A.D.'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND OTHER GOOD THINGS: First the "other good things". This week I received communiques from Brenda Baumhart Mezz, Brian Kyle, and Sherry (rhymes with Terry) Bradshaw. I also was able to borrow several cool (historical) items from Vermilionite Larry Howell; get some addtional information on people from Vermilionite Jim Smith; and learn even more about some Vermilion people from the past from Dr. Norman and (his bro) Jimmy Dean. Finally my friend Jim Fischer made a positive suggestion that I can use for "VV".
It was a good week.
First; because of Jimmy's suggestion I've added the name of the performer and recording in the progress bar which appears at the bottom of many of your browsers. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. But Jim's suggestion nudged me - and it is done.
Nextly; When Jim Smith came to retrieve the pix he loaned me for scanning I discovered that he was the photog [Note: Last week pix of the bridge across the rails on Highbridge Road and of Jack "Tiny" Balogh appeared in "VV] of some pix which appeared in "Views" last week. Tiny and Jim were friends - and they were just spectators at the train wreck that took place just west of Highbridge Road in 1955.
Then: Through Doc and Jim Dean I learned that Tiny Balogh had a brother. His name was Don. This something of which I had no knowledge until now. My younger sister, Nancy, tells me that he was younger than Jack. Tis a very interesting piece of Vermilioncana.
And then: Sherry (rhymes with Terry) Bradshaw emailed me explaining that her and her "partner (Warren Steiner) [her words not mine] & I now own & run the Artseen gallery...in the building that once housed Vermilion's Liberty Theatre. They noticed the photo & article I wrote in the Vermilion Photojournal January 29, 2009 and wondered if they might be able to obtain a copy of the photo that was in the paper and whether I might even have other photos/history regarding the theatre.
That's something (for many reasons) I'll have to think on (for now). But I'm interested in their enterprise. So we'll see how that shakes down.
And then: Brian Kyle is Lloyd Kyle's oldest son. He currently lives in western Michigan. Lloyd Kyle Sr. was an amateur photog and evidently took many (perhaps 1000) color slides while practicing his hobby. Brian has - or is in the process of - scanning them. And as ye will see today - and over the next few weeks - some chronicle life in Vermilion. This is great stuff!, and a welcome surprise.
Finally: Brenda Baumhart Mezz initially contacted me late last July looking for information re: the great flu epidemic which swept across the planet near the end of World War One (1918). Her grandmother, Effie Clara Washburn Baumhart, died as a result of that influenza outbreak.
Brenda is the daughter of Charles Wheeler Baumhart and granddaughter of Albert David Baumhart (Sr.). She is writing a genealogical family book. This week she emailed me a draft [Volume I: Effie Clara] of her book along with a copy of "a slightly edited version of A.D. Baumhart's brief autobiography" which will also appear in the book.
A.D.'s autobiography is an historical jewel - an uncut diamond even when edited:
The following is a portion of a brief biography of Albert David Baumhart (1873-1961) written by him at the request of a committee on the occasion of an historical celebration in Vermilion, Ohio, circa 1958. It is basically unedited, except that he neglected to provide paragraphs. I have added those for the purpose of clarity and ease of reading.
"On Aug. 18, 1873 there was born to Augustus & Margaret Baumhart the seventh child and the fifth son. That son happened to be your humble servant today. My parents were farmers and while our farm was one mile west of town our home was in town.
My father was born in Germany and came to this country with his parents at the age of fourteen years. My mother was a native Buckeye and was born in Brownhelm Township. At the age of six, I like all the other children began working by driving home each night 5 to 8 cows for milking purposes and returning them each morning to their pastures. This was done before and after school each day.
I also had several customers to deliver milk to which was conveyed to them in tin pails and at the price of 5¢ per quart or 3¢ per pint. Skimmed milk and sour milk for pancakes went free and all surplus milk was skimmed and the cream churned into butter. This dairy business was continued by an older brother after our parent’s death and upon his death in 1923 there ended sixty three years of continuous dairy business. What time I could find for play was utilized by fishing, baseball and other games similar to today’s sports.
One day while working in the garden I discovered two pigs roaming the street. Going to the barn and procuring a horse whip, I began chasing them. They ran once around the block and then ran toward the lake. When they reached the beach, much to my surprise, they plunged into the water and began making a straight line for the Canadian shore. Then my hog calling ability was brought into play, but try as hard as I could I could not induce them to return. After swimming about ? mile out they both sank and it was then I got my first thrill and my first real scare of my life. Later father had two pigs to pay for. I learned later that when a hog swims the motion of its front feet causes the hoofs to cut their throats and they soon drown.
