Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: Atop the shop desk tis week is a nice pic of Holden and Phoebe Goodell Judson.
Holden was a Vermilion boy. His family came from Florence Township (locally). But in the early decades of the 19th century Holden lived in Vermilion Village where he ran a store.
While living in the village he met the Preacher’s daughter, Phoebe Goodell – and eventually married her.
In the 1850s the Goodell family migrated to Oregon Territory. That’s where this pic of the couple was taken.
Phoebe described their journey and settlement in the west in a book called “A Pioneer’s Search for an Ideal Home”. [The book should be available at your local library.]
The couple founded the town of Lynden Washington. In fact, Phoebe gave the town its name.
On my home desk this week is a photo painting of the backyard of our former home on Oakwood Drive in Vermilion.
It looks like a comfortable place because it was.
I enjoy our current home at the Olympic Club, but I certainly enjoyed our former home. We lived there for about 35 years.
It was hard to leave.
On the other hand I don’t have to mow grass, rake leaves or shovel (much) snow anymore.
PREPARING: We’re getting things together at the museum now in preparation for the Christmas season and for a photo exhibition.
I am hoping that we’ll have over 100 photographs of old Vermilion. Many were acquired from my grandfather’s glass negatives. We also have some pix of town that we’ve acquired from various sources over the years.
All the pix are matted and will be for sale. Some are 8”x 10” and some are smaller 4” x 6”.
At the moment I’m not sure if I’ll use any of my grandfather’s color slides. I’ve not looked at them for quite some time.
ALEXA (OUR MEDIA EXPERT): I acquired another “Alexa” (i.e. Amazon Echo) “Electronic Personal Assistant” device that we can use in the museum apartment. Aside from being a novelty of sorts it is actually a very handy appliance.
When we have special programs at the museum we like to play period music in the background. In the past I used music from computer to a Bose Soundlink system – and from there I used mics that connect to several wireless speakers upstairs and downstairs. It worked okay. But it was necessary to pay attention because the music would only play to the end of the stuff I’d selected to be played.
With Alexa we can chose any music from any era and just let it play until we ask it to stop. I like to use it when I’m working alone because I can hear the same music (or programming) wherever I am in the building. (I listen to an internet station called “Folk Alley” most times. The selections are generally quite pleasant.)
I can also ask Alexa to bring me up-to-date news or even tell me a joke. (She even knows my name.)
I can’t imagine what things will be like 50 years from now. We live in a most amazing time.
Historically,
CARBOAT: Vermilionite Bill Lee used this pic on his Facebook account and sent me a note telling me it was there.
I remember the carboat, but not who owned it. I suppose Bill owned it when this pic was taken back in the very early 1960s. Lou Rauh was running for Mayor of the City (not Village) of Vermilion.
I got to know Mr. Rauh later in his (and my) life and found him to be an interesting guy. He seemed so happy when I spoke with him.
But I guess he wasn’t.
He later opted to end his own life. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.
This day in Bill Lee’s carboat was one of those happy times.
THE ST. LAWRENCE – GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Prior to purchasing Vermilion’s weekly newspaper (i.e. The Vermilion News) in 1901 my grandfather was a printing foreman for the old Weekly and Evening Herald newspapers in Lorain, Ohio. That same year those publications, along with the Lorain Daily Times, were consolidated and became the Lorain Times-Herald. I’ve no idea how long he worked for the Lorain newspapers, but it should surprise no one to find that among the numerous photographs in his collection are a significant number of those taken in and around Lorain. The photograph accompanying the column this week is one of them.
The original photo – the one from which I acquired this image – is nearly imperceptible to the naked eye. One reason that’s true is size; It’s 3” x 4 ¼”. Another is because it’s a “very light” sepia tone in color. Actually, the sepia toning helped preserve the photograph. In the old sepia toning process, chemicals are used to convert the metallic silver in the print to a sulfide compound called silver sulfide, which is 50% more stable than silver, making it more resistant to environmental pollutants. Therefore, people in days of yore originally processed/developed their images in sepia to make them last longer. But last of all, and perhaps the biggest reason it was hard for me to discern – my eyes aren’t what they used to be.
