1935 New Vienna Telephone Directory

The 1935 Clinton Telephone Directory lists the New Vienna Exchange as well as Wilmington, Sabina, Blanchester, Martinsville, Clarksville and Port William.  New Vienna numbers take up two pages and indicate businesses, offices, and RFD numbers.  A separate page lists new subscribers.  The previous phone book is dated 1932 and the one following is 1940.

Two ads are included in the New Vienna pages – The Merlin Davis funeral home later became Smith Funeral Home.  Merlin (1892-1948) was the husband of Mabel Davis who for years was the New Vienna correspondent to the Wilmington News-Journal, reporting all the New Vienna news fit to print, plus more.  The second ad for D.R. Smith Service Station was on the location that later became the Shell Station.


Names (birth and death dates noted if known) listed include:

F.M. Achor - new subscriber (Francis Marion Achor 1861-1937)
Frank Arnold (1865-1943)
Mrs. L.A. Arthur

W.I. Barr - lumber yard (William Israel Barr 1861-1936)
Albert Bernard (1885-1940)
C.O. Bernard - new subscriber (Charles Onley Bernard 1865-1940)
Frank Bernard (several)
James Bernard (1881-1956)
James K Bernard (1885-1973)
Ralph Bernard (1903-1959)
Walter Betterton (1865-1951)
Charles G Blackburn (1863-1938 or 1900-1975)
J.H. Blackburn (1897-1977)
Charles E Bond (1896-1972)
B & O Railroad Station (depot demolished 1971)
Charley Bowers (Charles J. Bowers 1871-1955)
Sara Bowers
Miss Louie Brewer (Luella "Louie" Brewer 1862-1939)
Mrs. Anna C Britton

Frank Caplinger (1870-1942)
Frank Clark (1857-1940)
Jeff Clark (1859-1942)
Clarks Radio Shop
Alvin Clement (1875-1940)
Gerald Cline (1902-1947)
Clinton Telephone Co.
M.B. Coffin (Monte Bernard Coffin 1867-1944)
Clarence E. Collingham (1891-1944)
Helen Conrad (Helen Conard? 1867-1936)
Mrs. J.H. Conway
J.M Crozier
A.A. Curtis (Allen Albert Curtis 1855-1942)
H.W. Curtis (Harry W Curtis 1884-1968)
Elzie Curtis
Lonnie Curtis
James Custis (1867-1944)

C. Merlin Davis - funeral director (1892-1948)
F.L. Davisson
Glen Deck (1893-1951)
Raymond Deck (1891-1972)
Thomas J. Deck (1868-1943)
P.B. Dennis (Paul Burdette Dennis 1904-1985)
H.J. Derivan (Herbert? Hubert? or Harry?)
Harry Dodson - restaurant (1900-1959)
Mrs. S.E. Dove (Sarah Elizabeth Pierson Dove 1848-1937)
Wilbur Dove (1874-1932, though perhaps this is widow, Mary Ellen Britton Dove 1877-1949)
Harry Downing - new subscriber (Hartsel? Downing 1912-1977)

Fred Eaton (1887-1960)
Mrs. E.F. Ellis (Lillie Woosley Ross Ellis)

Farm Bureau Service Co.
W.E. Fisher (William Estel Fisher 1879-1963)
Lewis Foreman
Carey Fox -garage
Dr. L.H. Fullerton - physician (1905-1979)

Dr. Burl Gray -vet. surgeon (1878-1944)
Mary Guillermin - meat market (1885-1977)
Mrs. Winnie L. Hadley (1870-1964)
M.R. Harris & Sons - hardware (later Daye's) (Manville R Harris 1866-1935)
C.C. Hartman
William Hendee (1874-1954)
Martha B. Hildebrant (Martha Bernard Hildebrant 1867-1963)
Mrs. J.W. Hodson (Lillian Jones Hodson 1858-1941)
F.B. Huffman
Mrs. James Hussey (Sarah Adeline "Addie" Newby Hussey 1846-1940)

Indian Refining Co.
Mrs. C.F. Irons (Frances Smith Irons 1857-1943)

Bernard Johnson - mill (1900-1953)
Charley Johnson
Frank Johnson
Fred S & Martha Johnson
Fred Johnson
Matilda Johnson - new subscriber
W.M. Johnson
Martha Jones (1903-1984, later became Mrs. Woodmansee, 3rd grade teacher)
Thomas Jordan

Henry Oliver Kibler (1895-1978)

H.F. Lamar - lumber yard (1870-1935)
J.H. Landrum (1894-1972)
Burch Layman
Leroy Larrick (1895-1990)
W.P. Levo (William Perry Levo 1890-1971)
Irene Lewis

Ralph Martin
Mrs. J.W. Matthews
Dr. W.T. Matthews - physician (William Thomas Matthews 1871-1953)
James Morarity (1869-1945)
Dr. L.G. Morton -dentist (Lyle George Morton 1884-1947)

Arthur McCoy (1889-1980)
Perry McDonald (1885-1953)
Raymond McDonald (1882-1958)
Stanley McKenzie (1886-1969)
H.W. McVey (Harry William McVey 1886-1976)

William A Newby (1855-1940_
New Vienna Bank
New Vienna Grain & Produce Co.
New Vienna Oil Supply Co.
New Vienna Reporter - newspaper
Nobles Drug Store
H.H. Nordyke (Herbert Harlow Nordyke 1873-1943)

Ohio Asphaltic Limestone Co. - new subscriber

Paramount Products Co.
J.L Parrett -tenant
Howard Penn (1892-1963)
Phillips Bros. - clothing store
Mrs. Geneva C Phillips (1870-1958)
Harley Phillips (1880-1960)
Elizabeth & Belle Powell (Elizabeth 1868-1935)
E.J. Preston - store
Public School

C.R. Rhoades (Clinton Ralph Rhoades 1876-1960)
Rices Grocery Store
Albert Roberts
Milton Ross
R.W. Roush
Mrs. Jennie Routh (1855-1949)
Irvin Rude
Joseph Rude (1865-1956)
Heber Runk (1897-1948)
Joe Ryan (1897-1967)

Sayre Grocery
R.W. Schoonover
J.F. Schuler (John Francis Schuler 1871-1949)
Charles Severs (1885-1972)
Walter Simkins (1899-1972)
Floyd Smalley (1897-1981)
Mrs. Anna Smith
Dailey R. Smith (1892-1979)
Rev. F.H. Smith - Church of Christ (Floyd Haverd Smith 1902-1970)
Smith's Tin Shop
Weldon Smith
Snowhill Country Club - new subscriber
Southern Ohio Tool & Die - new subscriber
H.M. Southerland (Hiram Southerland 1848-1935)
Mrs. Elizabeth Spargur - new subscriber
Addison Spencer
Wilbur Stackhouse (1897-1936)
H.D. Steele (1883-1945)
Streber's IGA Market
Harold D. Swisshelm