It was this same summer that I earned my first dollar. This was done by catching grasshoppers and toads to be used for bait on troll lines for catfish. I received 10¢ per hundred and when I had saved $1.25 I bought my first rubber coat known then as a gassermert. (?)...."
It was a good week.
Lester A. Pelton
A PLAQUE FOR LESTER: Shortly - in just a few days - the Vermilion Area Archival Society will be submitting an application to the Ohio Hisorical Society for a plaque that will celebrate Vermilion as the birthplace and early childhood home of the Father of Hydroelectric Power - Lester A. Pelton.
The tentative location of this plaque will be near Cuddeback Cemetery on the southwest corner of Lake and Risden Roads just west of Vermilion. The locale is near the place where Lester was born, raised, and where he received his early education.
Some persons may be unaware of the fact that the subject of the VAAS calendar for 2009 is Lester Pelton. While I do not sell them through this website they can be aquired from the society. The address is 685 Main Street, Vermilion, Ohio - 44089 The cost of the calender is $5.00 plus shipping and handling. As a keepsake it's worth about $25.00.
For folks who don't know who Lester was the following item may enlighten thee:
Lester Allan Pelton
“Father of Hydroelectric Power”
September 5, 1829 - March 14, 1908
Lester Allan Pelton - the “Father of Hydroelectric Power” - is, beyond the shadow of any doubt, the most noteworthy person to ever have been born, educated, and raised in the community of Vermilion, Ohio. It is, therefore, astonishing to consider that only a handful of local residents currently know who he was, where he lived, and what he accomplished during his lifetime. This is especially amazing when one apprehends that many persons living in locations as diverse as Camptonville, California or even Istanbul, Turkey not only recognize this gentleman and his remarkable invention, but also know that he was born and raised in a little place called “Vermillion” in Ohio. It is, therefore, more than appropriate that the people of his birthplace come to understand the significance of this man and his invention.
This is his story as related in a 1908 letter (partially reproduced here) written to the Editor of The Vermilion News:
“Thinking you might be glad to pay a last tribute of respect to a former resident of your town, I take the liberty of subjoining a brief sketch of Lester A. Pelton who passed away at his home 827 Grove street Saturday March 14th, 1908.
He was the only son of the late Allen [and Fannie Cuddeback] Pelton, long well known and highly respected citizens of Vermilion Township.
In the spring of 1850 when the gold fever of l849 was at its height, Lester A, Pelton, Henry Roeder, Levi A. Pelton. Henry Hewitt And eight other young men of Vermilion caught the fever and made the preparations to go together as A party the great distance, to California. The journey was overland, long; and full of the hardships incident to that early period, much of it being made on foot The writer recalls listening to many recitals of the perils along the way, the scarcity of food when very small rations were dealt out every morning with the hope of eking out their scanty store until more could by obtained: when the finding of a dead buffalo was an important event; the meat that had dried upon the bones was sliced off and helped much to sustain the men during the latter part of the journey. The party, though spent and worn was eager to push on to the gold fields, around which so many high hopes had been built. Here the party became more or less scattered. Lester Pelton, engaged in mining in Yuba and Serra counties, afterwards following the vocation of millwright, superintending the building of many mills in the section. During his experience he saw the need of great water power, and to, this end he turned his attention, and in 1878 he commenced his experiments which resulted in the famous Pelton Water-Wheel, so out distancing every other invention of its class, as to make a world-wide name for itself. In 1895 the Elliott Cresson, Gold Medal was awarded to Mr. Pelton for his valuable invention, by the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia.
Some idea of the extensive use of these wheels may be gained from the fact that in 1892, over eleven thousand were in use in various parts of the world, in mines, manufactories and other industries; at the present time there are thousands more in use. Mr. Pelton's health became impaired and a number of years ago sold his invention to a San Francisco firm which manufactures the wheels on a large scale.
Being a man of reserved and studious habits he devoted his leisure to such pursuits as pleased him like, reading, or working in his perfectly equipped workshop which he had fitted up in the basement of his home. Here he was often found working happily over some labor-saving device for the pure pleasure ot being occupied. The friends who knew him best valued his steadfast friendship and his perfect integrity. He was a man of dignified manner and appearance and was always glad to visit with his friends, especially any old "forty-niner"; He remarked to the writer only a few days before his death that he was the "last one of the twelve who came to California together, fifty eight years ago"; he did not seem to realize that he was so soon to join the band "over there".
The funeral services were held at his late home Monday, March I6th, the Rev. Charles Brown of Oakland, officiating...
