MILAN C.1874
DESKTALK:The map on the desktop this week is a close cropped pic I took of a map of Milan, O. sometime around 1874. I circled the area where my g-g-grandfather, g-grandfather and g-uncle once lived. The mapmaker misspelled my g-grandfather’s last name. The tome where I found the map was that provided me by Vermilion expatriate Dana Buell Wheeler. There’s a great deal more that the book that will eventually find its way into “VV”.
A CONVERSATION: I had a conversation with Vermilionite John Tuttle last Sunday on the (land-line) phone. In retrospect I should’ve recorded the call because it was historically relevant.
John was commenting about a history (narrative) monograph I recently wrote for the Vermilion Photojournal about the local post office. As it turns out he worked there part-time when he was in high school.
[As an aside to the gist of our conversation he also told me the name of the people who built the building where the Vermilion Police station is currently located. I thought that his father, Paul, built it for their insurance firm. But, in fact, a company owned by some men with the last name of Risom it to house a Lawson store – which did operate at that location for many years. (He just thought that I should know. And I do appreciate knowing that fact.)]
John told me; after Charlie Trinter retired as postmaster his father and Vermilion attorney Tom Williams vied for the office. Tom, as many Vermilion homebodies know, got the job. And Paul went back to teaching school. [Note: Political representatives appointed postmasters until 1969 when the appointments were then mandated by law to be made on a “merit basis without the usual political clearance.”] Anyway, after Mr. Williams was made postmaster (1944-45) he hired young John to work at the office.
Because he’d delivered newspapers throughout town and, later worked for the local Western Union (telegram) office John obviously knew everybody, and everybody’s aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and their dogs in the village. As a consequence Tom had John delivering special letters and packages around the town on his bike whenever he was available. When school started John also opened the office in the mornings, and took up sundry other duties until the regular crew arrived.
John reminded me of all the persons who’d once worked in that particular office. Some of them were: George Harris (asst. postmaster); A fellow named Fritz; Milton Karchin; a Hasenflue; Ruby Tischer; Roy Kniesel; Gordon Sahr; Fred Harpley; Doris Hughes; and my brother Phil. I had completely forgotten about George Harris and Milton Karchin. Milt finally went to work in the Cleveland office. He was a real character [Note: I’ve written about him several times in the past].
Milt was, in those years, THE town postman. He delivered mail to everyone in the village proper. The businesses downtown (i.e. along Liberty and Division streets) got two mail deliveries a day. Today that would be impossible. And even then – it was a stretch. But that was old Vermilion – which is another subject altogether (about that we both agreed).
Historically,
MARTIN M. STREHLE
MARTIN MORITZ STREHLE: I acquired this pic (along with many others) from Vermilion expatriate Carol Trinter Bechtel many weeks ago. It is that of Martin Moritz Strehle of Vermilion, Ohio.
The son of Moritz and Katherine Rose Kelbley Strehle, he was born in Brownhelm, O. on 25 July 1891. According to Carol her Uncle, Martin, "Marty" Strehle, married a woman that had a daughter. She thought her name was Edith and her daughter was Donna. They lived on Ohio Street East of Sandusky Street and eventually divorced. Carol vaguely recalls that he once lived (as a renter) in the old house in front of the old pop works on Ohio Street. As of yet, I’ve not done much further research into his background. I do know that he served our nation in some of the worst battles in France during WW1.
I did find, with some interest, that in 1930 he was listed as being a lodger in the house of Charles D. and Mary Williams on East Ohio Street in Vermilion. That may be the house Carol mentions. Also living in the house at the time were Frank and Edyth Baker. Frank, owned the local Ford Dealership, and Mr. Williams – who was his father-in-law – worked for him as a mechanic.
I'm still not perfectly clear about the Strehle-Tansey connection except to say that it is through Carol's mother Amelia (Meeks) Miller, Trinter, Kuhnle. Margaret Tansey Shafts was Carol's 2nd cousin. Evidently Margaret and Amelia were working on a family history together. And When Margaret died the paper their work could not be found.
That's a shame. Because there's a good deal of history surrounding all these families.
