Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: On the desks this weeks are pix of old parades along Liberty Avenue in Vermilion. The one on the shoptop is probably from 1937 (or thereabouts). It shows the corner of Liberty and Grand Street. It was probably taken from the marquee in front of the old Liberty Theatre.
The rails for the Lake Shore Electric are visible in the middle of the street and part of the sign from my grandmother’s gift shop is visible on the left side of the pic. The auto dealership on the northwest corner of Grand and Liberty is also apparent in this photo.
This is not a great pic – but it’s adequate.
On my home desk is a pic that has previously been published herein. This was likely a Memorial Day parade turning the corner from Liberty to Sandusky streets. This pic is from the late 1950s.
One reason I opted to re-use it here is because of the restaurant (inset) at the back. When this snap was taken it was called the “Boat House Inn”. I don’t know who owned the place and I can very vaguely recall visiting it with one of my older brothers when I was a kid. It’s one of many Vermilion restaurants that have come and gone over the years. It’s a very tough and competitive business.
Lee Kress is the male on the bicycle. The girl riding with him is Roylene Fitzgerald-Kenyon. The fella on the riding lawnmower is John Brunton. [John’s father owned a company that sold equipment of that nature just west of town.] The photo is one of many taken by a local fellow named Albert Linglebach. Vermilion expatriate Dana Buell-Wheeler provided the pic.
STRONG’S CORNERS: As I’ve transcribed some of the old NEWS files, I’ve come across the names of various little settlements surrounding Vermilion whose precise locations are unfamiliar to me. In time I’ve been able to find some, but not all, their locales. One that still escapes me some is called Strong’s Corners.
Strong’s Corners, as best I can tell, was in part of Henrietta township. Baumhart, Gifford, Vermilion and Gore Orphanage roads run north to south through the township. Becker (Route #511) and Route #113 run east to west (as do small parts of Russia and Garfield Roads).
Even with that description it’s hard to tell what folks referred to as Strong’s Corners. I’m think that it may have been the corners where Route #113 and Vermilion Road cross. Hopefully, someone will enlighten me.
OLD BLUE: Walking to my truck a few days ago I looked over at the river and saw this heron on the riverbank. Since then I’ve seen him / her again along the river.
Back in the1970s, when I was the club caretaker, I’d seen a blue heron on rare occasions (along with other wildlife) in what was a wooded area aside the club. But, as said, it was a rare sighting.
For some reason some of these birds and animals can be sighted more frequently in populated areas. Perhaps we’re just learning to live together – or perhaps they don’t have a choice.
Historically,
RUMSEY'S BEAR PIT I've heard about it, but never seen it in person. It's Al Rumsey's bear cage. This photo was given to me by Nettie White when she and her husband owned the Rumsey Park home near Volunteer Bay. Mr. Rumsey seems to have been fascinated by animals. He was (to put it mildly) a colorful character.
THE LAST CASUALTY: EFFIE CLARA BAUMHART: It was called by several names: “The Great War”; the Great War for Civilization; the “War to End all Wars”; however it is commonly known as the “First World War”. But no matter what one calls it [if I may momentarily editorialize], war is war, and it ain’t good. It was a global conflict that began on 28 July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918. As many folks will already know the “Central Powers” that included, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire fought against the “Allied Powers” of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States.
Although the war began in earnest in 1914 the U.S. didn’t enter the theatre until 1917. Initially American President Woodrow Wilson had pledged neutrality, a position then favored by most Americans. But to be fair, during that period, U.S. manufacturers were happily making money supplying the Allied Powers with munitions and weapons. But when Germany began waging unrestricted warfare against all ships, neutral or otherwise, entering the war zone around Britain and began sinking unarmed ships, American attitudes regarding neutrality changed. And on April 6, 1917 the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives formally voted to enter the war.
Of the estimated 60 million soldiers on either side who participated in this conflict some nine million were killed. It was, in just a few words, a brutal, no holds barred, conflict. And when the dust settled there would forever be an empty place at the family dinner tables in homes in nearly every city, village and farm in America.
