Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK:On the desks this week are old snaps of Vermilion’s Helfrich Restaurant that later (in the 40s) became McGarvey’s Nautical Restaurant.
Charlie McGarvey is pictured on my home desk. He was born in Covington Kentucky on 29 July 1887. He was the fourth of six children born to Irish immigrants Patrick and Katherine “Kate” McGarvey. Both were Dublin natives. While it would not have been very unusual at the time it may interest some to note that neither parent ever became naturalized citizens of the U.S. Mrs. McGarvey, who suffered with Bright’s Disease, died in 1904 at the age of 61. Mr. McGarvey died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1905. He was 67. In 1902 at the age of 15 Charlie was working as a “shoe cutter” in Covington. He was not a high school graduate. And again, that was not unusual during those years. High School graduates during those times were more the exception than the rule.
A decade later he was working and living with his older brother Joe. Both were working as bartenders in a Covington saloon. Things must have gone well because by 1918 Joe owned both a saloon and restaurant in Covington. I’ve no substantial idea as to what caused the brothers to come to Sandusky (perhaps we’ll never know), but by 1922 both had definitely relocated there. On 14 July 1922 Charlie married a Sandusky girl named Emeline Stroh (b. 1893 – d.1955). A decade later Joe died unexpectedly at the age of 52.
In the spring of 1934 McGarvey and another Sandusky man named Art Seder opened a small restaurant / tavern on Jackson and Washington streets in downtown Sandusky they named the Crystal Palace. Seder owned a successful business called Art Wall Paper. However, the new business foundered, and by November of ’34 the project sunk. Before coming to Vermilion McGarvey, as well as his brother Joe, had been very active members of the Elks, Moose, and Eagles lodges in the region. In fact Charles managed one or two of the lodges, and in that capacity, had stewarded / arranged numerous parties and other functions for them, raising funds for charity. Beyond that both he and Emeline were personally involved in various charities and political circles in Erie County, and in the course of those activities managed to develop and nurture numerous contacts in fraternal, business and political circles. Today we would call the process “networking”. Consequently it’s more than likely that these were connections which eventually led him to Vermilion and the restaurant along the river.
Charlie McGarvey was, at least physically, a rather diminutive person. He stood 5’5” tall, weighed 180 pounds and his hair had turned completely gray well before his sixtieth year. But he was apparently the kind of guy everybody liked – because his restaurant on the Vermilion River was a flat-out success. It had become a favorite meeting place for South Shore yachtsmen and many other clubs and persons of note. Charlie McGarvey had finally found a home.
On Sunday morning September 17th 1944 Vermilion restaurateur Charles A. “Charlie” McGarvey was stricken by a sudden heart attack and died in his namesake restaurant just below the Vermilion River bridge. He was 62 years young. Although he’d not lived in Vermilion very long, he managed to befriend some of the most prominent citizens in the town. [e.g. Roy Lee, Lester Kishman, Charles Ruggles, John Beursken, Albert Eland and Charles Maschari were pallbearers at his funeral.] Though the restaurant had borne his name for only four years, the name would remain on it for the next 45. And even now that it’s gone, the site where it once stood still bears his name albeit now McGarvey’s Landing.
On the shoptop is another Helfrich / McGarvey pic. Actually when both pix were taken the restaurant (as is obvious) was still the Helfrich Restaurant. This photo shows Mrs. Helfrich and a cook named Helen Elsworth beside the restaurant.
Mrs. Helfrich “Gertrude Worden-Helfrich” was married to a gentleman named Charles Herbert Helfrich. During the mid-1920s into the 1930s the couple owned and operated a popular café by the Vermilion River that became widely known as [what else?] Helfrich’s Fish and Chips. Both Mr. and Mrs. Helfrich were born in Galion Ohio, he on 27 January 1879 and she on 22 January 1882. After their marriage in 1899 the young couple moved to Sistersville W. Virginia where he worked as a boilermaker in the oil fields. During early 1890s a wealth of oil had been discovered in the area that occasioned a population boom – or better said “explosion” – in that town. In a relatively brief period of ten years the population went from 600 to 7000 souls. The Sistersville prosperity was in fact so great that it was for a time considered to be one of the wealthiest towns per-capita in the U.S.