Albert Terrell (1878-1948)
C. Clayton Terrell (1885-1972)
Frank Terrell (1881-1974)
Gurney Terrell (1880-1958)
Paul Tasso Terrell (1873-1936)
Dr. C.H. Thompson - vet. (1887-1966)
Elbert Thompson (1901-1944)
Mrs. J.H. Thompson (Mary Elizabeth Faulendorf Thompson 1863-1951)
H.H. Thorne Co.
Lewis Thornburg
Eugene Tilton (1889-1968)

Cecil J Uible (1883-1969)

Benson West (1873-1954)
James R. West (1874-1943)
Mrs. Henry G Williams (Allie Dove Williams 1866-1935)
Homer Williams (1904-1993)
Bertha Woods (1882-1945)
Rev. B.E. Wright - Methodist (1878-1957)
Gurney C Wright - funeral director
H.D. Wright (Harry Dana Wright 1900-1990)

A.L. Zimmerman (Aldo Layton Zimmerman 1876-1949)

1935 New Vienna High School Graduating Class

Possibly the oldest living graduate of New Vienna High School is a member of the class of 1935.  Betty Gordon Stegman, born 1917, now living in Texas, is the older sister of Virginia Gordon Walker (1919-2014).

Many of the 19 graduates in 1935 spent their adult lives in New Vienna and were the parents of later graduates of New Vienna or East Clinton.  Brief biographical information, in alphabetical order by last or maiden name, is available below and is accurate only to the best of information known at this time.  Please let me know of any corrections or additional information.

1935 NVHS Graduating Class. Top Row: Glenn Fisher, Edith Smith McKenzie, Marjorie Thompson, Louis Grey, Audrey Wolfe, John Wright, Third Row: Mary Laymon McDonald, Wanda Johnson Rice Mantley, Charles Hildebrant, Donald Linkhart, James Minzler, Virgil Cochran. Second Row: Virginia Preston Cashman, Charles Thompson. Bottom Row: Betty Gordon Stegman, Robert Stuckert, Virginia Eaton Hildebrant, John McCune, Edna Hamilton Collins.

• Virgil Cochran - (1916-1993) Married Margaret Raps Hardman (1920-1995)
• Virginia Eaton Hildebrant - (1917-2007) Favorite 4th grade teacher of many New Vienna students, married Charles Hildebrant also in the class of NVHS'35, mother of Joyce, David and Janie.
• Glenn Fisher - (1916-1995)  Married Treva Davis (1919-1987), a 1937 graduate of NVHS.
• Betty Gordon Stegman - STILL LIVING! - Grew up in Penn Township, sister of Virginia Gordon Walker (1919-2014, NVHS'1937) married Eugene Stegman (1908-1980) of Hamilton County, Ohio.
• Louis J. Gray - (1917-1994) Was a life insurance salesman in 1940, served in WW2 in Italy as Tech. Sgt. AAF Service Command. Married Margie Marshall (1916-1971) of Blanchester.
• Edna Hamilton Collins - (1917-1981) Married Harry Collins?
• Charles Hildebrant - (1916-1949) Married Virginia Eaton, also a 1935 graduate of NVHS.  Father of Joyce, David and Janie.
• Wanda Johnson Rice Mantley - (1917-2001) Married Robert Franklin Rice (1915-1944). a 1933 graduate of NVHS, who died in WW2.
• Mary Laymon McDonald - (1917-2008) Married Dale McDonald (1915-1992), a 1933 graduate of NVHS, three children: Joel, Sandra Sue and Gary.
• Donald Linkhart - (1916-1993) Married Cleo Harris (1916-1998), a 1934 graduate of NVHS, daughters Donna Jean and Marie.
• John McCune - (1916-1986) Valedictorian of the class, married Berneta Hunter (1917-1986), parents of Mary, Judy and Faye. 
• James W. Minzler - (1917-1998) Married Bernadine (Pence?) (Young?) (1918-2005), a 1936 graduate of NVHS, served in WW2, daughter Evelyn.
• Virginia Preston Cashman - (1916-1986) Married Neil Cashman, (1911-1981).
• Edith Smith McKenzie - (1917-2007) Married Howard McKenzie (1916-1963) a 1934 graduate of NVHS, daughter Peggy.
• Robert Stuckert - (1917-2009) Born in Illinois, moved to Ohio in 1920s, married Carrie Elma Moore (1920-1991) in 1940 and Helen Lucille Gano Inwood (1915-1997) in 1991, served in the Army in WW2.
• Charles Thompson - (1917-1981) Married Betty Rulon, a 1939 graduate of NVHS, parents of Bob and Judy.
• Marjorie Thompson (1917-?) Became a nurse.
• Audrey M. Wolfe (1917-?)
• John Wright (1917-?)

October News 1964, 1974

New Vienna, Ohio local news from October 1964

1964 Oct. 2 Junior High School class officers and cheerleaders listed: Names include Tom Terrell, Debbi Bernard, Patti Bernard, Steve Streber, Bruce Rathkamp, Pam Thompson, Vicki Bailey, Larry Saunders, Debbie Hutchins, Robyn Streber, Marcia Woods, and Nancy Walker. --Wilmington News-Journal 2Oct1964p7

1964 Oct. 5 Methodist WSCS, Farm Bureau Advisory Council, Group takes tour to Williamstown, WV. --Wilmington News-Journal 5Oct1964p5

1964 Oct. 6 Church of Christ Homebuilders Class, A.W. Kettlewell, New Kenton administrator, speaks on the school levy. --Wilmington News-Journal 6Oct1964p8

1964 Oct. 10 Church of Christ Always Faithful Class. --Wilmington News-Journal 10Oct1964p4

1964 Oct. 10 Mrs. Leda Moyer retired after cooking at New Vienna school since 1925. --Wilmington News-Journal 10Oct1964p10

1964 Oct. 12 Church news; two sewing clubs; Farm Bureau Council; and personal news about Roy Linkhart, Clyde Wilson, and more. --Wilmington News-Journal 12Oct1964p7

1964 Oct. 14 Upcoming Halloween Carnival; Baptist Missionary Society; Lions Club Concert; Linkhart visitors. --Wilmington News-Journal 14Oct1964p15

1964 Oct. 14 Four Children Killed in Fire near New Vienna.  Killed were Timmy Turner, 2, and three of his sisters, Ronda, 6, Lisa, 3, and Quinn, 15 months.  Surviving children who were injured were Thomas Jr., 5, Paul, 4, and Cheryl, 7.  Parents, Thomas and Mary Jean Turner also survived. --Wilmington News-Journal 14Oct1964p1

1964 Oct. 16 NVHS Class of 1914 holds 50th reunion and were entertained at home of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Ockerman; whole village is shocked and saddened over the tragic fire and loss of four children at the Turner residence. --Wilmington News-Journal 16Oct1964p8

