Portal:Indianapolis/Selected biography

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Selected biography

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Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833 – March 13, 1901) was the twenty-third President of the United States, serving one term from 1889 to 1893. He had previously served as a senator from Indiana. His administration is best known for a series of legislation including the McKinley Tariff and federal spending that reached one billion dollars. Democrats attacked the "Billion Dollar Congress" and defeated the GOP in the 1890 mid-term elections, as well as defeating Harrison's bid for reelection in 1892. He is to date the only president from Indiana. He is also the only President whose grandfather was also a President, William Henry Harrison

Harrison served in the Union Army during the Civil War and was appointed Colonel of the 70th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment in August 1862. The unit performed reconnaissance duty and guarded railroads in Kentucky and Tennessee until Sherman's Atlanta Campaign in 1864. Harrison was brevetted as a brigadier general, and commanded a Brigade at Resaca, Cassville, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peachtree Creek and Atlanta.

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RD Reynolds
RD Reynolds (born January 12, 1969) is the ring name of Randy Baer. He is a former professional wrestling manager and is also the co-creator of the professional wrestling website WrestleCrap, with Merle Vincent. He has also authored three books, WrestleCrap, The Death of WCW, and The WrestleCrap Book of Lists. He lives in southern Indianapolis.

Before starting WrestleCrap, Baer became involved in several local Indianapolis independent wrestling federations. According to Baer's self-published DVD set, The Worst of RD Reynolds, he first became involved in wrestling as a commentator for Jeff Cohen's Championship Wrestling of America (CWA) promotion.

Reynolds launched the site in April 2000, quickly developing a following among wrestling fans. Reynolds shut the site down in 2001, claiming the high cost of running the site was responsible. It returned the following year, albeit without the backlog of past inductions. In August 2005, WrestleCrap introduced a podcast called WrestleCrap Radio. Typically Reynolds and columnist Blade Braxton discuss their personal lives, make jokes that may or may not relate to current wrestling (or wrestling at all), pretend they are unpopular (claiming to only have 12-13 listeners) and rarely discuss news items from the wrestling industry. On occasion interviews with guests from within the wrestling industry are broadcast. In 2006, the site added several new writers and features.

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Donie Bush
Donie Bush (October 8, 1887 - March 28, 1972) was a Major League Baseball shortstop in the American League for the Detroit Tigers (1908-1921) and the Washington Senators (1921-1923). In fourteen seasons in the major leagues, Bush displayed a keen eye and a talent for drawing bases on balls, drawing more walks during the decade from 1910-1919 than any other player in Major League Baseball. He was also an excellent contact hitter who was consistently among the league leaders in sacrifice hits, runs scored, and stolen bases. Bush is also remembered as one of the best fielding shortstops of the Dead-ball era. He holds the Major League records for most triple plays (9) and most putouts in a season by a shortstop with 425. Despite mediocre batting averages (he hit .250 for his career), Bush's talent for drawing walks pushed him into the Top 10 in On Base Percentage four times. His 1909 On Base Percentage of .380 was third in the American League behind teammate Ty Cobb and Eddie Collins.

Bush was one of the shortest players in the major leagues at 5 foot, 6 inches, and 130 pounds. He once said, "I used to tell 'em it ain't how big you are, it's how good you are. But whenever another team had an uncommonly small player, I'd slip up and compare heights. Always turned out he was an inch taller than me."

Bush was elected to the Indiana Baseball hall of fame and was known as "Mr. Baseball" in Indianapolis. At baseball's 1963 winter meetings, major league executives named him "King of Baseball."

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Julia Carson
Julia Carson (July 8, 1938 – December 15, 2007), born Julia May Porter, in Louisville, Kentucky, was a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 7th congressional district from 1997 until her death in 2007 (numbered as the 10th District from 1997 to 2003). Carson was the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District. She was also the second African American woman elected to Congress from Indiana, after Katie Hall and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She graduated from Crispus Attucks High School in 1955 in Indianapolis. She then attended Martin University in Indianapolis and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

On November 25, 2007, the Indianapolis Star reported that Carson had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. When being treated for a leg infection, the cancer was discovered by Carson's doctors. Carson had battled it before, but it had gone into remission. Carson passed away on December 15, 2007. On December 21, 2007 Julia Carson's casket was taken to the Indiana Statehouse in downtown Indianapolis by horse-drawn military caisson. Carson became the ninth Hoosier to lie in repose at the Statehouse Rotunda. The funeral for Julia Carson, held on December 22, 2007, brought thousands of citizens together to pay last respects. Carson was laid to rest at Crown Hill Cemetery, graveside ceremony included a three-volley salute.

