BERNADETTE: I received a copy of this pic last Saturday from Molly Milner. I think that Bernadette (then Parsons) was Molly’s grandmother. Bernadette eventually married (young) Frederick Wakefield.

She was born in 1911, the daughter of Burdette and Florence Corbin Parsons. The family lived on Huron Street. She graduated from Vermilion High School in 1928 and was class valedictorian. She was an extremely gifted musician. And as the pic above illustrates she attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston (1928 to 1930). She taught piano for 40 years in both Vermilion and, later, in Evanston, Illinois.

Somewhere I have a more comprehensive biography of her written by her granddaughter. Bernadette was a rare beauty and talent.

_{Cheese Factory @ Brownhelm, O.}

NETWORKING LOCAL HISTORY: I was talking with a Vermilion guy a week or so ago and he asked (note I did not say “axed”) me where I got my ideas for stories. I guess that’s a good question. I never really thought about it too much before. But when I take the time to think about it I suppose the subjects arise from several places. One of them is from the plethora of photographs available to me. Many are those taken by members of my family – most notably my grandfather. But others come from persons all over our nation; people with whom I’ve become familiar via the Internet. Many of these folks I’ve met in the flesh – some not. But it’s surprising (at least to me) just how many folks love, and are interested in, the history of little old Vermilion, Ohio.

But the photographs are one thing. Information regarding them is quite another. Not all pictures come with narratives. And, likewise, not all narratives come with pictures. So I suppose that’s where I come in. Most of what I try to do is match picture and narrative; and hope that most of what I’ve accomplished is reasonably accurate. Sometimes it is. Sometimes (unfortunately) it is not. And that is where networking; the sharing of information and other resources, is of great import.

In early January (VPJ 01/09/14) I wrote about a photo of a cheese factory that was plainly marked as being an interior shot of the “Brownhelm Cheese Factory”. I was baffled because I had never come across anything about a Brownhelm cheese factory prior to acquiring that photo. I thought that a mistake in identifying the locale could have been made, but it seemed so blatant an error. It was puzzling.

Enter Brownhelm native Ed Brill. Several days following my story Ed sent me a letter replete with maps etc. pertaining to the Brownhelm Cheese Factory. He wrote in part:

“My dad (Alfred Brill, 1898 -1992) often talked about the cheese house on the old Ladrach’s property which was on the south side of N. Ridge Road where Claus intersects or dead-ends.

Whenever we would drive by the location he would mention it as being the old cheese house.”

Ed also attached a copy of page 61 from a book called, “Brownhelm – It’s School and It’s People (1991) by Thelma (Greening) Schnaak. In it there is a passage that reads: “That fall the first school house was built where Claus Road enters North Ridge Road. A cheese factory stood there later and was operated by Mr. E. Ladrach.”

Now the photograph of the interior of the Brownhelm Cheese Factory as well as the accompanying portrait taken in 1910 (as noted) at the “Leadrach Cheese house yard” begins to come into focus. While I’ve yet to find any further relationship between the Bauman and Ladrach / Leadrach families other than their Swiss origins, and the fact that the families had traditionally been close, it may very well be that they shared some ancestry. But for all intents and purposes that information is not, herein, relevant. What is important (at least to myself) at the moment is that there certainly was a Brownhelm Cheese Factory, and not only do we know where it was, but also we have photographs of it and of those who operated it. Another piece of local history is now in place compliments of local historians and the good fortune of having a friend who rightly knew that I would appreciate having a look at these photographs.

There is one further thing about one of the persons in the photo of that yesteryear. Sitting on the ground in front of the picket fence at far right is a very somber looking little guy dressed to the proverbial “nines”. That little fella grew up and became a Captain on the Great Lakes. His name was Earl C. Bauman. But that’s another story.

_{Ref: Special Thanks to: Ed and Marilyn Brill, Ruth Bauman Tanner, and Barbara Ruggles; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 02/06/2014.}

Vol. IX – NO.47 – May 10, 1906.

COURT NOTES

Henry K. Boss has filed a petition for divorce from Maggie L. Boss on the grounds of willful absence.