But setting all that aside, one of the best things about this particular photo is that some caring soul had the presence of mind to identify the scene in longhand on the back of the matte in which it is contained. He or she wrote: “Sch. St. Lawrence Ashore and wrecked off Lorain.” And were it not for this note the image would certainly have seemed an interesting but inconsequential portrait of a schooner – and have been filed away as such.
But the note piqued my interest and after a search through the archives of several area daily newspapers I came across this headline in one of the Sandusky papers: “FOUNDERED – Off Kelley’s Island the Gale Struck - St. Lawrence Which Went Down at Lorain – THRILLING RESCUE.
On November 21, 1900 the Schooner St. Lawrence (built in 1863 and owned by J.H. Baker of Detroit loaded with 600 tons of coal was on its way from Cleveland to Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada near the mouth of the Detroit River. At 3 o’clock in the morning they were about five miles off Kelley’s Island when they encountered a gale that tore away her mainsail and some of her jibs. Turning about to head for a port for shelter Captain Moore of the tug Grover saw the crippled vessel and came to assist. A new seventeen-inch line was given the tug and the Lawrence was towed to about 600 feet of the west pier in Lorain when the line slipped from the tug and the schooner went adrift toward the beach.
Because the water was too shallow the tug was unable to get near enough to get another line from the drifting schooner. When the Lawrence crew tried to anchor the craft the chain on the large anchor snapped and the smaller one didn’t take hold. As the situation rapidly eroded the Captain and crew launched a yawl placing Baker’s wife and two sons on board. After a struggle through the roiling waters they made it shore.
As a crowd of several thousand onlookers gathered onshore, Lorain Mayor George L. Glitch responded to the dire circumstance by calling the Cleveland Life Saving Station for assistance. Cleveland responded by dispatching a crew, along with a mortar apparatus and a surfboat to the scene by rail. Arriving about 3 in the afternoon they tried shooting lines to the boat from the shore. But by the time they succeeded in getting a line to the craft the sailors on the foundering schooner were too tired to grasp and secure it. Finally the life-saving crew launched their surfboat, and after a great deal of difficulty reached the schooner and rescued the four weary seamen onboard.
Captain Baker later told the press that when the Grover originally took their new seventeen-inch hawser to tow him that he’d cautioned them about taking enough line aboard to make a good turn. But they failed to do so. That’s the reason (he said) they had lost the cable. He obviously laid the blame for the loss of the St. Lawrence on the crew of the Grover. But by that time it didn’t matter. The bones of the schooner St. Lawrence were at rest 600 feet from shore.
Since finding this photo I searched the Bowling Green University index of Great Lakes vessels for more information about the St. Lawrence and came up empty. What I did find was that more than a few of these old schooners on the lakes shared a similar fate. Though I assume that this vessel was later salvaged the only real evidence that she ever existed is this fading photo of her, as she sat grounded in the shallows off Lorain pounded by a relentless wind and raging waters of Lake Erie. Gone, but not forgotten.
YESTERYEAR'S NEWS: The following clips are dictated transcriptions from past issues of The Vermilion News. I think you will find them both interesting and fun...
The following is the result of the elections held for Vermilion Village…Tuesday, Nov. 2:
No. Of votes cast 278.
For Mayor,
H. R. Williams, D. – 150
C. B. Parsons, R. 107.
For Clerk,
C. Eight. Nuhn, D. – 202
No opposition
For treasure
J. A. Klaar, D – 148
Hubert M. White, R - 94.
For Marshal,
Peter E. Callan, D - 107.
Melville, grow, IND - 135.
[NOTE: Those were just the highlights.]
Ed Mauer is reported quite ill
The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Walker died Monday.
The Jordan Stock Company holding forth at the Opera House this week are enjoying a fair patronage.
The Eagles are planning for a big time at their smoker Thursday evening. Music will be a feature.
