The Hamilton Heights High School theater students will hold a “Lantern Walk” through Cicero Cemetery from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. The walk will include 12 stops at the gravesites of important folks in the history of Jackson Township.
The Reporter will publish a short biography of each of the 12 individuals in our online editions from Wednesday to Saturday for three weeks, concluding April 15.
Dudley Purkey is featured in today’s edition.
“I am Dudley Purkey. When I was 11 years old, I stopped by the barber shop in Cicero to sell Grit newspapers, and the owner asked me if I would rather have a job working for him shining shoes. I immediately accepted, and my work inside a barber shop began. One day when the barber was out to lunch, a man brought his two boys in and wanted their hair cut. I jokingly said that I was the barber, and I earned 35 cents for each boy, even though my work left much to be desired. There were no barber schools back then – we just went in and practiced, and we made our own hair tonics and shaving lotions. Before Cicero, I worked for shops in Carmel, Westfield, and Noblesville. I also made house calls. Throughout the years I worked as a barber – 61 to be exact – I gathered more stories than I can count. I finally retired in 1983 due to poor health.”
Source: Dudley Purkey, as told to Costomiris and Dunn. Cicero, Indiana 1834-1934, 1984.