A large number of friends followed him to the beautiful Columbarium; where, as he requested, his body was incinerated. Later the urn containing his ashes will be sent to Vermilion for interment with the other members of his family who rest in the cemetery there.
Thanking you for giving this notice room In your paper, I am
Very truly,
Francis M. Pelton
Oakland, Cal., March 18th, 1908"
In 1887 a miner had attached Pelton’s wheel to a dynamo producing the first hydroelectric power in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On August 27, 1889 Pelton’s invention was officially patented. And by 1893 the “Age of Hydroelectric Power” was in full swing. Using a derivation of his original invention it continues to be used to produce electric power all over the world to this day.
9/16/08
5:19 PM
When the application is approved I am certain that the society would very much appreciate some assistence to offset the expense.
And tis about time the community of Vermilion, Ohio learned about and recognized one it's most influential sons.
The following excerpts are actual answers given on history
tests and in Sunday School quizzes by children between 5th
and 6th grade ages in Ohio. They were collected by two
teachers over a period of three years. Read carefully for
grammar, misplaced modifiers, and, of course, spelling.
Writing at the same time as Shakespeare was Miguel Cervantes.
He wrote Donkey Hote. The next great author was John Milton.
Milton wrote Paradise Lost. Since then no one ever found it.
Ancient Egypt was old. It was inhabited by gypsies and mummies
who all wrote in hydraulics. They lived in the Sarah Dessert.
The climate of the Sarah is such that all the inhabitants have
to live elsewhere.
Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea where they made
unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients.
Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandos. He
died before he ever reached Canada but the commandos made it.
Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred porcupines.
He was a actual hysterical figure as well as being in the
bible. It sounds Like he was sort of busy too.
The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them
we wouldn't have history. The Greeks also had myths. A myth
is a young female moth.
Socrates was a famous old Greek teacher who went around giving
people advice. They killed him. He later died from an overdose
of wedlock which is apparently poisonous. After his death, his
career suffered a dramatic decline.
In the first Olympic games, Greeks ran races, jumped, hurled
biscuits, and threw the java.
Julius Caesar extinguished himself on the battlefields of
Gaul. The Ides of March murdered him because they thought he
was going to be made king. Dying, he gasped out "Same to you,
Brutus."
Queen Elizabeth was the "Virgin Queen." As a queen she was a
success. When she exposed herself before her troops they all
shouted "hurrah!" and that was the end of the fighting for a
long while.
"...I do remember when they did look like that..."
THAT'S THE WAY THEY WAS:
From the looks of things it was probably about 1948-49 when late Vermilion resident Hazen Thompson gathered these youngsters in front of the Vermilion News office/printshop on Grand Street and froze their images for everyone to ponder over a half century later. Can you guess their identities? When I showed it to one of my little sisters she said (and this is a quote), "I'll be damned......None have really changed in looks....I do remember when they did look like that..." She is not one to mince words.
Mr. Thompson, I have been told, was quite the "shutterbug". This photo, in particular, was made into a postcard. During the early to mid 20th century that was not an uncommon thing for family photographers to do with their pictures. Actually it was quite a nice way to stay in touch with relatives afar. While that may seem to be a rather dull thing compared to the instantaneous digital communications systems that exist now - fifty years ago it too was remarkable.
During the First World War Mr. Thompson served with American Expeditionary Forces in France as a Wagoner (oldtimers referred to these gents as “Muleskinners”). He was wounded in action on 2 November 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne Defensive, and was honorably discharged from the service in May of 1919. When he came home he went to work as a commercial fisherman and married a local girl named Vera Nichols.
When Hazen caught these shadows he had long since left off commercial fishing and was working at the steel mill in Lorain. He and Vera had parented five children. Charles, was born in 1925. Then came Tom, Anna Mae, and Mary Ann. The youngest, Bill, was born in 1943.
The oldest son, Charles, was also a war veteran. Enlisting in the Army right after he graduated from Vermilion High School he served in Europe during the 2nd World War and, like his father, was wounded in action and received a Purple Heart for his troubles.
(Please note that whilst I digress here with all this information about the photog and his family’s history I do so with some reason.)
Pictured left to right (front) are: Larry Howell, Mary Ann Thompson Corcino, Pearl “Ginny” Tarrant Wilkes, and Alice Mae Thompson. The tall serious looking fellow in the back is Albert Tarrant.
This particular photograph may not be not unusual, but it is rare. With the exception of one person all the individuals pictured, in one way or another, contributed substantially to the positive development of the community we know as Vermilion, Ohio. None have become famous nor infamous. But have quietly and consistently led honest and productive lives as lifetime members of our community. And were it not for a very debilitating illness that stole her youth and finally her very life Anna Mae would have likely done the same.