Bernard Stoltz of Amherst was taken to the State hospital at Massillon Monday.

Ann E. Kent has sued her husband Jay Kent, on the ground of willful absence. The parties were married at Huron in April 1892, and there are four children whose ages range from 8 to 14 years.

Martin J. Trinter, trustee of Roma Philby, has filed a partial account in the probate court.

In the court of common pleas on Tuesday the defendant in the case of C.M. Ray vs. Elisha J. Phelps, Ethel Phelps and Myra B. Thomas file an answer and cross petition The action involves the title to real estate at Huron.

Real Estate Transfers.

Cornelius Young to Irwin Edgerton lot No. 1, outlot 24, Vermilion village. $600.

_{[VV Ed. Note: This lot was on the southwest corner of South and Decatur streets. For a long time is was the home of Fred Harpley. Years later George and Pat Villa lived at this site.]}

Martha M. Breckenridge to Alphonso Yannitelli, lot 154 Huron village, $260.

The pleas of insanity in the case of Dr. Oliver C. Hough at Dayton has fallen through and unless the governor intervenes he will be electrocuted.

_{[VV Ed. Note: The good doctor must have been pardoned. His name does not appear on the list of inmates executed in Ohio. From 1608 to 2002 486 persons were executed by the State of Ohio. Dr. Hough was not among them.}

COUNCIL MEETING

The village council held its regular monthly meeting last Monday evening. The committees reported. The report of the sidewalk committee was very lengthy and a number of new walks will probably result after the notices are served.

Mayor Williams reported that the Nickel Plate officials had refused to place a gate at the State street crossing. This matter will again be taken up at a later date.

Mr. Kneisel who is one of those interested in what has been termed the Kneisel road was present and asked what was to be done with the proposed street which is the extension of the road above mentioned. As Mr. Kneisel is no longer in the corporation and only half of the proposed road is now in the village limits it was decided to do nothing. Mr. E. Clausus is now the only one in the corporation directly on the road and he being present was asked if he wanted the opportunity to express himself as to the nerve of people requesting such work of the council when they had just succeeded in getting out of the corporation.

What promised to be a heated argument was nipped in the bud by the Mayor. It seems that there is considerable hard feelings on the part of the trustees because the village has not established the street and will not complete it.

The matters of [a] tax levy for the next year was brought up and the committee report accepted but not adopted and will be held over until the next meeting.

A petition was read signed by about fifty residents of the south eastern portion of tow asking that the unsightly piles of stone and sewer pipe be removed from Toledo street. The street commissioner was ordered to straighten up the pipe and stone and burn the rubbish.

The garbage question was also much discussed. It was finally decided that someone be secured to care for garbage and rubbish. The citizens paying for hauling, at a reasonable rate to be fixed in the contract.

It was the general opinion of the council that something sould be done with the sidewalk on Water street and it was decided that the members should meet Tuesday afternoon and go over the ground.

After ordering the payment of bills Council adjourned.

Ran Down the Limited.

The morning the L.S.E. Limited which leaves here west bound at 9:02 crashed into an east bound Automobile at Ackermann’s cross. The Auto was damaged on the side and its passengers badly frightened as well as shaken up. The party was from Cleveland. According to the appearances the car had come nearly to a stop as the auto was only shoved six or seven feet. It makes a person fairly shudder to think of what would have happened had the car and auto come together full speed.

ASHMONT.

Miss Vedah Lee has been assisting Mrs. John Lee with her housework for a few days.

Quite a number from this place attended the dance at Masons Corners Saturday evening.

Arthur Heys and Lewis Nickols of Ogontz made their usual visits here Sunday.

There was quite a crowd at church Sunday afternoon.

BIRMINGHAM
(Delayed)

Oh! For a few drops of rain everything needs rain. The cherry trees are full of blossoms and there are some peach trees that have blossoms so they are not all killed.

Birmingham is very quite now. A few people attended the quarterly meeting at Florence last Sunday. Miss Jennie Durand is now employed in Schisler’s store. Miss Laterman [sic] has left the store.

