KINDERGARTEN: Way back in the 1950s Vermilionite Virginia “Ginny” Osberg had kindergarten classes atop the Fischer building (over the old A&P store). Pictured is one of those classes. I’ve added the names of two of the adults and five of the children as I knew them.

Hattie (Santa) is Hattie Fischer wife of Mayor Fred Fischer (although I don’t know if he was Mayor when these shadows were captured). Steve is Steve Burch; Stu is John Paul Stuart White; Jerry is Jerry Lee Smith; Tom is Tom Rodgers; and “Kathie” is pretty little Kathy Dickason. Were the picture wider I’d also be in it.

One of the things that came to me as I viewed this pic is a vague memory of the odor of the room. There was something very distinct (no pun intended) about it. But I am unable to say just what.

Another thing I recall is that there was a cloakroom (I suppose that’s what it was called) at the back of the classroom. It’s where we kept our coats and the boots we sometimes wore.

Speaking for myself I recall having to wear a heavy rubber raincoat (with a hood) along with heavy buckled boots over my shoes when it was raining. The reason I remember it is because the outfit made me extremely hot. I believe I’d been drier (rain or not) if I’d not been wearing it.

In 1968 Mrs. Fischer was hit and killed by a car while crossing Liberty Street not too far from the site of this photo. Mrs. Osberg died in 1985. Jerry Smith died in 2012. And my good buddy Stu White died in 2013. My friends K and Tom and Steve are still with us. But none live in Vermilion.

I miss them all.

AT CRYSTAL: I’ve no idea how long this refreshment stand stood at the entrance to the Crystal Beach Amusement Park, but it’s the only one I remember. I know there was another near this spot years prior, but it was gone by the time I came around.

This pic has appeared in past issues by itself. I seem to recall that the place was owned by the Heberling family (Kenneth and K.). The stand likely disappeared about the same time the whole park died (in the mid-1960s).

Today the site is (like many places many of us knew as youngsters) a parking-lot for Key Bank.

LITTLE HELEN: I’d not thought of her for years, and I don’t know the reason I came to think of her now. But when her memory did cast a shadow across my thoughts I began to think of her and suddenly became aware of just how much I never knew about her – ever.

Persons who visited the Vermilion News Print Shop during the 1940s and 1950s may remember Helen Ellsworth. She was a tiny thing and worked at the shop for about 25 years. It is said that she operated one of the linotype machines. But I don’t recall her doing that. Usually one would find her setting type or working at the old Chandler-Price jobber press printing labels for South Shore Packing (aka “The Pickle Works”), or cranking out business cards and tickets for Crystal Beach Amusement Park rides. Anyway you’d definitely remember Helen because she was only about 4 feet tall. I remember her as an amiable lady in wire-rimmed glasses who always kept her dark hair cut very short. In any case, she seemed to be both a dependable and a good worker. I never heard any cross words from or about her.

The shop must have been a very convenient place for her to work because she lived only about a half a block away from the place with her friend Ethel Brooks and her brother Warren “Red”. Back then there was a teeny-tiny house on the west side of the street just two doors south of Ohio Street. It was so small that it was darn near invisible from the street. It burned to the ground in 1950 and was almost immediately replaced by a mobile home. [Note: If you look at the area today you’d be hard pressed to see how either the trailer or a little house could’ve been located in that area in that yesteryear let alone today.] But back to Helen:

Unbeknownst to me until Tuesday last (08/02/16), when I became curious about her early life, is that before coming to Vermilion Helen had been married and had 2 sons. Her maiden name was Helen Matilda Garver. She had been born in a little crossroads town in Wayne County, Ohio named Congress (about 10 or 15 miles northeast of Ashland) in 1888. She was the older of two daughters born to Oliver and Ella Garver.

In 1915-16 she met and married an Ashland County man named William Francis Ellsworth and, as previously mentioned, the couple had two sons – Don and Francis David. William worked as a mechanic in an Ashland factory. In keeping with what seems to have been a relatively common practice in America during the early years of the 20th century the couple opened their home to boarders. And that is apparently how her friend and confidant Vermilionite Ethel Brooks entered the picture around 1920. At the time Miss Brooks was working as telephone operator for the Ashland Telephone Company.

