Willis C. Vajen  

1884 - Sep 26 - Willis C. Vajen has bought 1,100 feet water front on Lake Maxinkuckee, and will improve it for a summer residence - Indianapolis Journal

1886 - Jul 1886 - It is reported that at Maxinkuckee several days ago Willis C. Vajenm of this citym was struck over the head with an oar by William H, Owens, a carpenter, and quite seriously injured. The trouble arose from a disagreement over a business difficulty Owens was arrested for attempted murder, but while in the custody of the constable escaped, and is at large.- Indianapolis Journal

1887- Apr 17 - Mr. Willis C Vajen,

who retired from the hardware business last week, in which he has been engaged for a decade, entertained, last evening, in the ladies parlor at Schaffner's, all the employees of the old firm.

Among the guests were, also, Mr. George W. New, the old partner of the house, and Messrs. Lilly & Stalnaker, the successors of Mr. Vajen.

In the center of the table was a floral design, with shovel, rake and hoe, from which was suspended a gypsy kettle. The table was illuminated with colored wax lights, and it was spread in fine style.

Speeches were indulged in, congratulatory of Mr. Vajen's success and well wishes for the firm.

It is Mr. Vajen's intention to rest for a year, spending the summer at Lake Maxinkuckee and next winter in California, after which he will return again and engage in business here. - Indianapolis Journal

1893 - Apr 24 - Real Estate MAXINKUCKEE LOT AT liberal reduction if buyer will build cottage this season. See WILLIS C VAJEN. - Indianapolis News

DEATH OF - WILLIS C. VAJEN -

A Well Known Indianapolis Business Man Willis C. Vajen. who, for the last two years, has suffered from pernicious anemia, died last night at 11:33 p. m.. at his borne. 22 East Vermont street. He had consulted specialists in this country and in Europe, but found no relief.

He was born in this city October 2S. 1851. After studying at Earlham College, Richmond and Wittenberg Colleges, Springfield. O he completed his education at Hamburg, Germany. After his return be entered the hardware store of his father, John C Vajen. and afterward organized the Vajen & New Hardware Company. In 1885 he purchased the Interests of his associates and two years later sold to Lilly & Stalnaker.

In 1888 he went into the real estate business, which he gave up to enter the pension business under the firm name of Fitzgerald & Vajen.

In 1893 he retired from the pension business, having invented the smoke protector or helmet, now manufactured by the Vajen-Bader company.

He was married Augs 29 1876 to Anna B. Claypool, only daughter of E. F, Claypool, who with two children - Mrs. Robert Stimson and Edward Claypool Vajen survive him.

He was a member of the Commercial, Columbia and German Clubs. He presented the Columbia club with a fountain, which will be placed in the new cafe. He was also a thirty-second degree Mason, a Knight Templar and a member of the Mystic Shrine.

Notwithstanding his frail body, he was always an active business man. He was faithful to every trust and those who knew him best esteemed hem most - Indianapolis News Jul 23, 1900

1900- Jul 23 - WILLIS C. VAJEN DEAD HE WAS A MEMBER OF A WELL- KNOWN INDIANAPOLIS FAMILY.

He Had Distinguished Himself In Various Pursuits A Brief, Sketch.

Willis C. Vajen died at his residence, 22 East Vermont street, at 11:30 o'clock last night, of pernicious anaemia, a disease that had been slowly, but persistently, preying upon his system for over two years. He had consulted some of the best specialists of Europe in the hope of finding a cure for the malady. Willis C. Vajen was born in Indianapolis Oct. 2S, 1831.

At the age of seventeen he entered Earlham College, at Richmond, where he took a two years' course of study. He then attended Wittenburg College, Springfield, O. His health being delicate, foreign travel was deemed desirable for him. He went abroad and completed his education in Herr Poppy's Seminary, at Hamburg, Germany.

On his return he engaged in the hardware trade, in which he had been thoroughly trained by his father, and developed great proficiency.

He organized the Vajen & New Company, of which he was president. In 1885 he purchased the entire associate interest, and, as sole proprietor, continued the business for two years. In 1887, finding his health too strongly taxed by. commercial life, he disposed of his establishment to Lilly & Stalnaker and went to California. He was able to return within a year, and in 1S83 organized the Vajen Real Estate Exchange.