1964 Oct. 21  Names & events include: Mrs. Arthur Bernard; Wayne Smith birthday dinner; Penny Huffman goes to college; Mrs. Harold Thornburg; Senior Class Play of New Kenton High School. --Wilmington News-Journal 21Oct1964p11

1964 Oct. 22 Names & events: Eastern Star; Jesse Shaffer; Rev. Kuntzman; Mrs. Clair Ames; Harvey Hutchens; Charles Blackburn; William Thornburg.  --Wilmington News-Journal 22Oct1964p13

1964 Oct. 23 Elmer McKamey, Mrs. Harold Briggs, John Croghan, Lucien Pittser, Levina West, Lilian Parshall.  --Wilmington News-Journal 23Oct1964p3

1964 Oct. 24 Halloween Carnival, Careytown Homemakers Club, Boosters' Class, Woman's Club, Cub Scouts, Charles Thompsons' host dinner, C.R. Clark.  College students include Charles & John Salisbury and Linda Rudisill. --Wilmington News-Journal 24Oct1964p3

1964 Oct. 28 Nancy Henderson, Mrs. Stanley Fawley, Gayle Zimmerman, Thomas Mitchell.  --Wilmington News-Journal 28Oct1964p8

1964 Oct. 29 Duane Blackburn is new Grange Master, David Myers has Halloween Party, Richard McKibben hosts New Kenton Senior Class party, Clete King birthday celebrated, Salisbury family dinner.  --Wilmington News-Journal29Oct1964p15

1964 Oct. 30  Fund raising for Thomas Turner building fund, Auburn WSCS, Church of Christ has new building, Leo Watson is Lion's Club chairman, Polly's Restaurant site of several gatherings.  --Wilmington News-Journal 30Oct1964p8

1964 Oct. 31 Derivan reunion dinner at Blue Grass Restaurant in Wilmington, Mrs. Harold Briggs is secretary of Careytown Homemakers Club, Snow Hill Garden Club members including Mrs. John Cooper and Mrs. James Curtis attend regional fall meeting in Washington C.H.  --Wilmington News-Journal 31Oct1964p5

1974 New Doctor for New Vienna -Oct.18.  

Pictured left to right: Dr. Anders Otterland, his wife Lillemor, and 

Estel Daye Jr., treasurer of the Doctors Procurement Committee.  

Wilmington (Ohio) News-Journal clipping -18Oct1974

New Vienna, Ohio local news from October 1974

1974 Oct. 8 Mrs. Harley (Nancy Ann Johnson) Phillips celebrates her 96th Birthday.  Many of her nieces were present and her two surviving siblings: sisters, Mrs. Fay (Bernice) Oxley and Miss Ethel Johnson. --Wilmington News-Journal 8Oct1974p6 

1974 Oct. 9 - Obituary for Gleason Streber, 1903-1974, who opened his own store in New Vienna in 1931.  He was survived by his wife, Jane, [1905-1976], and four sons. --Wilmington News-Journal 9Oct1974p2

1974 Oct. 18 New Doctor in New Vienna: Dr. Anders Otterland (left), is New Vienna's new doctor according to Estel Daye Jr. (right), treasurer of the Doctors Procurement Committee.  Hours will include two evenings a week plus Saturday morning in addition to daytime hours three days each week.  --Wilmington News-Journal 18Oct1974p24

1974 Oct. 24 New Vienna Elementary Honor Students - 4th-8th Grades for the first six week grading period.  --Wilmington News-Journal 24Oct1974p11

October News 1924, 1934,1944, 1954

New Vienna (Ohio) News from October 1924, 1934, 1944 and 1954

1924 Oct. 1 New Vienna Reporter has new owners.  Gurney C. And Homer Wright have purchased the Reporter from Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Sturm who have owned and managed the paper for the past two years.  Gurney Wright is a member of the undertaking firm of Ellis & Wright in New Vienna.  His son, Homer, has previously been employed in the office of a steel company in Weirton.  --Wilmington News-Journal 1Oct1924p7

* * * * *

1934 Oct. 3 Friendship Circle Sunday School class [unidentified church] members include Mrs. H.M. Southerland, Sadie Polk, Mrs. L.A. Arthur & Mrs. Frank Shepard; other church news. --Wilmington News-Journal 3Oct1934p2

1934 Oct. 9 Names include J.F. Schuler, Lillian Swingley, Geneva Phillips, Neil Carey, Dr. L.G. [Lyle] Morton, Luther Hildebrant and Judge Hugh Wright.  --Wilmington News-Journal 9Oct1934p3

1934 Oct. 13 Mentioned are Mrs. Henry Sanders, Charles Southerland, Mrs. Carl Lukens and Homer Wright.  --Wilmington News-Journal 13Oct1934p2

1934 Oct. 16  Names include: Heber Runk and son, Bobby, Cleveland Bobbitt, Mildred Polk, Charles Rulon, Mrs. Burch Laymon.  --Wilmington News-Journal 16Oct1934p3

1934 Oct. 20  Ed. Duncan, Josephine Williams, Glen Southerland, Earl Stockwell, School Supt. F.H. Martin, Del Carter, Burch Laymon, Dr. W.T. Matthews, and George Bernard are among the names mentioned.  Also noted is that "considerable work" has been done on the high school gym floor [the pit] under the direction of Coach Rudolph Evjen.  --Wilmington News-Journal 20Oct1934p3

1934 Oct. 23  Bond family dinner; Pete Demas; I.C. Wise purchase Bobbitt property near Snow Hill; Boy Scouts work at local stores and get a per cent of the day's business.  --Wilmington News-Journal 23Oct1934p3

1934 Oct. 24  Robert Bernard (NVHS '1934) receives American Farmer Degree at National Convention of FFA.  He is son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bernard, of New Vienna.  --Wilmington News-Journal 24Oct1934p3

* * * * *

1944 Oct. 4 Virgil Bentley (1911-1993) celebrates his 33rd birthday; lots of visiting. --Wilmington News-Journal 5Oct1944p7

1944 Oct. 11 Names include Mrs. Wilbur Purtee, Gar Walker, Russell Caplinger, Martha Hilderbrandt, Sam Steele.  --Wilmington News-Journal 11Oct1944p6

1944 Oct. 27  Military men mentioned include Floyd Wiget, Wendell Donohoo, and Elvis Wiget.  --Wilmington News-Journal 27Oct1944p6

* * * * *

1954 Avon Theater Ad -Oct.6

1954 Oct. 4 Garden Club, Lions Club, Sewing Club & Mother's Club; Florida Friends. --Wilmington News-Journal 4Oct1954p8

1954 Oct. 5 Personal mentions abound. Names include Larrick, Rhonemus, McDonald, Achor, Pugsley, Oates, Irwin, Hodson, and Ames.  --Wilmington News-Journal 5Oct1954p4

1954 Oct. 7 New Vienna News tidbits with lots of names including: Mrs. William (Bill) Holmes, Wilburn Walls, Floyd Smalley, Harry Rulon. --Wilmington News-Journal 7Oct1954p14