In Vermilion a bold headline in the February 6, 1919 edition of The Vermilion News reporting the death of Private First Class George Feiszli in France read, “VERMILION’S FIFTH GOLD STAR”. It was a belated headline for Feiszli had been killed in France in October of 1918. He is buried at the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery and Memorial in France along with another Vermilion boy, PFC Archie Burch, who had been killed less than a month before. These were undeniably sad days in the history of our world, our nation and Vermilion.
While the war and casualties inflicted on both soldiers and civilians was horrendous it may interest some to note that intertwined with this conflict was an even greater disaster. It was an influenza pandemic known as the Spanish Flu. While there is no universal agreement as to where it began, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first noted on military bases in the spring 1918. It was later estimated that about a third of the world’s population eventually became infected it. The number of deaths has been estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 of them occurring in the United States.
The invisible enemy traveled with military personnel from camp to camp and, of course, back and foth across the Atlantic. At the height of the American military involvement in the war, September through November 1918, influenza and pneumonia sickened a significant percentage of U.S. military personnel. These high sickness rates consequently interfered with induction and training schedules rendering considerable numbers of the military temporarily useless. During the American military campaign at the aforementioned Meuse-Argonne offensive the virus diverted resources from combat support to caring for the sick and the dead. In fact, influenza and pneumonia actually killed more American and enemy soldiers, sailors and civilians during the course of the conflict than did the weapons used. Unfortunately, no one was immune. Not even persons in the little lakeside village of Vermilion, Ohio.
Ten days before the end of the war Effie Clara Washburn-Baumhart, the wife of local pharmacist A.D. Baumhart, became what may have been Vermilion’s final fatality of the “War to End all Wars”. After contracting the Spanish Flu pretty Effie, pictured here (c.1914) with son Charles died on Friday November 1st 1918. She was 36. And while she obviously did not die suffering in the abysmal trenches of France she was, in fact, as much a casualty of that war as those who did. A wise person once said, “Those who abide in our hearts will never die.” Ergo…
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...
Decoration Day will be observed in Vermilion in the usual way. At 8 o’clock the G. A. R. And W. R. C. And G. A. R. Band will assemble at the Hall and go to Maple Grove Cemetery where the graves of the veterans will be decorated with appropriate ceremonies. Promptly at 1 o’clock the veterans and the W. R. C. and other orders of the village headed by the band will form a line at the Pelton–McGraw block and march to the schoolhouse where the pupils of the public schools will gather to join the procession. After the parade Dr. Swisher of the Congregational church will deliver an address and the W. R. C. hold services at the bandstand in the park. Music by the band and other music will conclude the services of the day.
It is expected that the Lorain G. A. R. and W. R. C. will be present and take part in the observation of the day. All citizens are invited to be in attendance and all the fraternal orders of the town are invited to take part.
The baccalaureate sermon delivered at the Congregational church Sunday evening by the pastor was full of good sound food for thought. The subject was taken from the story of Daniel when he with a number of other captives were taken to be trained to serve the king and to be fed with dainties from the Kings table. His refusal to eat of these and his purpose to live as he had been taught was the basis of the sermon. We would have been pleased to have published the entire sermon but it could not be obtained in time as Mr. Swisher was out of town.
A large crowd was in attendance enjoyed the splendid sermonAs well as the special music by the choir and juniors.
The death of H. S. Miller a well-known Vermilion retired businessman occurred at his home on Liberty street, Tuesday evening. Mr. Miller would have been 67 years of age in July. With the exception of a few years, he and his family have resided in Vermilion all his lifetime, which was the place of his birth. Mr. Miller was a member of the 8th Ohio in the Civil War and when he died was a member of the Delker Post, G. A. R., and this post will conduct the funeral services at the house at 1 o’clock Friday afternoon, Rev. Swisher of the Cong’l church will assist.
Mr. Miller was also member of the Masonic fraternity at Huron and of the Vermillion Tent K. O. T. M.
He leaves a wife, four daughters and two sons to mourn his death.
E. M. Sherod & Son has purchased the ice cream and confectionery business of W. A. Tischer & Sons will open for business Saturday, May 27th.
Rowboats, canoes, fishing tackle, bait, etc., furnished on short notice. Have improved boat landing, making it convenient. Phone 33R. Wm. Murphie, just south of Water works pumping station.
