Vermilion Views

THE VERMILION NEWS 2/16/1956: "Residents of our locality recently noted a new red, white, and blue, right hand drive mail truck delivering our parcel post; also, it takes mail to Elberta Beach, Vermilion on the Lake, to residents south of the Nickel Plate tracks on Douglas and State Streets. This is a government owned mail truck and arrived in Vermilion in the middle of January; on the way here, however, on one of the icy nights, the rear wheel was bent and it was a week before it was put back into commission. The truck was obtained through the efforts of the local postmaster ably assisted by Congressman Baumhart, and it is hoped it will answer the question about dual types of delivery, parcel post and mail. Robert J. Adams is the parcel post man, and Fred Harpley delivers the mail to Elberta Beach and Vermilion on the Lake …(A mail box) has been put at Elberta Beach grocery store, to accommodate patrons who wish to deposit letters during the day or night."[VV Ed. Note: I’ve no idea who wrote this text, but it is very awkward in parts. Ergo, I amended it some. The photo with the caption appeared on the front page of the newspaper. The truck was a big deal in ’56. Vermilion was still a village and until this truck was acquired. I got to know Mr. Harpley and his son, William "Corky" very well in later years. They were good guys.]

1953, CARS, THREE BOYS AND A DOG: In 1953 I was only nine years old – but I, to borrow a phrase from the Lerner-Lowe song, “remember it well”. I hope youngsters who’re the same age today will come to own similar memories. I began thinking about those days when I happed across the accompanying graphic of a 1953 advertisement from The Vermilion News. It was a good year. At least it was for a nine-year-old boy in the little lakeside village of Vermilion, O.

I was in a gang back then. It wasn’t very big – or tough. It was composed of three guys and a dog: Jake Boone, his cousin Tommy Dale; Mister Chips the dog and, of course, me. [Note: Mr. Chips really didn’t belong to anyone in particular. He just lived with my family. But he never paid any rent or anything.]

Anyway, the reason this ad brings all that to mind is because we, like many boys of that age, were in love with cars. During those times the new models hit the showrooms around town in late August or early September, and Frank Baker’s Ford dealership (currently Vermilion Deli and Grocery store, and John Rupert’s investment company) was one of our favorite places to visit. Mr. Baker was always very friendly. And he didn't mind if we sat in one of the shiny new cars in his showroom dreaming of a day when we could own one of those beautiful machines.

1953 was also the year that they – “they” being village and state officials – decided to eliminate what the local newspaper called a “traffic bottleneck at the west-end” of town. To be honest “traffic bottleneck” was a mild epithet. Just how many folks failed to negotiate the two 90 degree turns Liberty made at Decatur Street over the years may be known only to Vermilionite Bob Kyle whose family home and business (i.e. Kyle Motors) were located near both.

On the other hand, that “bottleneck” worked to the advantage of our gang by providing us with some wonderful pastimes. On Sunday afternoons we used to sit on the tree lawn in front of May Fletcher’s home (currently Old Jib’s) and watch the traffic returning from Cedar Point, and all other points west, crawl through town headed toward Cleveland. But not content to just watch traffic we were compelled to say various things to folks as they passed. (e.g. To someone towing a boat: “Hey, buddy the Coast Guard’s following you.”) I now note that things that seem funny to a nine-year-old are actually a bit goofy to an adult.

In between our harebrained wisecracking we invented a game wherein we learned to recognize the make, model, and year of cars as they passed. If one of us (with the exception of Mr. Chips) saw a car we really admired he’d try to shout out the details of the car before someone else in the gang. [e.g. “My red ’53 Ford convertible!”] According to gang rules, that car would be added to an imaginary list of cars he owned. It was, course, another goofy game. But we got pretty good at recognizing the various cars. Today I hardly know the difference between a Toyota and a Taurus much less the year the car was manufactured.

But we sure had a good time on that corner on Sunday afternoons back then. When we weren’t there we hiked the lakeshore west from Main Street beach to Darby Creek or played war games in the woods along Edson Creek. Mr. Chips especially loved the beaches where he could roll in dead fish to his heart’s content. Needless to say, the rest of the gang did not appreciate his recreational interests. But he didn’t seem to care. And I doubt that he cared much about ours.

“Them” were certainly the days. I don't miss them because they are a part of me that I’ll have forever. What I did miss, however, was the ability to buy a 1937 Ford Tudor for a hundred bucks from F.E. Baker. I recently looked at an ad for one and it was going for around $50 thousand. Who’d have dreamed of it? Not the gang of three boys and a dog sitting on a tree lawn in 1953. They were too darn busy.

