OLIVER: Oliver Rice was a very familiar face to a plethora of children who walked to State Street School from the north part of town back in the 1920s. From what I can tell by this pic he manned the railroad gate at the Perry or Washington Street crossing.

I had a difficult time finding definitive information about Mr. Rice. I had to search my memory and past issues of "VV" to establish his identity in this photograph. It seemed to me that I wrote a Christmastime story about him long ago.

I did find some interesting stuff about his brother Hiram. Hiram was married to a lady named Addie Champeon. They lived on the north end of town (I believe Huron Street). Anyway Hiram was killed at the Shipyard in Lorain. He fell off a ladder, hit his head and fell into the river.

I couldn't find an obit on Oliver - so I don't know what became of him.

SHERLOCKING VERMILION PHOTOGRAPHS: Shuffling through some old photographs some days ago I happened upon the pair that accompany the column this week. They caught my attention because they are both about the same size and in very good condition. But the great thing about them is that some kind souls thought to identify them – or at least one of them. Anyway it was a beginning.

In a faint penciled script on the back of the portrait on the left was the name Albern Thompson. Actually the first name was nearly illegible. It was hard to tell whether it was “Albern” or “Albert”. Fortunately, somewhere in my ramblings through local histories I recalled the name, Albern (Thompson), because I thought it unusual. Consequently, I have no doubt as to the identity of the man in the portrait. [Move over Sherlock Holmes.]

Albern Merwin Thompson was born to Miles Malcolm Thompson, a ship’s carpenter, (VPJ 10/09/2011) and Julia Augusta Sturtevant in Vermilion Ohio on September 14, 1859. He had two sisters; Alice and Cora; and two brothers; Vernon and Everett. Throughout his life Albern worked as an engineer on the fish tugs.

The Thompson family was a rather prominent Vermilion family. Several of their ancestors had fought in the American Revolutionary War. Albern’s father, Miles, had once been town Marshall and curator of the town lockup that was located where Exchange Park is today.

In May of 1882 Albern married a girl named Anna S. Broguard (b.1852). The couple had two children; Helen born in 1886; and Hazen born in 1889. Anna died in 1907. Albern died at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lorain in 1918 after undergoing an operation for gallstones.

Now, discovering the identity of the person in the portrait on the right was a little harder: On the back of it, though marked in very small letters it simply reads. “Hattie Englebry”. Though I doubt that it is a photograph of someone named Hattie I suspected that it was a keepsake once belonging to her. To help substantiate that thought a brief search showed me that Hattie Englebry was the daughter of 19th century Vermilion undertaker John Englebry and his wife Mary. [Note: The Englebry’s occupied the house where Granny Joe’s Ice Creamatorium (no pun intended) is located today (2017).]

Hattie was born on the 22nd day of September in 1867 and married a Vermilion fella named Flynt Nicholas on the first of December in 1892. Flynt was born in 1862 in Brownhelm to Henry and Philina who were pioneer residents of the area. He began working on the lakes as a cabin boy at age 9, eventually working his way up to captain. Hattie and Flynt had two children; a boy they named Charles (b.1898) and a daughter they named Vera (b.1905).
Hattie died in 1933 – Flynt in 1954. And here is where I began to understand the reason the two portraits were found together.

On October 13, 1924 Vera J. Nicholas became the wife of Hazen B. Thompson. Albern and Anna Thompson and Flynt and Hattie Nicholas were their parents. And though I knew neither of the men pictured I was very familiar with Vera, Hazen, their children – and some of their children’s children. With this in mind I took a closer look at both portraits and am able to see how much their offspring resemble them. In each face I see something that reminds me of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as I knew – and know – them.

Well, I’m not really as ingenious as Sherlock Holmes. But once in every great while I trip over something from a yesteryear that helps me appear so. At least I deduce that to be the case.

