day recognizes "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the Bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport.” In celebration of World Bicycle Day, here are some bicycle items from our collection. Enjoy a bicycle ride today! #sociallyhistory

Fort Wayne Children's Choir

April 6, 2023 post by The History Center on Facebook:

For 50 years the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir has provided music education to thousands of children in northeast Indiana. Originally known as the Children of Peace Choristers, the extracurricular program was created by Jocelyn Basse in 1973 and incorporated in 1984 as the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir. It has since grown to more than 250 singers representing 83 schools in northeast Indiana and western Ohio, as well as 36 homeschools. Five different artistic directors have provided their expert leadership to the group. The FWCC’s mission has always been to unite young singers from diverse backgrounds to achieve artistic and educational excellence. Along with music literacy and theory, the FWCC educates its singers in history, culture, foreign language, poetry, and performance. Teamwork, discipline, leadership, and other practical skills are taught as well. Throughout its 50 year history, the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir has provided its members with numerous opportunities in the world of music at home and abroad. Visit the History Center to see our new temporary exhibit “Fort Wayne Children’s Choir: 50 Years of Excellence in Music Education” presented in conjunction with the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, through June 14th. #sociallyhistory

Fort Wayne Daisies 1945-1954

See our Fort Wayne Baseball Team page.

Fort Wayne Derby Girls

Founded in 2005, fortwaynederbygirls.com, see A Pair of Roller Skates and a Dreamon their history page. Franchise starting second decade of competition by Blake Sebring published September 8, 2015 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Fort Wayne Friars Professional Football team

In 1915, the Fort Wayne Friars, a social club, brought professional football to the Summit City. The Friars fielded amateur teams starting in 1910. That first team outscored its opponents 180-6. Like the River City Rhinos of today [no longer active], the Friars played teams from smaller Midwestern cities. With an investment of $2,000 from Wayne Pump Company, the club started hiring professional players in 1915. Many of the players were hired from the University of Notre Dame team, playing under false names. Former Irish players played for the Friars in 1916, including future Notre Dame president Hugh O'Donnell, future Michigan State coach Ralph "Bull" Young and future Detroit Lions coach Gus Dorias. The players were paid between $75 and $125 per game. The club usually attracted crowds of around 3,500 fans at 50 cents per head. The Friars won the state championship in 1916 by beating Wabash before more than 5,200 fans. Fort Wayne finished that season with an 8-1-1 record. The 1917 team had a 5-3-1 record to finish second for the state title. Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne played left end for the Friars that season -- their last. The team is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Copied from Football kicked off locally in second decade by Blake Sebring in the 1910-1919: THE INDUSTRIALIZATION ERA ofFort Wayne History Stories About Time Periods in I Remember History online tour of Summit City history from the archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper.

  1. Friar gridders were Fort Wayne favorites Feb 5, 2009 on KPC.News.com.
  2. Fort Wayne Friars on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  3. November 25, 2022 discussed on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

Fort Wayne Hoosiers

1920s American Basketball League photo of 3 players posted May 19, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

Fort Wayne Inventors

Bowser’s self-measurability pumps were introduced in the early 1900s, and were a huge success. Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation was founded in Fort Wayne in 1939. The first waterproof diaper cover was invented by Marion Donovan, in 1946. In 1951, she sold the rights to her waterproof diaper cover to the Keko Corporation for $1 million. The Indiana University Maurer School of Law has an Intellectual Property Law Clinic located in Fort Wayne. From Fort Wayne Inventors And Patents at PatentPC.

Fort Wayne Kekiongas Baseball Team

See our Fort Wayne Kekiongas Baseball Team page.

Fort Wayne Komets Hockey Team

See our Komets page.

Fort Wayne Mad Ants Basketball Team

Pro basketball back in Fort Wayne, Nov. 23, 2007: The team plays its first game, a 94-86 loss to the Tulsa 66ers. It’s the first time Fort Wayne has had its own pro basketball team since the Continental Basketball Association went under in February 2001. Only championship, April 26, 2014: After a 34-16 regular season, Fort Wayne, led by coach Conner Henry, sweeps six playoff games and beats Santa Cruz to win the D-League title at Memorial Coliseum, where they won 17 straight games to close the season. Bought by Pacers, Sept. 9, 2015: The Pacers buy the team from Fort Wayne Basketball Group LLC, led by John Zeglis, which had owned the Mad Ants since their inception in 2007. “When it came right down to it, we wanted this franchise,” Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said. Three highlights copied from 12 Highlights of Fort Wayne Mad Ants history by Dylan Sinn May 9, 2023 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.

May 9, 2023 post by Mayor Tom Henry on Facebook:

My statement on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants relocating to Noblesville.

