LIFE OF A TREE: In the tree lawn of the third house (838) south from the corner of South and Jefferson Streets - on the west side of the street - there is this tree. It is a silver maple. In a week or so it will be gone.
Coletta Kubik, the home owner e-mailed me an inquiry as to the age of the old maple. I don't, honestly, have a clue.
I met her husband in the store several days ago and I believe he told me that he measured it, and that it has a 17 foot circumference.[I have better pix of the tree itself - but I thought this pic with the house was of more interest.]
The house (I am told) was built in 1908. It is likely one of the oldest houses in that area. I don't think there is any doubt that the tree was there when the house was built.
John Baxter, the treeman, guessed that it is at least 125 years old.
This is a tree that was/is very hard to ignore if one was passing by. As a matter of fact I was so impressed by it that when I first purchased a digital camera (some years ago) I took a picture of it. But I'll be "darned" if I can find it among the several thousand pictures I've since taken.
Until perhaps 10 years ago the old silver maple was still in pretty good health. But like all things time began to wear on it.
I'll miss seeing it. If anyone has "a clue" about this tree and/or the folks (Harris') who built and lived in this home I'd appreciate hearing about them.
JOB SEARCH: I just happend across this advertisement somewhere and thought it was rather interesting. We know that times have changed. But even when this ad was published the job it advertises was no less the job than it is today.
This job, along with that of doctor, police officer, EMT, and minister, is a job that I would not take for any amount of money.
I have a great deal of respect for those inclined to hold those positions and do wonder just what type of temperment allows them to function in life. Whatever that might be I don't have it, and I'm glad that some do. Very interesting!
VIETNAM 1966: I found this picture in my Bible where I must have placed it 40 years ago. This is a rare photograph because I do not have many of myself - anywhere.
This is me and my Vietnam War buddy, Rick Carr, in (where else?) a bar in Saigon, Vietnam sometime in 1966
Rick was/is from the Seattle, Washington area. He was a bit of a character.
A few weeks after this pic was taken he slipped in the shower and broke his arm. Would you believe he had the audacity to (seriously) apply to receive a purple heart? I believe he was trying to impress his wife and family back home.
Although we were subject to attack (combat troopers) we were not infantry soldiers. We both worked in intelligence and operations in a signal corps (communications) group. We spent more time ducking bullets than shooting them.
Despite that relatively easy duty it took me a very long time to rejoin the human race after I left the theater. It was an interesting, but not a good, experience.
LOTTIE: This is photo of Lottie Goodell of Vermilion, Ohio. Lottie is the daughter of William Bird and Anna Maria(h) Pelton Goodell. Lottie and her mother lived with her mother's parents in the house now owned and occupies by Jim and Cathy Weber at 5798 Huron Street. They operated a boarding house at that address.
Lottie's father, William, drowned at Port Angles, Washington in 1863. After his death her mother returned to Vermilion, ran their boarding house, and took care of her parents.
This photo was given me by Margene Goodell of Amherst, Ohio along with a diary Lottie kept recording a train trip she took (as a young adult) with her mother from Washington State back to Vermilion in 1885, and, later, some of her life experiences in Vermilion after their return.
Some of the Vermilion folks noted in her diary (i.e. the Crosiers and Gilchrists), and the places (i.e. the M&E Church and the Congregational Church) are very familiar (to me).
If you will bear with me for some time I believe I will be able to put together a more cogent picture of that entire experince in the near future.
ANNA MARIA(H): She was known as Anna Mariah. Her parents alternately spelled her middle name Maria and Mariah. Anna is Lottie's (above) mother.
Anna is also the grand-daughter of Charlotte Tuttle-Sturges-Austin. Anna's uncle is Lester A. Pelton.This is obviously a very very interesting family.
This picture came to me yesterday (9-16-05) from a Washington State resident, and Goodell relative, Karen Parsons via e-mail. Karen is one of those great people, like Mary Michaelson (Assistent Cureator of the Lynden WA. Pioneer Museum), who have been exceptionally helpful to me in acquiring information re: the Goodell/Judson/Pelton families in Vermilion and elsewhere.
Everytime I think I've seen it all they come up with something more.
