New Vienna School 1878-1917 postcard

New Vienna School post card from the early 1900s is unmailed but addressed to Miss Mildred Pearl, New Vienna, Ohio, Clinton Co. Message says "To Mildred, From Mumma, 1907. This postcard is of the "old, old" New Vienna School. Not sure why the card labels it as plural buildings, as only the one is visible. Perhaps they are including the outhouses which are hidden in the back?

Public School Buildings, New Vienna, Ohio

According to the 1900 Census, Mildred, born in New Vienna in 1898 was the daughter of Edward (1858-1903), a carriage painter, and Valeria (b.1871) Pearl.  In the 1910 census, Valeria and Mildred are shown as living with Valeria's parents, Thomas J. (1846-1920) and Margaret Ann Pitzer (1850-1920) McCune.  Thomas is listed as having his "own income."

Mildred married Dennis Cook (1853-1936) in 1920.  His first wife, Flora Terrell, had died in 1905, leaving him with seven children, most of whom were grown by 1920.  Mildred died in Wilmington in 1977.

This School was built in 1878.  It was torn down in 1917.  

The above picture is from New Vienna High School Memory Book, 1881-1963, page 8

According the the Memory Book:  In 1878 a new square brick building was erected with four rooms below, two rooms and a hall, called Whittier Hall, above.  This hall was afterwards converted into two rooms, and they were used as the laboratory.  

This building was removed from the school lot in the summer of 1917, when a new modern fireproof building was constructed and was ready for the school term starting in September 1918.

The high school was organized in 1878 and the first class graduated in 1881.  This class had three members: Hallie Baum, Will Rayburn and Charles Blackburn.  Charles was the father of Joseph and Mary Blackburn and Charles Blackburn, Jr.  

The board employed J.F. Fenton as principal for that year.  It was with him that Commencement Exercises were inaugurated and the first Commencement was held in the spring of 1881 in Whittier Hall.

Due to the scarcity of teachers, a Clinton-Highland Normal school was opened in NV High School in 1914.  The students did their practice teaching here also.  It was moved to Wilmington College in 1925.

[During that time] The children were taken to school by horse drawn wagons, and sleds in the winter time.

-----
This post slightly modified from one originally published in the Uible Family Blog, 24-Feb-2011.

2nd Grade class 1971-72

These students would have been members of the East Clinton Class of 1982.  They not only survived the NV playground, but a year with Miss Purtee.  [I had my own experience with Miss Purtee, and I understand she did not mellow too much with age.]   Can you help name those who are not yet identified?

2nd grade class 1971-72

New Vienna School, New Vienna, Ohio

Top Row: Jimmy Morris, Melanie McCune Lamke, Linda Lacy, Kirk Michael.  

2nd Row: Jim Wolfe, Chuck Larrick, Chris Dodd, Mr. Jim Luck, Miss Aleda Purtee, Terry Smith, Kelly Walker Ely, Mary Uible Crowson.  

3rd Row: Van Pratt, NYI, NYI, NYI, Steve Cluxton, Dale Robinson, Joe Throckmorton, NYI.  

Bottom Row: Allen Pinkerton, NYI, NYI, Shari Flint Hufford, Mike Lowman

Girl Scout Troop 747 - Spring 1966

Wilmington News-Journal, Spring 1966 - Troop 747 is Young New Vienna Troop 

New Vienna Girl Scout Troop 747 - Spring 1966

First Row, left to right–Beverly Brooks, Mary Lou Dean, Julie Murphy, Clara Sears, Mashell Laymon, Colene Larrozollo, Ruth Ann Johnson, Becky Sears.  Second row–Becky Stoops, Pamela Penn, Betty Walker, Kathy Wolfe, Teresa Flint, Joan Pinkerton, Vickie McKenzie, Dana Faris, Jane Stoops.  Third row–Krista Hamilton, Kay Dean, Barbara DeVoe, Serena Uible, Lois Berwanger, Paula Hall, Bambi Helterbran, Peggy Stoops, Ethel Rollins.  Back row–Patty Edison, Debbie Baker, Bonnie Wolfe, Debbie Davis, Teresa Clear.  Debbie Tolle was absent.

Troop 747 of New Vienna held its first meeting Nov. 2, 1965 and had investiture day, Dec. 23.  All of the girls are new to Scouting, but are making fine progress.  As a Troop they are completing the Action Citizen Badge.

This is one of the Troops started because of Serena's plea for Girl Scouting in New Vienna in a letter she wrote.