SHOPTALK: About the desktop pic this week I’ve not a clue. It might be 3 of my older siblings – but I just don’t know. I just thought it was an interesting pic. Perhaps if I look at it long enough something (or someone) will occur to me.

NO VISTORS – A LOT OF WORK: So long as the weather is bad not many folks drop by the shop. I did have a young couple drop by on Saturday. They said they lived somewhere around Cleveland Hopkins Airport. They’d come to town for the annual “Ice Affair” downtown. I also told them about the “Chocolate Festival” at the library. Methinks their coming into the museum was a fluke; they were in town walking around and were just passing by. O-well, there’s no lack of work to be done here.

THE VERMILION FOUNDATION: The Vermilion Foundation recently awarded the print shop a $1000.00 grant to be used for (1. Recasting the (rubber) ink rollers for the Chandler Price jobber printing press; and (2. For the purchase of archival envelopes / sleeves to archive various printed materials produced by the shop in days long past.

I’ve been told that the museum is among the last of organizations that will be assisted by the Vermilion Foundation, for tis ending its tenure of philanthropy. Tis a rather sad note – but we are pleased to have received the grant.

PIX, PAPERS, BOOKS & MAGAZINES: We have come across some interesting books and papers at the museum this week.

Some of the books belonged to my maternal g-g-grandparents, Ernest T. and Clara Bottomley. There are a uncomfortable number of old National Geographic magazines (uncomfortable – because what does one do with all these old mags?),a few antique Good Housekeeping mags, and several Farmer’s Almanacs from about 1935.

There are some real interesting letters from my older brother, Bill, that were written to the family when he was in the Army serving in the Korean War. I found my grandfather’s - Pearl Roscoe’s will, and a fun story written by Vermilion expatriate Ernest Wakefield, replete with a treasure map. (Methinks Mr. Wakefield liked to tell tall tales.)

I also came across some long lost pix of my grandfather, Pearl, when he was, maybe, six months and then about 8 or 9. In the same collection there is photo of General Grant and a g-g-grandfather A.B. Forster. These photographs are, of course, very old – c.1850.

And then I came across the wedding pix of my brother Philip. He married a gal named Mary Watson in the old Congregational church (behind the shop) in 1953.

Unfortunately, the pix were not protected and the elements caused them to be severely damaged. Nonetheless, I was happy to find them. With the help of Photoshop I believe I can restore many of them. There are many people in them that many native Vermilionites will remember.

COLLABERATION: The museum board and the officers of the Vermilion Area Archival Society (VAAS) have tentatively agreed to work together in creating a Vermilion history showcase museum using the apartment rooms above the shop.

The main floors, of course, will remain the print shop museum; and the upper floor will showcase Vermilion artifacts collected by both the VAAS and the VNPSM. This would be Vermilion’s first “Vermilion” museum since the old F.W. Wakefield home became a museum and had a Vermilion Room that displayed Vermilion artifacts.

PRINTING: Aside from all the structural projects ahead of us (and utility costs) we’re focusing on getting one of the printing presses in operational condition. That will likely be the Chandler-Price (c.1900) that is the oldest in the building. The estimated cost of reconditioning it at this time is around $500. It will not (at least the thinking is at this time) be powered by electricity. Originally depressing a treadle, like an old sewing machine, ran the press. It would be nice to put it back into the original condition.

PLAQUE FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS SPONSORS: We’ll soon have a nice plaque in the museum honoring persons who have contributed funds for special museum projects. At the moment we only have one name. We expect to have many more.

SEARCHING: We currently interested in finding copies of The Erie County Reporter from 1880 to 1920 or '30. Nobody on earth seems to have them. If you have knowledge of any of them we'd appreciate hearing from you. There's a great deal of Vermilion information in them.

FIVE-OH-ONE-CEE-THREE: It’s now official. The museum is officially a 501(c)(3) organization. Consequently, all donations to the museum are tax deductible. This is retroactive to November of 2011. (Thank heaven. Now I can fret about something else for months on end.)

VISITING HOURS: The museum is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays from 1 to 4 PM. On Saturday the museum it is open from 11 AM to 2 PM. A small admission donation of $3 (for adults) is requested. Children under the age of 11 will be admitted for free. Phone For Special Tours: 440-967-4555

POST OFFICE BOX: Please note that the MUSEUM has a post office box now. Now we won’t have to use our home address, nor the one at the shop for mail.

MEMBERSHIPS: Memberships to the VERMILION NEWS PRINT SHOP MUSEUM are now available. Funds generated will go toward the aforementioned renovations and maintenance of the shop.

A single membership for an adult is $15 a year.
A couple membership is $25 a year.
A student membership is $5.
And a lifetime membership is $100.

