Lena Pierpont (September 13, 1883 – October 21, 1958) was the mother of Prohibition gangster

Harry Pierpont Harry "Pete" Pierpont (October 13, 1902 – October 17, 1934) was a Prohibition era gangster, convicted murderer and bank robber. He was a friend and mentor to John Dillinger. Described as handsome and soft-spoken, Pierpont was a bright, natural-b ...

. Her fierce loyalty to her son and his compatriots led to her arrest on numerous occasions by police in an attempt to ascertain her son's whereabouts.

Early life

Lena was born in

Jay County, Indiana Jay County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 20,478. The county seat is Portland. History The Indiana State Legislature passed an omnibus county bill on 7 February 1835 that authorized the creation o ...

, to James Orcutt and Samantha E. Metzner. Lena was the second of four children. On her seventh birthday, her mother died. Her father later remarried and moved the family to

Muncie, Indiana Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the seat of Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs/lenape-villages.pdf It is located in ...

Marriage and family life

At age 16, on November 27, 1899, in Muncie, Lena married Joseph Gilbert Pierpont (June 1881-October 6, 1961). Joseph's father had migrated from Kentucky to the Muncie area in the late 1880s. In the 1900 census, Lena L. Pierpont was enumerated in Center Township,

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, married within the year. Lena was the mother of three children: Fern (b. September 21, 1900); Harry (b. October 13, 1902); and Fred (b. July 5, 1906), all born in Muncie. By the 1910 census, the family was residing at 1145 McLain Street in

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, where her husband's occupation was listed as a woodworker in a carriage factory. In the 1911 and 1912 directories of the city of Indianapolis, the family was living at 1234 Lee Avenue. Lena's oldest child, Fern, died of tuberculosis in Indianapolis in 1919. By the 1920 census, the family was residing at 2113 Morris Street in Indianapolis.

Family's trouble with the law

In 1921 in Indianapolis, Lena's son Harry was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. He was held for ten days and then dismissed.King 2005, p. 19. Concurrent with his arrest, Harry was committed to the state hospital. In the Record of Inquest for Harry Pierpont held on September 19, 1921, she stated that he had become sullen, suspicious and prone to outbursts after a severe head injury. Harry was committed to the state hospital for the mentally ill Central Indiana Hospital on September 21. Harry was diagnosed with

dementia praecox Dementia praecox (meaning a "premature dementia" or "precocious madness") is a disused psychiatric diagnosis that originally designated a chronic, deteriorating psychotic disorder characterized by rapid cognitive disintegration, usually beginni ...

of the hebephrenic type. On March 12, 1922, Harry Pierpont was sentenced to the Indiana reformatory at Jeffersonville for a two- to fourteen-year sentence for assault and battery with intent to murder. Lena often visited the superintendent and told him about Harry's mental illness. She tirelessly campaigned for his release from prison, claiming he was insane. The parole board granted him parole on March 6, 1924. After his release from prison, Harry worked in his father's sand and gravel business in

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, for several months.King 2005, p. 20. Harry continued to associate with several known bank robbers, and may have robbed the Southwine Theater in

. Harry was arrested in

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Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

, on April 2, 1925, and jailed in

Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard County, the Kokomo-Peru CSA, which include ...

. Pierpont was alleged to be the leader in the robbing of the South Marion, Upland and South Kokomo Banks in Indiana.Alleged Bank Bandit Leader Held article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, April 3, 1925, p.1. Lena and her husband came to Kokomo on Saturday, April 4, 1925, and arranged with the firm of Overman & Healy and Carl Bree to look after the interests of Harry when arraigned and to defend him in his upcoming trial.Prisoners To Stay In City Says Sheriff article, Kokomo Daily Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, April 5, 1925, p. 1 While Harry Pierpont was awaiting trial in

Howard County, Indiana Howard County is one of 92 counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,658. The county seat is Kokomo. Originally named Richardville County, it was renamed in 1844 to commemorate General Tilghman Ashu ...

, Lena's other son, Fred Pierpont, was arrested for aiding his brother in an escape attempt, but was later acquitted of the charges. Convicted of bank robbery, Harry was sentenced to serve a sentence of ten to twenty-one years, and fined $1000.00.Kokomo Bandit In Prison Break article, Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, December 29, 1930, p.1

Association with the Dillinger Gang

While serving his sentence at the Indiana Reformatory at

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, Lena's son Harry first met

John Dillinger John Herbert Dillinger (June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) was an American gangster during the Great Depression. He led the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. Dillinger was imprisoned several times an ...

