Byford Inman
September 30, 1893 - May 25, 1980

Singing “Praises of Fame” for Westfield’s Estimable Citizen, Byford Inman - by Linda Mihm - Vice President of Westfield Washington Historical Society

By most accounts, Byford Franklin Inman was a solitary figure as both an only child and a confirmed bachelor who lived in his childhood home on Penn and East streets until he passed away on May 23, 1980. While he became well-known in the area for writing the school song, “Glory to Old Westfield,” there was much more to admire in this notable man. 

From his personal records, it is clear that Byford Inman loved history. Throughout his life, Inman referred to his birth year (1893) by the historic Columbian Exposition that impressed millions of visitors in Chicago during its six-month run. Of the noteworthy memories from his long life, most were history-related. Inman reminisced about seeing the soldiers from the Spanish-American War in Cuba parade around Monument Circle in Indianapolis while another favorite memory was catching sight of the famous Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley as he passed by in a sizable limousine.

But one of the greatest thrills of his life was seeing the Liberty Bell as it was transported by flatcar (a railroad car without sides or a roof) along Washington Street, also known as the old National Road. This thrilling venture likely happened in 1915, when the Bell was transported from coast to coast to the Panama Pacific Exhibition in San Francisco in commemoration of the opening of the Panama Canal. The Liberty Bell passed through Indianapolis on its return trip to Philadelphia following the exhibition.

A member of the Friends Meeting, Inman showed talent as a writer of both poetry and prose from his earliest days in school. It was in high school in 1912 that he wrote the school song, “Glory to Old Westfield,” winning a $5 prize for his lyrics that would later be put to music by teacher Harry Bowman. Inman never cashed that check, and it can be found in the Westfield Washington Historical Society collection today. 

He continued to write poetry throughout his life and shared some of his innermost thoughts in the following unpublished poem titled “Dream on, My Sweetheart:”

I wandered down to the woodland

In an evening long ago.

Down through the silence of dreamland

Down where the wild flowers grow

Into the shadows of evening

I wandered all alone.

T’was here I found you dreaming

Your eyes with gladness shown.

I’m wandering now in the woodland

Where we wandered years ago

Strolling along through dreamland

The love in your eyes aglow

Into my thoughts come stealing

The love you gave to me

Memories of you, my darling, 

And smiles that used to be. 

It should be noted that Inman wrote another song, too. Found in the Library of Congress and titled, “Back in the U.S.A,” the ballad shares the heartache a soldier feels when leaving the girl he loves to go fight in World War I. Patriotic imagery is coupled with the sweet sentiments of young love in this piece he wrote with Eugene Noel and self-published here in Westfield.

Inman would go on to use his writing talents as a writer for the Hamilton County News and as a contributor to the Indianapolis News for over thirty years, recording life in Westfield and the surrounding areas. He also worked as a bookkeeper, as secretary of Westfield Savings and Loan, and served as Clerk-treasurer for nine years, following in his father’s footsteps. 

Byford Inman hoped to write and publish a history of Westfield later in his life. Toward that endeavor, he collected documents and communications that recorded significant events in the town’s history. Inman also conducted interviews with local personalities, often via letters, to capture their memories of Westfield. As a collector of items of historical interest, particularly of local history, Inman had hoped his home would eventually be transformed into a museum. This desire was never fulfilled, however, and his possessions were willed to the Hamilton County Historical Society. Money from the sale of his house was divided between that group and the Hamilton County Artists’ Association. 

Byford Inman would likely be pleased, though humbly, that “Glory to Old Westfield” continues to be sung in the halls of his beloved Westfield High School and that his contributions to the town he loved so much are still remembered today. The WWHS collection contains numerous photographs taken by Inman that were passed on to the society by Camilla Axelrod. And just this month, the Inman collection increased immensely by a donation from the Hamilton County Historical Society, including numerous notebooks from him and his mother. The poem above was included in one of these notebooks. Visitors can also see his desk upstairs at the Old Sheriff's Residence and Jail Museum in Noblesville. 

BELOW: Pictures from our collection and elsewhere - click on the picture to view more information about it in our Museum Software Online Website - Pictures researched and accessioned by Michael E Kobrowski and Linda Mihm and others