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Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser (born December 3, 1968), born Brendan James Fraser, in Indianapolis is an American film and stage actor of Canadian descent. He is known for having starred in several major Hollywood films, including The Mummy film series, The Quiet American, and Crash. He attended the private boys boarding school Upper Canada College in Toronto. He graduated from Seattle's Cornish College of the Arts in 1990. His career began acting at a small acting college in New York. He originally planned on attending graduate school in Texas but stopped in Hollywood on his way south and decided to stay in Los Angeles and work in movies.

Fraser's first film role was a brief cameo in America's Most Wanted Reenactment (1985) he played friend to Rodney Mark Peterson, who was murdered. He has since garnered over 30 film credits. He had his first lead role in Encino Man (1992). That same year he played opposite Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris O'Donnell in School Ties (1992). In 1994 he co-starred alongside Adam Sandler in the comedy Airheads. In 1997 he got his breakhthrough role with the hit comedy film George of the Jungle. He went onto appear in several comedy films such as Blast from the Past (1999), Bedazzled (2000) and Monkeybone (2001).

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Richard Lugar
Richard Lugar (born April 4, 1932) is the senior United States Senator from Indiana. He is a member of the Republican Party. Lugar was born in Indianapolis to Bertha Green and Marvin Lugar. He attained the Boy Scouts' highest rank: Eagle Scout. At the age of 35, he was elected Mayor of Indianapolis in 1967 and began serving the first of two mayoral terms in 1968. A political cartoon of the time questioned how an Eagle Scout could survive in the world of politics. He is closely associated with the adoption of Unigov in 1970, which unified the governments of Indianapolis and Marion County. He was reelected mayor in 1971. During this time he became known as "Richard Nixon's favorite mayor" due to his support for devolving federal powers to local communities.

In his second attempt, Lugar successfully unseated incumbent Senator Vance Hartke in the 1976 election. He was reelected in 1982, 1988, 1994, in 2000, and again with over eighty-five percent of the vote in 2006. Lugar served as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 1984 Senate elections. In 2006 he ran without a Democratic Party challenger and earned over 87% of the vote, and won over three fourths of the vote in every county. In 1994, Lugar became the first Indiana senator to be re-elected for a fourth term.

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Richard Lieber
Richard Lieber (September 5, 1869 – April 15, 1944) was a German-American businessman who became the father of the Indiana state parks system. At his death, he could be considered the most powerful spokesman in the United States for the conservation of natural resources.

He was born into privilege in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1869. As a young child he was largely tutored, due to having tuberculosis that was obtained from a chest injury. He was also frequently in trouble due to his free spirited nature.

With the centennial of Indiana's statehood of 1916, Lieber thought that Indiana needs its own parks like 1/3 of other states. He encouraged Indiana Governor Samuel M. Ralston to start the State Parks Committee, with Lieber as chairman. With his twenty-man committee, he started acquiring parks, succeeding with McCormick's Creek and Turkey Run both opening on December 11, 1916, without any state funds (Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a major private donor).

A quote from Lieber summarizes his beliefs: “Our parks and preserves are not mere picnicking places,” he said. “They are rich storehouses of memories and reveries. They are guides and counsels to the weary and faltering in spirit. They are bearers of wonderful tales to him who will listen; a solace to the aged and an inspiration to the young.”

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Bart Peterson
Barton "Bart" R. Peterson (born June 15, 1958) is the former mayor Indianapolis, Indiana. A Democrat first elected in 1999, he was defeated in 2007 in a bid for a third term in what was widely viewed as a huge upset. A lifelong Indianapolis resident, Peterson graduated from North Central High School before attending Purdue University. After graduating from the University of Michigan law school, he practiced law in Indianapolis for several years before joining the staff of Governor Evan Bayh, eventually serving as the Governor's Chief of Staff.

Peterson was expected to easily cruise to re-election in 2007 as no well-known Republican candidates entered the race, leaving relatively unknown political newcomer Greg Ballard as his opposition. Indeed, many thought that the once-dominant Republican Party was all but dead in the city. However, largely due to high property taxes and a rising crime rate, several polls rated the race about even as election day approached. When voters went to the polls, Peterson lost to Ballard by a margin of 51 percent to 47 percent.