On July 29, 1927 the bottom of Helen’s world fell out when her husband died unexpectedly at the age of 41. While I have yet to discover the precise details surrounding his death I believe it is safe to assume that it was accidental because it made the front page of the Ashland Times-Gazette the following day. Left with no means of support little Helen turned to what she probably knew best to make a living and began working as a restaurant cook. By the end of the 1930s she was working as a cook in Vermilion and boarding with her friend Ethel and her brother Red. And by the early 1940s she had changed occupations altogether and was setting type with the best of them at the News office on Grand Street. [Note: One quirky habit she carried over from her previous occupation was her proclivity to make hamburger patties with her hands and eat them raw.]

On November 12, 1966 little Helen died in a Toledo Hospital at the age of 78 years. Aside from her husband, her sister, her friend Ethel and her two sons had preceded her into the next life. At that time I was ten thousand miles away from home and had honestly forgotten about her. But just last week, as I have said, memories of her cast their shadow across my thoughts and moved me to try to find out who this tiny person was that I knew; remember; and found that I knew not at all.

_{Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 2016.}

Vol. XII, No.17. - VERMILION, OHIO, THURSDAY, October 1, 1908

Death of Carloss Keith

Carloss Keith died suddenly on Thursday morning at 5:20, being taken ill during the night. His death was occasioned by extreme age, he having reached the age of 85 years and 13 days. He was born at Milan, Ohio, July 24, 1823. In December 1897 he came to the Enumclaw, and has resided since then with his son Clayton B. Keith and daughter Evelyn. He also leaves another son, W. B. Keith.

Although the infirmities of age had waged upon him for some time past, Mr. Keith was patient and cheerful. He was prepared for the end and had chosen the passage of Scripture, which he desired to be the text for his funeral sermon. The services will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 PM in the Presbyterian Church. The Enumclaw, Washington Courthouse, August 7, ‘08.

Mr. Keith was for over 30 years a resident of Brownhelm Township and there are many here who will remember him.

Taken To The Hospital

Mrs. Harry Trinter who has been ill for the past several weeks was taken to the hospital at Lorain. An operation was performed and she is recovering as fast as can be expected.

Sheriff Hoffman Resigns

Sheriff Hoffman filed his resignation with auditor Kubach clerk of Board of County Commissioners Tuesday to take effect at once. His successor will be appointed soon, meanwhile Edgar Montgomery, Deputy Sheriff is in charge.

LAKEWOOD YACHT CLUB NEWS

At the last meeting of the Lakewood Yacht Club, expressions of pleasure and satisfaction were in unanimous in regard to the club Regatta at Vermilion.

The club has decided to make this visit an annual event with the cooperation and consent of Vermilion committee.

The change in the time of the regatta has been suggested, also that they should have a squadron sail. This would be very desirable, as all the boats, both power and sail would be take part in it, and would give the yachtsmen a chance to entertain their Vermilion friends.

There would be 50 or more boats under power or sail at the same time, and would make a grand site off our port.

There is some talk of holding the Lakewood open regatta off our port. There would be four days of racing, both power and sailboats.

This event takes place the latter part of July and, would be a fine drawing card for Vermilion.

I take this occasion to thank all those who took part in entertaining the yachtsman, especially the Vermilion G. A. R. band, the businessman, committee and assistance.

- F.W. Wakefield L. Y. C.

Correspondence

AMHERST

Miss Pauline Hoffman is reported quite sick.

Rev. Harding delivered a lecture on the Temperance question at Rugby, Sunday evening.

There is but little help for the recovery of Mrs. A. H. Kendeigh who is very low at her home west of town.

A fine monument is being erected in memory of Mr. Refening, in the Cleveland St. Cemetery, by Knox of Bellevue.

Miss Inez Arndt is still much bruised up from her fall downstairs; she fell backwards and sprained both wrists and received many other painful bruises.

At the electric light plant the water is so low in the cooling cistern that the service Board has instructed the electricians to turn off all the arc lights until the water raises and thus the town will be in darkness. Wells and cisterns all around here are going dry.

A fountain in front of the town hall with spring water, as well as supplying the school children with pure water, seems to be a sure go this time. The Council held an adjourned meeting and a resolution was passed appropriating the sum of $200. The Township trustees are favorable contributing towards a public watering place, also the school board will pay its proportion.

