Vermilion Views

THE FIRST 100: This is the first portion of the text of the Lucy Morgan book about Vermilion's First Congregational Church published in 1918. This is a document well worth reading. While it will appear in "VV" in parts the entire text will eventually be on a web page by itself. Again - this is a historical document.

History of the Church

The story about how the Pilgrim Fathers left their homes in Scrooby, England, crossed the ocean and landed on the rocky shore at Plymouth, Massachusetts, is well known to every school boy and girl, but the histories do not usually tell that it was the beginning of the Congregational church in the United States.

As the years passed by, their children and children's children desiring more room pushed out into the far west, making homes for themselves in the forests and beside the lakes and streams.

It is recorded that one day some time in 1808 there appeared at the mouth of the Vermilion River a man by the name of William Haddy who built the first house in this place. Where he came from and who were his descendants we do not know.

The following year William Austin, George and John Sherarts, Enoch Smith and Horatio Perry located here. In 1810 the little colony welcomed the coming of Almon Ruggles, Solomon Parsons, Benjamin Brooks, Barlow Sturgis, Deacon Beardsley and James Cuddeback, followed by Peter Cuddeback and others in 1811. Some of these old settlers are still represented in the town and church by the. fourth and fifth generations.

The first religious service held in the place was at the home of William Austin, doubtless conducted by missionaries sent out by the Connecticut Home Missionary Society.

Twenty-five years later in a sermon, referring to these early days, Rev. Goodell said, "These visitations were bright spots in the history of the church during the first eight years of her destitution of the ordinances of the gospel, and we would here take occasion to render thanksgiving to God for imbuing the hearts of His children in that day with so large a spirit of benevolence and leading them to care for the feeble settlements in this wilderness world and to send us the bread of life. But for the assistance thus rendered, to all human appearance, our light must have gone out almost as soon as it was kindled. Nor would we forget the self denial and earnestness of those missionaries who cheerfully forsook the comforts and privileges of New England and endured the hardships and privations incident to a new country to carry the bread of life to the perishing. Among this number we would record the names of Coe, Seward, Hanford and Treat. �

There was no organization however until February 20, 1818, when a little band of Christians gathered at the home of Major Eli Barnum in Florence and organized what is now known as the First Congregational Church of Vermilion, Ohio.

There were six members, Alfred and Sally Betts, Samuel and Esther Husted, Electa Pearse and Abigail Harris, all of whom were settlers from Connecticut.

Two ministers were present, Rev. Alvin Coe and Rev. Amasa Loomis, the former becoming pastor for the first year.

Out of the two hundred forty-nine Congregational churches in the state of Ohio, but twenty-one have a longer history than this one. Faithful work was done that same year and seven more churches. were organized in the state. The church at Marietta is undoubtedly the oldest in the state, holding a continuous record since 1796.

The early fathers were guided to build better than they realized and the results have been lasting.

Ten years passed and the little band had increased to forty-two members. Still they had no meeting house, but met at some home for services. In 1828 they gathered courage to rise up and build a house of squared logs 35x30 ft. as good and perhaps better than many of their homes.

It is thought that this was the first public building in the county, which at that time included what are now Huron and Erie Counties. This building was located about two miles from the lake at the center of the township in a clearing in what now is known as Mr. Will's woods. Here the people came from all directions. Some walked and carried their shoes and stockings until within sight of the church, as a matter of economy. Pen pictures show the Pilgrim Fathers carrying their guns over their shoulders as a, prptection against the Indians, and here there was need of a sharp lookout for packs of hungry wolves lurking all through the country, and also the Indians, when perchance they had, tasted the white man's fire water, were not always friendly. and must be guarded against. Some of the people who had long distances to go rode on horseback and some times the trusty beast carried the entire family, if not too large. What a difference when contrasted with the modern conveniences of today.

Those were days of little foot stoves filled with coals from the home fireplace for the .old ladies and seats made of split logs without backs, yet the people hungered and thirsted for the heavenly manna and the water of life, and were willing to sit and listen to two long sermons with a short intermission for lunch.

The records are not as icomplete as could be desired with reference to the history of those early days, but it is written that May 10, 1828 an invitation was given to Mr. Hervey Lryon to become the pastor and May 22,1828 he was ordained to preach, installed over the church, and the building was dedicated to the worship of God. The sermon was preached by Rev. W. Lathrop from the text, "Fear 'not, little fiock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom," fitting words of encouragement for those who listened.

