Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: The desktop pix this week present different views of the original Vermilion Lighthouse that once stood at the entrance to the harbor.
The color photo is, as some will recognize as a color tinted postcard that was widely sold in a yesteryear. Much of it is just rudimentary artwork. It is romanticized and speaks to the way some saw the light in the past.
The other pic is one that I’ve always liked, but hardly used. This is a peaceful – more bucolic – photograph taken from the beach at Main Street. I particularly like the youngsters on the old long and out in the lake a bit.
This is an enjoyable scene.
I WASN’T GOINT TO DO THIS – BUT MAYBE: I had thought some time ago that I would not do another book. It’s not like I have publishing firms backing me. While there is one company, I know of, that would publish some of my stuff for nothing but the rights (and some profits) to do so – I prefer not to do that. So my last book was to be my last one. Until now.
I’m thinking of doing another coffee table type book called “Then & Then Again”. What I’ve noted over the last several years is that things change so frequently that doing a ” Then & Now” type book gets old very quickly. So – I think it would be interesting to do a book showcasing photographs of people, places and things about Vermilion as they appeared from different points of view and times.
The desktop pix this week of the Vermilion lighthouse are examples of what I mean. They are different views of the same subject taken at different times from different sites. This volume will likely include some people pix and places where Vermilionites worked, played and shopped over the years.
The past week we’ve been working on putting together an exhibit of metal engravings once used for various types of printing by the Vermilion News print shop. We’ve come across some very, very interesting items. Now its really a matter of how to present them.
FISHING BEGINS ALONG THE VERMILION RIVER: On my way to work the other day I caught this pic of a lone fisherman early in the morning along the river.
Actually, guys have been fishing for several weeks now – and catching some. But this day just seemed right. Unfortunately the weather turned ugly later in the week.
But it is February in Ohio.
Historically,
THE LADIES OF THE CHURCH c.1959: I’m not real sure as to what exactly the even was that brought all these ladies of Vermilion’s First Congregational Church together one evening in about 1959 – but I’m guess that readers will remember many of them. I doubt that any still survive.
My mother, who was then in her early 50s is in this photo. And while she died rather young (57) most of the women in the pic were about her age or somewhat older.
The girls working in the church kitchen (behind the group) were relatively younger. So it may be that some of them are still around.
I note that a few of the women are wearing vintage costumes and there are some oil lamps on the tables, so I’m guessing that this was some sort of old times banquet.
I do remember some of the ladies groups at the church doing different programs over the years. But I never really paid much attention to which one it might have been. But it certainly was large. Currently, membership groups like this in this church or the others in town are dwindling.
Times change. We now live in a “Smart Phone” society. People seem to do more of their socializing via the digital media.
NOW SHOWING THIS WEEK: New (not really) this week at the VHM Theatre is an old podcast I made twelve years ago. I can’t say much for my video presence, but a few folks may find it interesting.
This video shows the printshop portion of the museum before we really began work cleaning and restoring the place twelve years ago. Looking back (here) I am amazed at just how far we’ve come.
Grab a coffee and enjoy
.
FINDING HOME (AGAIN): I came across the accompanying photo while in the process of digitizing some of my brother’s color slides with a digital film scanner. I don’t know about anyone else, but I cherish any photographs I find of my old family homestead at 510 Perry Street where I was born. While I never really lived there much following my return from an all-expense paid vacation in Southeast Asia, I still, and always will, call the place home.
In the photo are my dad, my sister Nance Alice Emery (right) and another lady (left) I don't know. My guess (and that of Nancy’s) is that the unknown person was one of my father’s cousins who at that time lived in Michigan and had probably stopped by for a short visit. The picture was taken in the side (south) yard of our home where Pa had a wonderful flower and vegetable garden. It was one of his hobbies following his retirement in 1964. I have always wished I could produce a garden as great as those he put together. But as the saying goes, “Wish in one hand…”
There were at least nine or ten trees shading the property; three large sugar maples, a black walnut, buckeye, three silver maples and two Michigan blue spruce. For many years Dad would tap the maples and manufacture maple syrup for our pancakes. He also baked fine pastries using the walnuts. The buckeyes were mostly used as God-given toys for kids. There was some odd wonderment in pulling off the thick capsule surrounding each nut and seeing and feeling the waxy newly exposed surface. But other than throwing them at some inanimate object their value was negligible – at least to a young person.
