#OTD in 1944, Allen County attorney and politician Samuel D. Jackson took his seat in the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Indiana Senator Frederick Van Nuys. Born in 1895, Jackson attended Fort Wayne schools where his peers called him “Serious Sam” for his studious nature. Jackson graduated from law school at Indiana University in 1917. While he was admitted to the bar that year, he delayed practicing for two years in order to serve in the Army during WWI. He began a law practice in Fort Wayne in 1919 and served as Prosecuting Attorney for Allen County during the 1920s. In the 1930s, he served as Chairman of the Indiana Democratic State Speakers Bureau. In 1940, Governor M. Clifford Townsend appointed Jackson Attorney General of Indiana. In 1944, he served as Chairman of the Democratic National Convention at Chicago. That year, he also ran for governor, narrowly losing to Ralph F. Gates as Republicans swept the 1944 elections. When Jackson died in 1951, Governor Henry Schricker told the Indianapolis Times, “Mr. Jackson was one of my very best friends and one of the most conscientious public servants I have ever known.” Read the full obituary courtesy of Hoosier State Chronicles: https://bit.ly/3C3vmi7.
Image courtesy of the Jewish Post, Hoosier State Chronicles.
S. D. Jackson, Former U. S. Senator, Is Dead [includes a photo]
Colorful Hoosier Office Holder Samuel D. Jackson, former U. 8. Senator from Indiana and one of the state's most colorful office holders, died today in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Ft. Wayne. The 55-year-old Allen County native had been in critical condition in the hosptial for several days.
He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was rushed to the hospital Tuesday night. He died at 9:30 a. m.
Indiana’s attorney-general ‘in the first administration of Gov. Schricker, Mr. Jackson was Democratic nominee for Governor in 1944 but lost to Republican Ralph Gates. Copied from page 1, continuted on page 2 of the Indianapolis Times,Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 March 1951 on
Hoosier State Chronicles Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program.
George W. Jasper was born in Fort Wayne about 1859 to Rudolph Jasper and Elizabeth Antrup. George was the youngest of the family, with 6 older siblings. His parents hailed from Germany and his father supported the family working as a carpenter.
He married Anna Stammer in Toledo, Ohio in 1896 and the couple returned to Fort Wayne. They had four children during their marriage: Alba, Irene, Ralph, and Paul.
George worked as hoseman, driver, and Captain in the No. 3 engine house from 1895-1909. He is pictured here in his dress uniform in 1898. While responding to a fire on Calhoun St. in 1896, he fell through the “half-burned floor of one of the buildings” and sustained injury. Jasper was made 1st Assistant Chief in 1909 and served in this role until his death.
He died at home on March 20, 1917 of a heart attack. The Ft. Wayne Sentinel published respects to the firefighter: “In the death of Assistant Fire Chief, George W. Jasper, the city and its citizens have lost a valuable, honest, and faithful official. It was in large part due to his indefatigable labor and persistence that the fire department has been made one of the most modern, complete, and up-to-date departments in the state of Indiana”. Mr. Jasper is buried at Lindenwood Cemetery in Ft. Wayne.
(1917, March 23) “Gave His Best”. Fort Wayne Sentinel, p. 9.
(1896, September 11) “Two Fireman Injured”. Fort Wayne Sentinel, p. 1.`
Copied from a January 6, 2023 post with photo by Genealogy Center on Facebook titled: It’s #FirefighterFriday! Each Friday in January, we will be featuring photos and historical bios from our firefighter collection (Collection courtesy of Donald A. Weber).
Came to Fort Wayne in 1833 before the canals or railroad. Obituary in the The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette January 30, 1916 was posted onthe original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.