The Village Council held a meeting last Thursday evening and transacted some important business including the providing for oiling several of our streets, including Liberty, Decatur, Grand and State, Division and Exchange Streets, also Ohio and South. Oil was ordered to cover this territory.
The automobile ordinance was changed to read from 8 miles an hour 21.
[NOTE: I believe this to be in error. It should have been from 8 to 12 miles an hour. While this may be laughable to most of us today – we have to remember that this was done in 1911 and there were very few automobiles about town at that time. 21 mph on an unpaved street would have been extremely fast.]
The necessary legislation preparatory to the curbing guttering of Liberty and Division streets through the business portion of the town was passed.
The communication was red signed by several citizens asking that the Automobile and streetcar ordinance be enforced.
This communication caused the mayor to make a few remarks. He was angry and felt insulted, he had used all the power at his command to enforce the law but could not be complainant [sic], police, judge, etc., all at one time. The Marshal could not be expected to be on duty 24 hours a day and while the laws were enforced the best they could be with the material at command that if some of the complainants would make affidavits to the alleged violations the proper warrants will be forthcoming. He asked for a day man stopwatches etc. to watch for the violators of the speed ordinances. In short those who desire the enforcement of laws and ordinances to bear their share of the burden not stand to one side and tell what should be done.
After discussing other matters of interest, council adjourned.
On May 17th, 1911, the lease was closed for the Opera House; to the Wilcox – Dixey Stock Company for the summer months who intend to produce an up-to-date line of comedies and dramas. The company will be under the personal direction of Mr. Mott Dixey, who has conducted stock companies in the leading cities. Mr. Dixey has also engaged people of the highest standard to support him and good entertainment is assured. The company opens their engagement on May 29th with the stirring military drama entitled “In the Days of 61” which will be an appropriate Memorial Day bill. There also be an extra matinee on Memorial Day and a good time assured all. The prices will be 15 and 25 cents.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jentile a daughter, Monday, May 22.
The funeral services of Mrs. Henry Hahn, were held on Tuesday at 1 o’clock at the home at 2 o’clock at St. Peter’s Church, Rev. Lindenmyer officiating.
The funeral services of Mrs. Minnie Warner were held from the late home on Thursday afternoon. A husband and one son, parents, three sisters and one brother survive her.
The funeral services of Mrs. Henriette Jones, age 68 were held on Sunday afternoon St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. A daughter, Mrs. George Leinhoss [sic] of Amherst and a host of friends are left to mourn their loss.
Stephen Schmitz passed away on Thursday after a long illness. The funeral services were held Monday at 9 AM from St. Joseph’s church. Rev. Ebsen officiating and interment was made in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
Mrs. Martin Hohmann is ill at this writing and is under the care of Dr. Boss.
August Hohmann and sister Marie took a pleasant trip Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Huttonlocker in their new auto.
Instead of blaming anyone official because certain laws are not enforced, why not help the officers do the enforcing. If you see a person riding on the sidewalk on a bicycle go swear out a warrant, and have him punished. The ordinance, we believe, is not worth spending so much breath in discussing but if you desire enforcement help do the enforcing.
If an automobile is running faster than the speed limit and no officer is in sight, take the number of the machine and have the driver “pinched”. Perhaps you can prove your case – PERHAPS NOT. If a streetcar is, in your opinion, going faster than a “walk,” and you can prove it without question, make an affidavit to the fact before the mayor and the law will be enforced.
When it comes to the law enforcement it requires more than a mayor, and marshal. An alleged violator of law cannot be punished unless the violation can be proven. The mayor cannot do all of it alone. He is an executive – enforces the law, or should enforce it when attention is called to the case. Often the violation is apparent done legally if the term may be so expressed just within the law.
Vermilion needs a day policeman as well as a night man. We cannot expect any man to stay on duty day and night. Now to sum up the whole case, if every citizen would do as we suggest, instead of berating the mayor, he would do his duty and perhaps be the wiser for the trial.
Why not give the mayor the necessary dog pond [sic] so that the he can have the law enforced?