At the last meeting of the village council the marshal’s salary was cut from $40 to $10 per month. This change was made so that the Marshal may accept or reject the position of night watchman. The mayor’s salary was increased from $150 to $200 per year, the clerk’s from $100 to $150. An ordinance recommending the turning over of $6000 city funds for the purchase of new a new engine for the dynamo switch boards, etc., for the electric light plant was passed.
The office of the Budget was the scene of a slight blaze on Thursday which put the plant out of commission for a short time.
Louis Clark got into a little difficulty while over at the Norwalk Saturday night. He paid a fine and gained his freedom Sunday.
Ed Heusner baled straw last week.
12 miners met death at a mine at Johnston Pa, Saturday.
Catholics are considering the establishment of a deaf and dumb school at Cleveland.
Earthquake shocks were felt all along the coast states from Washington to California Thursday.
Harry E. Crooks, Dayton, convicted of the murder of his divorced wife, was electrocuted at the O. P. early Friday morning.
A Girls Reformatory, similar to that for young men at Mansfield is one of the possibilities of the near future.
John A. Tavinier, a Bell telephone lineman of Cleveland was electrocuted Sunday while attempting to pull a street lamp which had fallen to the street out of the way of pedestrians.
The death of Eugene Byne of Buffalo, at West Point will end the football season at that institution. He received injuries in the Harvard Army game Saturday. His neck was broken and every nerve twisted.
The badly decomposed body of Capt. Paul Howell, who lost his life in the wreck of the Stmr. Geo Stone off Pelee two weeks ago was found on the beach off Mentor Headlands near Painesville Sunday, two gold watches, $200 in money and paper bearing the name were found on the body.
Harvey Johnson, Franklin County life prisoner in the O. P. Made a third attempt to escape Thursday morning. He struck guard Hudnet over the head with a heavy iron file as the two were ascending the hospital steps. Deputy Warden Risch prevented the escape.
Over a quarter million bushel of peaches was harvested in the vicinity of Port Clinton this year.
Adeline Schwabley, the Norwalk girl who was bound over to Cuyahoga County, grand jury a few weeks ago on the charge of murdering her infant daughter was freed by that body Friday. No bill was found.
Frank Stone, son of the postmaster at Oberlin, died Saturday morning of typhoid fever. He was a member of the junior class of the college and a graduate of the Oberlin high school. He was 23 years old.
The football season is young but thus far seven deaths have resulted, three of them being in last Saturday's games. Also six other players is shown by reports, sustained injuries that may prove fatal, there have been 22 broken collarbone; 15 broken legs; 16 broken noses; nine broken ankles; eight victims of broken ribs; seven broken shoulders; six broken fingers; six broken arms; one broken wrist; one broken hand; two broken jaws.
It is believed that the present season will roll up the biggest list of accidents but tallies in the history of the game.
Judge Hayden listen to a pitiful tale of mistreatment from the lips of Mrs. Roy Hurst of Lorain, Wednesday morning, during the hearing of the divorce petition filed against him by his wife.
It appears that the Hursts lived happily for two years after their marriage, in fact until he began to drink to excess and spend most of his time with women of little or no character.
Hurst worked for his father in the dry goods store, and often made engagements for other women to meet him at the store especially a young woman from Vermilion, who, in company with her mother, were in the habit of meeting Hurst on various occasions.
Mrs. Hurst intercepted several letters from the Vermilion parties in which the daughter talked of dinners and theater parties to which Hurst was to act as host, and she also thanked him for dresses and other articles furnished by her by him.
On one occasion Mrs. Hurst discovered her husband and another man having their pictures taken with their arms around two women who they afterwards accompanied to a nearby saloon.
She was granted a divorce on the grounds of extreme cruelty and awarded $500 alimony. Mrs. Hurst has been earning a living for the past year as a pianist in a Lorain theatre. Her neighbor neighbors testified that it she was a woman of excellent character and reputation to be above reproach. – Elyria telegram.
