Reaching Out!

We have reported recently on the Wakeman Archives receiving a grant to allow us to share some of our extensive archives collection online. We have been proud of our extensive and always expanding collections documenting the history of Waterville and the local area since we opened our facility in the 1881 Wakeman Masonic building in 2001. We have been able to assist local historians, genealogist and people curious about local history who were able to visit our archives. Now we can share parts of our collection with anyone in the world who has an internet connection. The grant was specifically written to allow us to put our photos of the Interurban Bridge, which is scheduled to be demolished by O.D.O.T. in the near future, online for all to see. We have put over 100 photographs, picture postcards and even artwork depicting the bridge on our online platform. That project was recently completed and we have decided that we should make our collection of photographs of the graduates of Waterville School available to online researchers. This series of class pictures begins with the class of 1898 and continues through 1952 when Waterville High School was joined with Monclova and Whitehouse in the consolidation that formed Anthony Wayne High School in 1951. The graduates are identified by name and graduation year. There are currently about 50 of these school photos on our platform. We expect to add more Waterville school photographs and records. Our online records can be accessed by entering our website at Watervillehistory.org, check out the Online Collection and in the article click on the link or by going directly to  https://watervillehistory.pastperfectonline.com/ When in the online Pastperfect program you can find school pictures by clicking on the “keyword search” and writing the word “school”, “bridge”, name of graduate to see the pictures or you can just scroll through the images in “random images”.

Student Advisory Council presents 12/3/2022 at Wakeman Hall

If you plan to be in downtown Waterville on December 3 for the tree lighting event, please visit Wakeman Hall for the SAC event. Here are the details:

4:30-5:30 @ Wakeman Hall

Games, and Short Programs for the Entire Family

Hot Chocolate and other Light Refreshments

Stories of Local Christmas Traditions 

SAC (WHS's Student Advisory Council) is made up of students at Anthony Wayne High School. During 2022 they wrote, produced and acted in a local history presentation given to all of the third-grade classes at the Waterville, Monclova and Whitehouse Primary Schools. They also dressed in period clothing assisting WHS at our Haunted Waterville events and during Roche de Boeuf.  

This event is a fund raiser to help with the purchase of period clothing and other supplies needed for their activities. If you can't attend on December 3, please consider making a donation to support their efforts. Donations can be made at our website (www.watervillehistory.org). Go to the Join/donate tab and then when filling out the form, indicate that it is SAC in the Additional Information section. Donations can also be sent to: 

Waterville Historical Society

P.O. Box 263

Waterville, OH 43566

Please indicate the donation is for SAC. 

Thank you for your support!

Cobbler Shop Renovation by Merle Wilhelm

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Because of his love of history, because of his attention to authentic materials, and because of his artistic ability, Merle Wilhelm has brought back “The Cobbler Shop” on the Waterville Historical Society River Road campus. Mr. Wilhelm, a Waterville resident since 2008, renovated his own property and took on the Waterville Historical Society project because of his talent and interest in the creative process of woodworking.

“The Cobbler Shop” located behind the Robbins House Museum on the historical society’s South River Road campus, is a small, bright and red-orange building built circa 1905. In George Haley’s time the building was located on Farnsworth Road at the N.E. corner of the alley between 3rd and 2nd Street. It was later moved down the alley to the rear of the Henry Oliszewski property at 27 Second Street where it was repurposed as a shed or chicken coop. The building was moved to the historical society’s property in 1983. It has been used as an additional museum building until Merle took interest in the renovation project that transformed the entire structure. The building had been closed due to deteriorating conditions.

He has a respect for history, showing his attitude clearly with his experience with area reenacting groups. Merle says, “I got into reenacting in the late 1970’s, early 1980’s, when I joined The Toledo Muzzle Loaders. We did many rendezvous and reenactments. I made most of my own clothing and accoutrements. I remember when our group set up camp inside Greenfield Village. I demonstrated cooking venison on a spit over an open fire, and gave tomahawk and knife throwing demonstrations.”

Merle’s own property, built in 1907, is located across from the historical society campus. In his renovation of his own home and adding a barn and addition, he used original wood, windows, cabinets, and flooring in different ways. The materials in his home are authentic to not only Waterville, but also his property. He used the same thought process and righteous commitment to create The Cobbler Shop’s new look.

“The Cobbler Shop inside wood is recycled Barn siding that came from Antique Beams and Boards in Delta Ohio,“ Merle notes. “They planed the wood a little, and cut each board to 6” wide. I can’t tell you enough how great a job they did. The hanging electric lights I constructed using old antique shades, and one made out of an old farm funnel. The light switch is the old push button style they used in the early days. I replaced one window and sill that was rotted out. I found an old window in an antique shop, cleaned it up, and made a new frame for it.” The other two windows are original, he said,

His knack for using recycled wood, he says, he learned from his father. “When I was abought 10, my father would bring home huge pallets that glass was shipped in, he worked at Libby Owens Ford Glass factory on East Broadway in Toledo. My job was to take off all the iron straps, de-nail the boards and stack it. He built a pony shed with it, and other things. I just love the look of rustic pieces that I make, with no cost but labor. I still collect old wood and siding from my neighborhood.”

“I researched how to work with wood.” He read books and examined old pictures, and practiced with wooden joints to understand the feel and the process of woodworking art. The skilled tasks and the creative process combine for Merle into a very special calling.

Merle says, “I am in my own little world when I grab old wood and decide what I am going to do with it. It’s my happy place.” He notes that The Cobbler Shop project has provided him with a certain serenity. The work has helped him grieve for his wife, Lorinda, after her death in August of 2021.