Around 1925 the Helfrich’s relocated in Vermilion and purchased the Showalter Boat Livery on the east bank of the river just below the old auto/wagon bridge. After the bridge was replaced in 1929 they built the place seen in the accompanying photograph north of the new bridge. As time passed they became less of a boat livery and more of a restaurant, famous for their fifty-cent fish and chips dinners. [Note: While we are apt to smile about fifty-cent meals of a yesteryear, in today’s economy that would have actually been between eight and nine dollars.] It was, in any economy however, a lucrative business.
Helfrich’s daughter, Lola, married a fella named Jesse Hamman. When Mr. Helfrich died unexpectedly in 1934 Jesse came to the rescue assuming the duties of restaurant manager.
Prior to coming to Vermilion to help his mother-in-law with the restaurant Jesse was well known in Lorain County sports circles. In those years he was employed by the Lorain Hardware Company and in his spare time served as president of the Lorain County Baseball Federation, president of the Tri-County Baseball League and was a member of the Lorain boxing commission. Music was also a hobby. When he was a youngster and a student at Lorain High School he wrote their Alma Mater song. He was, in short, an extremely prominent Lorainite. Although restauranting was not a part of his background he easily stepped into his in-law’s shoes.
When his mother-in-law’s health began to fail, Hamman entered into a co-lease for the restaurant with a man named Andy Dambach from Milan, Ohio to assist him. Mr. Dambach was an experienced restaurateur who owned and operated a popular eatery called “Andy's Place” in Milan. The co-lease operation began in 1936, but did not last long.
By 1938 a Sandusky man named Charles “Charlie” McGarvey purchased the restaurant. McGarvey had been in the food service business in Sandusky for many years. However it was not until 1939 or 1940 that he officially changed the name of the restaurant from Helfrich’s to McGarvey’s. Soon after the boat livery part of the operation was abandoned entirely and the eatery was quickly building a regional reputation for both its food and ambience - as a pleasant riverside cafe.
After working for Helfrich, Helen Ellsworth went to work for my parents at the print shop. Helen was an interesting person. She was from the Ashland area. At one time another Vermilionite named Ethel Brooks roomed with Helen and her family at Ashland. Something (I don’t know what) happened to Helen’s husband and she came to Vermilion to live with Ethel and her brother Warren “Red”.
For a time both Ethel and Helen (as indicated) worked at the Helfrich restaurant. Ethel waitressed, Helen cooked – and Ethel’s brother bartended. Helen’s son married Mary Jayne Reis. But the marriage was ill-fated. They divorced and he left town. Helen remained with her friend Ethel and went to work for my parents at the print shop. She died at the Toledo hospital in 1966
VULTURES AT THE OOC: About a week ago I spotted them over by the river bank at the Olympic Club. We are used to having numerous Canadian Geese on the grounds throughout most of the year. But this was new – at least to me.
When my wife (Geo) went over to see what might be the reason for them being on the bank she found a 2-foot carcass of a dead fish on the ground – but nothing else.
On Wednesday morning I looked out the window and saw at least ten vultures near the river. Many of them would spread their wings. I later found (on the net) that “in the early mornings, vultures will often sit with their wings spread wide to increase the surface area of their bodies so that the sun can more easily warm them.” This is called the “horaltic pose” (i.e. The pose is actually believed to serve multiple functions: drying the wings, warming the body, and baking off bacteria.)
Evidently turkey vultures are a fairly common summer resident in Ohio. The only noise it makes is a loud hissing sound when disturbed. It is a large black bird with a six-foot wingspan. At a glance, one might think they are bald. But actually, they have a lot of small feathers on their head which is an adaptation to help keep clean when sticking their heads into the guts of a dead animal full of maggots. [Nice to know.] The adult has a bright red head and the immature vultures have a black head. In flight this vulture can be distinguished from hawks and crows because it soars extensively, holding its wings in a broad "V."
They are not pleasant looking birds.
Historically,
BRING ON THE CLOWNIES: Years ago the guys at the Olympic Outing Club used to invite people from town to the club for a day of picnicking and play. The big game was baseball – a game between club members and townies. And to make things more interesting all the players played in costumes. Ergo, this pic.
I don’t know if the guys pictured were townies or clubies because I don’t recognize any of them. In any case, they had fun.