[NOTE: Now here’s a situation that could have ended badly. Mr. Hurst could’ve found himself catching a ride in a hearse.]
Capt. and Mrs. Fred Bailey spent Monday at Cleveland.
Arthur Nieding while standing in the schoolyard this morning was struck by something, no one seems to know what, and a small gash cut his head. The wound bled profusely but is not apparently of a serious nature.
Mrs. O. Best, residing 4 miles west of Lorain was the victim of a runaway at Lorain Tuesday. She was holding the team while Mr. Best was making some purchases but it became frightened. Mrs. Best was thrown out and received severe injuries.
The members of the Busy Bee Club are anticipating a pleasant meeting Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Unser.
Thirty-five couples were present and enjoyed dancing at Firemen’s Hall Saturday evening. All report a pleasant time. Another dance will be given next Saturday evening.
The Vermilion Wood Working Co.'s plant is now in operation and while but a small force as yet is employed the company has promise of much more work.
Sorosis met Friday evening at the home of Mrs. W. A. Tischer where the program in charge of this Mrs. Elizabeth Kane was fully carried out, after which the ladies spent a pleasant hour at lunch and social intercourse. Mrs. W. E. Bailey very ably assisted the hostess. The house was prettily decorated in Halloween emblems, cut and arranged by Mrs. Bailey's little daughter, Laura.
The Village Council met in regular session Wednesday evening. Geo. W. Fisher [sic] was present and had another proposition in regard to Exchange Street, this was laid on the table, until tonight which time the meeting adjourned. After payment of bills, Council adjourned until Thursday night, at which time the marshal elect will be appointed to fill [the] vacancy and sworn in.
Bright red is now listed as one of the season's first colors, but it has a vogue all its own when combined with black beaver. It is also used effectively with draped toques of dark blue beaver or beaver cloth.
Rhinestone buckles are seen on dressy hats. They afford a beautiful and effective finish to the hat that has little other trimming.
Cold water, a teaspoon of ammonia and soap will remove machine grease when other means would not on account of colors running.
The flavor of a cup of cocoa is often made more delicate if the least bit of vanilla is placed in it. In restaurants a teaspoonful of whipped cream or marshmallow is served on in each cup of cocoa.
The young men in and around the cheese factory seem to have a musical strain at present. Anyone wishing to hear fine music are requested to apply for reserve seats. Rates are reasonable.
We had quite a representation of Axtel’s young men at church last Sunday. We will be glad to see you there again.
Mrs. E. B. Welch and daughter Velma spent several days at Henrietta the guest of her aunt Mrs. Mapes.
The boys did not forget Halloween at Axtel as the next morning men were looking for buggies, others lost some cider – good thing they had pity on the one and left the barrel, then others had buildings torn right away from their foundations, others were left at peace and never knew it was Halloween.
Mr. Harry Miller wishes to thank his many friends for the shower of Halloween cards and greetings. Only when you are confined to the house and have your aches and pains besides, you appreciate such kindness. Thanks to all.
Mr. Peter Skinn has just finished his new well which is a success.
John Stevenson was in Amherst one day last week with ladders.
The farmers are busy husking corn and is a very heavy crop this year.
The New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railway Company is planning a telephone train dispatching equipment for its line from Conneaut to Bellevue. The circuit will be the first one installed by the New York, Chicago & St. Louis, and if it is proves satisfactory the railway company will in all probability equip its entire line with telephone train dispatching apparatus.
The total length of the line is 132 miles and there will be 28 regular station equipments with a number of special siding telephones so located that train crews can go in direct get indirect communication with the dispatcher. The equipment used will consist of the standard Western Electric telephone train dispatching apparatus and Gill selectors. The siding telephones will be mounted in telephone booths, which will offer shelter for the train crews when reporting to the dispatcher, or receiving orders from him. Arrangements are made on so that the telephone sets at the sidings are automatically cut free from the line when the telephone sets are not in use.
The telephone train dispatching apparatus, which has been installed on the large railroad systems throughout the country, has been giving such satisfactory service that there is little doubt that the equipment installed by the Nickle Plate will result in the system being installed over the entire line of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railway.
