Oct 19

Chattanooga News in the 1930s

Johnson’s Garage, Chattanooga, Ohio. (1972 photo)

Old issues of hometown newspapers may contain some interesting news and human interest items about the locals. I noticed a regular “Chattanooga News” page in old issues of The Willshire Herald as I looked for obituaries in that local newspaper. I find these old issues on microfilm at the Van Wert County Library. The Willshire Herald, a weekly newspaper, is now called The Photo Star. Willshire is about eight miles north of Chattanooga, Ohio.

The “Chattanooga News” feature, with a sub-category of “Just for Fun”, seemed to be particularly popular in the 1930s. The “Just for Fun” column was a bunch of little items about the people of Chatt and what they were doing each week. My dad thought that Carl Schroeder, and maybe his wife Marcella, provided the information to the newspaper.

Carl and Marcella Schroeder went to our church, Zion Lutheran in Chatt, and they were both school teachers. In fact, Marcella Schroeder was my second grade teacher. Carl was also a barber in Chatt.

Marcella Schroeder, second grade teacher and most likely Chattanooga reporter for The Willshire Herald.

These little items tell a little about the people in the village of Chattanooga—what they did for a living and what they did in their spare time; their sense of humor and the fun they had in their close-knit rural community. There most likely is a story behind each little item.

All of the following items are from issues of The Willshire Herald during the Great Depression. I’m sure they all enjoyed some humor during that time period.

Ivan Johnson and Hod Becher were favorites and were mentioned nearly every week. Ivan (1892-1969) ran Johnson’s Garage and I remember my dad talking about him. Odas L. Becher was nicknamed Hod Becher (1901-1971). They must have been a pair of real characters!

  • Ivan Johnson took advantage of the fact that most of his neighbors were gone Sunday evening and brought out the old fiddle. It wasn’t long until he had the Irish reel in full swing. (28 September 1933)
  • Beware of short changing at Johnson’s Garage!  (10 February 1933)
  • Ivan and Floyd shed quite a few tears at the Station last Sunday morning when their pal left this time without them. (24 August 1933)
  • Ivan Johnson is complaining about his sweetheart wife not doing the cooking to suit his taste and if he wouldn’t be such a tightwad and buy her something to cook with, she would surely cook to suit his taste. (10 February 1933)
  • Ivan Johnson, wife and daughter, Genevieve, and Perry Gibbons spent Sunday at the Orville Felver home in Gas City, Ind. (3 February 1933)
  • Ivan Johnson made a trip to Rockford one day last week to purchase some valentines. (23 February 1933)
  • Ivan Johnson purchased a portable battery charger. If it isn’t on exhibition the day you call, please ask Ivan for full information. (19 January 1933)
  • Bill Betzel has been helping Ivan milk his cow. (11 May 1933)
  • The people in Chatt have been wondering just what Hod Becher will turn out to be. The State game warden has been out from Columbus and stated that by Hod’s looks and actions, noticing his nose in particular, he is a full blooded moose. Anybody doubting this write for a free photo anywhere in U.S. Postage will be prepaid. His address is Rockford, O., R. No. 4. (10 February 1933)
  • Hod Becher has made much improvement in 1932. You know he was road roller. He now is a Chevrolet salesman and delivers cars to all states, especially the western states of Kansas and Colorado. We all wish Hod a prosperous business for 1933 and a promotion to a higher office. (3 February 1933)

Ivan Johnson

Did Hod Becher know some of my Brewster relatives?

  • Hod Becher was a caller at the Frank Brewster home Wednesday night, Jan. 25.  (3 February 1933)

What did the Chattanoogians do in their spare time?

  • NOTICE: The Anti-Loafing Society will meet at my home Wednesday evening, October 4. Every member is urged to be present. (By order of the president) Vivian Carr. (28 September 1933)
  • Hazel Vining said, “No more ball games.” It makes her too nervous. Floyd had to call Dr. Miller twice Saturday night.  (27 July 1933)
  • Chas. Carr, Glenn Schott, Melvin Mosier, and Leo Slusser will fulfill the contract this week of painting a thousand feet of Mercer county bridges.  (31 August 1933)
  • Mrs. Vivian Carr has discontinued buying cream for the Cloverleaf Creamery at Decatur, Ind., since last Monday a week ago. Mrs. Carr worked for this company for thirteen years in Chattanooga. (24 August 1933)
  • HELP WANTED! Some reliable party to teach the ladies of Chattanooga (whose husbands spend at least seven days and nights in a pool room) the art of playing cards. Mrs. Carr has already stated that she can learn if she will give up her job as can washer and spend her time helping the “Justice of the Peace” with his cards as it is a much more profitable business. Anyone wanting the job please call on any of the ladies as they can always be found at home waiting. (10 February 1933)

Just who was Chattanooga’s “Justice of the Peace”? It seems Charley Carr was called the JP.

