August 16, 2025

Introducing Flora Louise Black

Share Your Memories of Flora Louise Black

1911 – 1996
A woman who never waited for the green light. 🚦

Meet Flora

Born in Indianapolis in 1911, Flora Louise Black grew up in a bustling household before marrying young, raising three children, and later striking out on her own. Over the years she reinvented herself time and again—through new marriages, new homes, and new names (her luggage tags proudly read “Flo” no matter what the paperwork said).

She worked as a secretary, traveled fearlessly on her own, and filled journals with her thoughts and experiences. Family lore says she may have been married five to seven times, though the exact count remains one of her best-kept secrets.

What isn’t a secret? Flo lived life boldly, faithfully, and on her own terms.

Family Memories

Her driving skills are the stuff of legend:

Sitting at a red light, Flo would confidently declare, “My turn!” before pulling into traffic.
She once stopped right in the middle of an intersection to check her map. (Seatbelts not included!)
She delighted her grandchildren with trips to Woolworth cafeterias and the mall for cheesecake.
She inspired her family with her independence—traveling alone, keeping her faith, and journaling every year of her life.

As her granddaughter Karen remembered:
“She was a strong and outspoken Christian lady. I admired her greatly. She was one of the first women I knew who traveled alone and lived independently. I looked up to her courage.”

Add Your Story

This page is for the people who knew and loved Flo best. Did she ever take you on one of her “adventurous” car rides? Do you remember her journals, her faith, or her fearless spirit?

Please share your memories in the comments below. Every story adds another piece to the lively mosaic that was Flora Louise Black’s life.

📜 Want the full story?
Head over to Flora Louise Black’s Family Page to see her complete timeline—from birth records to censuses, city directories, and more. It’s the detailed backbone behind all the memories shared here.

August 15, 2025

Introducing Lois Catherine Buchanan

Welcome to the Memory Page for Lois Catherine Buchanan

August 14, 1914 – February 15, 2007

Lois’s story is one of quiet strength, deep roots, and the kind of steadiness that anchored her family through nearly a century of change. Born in Ridgeway, Illinois, the daughter of Reverend Maurice Buchanan and Pearl Wilton, Lois grew up in the warm but watchful world of a Methodist parsonage. From her early years in small Indiana towns to her long life in Indianapolis, she remained devoted to family, faith, and the art of creating a welcoming home.

Over her 92 years, Lois witnessed two World Wars, the rise of the automobile and the computer, and the transformation of her city—but her heart stayed firmly grounded in the things that mattered most: the people she loved and the communities she served.

A Few Things to Remember About Lois

The Preacher’s Daughter: She spent her childhood in parsonages, learning grace and hospitality from an early age.
A Long First Marriage: Married to Robert Daniel Boone for more than four decades, raising two children, Michael and Marilyn.
A Second Chapter: At 63, she married James Steven Kiraly, finding companionship and stability in her later years.
An Indianapolis Fixture: From the 1930s onward, she made the city her home—through bustling downtown years, suburban life, and a quiet retirement.

Share Your Memories

Do you remember visiting Lois’s home on East 62nd Street?
Did you know her from church, the neighborhood, or family gatherings?
Do you have a treasured recipe, holiday tradition, or photograph tied to her?

Your stories help keep her spirit alive for future generations. Please share them below so they can become part of her legacy.

📜 Back to the Buchanan Family Page to explore more relatives and history.

Curious about Lois’s place in the family tree?
Return to her Family Page to see how her story connects with generations past and present.

August 11, 2025

Introducing Philip Carlin Buchanan

Philip Carlin Buchanan

Born: January 4, 1913 – Shawneetown, Illinois
Died: January 5, 1967 – Anderson, Indiana
Laid to Rest: Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana

Every life leaves a trail — a string of addresses, occupations, and dates neatly preserved in public records. For Philip Carlin Buchanan, those official lines tell of a preacher’s son who became a husband, father, and typewriter salesman.

Born in the river town of Shawneetown, Illinois, Carlin grew up in a household where faith and family intertwined, his father serving as a Methodist pastor. Life took him from small-town Indiana streets to the busy neighborhoods of Indianapolis, where he built a family with Theresa Louise Owens and raised three daughters.

Yet, beyond the directories and census returns, there are the untold stories — the everyday moments, the quirks, the laughter, and the challenges. Family whispers suggest a more colorful side to Carlin’s life, but without hard evidence, those tales remain in the realm of rumor and imagination.

Want to see the full timeline of Carlin’s life?
Visit Philip Carlin Buchanan’s Family Page for a milestone-by-milestone account, complete with records, photos, and historical context.

Share Your Memories

Do you remember Carlin — his voice, his humor, his habits?
Did he ever tell you a story, teach you a skill, or leave you with an unforgettable moment?

Your memories could help paint the fuller picture of his life for future generations. Please share your stories, photographs, or recollections in the comments below. Together, we can bring Carlin’s story to life beyond the black-and-white of official records.