Now, where there once was a 10 ½ by 14 ½ foot storage building, the Waterville Historical Society South River Road Campus has gained yet another museum. Neatly displayed and cataloged Inside The Cobbler Shop are leather-working tools, shoe forms, a whetstone, and a barrel which is set to hold an an antique checker board and checkers. There is a spot for a small woodburning stove as well.

The tidy but appealing little building already is in fact generating interest from the visitors to historical society events. At the most recent “Haunted Waterville” program, thirty people expressed interest in “The Cobbler Shop” and were shown the work and artifacts contained in it.

Merle is committed to helping others learn about the past. He says, “Historic wooden objects, and how to make them is a lost art. If I can share with others the talents that God has bestowed on me, it is my duty, and my joy (to do so). His efforts have added a new, artistic dimension to the Waterville Historical Society, but the whole community will benefit from his vision.

A Safe Story

November 1, 2022 a fork lift, owned and operated by John Knollman of Waterville Hardware gently eased a large old iron safe through the front door of the Third Street Cigar building and several husky men wheeled it to a prominent position in the building. The safe was back in it’s former home for the first time in 52 years. Why is this important? That is our safe story or, if you prefer, the saga of the safe.

Jacob Rupp purchased the store on the canal at the southwest corner of Wood Street (now Farnsworth Road) and the Miami and Erie Canal through Waterville in 1883. Now the business, which had several owners dating back to the Civil War, became the Rupp Canal Store. This store was next door to the new (1881) Wakeman Masonic Lodge building. We have no record as to whether the safe was in the store when Jacob bought the business or if Jacob purchased it himself. The safe bears the brand name of Macneale and Urban. A Google search reveals this company began manufacturing safes as early as 1855 but became the Macneale and Urban Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1870. The company moved it’s operation to Hamilton, Ohio in 1890. It is recorded that at this time the company in their new facility had about 600 employees turning out 50 to 60 safes per day. The company was purchased by the Mosier Safe Co. in 1907 and the name Macneale and Urban was no more. The long and short of all this is that our safe is very old, a 19th century artifact.

As we all know, the canal business by 1900 was very slow and Jacob Rupp, as an astute business man, could see that most business was taking place on Third Street. By around 1905 he had built a new store on Third Street and moved his stock and his old safe to the new store, but retained the name, Rupp’s Canal Store. At this time he also took his son Herman Rupp as a business partner. Herman, of course, eventually took over the business. Many older Watervillians still recall trading at the Rupp Canal Store, as Herman kept this business, through hard times and good, until he retired in 1970.

Herman Rupp sold his old safe on February 7, 1970, as recorded in his daily diary, to Thad Jones for $40. Thad had a local tow truck man help move this approximately 500 lb. safe up the hill, dangling from the hook of the tow truck, to the basement of their home at 1001 Farnsworth Road. Thad did not want this now iconic Rupp safe to leave Waterville. When Barbara and Thad Jones moved to their new home on Noward road in 1981 the safe  went with them and lived in their garage. Fast forward a few years to 2019 when they wanted to downsize and move into Whitehouse, they donated the safe to the Waterville Historical Society.

Now we collect all things Waterville and this safe was a wonderful gift. Our problem was where to put a 500 lb. safe measuring 37 by 28 by 27 inches. It was stored in a secure location until recently when that space became unavailable. It then occurred to us that Third Street Cigar occupies the building that was until 1970, the Rupp Canal Store and John Henry might like this old iron safe– in good working condition by the way - to embellish his place of business.

A deal was made - we would loan Mr. Henry the safe for as long as he keeps his business there. Our safe is back ”home” and the people of Waterville can view this iconic Rupp safe by venturing inside Mr. Henry’s business.

Roche de Boeuf Festival

The Waterville Historical Society was a major participant in the town's festivities for RDB. In addition to historical figures tossing treats to children from a horse drawn trolley in the parade, a variety of activities were held on the River Road campuses. 

Replicas of historic flags fluttered down River Road. Children were given chances to create their own punch tin designs. Docents, indoors and out of the museums shared vignettes of lives lived in the 1800's. Reenactors of 19th and 20th centuries set up camps on the lawns and artists sold their wares. Even the ghosts participated. A paranormal investigator shared some of his experiences of local sightings and held a search for spirits in the Robbins House in the evening.

Finally, trolley rides to the Waterville Interurban Bridge were available with master storyteller Jim Conrad on board to tell of the Bridge's involvement in Waterville history.

A Map with a Story to Tell

Residing quietly on a shelf in the Wakeman Archives in the Military Corner is a map of the Civil War prison on Johnson’s Island in Sandusky Bay. The map was put there years ago just to show the layout of the prison. A recent inquiry about this map made me, as an archivist at Wakeman, realize that this map has a story behind it’s existence -perhaps several. Since I put the map there, I will try to tell the story.

The map was created by Joseph Kern of Romney, VA who was a Confederate prisoner there from June 14, 1863 until October 30 1863 when the prison became an officer only camp. The map is widely known as the best map of the Johnson’s Island prison in existence and has been widely copied and published. My copy came about because Joseph Mason Kern was my Great Grandmother, Mercy Jane Kern Dye’s youngest brother, therefore my Great, Great Uncle. Joseph kept an almost daily diary of all his Civil War experiences including his map or drawings of the prison and vivid descriptions of prison life. His diary, drawings and papers are held at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Southern Historical Collection University Archives and were obtained by inter-library loan. The diary itself is another story. For those who are curious, John R. and Mercy Jane Dye moved to live with his father in Hancock Co., Ohio before the war. The Kern family were all strongly Confederate but the Dye clan, who lived only 30 or 40 miles from Romney in northern Virginia were, all strongly Union and helped create the new state of West Virginia. Obviously this was a torn family, but the marriage survived and John R. never had to join the war and fight his in-laws.

