Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: On the desktops this week are two photos of the Vermilion History Museum that are several years apart. The differences, however subtle, are there.
The one on my shop desk is the newer one. We now have a concrete drive, a nice walk from the street and a beautiful sign. We use solar lights to light it at night.
There are many changes inside the museum as well – and they continue to be made Covid or no Covid.
At this time, the museum is essentially closed to the public for random touring. But we have done some tours to individuals and very small groups.
I did reopen the facility on July 1st after being closed for several months. The virus seemed to be slowing and I thought we were about done with the worst of it.
But almost immediately, cases increased in the State of Ohio. And in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties the increase of cases was substantial. So, wanting to err on the side of much caution we only open as previously said.
I am not a “happy camper”. Those persons who are under the impression that the virus is a hoax and that wearing a facemask infringes on their constitutional freedom annoy the hell out of me. I want this done and they are not helping.
When I drive down the road, I am perfectly capable of driving 90 mph, but I don’t. I’m not worried about earning a speeding ticket. If I did, I’d pay price. But if I caused an accident and hurt myself or, God forbid, others I could never forgive myself. So, while most persons may not be breaking the refusing to wear a facemask in public, they certainly have no regard for the safety of others. And that is inexcusable.
When a person is dead, they have no rights. So quit whining about a Constitution you likely know very little about and put on a damn facemask.
FACEBOOKING: I have done very little with the social medium known as Facebook until very recently. I never thought much of telling folks about my day to day mundane travails on a day-to-day basis.
But for me Facebook has become a great proving ground where I can test different apps and photo techniques before I use them elsewhere. Whle time and space is limited it a workable environment. A place to begin.
Historically,
KISHMAN This may very well be one of the last photographs of the Kishman Fish House just below Exchange Park where the Fisherman Bend condominiums are today. It is a slide photo taken by late Vermilionite Roy Kneisel (I don't know the year). Fortunately, Roy took this and several other photographs of the area before and during the construction of the condos. We have all Roy's color slides and many of his photographs at the Vermilion History Museum. I've scanned about a quarter of them.
NEW STUFF: I have added several new videos at the theatre. Some of the experimental stuff I've been doing on a Facebook page have found there way here. Some are fun. Some are informative. Some are, I must admit, just there.
JUST A MATTER OF TIME: This particular photograph and story required a great deal more work (on my part) than do most Yesteryear items. While the original photo is professional it suffered from very severe open air and water damage. In brief, it was discolored and dappled with water spots. Discoloration is not a major problem. Spotting, however, is quite another matter. Ergo; if areas in this picture appear to be somewhat mottled/dirty it’s not your eyesight playing tricks.
The story about the photo is no less obscure. Although the photo subject is plain (i.e. it is a picture of the Northern Ohio Basketball Championship Team of 1937-38 from Vermilion, Ohio) - it was still difficult to identify all the team members. 0f the eleven individuals in the picture only seven have been identified. But of that seven, six were well known residents of the Village of Vermilion, Ohio. More than a little effort and time were used to discover additional information about this cage team in local news archives. The results, however, were spare.
The basketball team was sponsored and coached by popular Vermilion Pontiac dealer Glenn P. Martin. I assume (but do not know for a fact) that this was a semi-professional team. It, most certainly, was not a high school team.
Pictured: (Back row L-R): Glenn Martin, Bill Tischer, (the next three men are not known) and then Dale “Tulip” Wendell who was the Team Manager. (Front row L-R): An unknown, Buss Darley, Albert “Hansie” Fischer, Elsworth Dickerhoff, and Bruce Boeohler (from Lorain).
[ Note: I have recently (2020) found last names for those I was unable to identify. I found of some of the others were Beecher and McQueen, Hayes, and Cornwall. Though I cannot place names to faces I “think” that Harry Hayes is the fourth man from the left in the back row.]
Mr. Martin owned and operated a Pontiac dealership that was located on the northwest corner of Liberty and Grand Streets [currently Friendship Park]. Over the years newspaper archives readily indicate that Mr. Martin sponsored numerous local intramural teams in both basketball and baseball. He was also a participant in some of the local games After his dealership was destroyed by a fire in the late 1940s, he constructed a new showroom on the site. After several metamorphoses it last served the town as the home of the local ambulance garage/headquarters.
