Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK:This week I’m featuring the boys of the Olympic Outing Club with the desktop pix.
On my home desk is a copy of their 25th anniversary program that was held on Cleveland’s West Side. That’s where most of the members lived way back when. Perhaps you will recognize some of the names. As always, they apparently had a good time.
Of the original membership two family names of current members are still heard around the club: Kammer and Diener. Many of the others still have relatives therein. But their surnames are no longer common.
On the shoptop is a very cool pic of the guys enjoying a refreshment at their outdoor saloon. These guys were just (again) having a good time – camping, fishing and playing cards along the beautiful Vermilion River. When this pic was taken, they had yet to build any permanent structures on the grounds.
CHEN: Every now and then we have some interesting persons visit the museum. Last week an oriental fella came into the museum and introduced himself as “Chen”. I asked him where he was from and he replied, with a smile on his face, “China”. [Yeah, I got that. And so did he. It was, of course, a joke.] Then he told me he was from Cleveland.
I later found that (his name is Yiyun Chen) he is a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Cuyahoga Community College. He was Born and raised in Guangdong, China. At this time Chen is an Artist based in Cleveland. He received his MFA photography and related media from Rochester Institute of Technology. He also received the Theodore Chapman and William A. Reedy Endowment Scholarship in support of his graduate work from RIT. He holds the Bachelor of Arts from Cleveland State University and was invited into the Post Bac program at Cleveland Institute of Art where he continued his studies in photography and video. He is currently focusing on his art practice dealing with the exploration of image, moving image and text.
Since 2010 he has been in over 15 exhibitions and has received numerous awards and scholarships for his creative work – most notable in 2016 he received an honorable mention from the International Photography Award in Los Angeles, CA and in 2017 his artwork was included in an exhibition in Rome, Italy.
TIME TO GET TO WORK: Maybe it’s the change in the weather, but I’m gearing up to get some work done at the museum in the coming weeks.
Marlene Calvert-Feldkamp came by with a bunch of slides she and her late husband took during the 4th of July Flood in 1969. I’m going to scan them and make copies for myself and the Archival Society. Hopefully, this won’t take the whole week.
I’m also going to organize and repack all the vinyl and shellac records in our collection in a manner that will make my new office a bit tidier. We have (maybe) a thousand recordings.Then (when that is accomplished) it will be time to separate, identify and file all our documents (pix, letters, etc.) in a manner where they can be easily retrieved. This will be a task that will require a good deal of time.
This should be fun.
Historically,
MISS VERMILION CONTENDERS This snap was taken sometime around 1961 or '62 in Victory Park. The girls were contending for the title of Miss Vermilion. I believe this pre-dated the Fish Festival. I recognize most of the girls. Do you? [Susie Rathbun won the contest.]
MY BROTHERS’ WAR: It was never really a bonafide war. The U.S. Congress never passed a formal declaration of war when we became involved in the conflict. American politicians sidestepped that part of the procedure by using the powers of the United Nations and calling it a “Police Action”. It started in June of 1950 when some 75,000 soldiers from North Korea poured across the 38th parallel, the arbitrary boundary separating North and South Korea attacking the pro-Western Republic of South Korea. The invasion was the first military action of the Cold War and it was deemed unacceptable by the U.S. A month later American troops entered the war and the war that was never formally declared to be a “bonafide” war began. However, as far as most American’s were concerned, it was a war aimed at stopping the spread of communism both inside and outside the Korean peninsula.
One of my big brothers, Philip Frederick “Bud” Tarrant, who had graduated from Vermilion High School two years earlier had joined the Army right after graduation and in 1950 was happily stationed in Japan with the 7th Infantry Division. At the outbreak of the Korean War the 7th was among the first units called into action. It’s helpful to understand that prior to the U.S. entering the conflict North Korea, with the assistance of China and the Soviet Union, had managed to quickly overrun and occupy all but a very small portion of South Korea (i.e. the Pusan Perimeter) until…
In mid-September UN forces, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, made a daring amphibious invasion / assault deep in enemy held territory at Incheon [a city on the west coast of the peninsula bordering the Yellow Sea]. The 7th was part of that invasion force. In four days the capital city of Seoul had been liberated. By October 1st UN forces had successfully driven the North Korean Army from the south.
