Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: Actually this is the “in focus” shoptop from last week. This week I didn’t make an error while taking a pic of it.
Ah, the Annual VHS Commencement program at Vermilion’s Opera House June 2, 1898. (My dad was born in December of that year.) That year there were only five graduates: Ollie Rose Abell, Olive Mae Lawless, Hattie Delight Abell, Katherine Lucile Tearney and Amelia Frederic Englebry. The Superintendent was C.W. Sloan. The Class Colors were Olive and Lemon. And the motto was “Palma Non Sine Pulvere” [“There shall be free from dust.”] [I’m a bit confused as to what, exactly, they thought the Latin phrase to mean.] Anyway thems the facts.
By the way, Ollie (b.1881) and Hattie Abell (b.1882) were sisters. Ollie married a Vermilion fella named George Naegele and Hattie married another Vermilion guy named George Rathbun.
Olive Lawless was a sister-in-law to Edward L. Coen. Coen and his brother F.W. Coen came to Vermilion to work for the newly formed Erie County Bank. F.W. was later the head of the Lake Shore Electric Railway. Olive later married a fella name James Hamill who was also a banker.
Amelia Englebry married and Vermilion guy named Ted Penning in 1904. I believe Penning once worked as a ticket agent for the LSE, but later joined his family in the Englebry-Hull builder-supply business.
I was unable to find much of anything about Katherine Tearney. Just guessing, it may very well be that being of Irish heritage she went back to Ireland. But that’s a big, big guess.
On my home desk this week is an old pic I took in the parking lot at the Congregational Church on State Street a few years ago. I took the pic because I’m partial to rainy days and I liked what I saw.
I realize that most folks don’t see it. But that’s okay. For some reason rainy days I am comforted by rainy days.
They bring to mind a spring day when I was probably 5 or 6 and attending a kindergarten class that was above the old A&P store on the corner of Liberty and Division Street. My mom had dressed me up in a rubber raincoat, hat and boots to make the trek to and from kindergarten. I think I was wetter (from sweat) on the inside of all that rubber apparel than if I’d just been walking in the rain without a coat or hat.
Nonetheless, I was comfortable – and it was a comfortable time in my life.
Historically,
ROGER WATKINS: Likely one of the most pleasant persons who ever worked in or out of the local school system is Mr. Watkins.
As a student I only knew him for a short time as I finished up high school. I became better acquainted with him when he drove for the local Meals-On-Wheels Program. He’s just a nice guy.
I know he touched many lives when he worked as an administrator in our schools – but he also touched many lives, on a positive basis, outside the system.
I’ve not seen nor talked with him for quite some time now. I know he spends part of his time in Florida. But I’d be willing to bet that a whole bunch of folks there know and like him.
This pic was taken of him when he was the principal of Vermilion’s Junior High School.
EASTER IN VERMILION 1949: Nearly 60 years have passed since local photographer Paul Ludlow captured this chorale of cherubs on film. To be specific It was Easter Sunday April 17, 1949. It was a day of excitement for all the children. Brightly colored arrangements of lilies, hyacinths, and tulips bedecked the dark crimson carpeted sanctuary of Vermilion’s First Congregational Church that sat just to the north of the Vermilion Township Hall. Little ladies arrayed in pastel colored dresses, ribboned bonnets, and white gloves chirped and chattered away with their friends in the front pew. The “boys” sitting directly behind them, made red in the face by neckties tightened at the last moment by a hurried mother/father, each fought off the temptation to pull on the ribbon on the hat of the girl in front of him - more often than not losing the battle. And it was not until the Choir Director, Mrs. Glasgow, (not pictured) stepped forward, raised her arms, and directed the choir to sing the old Easter hymn, “Christ the Lord is risen today/Sons of men, and angels say...” (Charles Wesley - 1788) that the children settled, and devoted some serious attention (if only fleetingly) to the occasion which had brought them together.
It may be of interest for readers to observe that these were the days of the Blue Laws. Those statutes (believe it or not) were designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. They prohibited certain commercial activities on Sundays during certain hours with the exceptions of specific commerce, like grocery and drug stores. The consequence of these laws in the Village of Vermilion, Ohio - which then boasted a population of roughly 2000 souls - should escape no one. Church attendance was never mandatory. But it surely was a widely anticipated and preferred Sunday activity for a majority of local families. And were it possible to move Mr. Ludlow’s camera to the very back of this sanctuary in 1949 you would have seen a SRO crowd in attendance.
