Indianapolis Recorder (Annotations by Wilma Moore, Senior Archivist, African American History, Indiana Historical Society) 
 
May 18, 1935, p. 1  Short article announcing birth of triplets.  Article indicates that the children were born Monday (May 13) to William and Mattie Lou Holland at home.  Gives their weight—two weigh five pounds and one weighs about six pounds. All babies doing well; Dr. William R. Braden, attending physician.  At the time of the birth of the triplets, the family had a seven-year-old, Marjorie Marie, and a five-year-old, William Edward.  The father was employed at the Goodrich Silvertown gas station.  Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt was contacted for name suggestions for the newborns.
 
June 1, 1935, p. 1     Indicates babies were born on May 9; first article had said that they were born on Monday (May 13).  Includes a picture of mother and the triplets.  Indicates they are first triplets born in Muncie in many years.  Also restates that Eleanor Roosevelt has been asked to name babies.  Article gives no names for triplets.
 
July 13, 1935, p. 8    Says the family is living under dire circumstances.  The triplets are nearing two months (July 10).  Again, newspaper gives a different birth date for the three girls indicating they were born on May 10.  The article states that the girls were named Jean, Joan, and June by Mrs. Bunch (the wife of the mayor) after Eleanor Roosevelt deferred to the mother when asked to name the children. 

Holland Triplets: List of Articles
 
Muncie Star, May 11, 1935, Birth of triplets
Muncie Star, May 2, 1938, Three Years Old
Muncie Star, October 10, 1973, Joan (Holland) Weaver, obituary
Muncie Star, March 13, 1979, William C. Holland, obituary
Muncie Press, October 26, 1981, Jean (Holland) Knoblauch, obituary
Muncie Star, May 27, 1990, Sarah L. Holland, obituary
Muncie Star Press, April 2, 2003, June Holland, obituary 
 
Notes:  The birth announcement in the Star says the father declared his intention to contact the mayor to request that Mrs. Roosevelt suggest names for the triplets.  The text with the picture of the triplets in 1938 says that Mrs. Rollin H. Bunch named the triplets.  The Indianapolis Recorder, July 13, 1935, confirms that Mrs. Bunch named the triplets.
 
According to the Dick Greene ‘Our Neighborhood’ columns of January & February, 1968, on the subject of triplets born in Muncie and Delaware County, the Holland triplets were the first triplets born in Muncie or Delaware County.  He received no input from his newspaper articles that indicated otherwise.  although he was informed of seven sets by the time of his column of February 10, 1968, the last in the series on triplets.
 
Buried at Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, no obituary found: Mattie Holland, d. 6/21/1945, age 42 years, 4 days. 

Other Sources:
 
Goodall, Hurley & J. Paul Mitchell.  A History of Negroes in Muncie.  BSU, p29
 
Straw, John.  Dick Greene’s Neighborhood, Muncie, Indiana.  Bradley, 2000, p36.
 
From BSU website:  The Holland Triplets, 1938; Muncie Times, February 1, 1996.

Research assembled by Norma Lasley - March, 2008