It was an odd thing to do, but it became a tradition. Included in the tradition was the fact that the club members always kept a keg of beer at 2nd base. So it paid to get a hit.
But it’s unlikely anyone ever made it home.
WHERE WERE YOU?: Friday July 4th 1969 was a perfect July day in Vermilion. It was warm; 82 degrees and humid; about 87 percent, as families happily gathered in their backyards, parks and boats along Lake Erie’s shore to celebrate the holiday. Out on the lake storms had been moving west to east all day. Occasionally some showers and thunderstorms drifted inland. But no problem, by 5 p.m. the storms had moved on, except in the extreme northeastern part of the state; the skies cleared, and then:
At 7 p.m. Cleveland radar showed a nearly solid east-west line of thunderstorms just off Lake Erie shore, which presented a definite threat to northern Ohio. In fact, a ship captain on Lake Erie about 10 miles north of Lorain reported 110-mph winds heading toward shore. Around 7:30 p.m. local forecasters first received an alert about the possibility of a bad storm headed toward shore, and at 7:45 p.m. the National Weather Service informed the Emergency Broadcast System – the network in charge of alerting the broadcast media in cases of danger – to stand by because weather conditions soon would be upgraded to severe. But for reasons that will forever remain unknown, no warning was ever issued.
Around 8 p.m. severe thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, heavy rains, and wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour, smashed onto the Erie shore moving east-southeast at a speed of about 50 miles per hour. For the next 12 hours severe thunderstorms pounded the region, which was approximately 30 miles either side of a line from Toledo to Dennison in Tuscarawas County. Over the next 24 hours, in the Vermilion River watershed alone, an estimated 6.7 to 11 inches of rain fell resulting in the worst flooding ever experienced along the stream – ever.
At the McGarvey Nautical Restaurant located on the river just below the Vermilion River Bridge diners and drinkers peered through the windows at the raging storm and the rushing, rising water of the river without much alarm. It was as though they were being treated to dinner and an exciting movie. [As one can see by the accompanying photo it is fortunate, they didn’t stay for breakfast.]
The flood stage of the Vermilion River listed by the USGS is 9 feet. By 4 p.m. on Sunday July 6, 1969 the water had risen to 13 feet above that flood stage. This was 2 feet higher than the stage of the highest flood that had occurred during the “Great Flood” of March 1913, and was 5 feet higher than the flood experienced in January 1959. And though some thought that a dam somewhere to the south of town had been breached adding to the deluge and devastation along the stream as it wound its way to the lake, it was actually the exceptional amount of rain that had fallen that did the real damage.
For instance, in the Village of Wakeman twelve miles south of Vermilion, the storm dropped nearly 11 inches of rain turning what was normally a rather placid part of the river into a roaring torrent. Previous to the storm the highest the river had ever been in Wakeman had been recorded during the aforementioned 1913 flood. In fact when they later installed their water treatment facility, they set their pumps 12 feet above the high-water mark reached during that flood. In 1969 the river rose an estimated 30 feet. So dam or no dam when that water arrived in Vermilion it was carrying boats, parts of bridges, cottages, campers, picnic tables with picnics still on them, and anything and everything that happened to be in its way.
Along the river most all of the cottages at the Olympic Outing Club were submerged; several were moved from their foundations; a few were swept away altogether. Campers along the river, not to mention, those who made their homes along Riverside Drive on the east side of the river, shared a similar experience. The flooding stunned even the families living toward the river’s mouth in beautiful Cape Cod homes at the Vermilion Lagoons. And though the wind damage in Vermilion was not nearly as severe as that experienced at Cleveland’s Edgewater Park, along Clifton Blvd. in Lakewood or that at Beech Park in Avon Lake, folks living at west end of Huron Street and several other places around town were shook up when the wind took some of their trees down. Moreover, all the beaches all along the lakefront had been gifted with all sorts of debris – including a few fair-sized boats.
As waters began to recede the scene became rather bizarre in places. At some of the marinas along the stream it looked as though cabin cruisers had been purposely docked atop automobiles – and vice-versa. News agencies reported that elsewhere in the region 42 northeast Ohio residents had lost their lives due to the storm, some 250,000 homes lost power, hundreds of vacationers on the Lake Erie islands had been stranded, and more than 100 boats were missing. Two months later, the National Weather Service in Washington, D.C., reprimanded their Detroit office for failing to alert the Cleveland National Weather Service about the storms. The saving grace, if there be any, for all who lived and vacationed in the Vermilion area was that no one lost their life or was severely injured. Material things could be replaced. Lives could not.