July 28, 2023 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Fort Wayne has a rich heritage of individual and team athletics in recreational and competitive sports. One of these teams was our local NBA G League team, the Mad Ants. In April of 2007, it was announced that the NBA Development League was expanding and bringing a team to Fort Wayne for the 2007-2008 season. The team was poised to be the first minor league basketball franchise to play in Fort Wayne since the Fort Wayne Fury were disbanded after the folding of the Continental Basketball Association in 2001. The franchise held a team-naming contest on their website where fans could vote on one of the four finalists: Lightning, Fire, Coyotes, and Mad Ants, the latter name being a tribute to the builder of the first American fort General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The teams’ original colors were gold and maroon, but were changed in 2017 to navy blue, gold and grey to match their new and only affiliate, the Indiana Pacers. In May of 2023, it was announced that the Pacers were moving the team to Noblesville, Indiana. The 2022-2023 season brought to a close the 16 season run of the Mad Ants as Fort Wayne’s hometown basketball team. #sociallyhistory

Fort Wayne Nurses

Fort Wayne nurses were initially trained at nurse’s schools at local hospitals. Student nurses were offered housing on or near the hospital campus and in some cases received pay. In addition, graduates could obtain training as members of the military nursing corps and the American Red Cross. St. Joseph Hospital’s nursing education program began in 1918 with the first class of graduates in 1921. It was directed by the Sisters, Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ and continued operations until its closure in 1988. Fort Wayne City Hospital was founded in 1878. In 1891 it became Hope Hospital, which began an education program in 1897. In 1953, the hospital became Parkview Memorial Hospital, the school became known as Parkview Methodist School of Nursing. Its last class graduated in 1991. Parkview partnered with IPFW after the closure. The Lutheran Hospital Training School For Nurses began operations in the early twentieth century. Students worked and trained six days per week year round. The school later became known as the Lutheran College of Health Professions and was acquired by the University of Saint Francis in 1998. Copied from a January 14, 2019 post with photos by The History Centerfor their current exhibit.

Fort Wayne Philharmonic

September 15, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

It's #FlashbackFriday! Did you know that we have a digital collection celebrating the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra? 🎻

The collection includes scrapbooks, membership, volunteer, and committee directories. Take a look here: http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital/collection/FWPO

The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra premiered at the Palace Theatre on October 18, 1944, under conductor Hans Schwieger. Its founding resulted from the concerns of a group of local citizens under Carl Light, the orchestra’s first president, who wished to improve the standards of musical performance in the city. Igor Buketoff succeeded Schwieger as maestro in 1948, and under his leadership the orchestra received national exposure from radio performances and prominent guest performers. He was followed by James Sample from 1967 to 1970; Thomas Bricetti from 1970 to 1978; Ronald Ondrejka from 1978 to 1993; Edvard Tchivzhel from 1993 to 2008; and Andrew Constantine since 2009. The orchestra has received consistently high praise for the caliber of its musical performances, and its growth is the result of contributions from many local civic leaders who have committed to maintaining its standards. The scrapbooks document in detail, through photographs, news clippings and programs, the rise of this major artistic institution in the Midwest.

Fort Wayne Photographers

DIRECTORY OF FORT WAYNE PHOTOGRAPHERS 1843-1930 by John D. Beatty librarian at The Genealogy Center.

Fort Wayne Pistons

See Zollner Pistons.

Fort Wayne Police Department

See separate Fort Wayne Police Department page.

Fort Wayne Sister Cities

Website: http://www.fortwaynesistercities.org

May 19, 2019 post by Fort Wayne Sister Cities on Facebook:

January 5, 2017 post by Fort Wayne Sister Cities on Facebook:

Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages.
-Dave Barry, American writer and humorist

Fort Wayne Sports

Remembering Not to Forget - A Story of Fort Wayne's Sports History by Chris Treft June 24, 2014 on YouTube
A Short Documentary film about Fort Wayne Sport's history and the city's neglect of our great sport's past. Watch and see if you know all the great sporting events that have happened in Fort Wayne or were done by a Fort Wayne native. Blake Sebring and Kaleigh Schrock talk about how they think the city's sport's past should be remembered. This is a film by myself, Chris Treft, for which I completed it in his Memory, Culture and Identity graduate class at IPFW for my final project. To see more of my films and work as an aspiring sports broadcaster please visit my website ChrisTreftBroadcasting.com

NS Series: Fort Wayne's All-Time Greatest Athletes links to the Greatest Baseball, Football, and Basketball players at The News-Sentinel newspaper

Fort Wayne TinCaps

Parkview Field, 1301 Ewing Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, Phone: (260) 482-6400, Fax: (260) 471-4678, Email: Info@TinCaps.com from https://www.milb.com/fort-wayne. Played their first baseball game at Parkview Field downtown on October 2, 2008. The team was formerly the Wizards. See The Apple of Our Eye: The Story Behind the Fort Wayne TinCaps by Paul Caputo published January 10, 2015 on SportsLogos.Net. See the TinCap Alumni List with over 150 Wizards and TinCap players since 1993 who made it to the major leagues. See fast facts and more on Parkview Field / Fort Wayne TinCaps by Kevin Reichard on July 22, 2009 on ballparkdigest.com.