All we are allowed to see, however, is the Junior Choir of the aforementioned church. On that particular day it consisted 23 children ranging in age from 11 to perhaps 13 or 14 years; the Choir Director, again, was Mrs. Charles Glasgow; and the organist Mrs. Dean (Mary) Rapprich. The youngsters in the choir are:
1st Row L-R: William “Billy” Troxel, Jack Seith, Sam "Bif" Langfitt Jr., Evalyn Todd (Wheelock), Alice Wakefield, Shirley Greenhoe (Lehky), Carol Eberle (Mayer), and Nancy Lee (Fulper).2nd Row L-R: Carla Widdowson, Gordon Clauser,Jr., Jeanie Lindsley (Miller), Karen Kishman (Rathbun), Pearl "Ginny" Tarrant (Wilkes), Leslie Roberts (Ennis), Cheryl Barber (Phillips), and Doris Boone (Stwan).
3rd Row L-R: Gretchen Kishman (Neiding), Florence Louise Langfitt, Nadine Miskow, Joyce Zelinski, Phylis Weaver, Richard Cone, and Harriet Langfitt.
Readers might take note of the fact that more than a few of the youngsters in this great photograph still abide in our pretty city. There are even a few who are still active members of the same (albeit an older) church choir.
Nearly 60 years have passed and many things have changed: some for the good, some for the bad. But Easter morning still dawns, families still gather at local churches for worship services; and little boys, red-faced from having their neckties hurriedly tightened by one of their parents, still look for ways to gain the attentions of little girls dressed in pastel colored dresses just as little boys did in a yesteryear - just as they will henceforth.
YESTERYEAR'S NEWS: The following clips were orally transcribed from past issues of The Vermilion News. I think you will find them both interesting and fun...
All aboard for Chagrin Falls is now the slogan of our firemen. It is now thought that the firemen will all go. Special cars have been secured and the boys have been making preparations for the past month. We daresay that they have never been better drilled that at present and as there are a number of valuable prizes up it is hoped that Vermilion will gather in a liberal share.
The Vermillion G.A.R. Band will accompany them. There is [sic] prospects, should weather permit, of the firemen giving an exhibition drill some evening the latter part of this week, probably Friday or Saturday.
Reel race – First prize $40; second prize $15; third prize $5.
Ladder race – First prize $40; second prize $15; third prize $5.
Hub and hub race – First prize $30; second prize $15; third price $5.
Hand engine contest – First prize $40; second prize $15; third prize $5.
100-yard dash – Foot race for firemen. First prize $10; second prize $5.
Fat men's race – First prize $5 second prize $3.
Boys race – Under 15 years – first prize $3; second prize $2.
Greased pig race.
A prize of $25 will be given to the best band in the parade and the bills announced that there will be 16 bands.
The convention will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Opera House. The parade of all the fire companies estimated at 600 firemen, and the 16 bands will start at 10 o'clock. After the parade the races and contests will take place on Main Street. There will be fireworks in the evening and a band concert on the park. On account of the immense crowd is expected many will be unable to see the various prize contest and those interested will find a first-class matinee at the fairgrounds by the Chagrin Falls Driving Club who have been giving good events all season.
Minerva Bentley, the girl who was injured at the explosion at the American Dynamite Co’s. works at Amherst June 3, has filed suit in the Common Pleas Court, Elyria the Lorain Common Pleas Court for $25,000. The girl was engaged in filling caps with explosives when it exploded. She was burned about the head, arms and body down to her waist, and was compelled to spend several months in the hospital. Her face is also disfigured.
The Village Council met in regular session Monday evening Messers W. Krapp and Wahl were the absent ones and Messrs Minium, Mattison, McConnelly and Miller were present. The matter of a sidewalk from M. Lee's residence, south to the mill was reported upon as not being settled as the committee could not get together to view it.
The question of people throwing rubbish out into the street a day or two after the hauling time in leaving it, especially the limbs of trees, etc., was brought up and the street commissioner ordered to throw all such rubbish back into the yard unless the property owners complied with the rules in such matters.
Upon report of the fire committee the Engine and a Hose-cart was ordered painted.
Fire Chief Tischer reported that there would be a meeting of the National Fire Chiefs at Grand Rapids Michigan, about the middle of August and that nearby towns were sending their chiefs as representatives to this meeting. It was decided that Mr. Tischer will be sent. He has been faithful in his work as Fire Chief and receives no compensation for the services, so it was thought that not only would it be a benefit to the town, but help him in his work and the expense involved is small.
