Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: (THEN) Both desktop pix this week are of the northwest corner of Liberty & Grand streets in our Vermilion.
When the one on the shop desk was taken Frank “F.E.” Baker had his Ford Dealership in the building. Years before this building had been used as a type of general store downstairs. The family operating the business lived upstairs. I’ve no idea how the upper floors were being used when this pic was taken.
And I’ve no idea (as of this writing) why the street was lined with trucks. I believe they’re all Fords. I suppose it was some type of promotion.
But a nice pic this is.
(& THEN AGAIN): The pic on my home desk was taken some years following Mr. Baker’s leaving the corner store. As is obvious it was, by then, a Pontiac dealership. That business may have been owned by popular Vermilionite Glenn Martin.
You will note in both pix the dealers also sold Gulf gasoline right on the street. Having the tanks right next to the highway was not unusual in those days.
In both pix you can see some of the buildings on the northwest side of Liberty. The house immediately to the left / west of the auto dealer was (I think) the home of family that ran the business next (west) of it. That was L.J. Decker’s Livery.
Decker’s was, from all the photographs I’ve ever seen of it, quite a large stable. I suppose it had to be if one was renting horses and buggies to the public. I’ve always been fascinated by the irony of understanding that facets of the automobile industry eventually occupied the very same site of the stables and the blacksmith shop next to it.
And the years, like water, keep on flowing…
MUSEUMS - COMMENTARY: There are still a good number of folks who are unaware that the Great Lakes Historical Society’s Marine Museum, once located in the F.W. Wakefield home at the foot of Main Street is no longer in Vermilion.
It’s not been here for several years now. But people still come, call and discover that it has moved to Toledo. None can understand the reason it left Vermilion. But methinks they should.
Had they expressed interest in the place prior to this date the museum might have remained. But if there are no visitors – either from afar or Vermilion – their decision to leave was rather easy.
As I have come to find, operating a museum is a nice thing to do, but it requires support – both in terms of visitors and those who are willing to support it either financially and / or by the loan of various artifacts.
Hmmm....
Historically,
JUST A REMINDER: Perhaps this is just for me, but in the midst of some rather warm weather it may help to cool down by taking a look back at winter.
This is the way it appeared one day when I came home (to the OOC) from work and looked out at the river. We’d experienced a cold snap and the weather had warmed (that’s a relative term) enough to thaw some of the ice on the river. It broke up, and jammed enough to begin to flow over its banks. Finally, the ice broke through and ran out into the lake. That’s winter along the river.
This pic is a form of mental air conditioning. But I like the summer – at least when the river behaves itself. The hotter the better.
WHEN IT’S HOT: The recent heat spell in our area took me back to my Yoot - when I was a boy of about 11 or 12. When it got real hot my friends and I retreated into a wooded area along the crick just a few blocks from our home.
We referred to it as “Smith’s Woods” because the property of one of our friend’s parents backed-up to it. The land was actually owned by a local attorney. But we didn’t know it. And if we had known it, it wouldn’t have changed a thing. Because when it was hot the woods is where we went.
It had to be at least 10 or 15 degrees cooler in the heart of the woods – in the shade of great maple, oak, ash and buckeye trees that grew there. And if it really wasn’t the water in the creek that ran through the middle of the wood sure made it feel that way on a young boy’s feet.
The wood ran north and south from one set of railroad tracks to another for a distance of maybe three miles. A scarcely used two-lane village lane and small bridge neatly bisected the wandering stream and woodland. And if, for some reason, we didn’t want to be seen in our journey through the wood we’d walk under the road bridge our voices echoing off the concrete walls of its abutments as we passed. It was even cooler in these places.
Out of sight of the sun time passed us by without notice. In the quiet we would hear the birds chattering among themselves – probably talking about the heat of the day. And in the slow moving creek we’d watch water striders / Jesus bugs skitter across the surface dancing to the tune of an out-of-time choir of crickets hiding in the verdurous shadows somewhere deep in the forest.
And then from afar the yell of a friend who found something; something usually unique. Something like a huge vine heartily fastened to a large tree that one could use to grab and swing out over the bank overlooking the creek bed. It was like living in a Tarzan comic book. Or so we thought.
