Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK:On top of my computer desks this week are a bunch of pix I just happened across during the week. Most are related to The Vermilion News office and some just take us back to Perry Street and east Darrow Road.
The shoptop pic was taken on the south side of the printshop back in the 1940s or very early 50s. The only person I don’t recognize is the girl in the “checker-type” dress in the middle of the group. I’ll bet my sis (Nancy Alice) knows her name.
The guys at the back are my big brother Bill and our Dad. And the others (L-R) are: Chuck Thompson, the girl I don’t know, Margie Tomusko-Zelenak, and the little gal in the front, Helen Ellsworth. To my knowledge Margie is the only one of the group still alive. She’s in her early 90s.
My Dad, Helen and Margie are also in one of the six photos on my home desk this week. This film must have been in one piece when I developed it. The handsome chap on the Harley at the top is my late brother-in-law Howard “Jerry” Emery. In the scheme of my life that is a very early snapshot (c. 1952-53).
It was taken in front of our home on Perry Street when Mom and Dad had an old woody station wagon. I remember looking through the holes in the side of the car when I was a little kid. The other car was my brother Bill’s beauty. I remember riding with him in that car out to Cooper’s Hollow where his friends used to ride their horses. In later years he kept it in the garage behind the printshop. He was going to make it into a stockcar. I don’t know what became of it.
Jerry always had something going – whether it was cars, motorcycles or airplanes.
The photo of Helen Ellsworth shows her working at a job press at the back of the printshop. That press was eventually replaced by a nice Heidelberg press that is still in the shop. Helen was an interesting person. She was from the Ashland area. At one time another Vermilionite named Ethel Brooks roomed with Helen and her family. Something (I don’t know what) happened to Helen’s husband and she came to Vermilion to live with Ethel and her brother Warren “Red”.
For a time both Ethel and Helen worked at the Helfrich restaurant. Ethel waitressed, Helen cooked – and Ethel’s brother bartended. Helen’s son married Mary Jayne Reis. But the marriage was ill-fated. They divorced and he left town. Helen remained with her friend Ethel and went to work for my parents at the print shop. She died at the Toledo hospital in 1966. (I am at a loss for the precise reason.)
The young girl (top right) is Doris Boone-Stwan. Doris initially lived with her family in the house behind her. It was her grandparent’s (Kersey & Rosella Boone) home on Perry Street (across from the Tarrant home). Doris was the only daughter of Alva & Esther. She had four brothers (three older and one younger). Only one of the brothers survives (Harold).
Doris was, and remains, a good friend of my sis, Ginny Wilkes. They went to school, and many other places, together. Eventually, her father built another home just north of the one pictured. She married a Vermilion guy named Gerald “Jerry” Stwan.
Bottom (left) is my Dad - W.B.Tarrant at the news desk in the printshop. It is unusual because he never spent much time at that desk. He was usually setting up or running one of the presses in the main part of the shop. The eight-ball on the desk still exists as do many of the documents on the desk and elsewhere.
I do not know the boy on the horse. I do know where that pic was taken though. It was in a barn on east Darrow Road where sister Nancy and brother Bill kept their horses.
These snaps likely mean more to me than most other persons. But they were taken before cell phones existed.
Historically,
HATTIE WHITMORE RIES: She was born in Greensprings Ohio on August 31, 1877 and died July 8, 1975. Her father and mother were George R. and Rebecca “Anna” Hayler-Whitmore. She married John R. Ries on 13 August 1902. The family moved to Vermilion when she was 17. Initially she and her sister Alice (Osborne) owned and operated a millinery store in the Wells building on Grand Street in Vermilion. Her older brother Robert had come to Vermilion sometime earlier and started a newspaper he called The Vermilion News. He didn’t stay long, but his father George picked up the slack and took over the publication. The newspaper printshop was located in the same building as Hattie’s millinery shop. In the early years of the newspaper publication Hattie’s name was listed as publisher. Why her father opted to use her name as publisher is unknown. However, in those years (i.e. the late 19th and early 20th centuries) it appears that folks worked at many different trades – ergo; Hattie and Alice also set type for the paper / printshop. After the Roscoe’s purchased the newspaper George sold insurance and did carpentry work. Some may have noticed that he had been subtly advertising his carpenter skills in the “Briefs” section of this page.
Anyway, after Hattie married in 1902, she and her husband went to Lorain where they owned and operated a grocery on Broadway for a number of years. Some years later they moved back to Vermilion where John was in the business of supplying fish for restaurants. The couple lived in a tidy little house on Grand Street with their daughter Mary Jayne.