If you would like to become a member the VNPSM you can send a check or money order to:

Vermilion Print Shop Museum
P.O. Box 792
Vermilion, Ohio 44089

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK:Take the time to visit us on Facebook. Click on the badge below and stop in. We'll keep adding pix as we go along. If you're in the area come on in. I try to be there in the a.m. most everyday. If you see a Chevy Silverado out front with the plate "MRCOOKR" stop by and see what's cooking.

Vermilion News Print Shop Museum

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AGAIN - ANOTHER NEW (NOW OLD) THING: Initially I said that "This will not take the place of the "Macabre" stuff all the time - but will supplement whilst I search for more macabre stories to tell." But methinks that it's carved out a niche for itself and the "Macabre stuff" with have to find another.

So stay tuned...

Vol. VIII,NO.38– March 2, 1905.

COURT NOTES

A marriage license was issued Wednesday to Obidiah Bringham of Cleveland and Miss Annie McArthur of Vermilion.

Fred Behnke was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary Friday for non-support of an illegitimate child. He is [the] second man from Erie County to receive a sentence under the non-support law.

Myrtle B. Goodsite is the plaintiff in a $10,000 damage suit instituted in the court of common pleas Monday against Fred Link by Attorney John Ray. Plaintiff avers that on or about the 1st of May, 1904,Link chose her for his wife and that all arrangements were made for a marriage ceremony, the date for which was Sept, 20th of the same year. When the alleged wedding day arrived, plaintiff further avers, the ceremony was postponed until the following December. Meantime, plaintiff further avers, Link married one Lillian Welter. In consequence, plaintiff adds she lost the said marriage, was injured in feelings and health and was damaged to the extent of $10,000 for which she asks judgement.

In the case of Mahlon Scott vs. the N.Y.C. & St. L. Ry. was dismissed on account of lack of evidence. Scott claimed to have been struck by one of the company’s trains or something projecting from one of them.

Lott W. Nichols has instituted suit in the court of common pleas to break the will of the late Curtis Nichols. The defendants to the suit are Myrtie, Susie, Charles R., Maria C. and Arthur J. Nichols as executor. John ray is plaintiff’s attorney. Plaintiff avers that on or about the 1st of August, 1903, the said Curtis Nichols died, leaving Arthur J. Myrtie, Susie and Charles Nichols his only heirs at law. The defendant Maria C. Nichols is the widow of the said decedent. It is further averred that on or about the 14th of August, 1902, a certain paper writing, bearing date of Apr 9th, 1903, was presented to the probate court and that letters testamentary were issued to the said defendant, Arthur J. Nichols, in accordance with its provisions. All of the defendants, plaintiff says, were named as legatees, plaintiff included. Plaintiff, continuing, avers that the said paper was not the will of the said decedent, and that Curtis Nichols, on the day it was signed, was not of sound mind and memory and that, by reason of extreme age, protracted pain and sickness, he was incapacitated from making a will. Plaintiff further avers that, by undue influence, decedent was induced to execute the instrument purporting as alleged, to be a will and that he was harassed and annoyed until he condescended to favor the said defendant legatees. Plaintiff asks that an issue be made as to whether the document in litigation is the will of Curtis Nichols, decease, and asks that the same be set aside.

[VV Ed. Note: This appears to be a vey interesting case. I hope we get to find out what happens. Was the will coerced or not? Stay tuned.]

CHRISTINA SCIENCE CASE

A decision which will be of interest the world over was handed down by the supreme court of Ohio at Columbus Tuesday in a case elevated from the courts of Erie County It pertains to Christian Science and Christian Scientists and is in effect, that if the latter administer to the sick and injured, they must have a physician’s license.

The decision was rendered in the case of the state of Ohio vs. Oliver W. Marble, a local Christian Scientist who was arrested on complaint of Dr. Schoefle, at the time coroner of Erie County, after he had unsuccessfully treated a boy named Lockwood for typhoid fever. Prosecutor Williams received the complaint of Dr. Schoefle and information based thereon was filed by him in the probate court. A warrant was issued and Marble was arrested. His trial before a jury in the probate court, over which Judge Curran presided, consumed nine days and attracted wide spread attention. After all testimony had been introduced for and against Marble, the jury returned a verdict of guilty and Judge Curran imposed a fine of $20 and costs.

John Ray attorney for Marble carried the case to the court of common pleas, where the decision of Judge Curran was reversed. The case was then taken to the Supreme Court on the exceptions of Prosecutor Williams, who was desirous of testing the principle of law involved for his own benefit and information a s well as for the benefit and information of the legal fraternity of Sandusky as well as of the state. There was no compensation at stake for him and even now that the case has been decided against Marble he will not be compelled to pay the fine imposed together with the costs of the case in view of the fact the judgement of the probate court was decided in favor of Marble in the court of common pleas. Thus it may be seen that it was a principle of law and this alone was involved in the case when it reached the subreme [sic] court.