And then there were war games. We’d pick teams and scatter with the intention of ambushing one another as we travelled from one end of the forest to the other. But three miles is a fair distance. And seldom did anyone our wars last. That’s because there was always too much to see, to do and to get lost in. And so the afternoon passed. The shadows of the trees, even under the great canopy, began to grow longer. But far more important, our stomachs began to growl. It was time to go home.
So into the strange light and heat of the waning afternoon we left our refuge. One by one, heading for home dragging stick through the gravel along the street, thinking of tomorrow. Another day would come. And if the heat were oppressive we’d find our ways back to Smith’s Woods. Or maybe we’d just go to the beach.
On some of these nights our parents let us take some blankets and a pillow and sleep in the grass beside our home. We’d fall asleep wondering at all the stars in the sky dreaming dreams that only children can dream.
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...
Wednesday occurred the fourth death from accident in the Vermilion River the season. Chas Brenner’s [sic], a tailor, of 1210 St. Claire, Cleveland, with a party of five others including a son and daughter, came to Vermilion on Mr. Brenner's powerboat Siss, Tuesday and went into camp on Knott’s above the Nickel Plate bridge. One of the party had leased a canoe for the time they intended to remain in camp. Wednesday, a large picnic crowd from Cleveland was at Crystal Beach and all the party accepting Mr. Brenneis and daughter were at the park witnessing the sports. It is supposed that Brenneis entered the canoe to search a paddle which had been lost, the daughter being out in a rowboat for the same purpose. She hearing a commotion in the water looked around and saw her father struggling in the water and attempting to hang onto the canoe. She attempted to save her father but did not reach him in time. After waiting for him to come up which he failed to do, she went ashore and ran to Crystal Beach where she had the announcer call for her brother, who was soon found. A search was made for the body, which was soon found after having been in the water about 45 minutes. After trying to resuscitate the man the body was taken to the Beeckel morgue and the corner notified.
The body was sent home on the morning train on the Lake Shore Ry. Mr. Brenneis was about 45 years of age and leaves a wife in Cleveland. He was the owner of the powerboat Siss and a member of the Cleveland Power Boat Club.
Since reading the very significant suggestion regarding the Subscribers Library and Public School Library by the editor of THE NEWS, I have been doing some thinking on my own account. It has been my privilege to personally examine the collection of books owned by the subscriber’s library and I pronounce it a valuable collection. Of course it is not so general as would suit the purpose I have in mind, yet would be of much importance.
For some years the town has supported a lecture course and quite profitably at that. The proceeds have with the exception of a neat reserve fund, gone toward buying of books for the use of public schools. This year some seventy dollars was thus use. The spirit of this is well good well and good, but is too narrow in my judgment for the conditions that obtained.
The editor’s able suggestion sounded the waters perfectly. Why not have Public Library where all shall have access rather than making it exclusive to scholars only. Books of reference and of encyclopedic nature would be highly prized. I am quite sure by many of the reading people of the town. The ladies clubs would find such a source of great bonus to them and the schoolchildren would practically enjoy the same privileges they now have. Carrying the project a little further, I would suggest the renting of a room such as are now vacant in the telephone building; the voting over to a library association the subscribers library in trust; the turning of the proceeds of the lectures course toward the support of this institution; the attention of the public spirited citizens with means called to do this work that special sums be contributed. In short start a small public library with a reading room, magazine subscriptions, and allowing for a librarian who would keep the place open to evenings during the week and on Sunday afternoon if need be. The time is ripe to take action on this important question. The resignation of President Croninger of the lecture committee is now in the hands of the secretary. He filled this office most acceptably the past year and by his removal we lose a very valuable man but now that a successor must be selected in view of this larger plan, it seems we that we should cast about for up prominent, whole-souled, public spirited, taxpaying citizen, who has the permanent interests of the town at heart, and thus enlist every man and woman in an object that should so greatly interest every home. Let us get busy at once the Subscribers Library is already being boxed and stowed away. I'm ready to join the forces and do all I can to realize this end.
Yours for success,
RAYMOND C. SWISHER.
