W. LIBERTY c.1930
DESKTALK: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! I do hope that the coming year is much better than the one we’re leaving behind. The last six months have been a bear (for me anyway). They’ve not been terrible – just disturbing. I do not like changes. I like things just the way they are.
Unfortunately, time doesn't agree with me.
The music this week is a thing called “The Parting Glass”. It is an Irish, Scottish and Newfoundland traditional song, often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It is said to have once been the most popular song sung in Newfoundland, Scotland and Ireland before Robert Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne".
It has a dual heritage as some of the lyrics were quoted in a letter by a Scottish man who was making his way over to Ireland; around this time there were many Scottish settlers arriving in Ireland and so the song was then combined with both cultures.
Below are the lyrics. It’s a very pretty and thoughtful end to the old year; and a bright and positive beginning for the new…
Oh all the comrades that e'er I've had Are sorry for my going away And all the sweethearts that e'er I've had Would wish me one more day to stay But since it falls unto my lot That I should rise and you should not I'll gently rise and I'll softly call Good night and joy be with you all
THE DESKTOP PIC: This week it’s a wonderful view to the west down Liberty Avenue from the mid 1930s. All the buildings on the north (right) side of the street are gone now. The building directly to the right burned to the ground. The house, garage and smith shop next to it were all victims of the wrecking ball. But most on the opposite side remain. The tracks (obviously) are those of the Lake Shore Electric Railway. They are spread over a wide area. [VV Ed. Note: A rather small portion of the rail is in the Print Shop Museum. It was used as a paper weight.] Time marcheth on.
It’s a pic I truly enjoy looking at. It’s a good desktop photograph.
SNOW: For the benefit of Vermilion expats - Vermilion received it’s first significant snowfall of the year this week. Believe it or not we’ve not had this much snow on the ground for several years.
All this when I was just becoming accustomed to mild winters. Hopefully, this is not a harbinger of days yet to come. [VV Ed. NOTE: I always wanted to use that word – “harbinger” – in something.]
Historically,
STILL FAMILIAR
STILL A FAMILIAR FACE: Given some further research I should be able to date this photograph almost exactly. But for now I’ll say it was taken around the year 1942. It’s a wonderful aerial view of the main part of town before the old water tower in Hanover Square was removed, and the new tower near the bridge built.
Could I remember (off-hand) what year the auto dealership on the northwest corner of Grand and Liberty streets burned to the ground it would provide us with the year of this pic. But there’s so much here (that’s not there anymore) it makes just looking at the detail of the pic a great deal of fun.
The buildings next to the old Liberty Theatre (i.e. Western Union, the News Gift Shop, and the restaurant next to them) are still there. All the fish houses along the river are there. The water tower for the train just east of the Sandusky Street underpass is there. The barns on the west side of Sandusky Street just north of the RR underpass are still there. And across the street from them is the house that used to sit right behind F.E. Baker’s Ford dealership. There are three sets of N.Y.C. railroad tracks (with a siding between Sandusky and Exchange streets on the north); and an old steam engine is moving through town.
Along Liberty, The Maud-Elton hotel looms above the Fischer building. And just down the road (to the east) the building that today houses Vermilion’s Buyer’s Fair is yet to be constructed.
This is just a fun pic of Vermilion’s face as it appeared one fine day near 70 years ago.
RUGGLES DANCE HALL: There is something rather traumatic about the passing of any landmark. But add to it the fact(s) that the end came abruptly and unexpectedly; that it took place during the very blush of summer; that it was, most certainly, the arbiter of more than few amours; and there will be those who mourn that loss, to some degree, til the end of their days on Earth.
At a little past 11: 30 p.m. on Friday July 3, 1959 Erie County Deputy Sheriff Al Angney was on patrol along Ohio Routes 6 & 2 west of Vermilion. While driving through the Mitawanga and Ruggles Beach areas he noticed flames coming through the roof of the Ruggles Dance Hall and called in the alarm.