George Fischer was present and suggested that if Council put in a crosswalk across to the north side of the street at the L.S.E. station that it go on the west side of Exchange St. and that he would build a walk to connect with it; he also suggested that as the north end of Exchange St. was no good to the village that some arrangement be made with him whereby he be allowed to use it giving in exchange a right-of-way to the river on the west line of his lots. The property cannot be sold but can be vacated or leased and Mr. Fischer, we understand, intends to improve his property still more and a little portion of exchange Street will be an eyesore unless properly cared for. The right-of-way suggested will be of much more use to the town. The Council met with Mr. Fischer to go over the ground Tuesday evening.
Street Commissioner's Schmoll was instructed to see that the trees about town were trimmed.
The project of completing the Toledo Street sewer where it is now an open ditch was brought up and it now looks as if arrangements could be made with Mr. Fischer for crossing his property.
The street commissioner was ordered to shut off several drains through which slops and wash water is run into an open ditch on Short street.
After talking over some other business the Council adjourned until such time as they could meet and pay bills, as it requires at least five members present to do so.
There are probably more houses under construction in Vermilion at the present time than at any one time in several years. Several others are being contemplated. The following is a list of buildings now under construction and it may be possible that we have overlooked some.
Mrs. Mary Quigley Residence Liberty St.
C. Alheit, Residence, State St.
John Wittmer, Residence, Douglas St.
W. Showalter Residence, East of bridge.
M. A. Edson, Double house Jefferson St.
William Leidheiser, residence W. South St. foundation laid out.
F. W. Wakefield, Residence, Main St.
Addition to school building State Street.
G. B. McConnelly, house, West side Decatur Street.
In addition there are several houses but recently completed; here's a list of them.
Robert Kane, Residence, W. South St.
Mr. Kneisel Residence, Jefferson Street.
Miss M. Wagner, House E. South St.
George Wagner Residence, E. South St.
Addition to J. J. Fey’s residence Ohio St.
Addition to John Carr's residence corner of Decatur and Huron.
F. V. Pelton's house, South St.
Several other houses have been built during the past year of which we have no record and we will be glad to have our attention called to any omission.
M. A. Edson's new double house on Jefferson St. is nearing completion. It is fitted for electric lights and has city water and is all that can be desired for a home. Mr. and Mrs. Edson will occupy the south half and all in all probability Mr. and Mrs. Albert Leidheiser will live in the other part.
The infant child of Mr. and Mrs. A. Haas died Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Avery enjoyed a trip to Sandusky by automobile Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Wolhover are the happy parents of us little son born last week.
The Sunday schools have held a union picnic at Linwood Park Wednesday.
A cow belonging to John Dressler of South Amherst was struck by lightning during Thursday storm.
The little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M Schroeder died Saturday after an illness of three weeks.
Quite a party from here took in the excursion from Lorain to Cedar point Sunday in the Stmr. Huron.
William Ehrman took possession of the Webb barbershop Monday.
W. H. Schumach has a brand-new automobile.
Dr. Wiseman is the owner of a new four-passenger Buick automobile.
Earl Sanders made a round-trip to Vermilion on a motorcycle in just 50 minutes.
Remains of Mrs. Henry Holl was brought here Thursday and interred in Cleveland St., Cemetery.
Lightning struck the residence of Charles Jacobs during the storm Thursday. The house was set on fire but discovered and put out before any serious damage was done. The current also burned a hole through the gas pipe as clean as a drill could have done it.
Six-year-old son of Frank Delaney who resides near the junction swallowed a fifty cent piece last Thursday which necessitated taking him to the hospital. Every attempt to dislodge the coin by vomiting failed. The x-rays located the coin in the throat about the middle of the neck. An incision in the esophagus was made and the half-dollar removed.
The delivery horse of Lou Lerach ran away Friday morning and made things lively for a while. Fortunately no one was hurt.
Died – at his home in Henrietta Saturday, July 31, Horace Saunders.
Tramps broke into a boxcar on the L. S. M. S. which is used as a sleeping quarters for workman. Everything was thrown around the car but the only thing taken was a pair of pants.
Mrs. Lorenzo Harrison died Saturday afternoon. The funeral was held in at the house and burial was in the Harrison burial ground on the homestead.
Quite a number of Birmingham people attended the carnival at Norwalk last week.
Mr. Will Funk is suffering from poison.
[NOTE: I guess we are left to wonder how Funk was poisoned. Tis a true mystery.]
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. Henry Kingsley a daughter.
Everybody in our neighborhood is busy cutting oats.
Richard Saunders died Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock and will be buried Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Mrs. Martin Springer of Oberlin Road died the 25th of last month and was buried Wednesday the 28th at 1:30 p.m. The remains were taken to Evergreen Cemetery at South Amherst. Rev. Lindemyer officiated.