[NOTE: Mr. Swisher was the minister of Vermilion’s First Congregational Church from 1909 to 1912.]
Charles Parsons, the well-known Marine engineer was found in one of the tugs one day the past week in a very precarious condition and deranged. He was taken to the hospital at Toledo and given all care possible. He died at that institution Wednesday at 1:30 PM and the body arrived here on the noon train today. Funeral services will be held from the home on Decatur Street tomorrow, (Friday) at 1 o'clock.
The new fountain for Exchange Place has arrived and will soon be put in place. The old stone tub which is served for a watering trough for so long will no longer serve as a canine bathtub. The new fountain, not only being sanitary is an ornament to the park.
Thursday evening the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce held its regular monthly meeting with a good with good attendance. Among the subjects considered was the answering of a number of communications regarding the securing of locations for industries. The secretary was instructed to prepare a letter and return setting forth what we have to offer. Vermilion is not after any industry or promoter schemes but after some industry seeking a new location and will meet any such established concern halfway in any reasonable proposition.
It was proposed that the old abutments in the river under the wagon bridge should be marked with buoys so that the launches going up the river would not run into them. The county commissioners should take them out.
[NOTE: This would lead one to believe that the current river bridge is the 3rd bridge over the river – not the 2nd as many might have thought. Interesting…]
The matter of State Normals was brought up and the chairman of the educational committee stated that the commission was formulating a series of questions for the committee of the various towns seeking the schools. Since the meeting various questions have been given out are about as follows. Size of the of library, health of community, good public schools of not less than 225 pupils, transportation facilities, board, nearness to college town, etc. It also seems that the commission will stick to the proposition of locating in the northeastern and northwestern portion of the state and Hudson and Fremont are spoken of.
The matter of securing the next convention of the Buckeye Band Association was brought up and left to the entertainment committee to see how much could be (ex)penses [sic] of the entertainment of the association. As the Chamber of Commerce will meet before the band goes to Crestline, August 17, it will be known whether we can bid for the convention or not.
It was decided that meetings of the Chamber of Commerce should be held on the second Thursday evening of each month instead of the second Wednesday during the concert season.
The meeting then adjourned.
The band concert which was to have been given Wednesday evening was postponed until next Wednesday evening when [sic] (with) the program was [sic] (as) published last week will be given. This postponement was made on account of the death of Mrs. A. P. Becker, whose husband is a member of the band.
[The person who composed the article must have been very tired. To be fair, it may have been hurriedly added at the last minute.]
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. John Balzer, a daughter, Thursday, July 14.
The Amherst Supply Co. is putting up a large building to be used as a storeroom.
H. A. Blessing closed his racket store last week and returned to his home in Galion.
Miss Maud Towne has resigned her position at Lassen's confectionery store.
Earl Stilwald has return from a fishing trip to Bay Bridge and Kelly's Island.
John Chrisbean, 28, a Romanian, was crushed to death under a stone at Malone quarry Friday.
Mr. Albert Witte lost a valuable colt one day last week. He was trying to break the animal to the harness and had hitched it to a rig. The colt reared and fell breaking its neck.
A few days ago when Mr. Sherwood was going home from Vermilion and got to the Hull School house a swarm of bees came over and began to light on his horse. He thought the best thing to do was to get out as quickly as possible. The swarm was still there the next day.
[NOTE: I wonder what happened to the horse?]
Died – after a long illness. Mr. Baker. He was buried Thursday in Riverside Cemetery. A wife and three children survive.
A party of former Huronites now residents of Cleveland enjoyed their annual picnic at Huron Saturday.
Gertrude, the nine-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philo Sperry died Saturday at the home of her grandparents near Vermilion after a few weeks illness from pneumonia. The remains were brought to Huron in the funeral held Tuesday. The parents have the sympathy of many friends.
Henry Bandan was severely hurt last Tuesday while hauling hay, the load tipping and throwing him to the ground.
Hayes Whittlesey is having steam heat, bath etc. installed in his house by an Oberlin firm.
Brownhelm is becoming quite metropolitan. The "town fathers" are contemplating the passage of a law to keep motorcycles and bicycles off the sidewalk.
