Aden "Web" Riordan

Aden Wilbun "Web" Riordan (1901-1971)

Birth, Parents & Siblings

Web was born on August 28th, 1901, in Cave City, Kentucky, Barren County as a second-generation Irish American. Cave City is a short distance away from Canmer, Kentucky, where his parents and grandparents settled after arriving from Ireland. His parents, Aden Riordan and Ellen (Nell) King Martin, were approximately 29 and 26 years old, respectively, at the time. Several generations of the Riordans had settled in and around nearby Canmer, Kentucky arriving from Ireland in the late 1940s to early 1850s.

Web was the second of three children, all boys, including Horace Burton “Burton” (1898–1984) and Edwin Leon (1907-1969).

Growing up

Web initially grew up in the Hart County / Barren County region of Kentucky and then he and his family moved from Kentucky to Indianapolis in 1904, when he was three years old. The reason for their move from Kentucky to Indianapolis is unknown. In Indianapolis, they initially lived at 1225 Brookside Avenue according to the city directory.

According to the 1906, 1907 and 1908 city directories, Web and his family lived at 1126 South Illinois Street. A John Riordan is listed as living with them at this point serving in the same occupation as Web’s father – a crater. They then moved to 1084 West McCarty Street, according to the city directory of 1909.

According to the 1910 Census, his father is listed as a painter. At that time his household included Nell, Horace, Aden W. and Edwin. At this point they were living in Indianapolis at 625 Birch Avenue. By 1914, they are living at 554 Chase Street, according to the city directory of 1914.

According to an article in the Indianapolis News on July 11, 1916, seventeen people, including several members of Aden senior’s family, including Web, were bitten by a dog the family owned. As a result, these seventeen people began treatment for rabies prevention at The Pathological Laboratories. The article includes a photo of all seventeen patients and the laboratory staff with Aden senior featured in the middle standing watch over his family with Web standing to his left in the photo.

According to Aden senior’s World War I draft registration in 1918, where he is listed as a Groceryman, the family is living at 1436 Oliver Avenue.

Web attended the William Penn School in Indianapolis, graduating in 1919 at the age of 18 in a class of 57 students. His academic records show that he earned, on average, Bs in the 7th and 8th grades. This school is now a middle school only, located at 1720 West Wilkins Street, on the southwest side of the city. Throughout these William Penn records his formal name is listed as Wilbun, not Aden, likely to distinguish him from his father.

Anecdotally, the story was told that Web’s mom would pinch the three boys to keep them in order.

According to the 1920 Census, Aden senior, Nell, Horace (21), Web (18) and Edwin (12) are all still living at home at 1436 Oliver Avenue. Web is listed as a salesman and Horace is listed as a salesman for the Kiefer Stewart Company, which was a sporting goods retailer. On this Census, the spelling of last name was incorrectly recorded as Rijordian.

Although they lived in numerous houses from 1904 through the 1920s, these houses were all located in roughly the same neighborhood.

By 1927 Aden, the entire family, including Web, are living at 3401 East Washington Street, according to the city directory. Aden senior is listed as painter, Web is listed as a salesman for Alemite Lubricator Company, Edwin is listed as a salesman and Horace is listed as a traveling salesman. Perhaps Aden and Nell moved in with their boys due to Aden’s diagnosed illness at that time.

A photo from January 1, 1929, shows Web in Chicago in the snow near Lake Michigan with his brother Burton and a friend.

While growing up, Web became an avid golfer.

Marriage & Children

On Sunday July 22nd, 1928, Web married Leota Lee Crawford, of Madison, Indiana, in Indianapolis when she was approximately 25 years old and he was approximately 26 years old.

It is unclear when and how they met. She was from Madison, Indiana, but had already relocated with her family to Indianapolis at this time. Perhaps they met in Indianapolis or as Leota regularly travelled all over Indiana and the Midwest with her sister, brother and friends.

Photos from their honeymoon indicate that they travelled to Gettysburg, Philadelphia and Most Summit, Pennsylvania. In addition, they travelled to Mount Vernon, Virginia, Washington, DC and the Atlantic City, New Jersey Boardwalk.

According to the Indianapolis News, they returned to their home at 2035 North Meridian Street. Prior to being married, Leota lived at home with her parents at 3304 N. Capital Avenue.

Web’s father died in 1931 when he was 30 years old before his first and only child was born in 1932.

Web and Leota had one child, Robert Leon “Bob” Riordan, born on August 12th, 1932, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Methodist Hospital, when he was 31 years old and she was 28 years old.