So what has all this to do with our local history? Many of our local men served at Johnson’s Island, building the prison and fortifications both on the island and in Sandusky, and guarding prisoners. Most of these men served in the 128th O.V.I which was formed in December of 1863 from four existing companies from 1862 known as “The Hoffman Battalion.” The 128th was expanded by six more companies in January 1864 when the command grew increasingly nervous about southern attempts to free the prisoners by invasion from Canada. These men endured the biting cold winter doing heavy construction work on new fortifications while still doing guard duty. Some of our local men we have on record serving with the 128th OVI are: Jacob Disher and Royal C. Jones buried in Rupp Cemetery at the corner of Weckerly and Cemetery Road. Henry R. Winslow buried in Winslow Cemetery on Winslow Road near Weckerly Road. William Bird buried in East Swanton Cemetery on Scott Road #107. James B. Aumend, George W. Williams, Pius L. Shepler, Jacob C. Myers, John Foster, Conrad Miller, John W. Bradley, John M. Jones, William K. Knight, Francis M. Heath, William K. Burnett and John A. Mayer buried in Whitehouse Cemetery on Cemetery Road between Weckerly and Route 64. There are probably more. That makes our near-by landmark the Confederate Cemetery and the few remains of the prison on Johnsons Island an important part of our local participation in the Civil War. If you have never visited Johnson’s Island you should, especially after Memorial Day.

If you have never visited the Wakeman Archives and viewed our Civil War collections please consider this article an open invitation. We are open every Wednesday from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. and the last Saturday of April, May, June, July and August from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. We are located in the upstairs of the Wakeman Hall.

Alexandra Kanan McPhee AW Class of 2022

Alexandra Kanan McPhee, Anthony Wayne High School Class of 2022, was awarded the combined Waterville HIstorical Society and Anthony Wayne Alumni Association History Scholarship.  Alexandra will attend Bowling Green State University and plans to study Political Science. 

HIGH SPEED RAIL --100 YEARS AGO

It was in the late 1800s that our technological age began. The age of steam began to yield to other sources of power. We learned how to generate and harness electricity as one of these. Powerful electric motors were invented and quickly put to use for locomotion. Electric streetcars and railroads began to appear on the landscape in the 1890s. The first decade of the new century saw investors and entrepreneurs crating new electric railroads at a feverish rate and the interurban rail lines were built. For the first time in history the rural folks in the countryside and the people in cities and major towns were generally less than an hours comfortable ride apart. Farmers could go shop in the city and be back home on the same day. The farm produce and perishables could reach the city market in hours. These speedy little rail cars were built as luxurious passenger carriers or to handle freight. Some did both. Some had top speed near 100 mph – on a straight run of course.

Our experience in Waterville with electric rail came early on. In 1901 an interurban line was built between Waterville and Maumee, with the intention of extending to Napoleon. This extension was never built and the line ended abruptly at River Road and Mechanic Street. This ill-fated line was built extensively in the flood plain and close to the river, so experienced frequent wash-outs and occasionally the trolly was trapped in ice during spring breakups. Nicknamed the Pumpkin Vine due to frequent twists and turns the line was finally abandoned by 1913. Still the ride to Maumee with connections from there to Toledo or other places was appreciated by Watervillans. Our greatest claim to interurban fame came in 1907-1908 when the Toledo-Lima Electric Railroad built the famous Roman arch bridge across the Maumee River at Roche de Boeuf. This bridge, the subject of so much recent controversy and now scheduled by O.D.O.T. for demolition, carried the interurban cars over the river, through Waterville and on to Toledo. This line was soon taken over by Ohio Electric Co. and service extended all the way to Cincinnati and the Cincinnati and Lake Erie (C & L.E.) Line was born. This was the longest service route in Ohio and perhaps the longest lasting, finally out of business in the 1939.

Most electric railway lines had a very short existence and very few made a profit for their investors. So why did this wonderful invention go bust? Blame that on the other great technology that grew up at the same time. That would be the internal combustion engine and the rise of the automobile in the 1910-1920 decade. The motorcar was not tethered to a wire and track and the owners could make their own schedule. They were not as fast as the interurban car but didn’t need to make frequent stops and went directly to the driver’s destination.  Public demand for better roads made motor travel easier and motor trucks took on the freight. So that is where we are today. Crowded highways clogged with trucks and traffic jams, but we are married to our automobiles. Perhaps sometimes we survey our situation and wish we had that speedy luxurious little interurban car to whisk us to Lima, Columbus or Cincinnati around all that traffic.

Authors Note: To help preserve the many interurban bridge pictures that the Wakeman Archives has in their collections, we have received a grant from the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board to buy a new computer, scanner and update our PastPerfectOnline to be able to put our pictures on the internet. Look for them in the coming year as we update our files. We thank them for our grant and are looking forward of putting even more of our collection online.

