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_{That Pesky Rabbit}

PERHAPS...: Been reading a great deal during the last few months. Mostly fiction. As mentioned in the past I tend to read through authors. Lately I've been reading Dennis Lahane. Several of his novels have become movies. Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" was from Lahane's novel of the same name. "Gone Baby, Gone was another. And currently - "Shutter Island" is in theaters. I find his works to be haunting. All is happily never-after in those tales. Great stuff. But I wonder how reading such "stuff" affects a person? Then again - life ain't great for everyone. Just read a newspaper. It's all there.

This brings to mind the list I inadvertantly found at Ancestry.com with the names of some of the children who lived at the "Hope and Light" Orphanage [A.K.A. the "Gore Orphanage"] in 1910. This was not likely a very rewarding experience for any of them.

Here is that list:

Note that this is a "partial" list of names. It only lists those who (likely) lived in the Girls Dormitory. And I don't believe that it is complete.

I'm glad I was able to acquire this list. Because somewhere, someone may be able to find someone they were searching for in it. Perhaps the day will come when records like these will no longer be necessary, and Dennis Lahane novels won't make perfect sense. Perhaps...

Hopefully,

Unknown Orchestra

1930'S: Last week I mentioned acquiring a framed photograph from Vermilionite Norris Latteman that, initially, was a curiousity. I also mentioned that while looking it over some very light pencil note was discovered ont he back of it. So I scanned the back and worked it a bit in Photoshop to made the writing legible, and found that it identified one of the men in the pic.

That man was one Alfred Woerner. And taking the name (again) to Ancestry.com I found that Alfred was a younger brother of Elsie Schwensen (Schwensen's Bakery). Alfred is the gentleman in the front row - second from the right.

I can't really say much more about him. I sent the pic to his nephew Dave who told me that he recalled that he later lived in San Diego; that he remembered him as "visiting" Vermilion back in the '60's / '70's, and was a "cheerful" person. But more than that I don't know.

This is (as is obvious) a Rudy Moc pic so the band pictured was local. Perhaps another "Viewer" may know the name of the band, where they played, and some of the names of the other band members.

A very interesting photograph it is indeed.

_{PEACE WALK}

PAINTING THE TOWN: As previously mentioned this is a preview piece for a new webpage that I am currently developing. Using a new software program in conjunction with Adobe's Photoshop CS4 I am able to take some already wonderful pix of Vermilion, O. and make them (at least in my view) more "wonderfuller"

This photo painting is just something that struck me soul as pleasing. I like rainy days. And I like the colors in this view of downtown Vermilion, O. It's very, very near spring. The snow is melting along the walk. Very few folks are out walking. The sun's trying to break through. It's just nice. And I really didn't notice until I worked on this photo - but there's a Peace flag hanging outside the little snack bar along the walk. She's a pretty one she is...

_{From Rich Tarrant's "Painted Vermilion" - Apr 2, 2010 4:58 PM.}

Beautiful.

_{"Shortly after the Birmingham Mill made the switch from water to steam
power a fire destroyed the entire operation."}

THE OLD DAM AT BIRMINGHAM, O.: This is a landscape photograph in need of a nice frame and a wall in a comfortable home on which it can be displayed. Never mind that it is a digitally enhanced rendering of a late 19th century black and white photo. And never mind that it was taken by some anonymous photographer from a long-lost bridge that once spanned the Vermilion River in Birmingham, Ohio. It is, sans a great deal of explicating, an extremely compelling image. But having said that it may be, nonetheless, helpful to have some further understanding of the world in which it was taken.

Once upon a time, Birmingham, Ohio was a rather important agricultural, commercial, and social center for farm families living in rural parts of southeast Erie, southwest Lorain, and northeast portions of Huron Counties. Along the north side of the main street (Ohio Route #113) stood the school house. Just across the street from it was the doctor’s house. And on down the street to the east was the general store - which also housed the local Masonic Lodge. Across the street from the store was a building which housed a cafe, and a saloon and poolroom. Grocery and hardware stores in such settlements were requisite to the general welfare of the surrounding farms. The saloons were optional.

