Frank Inn (Famous Mooresvillian)

Camby native Frank Inn (born Elias Franklin Freeman) (1916-2002) grew up on the Charles Mendenhall farm near Mooresville (the farm was in Guilford Township, Hendricks County). His parents operated E. A. Freeman Florist shop in Mooresville for many years. During the 1950s until circa 1964, the florist shop was located at 42, 46, 60 & 62 East Washington Street (customers and suppliers often used Lincoln Lane for pickups and deliveries).  From circa 1964 through the early 1980s, the florist shop was situated at State Road 67 Bypass and South Park Drive.

Frank Inn was best known as an animal trainer for Hollywood movies (such as Benji, The Thin Man series, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s) and television programs (such as the 1960’s sitcoms The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Petticoat Junction). For Green Acres, Inn trained Arnold the Pig (character name: Arnold Ziffel). Arnold came from Jim Clem’s farm (see image below) on Johnson Road just outside Mooresville.

Inn won 40 PATSY (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) Awards for the animals he trained for movies and television.  The International Association of Canine Professions (IACP) honored Inn as its first Hall of Fame inductee.  (See Inn's online biography.)

Frank Inn with Green Acres star, Arnold the Pig

 

Jim Clem's Farm on Johnson Road

(Morgan County Plat Map, Brown Township, 1962-1964)

 

Inn’s book about Benji is available to check-out from our Evergreen Indiana catalog.  Visit the MPL Indiana Room, or read this brief biography, to learn more about the man and his talented animals.

Frank Inn & Benji

On May 7, 2016, the library presented a program celebrating the 100th anniversary of Frank Inn’s birth.  We captured the program on video (below). Frank Inn was portrayed by David Reddick, chair of the Morgan County Indiana Bicentennial Celebration.

Frank Inn Program Video

In case you missed last Saturday's (May 7, 2016) library program about Frank Inn, the famous Hollywood animal trainer from Camby and Mooresville, Indiana, we have it on video.

Celebrating a Century of Frank Inn, by MPL

(Starring David Reddick as Frank Inn)

(click play button above to watch video)

FAMOUS MOORESVILLIANS

Click the names below to learn more about these famous Mooresvillians.  Also visit Mooresville Public Library's website.

• LEON ADLER
• RUTH ELLEN COMER
• SAMMY LEE DAVIS
• JOHN DILLINGER
• GEORGE H. FIELDS
• CLIFFORD C. FURNAS
• PAUL HADLEY
• BOBBY HELMS
• REV. DR. FRANK CLAUDE HUSTON
• ROBERT INDIANA
• FRANK INN
• SAMUEL MOORE, FOUNDER OF MOORESVILLE
• JULIA D. NELSON
• ARTHUR C. NEWBY
• JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
• AMOS RUSIE
• CLIFTON WHEELER
  

Taggart Bakery & Restaurant (1888-1930) and Beyond

In 1888, John Allen Taggart and Lena Taggart started their bakery/restaurant at 15 West Main Street in downtown Mooresville.  In 1896 they replaced their wood-frame structure with a two-story brick building that still stands today.  Our video below summarizes the history of restaurants that served the public at this location for well over half a century.

Taggart Bakery (Mooresville Moments #24)

by Mooresville Public Library

We had some leftover images that didn't make the cut for the video, which we'd like to share here.  This 1919 photo (below) shows Lena Taggart with her brother-in-law and his wife, Joseph and Florence Taggart, who lived in Pasadena, California, according to the 1920 U.S. Census.  The front and back of the photo are shown below.  (Click images to enlarge.)

The enlarged portion of J. A. Taggart's obituary appeared in the video, but here's the part of the front page in which the article appeared.

Mooresville Times, January 3, 1908

John Allen Taggart's headstone at

Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis

At the turn of the 20th century, John and Lena Taggart lived in a fine home on the northeast corner of the intersection of North Monroe Street and West Morgan Street, across from the Academy School (which added, in 1909, Mooresville High School; in 1921, the high school gymnasium; and, in 1937, Newby Memorial Elementary School).  Four decades later, this home was owned by Butch Brown's parents, who operated Brown's Rexall Drugstore at 13 East Main Street in downtown Mooresville.

Here's a summary of owners of Taggarts' Bakery/Restaurant over the years:

Under the name Taggarts' Bakery and Restaurant

• 1888-1907:  John A. & Lena Taggart
• 1907-1913:  Lena Taggart
• 1913-1918:  Ross C. "Dinty" Moore
• 1918-1928:  Frank Hadley & Pete Culbertson
• 1928-1930:  William Tincher

Under the name "Dinty" Moore's Cafe:

• 1930-1936:  Ross C. "Dinty" Moore

Under the name Hadley Restaurant:

• 1936-1944:  Frank Hadley

Under the name Head Inn Restaurant:

• 1944-circa 1950:  Mr. & Mrs. Clayr (?) Ward

Under the name Taylor's Restaurant:

• Circa 1950-circa 1959

Under the name Clark's Restaurant"

• Circa 1959-circa 1966

During the 1990s and 2000s, I recall that Pat's Tavern was located in the Taggart building at 15 West Main Street.  Since 2016, it has been the site of Bran N Shorts Coffee House.

Mooresville-Decatur Times, January 30, 2016