Now there will be something doing Birmingham is to have a Baseball team everything is complete. The ground is to be the open filed south of the powerhouse. You will hear more about it after a while.

AXTEL NOTES.

The Ladies Aid Society of Axtel Church will be entertained by Mrs. E.B. Welch, Wednesday afternoon. May16. Extra refreshments will be served. Everyone invited.

H.A. Cook and family of Oberlin were automobiling in this vicinity Sunday.

Preaching services at the M.E. church Sunday May 20. Come and listen to a good sermon.

BROWNHELM

BORN – To Mr. and Mrs. Hoag, May 6, 1906, a daughter.

BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. John Arndt, may 4, 1906, a son.

Mr. and Mrs. James Baumhardt spent Sunday at the home of the latter’s brother, M.J. Trinter in Axtel.

The Longshoremen’s strike s well as that of the coal miners is now ancient history.

Erie Co. expects about $30,000 to be turned back into the treasury as the result of the several bridge cases. This represents the overcharges.

The post office at Florence, O., will be discontinued after May 14. All mail matter directed to that office will be sent to Berlin Heights after that date and patrons will be served by R.F.D. routes from Berlin Heights and Birmingham.

Five vessels were sunk in the gale Tuesday night and Wednesday. They were Schooners Algeria, Iron Queen off Cleveland. Also the Schooners M.I. Wilcox, and Armenia and scow Algonia. Two lives were lost off the Algeria; Capt. M. Elnen of Milan and one member of his crew.

The unprecedented hail and rain storms which swept over the country Wednesday has done considerable damage in some sections. Early fruit and berries are injured in this vicinity but how much will not be known for several days. The frost last night also did some damage to grapes. The thermometer registered 26 on the ridge so it is reported

H.K. RIBLET

Mr. Henry K. Riblet was born near Erie, Penn. Oct. 7, 1822. He was a lineal descendant of a French nobleman, also a grandson of Lieut. John Riblet of Revolutionary Fame, and a son of Capt. Soloman Riblet of the War of 1812.

Mr. Henry K. Riblet came to Vermilion in the year 1837. He worked on a farm until he was 21 but not liking it he chose to learn a trade.

Previous to this he had studied to be a doctor, but the more he studied the less he liked it. He also studied for the ministry, but just the same, yet he preached a good many sermons. He finally chose the blacksmith trade, serving as apprentice at new Haven. He began business for himself with only twenty-five cents.

He hired a sop at Well’s corners, now Axtel, where he arose every morning at four o’clock and going to the shop, he would pound on the anvil to let people know he was there. At first work was not very plenty. After working at this place a number of years he came to Vermilion, where he worked at the same trade. But not agreeing with him the doctor advised him to get on a farm, so he bought a farm and after regaining his health he worked at his trade and carried on his farm.

He died at this home, April 19, 1906, at the age of 83 years, 6 mo. and 18 days, having been a great sufferer with cancer for two years.

Mr. Riblet was a strictly temperate man, a good citizen and neighbor, respected by all who knew him. He was nearly the last of the old pioneers, having come here when the country was new and uncleared. He has held several offices and was also a captain in the Civil war.

Funeral services were held at h is late residence April 22, 1906, conducted by Hudson Tuttle. The officiating pallbearers were Nicholas and George Myers, Albert Welch, John Risden, Jim Risden, and Horace Loucks. He leaves a wife, one son and a daughter, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren besides other relatives.

The following is piece of poetry of his own composition as he liked his home so well we will print same:

MY HOME IN VERMILION

Well I’ve thought the matter over
And as near as I can see,
I do not know another place
I’d any rather be.
The story writers slight us
The poets pass us by
But right here at dear old Vermilion
I’d chose to live and die.

It’s just an old Egypt
And a hundred times as good
And the lake has been here longer
Then the pyramids have stood.
And if brains are what is wanted
I guess ‘twould stand a show
Aside of any other place,
No matter where you’d go.

Give me Vermilion in winter
With cross-roads drifted high,
And just listen to the music
When the street car hurries by.

With pop corn and with hickory nuts
In the evening by the blaze
When the neighbors call to talk about
The spirit’s wonderful ways.
Yes, Looking at it all around
I’m willing now to say
I’ll take for solid comfort
Dear Vermilion any day.