I’ll certainly have more on Mr. Strehle in the future. But I just had to use this photo. Tis very compelling…
LETTERS FROM HELL: June 4,1864. Bermuda, Virginia. “I am on the James River above the City Point, fifteen miles from Richmond, VA. We have been here a month today and have had two hard battles, and lost a great many men in both battles, but we won them. Since then we have fallen back in our entrenchments and they have tried to drive us out, but can’t. The last news is that General Grant’s Army is within seven miles of Richmond. All day yesterday the heaviest cannonading I ever heard was going on, and it kept up until ten o’clock last night.
I had letters from Levi and Chauncy. They were in Fort Cass, near Washington, D.C. they had been ordered to move, have gone to reinforce General Grant’s Army. I have been with the Hospital Department, helping care for the sick and wounded since the battles on May the 10th. [Note: This is in reference to The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – May 8-24, 1864] The Hospital is back of the trenches, out of range of the enemy’s guns. I am up most of the night. Am again troubled with the dysentery, but have only four more weeks to stay in service. Three years is a long time to be away from one’s home ties, and I have never been away on leave of absence since I joined the Regiment two and one-half years ago, not even a day, and never been sick, so as to go to the hospital.
I give thanks to my Father above, who has gone with me through it all and am very anxious to get home to see you all.
Hoping this cruel War will soon be over, the sight of so much bloodshed and mangled bodies makes me sick. I am sick of War.”
These heartfelt words appear in one of the letters written by my great-grandfather Caselton Roscoe to his parents, Levi and Eliza Stockwell Roscoe who lived in Milan, Ohio during the American Civil War. The letter is in a booklet prepared by my great-aunt Ellen Angeline Smith Roscoe and printed by my grandfather Pearl, Editor / Publisher of The Vermilion News, in 1930. The men he mentioned – Levi and Chauncy – were two of his seven brothers. Another brother, Ransom, also served in the Union Army during the war. All survived.
That war (as many already know) was the deadliest war in American history. An estimated 750,000 soldiers, as well as an undetermined number of civilians, were killed during the conflict. Some historians estimate that nearly ten percent of all Northern males 20–45 years old, and 30 percent of all Southern white males aged 18–40 were killed during the four-year struggle between the states.
Though Caselton held the rank of musician – he was a fifer – while in the service he was hardly immune from the abject misery of the experience. While garrisoned at Fredericksburg, Virginia in May of 1862 he wrote, “I still have my cough, but have stood the marching as well as any of them. We have to play the fife all the time on marching, if not we will be put in hand-cuffs.”
Despite the fact that the primary duty of the field musician was one of boosting morale on long marches, on the battlefields their duties, as previously indicated, also included carrying stretchers and assisting medical staffs. This duty is especially reflected in a June 24, 1862 letter as he described his experiences at the First Battle of Winchester (Virginia): “Before we left Winchester we had an awful battle…General Shields had his left arm broken. This was the most terrible sight I ever saw. Regiment after regiment charged up all the time, yelling and hollowing amid (the) awful roar of cannons and muskety [sic]. It was at this time one of our homeboys fell, Henry Gibbs. He was shot through the left lower jaw, passing clear through cutting his tongue, and when I found him, had been carried and layed [sic] in an old brick building, alone in a corner, on a little hay with only a bit of oilcloth thrown over him. I tried to make him as comfortable as I could, then I had to go and help others, as I had to go back of the firing line and help the nurses carry in the wounded.” [Note: Mr. Gibbs survived his wounds, returned home to Milan, and was appointed Postmaster in 1873. He died in 1879.]
Caselton served three years and nine months with Company K., of the 67th Ohio Infantry Regiment. He mustered out of the service in January 1865. Although the war had exacted a significant toll on his health, upon his return home he eagerly took up work as a carpenter and millwright (occupations he pursued for nearly 50 years thereafter), married, and had a son. In 1904 he supervised the construction of a building on Grand Street in Vermilion to be used as a newspaper office, print shop and home by his son (my grandfather) Pearl Roscoe. And it was there, shortly after the break of dawn on a Wednesday morning in May of 1918, that he passed quietly into the yesteryear. Though his war is long over it is yet to be forgotten. Perhaps tis best that none ever do.