There are six patrols, each patrol working on a badge, and girls working on individual badges toward earning the Sign of the Arrow.

There are 31 girls in the troop and their leaders are Mrs. Warren G. Murphy, Mrs. Robert Johnson, Mrs. Scott Custis and Mrs. Henry Penn.

The troop visited the Clinton County Courthouse and county jail and went on a hike at the Fallsville Wildlife.  They meet in the Lions Club building and are sponsored by the Lions Club.

New Vienna Train Depot Razed

A mere 41 years ago....   From the Wilmington (Ohio) News-Journal Saturday January 30, 1971.  Transcription follows.

Razed Train Station Yields 80-Year-Old Wires, Tickets

Workers dismantle Depot at New Vienna
by Clarence Graham (News-Journal Staff Writer)

NEW VIENNA -- Railroad stations, once the center of long-distance communications, commuting and industrial activity, are disappearing from the American scene. At least, from the more rural areas.

The depot at New Vienna has been sold by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and is being torn down. But not before it yielded a few memories.

Harold Wallen, New Vienna Route 2, was the original buyer but antique dealers Dale and Wanda Marks of New Carlisle, have purchased the building from Wallen.  [No information readily available on the Marks or antique dealers in New Carlisle.]

Wallen will tear the building down and the Marks will take the lumber to their farm and rebuild the depot in its original form.

The structure is of fine pine and Wallen says it was well constructed with the best lumber.  Each piece is held together by a wooden pin.  In early building construction these pins took the place of nails, bolts and spikes.

Each piece of lumber is full-sawed, meaning if it was to be a two-inch thick by 10 feet long piece, it was exactly that.

Wooden pins make dismanteling [sic] easier.   Wallen will drive the pins out and take the building apart piece by piece.

When Wallen and his crew began tearing down the second story of the depot they found some interesting papers.  Telegrams that were sent as far back as the year 1891 and freight tickets from the same year were also discovered.

Hundreds of these tickets and telegrams bearing such well-known names in the area as Derivan, Swingley, Bernard, Nordyke, Rice and others were stored in the top of the railroad-owned structure.

The telegrams were everything from business to personal.  Some told of arrivals of grain or coal shipments to local merchants.  Others informed local residents as to what the stock market was doing.  One personal telegram read, "Dear wife, Missed train, arrive tomorrow."

The Cincinnati Enquirer was shipped to the Commercial Gazette in New Vienna by train.

The depot in New Vienna was of X-style architecture and consisted of a waiting room, office for the station master, baggage room and a covered dock area.

Most of the train depots along the miles of track have been closed and only main stations such as Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland remain in operation.  The depot, the telegrams and the freight tickets are a link with the New Vienna of the past.  The restoration of the depot will keep alive a part of yesterday's America.  [--end]

*****
Originally published January 22, 2011 in the Uible family blog.

New Vienna's Railroad Ave. in 1958

Two houses were demolished in New Vienna on Railroad Avenue when Wells Mfg. added a paint building.  The 1957 Chrysler was our family car.  Parallel parking in this car was a challenge.  I drove it to my summer job at the Wilmington Public Library in 1965.

1957 Chrysler.  House torn down for Wells paint building (Railroad Ave.)

1957 Chrysler in New Vienna with machine shop in background (Railroad Ave.)

The 1930 Census, the most current census available for public viewing, does not show any residences on Railroad Avenue, though two families are listed as living on "Pass" Ave.   Could this be an older name for Railroad Ave.?  Living on Pass Avenue were:

• Jesse Leggett (45) 1885-1948, his wife Belle (29) and their children Madge (10), Elizabeth (6), Ruby (5), Jessie Jr. (2) and Robert (1). - Rental $7/month. Jesse is listed as a trucker for the grain elevator and Belle as a laundress who worked at home. Ruby died in 2001 in Lebanon, Ohio.
• Jesse Shaffer (42) 1888-1977, wife Carrie (33) 1897-1970, children Pauline (12), Edna (10), Margaret (8), Dorothy (7), Elizabeth (6) 1923-1943, Jesse Jr. (1) - Rental $8/month. Jesse was a laborer who did odd jobs. Dorothy graduated from NVHS in 1941, Elizabeth in 1942, Jesse Jr. in 1946. A son Edgar died as an infant in 1925, and they had another son Charles Russell 1931-1979