1954 Agin Furniture Store Ad -Oct.7

1954 Oct. 8 - Teachers honored at Grange Reception. Those present included Supt. Russell Fenwick, Glenn McElwee, Thomas Rudisill, George Schaffer, James Short, Mr. & Mrs. Adrian Roberts, A.F. Roush, Mrs. Bess Stamm, Mrs. Everett Penn, Mrs. William King, Mrs. Virginia Hildebrant, Mrs. Herman Woodmansee, Miss Aleda Purtee, Mrs. Fenwick, Mrs. Carl West, who began her duties this week as vocal instructor and Clarence Caudill, band instructor. --Wilmington News-Journal 8Oct1954p6

1954 Oct. 8 - Church Services: Methodist Church, Rev. Harold Hugus, services in New Vienna & Auburn; Baptist Church, Rev. Harvey C. Black, Mrs. J.H. Stansbury, superintendent; Church of Christ: Rev. G. Hassel Justice, Raymond Saunders, superintendent. --Wilmington News-Journal 8Oct1954p5

1954 Fireman Benefit Show Avon Theater Ad 

Wilmington News-Journal Oct. 9.  

"Fuller Brush Girl" 

starring Lucille Ball and Eddie Albert.

1954 Oct. 11 Mabel Davis takes over as correspondent to the News-Journal, providing information about New Vienna.  Many events completed and planned: Sunshine Stitchers, WSCS, Baptist Missionary Society, Woman's Club, Tarry-A-While Sewing Club, Eastern Star, Fairview Monthly Meeting, Home Builders Class.  --Wilmington News-Journal 11Oct1954p14

1954 Oct. 12 Names mentioned include Donald Bernard, Ralph Ames, Ben Page, Paul Terrell, Donald Matthews, J.S. McKenzie,  Carlos Achor, Chester Ledford, Arthur McCoy, George Wiget, Walter Drake, Simkins, and Jesse Shaffer.  --Wilmington News-Journal 12Oct1954p4

1954 Oct. 13 Names mentioned include Calvin Smith, Rebecca Fenner, Delbert Walls, Frank Grosvenor, Harold Lucas and Wilby Henry.  --Wilmington News-Journal 13Oct1954p3

1954 Oct. 15 Names include Laurence Terrell, Charles Blackburn, Earl Cochran, Jimmy Smith and more officers of subordinate and juvenile Granges, Achor family reunion, J.H. Stansbury, and Mrs. Henry Penn.  --Wilmington News-Journal 15Oct1954p7

1954 Oct. 18  Names include Ralph Carey, Homer Bohl, Ada Stethem, and Lyle Sheffield.  --Wilmington News-Journal 18Oct1954p3

1954 Oct. 19 Names include Russell Caplinger, Harold Briggs, Jacob Masters, Mrs. Dana Bond (celebrates 95th birthday) Parr family reunion, Elroyd Collier family motor trip.  --Wilmington News-Journal 19Oct1954p4

1954 Oct. 22 Names include Rose Kratzer, Mrs. Charles McKibben, Mrs. Oscar Stanfield, Eugene Engle (Halloween party), and Douglas Pickens. --Wilmington News-Journal 22Oct1954p2

1954 Oct. 23 4-H Grades and Achievement Awards includes names of over 50 New Vienna members of the New Vienna Buckeyes (farm animal related), Tasty Club, and Junior and Senior Happy Clovers award winners.  --Wilmington News-Journal 23Oct1954p4

1954 New Vienna News Headline -Oct.25.  

Mabel Davis becomes correspondent on Oct. 11 

& the news expands exponentially.

1954 Oct. 25 Names include Mrs. Homer Williams, Mrs. Walter Drake, Mrs. Frank Davis, Lavina West, Harold Briggs.  --Wilmington News-Journal 25Oct1954p3

1954 Oct. 26 Names mentioned: Mrs. Glenn Southerland, Homer Bohl, Charles Rulon, Larry Johnson, Russell Fenwick gave talk on juvenile delinquency and Glenn McElwee told steps to take to keep the nation free from communists.  Many New Vienna people attended funeral service for Frank (Tom) Buntain in Hillsboro.  --Wilmington News-Journal 26Oct1954p4

1954 Oct. 28 Everett Bernard, Charles McKibben, and Mrs. Jessie McDaniel celebrate birthdays; Baptist Church sponsors Halloween party; and Hook-Compton family celebrates five birthdays.  --Wilmington News-Journal 28Oct1954p11

Duchemin House

Duchemin House c1910 New Vienna Ohio, now demolished, twin (w/improvements) to house on corner of College & 2nd Streets.  School Barn in background on left.  

Image Courtesy of Hayward Crone via Mike Whited.

New Vienna Building, Once Used for High School, Being Torn Down; Interesting History

By Maynard Ross

Clipping from unknown newspaper c1952  

courtesy of Margaret Rachford Dean (NVHS'53)

The former Duchemin residence, which once served as the high school building, is being torn down to make way for the new gymnasium.  The razing of the building has been under way for over a month.

Built around 1876 by Abraham Duchemin, the brick structure was the residence of the superintendant [this word is spelled incorrectly throughout the article – should be superintendent] of school for a number of years.

Although there are no facts to substantiate it, the story goes that Mr. Duchemin came to New Vienna from Cincinnati and began a brick kiln.  The kiln and his home were both located north of the present building and near the county line.  The large home that now goes by the name of the Fred Deck apartments was built by Frank Woodmansee some time very shortly before Duchemin began his house.  Apparently envious of the brick structure on the corner, he decided to outdo it and build himself a regular mansion.  His wife knowing his plans, had been saving carpets by laying one atop of the other in their small house.  Mr. Duchemin made the brick in his kiln and with the help of his family built the structure.  

The building was completed and the family moved in.  They finished it as best they could and for a number of years there were no doors, but lumber nailed together served the purpose.

What happened to the family I was unable to find out, other than the information in an obituary in the hands of Mrs. Geneva Phillips.  It states that Mrs. Abraham Duchemin passed away in 1887 and left five children, two sons and three daughters.  A few incidents of the family were related to me by Mrs. Phillips.  She recalled that one of the girls was very fond of riding and on one occasion was thrown in front of her house.  She remembered that this girl was apparently well-liked by the other youth of her age and that she wore a much-admired riding habit.  Mrs. Phillips said that she believed one of the daughters was still living and now resided in Arizona.

The building was a private residence until the fall of 1911 or 1912, when it became the high school.  The other building was being torn down for the construction of the present high school building.  

Charles Blackburn attended school in the building and he told me a few things about it.  There were no desks as are to be seen in school today, but rather straight chairs with a writing board on one arm.  The building was steam heated, but was never warm during the winter, Mr. Blackburn said, unless the boys built fires in the open grates.  Then the teacher and pupils would crowd around the fire and school would be in session.   The four upper grades attended school in this building; those that lived in the country were brought to school in horse-drawn school buses and the horses were quartered in the present VO-AG building.  The superintendant of the school at this time was Horace E. Cromer[1] and I understand he was a favorite teacher.