Fire departments from Vermilion, Huron, Berlin Heights, Perkins, and Milan responded to the call but their collective efforts to kill the flames were all for naught. The fire spread so quickly throughout the tinder dry building that it was felled in less than an hour. By the dawn of July 4, 1959 the Ruggles Dance Hall, that would have celebrated its 52nd anniversary that very day, was no more. The exhausted firefighters had, however, been able to save the nearby Ruggles Hotel.
The accompanying photo of the Ruggles Dance Hall with an inset of the interior is neither rare nor of exceptional quality. It was chosen for this piece because it best exemplifies the popularity and accessibility of the dance hall during its springtide.
It was built by Charles Ruggles, a great-grandson of early Vermilion pioneer/surveyor Almon Ruggles (PJ 2-20-03) in 1907. It replaced a previous dance hall located on the lakefront at Ruggles Beach that had, coincidentally, also burned on a Friday night. This was, by the by, the same year that George Blanchat opened his very popular Crystal Beach amusement park (PJ 8-06-04) on the east side of Vermilion.
Upon Charles’ death his son, Charles Jr. managed the business. But due to the ever changing whims of time it became, as did the ballroom at Crystal Beach, primarily a skating arena. In 1937 it was sold to some Lorain, Ohio investors and was used solely as a roller rink from that time on until the night of the fire.
It is likely no coincidence that the decline of the dance hall was, in part, in direct proportion to the cessation of operations, and dismantling, of the electric interurban transportation system in the region which took place in the late 1930’s. While the day of personal transport (i.e. the automobile) had arrived it was not yet available to all - as had been the interurban system. Easy accessibility denied, the crowds at the dance hall dwindled and eventually faded away.
A few years after the fire a new, state-of-the-art dance hall was built on the site of the old. Attending to changing times this business was directed at attracting a young audience. It was called “The Note”. While this was a quasi-popular place for a brief while it, like its predecessor, just faded away. Today it is become a storage building associated with an adjacent condominium project.
There are still a few folks about the pretty city of Vermilion, Ohio who, in the very best sense of the word, haunted Ruggles Dance Hall. There’s the effervescent Evelyn “Nuggie” Hayes Cook whose musician brother Ross “Tiny” Hayes had occasion to work there - probably along with Carl, and, perhaps, Leonard Osberg - with a band/orchestra. There is Dorothy Schroeder Koontz who has warm memories of dancing at both Ruggles and Crystal Beach in her youth. And there is Bob Kyle who remembers working with the Jimmy Dulio band - filling in when the opportunity presented itself. Those were, undoubtedly, wonderful times - precious memories of a yesteryear.
SHOPTALK: Wednesday Larry and Yvette Hohler, et. al. from New York stopped by the shop for a few minutes. It was about the time the snowstorm began so they didn’t stay too long. They’re staying in Milan with Larry’s mother while they’re in the area. Larry and Yevette are retired schoolteachers. They’re also instrumental in the creation and the continuing operation of Hope Homes in Kenya. There’s a link to a website for the project in the links section below. It’s a formidable project, with an exceptional mission.
They also dropped off a plethora of pix. Eventually all will appear in “VV”. Some concern the old pop works that was burned by local fire departments in an exercise back in the mid-1950s. Others pertain to Larry’s (and his brother Dale’s) late Uncle Larry and Aunt Margaret Shafts who were very prominent Vermilionites.
I wish they could have stayed longer. But the weather report was not positive. Maybe next time…
TOUGH WORK: With a little help from my nephew Mark (Slocum) we managed to clean an organize things in the Shop apartment rooms this week.
We got all my late brother Albert’s pictures / folders sorted and either placed in a bookcase or packed into plastic boxes and shelved. We also got all the tools we found sorted and boxed.
Believe it or not, the task was formidable.
I also began to remove some of the linoleum from the kitchen floor. Margaret W. did most of the initial work. I’m just doing some follow up. But, boy, it’s tough work.
DESKTOP PIC: I don’t know any of the guys in the desktop pic this week. I was just taken by the photo. This is one of Vermilion High Schools football teams back in the early years of the 20th century. The pic was taken on the north side of State Street School prior to any addition to the back part of the building. Note the Vermilon Mill in the background. (It’s hard for me to believe that the mill is gone now.)
