A Most Amazing Year…

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new year, researchers, staff, thank you, volunteers

The McKinley Presidential Library & Ramsayer Research Library has undergone a remarkable transformation in the short time I have been here. I wish to thank the Volunteers & Staff for a very warm welcome to work full time in the place I love most. My mother would often take me here to see, and talk to little cereco…

To the library volunteers, I thank you for your loyalty to the cause of preservation, and education for which we are deeply embedded. The work, sometimes is tedious, and I recognize this, and appreciate your tenacity.

To the staff, I thank you for the support you have so graciously provided me. This has been a most amazing year of donations, research, and organization.

To the researchers, I thank you for your love of the question. If you had no questions, we would simply be an attic that would lay in rest. We had a researcher from as far off as Japan, who was interested in the President’s foreign policy. Family members from museum originators visited us and one of them became volunteer.

I wish you a very Happy New Year!

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Some Snow May Fall…

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Heald Biography, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Rutherford B. Hayes, William McKinley, Winter Campaign

William McKinley Jr. got his first initiation into politics under the tutelage of a good politician, statesman, Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes in the fall election of 1863. He was fortunate in drawing with a volunteer commanding officer, rather than a West Point graduate, and professional soldier. West Pointers as a rule avoided politics.

By this time, December 1863, William McKinley, and the troops of the 23rd O.V.I. (Ohio Volunteer Infantry) were involved in a Winter Campaign that began on December 8, 1863. The operation involved a cavalry raid against the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, with the main force striking at Salem. McKinley was chosen by Colonel Hayes as one of his aides. On this day, December 16th, 150 years ago McKinley, and his comrades would spend a brief time at a Mrs. Jones’ house, on their way to Gauley, Loup Creek, and finally to Charleston by way of the steamer Viola.

McKinley Biography, 1967, Volume I., pp. 154-157 E.T. Heald

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It’s Not My Story, It’s Your Story

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Malone University, Ted Gup

Tuesday December 3, 2013 One Book, One Community presents Meet the Author: Ted Gup who wrote A Secret Gift. The event was held on Malone University’s Campus, in Canton. The land Malone now sits on once played host to the Stark County Infirmary, or Children’s Home, or Poor House.

This night was reserved for the event that would galvanize, Canton, Ohio Christmas week, of 1933 in the midst of the Great Depression. Ted Gup graciouly signed books from 6:00 P.M. to a little after 7:00 P.M. The campus dining room began to swell with the people who were interested in hearing the author of such an emotional book speak, in his own words, of the how it wasn’t his story, but our story. People are drawn to people, and so this story is about ourselves, and how we deal with the world around us, and with each other.

As we stood in line, we could hear people in front of us talking about their relatives who were in the book. I introduced myself, and let him know that we were taking good care of “his” letters. He signed my book, and gave me a directive, in his message, to take care of the past, and thank you. I was deeply moved, and did not take the directive lightly.

Ted’s mother Virginia was with him; and he showed us some images of his grandfather Sam, some letters, and his grandfather’s “passport.” His presentation was half speaking, and half disscussion. He really couldn’t wait to listen to our stories and field our questions. The entire experience was moving, and inspirational.

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A Visit From “George Monnot”

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A Secret Gift, George Monnot, Gervis S. Brady, Same Stone, Stark County Historical Society

Tom Haas, who recently portrayed his grandfather George Monnot in the play based on the book “A Secret Gift”  visited the Ramsayer Research Library last week. He is very knowledgeable about his native Canton.  George Monnot owned Monnot & Sacher on Market Avenue South. It was in the same building that houses the Canton Classic Car Museum. Tom shared with me this building was two stories in the early 20th century, and the cars his grandfather sold were partly assembled on the second floor, and the showroom was on the main level. He helped to identify some of the Monnot photographs we have in our collection.  Here is a picture of the dealership after the fire destroyed the second floor, c.1943 from Tom’s collection. 

George Monnot wrote to B. Virdot that Xmas of 1933, hoping for $5.00 to help his family. Tom shared that his grandfather’s family had lost everything. It is likely that Sam Stone knew George Monnot, and they ran in the same social circles.

Tom shared that E.T. Heald’s protege, Gervis S. Brady, became the first director of the Stark County History Center in 1963. Tom worked for the Bicentennial Committee in Canton, for two years. Then moved here to the History Center as the Director of Education.  Leaving the Historical Society for WHBC where he worked in advertising for the next 35 years.

Thank you Tom, for your visit, and your insight into the history of our organization.

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