The decision is particularly pleasing t Judge Curran and Prosecutor Williams, who from the very fist have been firm in the belief that Christian Scientists who administer to the sick or injured for compensation should conform to the same law that governs physicians and under which they are required to secure licenses to practice from the secretary of the state board of medical examiners. The decision is further pleasing because numerous noted Christian Scientists who were in the city as attendants upon the Marble trial, were firm in the belief that Marble would win out in the higher courts and so stated on several occasions after the verdict of the jury in the probate court became known.

Mr. Marble was interviewed by the Register Tuesday night after the decision of the supreme court had been made known to him and said that the case would be carried to the United States supreme court if there was any possible way of getting it there. The adverse decision of the Ohio supreme court it is said, is the first on record against Christian Science and Christian Scientists.

Now that the highest court in the state has held that Christian Scientists attending the sick in the capacity of physicians shall have licenses, all violators of the law in Erie county will be vigorously prosecuted. Although he has not said that he will do it, Prosecutor Williams may cause several more arrests to be made. He has the necessary information and could, it is said, do so if he desired. – Sandusky Register.

The German Reformed Church will serve their annual supper at the Town Hall tomorrow (Friday) evening beginning at 5 o’clock. The G.A.R. Band will furnish music. Tickets, 25c.

BROWNHELM.

Mr. and Mrs. Newton Holstein entertained the former’s cousin Mrs. Griffeth [sic] Friday.

Chas Baumhardt has rented the Quigley farm in N. Amherst and will take possession April 1.

Mr. and Mrs. C. Jay of Vermilion spent sevral days with L. Marsh and family.

James Leidheiser has bought 50 acres of the Kishman farm and will take possession April 1.

Misses Krapp and Delker of Vermilion were the guests of the former’s sister Ms. J.H. Baumhardt.

The Brownhelm Grangers received another carload of bran this week.

John Goodrich is some better at this writing.

BIRMINGHAM.

Mrs. Miller has bought the Washburn place and she and her son will soon take possession.

Mrs. Warner is some better.

A number have had trouble about hearing, a new feature of the Grippe.

The funeral of Mr. Weiderman was held at the Swiss church east of town Feb. 22.

Mrs. Geo. Andress is quite sick, and Mr. Andress is lightly under the weather. There is scarcely a family but what some member has been sick this month.

Mr. Crandall is threatened with pneumonia.

ASHMONT

The friends of Miss Effie Slocum surprised her by gathering at her home Friday evening in honor of her natal day. Music and games wee the features of the evening. An elegant lunch was served by Mrs. Slocum and Miss Grace. As the small hours began to arrive the crowd left for their homes wishing their fair hostess many happy returns of the day. Those present were: The Misses Grace, Effie and Clair Slocum, Kathryn Kishman, Vehdah Lee, Verda and Ethel Smith, Lena Knott, Vora and Callie Barnes, and Bertha Smith; Messrs.’ Arthur Smith, Will Crum, Elgie and Walter Lee, Raymond Gibson, Louis and Loyd Nickols, Ellsworth Lee, Vernie Kishman and Clarence Denman, and Mr. and Mrs. Slocum.

James Corbin and son Charles attended to funeral of his mother at Wakeman Thursday.

Herbert Hill will assist Robert Humm, Sr., of Berlin Hts. with his farm work this season.

Frank Barnes, Jr. is entertaining the mumps.

[VV Ed. Note: Hey! I had the mumps when I was a kid, and I most certainly did not find the malady entertaining.]

Mrs. C. Roscoe of Milan is spending the week here.

C. Schwensen is building a fine 15 ft. boat at Foster’s boathouse.

A. Parsons and E. Porter who have had charge of a Ceylon-Sandusky car on the L.S.E. for sometime past have been transferred to the Norwalk division.

Miss Charlotte Goodell, who has made her home with her brother at Lorain for several months past, left for Berea, Ky. the first of the week.

Mrs. C.F. Decker is still very ill.

Walter Abell has purchased W. W. McCreary’s horse.

G.H. Blattner is attending the Ohio Hardware convention at Dayton this week.

Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Bottomley and little granddaughter returned to their home in Toledo Tuesday.

A gasoline engine has been placed in the blacksmith shop of M.S. Stevenson and will furnish power for drills, etc.

Edward Ackerman, the little son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Ackerman is reported quite ill. It is thought to be the result of a fall several days ago.