Tin Caps History October 3, 2008 WANE 15 News on YouTube

June 6, 2019 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps  on Facebook:

That baseball went a longgg way

Big thanks to our new neighbors at Hampton Inn & Suites for the new awesome addition to our ballpark!

September 17, 2020 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook:

2009 Midwest League Championship!

We won our first Midwest League championship on this day in 2009!

November 19, 2009 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook:

2009 Regular Season in Review (stadium construction, game highlights, fans, marriage proposals, wins, fireworks and more)

Preview of DVD soon to be available!

March 26, 2020 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook:

#TBT to 2009 when we won the Midwest League Championship in our first year as the TinCaps!

Who was with us back then?

May 10, 2022 post by The Journal Gazette on Facebook:

The TinCaps are helping to raise money for an improved monument to the Fort Wayne Daisies at Memorial Park, the team announced. The Daisies played at Memorial Park from 1946 until 1954.

Fort Wayne's High-A minor league team will wear replica Daisies jerseys May 21. The jerseys will be auctioned off online and 100% of winning bids will go to the monument project.

Read more: https://www.journalgazette.net/.../tincaps-to-help-with...

#fortwayne #indiana #fortwaynetincaps #fortwaynedaisies #baseball #monument

May 12, 2022 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook:

We are currently selling these Fort Wayne Daisies Throwback shirts in The Orchard Team Store!

$2 from each shirt sold will go towards our Daisies Monument Fundraiser!

More details: Fort Wayne TinCaps Fort Wayne Daisies Tee

April 5, 2023 post by Grand Wayne Convention Center on Facebook:

Today, 14 years after the Downtown baseball stadium opened, Fort Wayne is still showing up to support its Fort Wayne TinCaps at Parkview Field. On average, 371,932 fans visit the stadium every year, and if you ask TinCaps President Mike Nutter, a lot more than baseball goes into making the experience special.

April 15, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Sports History on Facebook:

April 16

In 2009, the TinCaps start play at Parkview Field.

A controversial project when it was proposed, the Harrison Square project initially cost $120 million, including $31 million for the 8,100-seat ballpark, but the team drew more than 400,000 fans in its initial season and won the Midwest League title.

The opening night crowd of 8,206 meant there was a little waiting in line for the concession stands and the bathrooms, but that was to be expected. Mayor Tom Henry threw out the first pitch, Tom Didier sang ``God Bless America'' and the Voices of Unity Choir sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a flyover by F-16s.

The TinCaps did their part by beating the Dayton Dragons 7-0. It was also the TinCaps' seventh consecutive win to start the season after they won the first six on the road, the best start in the team's 17-year history.

Dayton lead-off hitter Dave Sappelt got the new park's first hit, TinCaps pitcher Nick Schmidt threw the first strike out and Fort Wayne's James Darnell belted the first home run in the second inning.

Also, in 2003, Scott Sharp wins his final race for Kelley Racing, the Japan 300.

This was the Indy Racing League's first race held outside the United States, and there was plenty of excitement thanks to several wrecks.

After Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon combined to crash on lap 178, Sharp moved into first place. Dixon had attempted to pass Kanaan on the inside during the third turn, but the cars smacked tires and ended up in the wall. Except for the 45 laps when Dixon was in front, Kanaan had led most of the race.

Another crash helped Sharp stay in front as with seven laps to go, Shinji Nakano wrecked causing another yellow flag which Sharp finished under.

The win tied Sharp with Buddy Lazier and Sam Hornish Jr. for the career IRL wins lead with eight.

June 16, 2023 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook:

MILESTONE - Tonight we welcomed our 5,000,000th fan to Parkview Field!

Thank You Fort Wayne!

July 21, 2023 post by Alex Null - 21Alive on Facebook:

It was a blast from the past Friday night as the TinCaps, for one night at least, became the Wizards once again.

STORY: Fans feel nostalgic at TinCaps “90s Night”

See our sections on Baseball, Camp Allen Park, Fort Wayne Daisies, League Park, Kekionga Ball Grounds, Fort Wayne Kekionga Baseball Team, Parkview Field, and Fort Wayne Wizards.