. Harry was the convict Dillinger looked up to the most. Harry caused the Pendleton Warden, A.F. Miles, so much trouble that he was transferred to the Indiana State Prison at Michigan City within two months, after he attempted to drill through the bars of his cell in an escape attempt. On September 26, 1933, Harry Pierpont, along with nine other prisoners, escaped from the Michigan City, Indiana State Prison,Nine Escape From State Prison article, Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, September 26, 1933, p. 1 using guns smuggled into the prison by John Dillinger. On October 12, 1933, Harry, along with

Charles Makley Charles Omer Makley (November 24, 1889 – September 22, 1934), also known as Charles McGray and Fat Charles, was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger. E ...

, Ed Shouse and Russell Clark rescued John Dillinger from the Allen County Jail in

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. During the rescue, Harry shot and killed Sheriff Jess Sarber. On November 8, 1933, Lena's son, Fred, stood trial in

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, for the robbery of the First National Bank of St. Mary's, Ohio.Eleven Jurors Seated For Pierpont Trial article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, November 8, 1933, p. 4. The defense argued that Fred was mistaken for Ed Shouse, while the prosecution had witnesses that saw Fred behind the wheel of a car occupied by the bandits when it left St. Mary's. Lena and her husband, as well as Fred's wife, Mary, and son, Harry, were in attendance. On November 20, 1933, Fred was taken into custody at his home in

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, and held in the Putnam County, Ohio, jail under instruction of Allen County Prosecutor Ernest Botkin. Two days later, he was transferred to the Allen County jail. On November 28, 1933, Lena posted a $2500 bond and Fred was released from the Allen County, Ohio, jail.Fred Pierpont Freed On Bond article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, November 28, 1933, p. 1. Fred had been held as a material witness for the first degree murder trial of Harry Copeland for the killing of Sheriff Sarber. Fred's original bond had been set at $10,000. On December 14, 1933, Lena and Fred were arrested in

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.Mother And Brother Of Harry Pierpont Jailed In Indiana article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, December 14, 1933, p. 1.Mrs. Pierpont Held article, Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, December 14, 1933, p.1. Lena was charged with possessing an automobile bearing improper identification, and Fred was charged with vagrancy. Terre Haute police also seized two automobiles at a house occupied by the Pierponts, impounding $435 in cash and several papers in Lena's possession. Captain Matt Leach of the Indiana State Police questioned Lena about her son Harry's whereabouts.Pierponts Free On $2,000 Bond In Terre Haute article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, December 15, 1933, p. 8. On December 15, 1933, Lena and Fred were released from the

, jail after posting $2,000 bond each. After Harry's arrest in

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, on January 25, 1934, and subsequent return to

, for trial, Lena secured the services of city solicitor Charles W. Long to defend her son. This resulted in verbal fireworks at city council meetings. On February 14, 1934, Lena was called before the Allen County grand jury. After entering a "not guilty" plea, Harry's trial date was set for March 6, 1934. "I'm still proud of the Pierpont name", Lena was reported to have said to a friend while in the courtroom. On February 19, 1934, Lena addressed a large crowd at the Lima city council, defending solicitor Long's right to defend her gangster son.Mrs. Lena Pierpont Defends Long Before Lima Council article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, February 20, 1934, p. 1. John Keville, president of the Citizens and Taxpayers League, had soundly criticized Long for taking the Pierpont case while still working for the city. Lena addressed rumors that Long had been paid in upwards of $10,000 to defend Harry and challenged anyone to present a member of the Pierpont family who possessed that amount of money. Keville had left the meeting before she spoke, and the council offered no comments on Lena's remarks. Lena's husband, Joseph Gilbert Pierpont, who had been in ill health, appeared with her in Lima to confer with Harry's attorneys.Pierpont Asks New Judge article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, February 27, 1934, p. 1.> It was reported that Lena had established temporary residence in Lima at the time. Shortly before his trial, Harry filed papers with the court asking he be allowed to confer with his mother in order to arrange for the testimony of certain witnesses who could verify his alibiPierpont Declares Murder Innocence article, Lima News, Lima, Ohio, March 4, 1934, p. 1. that he was not in

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on October 12, the date of the slaying of Sheriff Sarber.

Death

Lena died on October 21, 1958, in Lakeville, Indiana. She is buried in the Pierpont family plot in Holy Cross Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.Lena Pierpont Memorial Page
at www.findagrave.com Her grave is in Section 3-G, Lot 252 grave 2.

References

*King, Jeffery S. (2005). ''The Rise and Fall of the Dillinger Gang'', Cumberland House Publishing. *Toland, John (1963). ''The Dillinger Days'', Random House.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierpont, Lena 1883 births 1958 deaths Prohibition in the United States Burials at Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery People from Jay County, Indiana People from Muncie, Indiana People from Indianapolis