LOCALS.

Lee Tischer returned home Saturday after spending the winter in Florida.

FOR SALE – Fine 14 room house modern improvements including closet and bath large lot and fruit. Inquire at NEWS OFFICE.

John Parsons has been quite sick during the past week. He is much better at this writing.

Miss Ethel Bottomley is spending the week in Lorain with her sister, Mrs. Worlie Houseman.

The Salvation Army band No. 2, of Cleveland spent Saturday evening and Sunday in Vermilion and had a most pleasant and profitable time.

The girl who took Mrs. Geo. Krapp’s lawnmower from Stevenson and Becker’s shop [lease return and avoid trouble.

Mrs. Eliza Kneisel has received word of the sudden death of Mrs. Eva Lohr at Osage, Iowa.

E. L. Bottomley who for some time past has held the position of second cook at the Toledo State Hospital has accepted the position of first cook at the State Hospital at Massillon with a substantial increase in salary. Mr. Bottomley spent Monday and Tuesday here the guest of his parents Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Bottomley.

NOTICE – The proprietors of both the Meat Markets hereby notify the public that form now on during the summer season the Markets will be open from 6 to 9 a.m. Sundays.

DANCING AT SHADDUCK’S

Every Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Saturday evening dancing from 8 p.m. to 11:45 standard time. Gents Tickets 50 cents Ladies Free. Mr. Decker will run two busses from 7:30 p.m. until close of dance. We solicit only the best of patronage. – F.J. Roth, Prop.

Brief and Breezy.

The Society for Saving a Man From His Friends will please get after Capt. Hobson.

The Government has spent $23,000 trying to oust Senator Smoot from a $5,000 job. And he isn’t ousted yet.

_{[VV Ed. Note: Some things never change.]}

More than eighty churches and buildings devoted to religious activity were destroyed in San Francisco. The idea that the city was pagan as well as gay is a mistake.

It is hardly likely that the French royalists will succeed in putting a King in charge. This is the twentieth century.

That Kentucky colonels do not know what water is for is grotesquely false. Many of them use water regularly as a chaser.

The Czar’s idea of a good parliament is one that will confine its efforts to figuring how to pay interest on the debts he has contracted.

The German stable hand who was imprisoned for three weeks for swearing at one of the Kaiser’s horses will hereafter curb his unbridled temper a bit.

What will strike the average man as the most remarkable thing connected with the episode of John D. Rockefeller Jr. carrying in coal for a woman to use in cooking his dinner, as the fact that he did not pause to argue with her on the superiority of oil as fuel for cooking purposes.

Reformed Church Echoes.

Rev. Klein has received an urgent call from the Reformed Charge at Ragersville to become their pastor. There are about 450 members in this charge.

One of the pleasant features of the Ragersville congregation is the number of young people who attend the Sunday School. There were over fifty young men I the Sunday School last Sunday morning.

In consideration of the call which has come, from Ragersville, Rev. Klein has called a meeting of the Joint Consistory of the Vermilion and Brownhelm charge to whom he will present his resignation. This meeting will be held Saturday evening.

The regular services will be held next Sunday. German in the morning and English in the evening. Sunday School and C.E. Services as usual.

_{[VV Ed. Note: This is interesting. Not only because Rev. Klein was a highly respected member of the Vermilion community, but because of the Ragersville connection. Alta Weiss, the famous professional baseball player in the early years of the 20th century was from Ragersville. Vermilion’s longtime mayor “Squire” H.R. Williams discovered her at Linwood Park. Linwood, of course, was / is a famous Evangelical encampment / park. Now I understand, at least partially, the reason Alta was at the park.]}

_{"Peach baskets were used until 1906 when metal hoops with backboards replaced them. "}

1914 B-BALL IN VERMILION: As many persons already know the game of basketball was invented by Canadian-American physical education professor Dr. James Naismith in December of 1891. The professor was trying to keep his gym class active when the New England weather made outdoor activities difficult. The game was loosely based on an old children’s game called “Duck on a Rock” – a game that combined tag and marksmanship (e.g. throwing a rock at a larger rock). Nailing a peach basket onto an elevated (i.e. 10 foot) track, teams scored points by tossing a soccer ball into the basket. When having to poke the ball out of the basket with a long pole after every score proved tedious the bottom of the basket was removed, and the sport of Basket Ball – at least one we would recognize today – was born.