Evidently selling a vehicle was newsworthy:

  • SOLD, CHEVROLET TRUCK. The firm of Wendel and Raudenbush of this place, sold a ton and a half Chevrolet truck last week to William Timmerman of Coldwater. Mr. Wendel made a trip to Flint, Mich., Tuesday for it and made the delivery to Mr. Timmerman Wednesday.  (10 February 1933)
  • Hod Becher, Lewis Wendel and wife motored to Celina last Thursday. Mr. Wendel and wife came back in a 1933 Chevrolet Coach. It certainly is a fine looking car.  (3 February 1933)

The Schroeders seemed to know everything that happened:

  • OVER-EXERTION ALMOST FATAL–Pat Heffner was critically ill one day last week. Pat was unloading chickens and one old hen escaped. Pat went after it at the rate of forty miles an hour. The hen was finally caught by school boy, but the excitement and fast running caused Pat’s blood pressure to mount so high that a physician was called at once and advised pat to eat nothing but ice cream for the next two weeks in order to cool off.  (19 January 1933)
  • Herbert Brandt was seen washing his face in the water tank one evening last week. An old horse with a look of amazement stood nearby watching him.   (27 July 1933)
  • Wanted—An old alarm clock to put in the back of Mike Bollenbacher’s Ford so he can tell when the wee hours of the morning come, telling him when to go home… (19 January 1933)

There was even an item about my aunt Ruth:

  • Miss Ruth Miller, who is in nurses’ training at Ann Arbor, Mich., is spending her summer vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Miller, south of town. Monday she underwent a tonsil operation at Berne.  (3 August 1939)

It looks like the citizens of Chattanooga had a lot of fun, even during the Depression Era.

 

Oct 16

Tombstone Tuesday–John Wesley and Laura E. Headington

John Wesley and Laura E. Headington, Green Park Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

This is the tombstone of John Wesley and Laura E. Headington, located in Green Park Cemetery, Portland, Jay County, Indiana. The marker is inscribed:

HEADINGTON
John Wesley
Headington
1833-1911
Laura E. His Wife
1852-1918

 A Civil War marker at the graveside is inscribed, Maj. Jno. W. Headington, 100 Ind. Inf.

Maj. John W. Headington, 100th Indiana Infantry.

John W. Headington’s autobiography: I was born in Knox County, Ohio, December 13th, 1833. My parents were Nicholas and Ruth (Phillips) Headington, who emigrated from Maryland in the early part of the present century. I was educated in the common schools of Ohio and came to Portland in September, 1853, where I have lived ever since. In 1856 I commenced the study of law with Hon. J.M. Haynes, and was admitted to the bar in 1858. In May, 1858, I was married to Miss Nancy Bosworth, a daughter of Dr. Jacob Bosworth, who died in 1874. In August, 1862, I enlisted as a private in Co. H., 100 Regiment Indiana Vol. Inft. On the organization of the company I was elected captain of the company at Wabash, Indiana, where we first sent into camp. We were at once ordered to Indianapolis and in old Camp Morton we began to school ourselves as soldiers. We graduated early, partly on account of our proficiency and partly because of necessity. On the 11h of November, 1862, we started for the field of battle and landed at Memphis, Tenn., where we joined Grant’s army on his campaign through Mississippi, which was defeated by the fall of Holley Springs in our rear, and we were forced to retire to Grand Junction, Tennessee… [1]

John W. was promoted to Full Major on 1 June 1864 and was promoted to Full Lieutenant Colonel on 21 May 1865. He mustered out on 8 June 1865 at Washington D.C. [2] John’s Regiment, the 100th Indiana, was engaged in at least 25 battles and several skirmishes.

