The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-07
P.PETTIS is
DEAD; BODY TO
REST IN FRANCE
Founder of City Store Had
Lived Last Forty Years
in Nice.

Confirmation of the report of the
death OF Alphonse P. Pettis, SO, mil
lionaire founder of the Pettis Dry
Goods Company of Indianapolis, in
Nice, France, was received today.
Death of Mr.. Pettis turns the en-
tire annuity from a 100000 trust
fund which he gave TO the Indian
apolis Foundation Fund in 1921 to
the foundation. Up to the time of
his death, Mr.. Pettis had reserved
portion of the annuity for his per-
sonal use.
First report Of his death was re-
ceived by Howard M. Gay, vice.
president of the dry goods company,
in a cablegram from nephew of
the dry goods merchant.
Mr.. PettiS was buried in Nice.
Born Aug. 10, 1880, in Missouri, he
had lived for the past forty years
at Jardin D. Alsace Lorraine, Nice.
Buys Broadway Property
He moved from his Missouri
home to Montgomery, Mass, at an
early age. After working short
time as clerk in a dry goods store,
he purchased land at Forty-second
street and Broadway in New York
for $1,000. The increase of this
property's value gave him the money
with which he started the original
PettiS store.
He was married late in life to
Marie GuilIed Gentil, native of
Switzerland. No children were born
to them. Mrs. Pettis died in Paris,
June Is. 1909.
In 1890 Mr.. Pettis sold controlling
interest in the Pettis store, which at
one time housed all municipal offices
of indianapolis.
On Dec. "a, 1921, Mr.. Pettis made
his Christmas present to Indian
apolis-the city that gave him his
wealth-in the form Of a 100000
trust fund-to the Indianapolis
foundation fund.
Gift to Foundation
His gift was in the form of Secur-
tiles left in custody of the Indiana
Trust Company. 1t was the first
endowment received by the founda-
ton. The spur of the donation led
to other gifts from men of wealth
and the graudal increase of assets
of the foundation.
In making his Christmas present
Mr.. Pettis left it in the power OF
the trust company to invest or
change the investment of the $780,
600. An annuity was paid him year.
ly from the trust fund of 100000
and upon his death this annuity
was to revert to the foundation.
Up to March /, 1929, approx
mate1y $4,000 had been expended
by the foundation from its portion
of the early annuity received from
the Pettis endowment. A child
welfare institute and psychiatric
service at the psychopathic ward at
the city hospital an employment
bureau maintained at 302 Meridian
Life building, and scholarship
fund for gifted high school and col
lege students, in addition to a con-
tribution annually to the Com
munity fund is the fruit born OF
Mr.. Pettis gift.
store Established in 1868
The Pettis store originally was
established by William and Hugh
Glenn and in 1868 Mr.. Pettis-an
eastern dry goods merchant-pur-
chased the business and real estate.
He purchased the real estate for
$4,000. The present assessed valua-
tion of the property is approx
mately 100000
After the purchase, Mr.. PettlS
formed new company known as
PettiS. Dickson & Co. Later he
operated the store as Pettis, IverS
& Co. This company was succeed
ed by Pettis, Bassett & Co., which
was succeeded in turn by a firm
operated by Mr.. Pettis and w. P
N. Sylvester
In 1890 Mr.. PettiS sold his inter
ests, and the present PettiS Dry
Goods Company was formed with
George A. Gay. president; George S.
Pomeroy, yice-president; Howard A.
Gay. president, and James A.
Swain, secretary treasurer.
Survivors are an adopted daughter