James D. Macken (December 6, 1868 – March 21, 1931)
James D. Macken was born on December 6, 1868, in Kentucky, the son of Patrick Macken and Mary Larkin, members of an Irish Catholic family established in western Kentucky. His early life reflects the experience of many second-generation Irish Americans who built their futures through skilled work and strong family ties.
By the early twentieth century, Macken had settled in Evansville, Indiana, where he became a prominent antique furniture dealer. For twenty-two years, he operated his business on Main Street, working and residing at 810 Main Street, placing him at the center of Evansville’s commercial life.
On December 3, 1909, at the age of forty-one, James married Ida E. Gardner in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. The marriage later ended in divorce, documented in 1919, and by the 1930 census Macken was living alone as head of household at 810½ Main Street. He was the father of Zita Lee Macken and remained closely connected to his family throughout his life. His sister, Mrs. Mary Manion, lived in Henderson.
In mid-March 1931, Macken was stricken with paralysis caused by a cerebral hemorrhage. He died at his Evansville home on March 21, 1931, at 1:50 p.m., at the age of sixty-two. His death was widely noted in the local press.
Following his death, James D. Macken was returned to Henderson, Kentucky, for burial. Funeral services were held at the Church of the Assumption, and he was interred in Saint Louis Cemetery. His gravestone bears the inscription “Father,” marking his enduring role within his family.
James D. Macken’s life bridges Evansville and Henderson, commerce and community, reflecting the everyday history of the Ohio Valley in the early twentieth century, where family, faith, and work shaped a man’s legacy.