This he operated successfully for a time, and then abandoned it to associate himself with Mr. P. H. Fitzgerald, constituting the firm of Fitzgerald & Vajen, who were recognized as leading pension attorneys of the West. They were also publishers of the American Tribune, the great Western soldiers' organ.

Mr, Vajen had charge of the financial side of the enterprise, together with the management of the paper. Mr. Vajen retired from the pension business In 1893 and yielded to his genius for invention, which was of no common order. He invented an apparatus known as a smoke protector or helmet, which is manufactured by the Vajen-Bader Company, of Indianapolis, and which is known all over the world. Mr. Vajen was at the head of this company. The device manufactured by the firm enables the fire fighter to work in comparative comfort In the midst of dense smoke, noxious gases and bad airs usually found in mines.

MARRIED IN 1876.

Mr. Vajen was married Aug. 23, 1876, to Anna B. Claypool, only daughter of Mr. E. F. Claypool.

His widow and two children, a son and daughter, survive him. The daughter is the wife of Robert Stimson, who is a nephew of President Ingalls, of the Big Four Railroad. The son Is Edward Claypool Vajen.

Indianapolis is indebted to Mr. Vajen as one of the men who gave his aid to the establishment of the first telephone exchange. He was the first to subscribe his name.

In politics his convictions and Influence were in the Republican side. He was a member of the Commercial, Columbia and German clubs of this city. He was a charter member of the Colombia Club and was one of the men who succeeded in establishing the present property. He presented the club with a fine fountain, which will be placed In position In the new cafe.

Mr. Vajen was a Mason of the thirty-second degree, a member of Raper Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templars, and had long been identified with the order of the Mystic Shrine.

In his travels he met the great fire fighters of the world, who showed their appreciation of himself as well as for his new and valuable Invention. Recently his company received an order for seventy-five helmets from the British navy and he had already received a letter from the Admiralty of the navy in which his patent was highly commended.

He was an honorary member of the Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs and an associate member of the International Association of Chief Fire Engineers.

It was said of him that he was loyal to his friends, of whom he had many, possessed a warm feeling for his relatives and was ever kind and devoted to his family.

The funeral arrangements will be announced later.Indianapolis Journal

Willis C. Vajen b. October 28, 1851 Indianapolis, Marion county Indiana d. Died: July 22, 1900 age 48 years and 8 months ( who suffered from life-long anemia, died at his home at 23 E. Vermont St.) buried 07/24/1900 Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana Section 29 Lot: 7 son of John Henry and Alice (Fugate) Vajen.

Willis C. Vajen was born at Indianapolis, October 28, 1851.



Passing through the grammar and high schools of his native city, he, at the age of seventeen, entered Earlham College, at Richmond, Indiana. His two years' course at this institution was followed by two years of study at Wittenburgh College, Springfield, Ohio.

His health being delicate foreign travel was then deemed desirable for him. He, accordingly, went abroad, and completed his education in the Herr Poppy's Seminary, at Hamburg, Germany.

He had a varied career, following in his father’s footsteps as a hardware store owner, later becoming a realtor, pension attorney, publisher, and inventor .

Upon his return, he entered into business, choosing the hardware trade, in which he had in his boyhood been thoroughly drilled by his father and developed great proficiency.



He organized the firm of Vajen & New Company, Incorporated, of which he was the president. In 1885 he purchased the entire associate interest, and as sole proprietor continued the business for two years. In 1887, finding his health too strongly taxed by the commercial life, he disposed of his establishment to Lilly & Stalnaker and went to California.





A pencil sketch of him when he attended a firefighters’ convention from the Salt Lake Herald, Salt Lake City, Utah, August 10, 1896.)





In 1911 the Indiana Democratic Club bought the Vajen home at 22 E. Vermont Street for $60,000. The large brick house was built in the early 1880s, As members of the Indianapolis elite, the Vajens lived in the most desirable part of town with a By 1911, when Anna sold her old home to the Indiana Democratic Club, the commercial district was rapidly expanding north ruining the residential charm of the area; seen is the adjacent wall of brick which housed the Bobbs-Merrill Company, book publishers.