Fort Wayne Wizards

1993-2008 the Kenosha Twins baseball team relocated to Fort Wayne with their first game April 10, 1993 in a new 6,500 seat Memorial Stadium near the Memorial Coliseum as the Wizards in the Midwest League. Last game was September 1, 2008 lost 0-3 against the Great Lakes Loons. October 2, 2008 Wizards name ended becoming the Fort Wayne Tincaps playing a new stadium Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne. Some information from Fort Wayne Wizards on FunWhileItLasted.net. See photos, fast facts and more on Memorial Stadium / Fort Wayne Wizards by Kevin Reichard on November 3, 2008 on ballparkdigest.com.

See our sections on Baseball, Camp Allen Park, Fort Wayne Daisies, League Park, Kekionga Ball Grounds, Fort Wayne Kekionga Baseball Team, Parkview Field, and Fort Wayne TinCaps.

October 2, 2023 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

On Oct. 2, 2008, the Fort Wayne Wizards officially became the TinCaps, ushering in a new era of professional baseball in Fort Wayne.

However, many people were not on board with the change at first.

‘You’ve got to be the biggest idiot ever:’ Monday marks 15 years since Wizards became TinCaps  

Last home game for the Wizards posted Aug 29, 2008 by WANE 15 News on YouTube
Last home game for the Wizards

April 28, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Sports History on Facebook:

April 29

In 1995, LaTroy Hawkins becomes the first Fort Wayne Wizard to make it to the Major Leagues.

Hawkins was the Wizards' pitcher of the year in 1993, posting a 15-5 record and leading the Midwest League in strikeouts and with a 2.06 earned run average. He also won 12 straight games.

Hawkins was followed to the Twins by former Wizards Scott Watkins, Matt Lawson, Dan Naulty, Dan Serafini, Travis Miller, Shane Bowers, Torii Hunter and Javie Valentine. Other famous former Wizards to make it to the show with the Twins include Corey Koskie, A.J. Pierzynski, Matt LeCroy, Jaun Rincon and Michael Cuddyer.

The 1993 team, the first Wizards team, featured nine players who eventually made it to the Major Leagues, and the 1994 squad had seven such players.

Among the more famous future San Diego Padres who have come through Fort Wayne are Sean Burroughs, Jake Peavy, Josh Barfield, Matt Latos, Nick Hundley and Will Venable.

As compiled by Chad Gramling's website ``Baseball in Fort Wayne,'' there are more than 112 former Wizards and TinCaps who have made it to the Major Leagues.

Also, in 2006, South Side's Bernard Pollard is drafted in the second round by the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.  

April 3, 2017 post by WANE 15  on Facebook:

VIDEO: 25 years ago this was the scene as minor league baseball was about to debut in Fort Wayne. The 25th anniversary season of the Wizards/TinCaps franchise in the Summit City begins Thursday!

April 19, 2023 post by Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook:

30 years ago today, professional baseball returned to Fort Wayne!

Join us as we throw it back to Amazing Baseball on 90's Night.

https://bit.ly/3Acuy9k

A Wizards shirt is available at The Orchard Team Store and more gear is on the way, including hats!

OTD in 1993: Fort Wayne Wizards bring professional baseball back to Summit City by Clayton McMahan, April 19, 2023 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.

April 18, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Sports History on Facebook:

April 19

In 1993, the Fort Wayne Wizards open play in the Midwest League at home.

When the Kenosha Twins moved to Fort Wayne, everyone had high hopes, but no one really knew what to expect. The players didn't know anything about Fort Wayne and vice versa.

It also didn't help when the Memorial Stadium dedication was snowed out two days before the home-opener, and there was rain in the forecast for that night.

Except for the breezy chill in the air, opening night was perfect as the Wizards beat the Peoria Chiefs 7-2 in front of 6,316 fans. Shortstop Ramon Valette smacked three hits, including a two-run home run, and four runs batted in and pitchers Scott Moten and Kevin LeGault combined to shut down the Chiefs. Valette was off to a hot spring already after he turned a triple play in Fort Wayne's first game on April 10.

The Wizards lost the momentum to their hot start and finished 68-67 in their first season, they sold almost 2,000 season tickets and attracted 318,506 fans to Memorial Stadium.

Also, in 1998, Jason Fabini is drafted by the New York Jets.

When Jason Fabini was a senior at Bishop Dwenger two years ago, he was a 6-7, 235-pound guard. He had the height but not the weight and strength to attract Big Ten teams.

By the time he was a junior at Cincinnati, Fabini had added 50 pounds of muscle and had made himself into a prospect. As a senior, Fabini was a dominating player who helped the Bearcats go 8-4, including a 35-19 victory over Utah State in the Humanitarian Bowl. He started 44 consecutive games and became an all-USA Conference selection.