I also note the kids beneath the fire escape in the background. They appear to be mimicking the “tough guys” on the team. One is a girl.
PRINTING: Aside from all the structural projects ahead of us (and utility costs) we’re focusing on getting one of the printing presses in operational condition. That will likely be the Chandler-Price (c.1900) that is the oldest in the building. The estimated cost of reconditioning it at this time is around $500. It will not (at least the thinking is at this time) be powered by electricity. Originally depressing a treadle, like an old sewing machine, ran the press. It would be nice to put it back into the original condition.
PLAQUE FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS SPONSORS: We’ll soon have a nice plaque in the museum honoring persons who have contributed funds for special museum projects. At the moment we only have one name. We expect to have many more.
SEARCHING: We currently interested in finding copies of The Erie County Reporter from 1880 to 1920 or '30. Nobody on earth seems to have them. If you have knowledge of any of them we'd appreciate hearing from you. There's a great deal of Vermilion information in them.
FIVE-OH-ONE-CEE-THREE: It’s now official. The museum is officially a 501(c)(3) organization. Consequently, all donations to the museum are tax deductible. This is retroactive to November of 2011. (Thank heaven. Now I can fret about something else for months on end.)
VISITING HOURS: The museum is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays from 1 to 4 PM. On Saturday the museum it is open from 11 AM to 2 PM. A small admission donation of $3 (for adults) is requested. Children under the age of 11 will be admitted for free. Phone For Special Tours: 440-967-4555
POST OFFICE BOX: Please note that the MUSEUM has a post office box now. Now we won’t have to use our home address, nor the one at the shop for mail.
MEMBERSHIPS: Memberships to the VERMILION NEWS PRINT SHOP MUSEUM are now available. Funds generated will go toward the aforementioned renovations and maintenance of the shop.
If you would like to become a member the VNPSM you can send a check or money order to:
Vermilion Print Shop Museum P.O. Box 792 Vermilion, Ohio 44089
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK:Take the time to visit us on Facebook. Click on the badge below and stop in. We'll keep adding pix as we go along. If you're in the area come on in. I try to be there in the a.m. most everyday. If you see a Chevy Silverado out front with the plate "MRCOOKR" stop by and see what's cooking.
AGAIN - ANOTHER NEW (NOW OLD) THING: Initially I said that "This will not take the place of the "Macabre" stuff all the time - but will supplement whilst I search for more macabre stories to tell." But methinks that it's carved out a niche for itself and the "Macabre stuff" with have to find another.
So stay tuned...
Vol. VIII,NO.32– January 19, 1905.
At an early hour Sunday morning Berger’s meat market was discovered to be on fire and an alarm given. The flames spread rapidly and before they could be conquered had destroyed the buildings between the market and town hall including the Andress Block. Those who suffered loss were Citizens’ Banking co., Dr. W. Hine, The Yarick Printery, Louis Endley, Jas Huntress, Leaman Jenkens & Son, Dr. S.A. Eldridge, L.L. Daniels and Wm. Baker who ran a meat market in Henry Berger’s building. Although the property destroyed was insured to a considerabe extent the loss is great.
It is thought that the fire was of incendiary origin as when first discovered was on the outside of the building, apparently, in the siding.
The Yarick Printery, publishers of the Budget, were heavy losers although the business will probably be continued and the Budget appear as usual.
We sympathize with Bro. Yarick in his loss for whether insured or not a fire is a bad thing for a printer.
Several prisoners indicted by the grand jury appeared in the common pleas court Monday and their trials were set for the week of Jan. 24.
Roy Dawes pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property and was fined $100 and given 30 days in the workhouse.
Albert Butler charged with shooting with intent to kill, George Evans accused of larceny and burglary and Behnke charge with bastardy, pleaded not guilty.
