If you have a fascination with early Marion County history or have ancestors from the area, you may be interested in the Indiana State Library’s digitized collection of early Marion County, Indiana birth returns.
Birth returns were filled out by doctors or midwives and returned to the Marion County Health Department. Once they received the return, a birth certificate would be issued. Marion County began keeping birth records in 1882, but they were optional until 1907 and not every family registered their child’s birth. This makes the records in this collection much more captivating, and they are available right at your fingertips online!
In many cases the cards are handwritten by the doctor or midwife and include important details about the family including parents’ names, where they were born, ages, father’s occupation, address and the location of the child’s birth. A few records even include details on the birth itself, like whether it was difficult or easy and a description of why.
The collection is filled with cards for interesting people and families in Indianapolis history. This is part two of a series of blog posts where I’ll be highlighting a few of the fascinating individuals included in Marion County birth returns.
William E. English and Helen Orr English’s only child, Rosalind was born March 10, 1903 in their luxurious apartment at the English Hotel. She was delivered by well-known Indianapolis Doctor, E.F. Hodges whose wife, Laura was the granddaughter of famous Indianapolis pioneer, Calvin Fletcher.
Attorney and U.S. Representative, William E. English managed the English Hotel and Opera House on Monument Circle. His wife, Helen was a prominent gardener who cared for the gardens at the family’s Englishton Park Estate and participated in floral festivals. During one festival, she awarded a prize to a Mr. E.G. Hill for a new rose, a continuous blooming pink variety newly named after her daughter, Rosalind Orr English.
Gardens at Englishton Park Estate. Indiana State Library digital collection.
Postcard of the English Hotel Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana State Library digital collection.
Rosalind grew up surrounded by the opulence and excitement of the English Hotel in Indianapolis. With its carved woodwork, marble staircase, balcony overlooking Monument Circle and famous performances, the English Opera House and Hotel was the height of luxury.
Due to the family’s wealth and prominence, she was a popular curiosity to Indiana residents in awe of her upbringing at the center of the bustling city. Frequently featured in Indiana newspapers, she was making the news for her fashions as early as the day after she was born. “Not only is little Rosalind English the richest baby in Indiana, but she will wear the most exquisite outfit ever provided for a little Hoosier … A number of the finest needlewomen in Indianapolis worked several months on the outfit.”
Evansville Courier and Press, March 13, 1903.
As an infant she was, “The baby that has Monument Place for a playground! Little Rosalind Orr English, daughter of Capt. And Mrs. W.E. English has had this big circle in front of the English Hotel for a playground all winter.” Father and daughter didn’t allow the curious onlookers to stop them from playing together. “She insists on playing ‘horse’ with the pink harness, and her imperious highness will have no driver but Capt. English. Pedestrians stop every day to watch the pretty picture of the pair going around the Circle, harnessed together with the pink reins.”
Indianapolis Star, April 2, 1905.
She was the “best known baby in Indianapolis” with famous Indianapolis poet James Whitcomb Riley declaring her the “breath of the morning”.
Indianapolis Star, May 22, 1904.
Indianapolis Star, May 22, 1904.
She may have been inspired by Riley when she wrote her own book of poetry at a young age. “All of these verses were written before her tenth birthday and her first effort in that line were Christmas rhymes, which were attached to her holiday gifts on one occasion and came as a surprise to her family, whose members did not know she had the rhyming knack.” The book she authored, “Christmas Time and Other Verses” is among the holdings of the Indiana State Library.
Indianapolis Star, Aug. 30, 1914.
Writing poetry was merely one of her many ambitions. As she grew into adulthood, she developed an interest in practicing law, like her father. Her hard work and diligence paid off as she stacked up an impressive list of accomplishments. She was class leader her senior year at Benjamin Harrison Law School, became a member of the Indianapolis Bar, was active in Republican politics, organized women voters and was a member of the businesswoman’s section of the Indianapolis League of Women Voters. Rosalind was also named executive secretary of the first Republican voters’ and college club bureau.
For all her talents and successes, she expressed feelings of conflict regarding her place as a woman in the legal profession, a reflection of a time when there were few practicing female lawyers. Regardless of the challenges, she was determined to forge ahead.