Fabini was selected in the fourth round with the 111th overall pick by the Jets.

See Blake Sebring.

Foster, Samuel and Colonel David N.

January 17, 2023 post by The History Center with several photos of their 2023 Sculpture display on Facebook.
Study for Foster Statue (left), Clay model for Foster Statue (middle), and Statue of Col. David Foster in Swinney Park (right)

Their families donated land that became Foster Park at 3900 Old Mill Road. David is recognized as "Father of the Fort Wayne Parks System" from dasfort Instragram photo.The park is now 255 acres with four miles of riverbank along the St. Marys River. It is part of the master Fort Wayne Park and Boulevard System developed in 1912 by landscape architect George Kessler. Paraphrased from the History and a September 14, 2015 post by Friends of the Parks of Allen County on Facebook.

  1. Col David Nathaniel Foster on Find A Grave.
  2. The bronze sculpture of David N. Foster at Swinney Park was dedicated 100 years ago this week. It stands at the West Washington Boulevard entrance to Swinney Park. The statue, designed by Chicago sculptor Frederick Hibbard, was unveiled to a crowd of several thousand people on May 14, 1922. A story in The Journal Gazette the next day noted it was a beautiful day to pay tribute to the Civil War veteran who played a prominent role in Fort Wayne's parks system. Foster was at the ceremony, surrounded by family and friends. His granddaughter, Maxine, pulled the cord to lower draped flags and unveil the monument. Speaker Capt. W.A. Kelsey, a representative of Civil War veterans, said the statue " will be an imperishable marker, pointing to our children, their children and all who come after us your great civic and philanthropic work to make our city a better place in which to live." Foster made brief remarks that included, "We of the park board have not been building simply for today or for this generation, but for all the centuries to come. From the depths of a proud and grateful heart I want to thank every man, woman and child in the city of Fort Wayne whose contribution is represented in this testimonial which has just been unveiled." Excerpts from the May 15, 1922, Journal Gazette story are below. Foster was born in 1841 and died in Fort Wayne in 1934 at age 93. He is buried in Lindenwood Cemetery. There is also a memorial stone to Foster and brother Samuel M. Foster at Foster Park. The family donated the initial 100 acres of land for that park. Copied from May 14, 1922: Dedication of David N. Foster statue at Swinney Park by Corey McMaken in The Journal Gazette newspaper posted May 12, 2022 on Facebook.
  3. December 1, 2022 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook has information on Samuel Foster and Foster park in the book Crossroads of History: Strolling through Fort Wayne's Parks by Joshua Schipper.

January 8, 2023 post byHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Samuel Foster is a historical resident of Fort Wayne. The brother of David Foster, Samuel came to Fort Wayne in 1879 and became known for his interest in building our parks system, founding the Lincoln Bank (German-American Bank at the time), the Lincoln Tower, and much more. But perhaps his least well-known but most interesting influence on American life at the time was the development of the shirtwaist. What's a shirtwaist? Read on for an exciting story of how Foster and Fort Wayne became ground zero for the development of the shirtwaist.

In the 1880s, Foster was involved in the dry goods business, but business could have gone better. However, in 1882 on a cold day, Foster got the bright idea to start manufacturing these trendy shirts for boys at the time. They were essentially button-down shirts, sometimes with sleeves, sometimes not, that allowed more freedom of movement than a suit shirt. Foster even stated that these were "the start of whatever material success I have met with since."

Once he started manufacturing them, he got orders from across the country. One example was Frank Cooper, the founder of the Siegel-Cooper stores (their New York location was the largest store in the world in the late 1800s). Initially, the shirts were for boys, but he noticed he was getting orders for larger sizes. This was odd to him as he had fairly good knowledge of what inventory he needed in what sizes. He did some investigating and found out these larger sizes were being purchased by women who were making slight modifications to them. Upon seeing this, he decided to create shirtwaists for women.

Now, what is a shirtwaist? It is a button-down blouse tucked into a skirt's waistband. The first shirtwaist for women was much different than what eventually became shirtwaists, with elaborate details such as stitching on the collars, wrist cuffs, and availability in multiple colors. The shirtwaist was more than a trend; the blouse symbolized female independence. With their own jobs and wages, women were no longer dependent on men and sought new privileges at home and work.

While Foster did not claim to invent these, he did believe he created the first factory dedicated to manufacturing these. At the turn of the 20th century, production of the shirtwaist was widespread, with a majority being made in Philadelphia and New York. Over time, the term shirtwaist was replaced with blouse, and while Foster continued to manufacture them, the competition was significant. Foster, who lived on Fairfield near Creighton, while known for many things, might have been one of the individuals responsible for the modern-day blouse.