William Nugent was seriously injured while jumping off the train, he jumped the train at the coal docks and when he saw that it was going to stop at Elyria he started to get off and slipped and fell under the train, and his left foot was cut off just above the ankle. An ambulance was called and he was taken to the Elyria Hospital.

Thursday afternoon Louis Heller messenger boy and mail carrier to and from the depot slipped out of an ordinary chair and broke his leg. The chair was tilted back against the wall and as the chair slept he caught his leg causing the injuries.

Mrs. George Stewart had her thumb on her left hand amputated at the first joint. She had been suffering the past months with a felon, and after breaking it would not heal and so affected the bone. That invitation was necessary. Drs. Foster and Hall perform the operation Thursday.

[NOTE: Medical definition of Felon: a painful abscess of the deep tissues of the palmar surface of the fingertip that is typically caused by infection of a bacterium (such as Staphylococcus aureus) and is marked by swelling and pain.]

BORN – to Mr. Mrs. Fred Albrecht Monday morning the daughter.

BORN – to Mr. Mrs. Albert Wragg of South Amherst, September 23, a son.

Edward Cummings woods at South Amherst were on fire Sunday evening and the neighbors all around turned out and help put it out.

James Duncan an aged resident and respected resident of South Amherst died at his home Sunday afternoon after lingering illness. Tuberculosis was the cause of his death. The funeral was held to Tuesday afternoon and the remains were interred at the Evergreen Cemetery at South Amherst.

Only a few weeks more of the open season for labor vote.

The new Elyria Hospital open to receive patients October 31st.

The Knox leases that at Oak Point have been removed for another year.

Squire A. G. Perria of Greensprings committed suicide by cutting his throat Tuesday.

Since first the first day of September 387 saloons have been put out of existence by county local option elections.

No wonder we have been having a dry spell. The promise is it will be "dryer" still.
Out of 16 counties voting on local option during the past few days all have gone dry. Special elections will be held in many other counties before November election.

Eugene V Debs, Socialist candidate for president, passed through here in his "Red Special" Tuesday. He delivered addresses at Lorain, Elyria and Sandusky.

The Huron bridge is in bad condition and first steps for a new bridge were taken this week when the County commissioners went to Cleveland to consult with federal authorities.

We have been wondering where the formerly staunch Republican newspaper the Sandusky Register is standing at present. We are not surprised when a paper flops, but to be nothing in particular and most anything that happens is disgusting to a person affiliating himself with any party. What we like in a newspaper is plenty of up-to-date news and some definite line in politics or let politics alone. A newspaper is no medium for expressing personal grudges or slams at a neighbor or his paper whether located in the same city or not. It's not politics or business to do. The reading public becomes disgusted at such foolishness.

Locals.

Phone 19 when you have an item of news.

J.F. Lanning of Norwalk has withdrawn from the Congressional race.

John Stang of Lorain has been bothered considerable of late by garden thieves. Late Saturday night he and his son started to defend their cornfield and seeing someone in the patch called but received no reply. He shot and upon investigation found Mrs. Patrick O'Keefe lying in a corner of the field. She was taken to the hospital and has and may die. 41 shot were taken from her back. She has made the statement that she was stealing to keep her children from starving. Her husband who claims to be an order shoveler has had no work this season.

[NOTE: Therein lies a true tale of sorrow.]

HURON

C. M. Ray is erecting the building between the electric line office and the Franklin Krock building to be used as a barbershop and the Wilkes Brothers tin shop.

THREE WINDOWS INTO THE YESTERYEAR: Initially I was going to use only one of the three photographs accompanying this week’s column and only make some mention of the other two. But after starting and stopping a few times I thought it would be a shame not to show them all.

Among many other things that took place during Vermilion’s Centennial Celebration back in 1937 there was also a store window historical display contest. This must have actually been a “heated” contest because the owners of all three businesses had deep roots in the building of our community.

The top photo (1) is that of the display in the window of the Englebry Dry Goods store on the west side of Division / Main Street. Currently (2016) the store is occupied by the wonderful Brummer’s Homemade Chocolates store. Born in Germany in 1842 Jacob Englebry founded his business in Vermilion around the year 1861. And though it is obvious that the store was still going strong in 1937 it may interest some to know that it remained in business for at least a century after Mr. Englebry first opened the door to the shop.