20th ANNIVERSARY OF WAKEMAN ARCHIVAL RESEARCH CENTER

The Wakeman Archival Research Center is celebrating it 20th year as a repository for family history and local history of this area. We have much history of the founding of the village of Waterville until it was finally made a city when the census recorded a population of over 5000. John Pray founded the village in 1831 and we have much history on this family and his relatives along with other families that have donated their genealogy to us. We are always looking for information in the paper and donations to make this one of the best genealogy research places for Waterville residents. Of course, genealogy isn’t the only thing we have, as historical research of the area is also very much in evidence at the archives

In 1997, Waterville Historical Society bought the Wakeman Masonic building at the corner of Farnsworth and the Anthony Wayne Trail to prevent Rite Aid from buying it and tearing it down.  After extensive remodeling we were able to make a small replica of a Canal Store in the front of the building and a meeting room downstairs plus remodeled the kitchen. Upstairs we decided we wanted an Archives for all of the paper-based items the historical society owned. Members brought things that had been stored in their homes and from the Robbins and Sargent House Museums upstairs to the Wakeman. An antique table was lengthened to make a place for organizing the many pieces of paper and items. Desk were donated by the Waterville Bank, bookcases donated by BGSU, computer and printers donated and the PastPerfect Museum Software was recommended and donated. The volunteers working were Nancy Myerholtz, Neva Porter, Lora Beckwith, Steve Charter, Phyllis Witzler, Mary Agee, Verna Rose and others. We were up and running now, to go through the many boxes and items piled high on the table. We received two grants to help us learn how to archive the many items and to buy supplies. We had a grant for a college student to work with us inventorying all of the items we own. Our Collection Management requires that the Archive, with their Past Perfect Museum software, are required to inventory and photograph every item that WHS owns in all of our museums and the Archives. That was a big project and John Rose and Adam Tharp took the job on for the Robbins House. Later John would continue, with others volunteering at times, to do the Sargent House and Cobbler Shop. The program is able to place the exact location of the item so if we need it for any reason we can walk to the item and pick it up.

By 2001 we were open to the public by appointment and also answered questions by mail. In 2002 we decided to be open to the public every Wednesday and later we were open on some Saturdays as well. We will open by appointment if someone can’t come on our open days. We continue to be open every Wednesday from 10-2 and the last Saturday of the summer months from 10-2. Any updates on open days will be shown in the website at www.watervillehistory.org . Always look for the open flag or the open sign. We won’t put the flag up if it is raining or too windy. We would love to show you around and come and research your Waterville families. We have information on families that lived in the Waterville area, were buried in one of the local cemeteries, member of a church, were a member of the Masonic family or I.O.O.F. We have information on clubs, miliary members, American Legion, etc. Recreation was big in Waterville and we have records and pictures from them, plus the square dance club, school clubs, school plays from the Waterville High School, diplomas, picture of the school, teachers, and students. We have memorabilia from the Waterville and AW schools, Waterville businesses, Masonic members, scouts, WW I and WW II memorabilia.  We have lots of maps and pictures of the building of the Roche de Boeuf Bridge. We also have an extensive photograph collection. We continue to accept items from the Waterville area that fits into our collection policy.

On Wednesday, April 20th we will be having a Program at the Wakeman Hall at 7 pm plus on zoom about the Wakeman Archives. If you want a zoom code contact Julie Wiley by April 19th at jwiley@rcolaw.com

Where is Main Street, Waterville?

John Pray established the village of Waterville in 1831 astride the stagecoach trace between Fort Defiance and Fort Detroit, which naturally followed the earlier Indian trails connecting their villages along the Maumee River and beyond. Naturally then, this part of the trail from North Street to South Street on his early plat became “Main Street” (John, we must remember, was a practical New Englander.) The primary business opportunity for those pioneers who built along Main Street was to cater to travelers along this route. Most of those early buildings built as “hotels” or inns still exist. Pray’s Columbian House, the Pray-Starkweather House built by Oliver Pray in 1837, and the Wabash Hotel, built between 1835-1836 just across the road from the Columbian House all exist today, although the Wabash was moved over to Second Street in the 1850s. Only twelve years later the Wabash and Erie Canal (to later become the Miami and Erie Canal) opened for business. Now a canal boat ride was much more comfortable, more reliable, and probably a bit faster than the stagecoach or horse drawn wagon, so the hotel business declined on Main Street. Businesses grew and thrived on Third Street which ran next to the canal. Stores grew to trade with canal boat captains and passengers. The thriving businesses on Third Street became the main business district even though Main Street down by the river retained its name. Even the blacksmith moved from Main Street up to the corner of Wood and Second Street to be closer to the action (It became Graf’s blacksmith shop in the 1880s.)

Time and history marches on and by 1900 the canal was nearly out of business, done in by the way more efficient railroads. The Third Street businesses were well established and continued to thrive, except for the big Pekin Mill at the north end of Third Street which totally depended on the canal not only for power but to transport its products. The mill was torn down about 1916. People could be transported from Waterville to Toledo in 20 to 30 minutes on the electric interurban railway. The electric railway soon gave way to the rise of the automobile, as people preferred personal transportation over public transport. This development however gave Waterville’s Main Street a second life. Highways carried many more people, now free to travel wherever they wanted to go. River Road was sometimes called the Toledo-Napoleon Road. The canal remained in place until the 1930s in the Toledo-Maumee end and was not filled in through Waterville until 1950, so the River Road through Waterville became Route 24. Route 64 was routed over the Waterville bridge and along Main Street to Wood Street (now Farnsworth Road.) With this highway traffic service stations and restaurants proliferated along our Main Street, from North Street to the intersection with River Road at Roche de Boeuf until 1950 when the newly completed Anthony Wayne Trail carried all Route 24 traffic. At some point we stopped officially using “Main Street” as the name of the street through our town. Today we have no “Main Street” and it is North and South River Road. The street is quiet again and mostly residential. Third Street continues to be our uptown business district and has hosted a great number of business enterprises over the years. Should we miss not having a “Main Street” in our town? John Pray’s original Town Square will soon open again as a riverfront city park.