Again, I intend to develop a better idea of this entire story soon. So stay with me here
MORE GOODELL: Along with Lottie's diary Margene Goodell also gave me a copy of the Rev. Jotham Weeks Goodell's sermon that he gave on December 20, 1843 when he dedicated the new Presbyterian Meeting House (Church) in Vermillion.
It says on the cover that the sermon is "Published by request of the church and society in that place." It was printed by Charles Aikin of Hudson, Ohio in 1844.
Jotham was Anna's father-in-law.
The subject of the 24 page sermon was "The House of God and It's Benefits."
I am in the process of reading it along with a book entitled, A Winter with Mormans - The 1852 Letters of Jotham Goodell (c.2000) that is edited by David L. Bigler. I am trying to get some idea about who this man was. I believe it is key to understanding the role he played in the development of Vermilion, Ohio - and how his family also influenced that development - not to mention the development of communities in the west.
Note that the present day United Church of Christ Congregational Church in Vermilion is the same church Jotham dedicated and served when he lived in Vermilion. It was the very first church in the community.
WHAT'S A FOOT: The Vermilion Area Archival Society 2006 Historic Calendar featuring Vermilion's fishing industry is now available at several locations around Vermilion for $5.00.[Maryann's Beauty Salon; Brummer's Candy Store; Vermilion YMCA] These are new calendars that feature Vermilion's fishing industry. Anyone interested in one of the calendars can also contact me. Shipping and handling costs run about $1.35.
Also note that there are (unfortunately) some mistakes on the calendar. The name of Sue Backus under the "Business and Corporate Sponsors" heading is spelled incorrectly. And the month of March is listed incorrectly as being "2005". The days of the actual month, however, are correct for 2006.
Also, visit (or re-visit) the Hope Children's Home site linked below because there are some additions there that you might find interesting. With all the bad things happening on the "dark continent" it's really nice to know that there are some places where the light does shine brightly. Please keep in mind that the needs of Hope Children's Home are on-going. Contributions to that home may be made to Larry Hohler in New York.
CLASS REUNION UPDATES: Bruce Eldridge tells me that: "We are planning the 45th at the AMvets Hall on route 60 in Vermilion. The date will be July 22, 2006. Bruce Eldridge, John Hunter and Bob Wolford will serve as chairmen with the committee consisting of Buzzy Young, Shirley Mayer, Sue Opperman, Judy Gutman, Denny Owen as well as Tom and Judy Williams." Their website can be found at the following link: Classes of '60 to '62.
From Roger Boughton comes the following note: Thanks to Gail Lyon and Pat and Glenn Owen we have some additional pictures of our reunion held last October. Take a visit to our website and see what's new. Memories of this October are only a click away. Enjoy and remember.....if you send pictures we'll share with others on our website. Mary Ann is busy writing stories for her Virginia paper. You'll want to visit the site and read her thoughts on Liberty. Keep the pictures coming as classmates who were not able to attend are enjoying seeing "old" school mates. Also, you might want to send us news from and about your family and we'll include it on our web site. Our survey clearly indicated that most wanted our reunion held in Vermilion in 2009. Thus, we'll be celebrating our "special" occasion (50th Reunion) in September of 2009. Put it on your calendar and plan to join the fun. Remember our web site is located at: Class of '59 and I'll update it as I receive enough new pictures and information from our classmates to make it worth reading. So send me any information that you would like to share with other classmates and we'll put it up for all to see and view.
This week I changed the URL for Roger's site as he requested. There were some minor problems with it. But now things should be okay.
Persons interested in having their VHS (and vicinity) reunion plans posted on this site are welcome to do so. I can't provide anyone with webpages to post their activities in depth, but I can provide a link to existing pages and/or post some activity items here. All anyone need do is contact me at my email address and pass along their material electronically.
I should add that some of the people who are noted in this part of the page are good resource folks for all types of information if one should be looking for some long lost friend. I won't give out contact information unless I have permission from those named, but I will contact them on your behalf if you desire.
As news regarding VHS reunion activities comes to my attention it will appear on this web page.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the bookmarks. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine check the new archives links below.
Links to other sites on the Web
Vol.3, Issue 26, September 17, 2005
© 2005 Rich Tarrant