Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
Plethora: My Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary -10th Edition defines plethora as "a bodily condition characterized by an excess of blood and marked by turgescence and a florid complexion." That is not what I was thinking when I decided to use this word in conjunction with my article on that which has come to be known as The Gore Orphanage.
I chose the word because it describes the number of people presently visiting that site. However; it does seem to fit well with the thoughts of many of those visiting that site. It seems that no matter how hard I intend to inform people that there was no Gore Orphanage - that no orphanage burned in Swift's Hollow - and that nobody died there - the more folks believe that something horrifying and fantastical took place at the Light of Hope orphanage wherein all these tales emanate. So...I give up. And I resign myself to the fact that thus it will always be.
My story actually seems to inspire new horror stories each more incredulous than the last. Because this is so I will fight it no longer. That which I am writing at this very moment will rocket the Gore story to the forefront of net search engines throughout the world and people will read tales into my account of the orphanage that aren't there to their hearts content.
In the "New Views" section of this page one can read what a person has to say about her grandmother and the orphanage. While I am amazed at her thoughts it is not because they are terrible its because they show me (in particular) how the lives of various people are related to various other people and events in a small town in Ohio. That, in a word, is fascinating.
Big Ed Lampe: Captain Edward C. Lampe was born in Indiana in 1877. His parents were of Danish descent. He came to the Vermilion area from Catawba in 1901. A strapping lad of 14 years he had every intention of making a place for himself on our planet. And that he did. He designed, built and operated the largest motor boat in the world - a sandsucker christened "Vermilion", and he knew Lake Erie (from surface to bottom) better than any man alive. He owned and operated the Southwest Fish Company that was located on the southeast bank of the Vermilion River between the Vermilion River Bridge and the Lake Shore Electric/Lake Shore Railroad bridges. He was also founder and chief executive of the stock company, Lampe Construction and Trading Company.
In 1929 he discovered the largest deposit found in the U.S. of "Fuller's Earth" on the bottom of the lake. The material was used to produce cosmetics to oil filters. Prior to this time the material had to be purchased from foreign markets.
Big Ed was the stuff of which legends are truly made. Once when he found himself stranded in Cleveland with a great need to get home quickly he hopped a fast freight. Upon boarding the open boxcar he found two other passengers. Much concerned with the time he looked at his time piece a tad too much and his fellow passengers decided to relieve him of it. That was their first mistake. Big Ed used their heads to toll the hour. Their second mistake was not learning how to fly. Ed threw them out the door into the darkness and continued his ride in his private boxcar.
If there isn't a comprehensive story about Captain Lampe there needs be. He is very worthy of one. Stay tuned for further adventures.
Some Poetry: As most may already know the poet, Walt Whitman, only wrote one book of poetry in his life - Leaves of Grass . All he ever did was amend it through time. In a like manner I submit the following piece of poetry as the first of a single collection called All Roads Lead...
Relativity: In this photograph the lady on the right is Anna Jean Leidheiser Jeffery. The photo was taken in Naegle's Cash Market that was located on Division/Main Street below the Masonic Temple. She is the daughter of the child mentioned in the piece that started this page and the mother of the lady who wrote the "New Views" piece that follows. Both the Leidheiser and Jeffery names are of great import when it involves the history of Vermilion.
In the early part of 1929 or very late 1928 Doctor Jeffery, who had come to town 5 years earlier to replace a Dr. Crawford, was hit and killed by a west-bound NYC train at the Adams Street crossing on his way to visit a patient. He left a wife and three young sons.
In time Mr. Naegele married Jeffery's widow. When the boys reached manhood one, nicknamed Ding, courted and married Anna Jean. Later Ding, his brother Keith (Doc), and his other brother Bud, would own and operate the Park Market in the Fischer Block. Bud eventually returned to the service for a career. Ding went to work at the Post Office. Doc stayed at the business, Doc's Food Way, with his wife, Belva, until the 1960's, and then went on to hold a variety of positions (mostly for his own amusement). The entire family was/is extremely personable and popular with townsfolk.
Jacques, the lady who wrote the "Views" note is Ding and Jean's oldest daughter and now lives in Texas.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generatedby 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 let me know and I'll send them to you.
Links to other sites on the Web
Vermilion Ohio Historic PixHistory
of Linwood ParkVermilion Community OrchestraVermilion Chamber
of CommerceVermilion's Oldest ChurchVermilion Visitor's Advisory (Satire)Gore Orphanage HistoryThe Lester Pelton Story
Vol.1, Issue 30, October 18, 2003
© 2003 Rich Tarrant