Hmmmmmm....
VERY INTERESTING:Guess who won?
…Winchester, but toward evening of the day of the battle they were drawn into the general engagement and participated in the charge on the rebels' right flank, and by which they were thrown into confusion and utterly routed. Of the Eighth companies C, E, D, and H, were engaged in this fight, and about one-fourth of these were killed or wounded.
After Winchester was fought and won our skirmishing regiment, with the army, followed up the valley of the Shenandoah, giving fight to the enemy at Woodstock, Mount Jackson, Edinburgh and New Market, as only an active, skirmishing command can do. This was continued during March and April and a part of May, but on the 30th of the latter named month, under General Kimball, they participated at Front Royal, and skirmished a distance of eighteen miles. Here was captured the notorious female spy. Belle Boyd.
From Front Royal the brigade to which the Eighth was attached moved to Harrison's Landing, having daily skirmishes on the march. Arrived at that place the regiment was placed in the second corps, in Kimball's brigade and French's division. This corps acted as rearguard to the army during the retreat across the Chickahominy, thence they proceeded to Alexandria. The Eighth acted with the supporting line at South Mountain, but not actively, but crossed the mountain and skirmished with the enemy at Boonsboro and Reedyville.
Antietam was fought on September 17, 1862. "In the advance," says Reid, "Kimball's Brigade formed the third time, Morris and Max Weber's preceding. They struck the rebel line and were driven back when Kimball advanced at a double-quick, carrying the line handsomely, and holding it for four hours, and until firing ceased in front. During this time Sedgwick was driven back on the right, which made it necessary for the Fourteenth Indiana and the Eighth Ohio to change front, which was done most gallantly, and saved the brigade from rout. General Sumner pronounced Kimball's the 'Gibraltar Brigade.'"
After Antietam the regiment was constantly on skirmish duty at Hulltown, Snicker's Gap, United States Ford, in the reconnoissance to Leesburg and elsewhere, and then engaged in the terrible battle at Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862, where a loss of thirty-seven was sustained, after which the Eighth remained in camp during the rest of the winter, but early in May participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, where it was under constant fire for nearly four days, but lost only thirteen in killed and wounded.
In the Gettysburg campaign the regiment was as actively engaged as in any of its numerous battles. In that engagement, on the afternoon of July 2d, it was thrown forward beyond the Emmetsburg road, to drive the rebel sharpshooters from a knoll, from which they were rapidly picking off men. At double-quick the position was taken, and held during the remainder of the fight, notwithstanding the fact that three separate assaults were made against it, once by a force three regiments strong. Besides this the Eighth rendered…
ROAD CREW: I’m not entirely sure what these fellas are up to. Some have interpreted the photo as the time when the interurban tracks were being laid down through Vermilion. But I don’t think so. The track is down – and the wires for the electric exist. What I think this is, is a crew laying brick on Liberty Street.
This is an interesting artifact pic of Vermilion’s past: The old M.&E. Church still occupies the corner of Liberty & Grand streets (it didn’t burn until the late 20s); the Vermilion Banking Company building (now the Wine Vault) is in the pic (it was built around 1908); and most of the other buildings still exist (the two next to the church are gone).
The only building that puzzles me is the old Liberty Theatre building (now the Art Seen). It appears that it might have been a theatre in this shot. If so this photo may have been captured in the 20s.
Initially some folks thought this photograph was an earlier one (when the L.S.E. was being built). But it isn’t. Perhaps these guys are just a road repair crew.
Darling," a husband whispered to his wife late one night, "if I died, would you get married again?"
"I suppose so," she replied.
"Would you sleep in the same bed with him?"
"Well, it's the only bed in the house, so I have no choice."
"Would you make love to him?"
"Honey," the woman said patiently, "he would be my husband."
"Would you give him my car?"
"No," she yawned, "He can't drive a manual transmission car."
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 35 - November 4, 2017
Archive Issue #764
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