After seeing this picture, I recalled playing cowboy by myself in the yard when I was four or five years old. Unfortunately, all my siblings and most of my friends were all a bit older so playing in the yard alone during school hours with my only companion (imagination) was my “Hobson’s Choice”. And thusly did I spend many an afternoon running from tree to tree with my trusty yardstick (aka. Winchester repeater) fighting off bad guys, stopping only for a shot of “red-eye” (aka. Kool-Aid) in the saloon (aka. our kitchen).
One summer we had a badminton set in the yard behind the garden in the photo. And from early morning, when the dew was still fresh on the lawn, until twilight we laughed and played. And when the shuttlecock somehow got lodged in one of the overhanging branches of the maple tree, we made a game of dislodging it by tossing things, like buckeyes, at it until it fell.
Occasionally we would camp out overnight in the yard. Initially we spread our pillows and blankets out on the lawn. Later my parents bought a small tent. Wow, what a great thing (I thought). It was a “water-proof” orange-colored canvas sheet just a little bigger than a pup tent. It was good for sleeping outside in the rain so long as it wasn’t raining. And under a summer sun it doubled as a sauna. In short, it made sleeping outside without any cover very desirable – rain or no rain.
The area where this snapshot was taken has changed a good deal since these shadows were captured about a half century ago. Our home is, of course, long gone and so is the garden, trees and the big barn-like building in the background. The barn, incidentally, was once owned by Vermilion’s Hull-Englebry Coal Company. They stored clay tile and other building products in and around the barn. Currently my nephew, Mark Slocum, owns the property. Someday he, or someone else, will undoubtedly build a new home on the property and start anew.
Speaking for myself I’m happy to have my fanciful memories of my former homestead that were inspired by this photograph. And if asked I would gladly take one on an old cowboy’s tour of the property and show them where every tree, every bad guy and the saloon might still be found – if only in my dreams.
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 Vermilion Chamber of Commerce held a meeting Wednesday evening with fair attendance. In absence of Sec. C. E. Heidloff, who was reported on the sick list, E. L. Coen Was appointed secretary.
Pres. Klaar then appointed the following committeea:
Finance: G. H. Blattner, Chairman, Geo. Fischer, A. H. Leimbach, S. A. Gardner, M. E. Lawless.
Industrial: C. F. Decker, Chairman, C. A. Trinter, P. Roscoe, A. D. Baumhart, John Gegenheimer.
Marine & Harbor: F. Driscoll, Chairman, George. P. Wahl, J. W. Goetz, L. J. Decker, George B. Krapp.
Education: E. L. Coen, Chairman, F. V. Pelton, E. J. Heinig, A. E. Beeckel, C. J. Martin.
Civic improvement: A. P. Becker, Chairman, C. A. Mattison, B. B. Buell, L. Englebry, M. L. Seely.
Municipal affairs: H. R. Williams, Chairman, W. A. Tischer, H. M. White, J. Unser, H. Schmoll.
Entertainment: F. W. Wakefield, Chairman, F. C. Wilmore, E. J. Law, W. A. Christian, C. Schwensen.
Messrs. E. B. Welch and J. L. Sherod present gave comparative statements regarding the Agricultural Extension School. Mr. Welch describe the methods used in instructing said that a petition containing 122 names had been sent in asking to have it here again next year placing Berlin Hts. as second choice.
The Chamber of Commerce then went on record as favoring the bill now before Congress for aid to the Agricultural Extension Work and representative Anderson will be asked to support the measure.
D. J. Miller, gave a talk good roads. He said that Mayor Wakefield and he were in conference with the county commissioners Monday at Sandusky in regard to the roads, culverts, etc. They had had a promise and some of the work including the east shore road from Linwood Park east.
He called attention to the work being done by the Ohio Good Roads Federation. The subject was discussed at some length.
The attention of the chamber was called to several concerns in location, by Mr. Church and one in particular turned over to the industrial committee.
Special committee on Laundry were not ready to report so the committee were ordered continued.
The committee on Banquet reported and the bills ordered paid. After some discussion on various subjects the meeting adjourned.