The stockholders of the Vermilion Telephone Co. held their annual meeting Tuesday afternoon in the office of the Erie County Banking Company. The following directors were elected: E.L. Coen, Jacob Englebry, Edwin Fledderjohn, John Moes, H.B. Kishman, M.E. Lawless, Chas. McGraw, C.L. Phelps, R.F. Quigley, Geo. P. Wahl, E.B. Welch and Geo. B. McConnelly.
The old officers, E.L. Coen Pres., R.F. Quigley V. Pres., M.E. Lawless sec., Chas. McGraw Treas. Were reelected.
The report shows the company to be in the most prosperous condition. Nearly $2000 has been spent in new connections. The gross earnings for 1904 show an increase of $9000.00 over last year or a net increase of about $525.
There has been a net gain I phones of 49. In the village there are now 183 phones, or one to every eight in population which is probably a larger per cent than can be shown in any town of its size in this sections of the state.
Geo. Evans who was jailed on charge of burglary and larceny excepted from the jail at Sandusky Tuesday night while Sheriff Hoffmann was at the court house.
The county bloodhounds traced the man to the Big Four depot but no trace of Evans could be found. How he made his escape has not been made public. He was sent up from Vermilion and was under indictment.
Mr. J.C. Sawyer was born in Green Mountain, Vermont, Aug. 2, 1819. In 1826 at the age of seven years, he with his parents moved to Conneaut, Ohio.
He was united in marriage to Mrs. Delia Montgomery, April 18, 1874, in Geneva, Ohio at which place they resided until about nineteen years ago when they came to Vermilion where they have made their home ever since.
One daughter blessed this union. He united with the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of twenty years and has been a faithful and consecrated member ever since. Brother Sawyer was very regular in church attendance very seldom missing until within the last year and a half when by sickness and age he was unable to attend.
He was a good singer in his younger days an for a number of years led the singing in church and prayer service with which he was connected. In his death the church has lost a thoroughly devoted and honored Christian man. He was rich in the things of God. Mr. Sawyer had failed in health for more than a years and the past few weeks very rapidly. He knew that the end was nearing and with calmness and but little anxiety for he knew that all was well, he gradually came to the end of a long and well spent life.
He gave very clear evidence that he was going home to God. He said a few days before his death that, “I am sure that when the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.”
He passed away Friday morning at 11 o’clock having reached the age of 85 years, 5 months and 11 days. Mr. Sawyer was a good citizen, loved and respected by all.
He leaves one daughter, Mrs. H. L. Minium of this place, one aged sister in Pennsylvania, one aged brother in Hartford, Ohio, besides his companion and other relatives and friends to mourn his loss.
The funeral services were held from the M.E. church of which he was a member, on Sunday afternoon conducted by the pastor Rev. Albert Rupert.
Mr. A.L. Irey, Vermilion, Ohio.
Sir: Your letter of January 3, asking whether all the postal cards issued by the Department are manufactured at Rumford Falls, Maine, is received. In reply you are informed that none have been manufactured except at Rumford Falls since March 5, 1902.
Respectfully, Edwin C. Madden Third Asst. P.M. Gen.
Rumford Falls is a small Maine town noted for its waterpower.
The paper mills ship daily 300 tons of paper. The postal cards are sent direct to the main post office of the land, not going to Washington. Three million postal cards are made each day. That means 6000 a minute.
[VV Ed. Note: A.L. Irey was a teacher, principal and superintendent I the Vermilion School system. I assume his communication was on behalf of his students.]
Probably some of our readers are not aware that Erie County has some fine bloodhounds. They are kept at the county infirmary and are being well trained. At huron recently they tracked chicken thieves to a well known resident and although it was thought they had made a mistake the parties settled for the chickens. The matter was kept as quiet as possible as they were quite prominent people. The hounds are the gift of Messrs. Montague & Smith.
The Lake Shore Electric Ry. makes connections at Toledo for all points in Michigan and Northern Ohio. Purchase tickets that ticket office and save money in nearly all cases.
Renner & Doerzbach received this week the largest shipment of phonograph records that ever came to this city. There were three thousand records of all the latest selections – Register.