August 10, 2025

Introducing George Thomas Applegate

Introduction Page – George Thomas Applegate

Every family has those steady, familiar presences — the kind of people who anchor a family’s story without demanding the spotlight. For our family, George Thomas Applegate was one of them.

Born in Crothersville, Indiana, in 1899, George grew up in a time when the pace of life was measured in work shifts, neighborhood news, and the changing seasons. His life carried him through early factory work, decades at Allison, and the shifting rhythms of a city that was always growing around him.

George was no stranger to life’s twists — from stepfathers to wartime draft registrations, from divorce to late-in-life marriages — yet he met each chapter with a kind of quiet perseverance. He remained rooted in Indianapolis, building a life that blended hard work, community, and family ties.

If you knew George — whether you worked alongside him, saw him at church, or shared a seat at his kitchen table — we’d love for you to add your stories here. It’s these personal memories that bring his history to life far better than census records and draft cards ever could.

📝 Share Your Memories
Use the comment box below to tell us about George — his laugh, his habits, the advice he gave, the things that made him uniquely himself. Your stories will help keep his memory alive for future generations.

Want the full story?
Visit George Thomas Applegate’s Family Page to explore his complete life timeline, from his Crothersville childhood to his final years in Indianapolis.

August 9, 2025

Introducing Elsie Mae Applegate

Elsie Mae Applegate Tudor

27 January 1893 – 24 June 1985

From Crothersville’s quiet streets to the busy neighborhoods of Indianapolis, Elsie Mae Applegate Tudor lived a life rooted in devotion — to her family, her community, and the organizations she poured her time into. The daughter of George W. Applegate and Serilda White, Elsie grew up in a blended household, learned early the value of hard work, and carried that ethic into her marriages, her career, and her civic life.

Married first to Wilford Mann in 1912, Elsie found her lifelong partner in Orval Ray Tudor, a World War I veteran. Together, they built a steady life in Indianapolis, sharing more than 60 years of companionship. Elsie worked for L.S. Ayres & Co. for 24 years, served as deputy assessor for Washington Township for over a decade, and held leadership roles in the Order of the Eastern Star, Ladies Oriental Shrine, and the American Legion Auxiliary.

She was a woman who could manage a household with grace, work the sales floor with charm, and preside over community meetings with authority. Elsie’s life spanned 92 years — years in which she witnessed remarkable change but never lost her steadfast sense of purpose.

Explore Elsie’s full story
Visit Elsie Mae Applegate Tudor’s Family Page for a detailed look at her life, historical records, and the milestones that shaped her 92 remarkable years.

Share Your Memories

If you knew Elsie — as a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or fellow member of the many organizations she served — we’d love to hear from you. Share your memories, stories, or photos in the comments below so her legacy can continue to live on through the people who knew her best.

August 9, 2025

Introducing John William Applegate

8 May 1891 – 14 October 1977

John William Applegate

The Man of Many Chapters | Survivor of War and Work | Keeper of Quiet Roads

Some lives are drawn in straight lines — John’s was a patchwork quilt of moves, marriages, and reinventions. Born in Crothersville, Indiana, in the spring of 1891, he grew up in a household where the door was always swinging for siblings, extended family, and visitors.

By the time the First World War arrived, John had already endured a serious hand injury but still stepped forward to serve. After his discharge, his life unfolded in restless chapters: from Indiana streets to Ohio hotels, from sales counters to bakery offices, and eventually, the Arizona desert. His five marriages marked turning points, each carrying him into a new role, a new address, a new attempt at permanence.

He was a man who kept moving — not because he lacked roots, but because he carried them with him.

Want the full story?
Head over to John William Applegate’s Family Page for a detailed, milestone-based history of his life, complete with records, photographs, and research notes.

Tell Us What You Know

The documents tell us where John lived and when he married, but they don’t tell us how he laughed, what stories he told at the dinner table, or whether he liked the desert sunsets in Arizona more than Indiana’s summer evenings.

If you knew John — or if he was part of your family’s stories — please share your memories, photographs, or anecdotes in the comments below. Every detail helps stitch together the man behind the records.

August 7, 2025

Introducing Lester Otis Oliver

🧤 Meet Lester Otis Oliver

1909–1981 | Leather Cutter • Laborer • Kentucky Son Turned Indiana Soul

Some lives are lived quietly, shaped not by grand applause but by honest work, steady hands, and the rhythm of responsibility. Lester Otis Oliver was one such man—a glove cutter by trade, a twice-married father of three, and a grandson of Kentucky who built his legacy in the factory-lined neighborhoods of Indianapolis.

Born in 1909 in Allen County, Kentucky, Lester came of age in a world shifting fast—horse carts gave way to streetcars, telegrams to rotary phones. He followed the work north in his twenties, married young, and carved out a living through grit and gloves. By the 1940s, he’d registered for the draft, raised three children with his first wife Flora, and weathered the grind of industrial life. Later, with his second wife Ruth by his side, he spent his final years between Indiana and Tennessee—ultimately resting in Indianapolis, the city where he built his adult life.