Last year as summer stretched to the end and things began to slow down at the museum I began working on various things (exhibits, etc.). In the process I found an interesting item. It is a paper poster size portrait of Kim il-sung who held the office of Supreme Leader of North Korea from 1949 to 1966. Following his death he was named “Eternal General Secretary”. [I don’t know what it pays.] His grandson Kim Jong-un is now the Supreme Leader.
Anyway, a handwritten note on the back of the pic reads, “The North Korean Leader Taken From The North Korean Headquarters, [unreadable], South Korea By P. Tarrant 1 Oct. 1950” As indicated, I don’t know what the unreadable word is and, more importantly, I doubt if my brother spelled it correctly. It was likely a phonetic spelling. In any case, the date coincides with the day UN Forces drove North Koreans from South Korea.
On October 7th the UN authorized MacArthur to cross the 38th parallel in pursuit of the N. Korean troops. And by the 19th UN troops had captured the northern capital of Pyongyang and pushed the Northern forces to the Yalu River – the river on the border between North Korea and China. My brother wrote of that time: “It is damn cold up here and the snow has covered the ground. The Yalu river is about 300 yards from where we are. It is about as wide as Beaver Creek and 3 feet deep in the deepest spots…”
A bit over a month later (November 26th) the Chinese Army with 200,000 troops crossed the Yalu and attacked the UN forces. McArthur’s intelligence from Tokyo regarding the size of the Chinese forces along the Yalu had been, to be candid, lousy. The results were catastrophic. Troops in 1st Marine Division and the 7th Division were driven back and surrounded at a placed known as the Chosin Reservoir. My brother, Phil, was among them. Both the weather and the terrain around Chosin were exceptionally harsh. And the troops suffered. 15,000 were wounded and 3,000 were killed. For a time my brother, separated from his unit, was reported missing in action. Years later he would often describe his “Chosin Reservoir” experience to me always in a cold sweat. Although it ended well for him, by early December he succeeded in finding his way back to friendly territory, I’m not sure he really ever totally recovered. He was only twenty-two.
Our oldest brother, Bill, was also in Korea at the time. Bill was two years older than Bud. He had been in a Reserve Army unit that was called to active duty a short time after brother Bud had been deployed to the war zone. Bill served in an armor unit and I believe saw more action around and near the 38th Parallel following the aforementioned Chinese troop invasion. He had been stationed near the area where Bud was several times, but was never able to touch base with him during their days in the war theatre. To my knowledge Bill had a less harrowing war experience than Bud, but a N. Korean mosquito bite plagued him during and for some time following his service. He was infected with malaria. After his return to the states there were days during the heat of a Vermilion summer that he would lay in bed covered up to his chin with blankets, sweat rolling off his brow and complain of feeling cold.
Nearly seven decades have passed since the war that was never a bonafide war began. And while the armed conflict essentially ended in 1953 no peace treaty was ever signed. Politicians are still comparing notes. In the meantime my brothers have passed into the ages along with many of their contemporaries. Numerous conflicts have come and gone since that time. And I’m not certain that many folks know about, much less remember, the Korean War (that was not a war). Like William T. Sherman said, “It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell.” To be sure.
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...
Mr. Christopher S. Shaffer, of Vermilion, O., was born in Florence Township, Erie Co., O. July 4, 1827, departed this life, May 9, 1911, aged 83 yrs. 10 mo. and 12 dys. His great-grandfather, Lambert Shaffer, was a soldier of the American Revolution and fought under Washington, and was one of the immortal band that wintered at Valley Forge. At the close of the war this hero of many battles, settled in Cableskill [sic], N. J. Here the father of Mr. Shaffer was born, Lambert Shaffer, junior.
[NOTE: I’m not certain that this info is correct. There is a Cobleskill, N.Y., but nothing like that in New Jersey.]