It is unclear why they did not have more children after Bob. Perhaps it was due to the combination of The Depression and Web’s failed business venture with Alemite (see below). Apparently, Web did not have a warm relationship with Bob. Bob suffered from asthma as a child for which Web had no sympathy. He was disrespectful to Bob about his condition. As a result, Bob was much closer to Leota than his dad for the rest of his life. In fact, Leota briefly joined the Christian Science Church to help cure Bob’s asthma, based on her sister, and brother in law’s experience trying to cure their daughter’s “blue baby” condition.

Adulthood

According to the1930 Census, Web and Leota were living in Indianapolis at West 36thStreet. He was listed as a salesman with an oil company, Alemite Lubricator Company, and Leota was listed as a stenographer in a law office.

In 1932, when Bob was born, they lived at 3326 N. Capital Avenue and Web had already been working at Alemite for 10 years, according to Bob’s birth certificate.

The Alemite Company manufactured pneumatically powered grease guns during the 1930s. An Alemite gun was designed to inject hard or soft grease quickly into a machinery bearing. Regular greasing of such bearings was needed to prevent friction and bearing failure. The pneumatically operated gun required a special Alemite "fitting," designed to mate tightly with the business end of the gun, to be installed at every location where grease was to flow from the gun to an internal bearing surface.

The gun, and the fittings, provided a tremendous labor-saving improvement over previous methods of greasing critical internal bearings. In a locomotive roundhouse, a greasing crew of two men could lubricate all the rod bearings of a given locomotive in 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the locomotive) instead of the hours required previously. A large steam locomotive, running in heavy duty on a railroad, required rod greasing approximately every 100 miles. Such greasing was usually done at a terminal, when a fresh load of fuel was put into the tender and other servicing performed on the locomotive.

According to the city directory of 1934, they were living in Indianapolis at 3431 Broadway Street, off 34th Street. Web is listed in the city directory as the Manager for the Alemite Sales Company. According to his wife, Leota, this association did not go well and that Web lost a lot of money because of his time with Alemite.

According to his son Bob, Web owned 25% of Alemite, which eventually went bankrupt. They were bitter about this circumstance with Alemite for the rest of their lives.

According to Bob, they moved to Athens, Ohio in 1935, when Web took his first job with Chevrolet. They lived in a house that backed up to the Ohio University campus. Then in 1936, they moved to Flint, Michigan, when Web took the new role of District Manager for Chevrolet. By 1937, Web had taken another new role with Chevrolet as the District Manager for Traverse City, Michigan. Also relocating for this role.

By 1937 (1938 according to Bob), Web took on another new role with Chevrolet as a District Representative in Grand Rapids, Michigan, living at 850 Union Avenue according to the city directory.

According to Bob, in 1939, Web took yet another new role with Chevrolet as the District Manager for Bay City, Michigan, again relocating the family to 402 N. Catherine Street in Bay City.

According to the 1940 Census, Web changed locations with Chevrolet becoming a District Manager and moving to Traverse City, Michigan. This is different than Bob’s timeline – he has Traverse City from 1937-1938 before Grand Rapids.

According to Bonnie Elizabeth Dinsmore Riordan, Web’s daughter-in-law, a photo from May 19, 1941, a banquet for members of Business Management Training School in Detroit indicates that he was in a management role for Chevrolet at that time, one of his many positions over his career with Chevrolet.

It is unclear why Web made so many, frequent moves with Chevrolet.

Web’s draft registration card from 1941 when he was 40 years old states that he was living at 4401 College Avenue in Indianapolis, which is also his mom’s address according to the draft card. Perhaps he gave his mom’s address since he had already left Bay City but not yet secured a location in either Indianapolis or Chicago. It is perhaps notable that Aden senior’s final address was listed as 2458 College Avenue in 1931, which was three miles north of Web’s address.

According to Bob, later in 1942, Web moved to the Oakbrook suburb of Chicago to serve in the US Army Corp of Engineers, which was a military engineering organization within the War Department, as his initial contribution to war efforts. Initially, Leota and Bob then moved to Indianapolis to live with Leota’s sister, Gen, and brother-in-law, Lewie. They later moved up to Oakbrook to join Web.

During World War II, states and large metropolitan areas began establishing civil defense councils whose first job was to figure out where there communities were most vulnerable to enemy attacks or sabotage. In 1940 and 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established several civil defense organizations under the umbrella of the Office of Emergency Management. These organizations included the National War Emergency Service Program, the Office of Civilian Defense (including the Protective Services Division), The U.S. Citizens Defense Corp and the National Ware Emergency Service Program.

Web, who would have been in his 40s at the time, joined one or more of these organizations and served there for some part of the war period. There is a photo with a notation on the back that Web attended a training school in connection with National War Emergency Service Program in Cincinnati at the Netherland Plaza Hotel, October 18, 19, 20. At this time, he likely had already relocated to Cincinnati, per below.