In December 2007, Peterson was mentioned as a possible candidate in the special election to fill the seat of recently deceased Congresswoman Julia Carson. A few days later, Peterson ruled out a run for this office.

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David Letterman
David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947 in Indianapolis) is an award-winning American television personality, late night talk show host, television producer, Indy Racing League car owner and philanthropist. His first major success was on the long-running NBC television program Late Night with David Letterman, before he transferred to CBS in 1993 to his current position on The Late Show. Letterman's ironic, often absurd comedy is heavily influenced by comedians Steve Allen, Andy Kaufman and Johnny Carson.

In early 2005, it was revealed that retired King of Late Night Johnny Carson still kept up with current events and late-night TV right up to his death that year, and that he occasionally sent jokes to Letterman, who used these jokes in his monologue; according to CBS senior vice president Peter Lassally (a onetime producer for both men), Carson got "a big kick out of it." Letterman would do a characteristic Johnny Carson golf swing after delivering one of Carson's jokes. In a tribute to Carson, all of the opening monologue jokes during the first show following Carson's death were written by Carson. Lassally also claimed that Carson had always believed Letterman, not Leno, to be his "rightful successor." Letterman also frequently employs some of Carson's trademark bits on his show, including "Carnac the Magnificent" (with Paul Shaffer as Carnac), "Stump the Band" and the "Week in Review."

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James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley October 7, 1849 - July 22, 1916) was an American writer and poet. Known as the "Hoosier Poet" and the "Children's Poets," he started his career in 1875 writing newspaper verse in Indiana dialect for the Indianapolis Journal. His verse tended to be humorous or sentimental, and of the approximately one-thousand poems that Riley published, over half are in dialect. Claiming that “simple sentiments that come from the heart” were the secret of his success, Riley satisfied the public with down-to-earth verse that was "heart high."

Although Riley was a bestselling author in the early 1900s and earned a steady income from royalties, he also traveled and gave public readings of his poetry. His favorite authors were Robert Burns and Charles Dickens, and Riley himself befriended bestselling Indiana authors such as Booth Tarkington, George Ade and Meredith Nicholson. Many of his works were illustrated by the popular illustrator Howard Chandler Christy.

As a lasting tribute, the citizens of Greenfield, Indiana hold a festival every year in Riley's honor. Taking place the first weekend of October, the Riley Festival traditionally commences with a flower parade in which local elementary school children place flowers around the statue of Riley on the county courthouse lawn, while the Greenfield-Central High School band plays lively music in honor of the poet.

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Jacob Piatt Dunn
Jacob Piatt Dunn (April 12, 1855 - June 6, 1924) was a Hoosier historian and author of several books. He was instrumental in making the Indiana Historical Society an effective group, serving as its secretary for decades. He was also instrumental in the Indiana Public Library Commission. As an ethnologist, his main concern was that of the Miami Indians of Indiana and the preservation of their language. His greater Indianapolis treatise was his most important work as an amateur historian. He also served as adviser to Indiana governor Thomas Marshall and Senator Samuel Ralston. He was responsible for a new Indianapolis city charter, and use of the Australian ballot law for the city (1889), even though he never ran for office.

He would release Massacres of the Mountains: a History of the Indian Wars of the Far West 1815-1875 in 1886. Relying heavily on government documents, it was the first scholarly attempt at the subject, winning him considerable fame for publishing such a "minor classic". Massacres to this day is held in high regard by those interested in the history of the American frontier. At this time Houghton Mifflin were working on a series of books called the American Commonwealths, and invited Dunn to write the Indiana volume of the series.

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Rupert Boneham
Rupert Boneham (born January 27, 1964) was a contestant on Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: All-Stars, who subsequently became one of the most known stars of reality television. He was given one million dollars on Survivor: America's Tribal Council which was a special episode of Survivor: All-Stars. The prize was awarded after a popular vote in which Boneham received 85% of the votes cast for the Survivors. Boneham used his winnings to buy a home, set up a college fund for his daughter, pay off his and his mother's debts, and start Rupert's Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping troubled teens, especially those mired in the juvenile court system. Since All-Stars ended, he has appeared in promotions for local Indiana businesses as well as national promos for Survivor: Vanuatu.

During the game of Survivor: Pearl Islands, Rupert quickly became one of the most popular Survivor contestants, and was well-known for his huge beard, tie-dye shirt and size. Boneham's flawed strategy of providing food and expecting no one to vote for him earned him eighth place in Pearl Islands. Rupert remained more low-key during the "All-Star" season where he placed fourth.