Hattie was a very active member of Vermilion’s Evangelical & Reformed church. For six decades she sang in their choir. She was also an artist. She did numerous chalk-talks in the church and for other clubs in the area. Her specialty was chalk landscapes. When young couples married she gave them one of her beautiful landscapes as a wedding gift. We have four of them at the Vermilion History Museum.
My memory of Hattie was that she was a small figure – but she cast a giant shadow.
A SWEET DISCOVERY: Hiking through the woods on his grandfather’s, A. H. Leimbach, farm just a bit south and east of Vermilion Village on a gloomy but very warm summer day in August of 1935 Bud Zier, and a friend, came across a huge tree that was very literally abuzz with activity. It was a black oak, and by all accounts stood 80 feet high with a circumference of at least 3 feet at its base. To wax poetically the “buzz was because” the old oak had become the home of what appeared to be a rather large swarm of honey bees. Had this been an ordinary discovery the friends might have just passed on by on their journey and forgotten about it. But it appeared that the infestation was significant. So much so that the young men sought out his grandfather who, after returning with them to the tree to investigate, determined that he should call on an Amherst friend, one C.E. Hurlbut, for advice. Hurlbut was known to have some experience and knowledge in such matters. [Footnote: Hurlbut was a cousin of a Vermilionite named Roy Hurlbut who was once the village fire chief.]
Although Mr. Leimbach had neither the desire nor intent to fell the tree when he returned to it with Hurlbut they found the oak to be hollow nearly all the way to the top of the trunk. The cavity inside the trunk was about 8 inches in diameter. And starting at around 20 feet from the ground and extending approximately 11 feet upward the bees had completely cleaned out the inside and constructed a sweet home filled with honey. In this area the trunk was determined to be about 2 feet in diameter. Later, in just a two-foot section they removed from the felled tree they acquired somewhere around fifty pounds of honey. Hurlbut thought that when done splitting the tree into sections about 200 pounds of honey would be harvested. And as he worked harvesting the honey he was also in the process of “hiving” (i.e. placing the bees in a hive) the swarm.
Hurlbut identified the swarm as being of a type known as “Italian” bees. The Italian honey bee is said to be the most popular bee for beekeepers in the USA. They are considered to be easy to work with for new and experienced beekeepers alike. The name, by the way, was given them because they originated in Italy and were brought to the US around 1859.
As he worked Hurlbut was surprised to find that some less knowledgeable apiarist had preceded him in this venture. That individual had attempted to cut through the trunk about twenty-five feet from the ground. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for Leimbach and Hurlbut), the person undertaking that task had most definitely found it to “bee” [excuse the pun] a mistake. But in any case, someone in that yesteryear ended up with enough honey to sweeten his or her tea for the next century or so. And beekeeper Hurlbut (pictured) saved the day and Vermilion’s Italian Bees. It was a sweet discovery.
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...
W. E. Bailey who recently purchased a hardware store and tinning business in Cleveland, has sold the hardware business to Horace Fischer, formerly of Vermilion. He retains the tin and metalwork portion of the business.
The Cambridge, O., papers are announcing the proposed erection of a three-story building 66 x 140 ft. of pressed brick and stone trimmings with all the equipment of an up-to-date department store for the Davis Dry Goods Co. Mr. Davis went to Cambridge about 10 years ago and established the Davis Dry Goods Co., and has been very successful in the venture. The store will be one of the largest in southeastern Ohio. Mr. Thomas Davis is a brother of Guy S. Davis of this place and it was at one time engaged in business with his brother and his many Vermilion friends are pleased to hear of his success.
Saturday evening March 25th occurred the death of Mrs. Roxie G. Jay at the home of her daughter Mrs. Frank Sherod of Cleveland. She had been sick but a few days with pneumonia but suffered intensely when death came to her relief. Mrs. Jay was born in 1843 and in 1864 was married to Mr. C. C. Jay who was a soldier in the Civil War. At the close of the war they became residents of Vermilion where she resided until 1889 when her daughter and family moved to Cleveland where she has since lived. Mrs. Jay had but one child, Mrs. Frank Sherod. Besides this immediate family she leaves one sister, Mrs. Welch of Wakeman and one brother, Mr. Lyman Bryant of Genoa. Mrs. Jay was a woman that everybody admired, and her sweet and sympathetic nature. She was a member of the Euclid Ave., Congregational Church, Cleveland, and services were conducted at her late home Tuesday p.m. at 1:00 o’clock, and the charge of her pastor Dr. Charles E Burton. The remains were brought here Tuesday evening and services were conducted for the home of Mrs. F. Pelton, Wednesday afternoon in charge of Dr. Raymond C. Swisher. Interment in Maple Grove Cemetery. Surely a bright light has gone out; the most hallowed memory remains.