John W. Headington married Nancy “Nannie” Bosworth in May 1858. She was a daughter of Dr. Bosworth, of Jay County. John and Nannie had four children: Austin B., Alice (married J.H. Roll), Harry N. (died at age 22), Mary G. (wife of A.A. Richardson). Nannie died in 1874 and John married Laura E. Haines on 13 February 1876. They had six children: Frank, Etta (married Charles Freemyer), Billie, Raymond L., Lena and Nellie.

Colonel Headington was a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic, where he was post commander of the Stephen J. Bailey Post No. 154. His wife Laura was a member of the Eastern Star and they were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. [3]

Colonel John Wesley Headington, “Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties”

John Headington died 19 January 1911 in Portland at the age of 77 years. [4] Laura E. Headington died 7 March 1919 in Portland at the age of 63 years. [5]

John W. Headington is my fourth great-granduncle. I have proved both John and his brother Nimrod for the Ohio Genealogical Society’s lineage society, Society of Civil War Families of Ohio.

 

[1] Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties, Indiana, (Fort Wayne, Indiana: Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster, job printers, 1897), 166.

[2] Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA, “American Civil War Soldiers, database on-line,” abstracts, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 15 October 2012), John Headington, Union, Indiana, Enlistment 11 Sep 1862.

[3] Biographical Memoirs of Jay County, Indiana, (Chicago:  B.F. Bowen Co., Publishers, 1901), 295-98.

[4] Various Indiana county death records indexed by the Indiana Works Projects Administration, “Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920, database on-line,” abstract from Book CH-2, page 23, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 15 Pctpber 2012), John Headington.

[5] Various Indiana county death records indexed by the Indiana Works Projects Administration, “Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920, database on-line,” abstract from Book CH-2, page87, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 15 October 2012), Laura E. Headington.

 

Oct 12

Pete Brewster–Professional Football Player

My 1958 Topps #11 Pete Brewster card.

The Brewster side of my family tree has come through again with another famous relative, this time a professional athlete. Some time ago I wrote about James Henry Brewster, my great-great-granduncle, who was a well known Kansas contractor and stone mason. James Henry’s other claim to fame was that he happened to be in the First National Bank in Coffeyville, Kansas, when the Dalton Gang had their last shoot-out.

A recent issue of the Jay County Journal brought another noteworthy Brewster relative to my attention. The Jay County Journal is the monthly publication of the Jay County Historical Society, of which I am a member.

Darrel “Pete” Brewster, my first cousin twice removed, played professional football for several seasons. Pete Brewster and I both descend from Daniel Brewster. Daniel was Pete’s grandfather and was my great-great-grandfather. Pete descends from Daniel and his second wife, Mary Loverda Bebout, while I descend from Daniel and his first wife, Sarah Fetters.

Darrel Brewster was born in 1930 on a farm near Berne, Indiana, and grew up and attended school in nearby Portland. His height helped him become a good basketball player all through high school but he did not play football until his senior year.

After high school he attended Purdue University where he played both football and basketball.  In 1952 he led the Purdue Boilermakers football team to a Big Ten co-championship, was selected as the team’s MVP and was named to the National College Football All-Star Team. He was a five-time letterman at Purdue and is a member of Purdue’s Athletic Hall of Fame in both basketball and football.

After his college graduation Pete was a 2nd round, 21st overall NFL draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals in 1952. But Pete was immediately traded to the Cleveland Browns where he played offense and defense during his first season. During the 1953 season he played first-string offensive left end and was the Brown’s second leading receiver. He was a key member of the Browns’ 1954 and 1955 World Championship teams and was selected for the All Pro and Pro Bowls in 1955 and 1956 at the tight end position.

Pete Brewster retired following the 1958 season, after seven seasons (1952-58) with the Browns. But he soon left retirement and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for two years (1959-60). He then became a coach, first for the Minnesota Vikings and then a receivers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs (1964-1974).

During his time as a coach for the Chiefs Pete made two trips to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs were defeated by the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, but the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Pete earned a Super Bowl ring for Super Bowl IV.

During his active football years Pete was 6’4” tall and weighed 210 pounds. He played for the NFL for 9 years. His career totals include playing in 104 games, with 210 receptions, 3758 yards, 17.9 average receiving yards/reception and 21 receiving touchdowns. His longest reception was 57 yards in 1954. He scored 19 touchdowns for Cleveland, 2 touchdowns for Pittsburgh and fumbled 7 times.