By 1943, Web had returned to Chevrolet as the District Manager for Cincinnati, Ohio and again relocating the family, this time to the suburb of Norwood on the northeast side of Cincinnati. They lived in Cincinnati from 1943 to 1948.

Photographs show Web at the meetings of Chevrolet Parts Managers. In one he sits alone at the head table, indicating that he was in charge, perhaps. Those meetings were held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, likely in 1946 according to Microsoft Pilot research.

There are also photos of a Sales Managers’ Forum held in Detroit, July 12-21, 1948, indicating Web’s continuing advancement with Chevrolet.

In 1948, Web’s mother died in Louisville, Kentucky when he was 46 years old.

Also in 1948, Web moved to Dayton, Ohio to take a job directly with a dealership, called SWS, located downtown off Main Street and 1st Street. From the 1920s through the 1950s, the blocks around Main Street, First Street, Second Street, and Ludlow formed Dayton’s “auto row,” with multiple dealerships, garages, and service centers. Due to consolidation, SWS became Ray Bryant Chevrolet from 1960 – 1969, which then became part of White Allen Chevrolet after that. Notably, the daughter of the owner of Ray Bryant Chevrolet became a neighbor and good friends with Bob’s wife, Bonnie. The original location/building of SWS no longer exists. Web worked for this dealership until his retirement. His retirement date is currently unknown.

When Web took the role with SWS, the family relocated to the Dayton suburb of Oakwood to a home on Shroyer Road. They soon relocated to a home in Kettering at 310 Orchard Drive, where they lived for many years. According to Bonnie Elizabeth Dinsmore Riordan, Web loved roses – he groomed them in a rose garden in the backyard of their home.

In the mid to late 1960s, Web’s health began to fail stemming from emphysema and memory issues. Eventually, he was no longer able to work and support the family. Therefore, Leota had to go back to work, securing a position with Montgomery County Engineering, working for a friend of Bob’s, Gene Cronk. At that point, too, Leota revealed that her age on her driver’s license was younger than her true age by three years (it was likely 1968). She was already 65 and eligible for Social Security. Steve Riordan recalled a memory of Web taking his car downtown and returning by bus because he could not remember where he parked it. Bob had to go back with him to find his car and bring it back. At some point during this time Web and Leota relocated to 530 Lamont Drive, apartment 3.

According to Bonnie: “As a grandfather and father-in-law in the 1960s he was observant, yet quiet, glad to be with his family at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Always ready his quiet but endearing “hWell-uh” when asked for a response or an opinion, quietly offering, never pushing his philosophy, just responding to a perceived need. He had dementia in his last days but never seemed unhappy or distressed that I saw. Always kind and appreciative of his daughter-in-law.”

Eventually, Web had to be moved out of the apartment and into a center that could provide him with help that could no longer be provided at home. The last place he lived was the Dayton Mental Health Center, 2335 Wayne Avenue, 45420.

Death

Web died on March 19, 1971, in the Dayton Mental Health Center, at the age of 69. His primary cause of death was acute pneumonia in the upper right lobe of his lung with a secondary cause listed as severe emphysema, which he had for years, due to a cavity in the upper right lobe, possibly caused by tuberculosis. Although not documented on his death certificate, he suffered from what we now know as dementia (perhaps cerebral vascular disease, like his son experienced) for many years, too. He is buried in David’s Cemetery, beside David’s Church, at the corner of David Road and Highway 48, in Dayton, Ohio. His wife survived him for another 16 years and is also buried in David’s Cemetery.

By the time of his death, Web had lived in 24 different homes in 10 different cities.

The Alemite Story

100 Years of Excellence

https://www.skf.com/alemite/about/the-alemite-story

It may be surprising to learn how many of today’s lubrication practices are less than 100 years old. From the grease gun and grease fittings to service stations and lube trucks, the last 100 years have been filled with innovations. Alemite has either pioneered or refined these as vital components for the lubrication industry.

Alemite products have quietly been a major part of many of the world’s essential industries. Manufacturing, construction, agriculture, automotive, pulp and paper, aircraft maintenance, marine and mining industries have benefited from the innovations introduced since its founding in 1918. It all started with a solution for a routine, daily task.

Lubrication Breakthrough

In 1916, a young man named Arthur Gullborg was asked to lubricate the die-casting machines at the Alemite Die Casting and Manufacturing plant. At the time, the only way to service the machines was to add oil into their refilling cups several times a day. This equipment was located in hot, dirty and unsafe conditions. At the end of his shift, Arthur was exhausted and covered in oil and grime. He knew there had to be a better way.