Note: Information on many of the “Main Street” businesses on 3rd Street and along River Road can be found at the Wakeman Archives.

The Soldier Monument in Wakeman Cemetery

In the late 1800s, just 20 years after the end of this nation’s great Civil War, the survivors of that conflict were just coming to grip with the enormity of what they had endured. They were also increasingly aware of the numbers of veterans who were dying young of illness or injuries received in the war. Nearly every community, including Whitehouse and Waterville, had an active G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) chapter. Now these groups were pressing for memorial monuments and statues to be erected so the sacrifice of so many lives would never be forgotten.

The veterans and prominent citizens of Waterville in April of 1886 met to form what they called the Memorial and Monumental Association. Their primary goal was to have a monument erected in the Waterville Cemetery to honor the Waterville men who died in all wars. Secondarily they would see that proper Memorial Day ceremonies were conducted each May. This group went right to work in a flurry of April and May 1886 meetings, established a constitution and by-laws and, on the advice of a lawyer, incorporated. There were fifty five charter members, each paying an annual dues of twenty-five cents. The first several meetings saw the formation of committees to procure the cemetery lots, donated by the township trustees, for a monument (Lots no. 117, 118, 119, and 120 were selected). Another committee was to decide the size and depth of the excavation for a foundation and to procure stone for the foundation to be donated by John Lansing Pray, Civil War Veteran, then owner of the Whitehouse Quarry. This stone was to be hauled to the site “Tuesday next” according to the August 6, 1886 minutes of the society. In May of 1887 they voted to hire someone to finish the foundation. Many years followed as they tried to raise money to finish the monument. They tried, to no avail, to get government help, to issue bonds to raise money for both Waterville and Whitehouse monuments. Without government help both groups apparently decided to each go their own way, to raise the money by local subscription. This was a long slow process. It was not until May of 1896 that they hired George Williams of Whitehouse to add two courses of stone for the monument for the sum of $40. They also on that date ask H.F. Van Fleet and J.L. Pray to prepare a list of names to be placed on the monument. This list was completed and arranged by committee on May 12, 1900 and the township was ask to contribute $250 from the H.H. Wakeman fund interest to the monument fund. Finally on May 29, 1900 the group accepted a proposal from the Monumental Bronze Co. to furnish the soldier statue to top the monument for a sum of $1085 even though there was only $859 in their fund. A final fund raising drive was successful and the monument as it still appears today was completed in 1901. The M and M Association disbanded and donated the balance of their funds, $66.39, to the J. Fisher Pray Post of the G.A.R.

Author’s Note: 1. The minutes book of the M. and M. Society, with lists of members, may be viewed at the Wakeman Archives, although a bit fragile, by anyone interested in more detail. 2. There is a recently formed organization called the Lucas County Cemeteries Historical Association, or LCCHA, formed to create a database of all of the graves in every Lucas Co. cemetery, cross-referenced to the www.Findagrave.com  website, in order to make locating a person’s grave easier. (See The Mirror newspaper Jan. 6, 2022). One of our volunteers is working with this group for the Wakeman Cemetery using the Sexton’s records and the research and book “Walking Through the Wakeman – a reading of the gravestones in Wakeman Cemetery” by John and Verna Rose. This is a monumental task given that most older cemeteries have very poor records. The LCCHA website can be accessed at: http://charles_w.tripod.com/lucascountycemeterieshistoricalassociationlccha/index.html or from the WHS website under the “Links” heading.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO OUR READERS

The Waterville Historical Society and those of us who try to fill this space with entertaining but historically accurate stories wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous and healthy New Year. For those of you who have included Mistletoe in your Christmas decorations (or those who wish they had) let me include some information about this lovely plant, borrowed from the December 20, 1978 issue of the Anthony Wayne Herald.

Mistletoe, first of all, is a parasitic plant. It grows in certain hardwood trees where it draws nourishment and moisture from its host. A severe infestation can kill the host tree. It does have chlorophyll in its leaves, so it remains green and is capable of producing some of its own food. Since the ancient people couldn’t figure out how this rootless plant could survive they figured the plant must have magic powers. Many superstitions and myths have developed around Mistletoe over many generations of many cultures. It was thought to have curative powers, to be an antidote for poison, to ward off evil and even to aid conception for barren women. The ancient Druids and Celts considered the plant to be sacred and only a priest could harvest the plant. A kiss under the mistletoe may date way back to Norse mythology which dedicated the plant to the goddess of love. So my friends, in this season and in these times we need all the love we can muster so let’s hang more mistletoe --- or love one another with or without a magic plant. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

IS IT BUTTER OR MARGARINE IN WATERVILLE, OHIO?

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One of Waterville’s short lived and little-known businesses was the Waterville Butter Co.  The company was located at 913 Farnsworth Road. Waterville Township assessment records show that in 1910, the building was owned by the Waterville Elgin Butter Co., was valued at $2350, and the land at $140. The last book of minutes for the butter company was owned by Midge Bucher Campbell, of Waterville who was a well known Waterville historian. Her grandfather, John Findlay Torrence Isham, was the secretary.  The book shows in 1912, the newly elected officers were Peter P. Suter, President, Fred Dose, Vice President, William Haskins, Treasurer, and Mr. Isham, Secretary.