Wednesday a fire of unknown original broke out in Huron branch of the Kishman Fish Company, at about noon and at 5:30 yesterday afternoon when the firemen left the ruins entire section 2nd story of the main building containing nets and supplies was destroyed. According to reports several of the freezers were badly damaged if not totally destroyed. The ice houses and several nearby structures were scorched.
The greatest trouble experienced by the Huron firemen was the lack of hose. They sent to Sandusky for more but it did not arrive until after the fire was under control. The firefighters and a number of others who volunteered did nobly. Coffee and sandwiches were distributed by the ladies of the village.
At present the loss to the Kishamn company cannot be estimated and it will be several days before the exact amount will be known. The greatest loss will be in the time it will take replace the nets, as the fishing season will open according to law, March 15 and nets will be set as soon as the ice in the lake breaks up sufficiently. The plant was insured.
A jury has been demanded in the case of J. N. Englebry against Augusta Kosabab in Squire Casey’s court. The suit which is for $98.80 on a promissory note, we heard this week.
Thomas C. Miller last week filed a suit for $25,000 damages against the Lake Shore Electric company as a result of personal injuries alleged to have been sustained in a wreck that occurred between Berlin Heights and Vermilion May 27, 1911.
The petition alleges that Miller was a senior in Oberlin College at the time and that the accident put him behind one semester in his schoolwork. It also claims that the boy was preparing to take the examination for a coast surveyor and that his injuries have made him incompetent perform the duties of that position.
W. E. Crandall, superintendent of schools of Amherst has resigned. The board has decided that the resignation will take effect March 22. Mr. Crandall is a candidate for nomination for County Auditor of Lorain County, subject to the primaries. He thought it only fair to the schools that he take this action. He has been given the privilege of selecting a teacher for the classes he has been instructing.
The wrestling match scheduled to be held at the Opera House last Monday night between Matsuda the “Jap Wonder” and Ray Vincent was a successful affair. Vincent took the first bout, Matsuda the second and Vincent the third, thus winning over the Jap. The preliminaries were good.
Fred Driscoll returned this week from Mount Clemens, Mich., where he has been spending the past several weeks at the Sanitarium. Mr. Driscoll is much improved and health.
Over in Fremont 19 saloons were licensed to begin business Monday afternoon on account of the recent reversal of the drouth by voting the county wet. They will close at 7 o’clock every evening until council passes the closing and anti-screen ordinances.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. George Bauer, a daughter, Saturday, Feb. 24.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. John Mesewacez South Amherst, daughter, Feb. 24, 1912.
The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Witte was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Thursday.
John Ruth, of Amherst seeks to enjoin the Cleveland Stone and the Malone Stone companies from blasting of rock near his home.
Constable C. R. Miller accompanied John Kolawa, charged with wife beating to the Cleveland workhouse Thursday, where he is to serve 30 days and a fine of $50 and the costs.
Word was received at Loraine of the death, Tuesday, at San Luis Obispo, California, of Delia M. D Steele, wife of the Hon. George Steele formally of Amherst. Mrs. Steele was a daughter of Norman Day, one of the early settlers of Sheffield Township.
Herman Dietz an Amherst man, was arrested Saturday on a charge of having burglarized the fruit store owned by Richy and Jassous, on the night of Feb 9th.
Dietz was arraigned and waived an examination. He was bound over to the common pleas court under $1000 bond. Unable to furnish the bond he was sent to jail.
The Amherst police authorities say that they found the key in Dietz’s pocketSearch that unlocks the door to the fruit store.
Fred Huttenlocker is ill with the mumps.
Frankie Sarnes and George Ricker have enlisted in the Navy.
Mr. Mrs. Philip Kneisel attended the funeral of Mrs. Coon Kniesel Monday.
Mrs. H. Gleisner is on the sick list.
As Roy Sherwood was helping Mr. Wood adjust the tackle block fully in the gable of Mr. Wood’s barn, he was about 20 feet up on a ladder when it broke letting him fall to the ground. He will be laid up for some time, although it is thought no bones are broken.
Ice in the river at Mill Hollow gave way, Monday night at 7 o’clock, flooding the entire Flats, piling the ice high in the roadway. The pupils that go from here to high school in Brownhelm had to stay overnight in Brownhelm, Miss Woods their teacher could not get home. There are five or six men working to clear the road. They expect to have it passable by noon Tuesday.
[NOTE: Keep in mind that this article was likely written on Wednesday. So the clearing of ice would take almost a week after the water receded.]
