Mais Motor Truck Company, located at Lasalle & the Belt R.R., Indianapolis, 1911 – 1914 ; “to manufacture, buy, sell, import, export and otherwise deal in carriages, wagons, cars, trucks, automobiles, motorcycles, launches and flying machines”. According to “The Old Motor Car” website “two fires at the [Indianapolis] plant and other factors ended with the company  entering into receivership and ultimately being sold by the courts. The largest part of the firm was bought by the Premier Automobile Co. [also made in Indianapolis].  Franklin Vonnegut was the company’s receiver. The company’s directors were: Albert F. Mais – engineer, b. 1885 in Germany, immigrated in 1895 to Chicago, he later became a building contractor in Wisconsin; Alfred W. Markham – b. 1883 and d. 1920, engineer. Charles Fisher – car salesman; Emory W. Spenser – b. 1886 in Michigan, graduated from University of Wisconsin, accountant, the 1920 Federal Census listed him as a prisoner in the Wisconsin State Prison, d. 1921. “Automobile Topics”, 1910, Vol. 28, p. 816 listed Mais as working for the Studebaker Corporation in Detroit, Michigan. He also belonged to the Society of Automobile Engineers in Indianapolis along with Harry C. Stutz and Howard Marmon, Elwood Haynes in Kokomo, IN, and Fred S. Duesenburg in Des Moines, Iowa.

Lyman Bros. January 6, 1908 to 1932; “buying, selling and trading in pictures, portraits, picture moldings and materials, glass and mirrors; and also to cut, make and manufacture such pictures, frames and moldings and other such articles of merchandise sold and handled in connection thereof”. Originally their store was located at 203 N. Delaware St., but in 1913 they moved to 223-225 E. Ohio St. In 1933 they relocated to 14 E. Washington St. and began to exhibit works by local painters at their art gallery. The Lyman Bros. Art Store was very popular and they stayed at this location till they closed in the early 1980s. The original directors were: William Lyman – b. 1870 in Hungary and immigrated to the U.S. in 1890; Joseph Lyman – b. 1877 in Hungary/Germany and  also immigrated to the U.S. in 1890; Benjamin Lyman – b. 1869 in Hungary/Germany and immigrated to the U.S. in 1884, In 1932 the company’s directors were: Benjamin Lyman – President; Damian Lyman,b. 1905 in Indiana, V.P; Carl Lyman – b. 1898 in New York, sec-treas, Benjamin’s son; Ottilie Lyman – b. 1872 in Hungary/Germany, Benjamin’s wife.

Lyra Casino, incorporated February 3, 1892 to 1900. “The object of the association shall be the social, mental and physical development of its members.” The directors were Otto Stechan – owned the Otto Stechan & Co. which made Lounges and Parlor Furniture; Carl Van Hake – president of the Indianapolis Coffin Co.; Charles Krause – bookkeeper at the Vonnegut Hardware Store; John Wocher – owner of an investment company; George A. Dickson – proprietor of the Grand, Park and English’s Opera Houses; Frank Bachman – a provision dealer in Chicago; Frank A. Maus – V.P. and treasurer of the Indianapolis Brewing Co.

by Robert F. Gilyeat, an Indiana State Archives volunteer