Ten households are listed on Pearl Street which connects Railroad Ave. with SR-28 also known as West Street.  Families living on Pearl St. in 1930 were:

• Herbert Howard (33), his wife Louise (29) and son William (7). - Rental $12/month.  Herbert was a barber.
• Mary Elizabeth (Garner) Achor (38) and her daughter Helen Louise (12) - Rental $6/month. Elizabeth (1891-1965) was a seamstress and is buried in NV's IOOF East side cemetery. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Garner married Frank Achor (1886-1966) in 1911 and they are buried together but in 1930 census records show he was living and working as a farmer on Wright Rd. in Green Township with his mother, Tabitha (1854-1930) and his sister Bessie along with her husband Hugh Bernard and their grandson Paul, born c1925. Helen married Charles C. Perry in 1940, he died in Italy in 1944. She later remarried twice, to Robert Gall and then to Mr. Wilson.
  
• Dana Bond (68), his wife Luthera (69) and his brother Thomas (73) - Owners of house valued at $1800.
• Emma Trimble (73), her sister Francis Irons (72), and her sister-in-law Alice Trimble (81).  Their house valued at $2600
• Harry Bower (69), wife Margaret (57), son George (25) and daughter Sarah (21).  House valued at $2000.  Harry was a bookkeeper at the bank, George an inspector at a paper mill, and Sarah was also employed as a bookkeeper ar the record office.  Sarah graduated from NVHS in 1926 and later married a Mr. Nordonbrock.
• Clyde Curtis (50), wife Beatrice (45), children Robert (24), Marcille (16), Gayle (13), Jeanne (10), and Richard (8).  House valued $500.  Beatrice was employed doing housework in private homes, Robert as a lineman for the telegraph company.  Marcille graduated from NVHS in 1932, Jeanne in 1937 and Richard in 1939.  Richard married Arlene Preston who graduated from NVHS in 1941.  They had two children, Richard and Robert.
• Arthur Cade (61), wife Lillie (60), children Everett (25), Margaret (17) and Jessie (16) - Rental $8/month.  
• Margaret Ryan (60) and her daughter Mary Stultz (28) - house valued at $600.  Margaret born in Ireland, was Joseph's mother.  Mary was employed as a practical nurse in private homes.
• Joseph Ryan (32), wife Ella (34) and Ryan's step-children Cordelia (16) and Charles (15) Shaw - Rental $8/month.  Joe was a local blacksmith known for his strength.  He once was known to "throw" a refrigerator in anger.  His wife had a small garden business, selling seedlings, etc.
• Ed Magee (64) - Rental $2/month.  Ed was a shoestring salesman.

Farmer's Exchange becomes New Vienna Milling Co., Mill Story #2

"Put in a penny, turn the crank, and voila, a handful of peanuts would appear."


John Cooper bought the NV Milling Co., from McMillen Feed Mills in 1957, the year his son, Ed, graduated from High School.  

New Vienna Ohio Farmers' Exchange: Grain - Seed - Feed - Coal c1950.
Photo courtesy of Carolyn Collier Taubenheim

Previously John had managed two mills (Richmond & Fountain City) in Indiana for McMillen.  The family lived in Rushville IN before moving to New Vienna, although previously they had lived in the Xenia area.  Marie worked for a Dr. after high school who was into horses and met John's brother who was a feed salesman.  John and Marie first met on a blind date.

John 1912-1980 and Marie 1914-2004 had three sons, Ed who now lives in Dayton area and is retired from J.C. Penny's;  Bob graduated from NVHS in 1959 and now lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Tom, NVHS Class of 1964 although thanks to consolidation he graduated from Simon Kenton.  He now lives in Phoenix, Arizona and has a Dairy Queen business.

Mill Workers, New Vienna Milling Co. c1958.
Left to right: Bob Cooper, Harry Everhart, Bud Storer, Phyllis Tilton White, Burdette Edgington, John Cooper.  Photo courtesy of Phyllis Tilton White.

Coopers sold the mill in 1970, John went into full time pig farming, raising piglets in a building specially built for 500 pigs on Clark Rd.  In 1967 and 1970 Marie is listed in the City Directory as being a clerk at the Stitching Post Store in Wilmington.  Ed, although he never attended school in NV, spent much time with his parents and with his Mom in her later years and has made many friends in New Vienna.  Coopers were also active in the NVUMC and Marie used her culinary expertise in running the kitchen at the NV Senior Center.