J.H. Poyer of Berlin township died at his home Monday evening of neuralgia of the heart. [VV Ed. Note: This refers to a heart attack related to over excitement or physical exertion.] He as 67 years old and leaves a wife and son. W.J. Poyer of Berlin Hts. Funeral will be held today.
Hmmmmmm....
Vermilion Civil War Veterans - 1913
GOLD STARS & COD LIVER OIL: INTRODUCTION: As mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve been looking into Vermilion’s war casualties of a yesteryear at the behest of Vermilionite John Vargo. Though I am a war veteran (or rather because of it) it’s highly unlikely that I’d have pursued the subject on my own – because it’s an ugly business any way you cut it. Nonetheless, I’m glad Mr. Vargo asked for the information; because these things didn’t happen to someone else. They happened to us. And we would do well to know, remember, and never forget it. Consider it to be a little dose of “cod liver oil for the hometown soul”.
All in all there are over 26 persons included in this survey. Not all of them were residents, but are included because they either married a native Vermilionite, or spent a good deal of time in the town during, what in many cases were, their short lifetimes. As a good nurse would not have anyone drink the entire bottle of cod liver oil in one sitting these brief extracts of history will appear in the “Yesteryear” only in small doses – as needed.
GOLD STARS IN VERMILION: During First World War, American mothers who had family members serving their country wore a blue star around their left arm. As the conflict progressed and the number of dead escalated, mothers wanted to express their loss. A suggestion was made of sewing a gold star over the blue star. The idea was presented to President Woodrow Wilson and the practice was adopted in 1918.
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”. The count, at that time, included another WW1 casualty, Archie Birch, as well as Vermilion’s Civil War casualties. But as generous as it was to include the men lost in the Civil War (albeit retroactively) for gold star status it was in error. For, in fact, PFC Feiszli was Vermilion’s seventh.
The first was Private Eugene Frankenberg. He was but 20 years old when he became a part of the 72nd Ohio Infantry. A member of the family told me, “The sad truth is that he did not want to serve in the army and ran away and was caught in Port Clinton and sent to Mississippi where he was captured on 11 June 1864.” He was interred at Andersonville Prison Camp in Ripley, Missouri. Starving and suffering with a terrible case of diarrhea he died on 28 September 1864. He was only 21.
The second star was Private John Riblet (Note: In some places he is erroneously listed as being a Major). Private Riblet enlisted in the Union Army on 5 August 1862 at the age of 26. He was killed at Utoy Creek, Georgia on 6 August 1864. Utoy Creek was part of the Atlanta Campaign.
The third star was Captain Henry Delker (VPJ 05/25/06). Capt. Delker was a member of the 41st Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. During the last minutes of the Battle of Nashville (December 12 through 16, 1864) he was seriously wounded in the left arm and side. Though he survived the war the bullet that wounded him on the battlefield had never been removed. It finally felled him in late December 1890. While he was originally an Amherst / Brownhelm native, after the war he lived, and ran a popular dry goods store, in Vermilion. The local chapter of the G.A.R. veterans organization was named after him.
The fourth star was an 18-year-old Army Private by the name of Michael Delker whose home was in Brownhelm. Michael enlisted in the Union Army on 26 February 1864. He was the second oldest son in a family of nine. His father, Jacob, was born in Baden, Germany and was a farmer. His older brother, Henry (see above), also joined the Army. Michael never lived to be 19. He was killed at Pickett’s Mills, Georgia on 27 May 1864.
The fifth star, also a Brownhelm native, was Private Thomas Gallaudet Wells who enlisted in the Union Army as a Private on 11 June 1861 at the age of 20 years. He was killed on 14 September 1862 at South Mountain, Maryland. The Battle of South Mountain was fought on the mountain at Crampton's, Fox and Turner's gaps during the Maryland Campaign in 1862. Wells is generally believed killed at the Battle of Antietam. However, the Antietam campaign didn’t begin until April 16th of 1862 two days after his death.
Well, methinks that’s quite enough literal cod liver oil for now. Keep in mind that these snippets do not reflect the enormity of the sacrifices made by these men nor their families – not by a long shot.