Another man who taught during this period but not at this time, was James Cadwaller[2], who was highly respected as a teacher.  The building again became a residence in 1919 and the school was moved into the new building.  The superintendant of the school used it as a residence until a short time ago.[3]

The razing crew under the direction of Wilbur Hodson have found that the structure was well-built and had to blast some of it.

I watched one afternoon as they tried to pull over a wall with a chain and cable hooked to a truck.  It was not successful as the cable broke each time the wall began to weave at the top.

To some of the people in town the razing of the building will be a loss, but to others it will be another step in progress to a better school system for the education of their children.

* * * * *

[1] Horace Cromer was Supt. of Schools 1916-1919.  --New Vienna High School Memory Book 1881-1963 p7.

[2] J.L. (James) Cadwallader, Supt. 1909-1916.  Cadwallader became the first county Superintendent in August 1914. --NVHS Memory Book 1881-1963 p7.

[3] Among later Superintendents and families that lived in the Duchemin House were Forest Martin, Supt. 1928-33 & 1935-1940, grandfather of Larry Martin; Russell Fenwick, Supt. 1941-1963, father of Jane Allemang.

* * * * *

And one other Duchemin related photo

Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Duchemin 1868 - ?

Graduated NVHS 1886

Youngest Daughter of Abraham & Mary Elizabeth Woodmansee Duchemin

Married Edwin Dun[n] in 1893[4] 

* * * * *

[4] Hillsboro News-Herald 28 Dec 1893 p5

December News from "3" years

1873 Dec 19 - PERSONALS – A woman selling lace at New Vienna left 2 pieces of cheap lace at a house; would be obliged if the owner would call for them.  --Cincinnati Enquirer 19Dec1873 p3

1873 Dec 22 - PERSONALS – WANTED – All fun-loving young men to write love-letters to a little gal, 18 years old.  Address, with photograph or postage-stamp.  LILLIE W., New Vienna, Ohio.  --Cincinnati Enquirer 22Dec1873 p3

1883 Dec 5 - New Vienna Fine Stock Breeders' Association.  The Association met Saturday, December 1, at New Vienna with the following breeders present: James H. Terrell, Jonathan Leeka, James M. Cline, Jeff D. Spear, Eli Powell, James A. Spear, Wm. Moon, of New Vienna; J. M. Rulon, C.D. McKenzie, T.J. Porter, Wm. W. H. Huff, J. W. Bashore, or New Antioch; and I.T. Cummins, of Samantha.  Breeders of fine stock of every kins are invited to be present at the next meeting in January. --Highland Weekly News 5Dec1883p5

1883 Dec 5 - Mr. Stivens, of New Vienna is offering inducements toward securing a class in vocal culture in Leesburg. --Highland Weekly News 4Dec1883p1

1883 Dec 19 - UPDATE on Railroad News [as last reported in the July "3" News in which it was announced the Columbus & Midland Railroad would not pass through New Vienna].  The [rail]road from Columbus to Washington C.H. will soon be completed passing over almost the same route as originally surveyed for the Columbus & Maysville railroad.  "It seems that Washington C.H. is greatly dissatisfied with the change [from New Vienna], and this again turned the attention of her citizens to the importance of completing a railroad from Columbus to Maysville KY.  "Many people here are a little sore upon the subject of railroads ... and there is general dissatisfaction at the outcome ... for the action in making Clinton Valley the terminus instead of New Vienna." --Highland Weekly News, 19Dec1883p5

1893 Dec 2 - Pensions [military] were granted to Ohio applicants today as follows:  Samuel H Cline, New Vienna.  [Civil War veteran, Cline, 1842-1900, had been declared an invalid on July 2, 1892.  He is buried in New Vienna IOOF Cemetery.] --Cincinnati Enquirer 2Dec1893 p6

1893 Dec 6 - Edwin Shockley [1836-1921], New Vienna, appointed postmaster.  --Journal News (Hamilton, Ohio) 6Dec1893p1

1893 Dec 28 - MARRIED at the bride's home, Highland Ave., New Vienna, Tuesday evening, December 19, 1893, Mr. Charles E. Kratzer of Hillsboro, and Miss Jessie M. Gordon.  [Jessie 1866-c1918 was the aunt of Virginia Gordon Walker.  Kratzer, 1865-1928, operated a photography gallery in New Vienna according to the 1920 census.]  --Hillsboro News-Herald 28Dec1893p1

1893 Dec 30 - Among pensions granted to Ohio applicants for Civil War service granted today was to Cynthia A. [Smithson] Green [1844-1922], widow of Jesse Green [1835-1892].  --Cincinnati Enquirer 30Dec1893p1 & Daily Advocate (Newark OH) 30Dec1893p1

1903 Dec 18 - FOR SALE: STORE - Hardware and grocery stock; established cash business and profitable; rare opportunity; reason for selling, failing health.  W.B. LIVEZEY, New Vienna, Ohio.  [William Boswell Livezey, 1843-1909.  Daughter Bertha NVHS'1892 became a librarian and worked at the Hyde Park Branch Library in Cincinnati.]  --Cincinnati Enquirer 18Dec1903p10

1943 Dec 24 - WELL IS WEAK: Mayor of New Vienna, H.L. Carey, announced new well drilled at the edge of New Vienna, in an effort to increase the water supply, is not very strong. It is not known whether the New Vienna Board of Public Affairs will connect this well with the village water system.  [Harry Lee Carey, 1888-1955, grandfather of Shirley Carey McKamey, served as Mayor 1943-45 and 1947-48]   --(Hillsboro) Press Gazette 24Dec1943p5

1953 Dec 3 - E.J. Cook of New Vienna was re-elected to a three year term as state trustee for the Farm Bureau.  [probably Ellis James Cook, 1885-1979, a farmer in Penn Twp.] --Elyria Chronicle Telegram 3Dec1953p37

1963 Dec 3 - DEATH of Mrs. Rose Rollins, 97, of Gist Settlement, daughter of Thomas and Senia Lawson, she was born in Highland County in 1866. She was survived by five sons and three daughters, 48 grand-children and great and great-great grandchildren.

1963 Dec 10 - Auction of Antiques and Household Goods at the residence of the late Elizabeth Hodson [1877-1963, never married], across from Smith Funeral Home. --Hillsboro Press Gazette 10Dec1963p7

1963 Dec 13 - New Vienna Christmas Events: Santa Claus will appear at the New Vienna firehouse on Monday, Dec. 23 where Lions Club members will assist in handing out treats.  The following committees were appointed: Soliciting Funds: Julian McKenize and Ed Duncan; buying treats, Hamer Rife [Rice?], Mrs. Gerald Bernard [Helen Engle Bernard 1930-2011] and Mrs. Linley Moore [Florence]; Music will be arranged by Robert Sonners, Robert Seaman and Junior Daye.  Gary Tolle will choose secret judges to choose the three best decorated houses with prizes of $15, $10 and $5. --Hillsboro Press Gazette 13Dec1963p24

1973 Christmas Card from Margaret & Gene Drake & grandchildren – Not exactly news, but adds a seasonal picture to brighten up the news!