Mr. John Stack has had a good success with his gas well. He has drilled 200 feet and has found gas.
We hardly know whether to laugh or cry. It can't be true! Impossible! Preposterous! Ridiculous! What? Why, that the editor of this paper should be accused of unfairness, making lighter allowing to me made light or allowing to made light of any of the “sacred rites and ceremonies" of ANY church, religion or religious body on the face of this broad globe, and yet that is what he stands accused – Two communications from the official bodies of two Vermilion churches (request not to publish) which arrived at this sanctum the past week, on account of our stand – equal privilege to all, square deal, fairness. We have dared to criticize a minister as a public speaker, in a public place, before a public audience – as a minister of the gospel, NEVER. We have no apology to offer. We have the profoundest respect for all religious denominations. We believe there is room in our great country, state and yes, town, for all that teaches God's sacred word. We do not ask you to believe the same. You have the same right to your opinion as we do as we two ours, also the right to accept or reject any rites or ceremonies you see fit, allowing others the same privilege. Of this, all can read rest assured, the NEWS man stands exactly as he did in the beginning of this controversy. An equal right to all.
Why the special request “not the publish" is made is beyond our comprehension, yet we honor it, THIS week.
Well! We've decided to laugh
Supt. Allishouse is spending a couple weeks at Wooster.
Mrs. Romania Shepherd was called to Indian Territory Friday by the serious illness of her husband.
The Swastika club gave a lawn fete at the home of Ms. Vera Hart Saturday evening.
Mr. Jesse Delker of the NEWS office is spending the week with relatives and friends at Cleveland.
We're glad to learn that Henry Ries who was hurt in the wreck of last week is recovering rapidly at St. Joseph's Hospital.
The McKean motorcar going from Chicago to Buffalo pass through town over the Lakeshore Rd., Tuesday.
RUBBISH DAY TUESDAY, BE READY.
Howard C. Hillier, who so suddenly disappeared from his home in Elyria last week is the guest of Earl Welch.
The Vermilion Volunteer Firemen have purchased a fine banner. It was carried in the impromptu parade Tuesday evening. Don't you think it's a beauty?
Eleven years ago when but two years old, Lelia Musser of Whitmore swallowed a needle. Not long since she experienced pain in her right arm, near the wrist. Dr. E. W. Baker of Clyde, was called, and with the x-ray, located the needle which he extracted. The point had been broken off.
Mrs. Harry Trinter went to St. Joseph's Hospital, Lorain Friday, and Saturday underwent an operation for appendicitis. She is doing as well as can be expected.
A merry milk war is on at Lorain.
At last report from Stanley Christian he was suffering from an attack of typhoid fever.
William Mose is at St. Alexis Hospital Cleveland where he underwent an operation last Friday for gallstones. He is still in a very serious condition.
The Vermilion Volunteer Fireman And Band will leave Vermilion Wednesday morning at 6 o'clock SHARP. A second car leaves directly after the 7:28 limited. Only a limited number of tickets to be sold. For further particulars see firemen.
H. Winkler lost a valuable cow by lightning last Thursday during the severe storm. The cow was standing in the doorway of a shed. No other damage was done. Mr. Winkler feels the loss very much and wants to purchase another cow as soon as possible.
Lorain County Bar Association picnicked at Crystal Beach yesterday.
Supt. Eldridge and family are entertaining relatives from Scotland and New York City.
Charles Davidson of Pittsburgh was nearly drowned one day last week while bathing.
A party form Elyria is being entertained at the Harris cottage.
Hmmmmmm....
PLEASURES & TREASURES AT VERMILION, O: Photographer and Editor of The Vermilion News etched the phrase “Pleasures at Vermilion, O. on the glass negative from which the accompanying photo was made with good reason. Weren’t a lie. What better to do on a warm Sunday afternoon in July than rent a rowboat or a canoe and explore the river?
These shadows were captured during the era in our nation that is commonly referred to as “the Roaring Twenties”: It was a period of sustained economic prosperity married to a pervasive feeling of social independence. In short, anything and everything seemed possible. Business was booming. The stock market was soaring. Suddenly, things like automobiles, telephones, radios and electric appliances had become commonplace. Even that which had seemed out of reach just a decade earlier (i.e. the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote) had come to pass. And all was right with the world.