John bought 100 acres from Brumley on SR-350, sold 50 acres to Stan Hannah who built a house there and Hannah later built the new NVUMC.  After John died, Marie moved back into town and enjoyed her final years living in New Vienna.

Harry Everhart 1905-1973, lived in Penn Township, Highland County.  A farm laborer in 1930, wife Bessie and daughter Anna, brother-in-law John Edwards [related to Cornelia Edwards Carey?, she was Ralph Carey's mother, and lived next to them.]

Homer "Bud" Storer 1925-1976, father of Buddy (1947-1967, Donald who is now married to Burdette Edgington's daughter Carolyn, and Dana.  Divorced from his wife Mildred in 1971.  Mildred worked at Wells as did Carolyn.

Phyllis Tilton White - Graduated from NVHS in 1946 and began her working career with a brief stint at Wells Mfg. in 1947, then located in Dayton.  In 1948 she went to work full time for Eagle Specialties, a subdivision (?) of Carter Engineering, which made metal folding baby strollers.  When they went out of business she became a bookkeeper in 1949 at the NV Milling Co., which was then known as Farmer's Exchange owned by R.P. Barrett, with Elroyd Collier* as manager.  She worked at the mill 10 years, quitting when her mother was in very poor health.  After the death of her mother she returned to Wells, which had moved to New Vienna in 1948, where she was a dedicated employee for close to 40 years.

Burdette Edgington 1919-2011, father of Linda Lunsford, Ronald, Carolyn Storer (married Bud Storer's son, Donald), and Terry.  As well as working at the mill he was a WWII Army Veteran, a Clark Township Trustee and a longtime farmer in the Martinsville area.  He married Goldie Mae Alexander on December 16, 1941.

*Carolyn Collier Taubenheim remembers:  "I wasn't very old when Dad worked at the mill, but I do have some fond memories.  He took his daughter to work before it became so popular to do so years later!  

I loved riding in the big truck because it occasionally backfired, and I thought that was REALLY COOL!  I also remember going into the office where Phyllis Tilton worked.  She was such a nice lady.  Anyway, there was a gumball machine filled with peanuts, not gumballs.  Put in a penny, turn the crank, and voila, a handful of peanuts would appear.  Customers would come in to settle up with Phyllis, and I'd have myself parked next to that little machine.  When they'd turn to go, they'd see me me and ask, 'Oh, are you Elroyd's girl?'  I'd nod my head and more often than not, end up with peanuts!  

Another interesting thing is even though 'flour' is painted on the side of the building, I never saw any.  I think it was predominately a 'feed mill' selling feed for cattle and hogs.  It also sold some other things, like coal."  

*****
A future mill story will delve more deeply into the "flour" mentioned in the paragraph above.

Click here for Mill story #1 which focuses on the Shoemaker/Collier Family.

Rural Mail Directory 1924-27

Recently added to my reference library of New Vienna related items is a copy of the Clery's Rural Mail Directory for Clinton County, Ohio 1924-1927.  [Thanks, Dad!]  Here's an ad from the inside of the back cover:

New Vienna Bank and Fred A. Eaton Men's Clothing ads from 1924-1927 Clery's Rural Mail Directory for Clinton County, Ohio

Almost a century later the bank is still open although now part of NB&T.  Fred Eaton was most likely a competitor of Philips Bros. Clothing which later became Huffman Clothing where the long time employee was Bill Holmes.  Fred was the father of Doris Eaton Jones, and an uncle of Virginia Hildebrant, therefore a great-uncle of Janie Hildebrant Pidgeon.

Below are copies of the three pages covering New Vienna's RFD 1, 2 and 3, that list the people and the roads covered on each route.  Interestingly (and for privacy sake?) the people for each route are listed in alphabetical order.  Not sure how many of these families continue to occupy the same location -- that's research for someone who knows who lives there now.  I do see some familiar names.  Some of the road names have since changed, e.g. Highland Pike [SR-28], Centerville Pike [SR-729?], Willettsville Road [SR-124?], James Roads Pike [near James Roads house presumably].

If you are interested in the small print the number after the name is the number of acres with "O" denoting ownership, "R" renter, "L" laborer.  "L" with O or R denotes lot.

Rural Mail Routes and Names for New Vienna from 1924-1927 Clery's Rural Mail Directory for Clinton County, Ohio - RFD No. 1

Note the ad at the top for funeral homes, including Littleton which is still doing business in Sabina and then the ad in the middle stating "The old must die.  We are young and want your cream.  A. L. Kirk, Wilmington Produce Co."