Peach baskets were used until 1906 when metal hoops with backboards replaced them. And here’s an interesting factoid: Initially, only the baskets were attached to the upper balconies in gymnasiums. This worked fine until spectators seated in the balconies discovered they could easily interfere with the shots – and, of course, they did. Ergo, backboards became an integral part of the sport.

When American public education systems abandoned the rural school models in the early years of the 20th century, and began to evolve into larger systems, basketball easily became a popular interscholastic activity. This was partially due to the fact that it required very little in the way of equipment and personnel to function. Thus, by the year 1914 both Men’s and Women’s basketball teams (pictured) were ready for action at Vermilion’s High School on State Street. These team photographs from nearly a century ago have seldom appeared outside family scrapbooks. Vermilion’s school annual with the now dubious name of “Hi-Times” was not published until 1919.

As amusing as it may now seem, the apparel worn by the teams in these photos was, by and large, very much in keeping with the duds worn by their counter-parts in other communities across America. But as cumbersome and restrictive as they appear to have been (and probably were) the game they played was not precisely the game we know today.

For one thing basketball in 1914 was a much slower game. Dribbling (not to be confused with drooling of course) was not part of the game. With the exception of the bounce pass the ball was moved up and down the court only by passing it from one player to another. In some respects that portion of the original game seems very similar to the child’s game known as “Keep-Away”. But more to the point, the balls originally used were rather asymmetric. So dribbling them would have been much like trying to dribble a balloon. Yet as slow as the games must have been (with final scores like 28-7 or less) they must have been fun to watch.

It’s wonderful to have photographs of the yesteryear such as these to examine, talk, and write about. The only thing that would make them better would be to have the names of all the players. One can, of course, understand that the Vermilion of 100 years ago was a place where most everyone would have looked at these photographs and have known the names of most everyone in them. And that was real nice. But it would have been “nicer” if someone would’ve turned them over and inscribed the names of those pictured in pencil on the back.

Fortunately, the (last) names of seven of the male ball players did appear in a little article on the front page of The Vermilion News on February 12, 1914. They were: (Lyle) Tischer, (Nelson) Beeckel, a boy with the last name of Scott, (Melvin) Squires, (Albert) Nuhn, (Leroy) Malcomson, (Clarence) Dean, and (Frank) Baker.

Yet, even having these names isn’t terribly helpful. Because it still doesn’t match them with faces. Tis, one might suppose, a lesson for us to learn a century after the fact: Annotate your photographs. The children of your children’s children will thank you.

_{Ref: VNPSM Photo Archives; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 10/24/2013.}

BATES STAPLER: I was sitting at the front office of the print shop museum last Monday talking with my friend and museum board member George Spreng when I noticed this old stapler sitting on a makeup table beside the news desk. Absent-mindedly I picked it up and punched a staple through a piece of paper. I was astounded when I found out that it still works.

It’s a pretty cool piece of office paraphernalia. Instead of individual staples it has a small roll of staple wire that makes each staple.

It’s a Model B Bates Stapler: Patented 1933-40. The Bates Mfg. Co. is in Orange NJ. According to a product description, “There are three basic and important improvements in this new model stapler. The base and the body are more heavily reinforced, the new patented refill can be quickly and easily inserted, with all separate parts eliminated, and last, the new wire refill is tangle proof and it is impossible for the wire to become snarled or loosened. From now on, orders for Bates staplers will be filled with the new model B. The new model B refill…will not fit the old Model A stapler.”

Styling changes were made during the 1930s. Machines made during 1930-35, including both Model A and Model B, have round knobs and open sides so that you can see the vertical spring. This particular stapler is one of these.

It cost about $5.00 in 1936. Today its worth about $35.00. But I view it as priceless.