While working as a janitor at a department store in Canton, Ohio, James Murray Spangler invented a portable electric vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner's design was upright, and it used a cloth bag to collect the dirt that was vacuumed up. Spangler first tested his invention in 1907 and patented it after a number of modifications in 1908. He founded the Electric Suction Sweeper Company to manufacture his design.
Ultimately, Spangler's invention became known as the Hoover vacuum cleaner. William Hoover was married to Spangler's first cousin, who purchased one of Spangler's early models. Intrigued by the new machine, Hoover invested in Spangler's company. He eventually became president of the Electric Suction Sweeper Company. In 1922, Hoover renamed the company the Hoover Company. Under Hoover's direction, many improvements were made in the design of the vacuum cleaner and new sales strategies were tested. The Hoover Company, with its headquarters based in North Canton, Ohio, became one of the most successful and well-known vacuum cleaner manufacturers in the world. Hoover's success means that most people today associate the vacuum cleaner with him, rather than with Spangler.
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 following series will take thee to the townships south of Vermilion. Methinks you'll find this history quite fascinating.
…account ever since. He has occupied his present stand for the last thirteen years. Not only has thrift crowned Mr. Greenslade's efforts, but he has lived an exemplary life; has raised a family of children that are a credit to the community, one son, James, being the efficient superintendent of the Bellevue public schools; has always taken an active interest in church and schools, and deservedly occupies a high place in the esteem of his fellow townsmen. He is junior warden of St. Paul's Episcopal church, and no member is more regular in his attendance upon the service of that church. These are not merely empty words of praise: they are plain statements of fact. He is the oldest resident on the 'pike, having purchased his present location in 1857, where he has resided ever since. This shows that he is not given to frequent changes.
Perhaps no English born resident of the village has has had more prosperity than George Wills, who arrived here from Devonshire in 1851. He has been the village butcher nearly the whole time since his arrival, and, having only enough means to enable him to get here, he has, by close application to business, being at his post of duty early and late, accumulated a handsome competence. A man, who has won success by such fidelity to business as Mr. Wills has shown, deserves this word of mention in this history of Bellevue.
The Heals, who were respectable people in England, have maintained well their credit here, all being very worthy townspeople. Of Enoch Heal’s family, the women, mother and daughters, are skillful milliners. The oldest daughter married James Smith, who died in the service of his country; another married Dr. Lanterman, a physician, who is rapidly rising into prominence as a practitioner; another married Edward Miller; another, George Beckwith; another; Ralph Boyer, who is an enterprising young business man, and the leading jeweller [sic] of the place.
In addition to the four classes of people that we have named, there is the Celtic population, of which Mr. Peter Brady is the most prominent representative. He came here in 1859 and has been in business since 1862. His business has rapidly grown until it takes precedence of any other of the kind in the city, and ranks among the leading hardware stores of Sandusky or Huron counties. Mr. Brady's popularity with the people of Bellevue is evidenced from the fact that he has served the village for a number of years as councilman, and for the past five years has been mayor of the town. He has been elected for three successive terms to the office, which is the highest in the gift of his fellow townsmen—a no slight testimonial to the efficiency and ability of his service.
This church was first organized on September 20, 1836, by a committee from the Presbytery of Huron, and was started as a Presbyterian Church on what was known as the accommodation plan,—that is a church under the care of a Presbytery, but which received and dismissed its members, and transacted other business, not by a vote of the elders but by a vote of the whole church.
The number of male members at the organization was nine; five of these brought letters from the church at Lyme, Ohio; three from churches in the State of New York, and one from Norwalk.
Among many important resolutions adopted on the day of the organization, was one declaring that the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors was an immorality which, if practiced by any member of this church, made him liable to discipline the same as if guilty of any other immorality.
The church continued under care of Presbytery ten years, and then, so far as we are able to learn from the records, with much unanimity, decided to separate itself from its Presbyterial connection, and become a regular Congregational Church. This action was taken March 7, 1846.