* * * * *
Happy New Year from the end of a "3" year!  Hope you will join me in discovering the news from the "4" years, coming up next.

1967 Anna Louise Harner Favorite Recipe

Anna Louise Harner's favorite recipe was featured in the "Her Favorite Recipe" feature of the Wilmington News-Journal, possibly in spring 1967.  Other favorite recipes previously posted in the NV Memories Blog include:  Ralph Cornelius (1962), Donna Cornelius (1961), Dorothy Daye (1963), Betty Gano (1961) and Melba Fawley (1970).  Transcription of clipping follows.

c1967 Anna Louise Harner Favorite Recipe

Captioned: PACKING THE CARAMELS – Mrs. Harner has the excellent idea of packing the caramel's she makes for gifts in reusable containers.  Of course they're ideal Christmas giving and the boxes, as she says, "add to the giving."

Now is the time – for strawberry shortcake.  We are proud to give you a recipe for old fashioned shortcake and that's the best kind.  Mrs. Orville Harner of SR 729, New Vienna area, is the kind donor of this plus a recipe for caramel candy.

Mrs. Harner is a teacher and a 4-H leader.  Teaching is both her hobby and her  job.  She teaches fourth grade and she teaches the adult class in the Fairview Friends Church.  She enjoys this, devotes a good deal of study to it and enjoys the different type of teaching it requires.

She has taught other than fourth but fourth grade is her favorite and besides, 4-H starts there for children.  New Vienna Tasty Club is her club and she is faithful to the members.  Nothing deters her meeting with the club.  It's been that way for the 19 years she has been a leader.

In the family are a daughter, Mrs. Richard Donahey Jr. [Isabelle, NVHS'60], Columbus, John, a junior in Wilmington College [NVHS'64, deceased 2012], Elaine, 17, in junior high [sic –Brenda "Elaine" Harner Fife, would have been (a junior?) in high school, sadly she is also deceased, 2005] and Mrs. Harner's mother, Mrs. Minnie Mathews, who incidentally is also an excellent cook.

Mrs. Harner is a 1963 graduate in social studies of Wilmington College.  She is an avid reader of novels and biographies, averages two books a week and often at night reads straight through a book.  If it's fairly light reading she'll read from 8 to midnight and that'll complete a book.

She used to sew a lot, made her clothing herself.  She doesn't do that much now but she still likes to crochet.

The Harners have a dairy herd.  It's electric milking and Mrs. Harner has never helped with it.  They like to travel and during the years have been all over the United States.  They do not take extensive trips now because they can't leave the dairy farm but they hope to make it to Expo 67 this summer.  They want to stop en route in Pennsylvania to visit relatives.  The children travel a good bit since they are older.  They have friends in the east whom they go to see in the summers.

ONE-EGG CAKE
2-3 c sugar [not sure if this is ⅔ cup sugar or two-three cups of sugar!  The latter would be much sweeter.]
¼ c shortening
¼ t salt
1 t vanilla flavoring
1 egg
1½ c flour
½ c milk
2 t baking-powder
Cream shortening and sugar.  Add unbeaten egg.  Add flavoring.  Beat thoroughly.  Sift flour, measure, and sift with salt and baking powder.  Add alternately with milk to creamed shortening and sugar.  Pour into well-oiled loaf pan.  Bake in moderate oven (375º F.) 35 minutes.

This is the recipe Mrs. Harner uses for her family short cakes during the strawberry season.  She sometimes adds a different flavor for the shortcake by substituting lemon flavoring in place of the vanilla

CARAMELS 
FIRM BALL
2 c sugar
2 c cream
1¾ c corn sirup [sic]
1 c butter or butter substitute
1 c chopped nuts
Few grains salt
Boil all together except the nuts and 1 cup cream.  boil 30 minutes.  Add the second cup of cream and boil to a firm ball stage.  (248 degrees F.).  Add nuts and pour without stirring into well-buttered pan.  When cold cut in squares.

Mrs. Harner has found that in the first 30 minutes, if boiled to 244 degrees F., it works out very well.

* * * * *
Anna Louise Mathews Harner, born 1920, passed away in June 1978.  She was much loved, not only by her family but by those she taught and her 4-H family.

1962 Ralph Cornelius Favorite Recipe

A recipe is not attached to this clipping, though there is mention of a recipe for chocolate fudge.  My suggestion is eat a piece of fruit instead.  If you really want to make fudge, then seek a recipe elsewhere.  As mentioned in this article the Cornelius family lived in New Vienna from the mid 1940s until 1957 when they moved to Wilmington.

Ralph Cornelius' favorite recipe was featured in the "Her Favorite Recipe" feature of the Wilmington News-Journal, presumably in December 1962.  Other favorite recipes previously posted in the NV Memories Blog include: Donna Cornelius (1961), Dorothy Daye (1963), Betty Gano (1961) and Melba Fawley (1970).  Transcription of clipping follows.

1962 Ralph Cornelius Favorite Recipe

Clipping captioned: THEY SAY MEN ARE THE BEST COOKS – Deborah is sure her daddy is.  Since she is the baby of the family and her sisters are 13 and 11 years old she is smothered with attention.  The girls practically fight over who gets to play with her and take care of her.  Her expression indicates she thinks it's a pretty nice world, especially with chocolate fudge on the stove.  
--Allen Studio Photo; Clipping courtesy of Betty Kinzer Gano

Ever since he was a baker in the Navy Ralph W. Cornelius has been cooking.  He gives a recipe for chocolate fudge which makes five pounds and is fine for Christmas.  But he cooks year round.

He says when he came home – that was in Adams County south of Belfast – from the service he had to prove what he'd been doing so he tried "A" Pie.  To understand his difficulty you have to hear him say "A" pie.  Up to then he had always made 30 pies at a time.  "The dough was floating in milk" at first, he recalls but he managed it and actually made A pie. 

He likes trying out new recipes, he helps with meals, fries chicken, cooks most everything and always helps his wife with the cooking when they entertain.

He says he likes to eat as well as cook and his entire family obviously likes to eat this fudge.  He made five pounds a short time ago and it was gone in three days.

In the family are Sharon, 13, Kathy 11 and Deborah, 11 months old Dec. 13.  

Besides his business which he conducts with offices at the residence, N. Walnut St. [Wilmington]  Mr. Cornelius is active in civic affairs of the city and in the Methodist Church.  He is president of the Official Board of the church and a member of Methodist Men.  He is also a Kiwanis Club member and chaplain of the New Vienna Masonic Lodge.

He and Mrs. Cornelius were married after he was out of the service and moved to New Vienna.  They moved to Wilmington in 1957.