SHOPTALK: SHOPTALK: On the top of the desk this week is a token from "Sporty' Mehnert’s News Stand (probably c.1940). Dave Hurd sent it to me quite some time ago. It has appeared in “VV” in the past. It is a true Vermilion artifact.
WONDERFUL THINGS: A few days ago my wife (Georgi) and fellow board member and friend Margaret Worcester rolled up their sleeves, went to work, and emptied nearly everything out of the attic at the shop. And Wow (!) there sure is a good deal of stuff which I am very slowly sifting through like I’m an archeologist on a dig.
Many of the cardboard boxes in which things were store – 50 to 70 years back – are very brittle, and some of the paper material in the boxes has crumbled into dust over the years. So I very literally have to sift through tiny paper pieces and dust. You might be as surprised as I have been at my findings. I’ve come across antique books, straight razors in their original containers, an Indian spearhead and arrowhead, old sheet music and music books, scrapbooks, a cigar (see artifacts below), letters, postcards, photos, a unique antique pencil sharpener, various pieces of costume jewelry, ad infinitum.
A good deal of what I’ve found is family related. I think I have learned more about my family during the last week than I’ve ever known. I never had the privilege of knowing any of my grandparents on either side of the family (much less my g-parents and g-g-grandparents) so it’s an extremely rewarding (and sometimes unsettling) experience. Nonetheless everyone should be so lucky.
THE CHANDLER-PRICE JOBBER: We’ve sent the rollers for our little Chandler-Price jobber press of to N. Carolina to be recast in rubber. They do offer a composite coating that is cheaper than the rubber, but it wears quicker.
In any case, we should be able to demonstrate the printing process on the Chandler-Price press very soon. (All I need to do now is learn how to use it.) Fun, fun, fun…
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.
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.
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.39– March 16, 1905.
Word has been received here by the friends of Mrs. Lucille Wyatt, who has been suffering from blood poisoning as the result of a thorn scratch in Los Angeles, Ca., saying that another operation has been made on the hand. Mrs. Wyatt will lose all the fingernails on the injured hand and as a result will never be able to play the piano again. Mrs. Wyatt’s musical friends will appreciate what this misfortune will mean to one of her taste and talent. – Times Herald.
The Strickfaden poison case is occupying the attention in the court of common pleas this week. Very little has developed besides what was already known. Several “love” letters have been brought to light in which Mrs. Strickfaden asks McCauley to dispose of her husband, etc. Wednesday Mrs. Strickfaden confessed her guilt. McCauley will be brought to trial next.
The following is a specimen of the “love” lettere written by Mrs. Strickfaden to McCauley:
”Oh Chucky Dear don’t for get what I told you Monday goe and get that or sonthing tht wont smell I will fix him right off I cant live with him no more I hate him like a snake so Chucky do get it and give it to me Tuesday night about hal-Past 6 o’clock at dicks meanes barn so don’t be slow so this is all fir this time My darling chuck I love you and you know it ther will no one know anything about this but you and me Love kissessssFrom your sweetANNA”
Judge Hinman, of the probate court, this morning placed Eugene O. Burrell of Oberlin on the list of those entitled to blind relief. The county auditor was authorized to pay Mr. Burrell in future $15 per quarter.
One of the important matters which came before the council last Thursday evening was the appointment of street commissioner. As there were several who had made application to the Mayor for the position he first presented the name of A. Mattison. The nomination was not confirmed by the council, the vote standing 2 for and 4 against. The Mayor than named Henry Schmoll whose appointment was confirmed by a vote of 5 to 1.
Sunday for the first time in its history, the saloons of South Lorain were closed.
The confederate Cemetery on Johnsons Island has been sold to the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Chas Spring, assistant fire chief of Elyria has resigned after thirty-six years in the Fire department. Wallace Bates will succeed him.
While Rev. A.E. King of the Sandusky Cong’l Church was delivering his sermon last Sunday evening, burglars entered his residence and made way with $8 cash.
Mrs. W.H. Todd is still very ill.
Geo. Pawsons was removed to Huron Thursday by friends who will care for him.
The fishermen are all anxiously waiting for the ice to break up. The season opened Wednesday.
Smoked herring, bloaters and Finnan Haddies (i.e. cold smoked haddock) at C.C. Baumhart’s.