Rural Mail Routes and Names for New Vienna from 1924-1927 Clery's Rural Mail Directory for Clinton County, Ohio - RFD No. 2 and No. 3

Rural Mail Routes and Names for New Vienna from 1924-1927 Clery's Rural Mail Directory for Clinton County, Ohio - RFD No. 3 Continued.

NVHS [Ohio] Class of 1944 in 8th Grade

This war-time high school class, along with the class of 1943, did not get a senior picture. Therefore, no picture of these classes in the New Vienna High School Memory Book.  Other NVHS graduates without group pictures include: 1881-1898, 1900-1903, 1907-1917, 1921-1923, and 1926-1928.  On which wall of the school did these pictures hang?  What has happened to them since – are they at the elementary school?  [Have recently heard that these pictures were offered "for sale" when the school closed, but now may be in storage in the new Elementary School.]

I got identification of all but two of these 8th graders from class member Jane Selph Fauber.

Class of '44 New Vienna Ohio 8th Grade 1939-40 - Front row  left: Georgina Lacey, Joan Rulon Hughes, Martha Stephenson, Christine Caplinger, Donna Morris, Unknown Girl, Elizabeth Sayre and Faye Rhoads.  Middle Row Beulah Wood, Jennie Swingley, Dale Crabtree, Rollin Hakes, Mary Etta Pierson, Unknown  Girl, Jane Selph Fauber and Herbert Spencer (teacher).  Top Row Wilbur Morris, Frank Purtee, William "Bill" Chesnut, Bob Sonners, Harold Prickett, Philip J. Levo, Calvin Smith, Bob Linkhart and William "Bill" Lamar.  Unknown girls are possibly Joanne Smith,  Betty Roush, or Marjorie Hachathorn.  Image Courtesy of Larry Martin.

Shoemaker/Collier Family: NV Mill (related) stories #1

"My Dad started at the mill right after the war in the fall of 1945.  He later became the manager and left in 1953.  I have many fond memories of being a little tyke and being down there and probably getting in the way." --Charlie Collier

Mabel & Elroyd Collier, parents of Charlie & Carolyn, c1946 in front of Harris Apartments, New Vienna Ohio.  Photo courtesy of Carolyn Collier Taubenheim.

First came the Shoemakers:

In 1800, Simon Shoemaker and his family moved from Virginia to the Singing Spring area [Highland County's Brushcreek Township] according to Daniel Scott's A History of the Early Settlement of Highland County, Ohio, page 64.

This move impacted Clinton County when 138 years and six generations later, a few of his many descendants began moving to New Vienna.  [Simon (1736-1820) > Samuel (1766-1837) > Simon (1793-1875) > Michael (1823-1895) > George M. (1859-1947) > Orva (1882-1964). Orva M. Shoemaker and his wife the former Mary K. Zile (1886-1952) had seven children, four of whom lived in/near New Vienna between 1937-2004.

*****
Mary Blanche Shoemaker Hill (1908-2005) was born near Marshall in Highland County, Ohio and attended Marshall Public Schools.  She helped out on her family's farm until her marriage to Galen Hill on November 6, 1937.  They moved to New Vienna shortly thereafter, beginning the chapter of the Shoemaker/Colliers connection to New Vienna.  Galen was the New Vienna school custodian in the 1940s and took up house painting as a profession with the start of the new decade.  Unfortunately an accident involving a ladder and electrical wires resulted in his death in 1951.

The values of independence and self-reliance learned on the farm served her well after the death of Galen.  Use up, wear out, and make do became her creed.  An avid gardener, she could grow an amazing abundance of produce on a very small parcel of land, sometimes preparing the earth with only a spade.

Blanche took a job at the New Vienna locker in 1952 and worked there until her retirement. Blanche and Galen lived outside of town at first, on 73 near the Doyle Wright house and behind Lewis Bernard (who later married Dorothy Johnson, the teacher) on Antioch Rd.  They then moved into town, across from the bus barn, next to the Trenarys.  This would have been a convenient location for Galen's work as the school custodian included shoveling coal into the school furnace on Sundays so that the school would be warm on Monday morning.  Later Blanche moved downtown to Dr. Fullerton's place and then across the street to Dr. Hause's former office.  Her bedroom was where many of us had our teeth drilled.

[Picture of Blanche taken in 1981, Galen's picture in 1949, is from the New Vienna High School Memory Book, p. 71.