Mrs. James Burt is on the sick list.
The Old Folks dance given on Feb. 23 was fairly well attended. A jolly good time is recorded by all who were there.
Our merchant, Mr. Hugh Sutton, has moved from the Klady store to Seabolt’s store where he will receive your patronage.
Mr. Lon Ennis, the photographer returned from the first of the week after making a trip which he visited Toledo, Columbus, Troy and other towns in Ohio.
Mrs. Hester Riblet an aged citizen in her 80s, living with her grandson, John Riblet, east of the town, died Wednesday morning for 21. Funeral Friday at 1:30 from the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Berlin Fruit and Box factory was compelled to shut down for a few days for lack of dry material. It will operate next Monday as they have many orders to fill and hence the delay is unfortunate.
The snow and storm Tuesday and Wednesday although the most severe of the season, so far has done but little damage to traffic. The cars on both the C. S. W. And L. S. Run up on nearly scheduled time.
Mrs. Henry Grooms, a colored lady who died on last Friday morning was buried Sunday afternoon. Rev. Linguist of Oberlin conducted the services. The deceased was most highly esteemed by everyone who knew her. She was a kind mother affectionate wife and a good neighbor. The husband and family have the sympathy of the entire community.
Mrs. Ellen (Patchett) Kneisel, was born in Elmira, New York, Sept. 1, 1852. When 10 years of age she came to Brownhelm with her parents and resided there until her death, which occurred Feb. 24, 1912, age 59 years, five months at 23 days. She was united in marriage to Conrad Kniesel September 5, 1876. To this union was born three children, one son, died when 10 years of age, and two daughters, Mrs. Herbert Tisdale, of Lorain, Ohio, and Mrs. William Peasley, a Brownhelm, O. She leaves a husband, two daughters, one brother and two sisters, along with many friends to mourn her departure.
The funeral was held from the home on Monday, Feb. 26, 1912, attended by a large gathering. The funeral was conducted by Rev. T. H. D. Harrold, pastor of M. E. Church of Vermilion, O., Choosing as the subject of remarks, Rom. 8–18. Mrs. Hahn, Trinter, Harrold and Miss Esther Wittmer sang three appropriate songs. Burial was at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Frank Tischer expects to spend the baseball season with a team of Duluth, Minn., players.
The infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Nuhn was brought from Elyria to Maple Grove Cemetery for burial the first of the week.
Mrs. Sweeney is reported quite ill suffering from an attack of pneumonia, at her home near the Nickel Plate.
A. W. McGregor, a well-known citizen of Vermilion, died Tuesday, his home on South Street, after illness of several years duration. Funeral services will be held at the home at 1 o’clock Friday afternoon. Mr. McGregor was a member of the Masonic fraternity had held official positions in the body. The funeral will be in charge of Ely Lodge, F. & A. M. He was 63 years of age.
Mrs. W. M. Foster has rented Mrs. Quigley’s building, known as the old pool room, and is going to open a confectionery tobacco store ice cream parlors in connection. Mrs. Foster is not new in the business having had 12 years experience. Look for her future ads.
[NOTE: This might be the building where George Rathbun kept a grocery store – currently the Pavilion Grill restaurant.]
A Mr. Desmond, from Dunkirk N. Y. Was here this week making arrangements for the occupancy of the Ranney Fish house for the season. He closed contracts with Jno. N. Englebry for coal and ice.
Miss Hazel Yarrick who has been in the telephone exchange for the past five years has resigned her position to take up other duties.
The funeral service Mrs. Hester Riblet who died at the home of her grandson, John Riblet, was held from the M. E. Church, Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. A. G. Rupert. Mrs. Riblet as near as could be ascertained had reached her 90th year. She was strong and vigorous for one of that age. Her last sickness was of short duration, having been confined to her bed only a week with pneumonia when she passed away. She had spent almost her entire life in the vicinity of Berlin Heights, and had lived several years in the village.
Frank Williams Elyria was robbed of $215 on the public square a Cleveland shortly after noon Sunday by a gang of newsboys as he was on his way to the inner urban station to purchase a ticket. Only one of the boys was captured. This is only one of a series of street robberies recently in Forrest City.
[NOTE: This was only the beginning.]