March 1, 1835, the House of Representatives granted the church Articles of Incorporation, to be known as the First Congregational Church of Vermilion, Huron County, Ohio. The following year it was decided to move the church building to a spot on the. first ridge a little west of the State Road known as the Furnace, because more people were located there. So the logs were taken down and it was rebuilt there. The years that followed were furl of changes relative to pastors and people. At one time seven were granted letters of dismission to the Congregational church in Birmingham, organized about that time, while others helped to strengthen the church at Florence.

Meanwhile new arrivals settled by the lake at what was called the mouth of the river. These people wanted services' near home, while others were loathe to have the .church removed. So great a difference of opinion arose that the decision was left to a disinterested committee, who, after considering all sides of the question, decided the wisest thing to.do would be to locate at the mouth of the river.

VERMILION'S UNIQUELY UNIQUE LUSTRON HOMES: Vermilion, Ohio once known as �The Village of Lake Captains� certainly has many beautiful old homes scattered about its streets. The homes in the Vermilion Lagoons - �The Cape Cod of Ohio� are readily admired by many tourists and sundry passers-by. And the �gigundous� homes perched on the lake shore just west of the city may inspire awe in those of us who live in lesser spaces. But among all these great to monumental dwellings are two that are certainly among the most unique - not only in our city - but in our nation. They are Vermilion�s Lustron Homes.

Though the precise numbers vary according to which report one reads it is certain that less than 3000 Lustron Homes were ever built. While that alone might make them unusual the fact that these houses were constructed entirely of steel; fabricated in a factory; transported by truck to sites chosen by each buyer; completely assembled in but 300 - 350 man hours (again the numbers vary according to which report one reads); and that all of this took place sixty years ago; most people will agree that these homes are, to be redundantly redundant, uniquely unique.

During the 16 year span between The Great Depression (1929) to the end of WWII (1945) very few homes had been built in the U.S. Some estimate that after the war nearly six million families were sharing homes with relatives. At about the same time (1946) a Swedish-born American inventor and entrepreneur living in Ohio named Carl Strandlund (1899-1974) developed a plan to build prefabricated steel-paneled gas stations for the Standard Oil Company. To his regret, and those of his investors, he was denied access to the steel due to existing wartime restrictions regarding its use.

Not discouraged by this setback, and very conscious of the national housing shortage, Standlund had architects develop plans for an all-steel, prefabricated, bungalow-style home. The entire home; framing, interior and exterior walls, roof trusses and tiles would be fabricated of steel. All exposed surfaces (inside and out) would have a porcelain-enamel, hard, glass finish baked on to the steel panels and shingles. All models would be available with exterior color choices of pink, tan, yellow, aqua, blue, green or gray, with interior color options of beige or gray.

The houses were purported to be fireproof, decay-proof, rustproof, termite-proof, and vermin-proof. Advertisements also claimed that neither sunlight, salt water, nor chemical fumes could stain, fade, crack, or cause peeling of the finish. The estimated cost of each new home would run between $6000 and $10,000 (lot not included).

Given the dire shortage of new housing after the war, married to the statistics regarding these low-maintenance, ultramodern homes it should be of little surprise to anyone that the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), a federal agency created some years earlier to jump-start America�s economy, helped finance Mr. Strandlund�s enterprise by giving him a $12.5 million loan.

Leasing half of the 1.2 million square foot Curtiss-Wright Aircraft plant in Columbus, Ohio Strandlund set-up his assembly-line Lustron (house manufacturing) Corporation. The name �Lustron� was derived from Mr. Strandlund�s observation that the enamel coating on the steel could be said to give it a �luster�. These prefabricated, ready-to-assemble homes (like the one pictured) were shipped in 3000 piece units on a specially designed truck (inset photo). The year was 1948.

Twenty-one months, and somewhat less than 3000 homes, later the Lustron Corporation was no more. Tooling the factory had been more difficult and, consequently, more expensive than anticipated. Also, continual cost overruns and production problems seriously hampered the operation culminating in the foreclosure of the corporation by the RFC.

In truth, Strandlund�s Lustron all-steel house was, like the legendary Preston Tucker�s automobile, and perhaps even the Lake Shore Electric interurban transportation system, an idea ahead of its time. Political and economic forces combined to oppose the concept - however practical - so vigourously that the proverbial �baby was tossed out with the bath water�.

In Vermilion proof of the extreme viability, stability, and longevity of Strandlund�s Lustron concept sits along a quiet street near South Street School, while another is comfortably situated among the quaint cottage homes in Elberta Beach. Many Lustrons are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. All of them should be. For they�re all uniquely unique.

Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live