His best receiving year was 1954, when he had 42 receptions, 676 receiving yards, with an average of 16.1 yards, plus 4 touchdowns. In 1955 he scored 6 touchdowns for the Browns.

Paul Brown was Pete’s coach when he played for Cleveland and Buddy Parker was his coach while at Pittsburgh. Pete Brewster wore number 83 in 1952, 88 in 1953-58 (Browns) and 88 in 1959-60 (Steelers).

Pete is enshrined in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame. In addition, this past summer the Portland High School football field was renamed Brewster Field in Pete’s honor. Pete and his family live near Peculiar, Missouri.

Thanks to the Jay County Historical Society for the nice article about former football star and coach, Darrel “Pete” Brewster. The 9 October 2012 edition of Cleveland.com also has an article about Pete, “Cleveland Browns’ 100 best all-time players: No. 68, Darrel ‘Pete’ Brewster”, which includes a video that shows Pete catching several passes.

 

Information from the August 2012 Jay County Journal, Wikipedia and Pro-Football Reference.com.

Oct 09

Tombstone Tuesday–Washington Headington

Washington Headington, Liber Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

This is the tombstone of Washington Headington, located in LIber Cemetery, Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana. The marker is inscribed:

Washington Headington
Died
July 30, 1852
Aged 22 yrs, 4 ms, 27 ds.

His tombstone is to the right of his father’s marker, on the left side of the driveway as you drive into the cemetery.

Washington Headington was the child of Nicholas and Ruth (Phillips) Heading. [1] He was born 3 March 1830, as calculated from his tombstone. According to the 1850 census Washington was born about 1830 in Maryland. [2] From other research it appears that the Nicholas Headington family had already moved to Ohio by 1830 so he may have been born in Ohio. Census enumerations can be varied and erroneous since we don’t know who the informant was.

Indiana did not begin recording deaths until 1882, so there is no record of his death. I have not found any indication that he ever married.

 

[1] Biographical Memoirs of Jay County, Indiana (Chicago: B.F. Bowen Co., Publishers, 1901), 304-5.

[2] 1850 U.S. census, Porter, Delaware County, Ohio, p. 317A, dwelling 3036, family 3050, Nicholas Hedington; digital images, Ancestry.com  (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 September 2012); from NARA Series M432, roll 675.

Oct 05

Nicholas Headington in the War of 1812

USS Constitution (aka “Old Ironsides”). War of 1812 U.S. war ship. (2009 photo by author)

Last week I finally finished a project that had been on my To-Do List for some time. I completed my application to the United States Daughters of 1812 (U.S.D. 1812). It wasn’t like I had to go out and do a lot of research to complete the application. I had all the documentation right here at home. I just needed to sit down, gather and copy all the needed proofs and fill out the application.

My 5th great-grandfather, Nicholas Headington, served in the War of 1812. As far as I know he is the only ancestor I have that served in that war. According to the military marker at the foot of his grave he was in Gorsuch’s Company, the 2nd Maryland Militia.

Other sources give a little more information about his service. One tells that he was a Private in Captain Gorsuch’s Co., Randall’s Batallion of Riflemen, 2nd Regiment. [1]

In another source Nicholas is named among the Baltimore Citizens Serving in the 2nd Regiment from 14 October- 1 December 1814, Baltimore County, residence; Camp Hampstead, discharge. The officers were Benjamin Gorsuch, Captain, 32 miles from residence to Camp Hampstead; Ephraim Cook, 1st Lieutenant, 32 mi.; Nathan Gorsuch, 2nd Lieutenant, 26 mi.; George W. Johnson, 3rd Lieutenant, joined  & promoted Nov. 20, 26 mi.; Nicholas Dorsey, 2st Sergeant, 26 mi.; John Cresswill, Sergeant, 26 mi.; John Frizzell, Sergeant, 30 mi.; John Lewis, Sergeant, 12 mi.; James Cresswell, Sergeant, 26 mi.; George Clift, Corporal, 22 mi.; Levin Buckingham, Corporal, 25 mi.; Benjamin Lynch, Corporal, 11 mi.; and John O. Stinchcomb, Corporal, 11 mi.  The roster continues with a long list of over 80 Privates, including Nicholas Headington. It did not state how far away Nicholas was from the camp.  There were a number of desertions and absentees. Some names of interest among the privates are Laban Headington, George Frizzell and William Philips. [2]

Moorshead Magazines Ltd., publishers of Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy and History Magazine, has also published Tracing Your War of 1812 Ancestors. It is a reference publication in their Tracing Your Ancestors series.