Surrounding the large portrait of Mr. Englebry is a plethora of what I can only assume were family treasures. Laid across the portrait is a “Paisley Shawl” that is marked as being 90 years old. And scattered about are other jewels, such as a small cannon, a flintlock rifle, a porcelain doll, Indian relics (too small to be clearly seen), books, a teapot and numerous other artifacts that even at that time were very old.

One door north of Englebry’s was (2) A.D. Baumhart’s Rexall Drug Store. Born in 1873 on a dairy farm a mile west of town Albert was youngest of five boys (there were also three girls) born to German immigrant August and Brownhelm native Margaret Baumhart. As a young man he worked in his brother’s (C.C. Baumhart’s) drug store, and following his graduation from the College of Pharmacy opened his own store in Vermilion. His first store burned in 1903. After moving to several locations about town he built his own store (pictured) opening for business on June 23, 1916.

Like the artifacts in the Englebry window it is very likely that most of the items in Baumhart’s display were family possessions. Among what appear to be some very old prescription bottles is a spinning wheel, an ornate table, some beautiful oil lamps and a thing that looks like a big coffee maker. But the items that caught my eye are the big shelf clock in the middle of the display and the wall telephone just to the left of the clock. The telephone is significant because in 1898 Mr. Baumhart started the first telephone exchange in Vermilion.

I will interject here that the Englebry display eventually won the aforementioned contest. Yet, be that as it was, in my humble opinion the bottom presentation (3) should have won. This was the window display at Warren G. Smith’s Sinclair gas station; tire store and (apparently) confectionary. Smith’s business was located in the building currently (2016) occupied by Freeman-Eckley, Inc. (boat dealers) on Liberty Avenue near the river bridge.

Like the other two proprietors Mr. Smith’s family (on both parent’s sides) went back a very long way in Vermilion and elsewhere in our nation. And though “Smitty’s” enterprise was by far the newest of the three – and there appear to be fewer items in his window (i.e. a tea set, several vases and some pictures) – I believe they are the most interesting. The centerpiece, however indistinct in this photo, appears to be a framed copy of the family tree. And though it may not, of course, go as far back as Eden I suspect its roots did trace back to the dawn of our country.

The American flag on the right has 37 stars. This flag would represent the years from 1867 to 1877. I’ve no idea, however, as to the reason it’s displayed backward in the window. Anyway, it would be an extremely rare flag in 1937 and, of course, today. That’s because it’s not the one of the most common 37 star flags which have two rows of 8 stars (top and bottom) flanking three rows of 7 stars. This one displays three rows of 6 stars, then a row of 7 stars with two more rows of 6 stars below. Many flags like this were made of silk. What a gem!

Looking at these photographs one can’t help but wonder what became of all the treasures displayed in those windows back in ‘37. Were they dispersed to various family members as time wore on? Were they sold, destroyed or did they just become lost in the rush of the passing years? I suppose we’ll never ever know. But perhaps it’s best that we don’t.

_{Ref: Special Thanks to: The Smith, Roberts and Ennis families; VNPS photo archives; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 08/04/2016.}

A.E. BEECKEL: Firstly, I would pronounce this name using a long E. However, I once heard late Hank Fischer pronounce with a short one: Beckel. So take your choice. Now – about the mirror.

The mirror has been hanging over the sink in the bindery room at the print shop since I was a kid (and likely a few years before). They had it hanging long-ways. When I was rearranging things a few years ago I cleaned it up and moved it over my computer. When I looked at the back of it I found the shipping label. It was as seen in the lower pic. Thus, whoever manufactured the piece is unknown.

I note that Vermilion is spelled with a double el on the label so I’m guessing the mirror is from the 1920s. That age estimate is based on the idea that it took some time for persons / or a company, unfamiliar with the spelling of the town, to begin to spell it correctly, and Mr. Beeckel was still in the furniture business in the 20s and the 30s. Methinks by the 30s most would be spelling it right. (But who knows?) Lacking the name of the furniture company that sold it it’s almost impossible to tell.

In any case, I was really surprised to find this beautiful artifact right in front of me.