*****
George Robert Shoemaker (1913-1984) and his wife Lella (Carrico 1906-1995) joined sister Blanche in New Vienna when George became manager at the Farmers Exchange Mill in the mid 1940s.  George and Lella had a son, George Clifford (1940-2007) who attended school in New Vienna until the family moved to Columbus in the late 1940s.

Elroyd Collier at New Vienna Ohio Mill c1950 - Image Courtesy of Carolyn Collier Taubenheim

Although George and Lella may have lived in a farmhouse in Highland County, Jane Selph Fauber, who also worked at the mill in the 1940s, remembers that Lella provided her with lunch after Charlie was born in 1947 and she rode with George to their house on the north side of Bernard Road.  She described it as a square brick house.  Prior to Charlie's birth, Mabel Collier had provided Jane with lunch.

*****
Mabel Elizabeth Shoemaker Collier (1916-2004) was the third of the Shoemaker siblings to make New Vienna her home when she moved from Highland County as a newlywed with her husband Elroyd Elmo Collier (1915-2000).  Both were born in Highland County to farm families who made living off the land a way of life.

Times were hard when Elroyd graduated from Singing Spring High School (1934).  The Great Depression had a strangle hold on the nation, and jobs were scarce, so he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps.  In 1941 Elroyd joined the US Army and after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor he was shipped to the South Pacific where he spent 3.5 years, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Mabel attended Marshall Public Schools.  During the war, she continued working on the family farm until moving to Hillsboro to begin a job at the Hercules Trouser Company.  When Elroyd was honorably discharged in August, 1945, he returned home and he and Mabel were married on October 7, 1945, moving to New Vienna shortly afterward when Elroyd took a job at the Farmers Exchange Mill, also known as the New Vienna Mill, later replacing his brother-in-law, George Shoemaker, as manager.

Elroyd and Mabel had two children, Charles (born 1947) and Carolyn (1949).  In 1954, Elroyd was hired by the New Vienna Bank, later known as the NV Branch of the Clinton County National Bank and Trust Company.  Mabel was a homemaker and "Mom."  She also worked as a cook at the New Vienna Elementary School for several years.  Elroyd was the clerk of the Green Township trustees for 22 years.  He retired from the bank in 1980.

[Picture courtesy of Carolyn Collier Taubenheim, taken in 1978.]

*****
Beryl Ruth Shoemaker (1918-2004) was born near Marshall in Highland County, Ohio.  At the age of four, in a defining moment of her life, she stepped on a rusty nail in her family's farm barnyard, developing blood poisoning.  The resulting surgery saved her life but resulted in a disability that she bravely coped with for the rest of her days.

Ruth attended Marshall Public Schools and later became a caregiver for her mother, who suffered from poor health, and then her elderly father.  In 1964 after her father died, Ruth moved to New Vienna to be near her sisters, Mabel Collier and Blanche Hill.  Her caregiving experience proved valuable and she cared for the children of several local families, including the Uibles, until her retirement.

In 1984, Ruth moved to Prairie View Apartments in Wilmington where she immensely enjoyed social activities and the camaraderie of friends until her death on December 18, 2004.

[Picture courtesy of Carolyn Collier Taubenheim, taken in 1980.]

June 15, 1939 New Vienna Reporter - Municipal Building Dedication

June 15, 1939 New Vienna Reporter, front page
Pictured: C.J. Uible, Dusty Miller, Mack Sauer, G.C. Wright, James R. West

Transcription:  These men will take part in the dedication ceremonies of the New Vienna municipal building Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock.  G.C. Wright is general chairman.  Dusty Miller* will be the principal speaker.  Mack Sauer will make a talk.  C.J. Uible is the contractor who built the structure, and James R. West is the mayor of the village.

Avon Theatre Opened Thursday

Five Nights Weekly to be Open

NEW VIENNA – Last Wednesday evening when the doors of the Avon Theatre were opened for the first show, "Blondie," New Vienna was suggestive of Wilmington on New Years Eve at the Murphy.  The Theatre was filled with people for the first show.  Many were unable to obtain seats and waited for the second show, at which the house was again filled.  Ladies were presented with orchids.  For Friday night, when "The Hardys Ride High" was shown, the house was well filled.  In comparison with other movies, many movie fans are stating the Avon is equal to the best.

The theatre has a seating capacity of 280 and is equipped with latest type, comfortable seats.  Screen and equipment is the latest and most efficient.