In 1810 they all moved by ox team to Buffalo and there took a sailboat for Cleveland and from Cleveland by ox team to Florence Township, then part of Huron County, but now Erie, on the Vermilion River bottoms. Here they settled and endured the hardship of pioneer life. It was here that Mr. Shaffer’s father married Catherine Sherats [sic] and to them were was born six children, Ann, Christopher S., George, who died at the Battle of Stone River [The Battle of Stones River was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee.], Elizabeth, Aleiannin [sic] and Ozias, who was in company A of the 24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry under Gen. Grant and was buried at Soldiers Home at Sandusky, Ohio, February 1910. In 1812 all went to Fairport where they took refuge in a fort in order to get away from the British and Indians. When peace was declared they all went back to the farm. Here our deceased Christopher S. Shaffer, grew to manhood on the farm. And still there is no better place for children to be reared and knew the hardships peculiar to that day. He personally related to us how his father often killed game for the family support. In one fall and winter his father killed eighty deer, and spoke of his father killing a black bear that weight 800 pounds, which had killed two of his dogs.
Sixty-one years ago on 17 March 1850, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Whiting. The ceremony only being performed by the Rev. Goodell of the Congregational church. Two couple were married under one ceremony the other couple being George Heald and Maria Shaffer.
The first year of Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer’s married life was spent in Tarryville [sic], Florence, and they then moved to Wakeman, where they resided three years. He then moved on a farm in Camden, Lorain Co., which Mr. Shaffer bought. They moved from Camden back to Florence where they resided for eight years. They next moved to Amherst where they remained for 20 years. Then they moved to Vermilion, Ohio, in 1886, where they have remained.
For 40 years Mr. Schafer has been in the insurance business, and was at his death, agent for seven companies, all million-dollar companies, and over. During that time he has dealt with many in his business. He was a man of integrity and always very careful in all his dealings desiring that everything be kept in perfect condition. When calling upon him last week, before I left he said to his wife, get my checkbook and the papers in the desk you put away, I want Rev. Harrold to write out three checks and then I will sign them. Sister Shaffer said, dear, I would not bother that now, it is no hurry, he said, yes it is; I will not be here longer than a few days I want everything finished to date, and it proved to be his last business transactions and the last time he signed the name. Bro. Shaffer was a true and loyal follower of his “Master” and then always faithful at church and always regretted that he could not enjoy the public worship during his illness. Both testified that the 61 more years have been years of solid comfort, and that their evenings were always spent at home together, unless duty called them away. He said, “All is well, I am ready to go home.” May the grace of God sustain the wife, who has shown such unfailing devotion to her husband all these years, and heroically cared for him during all his sickness. Soon they will be united again where the word goodbye is never spoken.
There remains to mourn his departure his devoted wife, one sister who lives in Tonansand, Montana, and a host of friends. But we need not mourn as those who have no hope for as the ripened grain, he has been gathered in heaven, there to greet the loved ones gone, and await the coming of those left behind for, “He fought a good fight nd kept the faith, henceforth has received the crown of righteousness.”
The funeral was conducted from the home in Vermilion, O. by T. H. D. Harrold, on Thursday at 1 o’clock, May 11th, 1911. Burial at Brownhelm cemetery.
[NOTE: This whole article was very hard to follow. It seems disjointed in spots. My assumption is that it was written by Rev. Harrold – or it was taken from his notes. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting piece.]
The G. A. R. and the W. R. C. are making preparations for decorating graves in a patriotic program for May 30. The town and Township schools are invited to be present both at the cemetery in the morning and at the exercises in the afternoon. The G. A. R. Band will probably assist at both services.
The Vermilion Village Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday evening. The committee reported the completion of the grading of the ground and seeding of same.
The tax levy was left for a special meeting.
On complaint of a pupil’s parent that slot machines in the stores were a menace to the morals of the schoolchildren the board passed a resolution asking the mayor to have the law enforced in respect to this matter. One machine in particular is taking all the small change the children can obtain. The legality of the machine was questioned and legal or not legal this particular machine is the most demoralizing of them all.