Pictures 1-2: Shirtwaists, Picture 3: Samuel Foster, Picture 4: Foster's Shirtwaist Factory.

Randy Harter comment shows the Samuel M. Foster Co. building on East Columbia Street in the Harter Postcard Collection in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.

The Four Freshman

September 20, 2023 post by The Four Freshmen on Facebook:

75 years since The Four Freshmen’s first gig. September 20, 1948 the group played the 113 Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and today, 75 years later, we are flying there to celebrate with friends, family, and past members of the group.

Please enjoy this video of one of our favorite songs, Poinciana, performed by the first group, and the current group a few days ago. Watch the whole thing to see a glimpse into the past 75 years.

Group 1 Lead: Bob Flanigan (1948-1992) 2nd: Don Barbour (1948-1960) 3rd: Ross Barbour (1948-1977) 4th: Hal Kratzsch (1948-1953) Group 27 Lead: Ryan Howe (2020-present) 2nd: Tommy Boynton (2015-present) 3rd: Jake Baldwin (2020-present) 4th: Bob Ferreira (1992-present)

Past members: Ken Errair (1953-1956) Ken Albers (1956-1982) Bill Comstock (1960-1973) Ray Brown (1973-1977) Autie Goodman (1977-1992) Dennis Grillo (1977-1982) Mike Beisner (1982-1994) Rod Henley (1982-1987) Dave Jennings (1986-1987) Newton Graber (1987) Kirk Marcy (1987-1988) Garry Lee Rosenberg (1988-1991) Greg Stegeman (1989-2001) Kevin Stout (1992-1999) Alan MacIntosh (1994-1996) Brian Eichenberger (1996-2014) Vince Johnson (1999-2013) Curtis Calderon (2001-2016) Stein Malvey (2013-2020) Jon Gaines (2017-2020)

  1. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys Learned Harmony From the Four Freshmen Brian Wilson is known for creating Beach Boys harmonies. Here's what this artist said about who taught him how to arrange harmonies and sing in falsetto. ShowBiz Cheatsheet.
  2. The Four Horsemen in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
  3. Retro Indy: The Four Freshmen began at Butler University Dawn Mitchell February 10, 2017 IndyStar.com
  4. The Four Horsemen (band) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Fox, George

February 20, 2021 post byHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebook:

Can you guess where this home is located? It is possible that many of you have not seen this beautiful home before. This home, the George Fox home, is located at the corner of Fox and Walnut. The house was built between 1850 and 1875. George was born in Germany, his wife Mary, from Switzerland, and they came to Fort Wayne in 1848. George and Mary had three sons, Louis, Joseph, and August. George eventually passed away in 1892. It appears Louis owned the home at one time. In 1883, George’s sons, August and Louis, got involved in the confectionery business. The establishment was called the Fox Bakery and Confectionary at the corner of Calhoun and Jefferson. Eventually, they sold the company to the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco). This amazing home still stands today and was the beginning of so much history.

Poplar Neighborhood Association

Foy, Joseph Frank

July 16, 1925 - July 18, 2023 lengthy Joseph Frank Foy at Dignity Memorial online obituary.

August 3, 2023 post by Northside Neighborhood Association on Facebook:

Joe Foy was a founding member of the Northside Neighborhood Association and a dedicated neighbor, friend and board member for decades. Our sympathies and gratitude are deep and sincere.

Franke, John Bohn

1866-1927, he died in an auto accident. - started Perfection Biscuit Company in 1901. In 1921 he gave 80 acres for Franke Park. See his John B. Franke house. His grandson John Popp renamed the bakery Aunt Millie’s Bakeries in 2005. Was a Legendary Locals of Fort Wayne, by Randolph L. Harter, Craig S. Leonard discussion August 18, 2015 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group.

