My abstracts of some news stories from one of my favorite local newspapers, The Willshire Herald (1926 & 1930).
New Business Venture by Stetler Brothers
Earl and Ralph Stetler purchased the Ward Acheson lot and the W.R. Brown service station building just west of the post office on Wolcott Street, to engage in the business of spouting, roofing, roof painting, and washing and painting automobiles. They have the right of sale for Paulding and Van Wert Counties for the Monarch Paint Company, Cleveland. In addition to selling paint, they will contract for painting, as a savings to property owners. Earl and Ralph previously operated an auto service business, now operated by Lewis Wise on State Street. (Willshire Herald, 18 March 1926)
Service stations seemed to be big news in Willshire.
New Service Station to Keep “Open House” Saturday
Willshire’s newest service station, the Scott Service station, will have an open house on Saturday and Sunday, 21-22 June. Walter Scott, local agent for the Sinclair Company, announced that a valuable gift will be given to each motorist who purchases five gallons of gasoline. (Willshire Herald, Thursday 19 June 1930)
An obituary:
Willshire Herald, 14 Jan 1926
Well-known Schumm Man Dies Suddenly in Barn Lot
John C. Schumm was found between 4-5:00 p.m. in the barn lot by his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Schumm.
Mr. Schumm left his house shortly after 12:00 noon to do a few chores around the barn and then go to the store at Schumm to pick up several items for his daughter-in-law. A few hours later his daughter-in-law noticed that she had not seen him go toward Schumm. She phoned the store and they informed her that he had not been there. She looked around the premises but could not find him. She then telephoned her husband, Arnold Schumm, who was helping butcher at the W.A. Buechner farm, the adjoining farm to the north. Arnold hurried home and discovered the body in the barn lot.
John C. Schumm was survived by his children [Victor, Lydia, Hilda, Elisabeth, Arnold, Salome], one brother, Louis J. Schumm, three miles east of town, and a sister, Mrs. [Charles F.] Germann, Harrison Township. Other relatives resided in California. (Willshire Herald, 14 January 1926)
A stockholders meeting:
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Willshire Equity Union Exchange Company was held at the town opera house Monday Afternoon, with 40-50 farmers in attendance. Secretary E.O. Stelter gave a favorable business report and after President T.J. Dellinger called for nominations for directors. T.J. Dellinger, R.C. Elston, George Grauberger, E.O. Stetler, and Thomas O. Hill were nominated, and all were elected since only five names were needed. (Willshire Herald, 14 January 1926)
Only from a small community:
Mary Dellinger was in Decatur Monday afternoon having dental work done. (Willshire Herald, 14 January 1926)
And from the Chatt area (Willshire Herald, 14 January 1926):
Funeral services were held Monday at Zion Lutheran, Chatt, for Jacob Hiller, 80, life-long resident of the Chattanooga area. Rev. J.E. Albrecht conducted the service.
Zion Chatt’s Luther League met at home of Carl Brandt’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Brandt, Friday night. Not all members were present due to the weather.
And lastly, an airplane ride in 1930 is big local news:
Willshire Herald, 19 June 1930
First Willshire Person to Ride Airplane from Pacific Coast
Miss Rilla Hileman, a young Willshire woman, was believed to be the first person in the community to be a cross-country passenger on an airplane.
She had been visiting her niece, Mrs. T.C. (Eathyl Hileman) Robbins, in Glendale, California, for three months. Mrs. Robbins was formerly from Willshire.
Hileman departed Los Angeles at 10:00 a.m. Saturday for Clovis, New Mexico. There she
boarded a Santa Fe Pullman train bound for Colorado, traveling during the night. She flew from Colorado to Indianapolis, arriving about 4:00 p.m. Sunday. It took about 30 hours for the 1800-mile trip.
Another niece, Bernita Moore, of Van Wert, met Hileman at Indianapolis and drove her home. They arrived home about midnight. (Willshire Herald, Thursday 19 June 1930)
