Jesse T. and Harriet Eitel Johnson family papers
Collection
Identifier: L399
Scope and Contents
This collection includes three folders of photographs used by Jesse T. Johnson in his work, showing interiors and exteriors of many buildings around Indiana and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The correspondence and James Whitcomb Riley memorabilia primarily belong to Harriet Eitel Johnson, who was involved in the restoration of Riley's birthplace in Greenfield, Riley day, Riley Hospital, and various other commemorations of the poet. There is also a folder of writings by Harriet Eitel Johnson on James Whitcomb Riley and a train wreck involving Purdue football players. Collection material ranges from 1862 to 1955. Notable items include a photo of Mary Alice Smith, the original "Orphan Annie," a commemorative framed 10 cent stamp of James Whitcomb Riley, and a proclamation from the Governor of Indiana (Henry F. Schricker) to declare October 7th "Riley Day."
There is also a silver medal certificate for Jesse T. Johnson from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition dated 1915 (OBC058).
There is also a silver medal certificate for Jesse T. Johnson from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition dated 1915 (OBC058).
Dates
- 1862-1956
Creator
- Johnson, Harriet Eitel, 1879-1958 (Person)
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
Harriet Day Eitel Wells Johnson was born in 1879 in Indiana to Henry and Catherine [Katie] (Schramm) Eitel, who died in 1881. She had at least two half-siblings. Her father was a prominent Indianapolis banker and financial manager for James Whitcomb Riley and married Riley's sister Elva May (his second wife), marrying her on December 26, 1883.
Harriet Eitel graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and attended the Castle Finishing School at Tarrytown-on-the-Hudson, New York, which was razed in 1944. She married Samuel R. Wells in Marion County, Indiana on December 14, 1912. Her second husband was Jesse Johnson, whom she married in Marion County on October 17, 1935. Harriet Johnson wrote a book about James Whitcomb Riley, which was published in 1940, and was listed as a saleswoman in the 1940 census. She died in 1958 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Jesse T. Johnson was born in 1849 and later became an architect in Marion County and surrounding areas in the early 1900s. Some of his work includes the Bona Thompson Memorial Library and the Owen County Courthouse. Johnson also contributed to the Indiana building for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Diego, California in 1915.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Elva M. Riley." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Elva May Riley." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Hattie Eitel." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet Eitel." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet D. Eitel." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet E. Johnson." 1940 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2015/02/18. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet Wells." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1925-2012. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Henry Eitel." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Catherine E. Schramm Eitel." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.findagrave.com.
Findagrave.com. "Harriet Johnson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.findagrave.com.
"James Whitcomb Riley Collection, 1880-1956." Finding aid. Indiana Historical Society. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.indianahistory.org/our-collections/collection-guides/james-whitcomb-riley-collection-1880-1956.pdf.
Harriet Eitel graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and attended the Castle Finishing School at Tarrytown-on-the-Hudson, New York, which was razed in 1944. She married Samuel R. Wells in Marion County, Indiana on December 14, 1912. Her second husband was Jesse Johnson, whom she married in Marion County on October 17, 1935. Harriet Johnson wrote a book about James Whitcomb Riley, which was published in 1940, and was listed as a saleswoman in the 1940 census. She died in 1958 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Jesse T. Johnson was born in 1849 and later became an architect in Marion County and surrounding areas in the early 1900s. Some of his work includes the Bona Thompson Memorial Library and the Owen County Courthouse. Johnson also contributed to the Indiana building for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Diego, California in 1915.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Elva M. Riley." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Elva May Riley." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Hattie Eitel." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet Eitel." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet D. Eitel." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet E. Johnson." 1940 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2015/02/18. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Harriet Wells." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1925-2012. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Henry Eitel." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Catherine E. Schramm Eitel." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.findagrave.com.
Findagrave.com. "Harriet Johnson." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.findagrave.com.
"James Whitcomb Riley Collection, 1880-1956." Finding aid. Indiana Historical Society. Accessed February 18, 2015. http://www.indianahistory.org/our-collections/collection-guides/james-whitcomb-riley-collection-1880-1956.pdf.
Extent
0.36 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box, 1 large 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 Harriet Eitel Johnson.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2016/10/19 by Kori Nell. EAD finding aid created 2016/10/19 by Kori Nell. EAD finding aid revised 2016/10/24; 2021/10/19 by Lauren Patton; 2025/04/22 by Brittany Kropf.
- Architects -- Indiana
- Architecture
- Authors -- Indiana
- Buildings
- Correspondence
- Greenfield (Ind.)
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Library architecture
- Memorabilia
- Owen County (Ind.)
- Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
- Photographs
- Postage stamps
- Purdue University
- Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916
- Scrapbooks
Creator
- Johnson, Harriet Eitel, 1879-1958 (Person)
- Johnson, Jesse T., 1849-1916 (Person)
- Title
- Jesse T. and Harriet Eitel Johnson 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
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
