Loren "Larry" H Depew was born in Bloomington in 1856 and died August 19, 1913 at his home at 302 South McLean Street. He was a popular character in Bloomington for his talent as a bugler. He was in demand at the Knights of Pythias encampments and military funerals. He led his own drum and bugle corp in Bloomington. He had a creative genius for devising costumes that were joyously displayed at the many balls and masquerades in Bloomington. He was a cleaner and dyer as well, with a shop at 103 E. Front Street. He furnished the costumes for the Bellflower High School staging of Hamlet in 1906 and numerous other theatrical productions.
Loren H Depew was a member of the Knights of Pythias. Perhaps the photo above, taken from the Souvenir of Bloomington brochure of 1905 was taken in his fraternal robes. A catalogue of accoutrements of the Knights of Pythias does not include a robe exactly like this one, but the color plates are fascinating and I include two plates here. I am sure these gentlemen were dead serious about the activities of the Knights, but I do giggle when I think of the sober men of Bloomington prancing about in their temple in such colorful robes, sporting helmets, turbans and swords!
Perhaps the colorful costumes of the fraternal organizations inspired the costumes made by Depew in his shop.
Mr. Depew died of unspecified conditions, but his death may have been hastened by his adoption of Christian Science during his illness. Although he had seen a doctor early in his illness, he had been unattended in the weeks before his death due to his new convictions. The doctor declined to state the cause of death without an autopsy. Mr. Depew was survived by this wife Tillie (Osten) Depew and his daughter Dora Schoenbeck.