In order to improve on the messy cup design, Arthur began inventing different methods to lubricate the machines. It was through this effort that the idea of a better alternative was first conceived, utilizing a fitting (connector), hose (duct) and applicator (pump).

The fitting was hollowed out and fitted with a small spring with a metal ball at the end to help prevent the lubricant from escaping. The hose was composed of a flexible duct with a coupler on each end – one L-shaped and the other straight. The two different ends provided options when accessing a fitting, which often was difficult. The applicator would allow grease to be pushed under pressure through the hose to the application points. With this system, the bearings could be lubricated more quickly and easily.

This “pin-type” fitting and “screw-type” grease pump were the start of “The Alemite High-Pressure Lubricating System”, named after the Alemite Die Casting and Manufacturing Company where it was invented. Both father and son soon saw the benefits as machines ran better with fewer repairs or breakdowns. In 1918, they formed the Alemite Lubrication Company.

Early Growth

The diverse possibilities of this system were beginning to become apparent.

Seizing on the vast potential, the father and son team approached the U.S. Army with a quicker and more efficient way to maintain their fleet of trucks. After several test applications, the system was adopted as standard equipment on U.S. Army trucks manufactured by the White Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Within months, other truck companies added the system to their vehicles.

Before the end of the decade, Alemite fittings were being placed on more and more automobiles, trucks and farm equipment. The Alemite Lubrication System was quickly becoming the standard used in manufacturing and other industries.

In December 1919, Bassick Manufacturing Company purchased the Alemite Lubrication Company and renamed itself the Bassick-Alemite Corporation. This new company marketed the lubrication system under the Alemite brand. With the support of this new financial and corporate backing, it was soon adopted as the industry standard.

The Branding of a Household Name

One of the early marketing campaigns introduced the importance of proper lubrication for automobiles. During that time, many individuals were servicing their own vehicles. The campaign became a very successful tool for Alemite, and soon many automobiles were equipped with Alemite fittings. Some models even included an Alemite “grease gun” as standard equipment. As a result of the marketing campaign, automobile owners learned that the grease gun was as indispensable as the tire iron and spark plug wrench.

As automobiles became more affordable, gasoline stations began to see a way to capitalize on other aspects of the automobile industry. Many of them quickly changed into “service” stations, relieving the automobile owner of the disagreeable task of lubrication. Recognizing this, Alemite introduced the H-15 hand-operated lubrication pump, further facilitating the transition from gasoline station to service station.

In 1924, Alemite introduced the P-25 air-operated lubrication service pump to meet the demand for quicker and easier servicing tools. With a 25-pound capacity, the pump enabled service stations to lubricate a vehicle much faster, making it more profitable for business owners. Later that same year, the P-100 was introduced for those performing a large volume of lubrication services. It soon became common throughout the industry to “alemite” vehicles.

In April of that year, Alemite purchased the Allyne-Zerk Company, and the Zerk line of lubricant fittings and guns was added to the Alemite offering. This new line of products featured a “push-type” system, differentiating it from Alemite’s “pin-type” system. Later that same year, the Stewart-Warner Speedometer Corporation acquired the Bassick-Alemite Corporation, adding even more opportunities for growth.

Just as the automotive industry was making Alemite a household name, industrial and manufacturing businesses saw the need for a more rugged, heavy-duty lubricating system. In 1922, a new “button-head” system was introduced by Alemite for construction equipment and other industries. Its low profile and flat head made it ideal for applications where debris or other hazards might catch and break off fittings.

From Automobiles to Aviation

Developments in industry and manufacturing grew, but the greater potential for growth was found in the automotive industry. In 1925, Alemite introduced gear lubrication service as part of its national advertising campaign. The campaign encouraged motorists to change their motor oil every 500 miles, thus creating the first maintenance standard for the automotive service industry.

Advancements in the aviation industry also were taking root. In May 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first solo, non-stop, transatlantic flight from New York to Paris in the “Spirit of St. Louis”, a single-propeller airplane that featured an engine equipped with Alemite lubricators. Alemite innovations were everywhere.

Portable Progress

By 1930, industrial equipment and large machinery were becoming more common. The need to lubricate machinery “in the field” led Alemite to develop the “portable service station” for the Caterpillar Tractor Company. Multiple lubrication pumps, hose reels and a variety of other equipment needed for field service were mounted permanently on the bed of a truck. This concept led to U.S. military services requesting custom-designed units in vast numbers before and during World War II. These “lube trucks” became commonplace and are still used by various industries and construction companies today.