The assessor says there are 51 dogs on his list, who owns the others. [sic]
Charlotte M. Olmsted was born born July 21, 1831 in West Union, N. Y. When a young girl she was converted and united with the M. E. Church, of which she always remained a member. Shortly after the Civil War she was united in marriage to William H. Smith. To this union three children were born, two of whom died in their youth. Mrs. Smith survived her husband many years, his death occurring in 1871. She leaves to mourn her loss one daughter, Mrs. F. F. Duham, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild, besides a sister and numerous other relatives and friends.
Brief funeral service was held at the home of Rev. Mrs. F. F. Dunham, near Axtel, May 24, 1911 at 4 o’clock, by Rev. T. H. D. Harrold and the body was sent to her mother’s home Rexville in southern part of the state of New York for burial, accompanied by Rev. and Mrs. Mrs. Dunham.
Mr. John Berry was called home from Erie this week by the serious illness of his wife.
Miss Zenobia Whitmore has accepted a position at the local telephone exchange.
Dr. Buell will leave tonight for South Bend Ind., to attend the annual meeting of the L. S. & M. S. Ry. Surgeons.
Richard Monette, a boilermaker claiming Toledo as his home was considerably bruised by being dragged by a street car on Liberty street. He was taken to Dr. Buell’s office and examined but it was found that his injuries were not serious.
Lester L Harris was born at Ada, O., July 31st, 1889. He was the son of Mr. A. F. and Luella Harris. When one-year-old his parents moved to Huron, O. About three years ago they moved to the present home southeast of Berlin Heights. The deceased had spent two terms in school at Ada and was preparing for the legal profession.
He was baptized and united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Huron, July 17, 1900, at the age of 10 years and remained loyal to the cause which he had espoused until his death which occurred Sunday morning at the home of his parents. He was an ideal young man honored and respected by all who knew him. He had been in ill health for nearly 3 years and at times been to the hospital several times with as many operations. All that tender hands and loving hearts could do, was done that disease might be conquered and health restored again, but all in vain. Death’s messenger came in with an assurance the deceased gestured Heavenward and all was over. He had spoken but a short while before the Blessed Assurance which he had that Jesus was his.
His age was 21 yrs.,7 mos., 20 days.
The funeral was held from the home on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30. Burial at Riverside Cemetery, Rev. A. G. Rupert, conducted the services.
Oscar Haise has purchased him a new E. M. F. Co’s. Flander auto.
[NOTE: The car had a 4-cylinder engine with 20 hp (15 kW), a 100-inch (2,500 mm) wheelbase and was focused on a price of $750 in 1909 - then lower than Ford's "T". But, as Ford was able to cut its price regularly, the Flanders remained more expensive than the Model T. In their best year, 1911, E-M-F and Flanders together ranked 2nd in the industry.]
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. E. Hansen, a daughter, Saturday night.
The graduating class gave a party at the town hall last Friday night.
DeWitt Ennes had an attack of illness last Sunday night but is now reported on the gain.
Mrs. Will Lambert returned from the hospital at Cleveland Monday night and is looking well considering the suffering she has gone through.
An ice cream social was given in Arthur Shattuck’s new barn last Wednesday evening by the Congregational Sunday School. About 180 were present and $19.45 was taken in.
The Brownhelm schools will hold their annual picnic at Crystal Beach, Saturday. The promotion exercises will be given and various contests between the different districts have been arranged for.
The Smith drilling outfit are now drilling at Mr. Henry Hoffner’s having completed drilling at Mr. Henry Brandan’s.
An ordinance to regulate the speed of automobiles and motorcycles and to define the Congested District.
Sec. 1. Being it ordained by the Village of Vermilion, Erie Co., Ohio, that in compliance with section 14 and 15 of the automobile act passed May 9, 1908, the following territory of said village be and is hereafter to be known as the congested district of the village that’s the speed limit shall be 12 miles per hour.
[NOTE: I’m unsure of the speed ordained. On the front page it said it was from 8 mph to 21. My guess would be that the speed went, as indicated above, from 8 to 12 mph. The typesetter with either dyslexic or in a hurry.]