During those years Vermilion was an ideal spot for those pursuing a refuge from the aforementioned roaring and finding it in a quiet commune with nature on the river. Aside from commercial vessels there were few motorized pleasure boats along the waterway. And from the Vermilion Light House at the mouth of the river, past the railroad bridges, the tents at the Olympic Outing Club, and the great shale banks looming over the stream to the south peace (at least figuratively) reigned.
Behind the happy Sunday afternoon boaters was the swampland that once lay on the eastern shore of the river from Railroad Bridge in the south north to the Lake Erie. Soon the scene would change drastically. And the pleasures and treasures enjoyed by Sunday boaters would quietly fade into the yesteryear.
BACK IN 1887: Some very interesting items...
Trudy can be contacted at: tla8849@aol.com
…on the island. The expectation was to do this work with hired labor, but laborers were so scarce that men could not be obtained at the wages offered. At this juncture the colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth detailed parties from his regiment who did at least two-thirds of the whole work, including the mechanical part, and completed all three of the forts with their magazines and mounted the guns. This work was done in the most inclement seasons of the year, without extra pay, and at a time when the other details were very heavy. But in this instance, as in all others, officers and men applied themselves to the duties before them with an intelligence and zeal, which promptly overcame difficulties and attained the desired result in a very creditable manner.
"Although the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth was often scattered by detachments, and much burdened with fatigue duty, its drill, including infantry and a considerable range of heavy artillery, was accurate and thorough, and its equipment, discipline, and constant readiness for emergencies and service wherever ordered, gave assurance that it would meet the just expectations of the government in any line of duty. Many of its officers and men had served the government during the war with credit in other organizations, from which they had been discharged on account of disability by wounds or sickness.
"In hastening the completion of the defenses at Sandusky Bay it was anticipated that the regiments would soon be relieved by troops of the Veteran Reserve Corps, and that then the One Hundred and Twenty eighth would be sent to join some army in the field. Measures were taken to have it ready for such an event. Fortune did not give the regiment the opportunity, as a body, to earn laurels in battle, but it performed its duty always with faithfulness and efficiency.
"Soon after the surrender of the rebel armies in the spring of 1865, the prisoners on the island were reduced by discharges on parole to about one hundred and fifty. The One Hundred and Twenty-eighth left the island on the l0th of July, 1865, and was mustered out on the 17th at Camp Chase."
This is the history of Johnson's Island as a place of confinement of captured rebel officers during the war 1861-65, and almost inseparably connected with that appears the history of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Infantry.
It is proposed in the following pages to devote some attention to the other individual regiments, the companies for which were made up in whole or in part of Erie county men. But in furnishing company rosters the greatest difficulty has been encountered in ascertaining the names of the men who were residents of county, and there will be found instances in which no roster is given from the fact of the writer being unable to locate the men, or from the fact of the contingents having been so small that no necessity exists for giving the roster, could it even be accurately ascertained.
Again the adjutant-general of the State has not yet completed the work of…
LESS RARE – BUT: As old things go this telephone is quite young – or. On the other hand, the years slip by and many of us haven’t really noticed that some of the items we used when we were much younger are, in fact, now artifacts. The dial phone is one of those things.
I once asked one of my great-nephews if he knew how to use this device. [Note: At the time he was an elementary school student.] He didn’t know that one had to stick a finger in the hole and turn the dial on the face of the device.
I his defense I also have an old candlestick phone without a dial that I likely would be hard pressed to use (if it was workable).
You will also note the 1923 telephone directory. Now that’s an interesting publication. The phone number at the NEWS at the time was 19.
Another feature of old phone service was the “party line”. Depending on who you were the party line was either an annoyance or an asset.
Young people today (now there’s the beginning of a statement that ages me) have probably never heard of such a thing. If you make a call on a cell phone that more than one party is sharing in, you likely have to buy an app for it.
Time marcheth on.
Wife to Husband...
"I'll have you know that I stuck-up for you today". Husband..."Really? What happened".
Wife..."Another woman at my card party said that you were so sloppy that you wasn't fit to live with pigs... and I told her that you definitely ARE!"
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'".
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, "Grandma's 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.
MARY WAKEFIELD BUXTON'S LATEST BOOK "The Private War of William Styron" is available in paper back for $15.00 with tax and can be purchased locally at Buxton and Buxton Law Office in Urbanna, ordered from any book store, Amazon.com or Brandylane Publishing Company. A signed, hard back edition may be purchased from Mrs. Buxton directly for $30.00 by writing her at Box 488, Urbanna, VA 23175 and including $6.00 for tax, postage and packaging.
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
P.O. Box 437
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-8397
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Vol. 15. Issue 22 - August 5, 2017
Archive Issue #751
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