A. L. Johns & Co. on page 35 of Fort Wayne illustrated Publication date 1897 on Archive.org. A. L. JOHNS & CO. Manufacturers of Hand- Made Harness SUMMIT CITY TEAM PADS. W. Columbia St. FORT WAYNE. FORT WAYNE can truthfully claim to have one of the neatest and most practically arranged harness and saddlery establishment, not only in Indiana, but in the entire United States. Saddlery salesmen who travel over the entire country say they know of none that will surpass it. This building was built expressly for the saddle business, is 40x110 feet, six stories and high basement, The fifth and sixth stories having windows on four sides, giving perfect light for manufacturing. It is accupied by A. L. Johns & Co. the oldest established harness house in Indiana, who have made a national reputation by the superior quality of goods manufactured by them. They make a large line of Buggy, Surrey, Driving, Express and Team Harness. In the latter they excel all competitors, they make the broad claim that their team harness is superior to any made elsewhere at wholesale at any price. Thev carry an extensive line of Saddlery Hardware, Whips, Collars, Fly Nets, Lap Dusters, Robes, Blankets, Harness Oils, and Soaps, Axle Grease, etc., etc. and handle harness leather extensively, having the sole agency for Northwestern Indiana. ( Ohio and Southern Michigan, for the celebrated "Globe Pure Oak Hand Stuffed Leather, one of the best wearing and most economical cutting brands of leather made in the United States. It costs several cents more per pound than ordinary leather but up-to-date harness makers, who are looking for future business, find it pays to buy the best leather that money will buy and prefer the Globe to all others. It is by using this leather exclusively in their best grades of harness that A. L. Johns & Co have established their reputation for making the most reliable harness. Harness dealers will find this firm strictly reliable and honorable in all business transactions, as well as wide-awake, up-to-date and hustling to draw trade to Ft. Wayne, the natural source of supply for a very large territory.
Fort Wayne, circa 1890 - Alfred Lee Johns (1850-1936), grew up in the saddlery business of his father and by the early 1880s owned A. L. Johns and Company, seen here at 51-53 East Columbia Street (this building is now gone and the site of Friemann Square). The company manufactured harnesses, as well as sold robes, blankets, nets, whips, and curry combs. In about 1895-96 the business moved into the new Bash Building at 130-132 West Columbia Street, in what is now The Landing Fort Wayne. See the comments for a picture their later building. (The Indiana Album: Kevin Kastner Collection). Copied from a November 13, 2018 post with a 1890 Kevin Kastner Collection photo by the Indiana Album on Facebook.
Johnston, Russell K.
86, of Monroeville, Indiana passed away at 6:58 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at Lutheran Hospital of Indiana. He was born on February 16, 1927 in Lima, Ohio to the late Paul R. Johnston and the late Hazel I. (Stevenson) Johnston. He married Helen J. Wagner on July 8, 1949 in Morganfield, Kentucky and she passed away on March 29, 2004. A baseball coach, he was recently inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. He is survived by daughter, Kathy “Koce” Johnston of Fort Wayne, Indiana; son, Randy P. (Patti) Johnston of Angola, Indiana; daughter, Tracy L. (Mark) Lester of Monroeville, Indiana; twelve grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Jean F. Barkley Leavitt and a half-brother, Harold Johnston. From his Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home obituary.
Johnston, Will
Just transcribed a couple of letters found in an antique store by Cianna Lee who made them available for transcription...
Just transcribed a couple of letters found in an antique store by Cianna Lee who made them available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent. They were written by Will Johnston, Jr. of Fort Wayne, Indiana (pictured below) to his friend Burritt K. Lawlin of New York City, both written during the American Civil War. The main topics pertain to recruiting and the drafts—a frequent topic among civilian males of military age. The second letter is a great reaction to the New York City Draft Riots and the political consequences anticipated as a result.
During his 15 years in Fort Wayne, Jordan was pastor of Greater Progressive Baptist Church – and much more. Was in the story Where are they now? Success follows former area newsmakers to their new locales by the editorial page staff published January 6, 2013 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Jordan, Justin
South Side High School graduate, served as a graphics production assistant in the 2015 Oprah Winfrey film, “Selma.” His wife, Charity, an aspiring actress and Atlanta native, landed the role of Viola Lee Jackson. Read more in Work on 'Selma' a blessing for city native by Paul Wyche published January 9, 2015 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
February 22, 2019 Facebook post by the Fort Wayne Police Department stated: Continuing our recognition of Black Officers during Black History Month we honor the first female black Captain of the Fort Wayne Police Department;Captain Deborah Joyner. Captain Joyner was commissioned on September 25, 1981. During her career she served as an Officer in the Southeast Division and as a detective in the Vice/Narcotics Division and Juvenile Affairs Division of the Detective Bureau. She was promoted to Sergeant in June 1999 and served in the Southeast Division She was promoted to Captain in January 2014 and served in the Community Relations Division until her retirement in September 2018.
June 7, 2019 as Public Information Officer and face of the Fort Wayne Police Department, he officially retired with over 20 years of service to the community. Several photos were posted June 7, 2019 by the Fort Wayne Police Department on Facebook.
