Charles Arthur Blake

The Life of Charles Arthur Blake

Son-in-Law of Jacob William Beyl Sr. | Husband, Father, Custodian | 1879–1957

Charles Arthur Blake may not have been a Beyl by blood, but his life intersected with theirs in deep and meaningful ways. Through love, loss, and decades of quiet dedication, he left behind a legacy worth remembering.

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🌱 Early Life

Born on July 24, 1879, Charles came into the world in West Newton, Indiana. According to the 1900 Census, he was 20 years old, living with his parents Zack and Adda Blake and his five sisters in a rented house at 117 South Liberty, Indianapolis. His father, a saloon worker, and his mother, a homemaker, raised a bustling household grounded in hard work.

Charles worked as a driver during these early years—likely a physically demanding job but one that kept him moving forward, even as the world changed around him.

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💍 Marriage to Mary Elizabeth Beyl

On July 24, 1901—his 22nd birthday—Charles married Mary Elizabeth Beyl, daughter of Jacob William Beyl Sr. and Margarett E. Kern. Their union would be one of both joy and tragedy.

Together, Charles and Mary faced the heartbreak of losing a stillborn daughter in 1905. The cause of death was listed as congenital syphilis, with asphyxia as the immediate cause—a sobering reminder of the fragility of life in the early 20th century.

Yet out of loss came hope. In January 1908, they welcomed a daughter, Mary Belle Blake, into the world. She was Mary’s fourth child but only the second living. The family lived at 634 E. Georgia Street in Indianapolis, and Charles worked as a solicitor and driver, doing what he could to provide.

By 1910, they’d made their home at 910 Bates Street. Charles, now a wagon driver for an oil company, lived with Mary and their children, Helen and Mary Belle. Their life may have been modest, but it was stitched together with resilience.

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🖤 Loss and New Beginnings

On July 31, 1916, tragedy struck again. Mary died at just 36 years old after battling chronic kidney inflammation and uremia. The pain of her passing was etched into the death certificate and echoed through the lives of those she left behind.

But life, as always, pressed forward.

Two years later, Charles remarried. On September 5, 1918, he wed Clara S. Parker in Marion County, Indiana. That same month, Charles registered for the World War I Draft, listing his occupation as a truck driver for the Sanitary Milk Company. He described himself as tall and medium-built, with blue eyes and light brown hair—and an old injury: a ruptured, crooked arm.

Charles Arthur Blake registered for the World War I Draft on 12 September 1918 per U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. At the time, he lived at 327 Fulton Street, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. He was 39 years old. His birthdate was listed as 24 July 1879. He was a truck driver with Sanitary Milk Company at 1214 Southeastern Avenue in Indianapolis. His wife was Clara S Blake. He described himself as Tall with a Medium build, blue eyes, and light brown hair. He reported a ruptured and crooked arm.

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🏡 Family Life in Indianapolis

Through the 1920s and 1930s, Charles and Clara built a quiet life together. They lived at 252 Rural Street with Charles’ daughter Mary Belle, and Charles continued his work in the milk delivery business.

In 1930, the couple had moved to 703 N. Sherman Drive, along with Clara’s mother, Mary Kenton.

Charles worked as a grocer, and Clara as a garment factory inspector. The census even lists a boarder in their home—John Sanders—reminding us that times were tough, and households often opened their doors to help others get by.

In 1930, per the United States Federal Census, Charles and Clara lived at 702 Sherman Drive, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. Charles was 50 years old, and Clara was 43 years old. They owned their house, which was worth $6,000. Charles’ mother-in-law, Mary Kenton, also lived with them. She was 64 years old at the time and widowed. Her parents were born in Germany. They also had a roommate named John W. Sanders, who was 27 years old. Charles was a grocer at the grocery store. Mary was an Inspector at a Garment Factory. John was a Cr—manager with Shoe Polish Manufacturing.

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🧹 Later Years & Legacy

By the 1940s, Charles was working as a custodian at an apartment complex. He and Clara had relocated to 102 North West 21st Street. Clara worked part-time as a sewing machine instructor. The two of them, now in their 60s, were still grinding it out—living simply and working hard.

Charles registered for the WWII Draft in 1942 at the age of 72. He was employed at Butler University and still resided on 21st Street. He’d lived through two world wars, a pandemic, and the Great Depression. And yet, every record shows a man who kept moving, kept working, kept showing up.

By 1956, he and Clara had relocated again—this time to 2007 Ruckle Street, a nursing home in Indianapolis.

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✨ Final Chapter

Charles passed away on February 10, 1957, at the age of 77. His death certificate lists the cause as a cerebral embolism, compounded by 20 years of arteriosclerosis and a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

His obituary paints a picture of a man deeply woven into his community—faithful to his church, a regular at the Masonic Lodge, and a steady presence in Indianapolis for more than 75 years. He was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis on February 13, 1957.

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🪦 Final Rest

Charles now rests in section 234, lot 593 of Crown Hill Cemetery. His grave marker and memorial are preserved online at Find A Grave (#45881909).

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🕯️ Want to share a memory of Charles?

He may not have been born a Beyl, but his quiet devotion left a lasting mark. Visit his Intro Page to learn more about his life and legacy—or to share your own stories in the comments.

Until next time,

Kris

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🕯️ Revisited by Bones: Charles Arthur Blake

Custodian of the Quiet Years | Faithful Husband | Resilient Soul

Charles Arthur Blake wasn’t born into this branch of the family tree by blood—but by bond. Through marriage, loss, and life’s inevitable winding roads, he became a thread in the larger tapestry of the Beyl legacy. And what a thread he was.

Born on July 24, 1879, in West Newton, Indiana, Charles arrived in a world still reeling from Reconstruction and growing into the machine age. One of eight children in a bustling Indianapolis home, his roots stretched into saloon dust and driver’s seats, factory work, grief, and second chances.

At just 22, he married Mary Elizabeth Beyl, the daughter of Jacob William Beyl Sr. Their life together would be marked by both sorrow and strength—burying more children than they raised, clinging fiercely to the ones who remained. When Mary died young, Charles kept her memory quietly stitched into the fabric of his life, even as he remarried and started anew.

Charles wasn’t a man of fanfare. He was a truck driver, a custodian, a grocer. A husband. A father. A man who moved house but kept close to his Indianapolis streets, who worked hard with hands likely more calloused than cared for, who never made headlines but kept his corner of the world clean and running.

He registered for two world wars, survived the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, and a world that changed so often it must have made his head spin. Through it all, he stayed steady. And when he passed in 1957—after battling arteriosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and the slow quiet of aging—he was laid to rest at Crown Hill Cemetery.

He was 77. And in all that time, he carried the weight of love, labor, and legacy without asking for much in return.

So here’s to Charles Arthur Blake—
For the stillborn daughter we remember.
For the quiet dedication of a custodian’s broom.
For the second wife who held his hand in his final days.
For the worn boots, the soft prayers, the silent grief.

Not a Beyl by blood—but without a doubt, family by heart.