All the houses on Vajen’s E. Vermont St. block were demolished 1926 to make way for the mammoth Indiana World War Memorial, the city’s enormous Egyptian-inspired temple to the veterans of World War I, American Legion Headquarters, and Cenotaph Square.



A news article with a diagram and list of 45 buildings that were razed for the Indiana War Memorial Plaza and the area from the 1913 Sanborn map with the light gray, shaded area showing the current location of the Indiana War Memorial and the red box outlines the site of of the former Vajen home which was sold to the Indiana Democratic Club.

m. Anna Bell Claypool 8-29-1876 in Indianapolis. b. 15 May 1858 d. Sept 12 1937 Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana Henry Wetzel dau. of Edward Fay Claypool and his wife Mary Catherine Morrow of Indianapolis. After the death of Willis C. Vajen, Anna (Claypool) Vajen married Henry Wetzel of Indianapolis, Indiana on December 29, 1902

They had:

1 Mary Morrow Vajen Birth 6 Jan 1878 Indianapolis, IN Death: 8 Jul 1943 - Los Angeles, California Burial: Crown Hill Cemetery Indianapolis Marion County Indiana

married 16 April 1900 Indianapolis,Indiana, Robert Wickersham Stimson Birth: Feb. 18, 1877 Washington Court House Fayette County Ohio Death: Sep. 28, 1942 Del Mar, San Diego County California Burial: Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum Altadena Los Angeles County California son of George Woodbury Stimson & Jane Maria Wickersham robert married 1930-1940 Florena (Florence) R. Bryans; Robert amd Mary divorced

Mary married also 2nd 23 Dec 1915 Chicago, Cook county, Illinois Norman Spear Lawrence (1882-1927) married 3rd 10 Sep 1929 Santa Ana, Orange, California Jacob J Hoffman



2 Edward Claypool Vajen b. 24 May 1883 Indianapolis, Marion, IN Death 31 JUL 1954 San Diego, California m. 1 NOV 1905 Marion, Indiana Edna Alice Frank Birth 19 AUG 1883 Indianapolis, Marion cty, IN Death 24 DEC 1977 Noblesville, Hamilton cty, IN dau. of Frederick William Frank and Ida Butsch

Claypool-Vajen Mausoleum Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana

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Vajen's Patent Reversible up Plumb Bob produced by Willis C. Vajen of Indianapolis, Indiana. The United States Patent US 267655 (PDF) for this tool was issued on November 14, 1882.

Vajen & New-Catalog of Hardware, Cutlery, Tools - Indianapolis, IN, 1884 To the Trade Desiring to extend our trade and to better serve our customers, we have issued this Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue, which we trust will prove a valuable aid in making selections for Mail Orders, to which we give the most careful attention; making prices as low as though purchased in person. Owing to the constant changes in lists and prices on so large a line of goods, we have omitted lists on all but standard goods and prefer to quote net prices or discounts upon application, giving our customers the benefit of the lowest prices at the time of purchase. Be particular to give Catalogue page and number of articles desired. State whether goods are to be shipped by Express or Freight. Package charged at net cost. With a grateful acknowledgement of the many favors our trade have so generously bestowed upon us, and which have enabled us to largely increase our business, we ask you to bear in mind that Vajen & New stand at the head to serve and to please. We hope by a careful consideration of your wants to merit and maintain a continuance of your patronage. Very truly, WILLIS 0. VAJEN. GEO W. NEW. VAJEN & NEW

Indianapolis City Directory, 1889. Indianapolis, IN: R.L. Polk and Co., 1889 & 1890
Name: Willis C Vajen
Location 1: 79 E Market
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: proprietor
Year: 1889
Business Name: Vajens Real Estate Exchange

Name: Willis C Vajen
Location 1: 79 E Market
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Occupation: Real Estate, Loans and Insurance
Year: 1890
Business Name: Vajen's Real Estate Exchange

Name: Willis C Vajen
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Year: 1890
Business Name: Vajen's Real Estate Exchange
Location 2: 22 E Vermont