Stockholders were Fred Dose, John Walbolt, James Lytle, Lewis Fausz, John Pfeifer, C.W. Isham, David Studer, Joseph M. Noward, William Lahr, Joe S. Barnes, Henry Miller, Theron Disher, Lewis Ammon, Will Haskins, Peter P. Suter, George D. Heller, and Martin Woodling. John Disher was a wagon driver, collecting milk from surrounding farms for the creamery.  Although no one recalls that the creamery ever made ice cream, there are entries for sugar purchased from J. W. Rupp - Sugar for $12.55; from Ostrander - Sugar for $22.76, 6 barrels of salt from the Colonial Salt Co. for $8.88, and bills for vanilla.  J.W. Rupp was Herman Rupp’s father, and owner of the Rupp Canal Store.

The old butter company had its business struggles, and in 1912 the business was not predictable.  At one time, the directors were exploring the Chicago market as an outlet for their butter, however this never materialized.  In 1912, the directors were even trying to find a buyer for the business, due to several entries in the secretary’s book labeled “loss shortage,” one for a sizeable $114.52.  They had to hold special meetings several times, to find the money in order to pay the bills.  The building had a 7 per cent mortgage at the time.  Some of the authorized bills for payment were the telephone, with the high cost of $3 – the average cost of the telephone at that time was $1.65.  Bills were paid to the Citizens Telephone Co., which was on Mechanic Street, upstairs over the post office.

Eventually the stockholders followed the recommendations of the board of directors and dissolved the company.  They had no buyers for the business.  On June 24, 1916, the short-lived Waterville Butter Co. ceased to exist, but this is not the end of the history of the building that Waterville Butter Co. occupied. The building was sold to Albert and Addie Shertzer, and their son, Lee started a garage. In 1933, the Shertzer Garage was listed as Sunoco Gas and Oil Station. If you looked closely in 1978 you could still make out the letters “Shertzer’s Garage,” and underneath that, faintly, the “Waterville Butter Co.” The Shertzer’s were the grandparents of Waterville residents Carolyn Heringshaw and Harriet Metcalf.

The Shertzers built an addition to the east side of the building in the early 1920’s. The office for the Ohio Electric Interurban Railway (Lima-Toledo Railroad) was moved across Farnsworth Rd. to the new addition from the Waterville Machine Co. building. Addie Shertzer operated the ticket office until the Electric Interurban Railway was abandoned on November 19, 1937. Addie died on April 16, 1955 and Albert Shertzer died August 17, 1955.

In December of 1978, Robert Rimer who was president of the Rimer Enterprises of Waterville, then owner of the property, won city council approval for a special use permit allowing him to make three apartments out of the old Waterville Butter building. During the process of renovation the stables used at one time for horses and wagons, were torn out of the garage.  There was still an “inside outhouse” toward the rear of the garage. At the time of this article in 2021, the old Waterville Butter Co. building is still three apartments. If anybody was any pictures or information about the Waterville Butter Co. the Wakeman Archival Center would like to see it.

Pearl Harbor Day -----The date which will live in Infamy

December 7, 1941 found Waterville residents peacefully going about their business as were residents of the towns and cities around the nation. Most were still suffering the effects of the Great Depression, which had been lingering for the past ten or eleven years. The news came slowly. After all, dawn in Hawaii is much later in the day in Waterville. Most heard it on the radio, perhaps not until the evening news. Some were not aware until the next day even though most newspapers put out special or extra editions of the paper. News traveled much slower in those days than we are used to today. The Empire of Japan had conducted a surprise dawn attack on our naval forces at Pearl Harbor on the Island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. Much of our fleet was sunk where the ships lay at anchor. One hundred eighty eight aircraft were destroyed, most on the ground and 2,403 Americans were killed. That is more than twice the entire population of Waterville in 1941. Suddenly we were at war and the “Greatest Generation” were not even aware of what they would be called upon to do. The next four years were times of great trial and tribulation and the world would never be the same.

In 1991 the Waterville American Legion through efforts of the Peinert Family received an American flag that had flown over the Battleship Arizona at the USS Arizona National Memorial at Pearl Harbor and the accompanying certificate as shown in our photographs. These artifacts are now kept on display at the Waterville Historical Society Wakeman Archives.

Fire! Ring the Bell

For over 100 years our Waterville predecessors used fire for all creature comforts-light, heat and cooking. Candles, oil lamps and eventually even gas lights to light their homes. The open hearth fireplace gave way to the more efficient wood or coal stove for cooking and heat. Not infrequently, however, controlled fire escaped to cause misery and destruction. When a dwelling or barn caught fire little could be done except throw buckets of water on the fire. This of course required a near-by source of water. A town or village might be able to muster enough neighbors to form a  bucket brigade to deliver more buckets of water faster. Large eastern cities had organized fire companies that would bring buckets, ladders and men to fight a fire for a fee or to subscribers only (fire insurance?).

Waterville, like all other communities, operated under this too often ineffective system. The Villagers in 1889 petitioned the village council to pass an ordinance to organize “a company to be called the Waterville Pail and Ladder Fire Company” and to buy a sufficient number of pails and ladders for their use. This petition, held in the files of the WHS Archives, was signed by 27 of Waterville’s best known citizens, The council apparently not only agreed with the petitioners but sought to do even better. We were, at this this time in history, well into the mechanical age. Water pumps of many kinds were available. Just a month after the petition was received, the village had an agreement (also in WHS file) for the purchase of a “piano style Fire Engine” manufactured by Rumsey and Co. of Seneca Falls, N.Y. This was a manually operated water pump mounted on a horse drawn wagon. Also include was a one axle hose cart with a reel to hold 250 feet of hose and 1000 feet of fire hose and couplings. Total cost quoted for all this was $1350. This was a huge sum for a small village and there seems to be a hole in the available records beyond the above. We would suppose that the village would have to create and sell bonds to buy expensive equipment. The photo with this article shows that eventually the above was purchased. The published history of the Waterville Fire Department by Lucile Conrad states an organization date of June 1902. We would speculate that something was done in 1889 to 1890 to answer the people’s petition. Pails and ladders were cheap and there is an undated list of 37 men who volunteered to serve as firemen. The records do show that in September 1892 the Village paid Asher Demuth $50 for a ladder wagon, $5 for eight ladders and $33.30 for 11 days and 1 hour of teaming. September 1895 they paid Charles Graf $9 in rent for keeping the fire wagon. October 1896 they paid William Snyder $2.00 for a fire alarm and 50 cents to A.J. Taylor to put up the alarm. These documents show that some kind of a fire company existed before 1902. The 1902 Fire Department was organized as a fire company as was the custom, with elected officers, a written constitution and by-laws (copy in WHS files) and regular monthly meetings. For those who want to know more, the Wakeman Archives has an extensive file on the history of the Waterville Fire Department.