…present to the reader of to-day carefully trimmed outlines of the characters of those men and women whose lives were passed in preparing the wilderness for the present generations. Wherever we failed to come into possession of a correct family record, we have striven to perpetuate, at least, the names of those who bore the brunt in the great struggle of subduing a new country, who surmounted its obstacles and faced its dangers bravely. The hard work has been persistently carried on for many months. May these offerings, with all their imperfections, find a warm place in the hearts and homes of his German fellow men, and may the living generation learn from the past something about the contentedness, frugality and honesty of the good old time.
The writer's table has been covered for weeks, with numerous letters, passports, certificates and musty papers, dating back half a century and even more. The time worn pages of the old Clarion and Baystadt Democrat, tell of many well-meant but ill-spent endeavors of our forefathers, of incidents and official acts, that will appear ridiculous at this day. That a well-meaning member of the City Council of Sandusky, nearly forty years ago, to be faithful to his constituents, introduced a resolution that, chickens caught in the act of trespassing, might lawfully be killed, is only a sample; but may it truthfully be said that after a fierce battle, not the chickens, but the resolution was un mercifully killed. The aspirations of our city fathers did not, apparently, run high in those days, and instead of confining themselves strictly to the needed work, they allowed the golden opportunity to slip and Cleveland and Toledo to reap the harvest.
To confine ourselves more closely to the subject, very little, if anything, is known about the German settlers in Erie county, before the beginning of the present century.
Anton Eickhoff’s claim in Der Deutchzen Heimath, page 229, that a German Polander, by name Sodowsky, established a trader's post at the beginning of the past century, and before 1728, on the southern shore of Lake Erie, at the present site of Sandusky, is not sufficiently substantiated. His claim that Sandusky received its name from this trader is disputed by the noted historian George Bancroft, and others The German element may, without fear of contradiction, though, celebrate its centennial in Erie county, in kind remembrance of the good deeds of the Moravians, who established a mission in Milan township in 1787, under the leadership of David Zeisberger and Johann Heckenwelder. History should spare them a page, and fame should keep alive the names of these heroes that sought out the rude savages of the forest and did what they could to civilize and elevate them
The first permanent settlements in Erie county were made in the first and second decades of the present century, in about the following chronological order: Townships-Huron and Vermillion, 1808; Portland and Groton, 1809; Berlin and Milan, 1810; Margaretta and Oxford, 1810; Florence, 1811.
GENEALOGISTS BEWARE: My grandfather “FREDERICK”/ FRED TARRANT: Petitioned for Naturalization in the U.S.A. in the Maine District on the 13th day of January in 1917. At the time he lived in West Scarboro, Maine and listed his occupation as a gardener. He had arrived in the U.S. at Boston, Mass. from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada aboard the vessel S.S. Halifax – regular line steamer on the 6th day of April in 1900.
Fred was born on the 2nd of September 1870 at Stoke Poges Slough, England. In his petition he was described as: Color – white, Complexion – fair, Height 5 feet 6 inches, Weight 142 pounds, Color of Hair - light brown, Color of Eyes – hazel, and had no other distinctive marks on his body. At the time of this petition he was 46 years old and married to Eleanor Lynch who was born on the 4th day of May in 1875.
The couple had two children: Listed were William Basil (my father) who was given as born on the 9th day of December in 1898 at Halifax N.S. – and Philip Baden who was born on the 24th day of June in 1900 at Bellows Falls, Vermont. Ohio.
My sister, Nancy, brought to my attention that William was actually born on 10 December 1898, his brother on 23 June 1909 and his name was spelled Phillip with two ells.
Errors such as these are not uncommon in past documents. Genealogists beware.
Consider the young bride who calls her minister just three weeks after the wedding.
"Reverend," she wails, "John and I had a dreadful fight!"
"Calm down, my child," says the minister. "It's not half as bad as you think. Every marriage has to have its first fight!"
"I know, I know!" she says. "But what am I going to do with the body?"
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 “Tripping: A Writer’s Journeys.” Signed copies of her new book can be purchased for $15.00 at the Southside Sentinel office or by mail by writing Rappahannock Press, Box 546, Urbanna, VA and adding $6.00 to cover mailing costs and tax. Contact:glongest@ssentinel.com.
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. 17. Issue 52 - February 29, 2020
Archive Issue #885
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© 2017 Rich Tarrant