“‘It was unobliging of me not to have been a boy,” she declared. “For there has been a lawyer in every generation of the English family. My great-grandfather, Elijah English was a lawyer and I believe he would want me to be one, too. I used to go to Legislature with my father and there it was marked who had a knowledge of law and who didn’t, I have always been interested in this part of my family history and will try to make up for not being a boy by being a first-class woman lawyer. It can be done.’”
Indianapolis News, Feb. 11, 1922.
She wasn’t alone in her efforts to break new ground for women. Rosalind was frequently mentioned in the newspaper working alongside other influential women pursuing similar political and professional goals. The first woman to prosecute a criminal case in Marion County Criminal Court, Jesse Levy worked alongside Rosalind in organizing women voters. Levy also presented the motion for Rosalind to practice law before the Indiana Supreme Court in 1924. It’s likely these women offered one another support and encouragement as they worked towards a common end and entered spheres where women were only recently admitted.
Kokomo Tribune, March 15, 1924.
Indianapolis Times, Aug. 28, 1924.
Sadly, Rosalind’s life was cut short and she died at the age of 21 in a tragic automobile accident shortly before she was to enter Columbia University Law School. This was not long after the motion presented by Levy for her to practice law before the Indiana Supreme Court, when her career was just beginning and her life was full of promise.
Indianapolis Times Dec. 23, 1924.
The heartfelt inscription on the family marker at Crown Hill Cemetery reads:
Rosalind Orr English, only child of William E. English and Helen Orr English.
Taken at the age of 21 years in the flower and beaty of her youth and on the threshold of a brilliant career. A political public speaker before her majority, an attorney, admitted to the bar on her 21st birthday, a writer of poems at 8 and at the age of 11 she wrote these words so fittingly quoted here
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest. Mourned by those who loved thee best, while holy angels guard and keep, sleep my baby, sleep.
A short life measured by years, but a long life measured by accomplishments.
If you would like to learn more about what it may have been like for members of the English family as they gazed over Monument Circle, went on vacation or spent time at their estate you can explore the Indiana State Library’s digital collections of English family photos. You may even spot Rosalind as a toddler on the balcony of the hotel looking at the hustle and bustle on the downtown streets below.
- English family photos of Monument Circle.
- English family vacation photos.
- English family estate photos.
This blog post is by Dagny Villegas, Genealogy Division librarian.
Sources:
“Assist League Meeting.” Indianapolis Star, 10/28/1923, p. 65
“Baby’s Rare Playground.” Indianapolis Star, 04/02/1905, p. B29
“Best Known Baby in Indianapolis.” Indianapolis Star, 05/22/1904, p. 7
“Career of young woman lawyer ended by death.” Indianapolis Times, 12/23/1924, p. 1
“Fate of Clark Goes to Jury Early Today.” The Anderson Herald, 03/24/1934, p. 1
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45991874/rosalind_orr-parsons: accessed January 30, 2026), memorial page for Rosalind Orr English Parsons (10 Mar 1903–22 Dec 1924), Find a Grave Memorial ID 45991874, citing Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by John C. Anderson (contributor 47208015).
Helen Orr English. “Autumn Magic Transforms Englishton Park Into a Veritable Floral Fairyland.” Indianapolis Star, 10/30/1910
“Hoosier Women to Go to Polls: Organize for active fall campaign.” Indianapolis Times, 08/28/1924, p. 2
Kokomo Tribune, March 15, 1924, p. 2
“Mrs. Parsons to Work in First Voters’ Clubs: Named executive secretary of G.O.P. State Bureau.” Indianapolis News, 09/19/1924, p. 25
Richard W. Worth. “English Hotel and Opera House.” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, https://indyencyclopedia.org/english-hotel-and-opera-house-1880-1948/#:~:text=The%20English%20was%20the%20premier,Penney%20building%2C%20which%20replaced%20them
“Richest Baby in Indiana.” Evansville Courier and Press, 03/13/1903, p. 8
“Rosalind English Writes Book of Verse.” Indianapolis Star, 08/30/1914, p. C4
“Roses, Rare and Radiant: Feature of the flower show afternoon and evening.” Indianapolis Journal, 11/13/1903, p. 12
Stacey Nicholas. “William Eastin English.” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, https://indyencyclopedia.org/william-eastin-english/
“Woman Prosecutes Murder Case.” Indianapolis Times, 12/10/1925, p. 5
“Woman Takes Her Law Studies Seriously and Wishes to Join Father in Profession.” Indianapolis News, 02/11/1922, p. 19