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Freeland, Richard Dick

March 16, 1937 - October 20, 2013, born in Nevada, Missouri. Parents Rev. Fred and Helen Freeland, brother John, died at age 10, half-brother Fred, Jr, and half-sister Eleanor Mathis of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. In 1957 he married Deanna Walters and they had three children Kim (Alan) Cook, Terri Derheimer (died in 2009) and Todd (Angie) Freeland. Grandchildren Tyler Freeland, Dillon Freeland, Deanna Derheimer, Lindsay (Darin) Falk, Tiffany (Mike) Rego and Austin Freeland; and one great-grandchild, Connor Falk. He was chairman of the board of Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne Inc. In 1972 opened his first Pizza Hut restaurant in Fort Wayne, expanded to 46 Pizza Huts in Indiana, two Pizza Huts in northwest Ohio and four KFC restaurants in northern Indiana. He was heavily involved in local, state and national politics. Governor Mike Pence awarded his first Sagamore of the Wabash to Dick Freeland in February 2013. Read more Gov. Pence names Freeland Sagamore of the Wabash The News-Sentinel newspaperSee also Dick Freeland Dies At Age 76 by Emma Koch - 21Alive on Indiana NewsCenter. Restaurateur Dick Freeland dies on Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly. Included in KFCFW History. Pizza Hut magnate Freeland dies at 76 Owner of 49 stores active in civic life by Jeff Wiehe October 22, 2013 on The Journal Gazette newspaper. Here is an aerial photo of Freeland Farms and photos on the charlan brock & associates architects & planners page. Dick Freeland Business leader draws award Pence issues 1st Sagamore honor to city executive Fort Wayne businessman Dick Freeland rated Gov. Mike Pence’s first Sagamore of the Wabash award. Freeland is chairman of the board of Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne Inc. He opened his first Pizza Hut restaurant in Fort Wayne in 1972 and now he owns 48 Pizza Hut restaurants and four KFC restaurants in northern Indiana and northwest Ohio. by Niki Kelly of The Journal Gazette newspaperFebruary 8, 2013. See Legendary Locals of Fort Wayne, by Randolph L. Harter, Craig S. Leonard discussion August 7, 2015 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group.

Freeland Farms | Marilyn Hoffman posted Feb 17, 2016 by Pro360 Virtual Tours and Photography on YouTube
A rare opportunity to own a work of art, this is one of the great mansions of the world, with over 38,000 GBA sq. ft. of museum quality construction, secluded on 50 acres in a prime Midwest location. In addition to the mansion, there is a guest apartment, a separate 5,567 sq. ft. stone home with 3,329 sq.ft. of finished basement, a 6,720 sq. ft. stable and many acres of emerald green lawns, studded with huge towering trees, a 7 acre private lake, incredible landscaping and gardens.

SHAEL DREAM DESERT from Horsefly Films Rare Equine Trust on Vimeo.

Freemasons

History of Wayne Lodge, No. 25, F. & A.M., Fort Wayne, Indiana : together with by-laws and roster of memberships to September 1, 1911, Publication date 1911, on Archive.org

Square and compass of Northeastern Indiana has various issues on Archive.org

Indiana Historical Society: History Happy Hour - Freemasonry in Indiana posted Aug 1, 2022 by the Indiana Historical Society on YouTube
Join host John Kennedy and guests/historians Michael Brumback and Chris Hodapp as they discuss the oldest fraternal organization in the world, the Freemasons.

March 25, 2023 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

The Fort Wayne chapter of the fraternal organization, Grand Lodge of Indiana, will be hosting a ceremony Saturday to celebrate its bicentennial.

 

The Masonic Temple is on the National Register of Historic Places from Freemason lodge celebrates its bicentennial Saturday by Joe McQueen, March 23, 2023 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French Families

See our French Families of Allen County, Indiana page.

Friedman, Elizebeth Smith


Poet, Codebreaker, Nazi Hunter: The Puzzle-Solving Adventures of Elizebeth Smith Friedman published Dec 3, 2018 by the George C. Marshall Foundation on YouTube. See their ELIZEBETH SMITH FRIEDMAN COLLECTION.

  1. Her early years took place in northeast Indiana. She was born into a Quaker family and grew up on a farm between Huntington and Roanoke. She was the youngest child of nine. Her niece who lived in New Haven was interviewed in Codebreaker from area subject of documentary by Rosa Salter Rodriguez published January 10, 2021 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
  2. The PBS documentary The Codebreaker was broadcast as an American Experience January 11, 2021.
  3. January 10, 2021 by American Experience | PBS on Facebook:

    Elizebeth Friedman's invaluable work in two world wars was hidden for more than 60 years. Its discovery raises the question: what other heroes have been overlooked?

  4. She is the subject of a book The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies by Jason Fagone, a San Francisco Chronicle journalist and writer of long-form nonfiction. Book review in Forbes magazine: Elizebeth Smith Friedman: The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Rebecca Heilweil` published January 6, 2018.
  5. August 26, 2023 post by American Experience | PBS on Facebook:

    Elizebeth Smith Friedman, born August 26, 1892, was a groundbreaking cryptanalyst whose work decoding thousands of messages for the U.S. government would send infamous gangsters to prison in the 1930s and bring down a massive, near-invisible Nazi spy ring in WWII.