Ghostly Encounters

Waterville Historical Society presented another interesting and well-received Ghostly Encounters program. The spirits of residents past talked to current Waterville residents, and others, about the health problems that beset former residents. Doctors Paris and Welcome Pray, our earliest doctors, talked of Ague or Swamp Fever (Malaria) and primitive methods of treatment. They also discussed outbreaks of Cholera which wiped out the towns of Miltonville and Providence. School teachers spoke of caring for all kinds of student ailments and injuries. Dr. Daniels spoke of Civil War surgeries, ignorance of sanitation and the spread of disease among the soldiers. Dr. Babcock also discussed how the same spread of disease killed more soldiers in the Spanish American War than were killed in battle and how the dreadful flu pandemic of 1918-1919 was spread through the ranks and brought home to the U.S. population by returning soldiers from W.W. I. Dr. Waldo Suter and nurse Mildred Barnett talked of making house calls for childhood diseases, the need to quarantine for some serious diseases and of the fearful polio outbreaks. Finally Dr. Suter mentioned how heavy smoking led to his own early demise. The program had an attendance of 137. After the program the Waterville Presbyterian Church invited everyone there for refreshments and to meet the cast.

The following cast portrayed the past residents:

Characters and who played them:  

Mattie Lyon: Kathy Saco; Dr. Welcome Pray: Fred Goodell; Dr. Waldo Daniels: Joe Dowd;

Amanda Eastwood: Kathy Dowd; Dr. Harry Babcock: Jim Herzberg; Private Emery Christman: Abe De Lisle;

Charlotte Hutchinson: Kris Goodell; Mildred Barnett: Aggie Ault; Dewey Longstreet: Liem Eichenlaub;

Resident String Section: Alex Bielsk; Jim Conrad: Dr. Paris Pray and Dr. Waldo Suter; Stage Crew: Jim

Stoma and Scott Duncan; Membership Chair: Steve Lauer; Cemetery Sexton: Rory Hartbarger

FILL THE TANK, CHECK THE OIL IN WATERVILLE, OHIO -----PART FOUR

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In the earlier years of gas stations they were a service station, there to assist the customer. They would ask you if they could fill your tank up and check the oil and always washed your windshield. Many gas companies would have secret customers to make sure you did a good job and even gave gifts to the persons at the station. Today you fill your own tank! We will be doing a series of articles about the gas stations in Waterville that has been researched by Randy Studer.

SCHEUB GULF STATION @ 702 and 704 S. River Rd. - Gulf Oil Co. bought the property on February 20, 1956 from Dick Farnsworth and built a Gulf gas station and bulk plant on the property. It was operated by John Scheub from Grand Rapids, Oh. In August of 1961, Rolf Oberhaus was the new manager of the station and John Scuheb continued to be Gulf dealer and bulk distributor in the area. In 1964, it was listed as the Coss Gulf Station. On January 31, 1967, Lorraine Oil (Sunoco Oil) from Bowling Green, Ohio bought the 702 and 704 S. River Rd. parcels from Gulf Oil. They used the bulk plant behind the old Gulf station for their customers with oil, gasoline, fuel oil needs in the area.  Ernie Blauvelt was the farm service representative for Lorraine Oil in Bowling Green, Ohio and had a Sunoco Station at 37 N. River Rd.  Both properties were sold to France Stone Co. on October 23, 1973. The old gas station buildings are now being used by Gerken Products. 

C&O TRUCK STOP # 1 – TEXACO – PHILLIPS STATION @ 10110 South River Road - The C &O Truck Stop and Restaurant got its name from the middle initials of the two who built it, Arthur C. Richardson and Kenneth O. Garmenn. Later on Richardson sold out his half to Carmenn. The fuel pumps and station building opened in 1954. The restaurant opened in 1956. In April of 1961, the station was rebranded to Phillips 66 products. The station was still open December of 1990. Date that it closed is unknown. The former restaurant is a gun store now and the garage was demolished years ago. There was another C&O Truck Stop #3 that was located on Rt. 6 Weston, Ohio. 