For many it was a traumatic experience. And when all was said and done it was also a muddy mess. But oddly enough there was and is an upside to the event. People who didn’t know, much less care, about one another before the flood met and life-long friendships were forged. That is so much so that now, a full half a century later, folks will soon gather and ask one another, “Where were you during the Fourth of July Flood in 1969?” Their stories are legion, and their empathies for those victimized by severe weather wherever and whenever it occurs are extremely sincere.
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...
Last Thursday evening marked an important epoch the lives of eleven of our young people who stepped “Out of School Life, Into Life’s School” a large audience greeted the class and enjoyed the program which was carried out as published in last week’s NEWS. All took their parts splendidly. The Reis Union Orchestra furnished several selections in their usually admirable manner. Superintendent, teachers and class are to be congratulated upon the closing of a very successful year’s work.
The Lake Shore Electric was tied up for a short time at Vermilion Tuesday morning by the fire. As soon as the fire was under control the lines of hose were disconnected long enough to permit the cars to proceed.
The upper portion of the lake shore bridge has been removed and the new spans will soon replace the old. A party of the company’s officials were here Monday looking over the ground.
The G. A. R. And W. R. C. Attended the Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday morning accompanied by the G. A. R. Band. Rev. T. H. D. Harrold delivered a fine sermon, which want of time and space prevents us from publishing this week.
The Decoration Day program as outlined last week was carried out in full Tuesday. The only occurrence to mar the occasion was a fire which delayed the trip to the cemetery about an hour in the morning.
The parade started on scheduled time and the line of march was from the K. O. T. M. Hall on Liberty St. to the schoolhouse by the way of Division, South and Exchange, the return being made by way of State and Grand streets. A large number of schoolchildren had gathered at the schoolhouse and joined the procession there.
At the stand in the park a goodly crowd was assembled and listen to the services. The W. R. C. Had up small temporary monument erected and gave their services for the unknown dead, which were very impressive. The invocation was given by the chaplain of the post, C. W. Andrews, the benediction being pronounced by Rev. Pretzer. Dr. Swisher of the Congregational church delivered a fine address to which all listened with attention. The exercises were interspersed with songs by the W. R. C. and music by the band.
After the services the band gave a short concert.
The number of members of the G. A. R. and the W. R. C. From Lorain were present and participated in services which were the best, so far, held in Vermilion.
The day was an ideal one, cool, and cloudy a portion of the time making the marching and out of door services pleasant.
Just as the G. A. R., W. R’s. C. and band were about to start for the cemetery Tuesday morning the fire alarm sounded. Never to our knowledge has the fire department made so quick a response, being within a short distance of the fire department as were also a number of firemen.
The fire proved to be the barn of John A. Englebry at the rear of the Blattner Hardware and when the department arrived it looked as if the buildings in the vicinity must go. Four streams of water were turned on the blaze and it was confined to the barn. The framework of the barn and the south side remains although badly scorched.
The small cottage belonging to Mr. Englebry near the barn was badly scorched and the roof burned to some extent. The wing of George B. Krapp’s house was also scorched.
A barn only 2 feet away from the Englebry barn, occupied by Chandler & Washburn was badly damaged and will need new shingles. Several small sheds were charred.
Mr. Englebry just returned from the farm and put his old faithful horse in the barn and gone around to the post office when the alarm was given. The horses kicking attracted attention to the barn and smoke was seen coming from it. An attempt was made to rescue the horse but the animal was burned to death. The loss of the horse is keenly felt by Mr. Englebry, not alone for its value but he has had the animal since it was a colt and was a family pet.
Mr. Englebry’s loss is about $1000. Other property damage will probably amount to $200. The heavy state slate roof on the barn probably prevented the fire from spreading.
This fire was a fortunate on taking place at a time it did as a few minutes delay would have resulted in a destructive fire.
Mr. Englebry wishes to thank the friends and neighbors who assisted also the firemen who did so remarkably well in controlling the fire.