Near the same year of this photo the News reported that Martin and his brothers challenged the boys at the Olympic Outing Club to a game of baseball at the club’s annual Vermilion Day celebration. One very remarkable thing about the challenge was that Martin had enough brothers – ten – to comprise an entire baseball team without having others join with them. The article didn’t say who won that game. And now a few words about three of the six team members:
Buss Darley was, in later years, highly visible at local sporting events. His son, Hugh, was actively involved in school sports activities. And Buss was always on the sidelines. Elsworth “Els” Dickerhoff was another person that was forever involved in sporting events; either as a coach, a spectator, or an official. His sons Dave, Russ, and Larry always maintained like interests in local sports. Els was also a highly respected Vermilion Volunteer Fireman. He was, in brief, a good guy.
And last but not least, the team manager, Dale “Tulip” Wendell. He was, obviously, younger than all the rest of the boys on the team. He was also a great deal shorter. For a youngster who wants to play basketball being vertically challenged was as much a handicap then as it is today. But being a rather tenacious person, he still found a way to be part of a great team; even if he wasn’t a player. In fact, it was thrilling. He later recalled, "I remember GP's team playing a reserve game at the Cleveland Public Auditorium and the main team was the Boston Celtics, boy was that a treat. I did travel a lot with Glenn..."
It may be that the day will come when I can identify with some certainty everyone on Mr. Martin’s championship team as well as have more information about the team itself. And perhaps by that time I will also be able to make the photograph more presentable. Like most things – it’s just a matter of time.
Ref: The Vermilion News (c. 1920-30); Special Thanks to Jill Martin Young, Marcia Martin, and late “Tulip” Wendell; VPJ 03/19/06; Revised 07/12/20.
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...
Hearing of the case in the common pleas court of Harris Stoll against Nora Poyer, administrator of the estate of I. B. Poyer, was not completed in the common pleas court Tuesday afternoon. Adjournment was taken until July 25.
The plaintiff claims that he paid the deceased $500 as an initial amount the sale of land in Vermilion Township for $900. No deed was given at the time, after the death of I. B. Boyer, the administrator refused to allow the claim.
Plaintiff wants to get back to $500. He offered witnesses to the conversation respecting the payment of money. Among them were M. J. Trinter, E. L. Coen and Mrs. Catherine Martin.
Harry J. Kurtz of Buffalo, former employee of the Lake Shore Electric Railway Saturday filed suit in federal court against the Railway Company for $50,000 for loss of both his legs. Kurtz says he was thrown from one of the Railway Company baggage cars near Cleveland on June 14 rolled and under the wheels.
The suit of the Lake Shore Railroad to appropriate land belonging to Joseph Miller along the right-of-way in Amherst is being heard by Judge Stroup and a jury in common pleas court. Millers land is needed by the company to widen the right-of-way for additional tracks. He and the company could not agree to the price so the case was taken into court where the prince to be paid will be fixed.
Seven men, six of whom were members of the train crew were hurt yesterday in a wreck occurred at Kishman’s. After bringing the excursion train Cleveland to Crystal Beach, the engine and baggage car return to Sheffield to turn around and were backing up to Vermilion when they left the track near the trestle over the ravine near the home of L. C. Kishman, and turning completely over landed in the soft mud creek, 40 feet below. Mr. and Mrs. Kishman notified Lorain and Vermilion and a special train carrying doctors and nurses were sent from Lorain The injured are:
H Betnel, engineer; head and shoulders cut and bruised, back injured and cut about body. Taken home.
R. B. Harrison, fireman; cut about the face and head, perhaps internally injured. At hospital at Lorain, O.
Walter Miller, baggage man. Back injured and injured internally, not expected to recover. In hospital at Lorain, O.
R. N. Cummings, conductor, cut and bruised about head and body, right arm wrenched. Returned home last night.
P. L. Ferguson, breakman; cut and bruised about body. In hospital at Lorain.
Timothy Donovan, news agent; cut about head, right arm cut, and back wrenched.
Henry Newman, beating his way, body cut and bruised.
All except Newman, who is from Erie, were Clevelanders. The accident occurred on about the same spot as one in which several lost their lives about nine years ago.
In order that old soldiers, who are dying at the rate of 40,000 a year, may have their claims for increased pensions under the new Sherwood law ajudicated within a reasonable time, before it is too late for many of them, Representative Anderson of the Sandusky district, will introduce a bill appropriating $50,000 for additional clerical help for the pension bureau.
Commissioner of Pensions Davenport reports that about 418,000 applications have been filed under the new law and they are being passed upon rate of little more than 500 a day. Unless the work is facilitated it would take more than two years to dispose of the applications now on hand. In this time 80,000 veterans or more will die.
