Grave Spotlight of the Month - June 2023 - Anna Reinhard Louden

 Welcome to another Grave Spotlight of the Month.  Today we look into the life of Anna Reinhard Louden.

I knew nothing about her before finding her grave in Rose Hill Cemetery on Memorial Day 2023.  She is buried in the Louden family plot in the Spencer Addition next to her husband Thomas.

Her grave caught my eye as it states under her name and birth and death dates, "Vice Pres National Council of Women".  I knew that I needed to know more about her.  Sadly, there isn't a lot to be found, but I will share what I have.

Anna Reinhard (sometimes spelled Reinhart or Reinhardt, which we will see later on) was born in Rockport, Parke County, Indiana on August 19, 1876 to parents Mary E. Wilson Reinhard (1852-1934) and Judge George Louis Reinhard (1843-1906), former dean of the Indiana University Law School and a judge of the Indiana State Appellate Court.  He was also the vice-president of Indiana University at some point.

Anna graduated from the Oxford College for Women in 1895, but later attended Indiana University.

She was married to Theodore James Louden (1867-1957), a prominent lawyer and a Colonel in the Indiana National Guard, on December 24, 1896.  Their wedding announcement was noted in the January 2, 1897 issue of the Indiana Woman.

Thomas Louden was very important in the legal history of Bloomington, and indeed, Indiana as a whole.  He was active in many aspects of Indiana University and was responsible for the building of Alpha Hall, a private women's dormitory located at the corner of Third Street and what was then known as Forest Place.  It is now a green space between Jordan Hall and Third Street. It was built in 1906 and during World War I, the Army used it to house soldiers training in radio communications.  In 1919, the University leased it and renamed it Residence Hall.  They purchased it outright in 1936 when it was turned into classrooms and offices for several departments.  In 1961, it was razed to make way for Jordan Hall.

The area noted above as Forest Place was a sub-division of 14 lots created by the then dean of the Indiana University School of Law, William P. Rogers.  Over time, the University acquired all 14 lots and subsequently demolished them along with the street that was there at the time.  The pathway that runs from Third Street along the west side of Jordan Hall and Ballentine Hall approximates the street that had been there.

Anna and her husband, Thomas, were the owners of Riley Manor, located in Lot 11, 117 S. Forest Place.  This was demolished at some point to make way for the building of Ballantine Hall.  

At some point, Anna attended university, I assume in Bloomington.  I do know that she was accepted as a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma as I have found a listing in their publication called the Key from January 1897 where it states that she was one of eleven girls that were added to the local chapter. 

I do find it odd in this listing that she is noted as being Anna Reinhard instead of Anna Louden as at this time she was already married.  It could be a mistake or they hadn't been informed as of yet.  Not sure.

The next listing in the Key for her in May 1912 where the birth of Thomas and Anna's daughter, Kathryn Ann (1911-1970) (also spelled Katherine) was announced.  She was one of four children born to them.  They include: George Reinhard Louden (1898-1965), Eleanor Louden Engerud (1902-1969), and an infant Daughter (d.1900).  

She is mentioned in an article in the Indianapolis Times dated October 16, 1920 concerning the fiftieth anniversary of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.  

At some point between this above listing and the next one in 1928, Anna became an active member of the National Council of Women.  Unfortunately, the information about this council is limited as I believe it changed names or branched out after some time.  I did learn that this council was founded in 1888 by Susan B. Anthony at the suggestion of Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  It was composed of national organizations and associations all pledged to work for issues concerning women, among them, the right to vote.  

The Indiana Council of Women was organized in 1921 by May Wright Sewell.  This was a cumulation of the Bloomington, Anderson, Huntington, Indianapolis and Kokomo branches.  It was an independent member of the National Council of Woman and it was noted to have the purpose "to interest all women in the state of Indiana in constructive work, united effort and cooperation in vital projects in the state; to provide opportunity for conferences on questions relating to public welfare, thereby uniting forces to work for larger national needs; to cooperate with the National and International Councils of Women in worth-while projects, in education, cultural, religion, patriotic and ethical movements."

Her funeral took place in Bloomington, Indiana at the United Presbyterian Church and was presided over by Reverend Donald E. Zimmerman.  It is noted in the Bloomington Telephone, dated August 23, 1938, that she passed away after an illness of one week (noted in her obituary, unsure which one, that she had a stroke due to high blood pressure and then a second stroke) at the Post Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky.  She was 61 years old.

Rest in Peace Anna.

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SOURCES:

KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA/HISTORY IT

Bloomingpedia - Forest Place

Monroe County Marriage Records

Library of Congress - National Council of Women of the United States

Tennessee Virtual Archive - National Council of Women article

Indiana State University - May Wright Sewell Collection

Unnamed and undated obituary