    Learn how she faced off with rum runners and drug smugglers—and won—in this comic. https://to.pbs.org/3qEchke

    Written by Chad Bowers, Illustrations by Deb J.J. Lee

  6. August 26, 2023 post by Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

    #OTD in 1892, cryptanalyst Elizebeth Smith Friedman was born in Huntington, Indiana. Friedman broke enemy codes for the War Department and taught U.S. Army personnel how to do the same during World War I with her husband William, future founder of the National Security Agency. The two authored groundbreaking cryptanalytical training material for the federal government and became pioneers in the field of modern cryptology. During the Prohibition Era, Elizebeth Smith Friedman worked to crack the codes of rum runners and narcotics smugglers, dismantling national and international crime rings in the process. During WWII, she helped decipher Nazi codes and toppled their spy networks in South America. She died in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1980.

    Learn more about Friedman with our state historical marker: Elizebeth Smith Friedman, 1892-1980

    Image below courtesy of the Indiana Historical Bureau.

Fremion, Joel

Artist, Legendary Locals of Fort Wayne, by Randolph L. Harter, Craig S. Leonard discussion August 9, 2015 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group.

Freshour, Joseph Terre

Born 1838, he never married but had a very interesting and productive life." Read the entire article Wagons to Soquel, Sidney Glenn Freshour from Santa Cruz County History - People Old Soldiers: Santa Cruz County Civil War Veterans by Robert L. Nelson.

Friars

See 1910s photo posted May 19, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

Friend, Kathy

September 2, 2023 post by Fort Wayne Community Schools on Facebook:

Our #SaturdaySuperstar this week is Kathy Friend our Chief Financial Officer. She was honored Monday at our board meeting with a Sagamore of the Wabash award which is the highest honor given by the Governor of Indiana. Kathy has been helping our district become more fiscally responsible since 2000. She is also FWCS' liaison with local legislators at the state house and it has been said that she knows the state education funding formula better than anyone. Thank you Kathy Friend for all your hard work. #Grateful

Fry, Michael L.

October 25, 1950 to November 4, 2012 see his Life Legacy. Locally famous as Happy the Hobo a television show. Mike Fry Children's TV icon, Happy the Hobo, passes away Mike Fry was original 'Happy' for eight years, from 1982 to 1990 on local WFFT television channel 55, died November 4, 2012. He had YouTube channel with highlights of his TV show and more. Happy's Place has 4 YouTube videos of the TV show. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia has Michael L. Fryand Happy's Place pages. WFFT has a short video of friends and colleagues Remembering Happy 'The Hobo' on November 6, 2012. Happy the Hobo actor dies at 51 Mike Fry a mainstay of local TV in the ’80s November 7, 2012 by Jeff Wiehe of The Journal Gazette newspaper. Discussed July 27, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook

Fry, Nettie

1878 Born at Maples, Indiana Attended Hanna School 1901 Nov 4 Married David Charles McKeeman, M.D. 1903 Charles Robert born 1908 David John born 1915 Harriet Elizabeth born 1918 Husband David caught influenza from a patient and died 1920 Living with Robert and Nancy Mercer, David's parents 1924 General supervisor of kitchen at South Side High School Simpson Methodist Church 1925 - 1943 Kitchen director at Girl Scout Camp at DeWart Lake 1951 Heart attack while working at South Side High School cafeteria 1951 May 16 Died Fort Wayne, Indiana; burial Lindenwood Cemetery.

OBITUARY MRS. NETTIE MERCER RITES SATURDAY FOR SCHOOL'S CAFETERIA CHIEF Services will be conducted Saturday for Mrs. Nettie Mercer, 73, 305 French Ave. who died at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Joseph's Hospital of a ruptured blood vessel. She had a heart attack at the South Side High School cafeteria, where she was kitchen supervisor. Rites will be at 1:30 p.m. at the Klaehn Funeral Home, the Rev. Donald E. Bailey officiating. Burial will be in Lindenwood Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 6 p.m. today. She was born in Maples, and attended Hanna school here. She was the widow of Dr. David J. Mercer, who practiced at Poe, until his death in 1918. She came to South Side High School in 1924 as general supervisor of the kitchen. It is estimated that she, over a period of years, directed 9,000 daily lunch periods there. She also had charge of the preparation of lunches for many school organizations. >From 1925 to 1943 she was kitchen director for the Girl Scout Summer Camp at DeWart Lake. In August, 1944, The Girl Scouts presented her with a "Thanks" Medal for outstanding service to the group. For a number of years she was cook for the "Y" weekend camping parties at Winona Lake. She was a member of the Simpson Methodist Church, the OES, and the Miriam White Shrine. Surviving are two sons, Robert, Fort Wayne; David, Pendleton; and a daughter, Mrs. Harriet Adkins, Fremont, O., and 13 grandchildren.

Submitted before 2009 by Jane Hunter Hodgson, Tucson, Arizona: janehunterhodgson@comcast.net
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/o/d/Jane-Hodgson/index.html, see also the Hunter Hodgson Webpage 2004 archive

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