The magazine has an interesting article on Militia Service.  According to the author, the militia was the main defense of the country at that time and soldiers in the War of 1812 were more likely to have been in the militia than in the Army. Militia companies were commanded by a captain and had several officers. They consisted of men from the same district in a county. Units were often known by their commanders’ names and men were permitted to hire substitutes.

I decided to apply to the U.S.D. 1812 this year, the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. Even though Nicholas Headington had already been proved for the U.S.D. 1812 the closest common ancestor was Nicholas himself. So I had to submit proof all the way back to Nicholas as well proof of his military service.  It wasn’t all that difficult because I had proved this family for Settlers and Builders of Ohio, a lineage society of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

I was pleased that the U.S.D. 1812 has an application form that can be completed in Word or PDF. That way I didn’t have to search for my old pica typewriter in the back room of the basement. I completed my application in PDF with no problems.

My lineage from Nicholas Headington and his wife Ruth Phillips:
Their son William Headington & Mary Ann Cottrell
Their daughter Elvira Headington & Daniel Reid
Their son William Reid & Emily Bryan
Their daughter Pearl Reid & Phillip Brewster
Their daughter Gertrude Brewster & Carl Miller (my grandparents)

At one time there was a U.S.D. 1812 chapter named after my ancestor. The Nicholas Headington Chapter National Society United States Daughters of 1812 was established in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1908. In fact it was the first chapter established in the state of Arkansas. The Arkansas State Society U.S.D . 1812 was organized in 1906. Unfortunately The Nicholas Headington Chapter is no longer in existence.

Membership in the U.S.D. 1812 is not limited to an ancestor’s service in the War of 1812. Membership is available to women age eighteen and over who can prove that they are lineal descendants of an ancestor who rendered civil, military, or naval service to our country, rendered material aid to the U.S. Army or Navy, or who participated in the Lewis and Clark Expedition during the period of 1784-1815.

Service may be, but not limited to the following:

  • Those who signed the Oath of Allegiance or the Loyalty Test.
  • All state, county and town officials and also jurors.
  •  A member of the Continental or Federal Congress, or a member of a State Assembly or Legislature of one of the first eighteen states.
  •  A delegate to the convention which framed The Constitution of the United States.
  •  A member of a State Convention which ratified The Constitution of the United States.
  • An elector of one of the first four Presidents of the United States.
  • A legislative, executive or judicial officer of the United States of America, including such appointive officers as Treaty Commissioners, Territorial Officers, etc.

Military or Naval Service in any of the following insurrections or wars:

  • Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, 1784-1787.
  • Shay’s Rebellion, Massachusetts, 1786-1787.
  • Wars with Indians, 1784-1815.
  • Whiskey Insurrection, Pennsylvania, 1794.
  • War with France (Undeclared), 1798-1800.
  • Sabine Expedition, Louisiana, 1806.
  • Attack of British warship Leopard upon the United States frigate Chesapeake.
  • Embargo troubles, Lake Champlain, 1808.
  • Engagement between United States frigate President and the British ship Little Belt.
  • Expedition against Lafitte Pirates, 1814.
  • Wars with the Barbary Powers, 1801-5 and 1815.
  • War with Great Britain, 1812-1815.
  • The Creek War, 4 October 1814 to 24 January 1815.
  • Lafitte Aides to General Andrew Jackson.
  •  Local or state militia service, 1784-1815, or giving material aid to the Army and Navy.
  • Member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-6.

A forever stamp with the image of the USS Constitution was issued on 18 August 2012 to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812. The USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides, is oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. The ship received its nickname during the War of 1812.

Now I wait and see if my United States Daughters of 1812 application will be approved.

[1] William M. Marine, The British Invasion of Maryland, 1812-1815, (Baltimore, Maryland: Society of the War of 1812, 1913), 318

[2] F. Edward Wright, Maryland Militia War of 1812, Volume 2, Baltimore, (No place: privately printed, 1979), 88.