The internment of Elmer O. Shattuck, who died July 4th of chronic appendicitis, and which had been deferred awaiting the arrival of the son Floyd from California, took place, Sunday afternoon July 10th at 5 PM in the Brownhelm Cemetery.
Mr. Shattuck was a man of great integrity and of character it was universally respected and beloved. He was 48 years of age and was born in Brownhelm, being the oldest son of Alpheus in Evelyn Shattuck. He is survived by his wife, three sons Floyd, Oren and Tracy, and by his mother and two brothers, Arthur and Edward.
We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to our many friends and neighbors and to the members of the Eastern Star for the kindly aid and sympathy extended to the to us during the illness and death of our husband and father.
Mrs. Elmer Shattuck and sons.
Rev. Swisher has something to say on the question elsewhere. We suggest that the Town Hall would be a good place for it. The town and township should furnish at least one official with an office in this building, as is done elsewhere and arrangements could be made for placing the library.
Another thing, instead of having the school library why not consolidate the libraries and make one good library, giving the teachers and ministers special privileges in taking books. Neither library will ever amount to anything or be of any value to the public until some such action is taken.
Let us hear from others who have the best interests of our town at heart. Our columns are open to all.
Mrs. Charles Decker is reported getting along nicely at the hospital at Lorain in a family hope to have her home within a week or so.
William Mays was found dead Tuesday at his home in Amherst by his wife on her return home from a trip to downtown. Funeral will be held Friday.
C. Roscoe spent Friday and Saturday at Milan.
M. Wilbur has purchased the Englebry block of John A. Englebry in which a store is now located.
[This is Miller Wilbur who once lived with his parents in the Swift Hollow home known as Rosedale. Miller and his wife Harriet owned a beautiful home that was located on the property where the UCC Congregational church know stands. Their 4 children died within days of one another of black diphtheria in 1893 while the family was staying with relatives in Berlin Heights. Tragedy seemed to follow this family.]
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. Ben Whitt a son, Sunday, July 17.
[NOTE: The child born was Richard M. Whitt brother of Vermilion Postmaster Paul and Uncle to Vermilionites Cathy Fischer and Richard and Don Whitt.]
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. Mason Hull, at Carrizozo, New Mexico a son, July 16, 1910. Mrs. Hull is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Baxtine of Vermilion.
The fire alarm was sounded Tuesday but the department was recalled. Men were tarring nets across the river from Driscoll Co.’s plant when the tar caught fire.
Mrs. Mayme Beeckel was called home from Ypsilanti, Mich. Monday by the death of her sister Mrs. A. P. Becker.
Dr. and Mrs. Heinig have for their guests this week their sister, Miss Laura Heinig and friend Miss Florence Stiffler of Millersburg Ohio.
Capt. Frank C. Rae is reported on the way to recovery of the home of his parent parents, Capt. and Mrs. F. H. Rae.
Our hearts go out in sympathy to the friends and relatives of little Gertrude Sperry who died last Saturday night at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Sperry.
A week ago Sunday in honor of Mr. Robert Allen’s 70th birthday, the following were present to wish him many happy returns of the day: Mr. and Mrs. Harold Ludlow; Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Ludlow and two children of Elyria; Miss Grace Allen, Mr. Charles Allen Mr. Howard Lansear of Rocky River; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Fry and son of Cleveland and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gegenheimer of this place.
Our farmers are busy hauling and wheat these days.
Every farmhouse is full of summer borders.
A. R. was out for a few hours Wednesday.
The new annex to the country house of A. R. Rumsey is getting the finishing touches. When completed this will be the largest private room and finest in the state.
[NOTE: This is a piece of local history trivia because this is very likely the great ballroom at the Rumsey farm. File this in your notebooks.]
Hmmmmmm....
…Camp Morton, arriving there on the 30th. The Sixty fifth was assigned to a brigade composed of the Sixty-fourth and Sixty fifth Ohio, the Fifty-first Indiana and Ninth Kentucky. Colonel Harker, of the Sixty fifth, commanded the brigade, and General W o o d the division."