The first pastor called by the church after the reorganization, was Rev. A. D. Barber who was installed by a council October 19, 1853. Mr. Barber's salary was four hundred dollars, and parsonage, which shows that the society had a parsonage at that time. This pastorate continued five years. In the following year after Mr. Barber's departure, the church called the Rev. James W. Cowles, and offered him a salary of seven hundred dollars. Mr. Cowles served the church about three years, and was succeeded on October 30, 1863, by Rev. John Safford.
During this pastorate the house of worship was removed, enlarged and repaired. The work was completed in the fall of 1865, and immediately afterwards the church invited Mr. Safford to become its installed pastor with an increase of three hundred dollars in salary. Mr. Safford accepted the call, but seems to have continued in the pastoral relation only about a year.
When the house of worship was originally built, it seems that the pews were sold with the understanding that the buyers became permanent owners. This arrangement was a source, afterwards, of much inconvenience to the society. The owners were not all induced to give their pews up again to the society until some time in 1868.
After the departure of Pastor Safford in 1867, the Rev. S. B. Sherrill was called, and was acting pastor from December 1867, until some time in 1873, a period of nearly six years. The successor of Mr. Sherrill was the Rev. J. W. White, whose letter accepting the call of the church is dated February 28, 1874. Mr. White's labors did not begin until some time after this acceptance, and closed near the end of 1878, continuing with the church a little more than four years. Within two months after Mr. White's resignation, the church called Rev. S. W. Meek, who was installed in the pastoral office by the council on…
Excerpts from: The Fire Lands, Comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio; W.W. Williams - 1879 - Press of Leader Printing Company, Cleveland, Ohio
POST CARD FROM A YESTERYEAR: I came across this beauty in a box of many memories. It was full of postcards, letters, and pictures from a past now largely forgotten.
The card (as is obvious) was from some Ohio Army trooper stationed near Montgomery, Alabama in 1917. I can’t make out the signature of the person who sent it enough to give him a full name. [ It could be M.M. Strehle.] But, anyway, this is a true relic of Vermilion’s past.
During the “Great War” Vermilion’s volunteer Red Cross ladies were very active. Somewhere in the “Views” archives there is a pic taken of most of them in the yard before F.W. Wakefield’s Harborview home at the foot of Main Street in Vermilion. Their number was significant for a little Ohio village. I’m guessing, but there were probably near 100 or more women involved in making dressings for the wounded and other items for the troops in the war.
This card is a reminder that their work was certainly appreciated.
Dear All, As part of our on going cost-cutting exercise, we are proposing a major change to our Desktop policy and a further move towards a recycling and paperless office. The goal is to remove all laptop computers by March 2013 and all desktop computers by April 2013. Instead, everyone will be provided with an Etch-A-Sketch.
Technical Justification:
1. No boot-up problems.
2. No technical glitches keeping work from being done.
3. No more wasted time reading and writing emails.
4. No more worries about power cuts.
5. Budget savings on upgrades unparalleled.
6. No danger of viruses and worms infecting our data.
Frequently Asked Questions from the Etch-A-Sketch Help Desk:
Q: My Etch-A-Sketch has all of these funny little lines all over the screen. A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: How do I turn my Etch-A-Sketch off? A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: What's the shortcut for Undo? A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: How do I create a New Document window? A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: How do I set the background and foreground to the same colour? A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: What is the proper procedure for rebooting my Etch-A-Sketch? A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: How do I delete a document on my Etch-A-Sketch? A: Pick it up and shake it.
Q: How do I save my Etch-A-Sketch document? A: Don't shake it.
Regards, IT Department.
NADA: I may begin doing the podcasts again; but I'm thinking of just doing audio readings. The videos on-line are just becoming too redundant unless they really show something special. The short videos that appear on the VNPSM Facebook page are more purposeful. You might want to check them out.
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, "Grandmas’ 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.
Also, please note that all the video (MP4 and MOV) podcasts (when used) are done in the "Quicktime MP4 / MOV" formats. If you don't have a "Quicktime" it's easy to find and free to download.
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: 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
or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)
Vol.10, Issue 42 - December 29, 2012
© 2012 Rich Tarrant