We may not know everything about Lester’s life—why he altered his middle name on a draft card, how his children remembered him, or what made him laugh on a Sunday afternoon—but perhaps you do.

🕰 Got a memory of Lester?

Whether you knew him personally or have secondhand stories passed down through family, we’d love to hear them. Drop a note in the Comments below and help us honor his legacy, one detail at a time.

📜 Want to read Lester’s full story?
We’ve traced his life through census records, city directories, and old photographs—from his Kentucky roots to his Indiana years and beyond. Visit Lester’s Family Page to explore his complete timeline and see how his journey unfolded.

August 5, 2025

Introducing Mary Belle Blake

🌸 Introduction to Mary Belle Blake

Factory Matriarch | Faithful Heart | The Quiet Backbone of a Family

She was born on a winter afternoon in 1908, in a modest home on East Georgia Street, and by all accounts, she lived a life that didn’t ask for attention—but deserved it. Mary Belle Blake, later known as Mary McNally, didn’t blaze across the sky. She glowed steadily, like the soft porch light left on for her boys, night after night.

She raised three sons in the steel-clad shadows of Kokomo’s factories, kept a marriage strong through Depression and war, and stepped into the workforce when America called on its women to rise. She inspected radios and raised boys, stitched faith into each Sunday, and held fast when the world tilted. Her fingers bore the calluses of labor and love in equal measure.

🔍 Want to explore Mary Belle’s full timeline?
From her birth on Georgia Street to her final days in Kokomo, her family page includes census records, marriage details, obituary excerpts, and more. You can find it all there—neatly documented and gently told.

👉 Visit Mary Belle Blake’s Family Page to view the full story.

We don’t know all the details—yet. There’s no photograph of her laughing in the kitchen, no diary left behind. But maybe you remember her. Or maybe someone you loved did.

This page is for that:
To remember her voice, her habits, her little phrases.
To uncover her favorite recipes, her stern warnings, or her secret indulgences.
To fill in the spaces history left blank.

If you have a memory of Mary Belle, or even just a whisper of one, I invite you to leave it in the comments below. Your voice may be the missing note in her song.

She earned remembrance. Let’s give it to her.

With gratitude,
~Kris

August 4, 2025

Introducing Helen Marie Blake

✨ Introduction Page: Helen Marie Blake

Born in the Flour-Dusted Silence
June 17, 1898 – After 1920 (exact date unknown)

She may not have left a long trail in the records, but Helen Marie Blake left just enough to tug at the heart. Born to Charles Arthur Blake and Mary Elizabeth Beyl, she grew up in Indianapolis, where the streets rattled with wagon wheels and the air smelled of coal smoke and fresh bread.

She married young—perhaps for love, perhaps for escape—and by twenty-two, she was living with her uncle and working in a bakery. Then, just like that… the paper trail ends. No death record. No obituary. Just whispers.

If you know her—or if your family remembers her—this is where her story comes alive again.

🕊️ Share your stories, memories, and theories about Helen in the comments below.
Even a single thread could help stitch together the missing fabric of her life.

Curious to learn more about Helen’s life?
You’ll find census records, marriage details, and key dates waiting on Helen Marie Blake’s Family Page—a quiet archive of the facts we’ve gathered so far.

August 3, 2025

Introducing Charles Arthur Blake

Introduction: Charles Arthur Blake

“Custodian of the Quiet Years”
Son-in-Law of Jacob William Beyl Sr. | Husband, Father, Resilient Soul | 1879–1957

Not every name in the family record arrives through blood. Some are stitched in through time, tenderness, and the kind of steadfast love that doesn’t demand attention. Charles Arthur Blake was one of those souls—woven into the fabric of the Beyl legacy not by birth, but by bond.

Born in West Newton, Indiana, in the final quarter of the 19th century, Charles entered a world still shaking off the dust of war and stepping boldly into modernity. He grew up in a working-class home in Indianapolis, one of eight children. His early life was defined by movement—wagon driver, truck man, grocer—and yet what defined him most was his capacity to stay.

He married Mary Elizabeth Beyl on his 22nd birthday, beginning a chapter filled with both profound sorrow and quiet joy. Together, they bore children, buried one too soon, and built a life on hard work and hope. When Mary died young, Charles honored her memory with a life that kept going—steady, simple, and true. He remarried, raised his daughter, and worked into his seventies, even as the world around him reshaped itself again and again.

There were no parades for Charles Blake, no monuments carved in his honor. But for every record left behind—for every census, draft card, city listing, and death certificate—there is the mark of a man who carried the weight of love, labor, and loss with quiet grace.

👉 Read his full story on the Family Page

💬 Did you know Charles? Did your family cross paths with his milk route, his grocery counter, or his quiet acts of service?
If you have stories, photographs, or even a whispered memory passed down through generations, I invite you to share it in the comments below. These are the threads that keep history breathing.