Wir verkauffen noch immer unsre. Fosten zu shr villigen Preissen auch unsre shinglen und, lumber, turren, und fenster sind spott billig wir sprechen deutch. – Estate of Valentine Fries, Huron, O.

J.B. Fuller, a prominent citizen of Berlin Hts. died at his home there Saturday.

Mrs. Charles Clark of Elyria, died very suddenly Sunday night at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Wellfare at Birmingham. She retired feeling perfectly well but later arose and told her daughter she was dying. Dr. Boss was called but death came before his arrival. Mrs. Clark was sixty-seven years of age and was the wife of the late Chas Clark, the veteran candy man of Elyria. The funeral was held from the Episcopal Church at Elyria, March 1st, just four months after that of her husband. The deceased was an aunt of Mrs. Geo Harris of this place.

Mrs. Pawsons Dead.

Mrs. Geo. Pawsons was found dead in her bed Wednesday morning. She was 50 years old and leaves an invalid husband and two sisters, Mrs. John Hepp of Grover Hill and Mrs. W.H. Custer of Harrod, O.

Funeral services Friday at 1 o’clock.

The Bill is Passed.

The river and Harbor bill passed the Senate yesterday. The people of this congressional district may well congratulate themselves in the outcome. Sandusky, Huron and Vermilion will receive nearly a million dollars of the appropriation of $38,350,899.Of this Vermilion will receive $15,000 cash.

98 Per Cent. Pure.

Although the city water for the past day or so has been amber tinged it is 98 per cent pure so says Chemist Patton of the Lorain water works. It is supposed the coloring is caused by the moss banks in the river being carried out into the lake. The current probably flowing around the intake. Although the filters take out the impurities in the water it fails to take out the coloring.

The officials of the L.S.E. are taking measures to have their cars in a sanitary condition. The latest is prohibiting spitting on the floors of the cars. The cities that have no anti-spit ordinance are asked to co-operate with the company. The smoking apartments of the cars are provided with cuspidors and the filthy habit of spitting on the floors if possible will be done away with.

[VV Ed. Note: An anti-spitting law could have saved one Vermilion fellow a trip to the hospital a few years previous. In any case, it’s hard to imagine having to tell anyone that spitting on the floor is not only unsanitary – it’s crude and rude. I wonder if these guys spit on the floors of their homes.]

Saturday is inauguration day.

Sandusky is to have a new candy factory – The Catawba Candy Company.

Wm. Whitridge, a Lima prophet predicts the coming of the end of the world next month.

[VV Ed. Note: I guess he was wrong.]

What will be the largest sugar mill in the world will soon be erected in Cuba.

O.L. Babcock of Lorain discovered his wife and the man with whom she eloped at Detroit Monday.

Lorain County is considering the question of establishing a work house at Elyria.

Mrs. Hannah Upperman of Huron died at 7 o’clock Tuesday morning. She was born in Berlin Township 78 years ago.

Wm. Roderick, night-yard master, and A. Windross, fireman were badly scalded Monday night by the blowing out of an arch flue in engine No. 781.

The safe in the post office at Dalton, O. was blown to pieces by burglars early Monday morning and $200 in stamps and $150 in cash taken.

Marconi, of wireless telegraphy fame, is to be married the second week in March to the Hon. Beatrice O’Brien, fifth daughter of Lord Inchiquin.

Burglars entered the general store of E.E. Parker at Huron Saturday night and made way with about $100 worth of fur. They gained entrance by prying a rear door. There is no clue.

The Grand Opera House at Akron the second oldest and largest theatre in the city was completely destroyed by fire Sunday morning. The plant of the Commercial Printing Co. was also badly damaged.

Charles Thompson who is employed at Lorain, reports himself married. To whom we are unable to learn.

Will be Returned

Tuesday the President signed the joint resolution providing for the return of battle flags captured during the Civil War.

Messrs. McIninch and Huggings of Savannah, Mo., Secretary and stockholders respectively of the Howard Stove & Mfg. Co., spent two days in Vermilion during the past week. The gentlemen gave out the information that the company had been unfortunate in its sales during the past season owing to several reasons and as they had a large stock of stoves on hand did not think it advisable to manufacture more stoves until the others were disposed of.

The company is as willing and anxious to start the factory as the people are to have them. From now until fall stove men are booking orders for next season’s trade and it is hoped that the sales will warrant resumption.

[VV Ed. Note: This article is history relevant to the history of Vermilion. A good number of local citizens wanted the stove plant to locate in town – and had a vested interest in seeing the project succeed. As we will learn in the future it did not. But to this day the area on the west side of Vermilion (i.e. the area containing Adams and Jackson streets) is often referred to as the “Stove Plant Allotment”. We’ll see how this project played out in future editions of The News.]

