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Hasselman and Blood family papers

 Collection
Identifier: L385

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of business papers regarding Eagle Machine Works and indentures, deeds, plans, and other financial documents associated with land ownership and subdivision development in Indianapolis, Indiana. Also included are some personal papers and photographs from Hasselman and Blood families in various locations throughout the Midwest and United States including Indiana, Minnesota, and Kansas. Notable items include correspondence from May Wright Sewall and a wedding invitation for Benjamin Harrison's daughter, Mary Scott Harrison McKee.

There is also an oversize collection containing Joseph Watson's postmaster appointment for Union County, Indiana (1829), Watson J. Hasselman's United States passport (1873), and Ida Blood's University of Kansas diploma (1874), and a military appointment for Victor M. Hasselman (1917) (OBC003).

Dates

  • 1847-1933

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical Note

Lewis William Hasselman was born in 1820. He and his family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana from Ohio in 1850. He founded the Washington Foundry in Indianapolis along with Almus Vinton, manufacturing agricultural equipment, steam engines, and equipment for grist mills and sawmills. When Vinton retired from the business in 1865, Hasselman renamed it the Eagle Machine Works, which was located at the intersection of South Meridian and Louisiana streets. The operation was eventually moved to the 200 block of North Meridian. Later it merged with Sinker-Davis Machine Company. Hasselman also served as a trustee on the local School Board in the early 1860s. In 1870, Hasselman bought the Indianapolis Journal with his cousin William Fishback, an Ohio-born attorney who moved to Indianapolis in 1857 and later became the law partner of Benjamin Harrison.

Hasselman married Elizabeth Watson (1828-1923), daughter of Joseph (1794-1850) and Nancy (Houtz) Watson (1805-1889) on April 22, 1846 in Montgomery, Ohio and they had 2 sons: Watson J. (1853-1927) and Otto Harley (1847-1906). He died in 1898 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. Elizabeth Hasselman died on January 11, 1923 and was buried with her spouse.

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Watson J. Hasselman was born on February 19, 1853 to Lewis W. (1820-1898) and Elizabeth (Watson) Hasselman (1828-1923) in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the U.S. Civil War, Hasselman developed and managed a greenhouse called the Indianapolis Flower and Plant Company. He also engaged in real estate business and was a member of the Board of Trade. He married Ida Lucy Blood on October 31, 1877 and they had 5 children: Frank G. (1879-1924), Lawrence Sherman (1881-1947), Harry Harley (1883-1943), Victor Mansur (1885-1958), and James Blood (1891-1968). Hasselman died on December 6, 1927 in Battle Creek, Michigan and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis.

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Ida Lucy Blood was born to Eliza Jane (Mansur) Blood (1833-1883) and Colonel James Blood (1819-1891), a prominent early settler of Lawrence, Kansas, on May 27, 1853 in Appleton, Wisconsin. She had several siblings including Harry M. (1858-1883), Thomas J. (1863-1894), and Jean (1871-1937). Blood grew up in Lawrence and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1874 as a science major. She married Watson J. Hasselman (1853-1927) on October 31, 1877 in Douglas County, Kansas and moved to Indianapolis with him. The Hasselmans had 5 sons. She died on June 3, 1938 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery with her husband.

Sources:

Ancestry.com. “Elizabeth Watson Hasselman.” Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2011.” Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Lawrence Hasselman.” Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2011.” Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Lewis W. Hasselman.” Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” 1870 United States Federal Census. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” Kansas, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1811-1911. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” Michigan, U.S., Death Records, 1867-1952. Accessed August 3, 2021. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Findagrave.com. “Elizabeth Watson Hasselman.” Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45926113/elizabeth-hasselman.

Findagrave.com. “Ida Lucy Blood Hasselman.” Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45926116/ida-lucy-hasselman.

Findagrave.com. “James Blood Hasselman.” Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209614921/james-blood-hasselman.

Findagrave.com. “Lawrence Sherman Hasselman.” Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45926118/lawrence-sherman-hasselman.

Findagrave.com. “Otto Harley Hasselman.” Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45926122/otto-harley-hasselman.

Findagrave.com. “Watson J. Hasselman.” Find A Grave Memorial. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45926119/watson-j.-hasselman.

Smith, Robert W., Barry Slivka, and Dorothy A. Nicholson. "Hasselman Family Materials, ca. 1860-1958." Finding aid. Indiana Historical Society. Accessed August 3, 2021. https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/hasselman-family-materials.pdf.

Extent

1.06 Cubic Feet (3 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by subject.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the American Museum of Natural History on 1981/05.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Related Materials

Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN:

OB003: Hasselman and Blood family oversize papers

P046: Hasselman and Blood family photograph collection

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2016/09/21 by Kori Nell and Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid created 2016/09/21 by Kori Nell. EAD finding aid revised 2016/09/29; 2021/10/14 by Lauren Patton; 2021/08/03 by Brittany Kropf.
Title
Hasselman-Blood family papers
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671