- GABRIEL R. SUMMERS DIES AFTER MONTH'S ILLNESS
Hon. Gabriel R. Summers, 68 years old, owner of the News-Times, former state senator and prominent business man in this city for many years, died Friday night at 11:50 o'clock at his home, 314 West Colfax avenue. Mr. Summers had been seriously ill for four weeks with heart disease and diabetes and had been in ill health for over a year, having suffered several severe attacks of heart failure. He was taken critically ill July 23 and repeated relapses followed by a stroke of apoplexy Thursday morning caused the abandonment of all hope of his recovery. He had been in a state of coma for two days and was unable to recognize members of his family at his bedside.
Private funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock at the residence. Bishop John Hazen White, assisted by Rev. Robert J. Long, of St. James Episcopal church, officiating. Burial will be in Highland cemetery. The body will wile in state at the residence Monday from 10 o'clock until 3.
The active pallbearers will be Dr. John A. Stoeckley, James A. Judie, John G. Yeagley, William A. McInenry, Edward Zeitler and Edward Chierhart. The honorary pallbearers will be Joseph M. Neff, George Y. Hepler, Schuyler Robertson, William P. O'Neill, Elmer Crockett, Hon. Rome C. Stephenson, Marvin Campbell, Samuel Parker, Dixon W. Place, Jacob M. Chillas, Dr. J.W. Hill and Aaron Jones.
Surviving Mr. Summers are his wife, Mrs. Mercy Ann Longley Summers, whom he married Oct. 28, 1880, and one daughter, Mrs. Joseph M. Stephenson, of this city.
Mr. Summers was born in New Carlisle, this county, March 13, 1857, the son of Edward and Catherine Summers. After his graduation from Notre Date university when he was 16 years old Mr. Summers returned to his father's farm in Clay township and after his father's death in 1880 entered the farming business on an intensive scale. He (?) became engaged in the agricultural implementation business in this city and Wullerton(?), this county, and in 188(?) became president of the South Bend Iron Bed company. He was one of the organizers of the Vanderheof Medicine company in 189(?) and in recent years has been in full control of the company.
He became interested in the South Bend News in 1909(?) and it was in a great measure due to his influence that the consolidation of the South Bend News and South Bend Tribune was effected in 1911. Three years later Mr. Summers became practically complete owner of the South Bend News-Times and in 1917 relinquished his duties at published to his son-in-law, Joseph M. Stephenson.
Mr. Summers was elected state senator from St. Joseph county in 1914, serving in the 69th and 70th assemblies and on several important committees. He lent his influence toward the passage of the state-wide prohibition law; the United Suffrage act(?), later held unconstitutional by the supreme court, and he bill providing for a constitutional convention (???) state which the supreme court held invalid. He was conceded to be one of the progressive members of the senate. At the (?) of his term he refused to run for re-election, his reasons being ill-health and the weight of his many business interests.
Being a firm believer in the future of South Bend, Mr. Summers became identified with many of the well known business enterprises of the city and was a heavy investor in the city's real estate.
The South Bend Tribune Newspaper (Indiana), Monday 23 Aug 1920, Section 1, page 5.
Private funeral services for Hon. Gabriel R. Summers were held this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the residence, 314 West Colfax avenue. Bishop John Hazen White, assisted by Rev. Robert J. Long, of St. James Episcopal church, officiating. Burial was in the Summers mausoleum in Highland cemetery. The body lay in state at the residence from 10 o'clock this morning until the funeral hour. The active pallbearers will be Dr. John A. Stoeckley, James A. Judie, John G. Yeagley, William A. McInenry, Edward Zeitler and Edward Chierhart. The honorary pallbearers will be Joseph M. Neff, George Y. Hepler, Schuyler Robertson, William P. O'Neill, Elmer Crockett, Hon. Rome C. Stephenson, Marvin Campbell, Samuel Parker, Dixon W. Place, Jacob M. Chillas, Dr. J.W. Hill and Aaron Jones. Many messages of condolence have been received from associates of Mr. Summers during his service in the state senate 1915-1917.5 History of St. Joseph Co., Indiana, 1907, page 778.
Summers was born in 1857 in New Carlisle, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame at age 16. The son of an Irish farmer, he went into farming and sold agricultural implements in South Bend and Walkerton. In the 1890s, Summers entered the pharmaceutical business, eventually heading the Vanderhoof Medicine Company. He served as Indiana state senator and was a prominent South Bend businessman. Reportedly a millionaire from his pharmaceutical investments, he died in August 1920. His son-in-law, 23-year-old Joseph M. Stephenson, took over as owner of the paper.
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1857 - 1920 (63 years)