Ely Lodge No. 424 F. and A.M. seems to be enjoying a revival at this time. Let the good work go on boys.
Try the Lake Shore Electric Ry. to Detroit the most derect [sic] route. Trains hourly. Fare $2.05.
The infirmary directors were in Vermilion Tuesday looking after the welfare of a resident of the “settlement” by the name of Thompson.
Geo. Baumhart was called to Sandusky this week as juror on the Strickfaden case
For Sale – Wagon and a set of double harness. – A.D. Baumhart.
Born – To Mr. and Mrs. Anthony P. Becker, Monday, March I3 [sic] 1905, a daughter.
Rudolph Marchus, who resides near Sandusky, has been secured as superintendent of Linwood Park.
Sam Nieding has rented the room in the Wells Building formerly occupied by the News Office and will open a meat market about April 1st.
Mr. C.W. Campbell left Monday to sell stoves for the Howard Stove & Mfg. co.
Direct line to Erie Ps., by trolly [sic]. Fast, clean and cheap service hourly via The Lake Shore Electric Ry.
Married – March 7, at the home of Homer Cuddeback, Stanley D. Hopton of Chicago and Ida M. Ensign of this place. Rev. A.G. Rupert officiating.
Married, Wednesday, March 15 at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Knoch, Rev. Hilgeman of Tiffin officiating, Miss Katherine Knoch to Mr. Carl Knittle.
Homer Cuddeback had the misfortune to fall, one day last week and break a rib bone. Dr. Bond is attending him.
Died – Tuesday night, March 14, 1905, Albert, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Trinter, age 10 months. Funeral services will be held at the house Friday afternoon at 1 o’clock. Interment in Maple Grove Ceme-[sic]
Have you heard the robins? We Birmingham people have and Bluebirds, too.
We hear that there is to be an electric line built from Henrietta Center to the Hill and on to South Amherst. What are Vermilion, Wakeman and New London doing that there is not such a road connecting the Lake to New London?
Sugar making will soon be here. The sugar men are fixing up pans and buckets to be ready for it.
Will Wilson had the misfortune to lose one of his fingers while buzzing wood for C. Northeim Thursday.
The lecture given by Mr. Begg, Lecturer of the State Grange, at the Cong’l Church Friday evening was well attended, the church being filled to its fullest capacity. He spoke I a very pleasing and interesting manner for the interest of the Grange and the benefits derived from it. The Oberlin Glee Club consisting of fifteen members was in attendance and much credit is due them for their fine music, which was highly appreciated by all.
We are having nice weather for this time of year.
Ted Penny and Morris Slocum are hauling wood from this way.
Eugene Wetherlow is having quite a serious time with his arm, which he hurt by falling over a rocking chair while in a scuffle with Henry Baker who has a very sore lip, which looks as if he might have been with one of the rockers.
Hmmmmmm....
"Rev. Williams organized and chartered the troop in 1912."
A DAY TO REMEMBER: First a technical matter: The base photo (i.e. without the inset and the arrow) was captured on glass one hundred years ago by Vermilion News editor / publisher Pearl Roscoe. What readers see here is a digital image scanned from the glass negative and inverted to acquire a positive image. Methinks Roscoe would have been as amazed with this process as am I with the ones he used to make the original photograph. The precision and clarity of 19th and 20th century photography easily outclasses anything captured by contemporary digital cameras. Now, about the photo:
The subject of the photo is obviously a troop of Boy Scouts ostensibly ready for a camping trip to some Ohio wilderness. They are standing at the corner of Liberty and Exchange streets just west of the Lake Shore Electric depot, and east of the Maud-Elton Hotel. To the left of the photo their mothers are there to bid them farewell before they step aboard the waiting interurban car.
One reason this photograph can be dated is because their Scout Leader is easily identifiable from other photos made of him. He is the Reverend W.K. Williams who served as minister of Vermilion’s First Congregational Church from 1912-14. Rev. Williams organized and chartered the troop in 1912. While that does not necessarily mean that these shadows were captured that specific year an article appearing in a 1912 edition of The Vermilion News does seem to support this date:
“The organization (Boy Scouts) boasted twenty-six members, but could have had more had they not closed their charter list until after the beginning of the year.” If one counts the number of scouts pictured there are twenty-six of them. And truth be told, that’s really a significant number of youngsters for any troop either then or today.