His hobby is his vegetable garden.  He raises all kinds of vegetables and says the garden "is almost as big as a truck patch."  That's where he gets his exercise.

In sports, fishing is his principal pastime and he likes basketball and baseball for spectator sports.
* * * * *
Note: Ralph W. Cornelius passed away in March, 1989.

1961 Donna Cornelius Favorite Recipe

Donna Cornelius' favorite recipe was featured in the "Her Favorite Recipe" feature of the Wilmington News-Journal in about 1961.  Other favorite recipes previously posted in the NV History Blog include:  Dorothy Daye (1963), Betty Gano (1961) and Melba Fawley (1970).  Transcription of clipping follows.

c1961 Donna Cornelius Favorite Recipe
Clipping courtesy of Betty Kinzer Gano

Photo captioned:  CHEESECAKE – It always looks good, light and melt-in-the mouth kind of food and of course Mrs. Cornelius' is extra good.  Those are daughters Cathy at left and Sharon she is serving at their home, Walnut St. [in Wilmington.]

This one is a 24-hour cheesecake.  Mrs. Ralph [Donna] Cornelius likes it for clubs and it has the advantage of being made ahead of time. 

She likes to cook – better than any part of housework, and her husband is a good cook too.

"It's nothing at all for him to cook a meal," she said, "and they ate well while I was in the hospital."  That was with Deborah Ann, who was two weeks old last Saturday.

"He also makes candies and made himself popular at the hospital when he took it there."

The children are Sharon, 12, Kathy 10, and Deborah Ann.

The family likes swimming and enjoys going together to the swim club.

Mrs. Cornelius' principal outside interest is music.  She sang in her church choir for a long time though not recently and likes much semi-classical music as well as religious music.  They belong to the Methodist Church where she takes part in activities and is a member of Eleanor Circle of the WSCS.

She is a member of the Progressive Mothers Club and keeps affiliation with the New Vienna Woman's Club.  The family lived there 10 years before coming to Wilmington.

24-HOUR CHEESECAKE

30 Graham crackers

¼ lb. butter or oleo

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 large pkge. Philadelphia cream cheese

2 t vanilla

1 c sugar

1 can carnation milk

1 pkg. lemon jello

1 c boiling water

Melt butter over low heat, add cracker crumbs and powdered sugar.  Mix and line bottom of pan with one half the crumbs, reserving the remainder.

Dissolve jello in boiling water and let cool.  Cream the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.

Put the can of milk in the freezing compartment for an hour or two before starting the cheesecake.  Take it out and beat till stiff.  Mix the cool jello, cream cheese mixture and whipped milk.  Pour over lined pan and top with the remainder of the crumbs.  Keep refrigerated.

1963 Dorothy Daye Favorite Recipe

Dorothy Daye's favorite recipe was featured in the "Her Favorite Recipe" feature of the Wilmington News-Journal in the 1960-70s.  Other favorite recipes previously posted in the NV History Blog include: Betty Gano (1961) and Melba Fawley (1970).  Transcription of clipping follows.

1963 Dorothy Daye Favorite Recipe
Photo Captioned: THEY ALL LIKE IT – Mike and Beverly and Cathy Daye about to have some of Mother's mayonnaise cake.  Mrs. Daye especially like the frosting.  The recipe for it she gives covers a nine-inch layer so it should be doubled for a two-layer cake.  (Allen Studio Photo)

Her Favorite Recipe – It May be Yours

Mrs. Estel G. Daye Jr. of New Vienna makes a mayonnaise cake which is crowned with what she has named "creamy white frosting" which cake bakers may enjoy trying.

Actually there are two cooks in the Daye family.  Husband "Glen" was a cook in the Army and when they were married she thought he'd come in mighty handy helping in the kitchen.  However his interest went to the hardware store.

Anyway, we think some day we'll talk him into giving us a recipe and watching him prepare it.

Family is way far and away the center of Mrs. Daye's life.  There are three children, Mike, almost eight and in the second grade, Cathy, five, and in kindergarten and mother's helper, and Beverly just three.

The family are members of the New Vienna Church of Christ and the Christian Service Circle of the church.

All of the family likes to camp and had test runs at Rocky Fork Lake before venturing on a vacation to Michigan.  They liked the sight seeing too, Greenfield Village, Ford museum and the Post and Kellogg cereal plants.

MAYONNAISE CAKE
1½ c mayonnaise
2 c granulated sugar

3 c sifted flour

3 t soda

½ t salt

5 tbsp cocoa

Beat the mayonnaise and sugar until smooth.  Mix the other ingredients and add alternately with 1½ cups of water to the first mixture.  Pour into two 9-inch cake pans which have been greased.  Bake at 375 degrees 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

CREAMY WHITE FROSTING

2-3 c milk

2 tbsp cornstarch

2-3 c oleo or butter

2-3 c granulated sugar

Cook milk and cornstarch over moderate heat until thick and smooth.  Remove from heat and cool completely.  When cold add shortening, beat until fluffy, and gradually the sugar.

If desired three to five tablespoons of quick food coloring or other variations may be added.

Josephine Williams

New Vienna resident Josephine Miller Williams is featured in this 1990 article written by New Vienna native, Daniel Nixon for the Wilmington (Ohio) News-Journal as part of a series titled Clinton Corner: A weekly visit with the people of Clinton County.

Josephine (1910-2007, NVHS'28), daughter of Ennis Miller (1885-1966) and Nellie Elliott Swartz Miller (1886-1967) was born in/near New Vienna in 1910.  She married Homer Keith Williams in 1932.  Homer (1904-1993, NVHS'23), also born in New Vienna was the son of Charles Wyatt Williams (1856-1926) and Sarah Alice Keith Williams (1867-1929).  They were the parents of twins, Mary Jo (Weitz) and Martha (Knauff) 1958 graduates of NVHS.

Transcription follows.

1990 Josephine Williams clipping from Wilmington (Ohio) News-Journal - Dec. 3.  
Headlined: Williams addicted to genealogy.  Picture captioned: 'Genealogy Jo' at historical society

1990 Josephine Williams clipping from Wilmington (Ohio) News-Journal - Dec. 3, page 2

Williams addicted to genealogy

by DANIEL NIXON Staff Writer

Clinton Corner: A weekly visit with the people of Clinton County

There are 82 cemeteries in the county and Homer K. and Josephine Williams of 92 S. Third St. New Vienna, know each of them – intimately.

If you have perhaps noticed small green and white signs naming those family cemeteries off the roads and backroads of Clinton County, a large part of the credit goes to the husband and wife team researchers.

"Homer had to finish the work.  I got such a bad case of chiggers I couldn't go out anymore," says Josephine.

"We thought it was important that these places be recorded and not forgotten," says "Jo," or as her friends at the Clinton County Historical Society call her, "Genealogy Jo."