The Vermilion High School Alumni met last evening at the home of Earle Childs. Committee on entertainment and place of entertainment were appointed. The reception and banquet will probably be held May 27. There are 114 living graduates, only about half of which are residents of Vermilion at present.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kane, a son, Sunday, March 26, 11.
The funeral services of John Weiner, Sr., took place Tuesday afternoon at 1 o’clock at the home and 1:30 at the German M. E. Chur in Cleveland street cemetery.
The schools here are enjoying a weeks vacation.
Mrs. Theodore Wood has been sick for past week.
The Lapp gas outfit is drilling for Mr. Anthony Northeim.
Mrs. Frank Higgins who is been confined to her bed nearly all winter, is reported worse.
The Smith outfit is drilling a gas well for Mr. Henry Kane, on the place formerly owned by Mr. W. Cooley of Oberlin. If he obtains a good well Mr. Kane will erect a house and take up his residence there.
Mr. Leonard Bacon is very ill in his home here.
Miss Laura Van Wagnen has resumed her school duties.
Miss Anna Brill entertained fourteen of her friends at her home on Saturday evening. A pleasant time is reported.
A demonstration and lecturer of the Experiment Farm, in Wooster will be at Samuel Bacon’s Monday, March 27, for the purpose of showing the farmers the correct method of spraying and trimming fruit trees. All are cordially invited.
The friends of Earl S. Miller will be pained to learn that he lies dangerously ill in a Detroit hospital with pneumonia. Mr. Miller is the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Miller of this place, and is foreman of the Hudson Auto Works, the largest auto factory in America.
The gasoline fish boat built at T. J. Ball’s boat works is said to be the finest ever in the creek. The boat was delivered to her owner and taken to Huron one day last week the trip from light to light was made in about 55 minutes.
A large number of men are engaged in on the L. S. & M. S. making preparations for putting in the new bridge. The immense amount of work to be done here in building the under grade at water Street and making the heavy fills that are required. The East River Road will also require considerable work to put into condition.
Miss Adelaide Wolf, wife of Scott S. Wolf, caused a sensation at Fremont by bringing suit on behalf of herself and two children against Ralph Horn, C. L. Horn, William Schrader and M. J. Arnold for $5000 which she alleges her husband lost to them in gambling between September 24, 1909, September 24, 1910. She asked for a lien on Ralph’s Horn’s building where she says, the gambling occurred.
Mrs. Louise Thompson of Wellington, O., One of the chief creditors of the Duplex Stamping Machine Co. of Vermilion, brought the property for $1850 from Attorney John F. McCrystal, the receiver at the courthouse last week.
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. George Howell, a daughter, Thursday, March 23, 1911.
[The girl was named Alice. She later married a Vermilion guy named Elmer Fleming. She passed in 1993.]
Official neglect was clearly demonstrated in the sacrifice of 142 lives in the New York factory fire Saturday.
[NOTE: This refers to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, fatal conflagration that occurred on the evening of March 25, 1911, in a New York City sweatshop, touching off a national movement in the United States for safer working conditions. Actually 146 lives were lost.]
A fire at the grocery store of the Routson and Ayers, 436 Broadway, did $25 worth of damage at 10:25 this morning. Hose company No. 1 extinguished the flames. – Lorain News.
Dr. Monosmith of Lorain was in town Tuesday and performed an operation on the ear of Miss Nettie Hahn. Ms. Hahn has suffered greatly from gatherings in her ear for the past few months.
[NOTE: I don’t know what “gatherings” in an ear refers to.]
Ms. Clarinda Rumsey who has been quite sick is somewhat better.
A bunch of Oberlin students are enjoying their annual Easter vacation along the shore.
El Harris who is been very ill for the past several weeks is still confined to his bed.
James Cuddeback who underwent an operation at St. Joseph’s Hospital Thursday is reported as getting along nicely.
We were misinformed in regard to the sanitorium to which Mrs. Pretzer was taken. It is the Windsor Sanitorium on Windsor Avenue., Cleveland.
Mrs. O. A. Priest of Canton is the guest of her parents Mr. and Mrs. George Fischer and family.
The fishing during the past week has been quite light, which is very discouraging to the tug owners.
N. Wagner returned to his Vermilion home last Thursday after about three months sojourn in the “land of flowers.” As a souvenir he left a huge grapefruit at the NEWS office. It is fully 18 inches in circumference and weighs 2 lbs and 2 oz. Thanks.
Lester Bates had a porch build across the front of his house.
Mrs. Todd, who is been confined to the bed for the past few weeks is able to get around.
Henry Funk was out Sunday in his auto the first time this spring and had the good luck to puncture a tire.
Joe Fenton has lost his dog and anyone finding it dead or alive will receive a liberal reward.