A Methodist Church and cemetery were (and still are) located near the end of Chapel Street south of the main drag on (what else might anyone call it?) South Street. The large stone building overlooking the Vermilion River in the photo was the Birmingham (grist) Mill (PJ 4-21-05). It was located along the river, of course, just off Market Street. Today the site is occupied by Lorain County Metropark’s beautiful Schoepfle Garden.

The photograph appears to have been taken (as previously mentioned) from a bridge that was then located a short distance south of the current span. That bridge - to my knowledge - was then a covered bridge so it would be interesting to know precisely how the photographer captured these shadows.

But what is of real interest here is the dam. Generally the water in the stream is relatively shallow in that particular portion of the river. A dam was needed to acquire enough water and force to operate the mill. A sluice-way (the low fence-like form) directed water from the dam to the mill. Local historian and Birmingham resident Dennis Lamont, who furnished the photo, says that “The dam was 8 or 9 feet high, made of planks held in an arch by chains. held by the east and west abutments” adding that he didn’t “think the EPA would [today] approve”. Obviously the man-made barricade was sizeable. And Mr. Lamont’s statement certainly places it into proper, if not a somewhat awe-inspiring, perspective.

However; powering the mill with water supplied by damming the stream was not always exceptionally reliable. If, for whatever reason, there was inadequate precipitation in any one year or season little could be accomplished. So when it became possible to use a steam engine for power the desire and need for the dam diminished and eventually disappeared altogether. While the upside of this modernization was that the mill could be operational on demand there was - as there is with many technical improvements - also a downside. The dust from grain is extremely volatile.

Shortly after the Birmingham Mill made the switch from water to steam power a fire destroyed the entire operation. The smouldering ruin of the great stone edifice must have left many a farm family speechless. And portraits of the school, the stores, the mill, and the dam on the Vermilion River only survive in idyllic photographs of a yesteryear that has been very nearly forgot.

_{Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 9/18/08; Written 9/14/08 @ 2:09 PM.}

_{nothing ever remains quite the same...}

SOMETHING OLD - SOMETHING NEW: The idea for this piece began as an idea for a coffee-table book of historical photographs of Vermilion, Ohio and, hopefully, it will (someday) be realized.

Originally the concept - as previously stated - was just a picture book. But after mentioning such a project in an issue of my weekly web page - Vermilion Views - a reader by the name of Scott Dommin suggested that it might be interesting if it featured photographs of how people, places, and / or things in the City of Vermilion, Ohio appear today along with photos showing how they appeared in the past. Ergo; the title "Now & Then".

"What a great idea." I told both myself and Scott.

[NOTE: Currently I'm weighing two proposals. Nothing's easy as it seems.]

The current photograph in this set was taken by Vermilionite Scott Dommon. The locale is fairly obvious - Liberty Street looking to the east between Grand and Main Streets. I did make some changes from the original pics Scott sent me. I increased the resolution of the pix and switched the places of the photos. However: I was impressed by how close Scott the current photo to the older one taken by Pearl Roscoe (probably c. 1935). Getting the placements right with these photographs is not as easy as it may seem.

_{"The efforts of the missionaries never were successful in civilizing
the Indians to the degree that they could remain
in contact with the whites, without being corrupted and degraded"}

THE FIRE-LANDS: I found the following information re: the early inhabitants of our area to be extremely informative. Methinks you will also.

I am getting better at transcribing these passages so there are fewer mistakes. But I like to read as I go - and sometimes I fill in the blanks. So tread carefully this trail through yesteryear.

THE MORAVIANS - PART TWO

Reaching a point on the Cuyahoga, about ten miles from Cleveland (in Independence township)). they received intelligence that made them shrink from going further. After remaining here for about a year, they removed westward, and, in 1787, made a settlement on the Fire-lands on the Huron river, about two miles north of Milan, in Erie county. But the country was still the scene of war and bloodshed, and. after remaining five or six years, they abandoned their settlement, and again sought refuge in Canada, where they founded a settlement on the river Thames.

