Fred Friedline
Kentland's Renaissance Man
Sources
- American Elevator and Grain Trade, 15 Aug 1902
- Obituary, Lyons Kansas
- John Friedline, nephew
- Various trade publications and search results
His life:
Quick Bio
- Born in Somerset Co. Pennsylvania, 1875
- Died in Chicago hospital 1942
- Lived in Kentland 1911-1922, 1937-1942
- Specialized in reinforced concrete and grain systems
- Kentland Garage and Machine Shop
- His son Fred Jr. lived his whole life in Kentland
Early Life
- His father was a millwright, carpenter, and farmer
- By age 14 he was building things
- Windmill
- Working violin
- Educated as a teacher at Cooper Memorial Institute
- Taught school for several years
- Licensed architect, engineer, and surveyor
Friedline Family in Kansas, ca. 1895
Galveston, Texas September 8, 1900
- Friedline was there building an elevator
- On the harbor shore
- He had to swim to escape the storm
- His structure was the only one left standing
Elevator at Galveston TX 1900
Grain Storage Structures
He was in the area by 1904
D. P. Simison & Co. are rebuilding their elevator at Romney, Ind., which burned a few weeks ago.
The new elevator will be metal-clad and have a storage capacity of between 25,000 and 30,000 bushels. It will cost about $30,000 and will be larger and more modern than the burned house.
The engine and boilers will be placed in a separate building, thus lessening the chance of a fire.
Henderson & Friedline of Lafayette, Ind., have the contract.
American Elevator and Grain Trade, 15 Jun 1904
1912 Grain Trade Magazine
Elevator at Ade
The Indiana Reformatory
Construction Superintendent
- McCray was in office
- Previous prison at Madison had burned
- Spent two years there, 1922-23
- 1924-1935
- Many corn-based and other food products
- Cedar Rapids and New Orleans
- Oversaw construction and modernization
- Over fifty production facilities in the US
His work:
Kentland
Indiana Reformatory at Pendleton
- Josiah and Stella Shonkwiler Portteus
- Built 1915-1016
- House, barn, "oil house," chicken house, outhouse
- Farmstead dates to 1860s
- Several original structures remain
Features
- Extensive use of reinforced concrete
- Indiana's first central vacuum system
- Elaborate interior work by Herman Diedam
- Integrated well/rain water system
- In-house power plant
- Intended for self-sufficiency
- Apiary
- Orchard
East view
Southeast view
Southwest View
View from northwest barn loft
View from SR71, northeast
Orchard Lake
Note the little boy on fence
Kentland Garage and Machine Shop
American Garage & Auto Dealer, 1916
Local Newspaper Ad, 1919
Fred Jr.?
Rensselaer Residences
- Bert Hopkins
- Maud Spitler (N. Van Rensselaer)
- Willis (now Hoffman) Home Ave.
Willis Home (now Hoffman) ca. 1936
Did He,
or
Didn't He?
Note arch motif
Lemna Home on 5th
Former Molter Law office