_{Ref: Special Thanks to the Thompson-Corcino families; Sandusky Register 05/13/1954; The Vermilion News, 1918; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 11/02/17.}

Vol. XIII, No.26. - VERMILION,OHIO THURSDAY, December 2, 1909

VERMILION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

All citizens who are interested and believe that the reorganization of the Chamber of Commerce would be for the welfare and advancement of Vermilion, are requested to meet at the town hall for the above purpose, Tuesday evening, December 7, 09, at 7 PM.
Organizing Committee.

COURT NOTES

The Lake Shore Electric Railway has filed a demurrer in the Court of Common Pleas to the suit recently filed by Charles S. Ruggles proprietor of Ruggles Beach, to compel the company to continue stopping its cars at his summer resort, which Ruggles claims his contract with the company requires it to do. The demurrer answers Ruggles petition by saying that the contract was not perpetual and that the company fulfilled its part of the agreement by making a stop there for a number of years. The company claims that it now wishes to improve the service on the line and to do so it had been compelled to discontinue stopping his cars at Ruggles Beach. The company alleges that if the agreement was perpetual it was not a contract and could not be enforced.

Louis Noel has been appointed guardian of John Veiga, minor child of Frank Veiga, whose place of residence is unknown.

DIED

Mr. John Cropp, a well-known farmer died suddenly Saturday at his home south of town. Mr. Cropp has been a familiar figure on our streets for many years, having been engaged in gathering garbage. He had not been feeling well for some time but his death was unexpected.

CRYSTAL THEATRE

The proprietor of Crystal Theatre has concluded to have the theatre open Friday evenings instead of Saturday. Films of the British Boer war or “In old Kentucky” will be shown.

Correspondence

AMHERST

BORN – to Mr. And Mrs. Edward Hintz, a son, Wednesday, November 24.

John Perkins is again to able to return to his work after several days illness.

The L. S. & M. S. Depot are having electric lights put in which is a great improvement over the old smokey lamps.

The new road which was recently completed from Amherst Junction to Elyria, is already going to pieces, the cause being unknown.

Mrs. Anna Kirkbride, 69, died Saturday at her home on the town line. Four sisters and two brothers survive.

Amherst people are wrought up over the reported horse thefts. Two horses belonging to Jacob and one to Adam Filker disappeared from the pasture lot on the Clough farm last Wednesday. Jacob’s horses are black with stars on forehead.

At the council meeting last week considerable time was spent in discussing the saloon-closing ordinance. It is stated that the salooninsts have been paying little attention to the hour for closing or to Saturday closing. All seem to agree that the ordinance should be enforced. The marshal’s and night watchman’s salary was fixed at $40 per month.

The funeral of Mrs. Anna Kirkbride was held from the residence on South Ridge Monday, Rev. Motorshead officiated.

FLORENCE

Will Green is on the sick list

Ben Hum after a week's illness was able to return to work in Elyria, Friday.

A furnace for the congregational church is now practically the assured. The committee started Tuesday to investigate the merits and prices of the various makes of furnaces. They will visit the home towns first.

WEST VERMILLION

Mrs. Eldridge is visiting her son at Collinwood.

A. R. Rumsey spent Saturday and Sunday at his country home, Rumsey Park.

A. R. Rumsey entertained an auto party from Cleveland Sunday, Mr. Lagoon, M. R. Coach and wife of the Pinkerton Secret Service.

There is quite a demand for lakefront property in this section for some homes for Cleveland people. There has been several buyers here looking for sites.

The bears were out of their cage Sunday for a little exercise and they improved every moment of the time climbing trees invading and running all over.

[NOTE: I Believe this refers to the bears A.R. Rumsey is said to have kept at Rumsey Park. I’ve always heard about the cages (apparently they still exist), but was skeptical about the bears until now.]

A STATEMENT

After having another talk with the Rev. A. G. Lohmann about the differences between us the matters were all adjusted and IF we have done wrong to any of the ministers, though doing it unintentionally, we take it back, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED no one will be allowed to attack any church in our paper.
– ED.

A WORD FOR THE ABSENT

We have no criticism to make upon the "statement" made by Rev. A. G. Lohmann from the pulpit of the Reformed Church last Sunday evening – he is no longer here to defend himself.