In 1707, congress, mindful of their past wrongs, made grants to them of their old lands on the Tuscarawas; a portion of them returned, and the missionaries continued their labors. But the contact of the whites interfered with their success, and some of them returned to Canada, and others, among them Charles Dencke, came to the Huron river and re-established the mission. This was in 1804, and they remained about five years, until the Fire-lands, having been surveyed, the white settler began to claim the lands purchased from the Indians by the treaty of Fort Industry, and they, the missionaries and their Indian adherents, returned to Canada.

The mission village was called Pequotting, or Pay-nothing, and consisted of a chapel, mission house, and a score or more of cabins, some of which were afterward used by the white settlers. Here, as elsewhere, the missionaries taught the Indians not only religion but the rudiments of education, and, to a certain extent, were successful in inducing them to get their food by cultivating the soil instead of by the chase, to live in cabins, and to leave off their paint and feathers and clothe themselves in more civilized garb.

Their missionary, Charles Frederick Dencke, was born in Iceland, his father being a missionary to that country. Tradition states that he had a library which filled a space of not less than ten feet in length by six feet in height, and occupying nearly one side of his log-cabin at Pequotting. Surely, the man who would take the pains to transport these books from place to place under so many difficulties, could not have been an ignorant or uncultivated man.

It is stated that David Zeisberger was here during their first stay. For an account of this celebrated missionary, and his co-laborers, Heckewelder, Post and others, it is only necessary to refer the reader to any authentic history of Ohio. They were not the heroes of battles, nor winners of renown in the noisy strife of civic triumph. They cared not for the applause of men, but in a humble way, in an obscure field, in years of lonely wandering, with a strong faith that sustained them in many a trying hour, they sought out the rude savage of the forest, and did what they could to civilize and elevate him. Is it not best that history spares them a page. and fame keep their names alive?

_{Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Subject: Huron County (Ohio) - History; Huron County (Ohio) - Biography; Erie County (Ohio) - History; Erie County (Ohio) - Biography
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio: Press of Leader Printing Company
NOT IN COPYRIGHT}

Continued Next Week...

God Bless their souls - each and every one.

" The children pictured (from left to right) are: Billy Tarrant, Marion Stutz,
Betty Lindsley, Unknown, Unknown, Bobby Trinter,
Marilyn Morey, and a very adorable Katy Viola."

ONE BRIEF MOMENT: In mid-June I received a sturdy Priority Mail envelope from Rochester, New York. The words “DO NOT BEND” were carefully written in a large bold script on the front of it. Inside I found a red file folder subtly hinting that the sender is both a prudent and an environmentally sensitive individual. Inside the red folder were five photographs and a note politely asking me to return them if (for whatever reason) I found them to be unsuitable.

All the photos have notations (most are in pencil) on the back of them identifying nearly all of the persons photographed. (That, I must interject, is really and truly important.) They document five brief moments of Vermilion’s past (1913, 1926, 1927, 1934 and 1948). The sum of moments such as these is the unabridged, and unadulterated, history of our community. Consequently, to just say that the photos are suitable / historically significant may be an understatement. They are as the late band leader Lawrence Welk used to say “Ah-wonderful, ah-wonderful!”

The photo accompanying this essay is that taken in a pre-school classroom in the teacher's home sometime in 1934. Not only is this a rather apprehensive moment for some of the youngsters it is likely that their teacher was equally preoccupied. Her name was Helen Grant (Callin) - and this was her first year teaching.

Helen was one of three children (siblings: Dorothy and LeRoy) born to Stella and William Grant of Vermilion, Ohio. William was the Agent / Telegrapher for the Nickel Plate Railroad. Stella, an excellent seamstress, was active in her church (Vermilion’s First Congregational) and the community.

The children pictured (from left to right) are: Billy Tarrant, Marion Stutz, Betty Lindsley, Unknown, Unknown, Bobby Trinter, Marilyn Morey, and a very adorable Katy Viola.

Marion Stutz’s sister Nancy, now living in Jacksonville Florida, who helped identify some of the youngsters pictured recalls that the classes were (then) divided into groups called “Beavers, Bunnies, and something intermediate, not politically correct today.” One might deduce that these were “reading” groups; and that the divisions were made according to ability. This may also be the reason that some of the first names of the children appear on the list posted on the bulletin board behind the group (see inset).