Saturday afternoon shortly after 4 o’clock a head on collision occurred at the lake switch on the L. S. E. just west of Edson’s Creek. At first it was thought that several had been dangerously injured but the eight who were reported as injured are getting along as well as can be expected and all will recover. Several others were bruised but not reported among the injured. Following is the list:
H. A. Kessler, motorman on westbound car, compound fractures of left ankle otherwise severely bruised.
Capt. E. J. Lynn, Cleveland, left leg broken.
T. Davidson, Oberlin student left ankle bruise.
Edgar Mann 12, son of lineman, Norwalk right angle broken and back hurt.
John Mann, Norwalk, bruised.
E. B. Chamberlain, Oberlin student left ankle injury.
T. C. Miller, Gary, Pa. right thigh fracture.
Matthew Hansen, Oberlin student legs bruised.
Latest report has it that the cars were to meet at the switch and the westbound car was about to be run on to the switch when the eastbound car came up full speed and could not be stopped before the crash came. The blame is reported as having been placed with the eastbound motorman for not slowing up for the other car. There seems to be seems to really be no excuse for the accident as the switch can be seen for some distance from both sides. All the injured were in the smoker of the eastbound car. That several Vermilionites were not injured in the wreck is owing to the fact that the car was full when they boarded it and they were obliged to stand on the rear platform.
Somehow Vermilion escaped the terrific storm which went over this section of the state Wednesday and which did so much damage at Cleveland. Several gasoline boats had narrow escapes but nothing serious happened here.
John Appeman has purchased a fine Oakland car.
The Council held a special meeting Monday evening.
The village schools closed on Tuesday and the scholars took part in the Memorial Day parade.
Christ Bruckner has repurchased his blacksmith shop which he recently sold to Mrs. Michael Malley.
The funeral services of Miss Grace Burton were held in Elyria Sunday afternoon, Rev. J. H. Grant officiating. The remains were interred in the Elmwood Cemetery at Lorain.
Mr. Shaffer died at his home here last Tuesday. Funeral was held in here on Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Parsons and daughter of Vermilion spent Sunday with friends and relatives of Willow Beach.
A. R. came up from the city on Friday and staid until after Decoration Day.
Two auto loads of friends one from Lorain one from Valeria were guests at the Park Sunday.
Mr. Barney Bartlett of Norwalk was down putting in a large electric fan in the big house at the Park last week.
All the buildings at the Park are being painted white. A. R. has several men working putting everything in good shape.
Carlton Rumsey sent his hired man and team to the park Tuesday to help drag the corn ground. The horses ran away, broke the drag, cut the man and horses up quite badly.
Mrs. P. J. Bauman of Cleveland visited her husband at Axtel Sunday.
Owing to the absence of the pastor there were no preaching service services held at the Advent Church last Sunday.
Mrs. Sperry’s friends will be glad to hear that she was able to be taken to her sisters Mrs. Naegele of Vermilion on Tuesday. The trip was made in her brothers auto.
Miss Mary Bissell has resigned her position as telephone operator and is now staying at home.
T. H. Bottomley of Ada, N. Welch and Miss Ethel Bottomley were Sunday guests at the home of W. B. Houseman and family.
One of our prominent businessmen, in speaking of the fire Tuesday and our water systems said this fire had the water supply been as it was before the waterworks was installed, at least $40,000 worth of property would’ve been destroyed – perhaps more. This saving along amounts to what the entire system cost.
Joseph Unser has brought suit against James F. Nolan in the Common Pleas court to compel the correction of two deeds given by the latter.
777.
In the year 1889, June 6th, occurred one of the greatest events in the history of Vermilion. It being the first annual commencement of the Vermilion High School.