The board and went into executive session that the members might more freely discuss the teacher question. During this session all but three of the teachers were hired and they will be provided at a later meeting. Those hired for the next year are as follows:
Miss Eleanor Hope Williams
Mrs. Sophia Bostwick
Miss Lydia Trinter
Miss Georgia Burrows
Miss Ada white
A. L. Irey, Supt.
Andrew H. Hoffner only son of Mrs. C. A. Hoffner who spends much of her time in Vermilion, died at the State Hospital at Massillon on last Wednesday. The body was brought to Amherst and the funeral was held Friday. A number from here attended, Mr. Hoffner spent his boyhood days in Amherst, going later to Cleveland where he served as councilman for a number of years. His health failed and for the past four years he has been an inmate of the hospital. Besides his mother a wife and sister survive.
On Sunday last, during the absence of F. C. Morgan and family their home was broken into and desks forced open, boxes and drawers ransacked, the thief or thieves taking a whale watch and other articles, valuable on account of their age and associations.
Mars. Harley Mason, aged 73, died at her home at Masons corners Wednesday. Funeral services will be held at the house at 1 o’clock Friday afternoon. Burial at Maple Grove.
Judge Reed refused to grant either Mr. and Mrs. Henry the Baatz of Birmingham a divorce. The case was heard some time ago.
[NOTE: I found this curious. I don’t believe too many divorce actions were refused by the court. It’s very unusual.Maybe it should happen more often.]
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. Bert Long a son, Thursday, May 4th.
Dog poisoners are at work in Amherst and vicinity.
Miss Wilma Norton has so far recovered from her recent illness has to be around in an invalid chair.
Mr. Mrs. Clare Walker and twin baby girls of Bellevue were Sunday guests of Mrs. E. W. Walker family.
[NOTE: These folks eventually moved to Vermilion and lived across the street from the NEWS print shop.]
About 25 of the young ladies of the high school walked to Mill Hollow Friday morning carrying their lunches with them and spent the day fishing.
At the meeting of the directors of the Water Works Co., held on Friday afternoon the Hersey meter was selected. One hundred being ordered for the first shipment.
Alonzo Crocker died at the home of his daughter at Cleveland Friday. The deceased was 92 years of age. Mr. Crocker was a postmaster at Amherst for 20 yrs. He was a Civil War veteran enlisting and Company E, 128 0. V. I.
The remains were brought to Amherst and interred in the Cleveland St., Cemetery.
A. R. Spent two days at his country home last week.
A. R. Entertained quite a number of auto parties Sunday.
Everything is looking fine at the park, trees loaded with blossoms all the barns and outhouses are being painted.
[NOTE: GOOD TO KNOW.]
Mrs. Wheeler of Norwalk, who bought the John Johnson farm is making great improvements laying tile, moving barns and houses, building additions on the big big [sic] house, will have the place looking fine.
The Schrader Bros. of South Amherst are erecting a barn for Arthur Shattuck
Miss Etta Hoffner and Mr. Ernest Portman attended the May festival concert at Oberlin Monday evening.
Miss Bernice Wood and Superintendent F. H. Cox attended the May festival concert at Oberlin Tuesday evening.
If you have not been called upon to sign for oiling the street upon which you live and are in favor of the project hunt up the representative of your street and sign. Not only will the oil kill the dust but assist in exterminating vermin.
BORN – and Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Buell, son, Saturday, May 6, 1911.
[NOTE: This was Wm. “Bill” Buell.]
Capt. Stone left Wednesday for his season’s duties on the Lakes.
Dr. and Mrs. George D. Matcham of South Professor street leave this week for Linwood Park where they have several cottages. They will get them in readiness for the summer season. – Oberland Tribune.
All the Vermilion fishing fleet excepting the Frank. S. and several gasoline boats have gone to Grand River. The catches there are reported from 1000 to 1500 lbs. per boat.
Mrs. Karpenstein is reported very ill at her home on Washington Street. Her daughter Mrs. Hickok of Hammond, Ind., has been sent for.
On Friday afternoon each grade of the public schools will have an exhibit of all schoolwork to which the public is invited. School will be in session until 2 o’clock after that time everyone will be at liberty to inspect such written work as is displayed.
The baccalaureate sermon to the senior class will be preached this year by Mr. Swisher of the Congregational church at that church on Sunday evening May 21st.
Earl Childs is president of the alumni association has been doing effective work along with his committees in perfecting plans for what promises to be a more than a usual social function of post school life.