We will, however, say a word in defense of the absent one, who first TEN YEARS years superintended our public schools and who devoted his time to work of building it up to a school of the first grade – who in fact impaired his health at one time in the work. Perhaps he made his mistakes – who of us is perfect – but without disrespect to our present excellent superintendent, who we believe is doing a good work, is the fact of everything running smoothly proof of Mr. Seemann’s ability?

Mr. Irey taught under Mr. Seemann five and one-half years or there about and hence was better fitted for the place than a stranger, and while his methods may not be the same as Mr. Seemann’s is acquainted with his field of labor and need make no experiments. It was like one skilled locomotive engineer giving up his post to another – a few slight adjustments perhaps – and the engine moves on.

Look for the graduates of the Vermillion High Schools – what are they doing? Are they successful in holding their own and business, college and workshop?

Mr. Seamann was also a good citizen and a worker in the community and even his bitterest opponents for he had a few – are sorry to see him go. He went of his own free will after having been hired as a superintendent for another year.

As the school board and businessmen they are here to answer for themselves.

We are often called to make no hurried judgement. Yet editor has been a businessman and resident of Vermilion for the last eight and one-half years and coming here a perfect strangers, can hope to form a better opinion of the progressiveness of our town than any transient who has been with se but a season. While this community may have a few knockers the majority stand for progressiveness and public improvement.

[NOTE: I’m not exactly sure what happened here. However, the editor may have been mistaken in his judgement – about Irey – as readers will see in the future.]

OBITUARY

Irma Louise, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Herman Leidheiser, was born in Berlin Heights the 15th April,1906, and died in Vermilion, Ohio, the 25th of November, 1909.

She leaves her parents and two sisters to mourn their loss, a brother having died on a week ago.

John Cropp was born in Vermilion the 17th day of August 1855 and died at his hoe November the 27th, 1909 at the age of 54 years,3 months and 10 days. He leaves one son, two daughters, one sister and three brothers.

Locals

Albert Hart who is attending college at Ada spent Thanksgiving vacation at home.

Rubbish day, Monday and Tuesday. Last rubbish day of the season.

The hauling of iron for the new bridge over the Vermilion River at Rugby was begun, and it is hoped that the work will be completed in the near future.

Rev. Woodruff, who was released from the Elyria jail last week after having served a 30-day term for passing bogus checks, went to Alliance and attempted the same game.

The season for a Cheese Factory has again come to a close, which will give the cheese makers a chance to recuperate and in trim [sic] the Spring Opening.

A certain young man of Axtel who is busying himself making calls, seems to have his eye turned toward the west, his record is nine calls a week but as there is a sick one in the house it may be he is inquiring about the sick instead of making the cook happy.

HURON

BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Emmons a daughter November 29.

Dolores Ennis is reported quite sick.

BIRMINGHAM

The entertainment Friday night at the town hall was certainly a probe appreciated by everyone that attended, having a full house.

Harvey Smith the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Smith of Huron accidentally shot himself in the left-hand while hunting near Shinrock one day last week. He was going through a field dragging the gun after him. His thumb was on the mouth of the barrel when the gun was discharged. It was found necessary to amputate the thumb.

CLUES: I found this scrap of info to be most interesting. First of all it tells us who built the gas tug Charles J. Trinter. I have a pic of this tug tied up at Southwest Fish.

Next, I was unaware of the fact that Dr. Quigley was suffering from some malady. It’s something that I’ll look into.

And last of all – now I know the reason Florence Corbin went to Michigan. I knew she went there, and I knew she was had an interest in the millenary profession. But I didn’t know, for sure, that that is what she was doing in Michigan.

These little blips are exceptionally helpful in filling in some of the blanks in our local history.

LITTLE JEWELS: This is one of the advertising plates used at the print shop in days of yore. This is a very small plate – perhaps an inch and a half long. There are literally over a thousand of these items at the museum that have not been touched for a half century or more. Someday we’ll set up a display