J. Henry Davidson of Lynchburg, operates the Avon.  He also has theatres at Georgetown, Sardinia, Greenfield and Lynchburg.  K.R. Roberts is associated with him at Georgetown and Greenfield.

Millard Kessler is manager of the theatre.  He was for many years with Bell's Theatre at Hillsboro.

The theatre will be open Friday and Saturday, Sunday and Monday and on Wednesday for a 10¢ bargain night.

Dedication Program

New Vienna Municipal Building

Saturday, June 17, 3 p.m.

Avon Theatre

Band–Patriotic Number
Invocation–Rev. F.H. Smith
Introduction of Architect– C.W. Sullivan
Introduction of Contractor–C.J. Uible
Introduction of General Foreman–Vaughn Huffman
Introduction of President of Council–Dr. L.H. Fullerton
Band
Talk–Mack Sauer
Grange Quartet–Ben Terrell, Lawrence Terrell, Carl West, Burdette Bernard
Address–Dusty Miller
Band
Benediction–Rev. R.E. Linder
Inspection of Building

Fine Program Arranged; Dusty Miller to Speak

Municipal Structure Completed at Cost of Approximately $32000

NEW VIENNA– The new $32,000 municipal building will be dedicated Saturday afternoon with exercises being held in the auditorium.  G.C. Wright, chairman of the dedication committee will preside.

Dusty Miller will headline the program.  The New Vienna Band will furnish the music.  A complete program appears elsewhere on this page.

One of Finest in State

Without question, New Vienna can now boast of one of the finest municipal building to be found in any small town in Ohio.  It contains a theatre, room for U.S. Post office, mayor's office and council chambers and fire department headquarters.

The building is of brick and concrete and is fireproof throughout.  Construction was started October 7, 1938 by C.J. Uible, New Vienna contractor.  It has latest type indirect lighting system, hot water heating system, and asbestos tile floors in office rooms.  Venetian blinds are to be installed int he post office room and council chambers.

Located at Third and Main

The building stands on a lot 98 by 165 feet, at the corner of Third and Main streets.  Properties of Mae and Charles Nordyke and Stella Hunt were razed to make room for the structure.  The building is 63 by 100 feet.  A waterbound macadam street with curb and gutters is being laid around the back and south side of the building.

In short, nothing has been left undone that would add to the beauty and convenience.

Approximately 45% of the cost was given by the government as a P.W.A. project.  A bond issue was passed by the voters of New Vienna making the village's share possible.

Grunkemeyer and Sullivan and Associates of Cincinnati were architects on the building.  H.O. Townsley usually represented the firm.

Village officials are: James R. West, mayor; R.J. Rulon, clerk; Dr. L.H. Fullerton, president of council, Oscar Dennis, Fred Johnson, Carey Fox, and Clay Richard Clark, councilmen; Mrs. Marie Simkins, treasurer.

The dedication committee is composed of G. C. Wright, chairman, Willard Mongold, D.R. Smith, Dr. L.H. Fullerton, C.J. Uible, H.M. Phillips, and Mrs. Irene Gray.

*****  Other front page news:

Tonsils Removed

NEW VIENNA– Jane Selph [Fauber] daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Selph submitted to tonsillectomy last Thursday at the Dr. Waring hospital.  Dr. J.B.H. Waring, surgeon.  Dr. Charles W. Matthews, physician.

Improve Property

NEW VIENNA– Mrs. Bess Donohoo is improving the appearance of the exterior of the Monarch Restaurant by new paint.  Wilbur Huffman is doing the work.  Boyd Hardware furnished the paint.

Blanchester to Play Here

NEW VIENNA– New Vienna Cubs made it five straight over the tri county league opponents by beating Buford on their diamond Sunday 3-0.  Don "Conky" Conklin pitching a 2 hit ball one of them being the scratch variety.

In beating Blanchester 5-1, Lynchburg 9-0, Dodsonville 11-0, St. Martin 5-4 and Buford 3-0, Simkins won two 5-1 and 5-4, Conklin two 13-0 and 11-0 and Rollins one 11-0.  With Lefty Baugh pitching 1 hit ball the last four innings of the Dodsonville game, Manager Phillips has quie an array of pitchers who are capable of starting a game.

This Sunday a much improved Blanchester team will play on New Vienna's diamond with Conklin on the mound for New Vienna and Gray catching.  Carnahan will pitch for Blanchester.  Game time, 2:30.