On file at Rombach Place is the Williams' cemetery research, who is buried, birth dates and deaths.  But it didn't stop there for the Williams.  As Jo says, "You just can't put down who died without starting to find out who they were related to and where and when."

Historical society Director Rhonda Curtis says, "We have many excellent volunteers, but none more so than Genealogy Jo.  She's kind of special."

It was the cemetery research that led to an interest in genealogy, a subsequent passion for more information and the cavalier moniker of "Genealogy Jo."

Once a person develops a reputation as a genealogist, letters for information seem to find the proper destination like letters to Santa Claus simply addressed "North Pole."

Sometimes letters would come directly to the Historical Society requesting information.  Sometimes they would take a more circuitous route to the office of county recorder, probate, common pleas or simply a post office.  Eventually they became the responsibility of the Williams', not without some irony.

There is a nominal charge for having the research done, says Jo.  Some people would try to avoid the historical society and send a second letter to the courthouse.  "Well, the people in those offices don't have the time to look for that information so they give it to us.  It was funny, because sometimes you would see a letter already written to you the first time," says Jo.  It's like being a detective, taking pieces of a family puzzle scattered across the years and combining the parts to make a whole.

She doesn't drink, but when it was suggested that genealogy was perhaps akin to the mounting obsession one has searching for berries in the woods, she shook off the analogy as too mild.

"It's more like drinking," says Jo flatly.  "You take one drink and then another and another and you can't stop."

Today the Williams' have turned much of their research and letter-answering duties over to another addicted genealogist, innocently hooked when trying to help his son with a school report on family history.

Genealogy Jo began genealogy because she says she can't sit still and read.  "We both go to the library regularly and Homer, he can sit and read for hours.  But me, I've got to be doing something."

For a woman who claims not to be one to sit still, she compiled three looseleaf notebooks at the library of biographical tidbits gleaned from microfilm copies of early county newspapers such as the "Clinton Republican" or the "Wilmington Democrat and Herald."  Those notebooks are also on file at the historical society's growing archives of local information. (1)

She went issue by issue, year by year and jotted down any reference to anyone in the paper: their birth, their death, marriage. business announcements or tangles with the law.

"People think they're going to read the microfilm and find exactly what they're looking for," says Jo.  The reality is more time consuming.

An obituary, the most common looked-for information, is easily overlooked, assuming it was printed in the first place.  "Death or births could be anywhere in the paper, just a paragraph stuck somewhere," says Jo.

"People are surprised to see how much national news is in the local paper then, and a lot of ads, on the front page, too.  If the president made a speech, it was printed word-for-word.  If the governor gave a speech – same thing.

"Well, of course, that was the only way people had of knowing such things then.  There just wasn't very much local news."

On the other hand, those early newspaper editors, and presumably their readers, were much more enthralled by shocking local tragedies.  Suicides, when they occured [sic], were reported as such.

"Oh, yes," says Jo, "the gorier it was, the more they wrote it up, I remember one story of a woman who abandoned her baby in the snow.  It was all described in the newspaper, where the baby was found, who she was.  It just went on and on."

From newspaper research at the library, Genealogy Jo began work at the historical society.

When she began, there was one filing cabinet containing newspaper clippings, genealogy sheets and anything else of reference about Clinton County families alphabetized according to surnames.

At about the same time, valuable old newspapers – a genealogist's working capital – were about to be discarded from the courthouse.  "They had no place to store them." says Jo.

She accepted the task of sorting through each paper, clipping articles and adding to the family history file at the historical society.

"When the folks here at the Society asked me how many envelopes I thought I'd need, I said a couple of thousand," and she tilted back her head to laugh, "It took more than that and Homer thought I had lost my mind."

Perhaps he was thinking there was truth to a sign on a shelf in the historical society's genealogy room:  "Genealogists never die; they just lose their census."

It took Jo a year and three months to sort through each paper, clipping articles and filing them.  But in a sense, the work is never done.

Each evening, she clips fresh information from the local papers to add to the five filing cabinets of more than 5,000 county family histories.  "There's a lot of people who don't know how much material we have got her," says Jo.

When Genealogy Jo set out on the trail of her own family, the Miller's, the research was relatively easy – up to a point.

"My great-grandparents came in here early and stayed here," says Jo.  That made it simple.  No hunting across the countryside.

She then traced them back to 1790 only to find two full pages of census listings for D. Miller, the Miller progenitor.  But which one was her D. Miller?  "I gave up," she says with a laugh.

Although Jo and her husband have eased out of the heavy research and letter writing duties they had done, she remains one of a group of volunteers at the historical society who staff the genealogy department always ready like technicians at a hospital emergency room.

"Sometime we can sit here for three weeks and nobody comes.  Other times, everybody comes at once," says Jo.

Those who visit the Historical Society's archives are asked by the genealogy staffers to register and leave a message of which family they are searching – a sort of genealogy of genealogists.  "That way, if somebody comes in hunting for the same people, they've got an address they can write," says Jo.

It is a cheerful room that old General Denver left to house the histories of county families.  The sun streams in the windows lighting up the titles on the spines of volumes of county history, national census material, mortality records, Quaker records and books by Clinton County authors.

The sunlight seems to reach back across the years as Jo studies photographs, names family relationship and punctuates her comments with "I remember when."

"I must quit saying that – and quit humming old songs."

Appropriately, Genealogy Jo celebrated her 80th birthday while at work at the historical society, a day when everybody seemed to show up to do research; a genealogist from Cincinnati, two from Tennessee, two from Springfield, four from Kansas, another from Manhattan.

In the midst of all those genealogy researchers was Jo's birthday party.  "All those people.  Everybody got ice cream and cake," Jo laughs, "And from out of state, they must have thought they had never gotten into such a place."

* * * * * * * * * *
 (1) The compilations mentioned are available for reference or sale at the Clinton County Historical Society in Wilmington and include:

• Newspaper Abstracts Clinton County, Ohio 1886-1889 abstracted by Adrian Roberts, Josephine Williams, indexed by Joyce Hopkins Pinkerton, Clinton County Genealogical Society 2005
• Clinton County Newspaper Abstracts 1889-1894 by Joyce Pinkerton, Josephine Williams, Hazel Williams, Adrian Roberts, published by The Clinton Count Genealogical Society 2000
• Abstracts of Wilmington, Ohio Newspapers 1895-1899 by Josephine Williams and Hazel B. Williams, compiled and indexed by Joyce Pinkerton, published by The Clinton County Genealogical Society
• Clinton County Newspaper Abstracts 1915-1921 by Josephine Williams, Adrian Roberts; compiled and indexed by Joyce Pinkerton, published by the Clinton County Genealogical Society 2009
• Clinton County Newspaper Abstracts 1924-1928 abstracted by Josephine Williams, typed and indexed by Joyce Pinkerton, published by the Clinton County Genealogical Society 2009
• Clinton County Newspaper Abstracts 1929-1932 abstracted by Josephine Williams, typed and indexed by Joyce Pinkerton