Hmmmmmm....

"Traipsing through the News microfilm files of 1941..."

AN ACCIDENTAL VISITE TO 1941: In all honesty it was an accident. That seems to be a habit with me. While searching for one thing I invariably find a great deal more than I was seeking. In this case I was looking for an article published in The Vermilion News that was written by late Vermilionite Alice Jane (Gegenheimer) McClurkin (pictured) back in 1941. Alice Jane graduated from Vermilion High School in 1936, and she may have just graduated from college when she wrote articles for the local paper. In any case, I have the original typewritten piece. I was just trying to determine when or if it had ever been inked.

Traipsing through the News microfilm files of 1941 in search of the aforementioned article I repeatedly tripped over scores of items (big and small) as I went. I did find a number of articles written by Alice Jane: One about a local fellow named Jim Moore who worked as a carpenter / bridge builder on the Nickel Plate Railroad for 37 years. He was 83 in 1941 and had been retired for 13 years; another was about Vermilion’s very local U.S. Congressman, A.D. Baumhart called “Our Congressman Dave is All Business”; then there was a feature about Mrs. Eppley at Linwood Park; one about A.G. McDonald and the popcorn machine he’d fashioned out of an old Victrola; and yet another about Mr. Barr who purchased Vermilion’s now legendary Village of Wine Casks – Cask Villa vacation cottages.

Another the item I stumbled over during this journalistic microfilm-safari was a report about the razing of Vermilion’s first movie theatre in May of 1941. It was a bittersweet account. The Vincent building on Division Street “housed Vermilion’s first picture show – the silver screen – featuring Theda Bara, Fatty Arbuckle, John Bunny, Flora Futch, Pearl White, Ruth Roland – the shorts and serials (always) leaving off at the most critical periods. How the boys and girls, the men and women flocked there on “serial nights” – a nickel paid the admission.” The structure in question sat just to the south of the building currently housing a home decorating business on the west side of Main Street. At that time it was being used for storage and had apparently become quite “run down”.

A few of the front-page stories in the same issue were rather shocking. One fellow, apparently disconsolate, with life’s many travails took his life by sitting on a stick of dynamite. In another incident a 15-year-old boy, on his way home from a fishing trip with a friend, was killed when a tire blew on their car and they crashed into the side of Elberta Inn. However, not all the news was terrible. For instance, it was reported that Roy Shaw, third mate on the E.L. Ford in Buffalo, had been promoted to second mate, and transferred to the Joseph Wood at Cleveland. Roy’s daughter is well-known Vermilionite Judy Williams.

A mid June of ‘41 article at the bottom of the front-page captured my attention. It announced the death of a resident everyone knew – especially the school children at South Street – as ‘Gramp’ Allen. Born February 22 1850 at Levittsburg in Trumbull County, Ohio, he’d spent his early years in the employ of the Erie Railroad. After an injury in an accident on the railroad he’d worked as a Tower man for the company for thirty years. His wife died in 1916, and in 1918 he came to Vermilion to live with a daughter, Mrs. Verne Leidheiser. Next to (just west of) the Leidheiser house on South Street was a small building that in 1923 Mr. Allen transformed into a little candy store. The store was directly across the street from the school. While it is likely that some teachers may have often been exasperated with Mr. Allen’s entrepreneurial spirit – or at least its proximity to theirs – ‘Gramp’ Allen was nonetheless a local icon. My knowledge of him is testimony to that fact because I was born nearly four years after his death, but had heard much of him before I entered school in the early 1950s. By the way, the little house where he kept his candy shop still stands (albeit quietly) across from the old school.

Well, I never found the published article I had begun looking for. And after reviewing the typed copy I do have for the hundredth time I discovered something that causes me to believe that the article was never inked, nor was it probably meant to be. For at the very end it reads in part: “So the forty-two members of the graduating class of 1941, who will receive diplomas tonight…” I concluded from that that it was a typewritten speech to be given to parents and students of Vermilion graduates. Had I realized that Alice Jane’s story hadn’t been published in that yesteryear I would not have visited. Some folks went to Florida and Disneyland for a vacation this year. I went to the Vermilion News Print Shop Museum last Saturday and visited (albeit accidentally) 1941.

_{_{Ref: Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 04/19/12; Written 04/15/12 @10:53 AM.}}

JEAN-FRANÇOIS PILÂTRE DE ROZIER – ROZIERE BALLOON

Frenchman Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier (1754 – 1785) was a trailblazing aviator with a couple of claims to fame. The first of these was that he, along with the Marquis d'Arlandes, made the first manned, untethered balloon flight, on 21 November 1783. The second was far more unfortunate: on 15 June 1785 he and his companion Pierre Romain became the first recorded air crash fatalities when they were killed trying to cross the English channel.