This was participated in by four young ladies, Miss Martha Forwick, Miss Alice Neiding, Miss Georgia Brummitt and Miss Ada Leimbach. These four young ladies since graduation had have all assumed the matrimonial yoke. Miss Forwick went to Cleveland to reside, and later became Mrs. E. Mayer of Rochester, N. Y., where she now lives. Miss Brummitt became Mrs. E. F. French, and resides in Cleveland. Miss Neiding is Mrs. E. W. Reimenschneider of the same city, and Miss Leimbach gave Mrs. Albert Hagerman, of Amherst, later going to Lorain. Three of this class are living, while Mrs. Hagerman after an illness of typhoid fever, crossed the great divide March 30, 1896, at the early age of 21 years, and as was their class motto, Thus endeth the first lesson. ”These four young ladies before they left school planted an ivy vine on the north side of the school building, hoping that it might serve to keep their memory green in the thought of their schoolmates, and a fit emblem for us all, admonishing us that our course should be onward and upward through the storms of winter in the heat of summer for
“Faint yet pursuing we press our way,
Following him, who has gone before,
Over the path to the brightest shore.
– Stebbins
[NOTE: This was just the first part of the article. I intend to publish the rest in coming editions.]
BORN – to Dr. and Mrs. Buell, Wednesday, May 31, 1911, daughter.
BORN – to Mr. Mrs. Rothfuss on State Road., May 24, a daughter.
BORN – to Capt. And Mrs. Charles Gegenheimer, a son Wednesday, May 24, 1911, son.[sic]
Three boys were detained by the Marshal Tuesday for riding trains on the L. S. & M. S. Ry. After giving them a talking the Mayor assessed two of them a small fine and let them all go.
T. H. Bottomley returned to the studies in Ada Monday.
The water was shut off for about half or three quarters of an hour Tuesday on account of the breaking of a hydrant.
Mrs. Charles Hahn entered Charity Hospital, Cleveland life, last week where she underwent an operation. She is recovering as fast as can be expected.
Mrs. George H. Blattner is again reported quite ill at her home on grand Street.
Mrs. L. H. Meeker and daughter Miss Lucy attended the funeral of the former sister, Mrs. James Phelps at Huron Monday.
Mrs. Fred Lawless slipped and fell on the porch at her home Saturday and is nursing a severely sprained arm and consequence.
Mrs. Charles Barber and son have returned from a visit with her sister and family at Toledo.
[NOTE: This child is the young “Charlie” Barber many Vermilionites knew as the custodian at South Street School.]
Sam Linglebach is a happy possessor of a motorcycle. He caught the “fever” from his brother John who came up from Cleveland on his machine last week.
[NOTE: Somewhere I have a photo of his motorcycle.]
To Lorain young men were lodged in the jail Tuesday evening having indulged a little too much tanglefoot. They were charged with being “plain drunk” and the mayor judge them accordingly.
A twist of the type made a say 21 miles an hour and stating the speed of automobiles last week. The ordinance reached 12 mph as the limit.
[NOTE: I made special note of this mistake last week.]
Four special cars in the Green Line carried Oberlin students to various resorts on Decoration Day.
The Decoration Day exercises were very pleasing. The band furnished the music in the park and marching to and from the cemetery. The Congregational church choir furnished the singing. Attorney Roy Williams of Sandusky gave the address which was well delivered and especially interesting. Superintendent C. V. Snyder had charge of the schools which marched in body.
Mrs. Mr. G. W. Close and daughter Lavina, also Mr. Mrs. Fox of Norwalk started Monday morning on a trip through the East in the former’s large new touring car. They will reach Plymouth, N. H. Saturday and remain over commencement on Monday at which time his son Junior will graduate from a private school for boys, which he has been attending the past few years.
The funeral of Henry S. Miller was held from the home late home on Liberty St., Friday afternoon at 1 o’clock in charge of the Delker G. A. R. Post, of which the deceased was a member, and Dr. Raymond C. Swisher, minister of the Cong’l church. Mr. Miller was born July 6, 1843, and departed hit this life May 23, 1911, making his age 67 years and 10 months. He twice enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War. First in the 48th Ohio and later in the 8th Ohio. He was married at Amherst O., August 25, 1866 to Miss Gertrude C. Cramer. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Huron, O., was also of the local tent of Maccabees. The family that survive him, besides the faithful wife, are Henry Franklin of Perry O., Mrs. E. A. Alger and Mrs. R. W. Mills of Lorain, O., Mrs. Lucy Krapp of Vermilion, Mrs. Lewis Krapp of Oak Harbor and Earl S. Of Detroit Mich. One daughter, Mrs. George Herr, died five years ago. The funeral was largely attended. Interment in Maple Grove Cemetery.
Hmmmmmm....