This photo also affords persons a good idea of the size of some of the interurban cars that once raced across the landscape of northern Ohio from Cleveland to Detroit. Some folks may have had the idea that they were much like the crowded little trolley cars found in many American cities of those times. But most of the Lake Shore Electric cars were fair sized vehicles capable of reaching some very high speeds on open tracks. The relative quiet of their motors occasionally proved to be quite deadly for numerous unwary motorists, pedestrians and animals crossing their paths.
Lastly, there in the background, is the great George Fischer mansion. Pictured here when it was relatively new it was for many, many years the most attractive home in Vermilion and on the riverside. And as it aged its beauty only improved. In time great trees and lush shrubs surrounded and provided it with a verdurous comfortable shade. Whether seen from the street or the river all who passed admired it.
Though a century has passed since that yesteryear when Roscoe posted these images on glass one can, nonetheless, almost hear the excited whispers of the boys as they stood at attention for their picture as the flag waved in the morning breeze, and feel the warmth of the sun. It was a good day. A day to remember.
WHEN BIRMINGHAM BURNED DOWN: Somewhere I'd heard about the fire seen in the photograph (above). But after looking for more information about it I came up virtually empty. I did find some small mention of the rebuilding of the town in one of the Sandusky, O. papers - but little more than that. It seems that there was some discussion about moving the town of Birmingham (meaning the downtown) to a different area. I assume that meant further west than it is today.
One would think that if a town burned to the ground somewhere it'd make big news. But that doesn't seem to have been the case the day Birmingham Burned Down.
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.
…C. McElhany, P. S.; P. G. Sharp, treasurer. The N. G. appointed C. Cone, Con.; T. Baker, warden; F. H. Cone, I. G.: J. Hoover, 0. G.; J. L. Hunt, R. S. to N. G.: S. G. Culver, L. S. to N. G. ; H. G. Harris, R. S. S. ; C. D. Dwight, L. S. S. ; B. F. Taylor, R. S. to V. G. ; C. L. Cook, L. S. to V. (i. Meetings are held Monday evenings of each week. The present membership is fifty. Officers for 1879 are: John H. Mayne, N. G.; John Painter, V. 6.; Thomas Thornloe, R. S.; John Earls, P. S.; George Schuster, treasurer. The society is in a flourishing condition.
A charter was issued by the grand lodge at its session in Mansfield, Ohio, October 26, 1855, for Bellevue Lodge, No. 3v3, F. and A. Masons. The charter members were: W. B. Disbro, L. W. Frary, L. 8. Chandler, M. Peters, D. A. Lathrop, James Cady, W. B. Dimick and C. B. Gambles. The first officers were: W. B. Disbro, W. M.; L. W. Frary, S. W.; L. S. Chandler, J. W. The present; officers are: John Cowle, W. M.; Charles Welsh, 8. W. ; C. C. Cook, J. W.; S. P. Gaugler, secretary; R. A. Severance, treasurer; Stephen Birdsall, S. D. : L. Haxton, J. D. ; E. 0. Merry, Tyler.
A charter was issued for Bellevue Chapter, R. A. M., No. 113, at Dayton, Ohio, October 17, 1868. The charter members were: D. M. Harkness, J. K. Richards, R. A. Severance, W. W. Beymer, W. E. Greene, M. A. Barnes, H. Peck and John Cowles. The following officers were appointed: R. A. Severance, high priest; H. Peck, king: W. E. Greene, scribe. The present officers are: R, A. Severance, H. P.; John Cowle, king; D. M. Harkness, scribe; W. E. Greene, captain of host; C. C. Cook, prin. sojourner; Charles Welsh, R. A. Capt.; Eugene Smith, Gr. Master 3d vail; Charles Nicolai, Gr. Master ad vail; Thos. H. Wood, Gr. Master 1st vail; J. A. Higbee secretary; H. C. Moll, treasurer; E. 0. Merry, guard.