The photo, itself, is a treasure both historically and technically. The detail - from the clothing (e.g. the long stockings on all but one of the children, and the beautiful pattern of Miss Grant’s dress), to the contents of the display cabinets, and the pictures (e.g. the little girl with the umbrella; the windmill, and the old sailor giving a boy a model sailboat) on the bulletin board - provide tangible evidence that the photographer was very much a professional - an artisan. This was very likely the work of local photographer Rudy Moc.

Over seven decades have flown since these shadows were captured. Whilst the fate of all the youngsters pictured is unknown (to this writer) it is known that Billy Tarrant and Marilyn Morey still live in our pretty city. And Betty Lindsley, who now lives in California, comes home now and then to visit her sister and brother. And we know that all of these kids learned how to read - and to write - and do their numbers. But whether they were “Beavers” or “Bunnies” or or something “intermediate, not politically correct today” will probably always remain one of those mysteries confined to this one brief “Rockwellian” moment in Vermilion’s yesteryear.

_{Ref: Special Thanks To: Kathalee (Grant) Hodge, Rochester, NY; Nancy (Tarrant) Emery; Molly Milner; Alice Wakefield; and Nancy Stutz, Jacksonville, FL; Vermilion Area Archival Society; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 8/7/08; Written 8/3/08 @12:13 PM; Abridged copy 3/30/10 @ 1:18 PM.}

FIVE BEST THINGS TO SAY IF YOU GET CAUGHT SLEEPING AT YOUR DESK:
_{[Courtesy MaryLynn Homitz]}

NUMBER 5: They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen.

NUMBER 4 : This is just a 15 minute power nap they raved about in the time-management course you sent me to.

NUMBER 3 : Whew! Guess I left the top off the White-out.You probably got here just in time!

NUMBER 2: Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?

Number 1: And THE all time Favorite: best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk: (Raising your head slowly) '...in Jesus' name, Amen.

_{Podcasts - "forever under construction..."}

PODCAST #174: This week the Vermilion Views Podcast #174 is a TRIPLE XXX video. Although informative (it shows one how to avoid problems with the Toyota Prius) the language is very crude. So if you'd prefer not to hear the "f" word over-used don't watch it. The "vid" is courtesy (but not a reflection) of my Bay Village friend George Pearson.

Also note that I've mucked-upthe numbering of these podcasts. Don't ask how I accomplished that task - but I did. I will try to correct that by next time.

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.

Also, please note that all the video (MP4) podcasts (when used) are done in the "Quicktime MP4" format. If you don't have "Quicktime" it's easy to find and free to download.

NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are not available in the on-line archive. They just take up too much disk space. But if one really, really, really wants to acquire a copy of a past cast it can be had by contacting me and I will place it on a disc and send it to ye for a minimal fee.

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'".

The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the 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}

Links to additional Vermilion Ohio pages: Vermilion Ohio Historic Pix The First 100 Years of Vermilion's First Congregational Church History of Linwood Park Vermilion Visitor's Advisory (Satire) Gore Orphanage History The Lester Pelton Story The Wreck of The Niles #152 The History of Crystal Beach Vermilion Views Archives Vermilion's Pioneer Woman; Charlotte Sturges Cloudy; Vermilion's Ferryman The History of Vermilion's Congregational Church Dedication Sermon of Jotham W. Goodell, 1843 The Last Time I Saw Charlie Hope Childrens Home Kenya A Profile of Rich Tarrant Vermilion Biographies Vermilion - Village of Lake Captains Vermilion's Youngest Minstrels Don Englebry's "Growing Up In Vermilion" "Views" Podcast Archive The Story of Vermilion's Education System Eden Valley Enterprises VHS Class of 1959

For Persons who would like to donate to the cause (to keep these "Views" on-line you can send whatever you would like to me at the following address. And THANKS to everybody who has already donated to the cause. I doth certainly appreciate it): _{Rich Tarrant
1041 Oakwood Drive
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-4459}

or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)

"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools.
Let's start with typewriters."
-Solomon Short

Vol.8, Issue 3, April 3, 2010

Archive Issue #368

_{Vermilion Views Search Engine}

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