But that’s the way they was on what was, perhaps, an icy Saturday morning in February or March in the late 1940’s.
By the way this photograph was loaned to me by Joseph and Mary Ann Thompson Corsino’s son. He is U.S. Airforce Major Jack Corsino. He stopped by the church kitchen last week for a cup of coffee, some conversation, and to share a few photographs. He was on his way to Iraq. [Note: Jack returned safely about a year after this was published.]
Ref: National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-46; Ohio Military Men, 1917-18; Special Thanks to Major Jack Corsino.
3/5/06
12:23 PM
Vermilion aerial c.1957
HIGH OVER TOWN: This pic is one of four sent me from Brian Kyle. The area along West Lake Road between Adams Street and Coen Road has changed a great deal since this photograph was taken. Colonial Court (lower left) is just taking shape, and Daylon Court (across the street, up to the right of Kyle Motors) is just a gravel lane. The Gulf Station across the street from the garage is gone now. It's hard to believe that 50 years have passed since these bright shadows were frozen by Mr. Kyles camera.
These aerials are always fascinating. And I wish I had more. But they're hard to come by.
The Final Sale
WILL THE LAST ONE OUT THE DOOR...: Well, it's official. Bailey's wonderful Vermilion Hardware Store now belongs to the ages. My friend Larry E. Howell was the last customer. He was kind enough to lend me his receipt along with a number of photographs pertaining to the Bailey Family and the hardware store to scan / download to my computer to save for the Vermilion Area Archival Society.
All I can really say is that Bailey's (hardware store) will be forever be missed by all. It was always more than just a hardware store. It was a place where good friends and neighbors met. And Vermilion is not the better for its passing.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE WITH A MOUSE IN YOUR HAND! HELP THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY!: Take a cyber visit through my on-line store.
I hope to have some items ready for Valentines Day. If you've not purchased something yet you're missing the proverbial boat. So stay close; and take a virtual tour of the shop. I keep the floor swept and the windows clean.
And for those who might wonder - this is my shop - and I do make a few bucks selling the items therein...
VERMILION VIEWS GIFT SHOP
Podcasts - "forever under construction..."
PODCAST #114: This week Vermilion Views Podcast #114 is Part #2 of a presentation I extracted from a DVD that was put together by Carol and Dick Kammer last summer re:the history of the Olympic Outing Club. This is truly a nice piece of work - well done by the Kammers. If you're unfamiliar with the club you are going to find this production to be very informative. So enjoy...
Also note that all the video (MP4) podcasts (where used) are done in the "Quicktime" format.
NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are no longer available in the on-line archive. They just take up too much disk space. But if one really, really, really wants to acquire a copy of a past cast it can be had by contacting moi - and I will place it on a disc and send it to ye for a minimal fee.
LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: After giving it much thought this link has been "put-down". During the last year most of the folks who used to use this page as a bulletin board have acquired their own and, consequently, no longer need this forum from "Views". I have, however, kept links (in the links section) to Larry Hohler's "Hope Homes" in Kenya - and to Bette Lou Higgins' Eden Valley Enterprises sites. They are historically and socially relevant projects.
Pay particular note to the "Hope Homes" page during the next few months. They've recently received a significant grant from the Dolan Foundation and are constructing a Manual Training Center for their children and for other young people in that community. This is an exciting project.
Vermilion High School Classes of 1963 and 1965 may be interested in knowing that a reunion is planned for the weekend of June 27, 2009. Those interested can contact Ruth Bauman Tanner.
The Vermilion High School Class of 1959 may be interested in knowing that a reunion is planned for the weekend of September 18-20, 2009. Registration can be made through Roger Boughton 2205 SW 10th Ave. Austin, MN. 55912 or you can just emailRoger.
If, however, something important come along - it will appear here.
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 links. 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.
If you're looking for my old links section (pictured) I've replaced it with a pull-down menu (visible in the small box next to the word "Go"). If you're looking for links to more Vermilion history check that menu.
How the old links menu looked
For Persons who would like to donate to the cause (to keep these "Views" on-line you can send whatever you would like to me at the following address. And THANKS to everybody who has already donated to the cause. I doth certainly appreciate it):
Rich Tarrant
1041 Oakwood Drive
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-4459
or you can use PayPal:
"According to the NBA neither the Holocust nor LaBron James's record breaking triple-double ever happened."
-Professor Roselyn Picher
Vol.6, Issue 47, February 7, 2009
Archive Issue #308
© 2009 Rich Tarrant