Congressman Anderson hopes, by increasing the pension office forces to make possible the disposition of all cases within a year or so. Hundreds of veterans in the soldier’s home in Sandusky, and throughout the district are vitally interested in this.
Extract, Sandusky Star Journal, July 13 – 12.
[NOTE: This interests me so I will make an attempt to discover the outcome of Congressman Anderson’s work. This mainly concerns Civil War Veterans.]
Mr. Stanley Morris, who was hired by the Board of Education as principal of the high school for another year, has resigned to accept a position as superintendent of schools at Tuscola, Illinois, a town east of Decatur. Mr. and Mrs. Morris will move there within a short time.
Mr. J. C. Seemann of Woodland Avenue who taught several branches in high school part of last year has been appointed principal to succeed Mr. Morris. Mr. Seemann has, with the exception of a few years been engaged in educational work, for the last 25 years. He was the superintendent of schools at Republic, then Athens, Mich. For 10 years he was superintendent of the Vermilion schools for five years was a member of the board of examiners County.
Mr. Seemann gave up the work in Vermilion, for some time was state agent for a school heater, manufactured by the Waterman–Waterbury company at Minneapolis. Last year he was called to do some substitute teaching in Elyria high school and later taught in the local high school. He is a graduate of Ohio Northern University. – Oberlin Tribune.
S. J. Leimbach of Brown home a happy possessor of a good gas well recently drilled. After leaving the well open for about a week it is found that the pressure is now about 35 pounds.
After remaining away from work one half day on account of the refusal of the officials of the Ohio quarry company to consider raising wages, which over 150 employees were demanding, men returned again early Friday morning and repeated the request with the result that they were told to go to work and raise would be given.
Milford Harrison had the misfortune to step on some red-hot coals Saturday. There is no serious injury, but his feet are badly burned.
There were 129 saloons in Erie County July 1, 1912, an increase of 17 during six months. Sandusky has 103; Huron 8, Vermilion 7, Milan 3; Margaret Marguerite Tp. 5, Kelly’s Island 2; Perkins 1.
According to the report for the year ending June 30, 1912 in judicial matters there has been 97 suits brought for divorce in Erie County during the year. 23 by husbands, 74 by wives; 70 had been decided 27 are still pending.
On last Saturday lightning struck the grain house at Ed Shadduck’s place doing but little damage.
Why that broad smile on J. Peck face? It’s a girl – born last week to Mr. Mrs. Chas. Peck Detroit.
C. M. Curtis is having his store property painted which improves its looks of the corners very much. H. Wohlever is doing the work.
Mr. Lloyd Moats has been taking Luman Squires place as Rural delivery man for a few days.
Mr. Geo Jenkins who has been quite ill has so approved as to be about the yard.
Cong’l parsonage looks fine since two coats of paint applied to the exterior.
Mrs. George Ritter of Sandusky is spending the week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Fowler.
Mr. W. H. Moats has a bumper cherry tree producer as he picked from one tree 544 quarts or 17 bushels, which netted him $65.00.
Ed Wasem and Claude Bartholomew made a trip to Sandusky in the auto Saturday.
Mrs. Frank Roth, wife of the manager of Avon Beach Park was painfully injured when she fell from a ladder while picking cherries Tuesday. The fall caused a fracture in two places on her leg.
A gas well is being drilled in the farm of Fred Morse near Rugby.
Leave your laundry at Hart’s drugstore. Work strictly guaranteed.
A baby was born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haber of the River Road, Tuesday, July 9th. The little one lived only the day passing away at night.
Ice cream –30c a quart Hart’s drugstore.
The tugs Driscoll, Rainbow in Mattison took quite a bunch Put-in-Bay yesterday morning to witness the races. The Driscoll returned last evening, and the others will be back tonight.
Two Sanduskians were bitten by dogs this week.
S. T. Shelton, a prosperous Rugby farmer showing some mighty fine raspberries. “Mortgage lifter” and the cross between the red and black find a ready market will net him a neat sum.
A lively runaway occurred Tuesday afternoon when a horse frightened by a train started at the Lake Shore depot and headed for home in Birmingham. The horse took to the sidewalk on Division Street but failed to make the turn at F. B. Pelton store and came very nearly running into the store. It fell on the sidewalk and broke away from what was left of the rig and started up State Street. Unser & Seely’s wagon was standing in front of the Pelton store and the horse becoming frightened at the commotion and started downtown. The rig was smashed up a little. The first rig was owned by Prof. Jones of Oberlin College who resides in Birmingham. He was in the depot when the horse started.