J.L. METCALF OIL CO. & CONRADS GARAGE – BARNSDALL - CITIES SERVICE – CITGO – SUNOCO STATION @ 815 Michigan Ave.  - In 1929, Jesse L. Metcalf started a successful business as a bulk station operator and delivering gas and oil products in the area. Metcalf purchased some property at 815 Michigan Ave., with an existing block building on the property. It was converted into a Barnsdall service station which was operated by Roy “Barney” Boggs (1934), Frank Sullivan (1938). Metcalf formed a partnership with Wilbur Klatt in the early 1930’s and it was known as Metcalf and Klatt Barnsdall Service, but later on Metcalf bought out Klatt’s interest in the company in the 1940’s. Starting on June 3, 1946, A.R. “Pete” Launder operated the Cities Service Station and garage. J. L. Metcalf died in March of 1947. His son Bill Metcalf took over the bulk gas and oil delivery business. In 1936, Carl Conrad went to work for the Graf Brothers Garage. In 1951, Carl Conrad bought the business but not the property and moved it to 209 Farnsworth Rd. behind Shepler’s Meat Market. In 1963, the building was sold to Robert Memmer (dba Memmer Ford.) Also in 1963, A.R. “Pete” Launder moved his business from 815 Michigan Ave over to behind his house at 307 South St. in a new building and it was a Gulf gas station. So in 1963, Conrad moved his business over to the J.L Metcalf Oil Co. building on 815 Michigan Ave.  Conrad now operated the CITCO Gas Station and garage. Carl Conrad retired in December of 1978. The garage was sold to Richard Wiles. Bill Metcalf retired in 1982. In 1985, Waterville Bodyworks bought the property for their body shop.

Preserving History: The Story of the Interurban Bridge

The Waterville Historical Society has entered into an agreement with Satolli Glassmeyer, founder and producer of History in Your Own Backyard, to produce a video documenting the history of the Ohio Electric Interurban Bridge. Links to the finished video will be sent to all school districts in Lucas and Wood Counties as well as all communities in those counties and 137 other counties throughout the Midwest, and to all historical societies. The video will also be uploaded to the History in Your Own Backyard YouTube Channel which has 11,400 subscribers and 2.25 million total viewers.

The bridge, which links Lucas and Wood Counties, has been in the news recently because of plans announced by the Ohio Department of Transportation to demolish it.

Given both its historic and interesting history, WHS decided that its story had to be preserved. The bridge’s unique design and construction, it service to the surrounding community and its present-day appeal to both photojournalists and artists demand that its significance be documented.

While this is not a fund-raising venture on the part of WHS, considering the interest generated by recent events, WHS would like to provide bridge enthusiasts the opportunity to be involved in this video preservation.

History in Your Own Backyard is sending out appeals for sponsorships to area businesses and governmental agencies and is outlining various categories of sponsorship…however, any donation, no matter the amount, would be appreciated.

The two flyers that accompany this article spell out all of this information and more, including how to contact History in Your Own Backyard should you wish to donate.

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FILL THE TANK, CHECK THE OIL IN WATERVILLE, OHIO -----PART THREE OF FOUR

In the earlier years of gas stations they were a service station, there to assist the customer. They would ask you if they could fill your tank up and check the oil and always washed your windshield. Many gas companies would have secret customers to make sure you did a good job and even gave gifts to the persons at the station. Today you fill your own tank! We will be doing a series of articles about the gas stations in Waterville that has been researched by Randy Studer. 

RAY’S SOHIO – BP – SUNOCO STATION @ 300 Farnsworth Rd. - Ray’s Sohio gas station opened on August 25, 1961, it was operated by Ray Mathewson from 1961 – 1976. Mathewson moved from 37 N. River Rd. to operate the new Sohio Station owned by Standard Oil of Ohio. Starting in 1976, Dolores and John Weinrich were the operators of the Waterville Sohio Service Station. It was rebranded as BP (British Petroleum) and converted into a BP gas and convenience store. It was a Gas and Go Station. It is a now a Sunoco gas and convenience store now.

GRAF BROTHERS GARAGE INC. – MOBIL STATION @ 205 Farnsworth Rd. – The Graf Brother’s Garage had its beginnings as a blacksmith shop in 1840. It evolved into the C.L. Graf and Son “Brick Garage” automotive repair shop, machine shop, Ford, Chevrolet, and Willys-Overland (Willys-Knight) dealership and Mobil gas station. Later on Ernie Graf would take over the business. The business closed in 1951, Carl Conrad who worked for Ernie Graf since 1939, purchased the business of the Graf Brothers Garage and moved it to 209 Farnsworth Rd. behind Shepler’s Meat Market. A few companies leased space in Graf’s Garage over the years like Shop of Siebert Company, Waterville Machine Co. and Toledo Rubber Products Corp. In 1962, Principal Business Enterprises, Inc. opened for business in the location and in 1969 they bought the building. On October 10, 1975, Ferd Seiple and Ron Martin dba Buckeye Associates bought the buildings from James Mitchell (Principal Business Enterprises, Inc.) and remodeled the buildings into Peddlers Alley with small retail shops with a restaurant.

LAUNDER & SONS GULF STATION @ 307 South St. – This was the new location for Albun R. “Pete” Launder & Sons (Darrel) Gulf Gas Station, which opened in May of 1963. His old location was at 815 Michigan Ave, the old J. L. Metcalf gas station building. Ed Peske (former operator of the Ed’s Shell Station) leased the building and business in May of 1973, dba Ed’s Sales and Service. He did automotive repair, used car sales and sold Gulf Products. Later it was operated by Scheub Oil. Then it was Lloyd Brothers Off Road Center and then the building was sold to John Spilker in 2014.

ED’S SHELL STATION – PENNZOIL STATION @103 Anthony Wayne Trail – The Shell Oil Co. built and opened a service station in November of 1960. It was operated by Ed Peske. At some time (late 1960’s) the station was remodeled into the Shell rancher design. A third bay was added to the station. In that bay was a front end alignment machine. In April of 1973, Ed Peske went out of business. Kevin Enright leased the station from Shell Oil then it was Kevin’s Super Shell. Later on it was Kevin’s Pennzoil Gas Station, Barneys Convenience Store and now it is a Circle K convenience store and gas station.