Mrs. Art is very ill at this writing.
The farmers are putting in oats.
Albert Reiser has purchased a new “Jackson” touring car.
Mrs. Della Lambert is now at the Lakeside Hospital, Cleveland.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. John Bone, Jr., an 8 pound boy Friday, May 5.
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. Frank Sheldon Friday, May 5th, a daughter.
Mrs. Melinda Jarrett is very low with no hopes of her recovery.
The barn of Mr. Hastings, living southeast of town was burned to the ground last week one night. Five horses were burned besides much of its other contents. The origin of the fire is unknown.
On Tuesday was the first fire alarm sounded for more than a year in our village it was about 11 o’clock that it was discovered that the residence of Sterling Hill was on fire. The fire company with nearly 100 of citizens were at the scene in a very short notice. The fire which originated from the flu was quickly extinguished and but very little damage was done.
Mrs. Emma Naegele of Vermilion visited with her sister, Mrs. Sperry Saturday and Sunday.
We are glad to say that Mrs. Sperry has been able to take a few short rides lately.
We are glad to report that Mrs. Wm. Dean who has been sick the past week is improving.
Hmmmmmm....
…ical) contains the enactments which are organic, being the frame-work and machinery of our government; the second part (Civil) relates to person and property; the third part (Remedial) includes everything connected with civil procedure in all the courts; and the fourth part (Penal) embraces the provisions relating to crimes, criminal procedure, and jails and the penitentiary.
Constitution of 1802.—Under the Constitution of 1802 the judicial power of the State, both as to matters of law and equity, was vested in a Supreme Court, in Court of Common Pleas for each county, in justices of the peace, and in such other courts as the Legislature might establish. Under this latter provision the Circuit Courts were established.
The Supreme Court consisted of three judges—two of whom formed a quorum. It had original and appellate jurisdiction, both in law and in chancery, in such cases as the Legislature might direct, and which would be beyond the province of this chapter to enumerate. The Legislature was empowered to add another judge to the number after five years, and in that event the judges were authorized to divide the State into two circuits within which any two could hold court.
The Courts of Common Pleas consisted of a president and two associate judges. The State was required by law to be divided into three circuits with a president judge for each circuit, and not “more than three nor less than two" associate judges for each county. Any three of these judges constituted a quorum and composed the Court of Common Pleas, and had common law and chancery jurisdiction, and also jurisdiction of all probate and testamentary matters and of guardians and minors, and of criminal cases. Clerks were appointed by the court for a term of seven years. Power was conferred on the Legislature to increase the number of circuits and of the president judges after the expiration of five years. The Supreme Court was required to be held once a year in each county.
All judges were appointed by a joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly, and held office for the term of seven years, “if so long they behaved well." Justices of the peace were elected in each township and held office for three years. Their "powers and duties" were “regulated and defined by law."
By the act that completed the civil organization of Erie county it was provided that the first Court of Common Pleas should be held on the second Monday in December, 1838, yet there is a record of the holding of a court in April prior to that time. There appears not to have been present any president judge, and the proceedings were conducted by Moses Farwell, Nathan Strong, and Harvey Fowler, the associate justices. These proceedings, however, were brief, no cases being tried.
THE WILLOW AT MAIN ST: I'm glad someone took this snapshot. This is the old willow tree that was near the beach at the end of Main Street. How many youngsters climbed it's branches is, of course, unknown. But it was a lot. I was one of them.
I recall climbing the tree and crawling out one of the big branches over the sand and trying to work up enough nerve to jump. It took awhile - but I did, and I was elated. It was one of the first challenges to my self between baby-hood and pre-teen-hood.
I was devastated when the tree was eliminated from the beach. Anyone who knows anything about willows would have understood that if they would not have completely eliminated it that a new tree would have grown from the stump therefore giving future youngsters a challenge like the one many others experienced.
"I play golf in the low 80's," the little old man was telling one of the young boys at the club.
"Wow," said the young man, "that's pretty impressive."
"Not really," said the little old man. "Any hotter and I'd probably have a stroke."
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 10 - May 11, 2019
Archive Issue #843
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© 2017 Rich Tarrant