Progress continued during World War II as industry was moving faster. The need for efficient and continuous operations became apparent. Alemite made advancements in several industries with lubrication tools and products. From fittings and pumps to various oil-based fluids, the Alemite name and its influence quickly became common. So common, in fact, that the verb alemite was added to the 1945 printing (1934 copyright) of Webster’s New International Dictionary, Second Edition and remained for several years.

Postwar Innovations

After World War II, Alemite quickly recognized the potential for growth in the service industry. The demand for clean and efficient shops meant modernizing outdated service bays. Alemite offered everything needed to fill that demand in a new ultra-modern layout. This could fit a shop with a “back room” where the drums and pumps could be kept out of sight. Front cabinets and shielded reels provided a polished and clean service area. A 27-month warranty (the forerunner to modern warranties) was offered on all new “Atomic” pumps introduced by Alemite during this period.

In the 1950s, three new lines of pumps were introduced to meet the demands of various industries and automotive service shops. Pumps able to withstand water, detergents and other corrosive liquids were launched under the “Spray-Kleen” line.

During this same period, Alemite engineers developed the Oil-Mist System of lubrication for commercial applications. It had several advantages over other methods of lubrication, specifically where continuous lubrication was needed. The system did not have any moving parts yet could deliver a constant, measured stream of clean, atomized oil to provide a cost-effective option for ongoing automatic lubrication.

Throughout the 1960s, Alemite continued to function as a resource and manufacturer of quality and reliable lubrication products. With refinements to pump efficiency and productivity, specialized pumps were introduced to meet requests from several industries. As clients expressed their needs, Alemite developed and improved various products. Pumps for inks and adhesives, along with self-contained, single-point lubricators, showed the versatility of Alemite’s commitment to the industries it served.

A New Era Begins

In 1975, a plant in Johnson City, Tenn., was purchased with the goal of centralizing the engineering and manufacturing process. By 1984, the Model 500 grease gun was introduced and proved itself as a workhorse of the industry. This introduction once again supported the fact that the Alemite brand was a strong symbol of quality and reliability.

During the next several years, the Johnson City plant would become the central location for research and design along with manufacturing and distribution. The products manufactured at this facility showed Alemite’s commitment to excellence.

In the late 1990s, Alemite introduced the RAM pump line. These pumps were efficient, quieter and more reliable than others on the market. Providing dependable operation, this new line of rugged, high-volume pumps set the bar for pump design and had other manufacturers scrambling to catch up.

Advancing Toward the Future

At the beginning of the new millennium, Alemite introduced a new line of aerospace fittings. That were designed to meet the stringent requirements of SAE AS 35411, including performance tests, extensive documentation and complete traceability of materials. Along with aerospace fittings, a specially designed “Dual-Leverage” grease gun system was introduced in 2001, giving operators the ability to quickly choose either high-volume or high-pressure when lubricating grease fittings.

As the popularity of cordless tools began to rise, Alemite brought its powerful, 12-volt, battery-operated grease gun to the market, creating a new era of lubrication. In 2005, Alemite introduced the first 14.4-volt, battery-operated grease gun, making routine lubrication even quicker and more efficient.

Within the last 10 years, serious advancements in technology have aided in the introduction of two products for the lubrication industry. Alemite saw the growing demand for grease guns with more power and the ability to provide real-time tool information. In 2014, the 20-volt, lithium-ion grease gun was introduced for maintenance professionals. With its built-in intelligence, the innovative Model 596 featured a multi-function display to indicate cartridge level, battery charge level, amount of grease dispensed and several other important tool details.

Alemite engineers continue to make advancements in lubrication technology. In 2017, the lever-action grease coupler was offered to make quick work of routine lubrication tasks. This newly designed coupler creates a superior seal and stays attached to the fitting, even when the lever is released. This enables single-handed operation of the grease gun.

Timeless Commitment

As Alemite looks forward, its commitment to providing quality products across the globe endures. From custom-designed solutions to routine lubrication tools, Alemite engineers develop, design and manufacture products based on “voice-of-the-customer” input.

Many manufacturers have come and gone during the last 100 years, but Alemite remains the trusted brand used by lubrication professionals worldwide. We are committed to our customers and promising to provide lubrication solutions that meet the demands of the modern world. Alemite continues to stand strong as a partner and leader in the lubrication industry.

Riordan-Durant Family Tree

Connecting Generations, Sharing Stories

Aden Wilbun "Web" Riordan (1901-1971)

Capturing Memories: An Ancestral Photo Album

Riordan-Durant Family Tree

Connecting Generations, Sharing Stories

Aden Wilbun "Web" Riordan (1901-1971)

Capturing Memories: An Ancestral Photo Album

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