Because the Montgolfier balloon he had used in the first unmanned flight would not have been suitable for the longer attempt, de Rozier developed the “Rozière”, which used both hydrogen and heated lifting gas. On the ill-fated voyage, a wind-change pushed the two men back over land, their balloon suddenly deflated, and they fell to their deaths from a height of around 1,500 feet. Sadly, de Rozier's former fiancée died eight days later, some believe by suicide.

Written by: Michele Collet

"The township was named after the principle river
emptying into the lake through its territory..."

THE FIRE-LANDS: I found the following information re: the early inhabitants of our area to be extremely informative. Methinks you will also.

I am getting better at transcribing these passages so there are fewer mistakes. But I like to read as I go - and sometimes I fill in the blanks. So tread carefully this trail through yesteryear.

The following series will take thee to the townships south of Vermilion. Methinks you'll find this history quite fascinating.

THE PIONEERS.

BELLEVUE.

…teachers and scholars worked at a disadvantage; and their efforts were ill-directed, or entirely wasted. The evil effects of this lack of system were especially noticeable in the high school, where the scholars pursued such studies as were agreeable, without any regard to previous training, or the relation of the different studies to each other. The board of education recognizing the value and necessity of systematic work in our schools, at a meeting held on the 29th of July, 18T7, adopted the present course of study; and rules and regulations of the Bellevue public schools, and ordered them to be published. The schools are at present in excellent condition. In the lower grades, the aim is to give thorough instruction in the common branches. In the high school, all of the studies are pursued that are commonly found in a good high school course. Especial attention is paid to the languages and the natural sciences. Through the liberality of the board of education, the superintendent has been able, during the last two years, to accumulate considerable apparatus and supplies for the illustration of the natural sciences.

PHYSICIANS.

Among the oldest practitioners of medicine in the township, were Doctors Stevens, Otis, Boise and Chas Smith, of Lyme. Cotemporary with them, and earlier, was Doctors Kittredge, Sanders and Tilden, who visited the township occasionally.

Dr. L. G. Harkness was the first physician prominently identified with the history of Bellevue. He was born In Salem, Washington county. New York, April 1, 1801, educated for his profession in the State of his nativity, and came west in 1823. He located upon the ridge, in Lyme township, and became associated, professionally, with Dr. Stevens. He removed, afterward, to the village of Bellevue, and not long after abandoned his practice. He continued to reside here, however, and the story of his life is quite fully told elsewhere in this history.

In 1835, Dr. Daniel A. Lathrop came to Bellevue, from his birthplace, Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, and almost immediately became a very successful practitioner, taking up Dr. Harkness' ride, and having all of the business, which that physician formerly attended to, upon his hands. He not only took Dr. Harkness' place, but also filled it, and enjoyed as extensive a practice, perhaps, as any physician who ever located in the village. It extended over a long term of years, too, and really did not terminate until a short time before the Doctor's departure from town, in 1861, though he was not actively engaged in the pursuit of his profession for two or three years previous to that date. The Doctor returned to Montrose, Pennsylvania, where he is now located. He is a graduate of a Philadelphia college.

The physicians who followed him were numerous. We shall only speak of those most prominently identified with the history of the town. A Dr. Gray came in and remained a short time. Dr. W. W. Stillson was in practice for a number of years and removed to Clyde, where he is at present in practice. Dr. Amos Woodward, a native of Lyme, began practice in 1846, and after six or seven years retired, though he continued to reside in the village and has long been one of its leading citizens. Dr. Charles Richards, now of Binghamton, New York, came in soon after Dr. Woodward began practice, and read medicine with Dr. Lathrop, afterwards entering into practice.

Dr. John W. Goodson, now in Sterling, Rice county, Kansas, began the study of medicine in Bellevue about 1840, and completed his professional education at Buffalo, there receiving his diploma. He immediately returned to Bellevue and entered into practice, taking, almost from the first, a prominent position, both in the medical fraternity and in general society. He had a lucrative practice and accumulated a fine property. He was for a time assistant surgeon of the Seventy-second Regiment 0. V. I., and was with Grant's army before Vicksburg. The doctor was a native of England and was born on the 4th of July 1817. He came to this country when a lad thirteen years of age. He is now represented here by three children — Mr. F. L. Goodson, Mrs. J. A. Higbee and Miss Nettie Goodson. F. L. Goodson is the village postmaster, now serving his third term He is popular both as a man and an officer.

