Charles Walter Horn and Susan Mable Henninger

Charles Walter Horn was born October 14, 1878 in Indiana the first born son of Hosea B Horn and Hattie Elizabeth (Conner) Horn. 

Charles grew up on the east side of Indianapolis with his 5 brothers and sisters. In 1900, when Charles was 21 he was still living at home with his parents and 3 of his siblings and working as a Grainer. At the same time a young 18 year old girl named Susan Mable Henninger was living fairly close by and working as a clerk in the Sq. Court.

Charles and Susan Mable married on January 1, 1901 in Indianapolis. Below is a picture of Susan Mable in her wedding gown.

Charles and Susan Mable reared a family of 10 children in Indianapolis. The family moved around the city a bit probably due to how difficult it must have been to feed all those mouths. In 1901, the year they were married, Charles is a grainer living at 1654 Ludlow Ave. In 1902, when their first child is born, the couple is boarding with his parents (Hosea and Hattie) at 1720 Sheldon. At this time, Charles is working with his father as a painter also. In 1903, both households move to Nevada street. Charles and Susan Mable ae at 1534 and Hosea and Hattie are at 1517. Charles is still working as a painter. 

From 1904 to 1910, the couple are residing at 1534 E 18th street while Charles works as a painter. During this time, the couple has 4 more children. In 1911, Charles is listed as a driver, but from 1912 to 1917, Charles is a general contractor and the couple moves out of the E 18th street address. They move around during this time. A year on Hovey street, 2 years on Arrow Ave, and 2 years on Hillside. Durig this time, the couple have 2 more children. In 1917, Charles looses his father Hosea and his 7th child is born.

In 1918, Charles tries his hand at being a Tree Surgeon, but by 1919 he's back to being a general contractor. The family moves to 1445 E 19th street and lives there for the next 10 years where the last 3 children are born (including my grandmother Marjorie who is the youngest).

By 1929, Charles is listed as a Tree Surgeon again and the family moves from the E 19th street address into a home at 1748 E 46th street where they remained through a portion of 1930. 

On the 1930 census, the family is shown to be renting the home at 2222 Drexel Ave. The family eventually buys this home and it has remained in the family ever since. 

Charles and Susan Mable live here until their deaths (Charles on January 8, 1938 and Susan Mable on  November 13, 1959). The couple is buried together in Sutherland Park Cemetery (4201 Millersville Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46205)

 

Their 10 children are:

• Bertha Mae (1902-1975) married Harry J Steinmetz
• Nellie Elizabeth (1904-1962) married Jay D Campbell
• Julia Hattie (1905-1975) married Harold Wesley Abney and Clancy Pond
• Charles Walter Jr (1908-1972) married Minnie Glady Tansey
• Paul Franklin (1910-1978) married Juanita Pearl Cogswell
• Claude James (1912-1998) married Mary Etta Phillips
• Harold Edward (1917-2000) married Dorothy Morgan and Sandra Petty
• Robert (1919-1974) married Virginia Johnson
• William Raymond (1921-2005) married Willie Marie Johnson
• Marjorie Joy (1925-1988) married Billie Gerald Waltz

Marjorie Joy Horn

I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandmother Marjorie Joy Horn. As I was growing up, I referred to her as "grouchy grandma", but that was only because we kids were often babysat by grandma and we tended to get on her nerves! We were quite a bunch. That bunch consisted of my uncle Danny's boys: Danny Ray Waltz Jr and Christopher James Waltz; my aunt Sue's daughter Shawn Noel Waltz; myself and my two siblings Amanda Joann Poland and Matthew Scott Poland. 

In truth, I have a lot of really good memories of grandma. 

Grandma Waltz (as we used to call her) liked to dress up like a clown. I so wish I had photos of her in her clown costume. We lived across from the Assumption Catholic Church that my Aunt attended. Every year the church held a fish fry festival. Grandma would dress up like a clown and entertain all the kids. 

I also remember the time she surprised me with a birthday party. She met me at the front door when I arrived. She had construction paper signs that I had to read as she walked backwards through the house. We I got to the last sign, we were at the back door and there was a party in the backyard!

Grandma loved animals. There were always several cats and at least 1 dog. 

Marjorie Joy Horn was born November 3, 1925. She was the youngest of 10 children born to Charles Walter and Susan Mable (Henninger) Horn. Marjorie married Billie Gerald Waltz on January 17, 1948 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Marjorie and Billie divorced sometime before 1966 and she never remarried. Marjorie worked at the Yellow Cab Company for several years as a dispatcher and spent all her free time taking care of her children and grandchildren. 

When Atari came out, grandma would fight with us kids to get her turn at it. She was good at it too!

Grandma was a smoker. She loved her Pall Mall reds non-filtered. They got her in the end. She died on April 19, 1988 at the age of 62.