Rupert is a frequent guest on the Bob and Tom Show – also done in Indianapolis – and is considered a "friend of the show". He has also done commercial work recently.

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John Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger (born June 22, 1903 in Indianapolis, Indiana – July 22, 1934) was an American bank robber, considered by some to be a dangerous criminal, while others idealized him as a latter-day Robin Hood. He gained this reputation (and the nickname "Jackrabbit") for his graceful movements during bank heists, such as leaping over the counter (a movement he supposedly copied from the movies) and narrow getaways from police. His exploits, along with those of other criminals of the 1930s Depression era, such as Bonnie and Clyde and Ma Barker, dominated the attentions of the American press and its readers during what is sometimes referred to as the public enemy era, between 1931 and 1935, a period which led to the further development of the modern and more sophisticated FBI.

Dillinger's last day of freedom was July 22, 1934. Dillinger attended the film Manhattan Melodrama (coincidentally, a gangster film) at the Biograph Theater in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. Dillinger was with his girlfriend, Polly Hamilton, and Ana Cumpanas (a.k.a. Anna Sage), who was facing deportation charges for running a brothel. Sage had worked out a deal with Purvis and the FBI to set up an ambush for Dillinger in exchange for dropping the deportation charges against her. When they exited Sage tipped off the FBI agents, who opened fire as Dillinger ran, killing him.

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André Carson
André D. Carson (born October 16, 1974) is the Democratic U.S. Representative for Indiana's 7th congressional district. He began his political career by serving on the Indianapolis City-County Council and in the Indiana Department of Homeland Security at the Intelligence Fusion Center, supervising an anti-terrorism unit. A Indianapolis native who graduated from Arsenal Technical High School in 1992. He earned his masters degree from Indiana Wesleyan University, majoring in business management. He was a marketing specialist for Cripe Architects + Engineers. He is also a Democratic Party committeeperson in Center Township of Marion County, Indiana.

Carson, who describes himself as "an Orthodox, universal, secular Muslim," is the second Muslim to serve in the U.S. Congress, after Keith Ellison, and the first from Indiana. He is also the grandson of former Indiana Representative, Julia Carson.

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Evan Bayh Lugar
Evan Bayh (born December 26, 1955) is the junior United States Senator from Indiana. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Bayh was born in Shirkieville, Indiana to Marvella Belle Hern and Birch Bayh. Bayh attended the prestigious St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. for high school. He then went on to graduate with honors in business economics and public policy from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in 1978, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi, and received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Virginia in 1981. He clerked for a federal court judge and entered a private law practice in Indianapolis. He has an honorary J.D. degree from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Bayh was elected Indiana's Secretary of State in 1986, where he served from 1987 to 1989. Bayh was first elected Governor of Indiana in 1988, defeating Frank O'Bannon in the primary, and defeating John Mutz in the general election. He was re-elected governor in 1992 with the highest percentage of the vote in a statewide election in modern Indiana history. Bayh was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998 to the seat that was once held by his father. He won with 64% of the vote, the largest victory margin ever by a Democrat in a U.S. Senate race in Indiana, defeating former Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke. He easily won reelection in 2004 defeating Prof. Marvin Scott, receiving 62% of the vote. He currently serves on five Senate committees: Banking Housing and Urban Affairs, on which he is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance; Armed Services; the Select Committee on Intelligence; the Special Committee on Aging; and the Small Business Committee.

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Francis A. Shoup (March 22, 1834 – September 4, 1896) was a lawyer from Indianapolis, Indiana, who decided to become a brigadier general for the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Shoup was serving as a leader of an Indianapolis Zouave militia, but once the Civil War started, he moved to Florida to fight for the Confederacy, proclaiming he had "aristocratic inclinations and admiration for the South.". This shocked those in the Indianapolis militia, who had loved him as friend, and even gave him a special set of revolvers with holsters and trappings, believing he would serve in the Union army, and that officers would always ride horses and thus would need such a set. All Indianapolis reported of the incident was that Shoup had resigned from the militia.

After he was captured in the Battle of Vicksburg, he met some compatriots from his Indianapolis militia days, but they rejected him for fighting for the Confederacy. After he was paroled, he went to Georgia and fought in the Battle of Atlanta. He was the designer of the Shoupade design for fortifications along the Chattahoochee River, and advocated having blacks serving in the Confederate Army. During the war, he wrote texts on infantry and artillery drill. He also served as Chief of Staff for the commander of the Army of Tennessee, John Bell Hood.

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