On January, 13, 1862, the brigade broke camp and proceeded to Hall's Gap, arriving there on the 24th, when it was at once placed at work to corduroy the roads. On account of the swampy, miasmatic nature of the country many of the men fell sick and died. On February 7 the regiment left this place and marched to Lebanon, where by rail it proceeded to Green River, and remained in camp at Munfordsville, undtil the 23d, after which it went to Nashville, arriving there on March 13, tired and worn from having marched over obstructed roads, and carrying baggage over places impassable for the loaded wagons.
In the latter part of March, with General Garfield commanding the brigade, the regiment again took up the line of march by way of Columbia to Savannah, and thence by steamer to Pittsburg Landing, at which place a fight was in progress, but the Sixty-fifth was not engaged though on the field. Following close upon this event came the siege of Corinth, in which the regiment participated, being under fire much of the time and meeting with some loss. After the enemy evacuated the place the regiment moved to Bridgeport, and was assigned to guard duty along the Tennessee River, until the latter part of August, when it joined in pursuit of Bragg's retreating forces, and finally reached Perryville late in September. A week later it marched to Nashville. At this place the army was reorganized, the Sixty-fifth holding its place in the brigade, with Colonel Harker in command. On December 26 the brigade moved on the Nashville Pike, fighting its way into Lavergne, across Stewart's Creek, and up to Stone River. On the 29th, at night, the regiment forded the river, armpit deep, in the face of a galling fire, and gained the opposite bank, where they formed and engaged the enemy; but supporting troops failing to arrive they were forced to retire, which was done in good order. The men lay on their arms all night and early the next day moved to the support of McCook's corps, which was having much the worst of it in a fierce battle. For eight long hours the regiment was engaged before the enemy was finally put to rout. The loss of the Sixty- fifth in this engagement amounted to nearly one hundred and seventy-five killed, wounded and missing. Forty officers and men were killed. Stone River was the most destructive battle in which the regiment participated.
At Chickamauga, on September 19 and 20, the regiment was again engaged, but on the last named day retreated to Mission Ridge, thence fell back to Chattanooga, at which latter place, on November 23—25, it was again closely engaged and lost heavily, there being in killed, wounded and missing no less than one hundred men. Added to this was the loss in the battle at Mission Ridge, on the 25th, in which thirteen were killed and two wounded.
TYPESETTING – COMPOSING BY HAND: Way back when – before the Linotype typesetting machine was invented – printers set type for printing by hand, one letter at a time.
This was labor-intensive work requiring a good deal of skill, and a good deal of the typesetter’s attention.
The top pic shows how the type appeared to the typesetter – upside down and backward. The lower pic shows how the type would appear on the printed page.
A good typesetter was like a good typist on a typewriter. After a time they knew where the different letters were located in the job case (i.e. the case holding the letters). They actually could set type fairly fast. And after a page was printed the type had to be placed in its proper place back in the case.
In truth, it is an art. One that is nearly lost in a digital world.
>
One day a man called the church office. He said, "Can I speak to the head hog at the trough?"
The secretary thought she heard what he said, but said, "I'm sorry, who?"
The caller repeated, "Can I speak to the head hog at the trough?"
She said, "Well, if you mean the preacher, then you may refer to him as 'Pastor,' or 'Brother,' but I prefer that you not refer to him as the 'head hog at the trough'!"
To this the man replied, "Well, I was planning on giving $100,000 to the building fund...."
To this the secretary quickly responded "Hang on, I think the big fat pig just waddled in!"
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 "The Private War of William Styron" is available in paper back for $15.00 with tax and can be purchased locally at Buxton and Buxton Law Office in Urbanna, ordered from any book store, Amazon.com or Brandylane Publishing Company. A signed, hard back edition may be purchased from Mrs. Buxton directly for $30.00 by writing her at Box 488, Urbanna, VA 23175 and including $6.00 for tax, postage and packaging.
THE BEAT GOES ON: This page is generated by a dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the links. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine check the new archives links below.
If you're looking for my old links section (pictured) I've replaced it with a pull-down menu (visible in the small box next to the word "Go"). If you're looking for links to more Vermilion history check that menu.
How the old links menu looked
P.O. Box 437
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-8397
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Vol. 16. Issue 20 - July 21, 2018
Archive Issue #801
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