Born on April 1, 1885, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Eli Lilly was the eldest son of Josiah K. Sr. and Lilly Maria Ridgely Lilly. He was named for his grandfather, Colonel Eli Lilly, who founded Eli Lilly and Company, the family's pharmaceutical business in Indianapolis. Lilly grew up in Indianapolis at 476 North Tennessee Street (renamed Capitol in 1885), eight blocks north of the Indiana Statehouse. Later, the family moved to a larger home on North Pennsylvania Street.Madison, Eli Lilly, p. 7 and 15. The family attended Christ Church, an Episcopal church located on Monument Circle in the city's center, and spent the summer months at their cottage on Lake Wawasee in Kosciusko County, Indiana.Madison, Eli Lilly, p. 7. At the lake, Lilly enjoyed hiking, fishing, swimming, and sailing.Madison, Eli Lilly, p. 12–13.