Several of the fish tugs and crews will leave for Fairport first of the week. They have been laid up for the past three weeks.
Harry Wakefield is still confined to his bed but doing nicely.
Mrs. Charles Heidloff suffered a relapse first of the week and for a time was seriously ill. However, she is again resting.
DAVE WHITE:This is an early report of the disappearance of Vermilion expatriate Dave White and his crew on the West Coast back in '66. As many know his plane was finally discovered. The problem find him was that he had gone way off course - probably (his daughter told me) looking for a good skiing spot in the mountains.
…One party, the Federalists, aimed principally to shape our government after the English fashion, the other party, “Republicans," more often called Democrats, were anxious to transplant the new patriotic ideas of France into the young republic. A king even would have been acceptable to the Federalistic party, had not Jefferson, under Gallatin's advice and guidance most vigorously resisted. Jefferson's election as president decided the issue and a political lethargy reigned for years.
The German element without hardly any exceptions made front against the Federal party and played as such an important factor in shaping the form of our national administration in those days. In 1824 the political pot commenced to boil again. A diversity of opinion in the domineering party ended in their defeat. Instead of entering the battle in an unbroken phalanx, did the leaders of the Republican party quarrel among themselves, and headed their national ticket by three candidates, viz: Crawford, as legitimate successor, Clay, the choice of the national Republicans, and Jackson, as banner carrier of the convention, posing as "Democrat." Jackson, although receiving the majority of the popular and electoral votes, was, nevertheless, lacking the required plurality, and the election for president came up before the House of Representatives for final action. By their decision Adams, the Federalist, was elected, and the deal was brought about by a compact between Clay's followers and the leaders of the Federal party. The wrong was righted four years later, when Jackson was-elected by an overwhelming majority. In 1828 we find the German element again supporting Jackson, and Ohio gave him the electoral votes in 1828 and 1832. A great change though in public opinion took place after his second election. New and vital questions had come to the front, and the champion of the party had made himself disliked by his uncalled for action against the United States Bank, his numerous vetoes, and by practically carrying out the nefarious doctrine: “The spoils belong to the victor." A reconstruction of the party as planned by Jackson, was never reached. The older German settlers had in the meantime in close pursuit of daily work learned better to understand the true inwardness of political promises and pledges, had cooled down and become more conservative in their views, a large portion of them united in 1834 with the Whig party.
To follow up the strides and efforts of the German element in the political arena in the years following would call for more space than could justly be claimed for this chapter.
The more liberal German element had always a strong leaning towards the Democratic party and deservedly so, as they owed to this party all concessions made to foreigners. It is an indisputable fact, that by the unceasing efforts of this party the price of government land was fixed at a nominal figure, was put in the market in parcels to suit the means of the individual purchaser, and that a non-citizen became legally qualified to participate in this great…
ANOTHER NEW ACQUISTION: I found this photo to be particularly interesting (and rare). I have seen several photos and postcard that have the "OOC" Olympic Club banner stretched over the river in the past. But I've never seen one from this angle with all the people getting off boats as they are in this pic. It appears that there is a cliff or wall behind the people. But I believe it's an optical illusion caused by trees and other vegetation as well as a smear of some type on the negative. I am speculating (of course) but I believe this is a pic of some of the early founders of the club landing there for a weekend of fun.
1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”
2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallarta to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time — this should be banned.”
3. “On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food.”
4. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price.”
5. “The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room.”
6. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand was white but it was more yellow.”
7. “They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax.”
8. “No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared.”
9. “Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers.”
10. “We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.”
11. “The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun.”
12. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair.”
13. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends’ three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller.”
14. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the resort’. We’re trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service.”
15. “There were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners.”
16. “We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning.”
17. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.”
18. “I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes.”
19. “My fiance and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”
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 “Tripping: A Writer’s Journeys.” Signed copies of her new book can be purchased for $15.00 at the Southside Sentinel office or by mail by writing Rappahannock Press, Box 546, Urbanna, VA and adding $6.00 to cover mailing costs and tax. Contact:glongest@ssentinel.com.
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. 18. Issue 20 - July 18 2020
Archive Issue #905
| advanced |
© 2017 Rich Tarrant