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The first record of a house at 834 West Street (known today as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street) begins with the 1880 census; at that time it was numbered 452 West Street. This census records the occupants as a White, 63 year old retired farmer named Leo Clements, his wife Nancy, and his daughter Mary. The 1900 census indicates the house now belonged to a White, 56 year old widow named Elzina Clement. She was apparently no relation to the Clements who had previously occupied the house. Elzina kept her house as a boarding house; at the time of the 1900 census she had 4 other people living in her house--a 40 year old divorcee named Amanda Nacher and her daughter Nellie, and 27 year old patent medicine agent George Schilling and his wife Mary. By 1910, the Furniss family had moved into
the house which was now numbered 824. The Furniss family was one of the
most important and influential African-American Sumner was perhaps one of Indianapolis' most well known African-Americans. Sumner was also a physician and for a time was in practice with his brother Henry. He studied medicine in Indianapolis both under Dr. E.S. Elder and at the Medical College of Indiana, where he graduated second in his class in 1894. This same year he was appointed the first African-American professional to serve at the City Hospital. In 1895, he started his own practice at 401 Indiana Avenue, where he continued to practice until the 1950s. Aside from his medical practice, Sumner was an important civic leader. He was a lifetime member of the Flanner House board and was a charter member and first president of the Senate Avenue YMCA. In the early 1900's, he served as the second African-American on the Indianapolis City Council and was a member of the Marion County Republican executive committee. Sumner Furniss died on January 18, 1953. After his death, the new head of the 834 house is recorded in 1955 as a Mrs. Earlean Head. From 1960 to 1981, it is recorded as Huron Head; it is unknown whether this was Earlean's husband or son. By 1985, the house was unoccupied. |
families living in Indianapolis at that time. The head of the household was
68 year old William Furniss, who was a widow. William worked as the
superintendant of special delivery at the post office. His eldest son,
Henry, was a physician, served as consul to Bahia during the McKinley
administration, and was appointed as American minister to Haiti in 1906.
Also living in the house was William's younger son Sumner and his
daughter-in-law (Sumner's wife) Lillian. By 1920, Sumner was listed as the
head of the household although William still lived in the house. Henry was
no longer listed and a 17 year old maid named Nellie Perkins had joined the
household.