C. S. Vincent has sold his stock of groceries to E. A. Penny and has rented the building to him and he expects to move on to the Fenton place this week.
New buggies are getting to be all the rage in the city nowadays.
The new owners of the Johnson farmer are getting material on the grounds for rebuilding the barn.
Anyone wanting to buy some buggies, cheap, would do well to call on A. R. Rumsey, also a lot of hay.
One day last week the notorious Con Shea, former Deputy of Cheyenne, visited the park on his way back from Panama, to see A. R.
[NOTE: I Believe someone was confused about Shea’s identity. The Con Shea that visited Rumsey was most likely one Cornelius P. Shea (September 7, 1872 – January 12, 1929) an American labor leader and organized crime figure. He was the founding president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, holding the position from 1903 until 1907. He became involved with the Chicago Mafia, and although he was indicted many times, he usually escaped conviction. After a short prison term for attempted murder removed him from union affairs, Shea was appointed secretary-treasurer of the Mafia-dominated Theatrical Janitors Union in Chicago. Rumsey was definitely a union man so knowing Shea is really not, as some might say, “a reach”.]
The many friends of Mr. Jerome Hine will be glad to learn that he is home again from the hospital. Mr. Hine had his limb amputated about 6 inches below the knee. He is getting along nicely.
The bodies of Mr. Wiggins and infant daughter were transferred last week from the West End Cemetery to Riverside were missed Mrs. Wiggins, who met with such a tragic death last summer by an over speeded L. S. E. Car, was laid to rest.
The house of the Henry Bembower farm south of town, now under contract of sale, was destroyed by fire Sunday night. The house is been vacant for several months and the property had been purchased a couple weeks ago by T. M. Elson of this village. The contract had been made, but the transfer had not yet been effected [sic]. Insurance of $1000 was held by Mr. Bembower. The origin of the fire’s not known.
Hmmmmmm....
The Independent succeeded the Tribune, and was published in the rooms occupied by its predecessor. Its first number appeared in April, 1881, and its last in July of the same year. It was edited by G. W. Rutlege, one of the proprietors of the defunct Tribune. The Independent was a weekly publication.
The Saturday Gazette is the youngest occupant of the journalistic field in Erie county. It was established in Sandusky county, in October, 1886, by C.C. Hand and W. I. Jackson, but the latter on January 1,1887, became sole editor and owner. It was the aim of the founders to establish a paper that should be free from political bias, and become useful especially as a clean family paper. Among the special features of the Gazette one entire page is devoted to musical, dramatic, and athletic news; another to humorous sketches and choice clippings from the spicy and popular writers of the day.
The Gazette seems to be established on a sound basis and determined “to stay," notwithstanding the misfortunes that have overtaken previously founded weekly journals in the county.
In connection with the press, in general, of the county, it may be well enough to mention the Mercury, a Sunday paper published for a very brief time in Sandusky by J. L. Sweeny. It was started in 1879, but did not long continue—long enough, however. And in this same connection there may be made mention of the several publications of the socialists of Berlin township, but, fortunately, their end was timely, as they were conducive of no good results, nor are we aware that, during their brief but eventful career, they did any special injury to the good people of that locality.
The socialistic publications were the Age of Freedom, the Social Revolutionist, the Good Time Coming, the New Republic, The Optimist, and Kingdom of Heaven, The Principia, or Personality, the New Campaign, and the Toledo Sun, the last named having been removed to this locality in 1875.
It was many years after the organization of Ohio before the northern portion of the State had either bench or bar, and for a long time after the territorial government had ceased, the only courts known were the Indian coun-…
GEORGE'S ARCO This is but one of numerous pens collected by M. Homitz. She has collections of sundry Vermilion artifacts that, through the years most folks would have tossed. Truly astounding!
Mr. Smith was in his hospital bed and had been getting many tests done.
After several days of hospitalization, a nurse finally came into his room and stated, "Mr. Smith, I have some bad news and some good news. Which do you want to hear first?"
Mr. Smith solemnly replied, "Well, tell me the bad news first."
The nurse said, "The bad news is that your HMO refuses to pay for you to have an enema. But, the good news is that I am qualified to slap the s**t outa you."
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'".
Rich; it is our 60th reunion and will be very informal. It looks like this at the present time; Tuesday, JULY 9, 2019.
-4pm Boat ride Vermilion River and Lagoons (Parsons)
-5:30pm Drinks and music on the Patio-Vermilion Boat Club
-6:30pm Dinner - order off the menu Vermilion Boat Club
Replys can be sent to;
Roger Boughton
2205 1th Ave. SW
Ausitn, MN. 55912
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
or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)
Vol. 17. Issue 4- March 30, 2019
Archive Issue #837
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