Bellevue Lodge No. 957, Knights of Honor, was organized March 8, 1878, with the following charter members: H. X. Richards, R. A. Boyer, F. L. Goodson, R. Greenslade, W. H. Kern, G. S. Lanterman, H. F. Baker, G. A. Beckwith, H. B. Acker, E. H. Smith, T. H. Wood, J. W. Close, Wm. Mayne, Joseph Scherck, E. W. Dorsey, T. C. Wood, C." D. Smith, W. H. Dimick, Joseph Bannister, Thomas Thorneloe, C. H. Welch. The first officers were: H. F. Baker, P. D.; E. H. Smith, D.: H. N. Richards, V. D.; George A. Beckwith, A. D.; R. Greenslade, chaplain; R. A. Boyer, guard; F. L. Goodson, R. ; W. H. Kern, F. R.; Joseph Scherck, treasurer; W. H. Dimick, guardian; Wm. Mayne, sentinel. The lodge was instituted by H. R. Shomo grand dictator of Ohio. Meetings are held Wednesday evening of each week in Odd Fellows' Hall. The present membership is thirty-seven. Officers for 1879 are: E. H. Smith, P. D.; H. N. Richards, D.; R. A. Boyer, V. D. ; W. H. Kern, A. D. ; Rev. D. C. Eckerman, chaplain; W. H. Benn, -guard; W. H. Dimick, R.; H. Z. Fisher, F. R. ; H. B. Acker, treasurer; J. P. Korner, guardian; and James Bannister, sentinel. This society is in a fine condition financially.
Chapman, Harkness & Company for some years prior to 1852, Harkness & Company from 1852 to 1868, and H. M. Sinclair from 1868 to 1873, carried on a business comprising some of the features of banking; but it was not until 1871 that a house was established with the clearly defined object of doing a strictly banking business. On the 22d of May, of 1871, was organized the banking firm of Wood, Woodward & Company, Bourdett Wood, Abishai Woodward and E. J. Sheffield being the partners. Prior to that time, there was no bank in Bellevue that pretended to supply the needs of the various classes of borrowers of money. H. M. Sinclair & Company, grain buyers and flouring merchants, kept a bank of deposit and exchange, but did not aim to accommodate the borrowing public, so as to supply the needs of every applicant who could furnish adequate security. There was, therefore, a want felt for just such a business institution as the Bellevue bank proved to be. Its career has been one of rapidly growing prosperity. The partnership was a strong combination, and inspired its patrons with confidence. Mr. Wood was a man of wealth, an old citizen, known and esteemed far and near, and Mr. Woodward had long been identified with business interests in Bellevue, and was universally respected as a citizen and as a man of sound judgment and unquestioned integrity, while Mr. Sheffield had been in the employ of H. M. Sinclair & Company for a number of years, had grown familiar with the details of the banking business, and had become favorably known to the farmers and the business public. With these primary qualifications, he united others very essential to the successful managing officer of a banking house. He was careful as to his securities, made the art of pleasing a study, thoroughly acquainted himself with the responsibility of his patrons, and kept the business in such admirable condition as to be able and ready to supply every application for a loan that came accompanied with proper evidence of security. The result has been that the bank has steadily increased in its business operations and grown in favor with its patrons. The firm opened their bank in the room now occupied by the First National Bank, but in 1875, purchased, of Mr. Woodward, the site of the present building, and erected the fine brick block wherein the bank is now located. In September 1876, the bank was incorporated by act of the State legislature, and commenced business October 2, 1876, as a stock company. The capital stock with which the bank…
Excerpts from: The Fire Lands, Comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio; W.W. Williams - 1879 - Press of Leader Printing Company, Cleveland, Ohio
YE VERY OLDE CIGAR: Egads - the things we come across at the print shop museum. This hand-rolled cigar muse be 50 years or older. I didn't try unwrapping it because it would probably crumble into a jillion
As you can see it came in its own leather pouch. I suspect it's a Cuban smoke - purchased well before Fidel Castro took control of that island nation. I don't believe I ever smoked a Cuban cigar when I was a smoker. I never learned to appreciate any cigars for that matter.
I've no idea what to do with it.
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.
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'".
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
or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)
Vol.10, Issue 50 - February 23, 2013
© 2012 Rich Tarrant