Dr. Ralph A. Severance begun practice in Bellevue in 1854. He was a native of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and read medicine there with Dr. Brigham, who was afterwards in charge of one of the great asylums for the insane. He attended lectures in New York city, and graduated from Bowdoin college, Bowdoin, Maine, with the class of 1831. He first went into practice at Rockingham, Vermont, and remained there twenty-three years, coming directly from that place to Bellevue, which has ever since been his home and in which village he has constantly practiced since 1854. He is now in the seventy-seventh year of his life and the forty-eighth of his practice. Dr. Severance is now in the third year of his presidency of the Delamater Medical Society, is a member of the Ohio Medical Society, and of the American Medical Association. His practice here has been very extensive and he is esteemed both professionally and as a citizen.

Dr. J. J. Hartz who came to Bellevue in 1852. Was one of the most eminent men of the profession who have practiced in this part of the State. He was born in Versailles, France, in 1798, and received his medical education at the University of Heidelberg. After coming to this country he traveled through the south, was for a short time a resident of Charleston, and a transient resident of Texas. For a number of years before coming to this village he was located in Portage county, and at Upper Sandusky, in both of which neighborhoods he had a very extensive practice. He rendered efficient service at Sandusky during the prevalence of the cholera there, going upon the request of some of the local physicians.

_{Excerpts from: The Fire Lands, Comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio; W.W. Williams - 1879 -

Press of Leader Printing Company, Cleveland, Ohio}

_{VERMILION ARTIFACT #86}

ELANDS CAFE ON DIVISION STREET: This shot glass is one of the incidental finds from the attic of the print shop. While its monetary value is negligible its historical value is not.

Elands Café is well known to a plethora of persons who came of age in Vermilion, O. Currently another little café called “Woodstock” occupies the place. But through the years it’s seen number of owners, transformations, and names. As such places go it has always been a rather nice establishment – and remains so today.

MORE CHURCH BULLETIN BLOOPERS

If you choose to heave during the Postlude, please do so quietly.

There will not be any Women Worth Watching this week.

The Honeymooners are now having bile studies each Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even though he diets, yet shall be live. On a church postcard: I have received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I would like a personal call.

This week's saints include a French woman (Teresa, the Little Flower), a Swedish woman (Bridget), an Italian man (Francis of Assisi), a German man (Bruno), a Jewess from the Holy Land (Mary, God's Mother). They include single people and married people. Bridget was a wife and mother. Mary was a virgin and virgin mother. If they could do it, so can we.

A song listed in the Church Bulletin at the Nazarene Church in Little Rock, Arkansas; in connection with a sermon on God's mantle..."Let's God Mangle Fall on Me."

A new loudspeaker system has been installed in the church. It was given by one of our members in honor of his wife.

The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.

The "Over 60's Choir" will be disbanded for the summer with thanks.

NADA AGAIN: I may begin doing the podcasts again; but I'm thinking of just doing audio readings. The videos on-line are just becoming too redundant unless they really show something special. The short videos that appear on the VNPSM Facebook page are more purposeful. You might want to check them out.

Persons interested in the history of the Lake Shore Electric Railway (which was the subject of a recent past podcast series) - "the greatest electaric railway system on the planet" may want to go to Amazon.com and purchase a book called "Images of Rail - Lake Shore Electric Railway". It was put together by Thomas J. Patton with the help of my friends Dennis Lamont and Albert Doane. It'd make a nice gift.

Another great book with Vermilion Roots is, "Grandmas’ Favorites: A Compilation of Recipes from Margaret Sanders Buell" by Amy O’Neal, Elizabeth Thompson and Meg Walter (May 2, 2012). This book very literally will provide one with the flavor of old Vermilion. And ye can also find it at Amazon.com. Take a look.

Also, please note that all the video (MP4 and MOV) podcasts (when used) are done in the "Quicktime MP4 / MOV" formats. If you don't have a "Quicktime" it's easy to find and free to download.

NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are not 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 me 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. I suggest that you visit these sites on a regular basis to see "what's shakin'".

Pay particular note to the "Hope Homes" page during the next few months / years. They are constantly improving the lives of their youngsters and those around them. This is an exciting project accomplished by exciting people. In fact, Larry and Yvette just returned with new pix.

Although this years Vermilion High School Class of 1959 reunion is over classmates may want to stay connected with each other through organizer Roger Boughton. Ye can connect by mailing him @ 2205 SW 10th Ave. Austin, MN. 55912 or you can just emailRoger.

Alice W. is back - and guess where she is now (?): Ali's Blog.

THE BEAT GOES ON: This page is generated by a 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}

Links to additional Vermilion Ohio pages:

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: 440-670-2822}

or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)

"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
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Vol.10, Issue 48 - February 9, 2013

Archive Issue #517

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