…Francis Drake Parish was a man of Puritanical stripe. He was honest, conscientious, faithful, and zealous in his profession and in every good work. He possessed a moral firmness that could not be excelled; a man of good acquirements and legal abilities; a man who hated iniquity and despised meanness; a strong religionist, a temperance tetotaler [sic], and a strong abolitionist when that outspoken sentiment meant personal and professional unpopularity. Mr. Parish had the courage to avow his sentiments in this regard even in the face of an excited and howling mob.
This man was a native of New York State, born in the year 1796. When twenty-four years old he came to Columbus, O., where he read law, and where, in 1822, he was admitted to the bar. In the same year he came to Sandusky City and commenced practice, which he continued until the year 1852 when he retired from the hard work of the profession on account of a bronchial affection. In 1875 he left Erie county and removed to Lorain county, where he died a short time ago.
Lucas Selkirk Beecher was born in New Haven county Conn., on the 31st of March, 1798. At the age of about thirteen years he was maimed by the loss of a leg. When about eighteen years old, with his parents he became a resident of Genesee county, N. Y. The early education of Mr. Beecher was received at the common schools and at the village academy. After coming to reside in Genesee county he taught the village school. Later he entered the office of Hopkins and Beecher at Canaseraga, where he studied the law until the year 1824, when he was admitted to the bar, after which he began the practice at Williamsport, Pa. Two years later in the year 1828, Mr. Beecher came to Sandusky, where he formed a law partnership with Hon. Elentheros Cooke.
No sooner had our subject become fairly established in professional business at this place than a terrible misfortune befell him; he became totally blind. After a time under the invitation of kind friends he went to the City of New York for treatment, hoping that his eyesight might be restored, which, in a measure, was accomplished—sufficiently to allow him to resume his practice and read and write a little.
Returning after some months to Sandusky Mr. Beecher formed a copartnership with John F. Campbell, who also subsequently became totally blind, and was obliged to retire from the profession. Mr. Beecher then associated himself with Pitt Cooke, and subsequently Cuyler Leonard, and finally in 1853 with his son, John T. Beecher, which latter firm continued until the death of its senior member in the year 1882.
Disabled as he was, when just entering upon the threshold of successful practice, nevertheless, he rose to a height which enabled him to easily maintain his position as a leader in this most difficult of all professions. We take pride in rendering this tribute of regard to the memory of a man so deservedly honored by the profession as an example of the success which can be achieved by…
THE M&E FIRE: At the moment I am unable to recall who provided me with these snapshots. But I’m happy that they did. This is a pic of what remained of the old Methodist-Episcopal church following a fire that occurred there in the very late 1920s.
Fortunately, when the fire took place it was not being used as a church anymore. Due to a decrease in congregation numbers in the early 20s the congregants had either transferred to the First Congregational or the Evangelical & Reformed church.
This photo shows the back part of the structure. Obviously, the steeple was ruined. The entire church was thereafter razed and the Standard Oil Company of Ohio established a filling station on the site. Many Vermilionites knew the site as Fulper’s Auto Parts.
Currently, the entire site is vacant and is owned by the city of Vermilion. Unfortunately some think of it as a parking lot. The property is worth beaucoup bucks.
I was an air traffic controller stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan. One morning we picked up a Montana National Guard passenger aircraft. Instead of identifying the plane by its five-digit tail number, its pilot radioed, "Selfridge Approach, this is Pig Sty One."
As we were taught to refer to aircraft by whatever call sign the pilot used, the controller thereafter called the craft "Pig Sty One."
Just after touching down, the pilot contacted the tower.
"Selfridge," he said, "our call sign is not 'Pig Sty One.' It is 'Big Sky One,' and we have the governor of Montana on board!"
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'".
Rich; it is our 60th reunion and will be very informal. It looks like this at the present time; Tuesday, JULY 9, 2019.
-4pm Boat ride Vermilion River and Lagoons (Parsons)
-5:30pm Drinks and music on the Patio-Vermilion Boat Club
-6:30pm Dinner - order off the menu Vermilion Boat Club
Replys can be sent to;
Roger Boughton
2205 1th Ave. SW
Ausitn, MN. 55912
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
or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)
Vol. 17. Issue 13 - June 1, 2019
Archive Issue #846
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© 2017 Rich Tarrant