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*Thurman "Dusty" Miller (1881-1977) of Wilmington, born in Highland County, was a nationally known editor and speaker.  He owned several newspapers including the New Vienna Reporter and also taught school at one time in both Highland and Clinton County.  Whether he owned the New Vienna Reporter at the time of this article (1939) is unknown.

Cecil Uible 1883-1969
Gurney C. Wright 1882-1964 Funeral Director
Mack Sauer 1896-1960
James R. West 1880-1958
Don Conklin 1913-1975
John Henry Davidson 1908-2001 Avon Theatre Operator
Kibler R. Roberts 1906-1984 Associate Theatre Operator
Jane Selph Fauber, whose tonsils earned her front page status, may be the only person mentioned on this page still living. The baseball players are hard to identify without first names.

James R. West (1880-1958), was mayor 1932-1943, preceded by D. C. Bond in 1931 and followed by Harry L. Carey 1943-1945. West was opposed to the new municipal building and served as Chairman of The Citizens Committee opposing the bond issue. See blog post – Voter Pamphlet Against the Municipal Building.

Fred G. Johnson (~1881-1961?, NVHS 1895) - 1930 census, living with his parents Wavious (?) J. (~1856-?) and Ella (~1860-?) Johnson on Laymon Road, occupation auto supplies salesman. He must have moved into NV, in order to be on the council?  Or it could have been a different Fred Johnson.  John and Linda Levo's great-grandfather, Fred S. Johnson 1855-1938, died a year prior to this event so it's doubtful he would have been considered a member of the Council.

Robert Joseph Rulon 1887-1967, lived on Church St. in 1930 and was employed as school janitor, married to Abigail, father of William, Curtis, Alberta, Paul, Janet, +

Dr. L.H. Fullerton, 1905-1979, lived on 2nd St., near school in 1930 with wife, Elsie, and baby Marguerite. His wife, Elsie Staubus Fullerton, died in 1994, she was related to the Bernards.  Later in the 1930s he had an addition built on to the front of the house to the east of the new Municipal building for his office and lived in the rear part.  Patients had to climb a high set of stairs to reach the office.  In the 1950s he moved his office into the then new medical building on 3rd Street south of the Municipal building and built a new house east of NV on SR-28.

Oscar R. Dennis, 1880-?, lived on Main St. in 1930 with daughter Hilda Cade and baby grandson, Robert M. Cade. His occupation is listed as Real Estate Broker.

Carey W. Fox 1877-?, lived on Main St. in 1930 with extended family. Carey's occupation is listed as garage mechanic.

Clay Richard "Dick" Clark 1902-1982 (NVHS 1921), in 1930 he, his wife Gertrude and son, Jacque, are listed as living on "Vienna Valley Road" near then baby Harold Thornburg and his parents, so perhaps that is now Thornburg Road. He was later the manager of the Farm Bureau and Gertrude owned Clark Clothing Store in New Vienna. In 1930 his occupation is listed as farm laborer.

(Etta) Marie Simkins 1894-?, lived on corner of College & 2nd Sts, mother of Eloise and Fred Allen Simkins. She was a widow and her occupation in 1930 is listed as dressmaker.

Others on Dedication Committee:
Willard [R.W.] "Shorty" Mongold, 1898-1975. In 1930 he and his family lived on Main St., and he was employed as a drill factory machinist. He founded (?) Southern Ohio Tool & Die, and was a good friend of C.J. Uible and was the main reason the Uibles moved to New Vienna in 1927. Picture of him and clipping about Southern Ohio Tool Co. at this link.

D.R. Smith, owned gas station on corner of SR-73 and SR-28, which is now Shell. He sold this service station lot for big $ per HH, invested the money in property in Florida, and then lost it during a real estate bust. His wife was active in the pro-library movement of the NV Women's Club in the late 1930s.

Harley Martin "H.M." Phillips 1880-1960, owner of clothing store where Bill Holmes worked, lived on Main Street in 1930.

Mrs. Irene Gray 1884-1974 lived on West St. in 1930. Her husband, Burl, was a Veterinarian. In 1930 they had three children: Louis, Lane [or Zane? NVHS'38] and Marjorie (NVHS'40).  Marjorie later married Ernie Sullivan and ran "Good Deal" Realty in New Vienna.  According to HH, Marjorie was likable but a bit ditzy, and was famous for burning her Christmas tree in the street (SR-73 just north of Christian Church) in front of her house on New Years Day.