Commencing on the east line of the village, thence running west on Liberty Street to Decatur Street, then south on Decatur Street to South Street, east on South Street to State Street, thence up State Street to the tracks of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis R.R. thence east on Erie Street to Exchange Street, thence on Exchange Street north to South Street, west on South Street to Division Street, thence North on Division Street to Liberty Street, including all streets within the above boundary lines.
Sec. 2. An ordinance passed July 8th, 1909, to regulate the speed of AUTOMOBILES and MOTORCYCLES and to define the congested district, be and the same is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This ordinance to take effect and be in force from and after the passage and legal publication.
Passed May 18, 1911.
H. R. Williams, Mayor
Attest:
C. H. Nuhn, Village Clerk
Hmmmmmm....
…Elsewhere in this work will be found a detail of the events that made perfect the organization of this county, and it is only the province of this particular portion of this chapter to refer to and mention, in some manner, those persons who were identified with the practice at the bar of the courts, and who were residents of the county. To be sure there were the inevitable "circuit riders," lawyers who lived in other counties, but who were always in attendance upon every court, and who controlled a fair share of the business thereof. This was not through any weakness of the resident attorneys, but rather in verification of the old proverb, “a prophet is not without honor save in his own country." These circuit riders were for many years in attendance upon every court and in every locality. They managed to get a certain amount of the "catch practice," most generally in the criminal branch, and were sometimes called into a case by the attorney of record, and served in the capacity of associate counsel. In this manner they could pick up enough business to pay expenses, and sometimes a little more. But the circuit rider was almost a necessity; not, however, in the light of the adage that "necessity knows no law," as they numbered among them some of the brightest trial lawyers of the times.
At this period of which we write, the early days of the county, there were but few, if any, resident practicing attorneys of much prominence except the firms of Parish & Sadler (Francis D. Parish and Ebenezer B. Sadler), and Beecher & Campbell (Lucas S. Beecher and John F. Campbell), all of Sandusky City; also Ebenezer Andrews and Philip R. Hopkins of Milan. Elentheros Cooke had been a prominent attorney of Sandusky, and a pioneer of the profession; but at the time of which we write was practically retired from active practice to engage in other pursuits. He was an able man and lawyer, and possessed of unusual oratorical power. He drifted into the sea of politics, and represented the Fourteenth District in the Twenty-second Congress. He was, moreover, one of the most prominent men, in every step looking to the advancement and welfare of the county, and contributed generously of his means and advice to every worthy enterprise. Hence his popularity.
William H. Hunter, more commonly known as "Colonel" Hunter, was nom
inally a lawyer, but more of a politician. In 1835 he was collector of customs
at this port, and in 1836 was elected to Congress.
John Wheeler is also remembered as a lawyer, though he was content to rest his professional career on the office of justice of the peace, which he held for a number of years.
Of these old pioneers of the profession but two are now living, Hon. E. B Sadler and John Campbell, the latter, however, is not a resident of the county. He took a somewhat unusual course for a lawyer, in that he afterward became a minister of the gospel, and is now understood to fill the most honorable office of bishop of the Lutheran Church in Virginia.
ANN’S PLAN: I don’t know that if was really Ann’s plan, but it was a good one. Some time back Ann Rini-Maiden was somehow involved in a plan to renovate the Vermilion Township Hall; ergo, the poster she’s holding.
If I recall correctly there was even a pamphlet / book describing the alterations that could be made to make the building viable for all types of functions.
At the time the township still owned the hall, and, to my knowledge, they had no plans to do the things suggested by this poster or the proposal related to it.
Looking at it now I believe the renovations would have essentially removed it from official historic status (as a structure). However, the building would have become extremely useful. It was a very practical concept.
Currently the building appears on its way to being renovated. But the intent seems to be one of keeping its historic status. How that shakes down in the future will be interesting to watch.
A gorilla walks into a bar and orders a martini to the amazement of the bartender.
When the bartender gives the gorilla the martini, he's further surprised to see that the ape is holding a $20 bill.
The bartender takes the $20, then he decides to see just how smart the gorilla is, so he hands the gorilla a $1 change.
The gorilla quietly sips the martini until the bartender breaks the silence.
We don't get too many apes in here, he says.
The gorilla replies, At $19 a drink, I'm not surprised.
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 12 - May 25, 2019
Archive Issue #845
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