THE STARK COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED!

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The Strausbury Family. Courtesy of the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

 

Stark County History, Ohio, Like You’ve Never Seen Before!

Can you imagine having greater access to historic photographs from around Stark County? Well, imagine no longer! Many of the Stark County photographs, which were donated to the Ramsayer Library over the years, have been digitized!

The digitization of these historic photographs will greatly benefit the research community and the general public. Additionally, there are numerous instructional applications made by possible by this digitization project. For example, Mark Holland, the archivist, has the capability of projecting these digitally-captured, historic photographs for visitors when they come to stop by at the Ramsayer Research Library. Moreover, they will be incorporated into future audio-visual productions as well.

 

Digitization Process: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

WHO?

Who digitized these historic photographs?

Stephen Wendt, MLIS, digitized hundreds of photographs from the Stark County collection during his digital preservation internship at the Ramsayer Research Library. Stephen’s internship was affiliated with Kent State University’s graduate School of Information in Library and Information Science. In addition to his passion for digital preservation, Stephen is a professional genealogist. He assists the community with their genealogy-related requests! Stephen may be contacted here.

WHAT? 

Many of the Stark County photographs, which Stephen digitized, concern the “Citizens of Canton” and the “Grand Army Band” photographs. The photographs are of various shapes, sizes and conditions-many of which, as you might expect, are in black and white.

                     Don Millett – Editor of the Canton Daily News.                                                              

Sr. Symporose – Principal of St. Marys School in Canton. 1955

                                   

WHEN?

Many of the photographs are from the late 19^th century and early 20^th centuries.

 

WHERE?

While most of the photographs were taken in Stark County, some of them were taken in other locations.

For example, the Grand Army Band traveled together by train, and these photographs were digitally captured as well! The Grand Army Band depicted in the slideshow below show them in action in Canton and across the country!

 

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WHY?

Sharing Stark County past with researchers and members of the public is why we do what we do!

 

HOW?

After all of the photographs are properly assigned a specific number (called an accession number), they are sent to the Ramsayer Research Library’s flatbed scanner for scanning. Each photograph is scanned front and back. Normally, up to three images are taken per photograph. Here is how the process works!

 

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All digitized photographs courtesy of the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

To submit a research request with the Ramsayer Research Library, please click on the following link: Research Request Form.

 

My Family Connections

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Before I started my internship here in January, I thought I might find a thing or two regarding my family, since they have been settled in Canton since the early 20^th century. However, I didn’t expect to learn as much as I have about some of my family members.

 

One day Mark showed me an index of WWI privates from Canton. I was just flipping through the pages and came across a name I recognized, William Edward Edwards, who I know as Uncle Bill. He is my great great great uncle, and while I never met him, I grew up hearing stories about him from my family. He came to America from Wales in 1904 and joined the service on December 27th, 1917.

Edwards served in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. He fought in the battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which is considered the largest and bloodiest military operation for the AEF. The operation was fought from September 1918, until the Armistice of 11 November 1918, which ended the fighting. Edwards was wounded in action in October 14^th, 1918, which could have occurred when American troops were launching frontal assaults to break through the German defenses. He was honorably discharged on May 21^st, 1919 and earned a purple heart for his service

On another day, I was looking through the letters from the Secret Gift collection. It contains the letters that were written in response to a December 18th, 1933 newspaper ad that offered $10 to families struggling with financial hardships. Sam Stone, or “B.Virdot” as the ad identified him, received so many letters that he changed the amount he gave to $5 so he could help more people. Sam Stone’s grandson, Ted Gup,  eventually found these letters and wrote a book about his grandfather and the letter writer’s called The Secret Gift.  As I was looking at the letters, I noticed the name “John F. Gatchett”. My great great grandfather was named John Franklin Gatschet, but went by Frank J Gatschet. I did some research and found Frank J Gatschet in Canton’s city directory at 3504 Fairmount blvd, which is the same on the letter, so it has to be him.

John Franklin Gatschet

Gatschet’s Secret Gift Letter

At the time of this letter, my great great grandfather was divorced from my great great grandmother, so he is discussing needing money to support his 2^nd wife and her three children. He was chosen to receive $5 to go towards clothes for the children. While I have seen a lot of family pictures, it was really neat to interact with a tangible item from my great great grandfather.  Overall, I have learned a lot during my time here and finding out about my family connections in Canton has been a fun bonus.

Guest Blogger:

Tess Hamilton, Intern, McKinley Presidential Library & Museum

How Young Is Too Young to be Interested in History?

Podcast

 

 

Jason Lombardi, President of the Malvern Historical Society and Judy Cloud Pocock, Library Volunteer, McKinley Presidential Library & Museum

One never knows when working with children who have a special interest in history where it might lead.

Recently Jason Lombardi, President of the Malvern Historical Society, stopped by the library to donate some photographs.  In our conversation he shared that he had been interested in the history of his hometown since he was an elementary school student.

Next to his childhood home was a small cemetery which became his special project.  He made notes and kept records of the graves there.  He worked to physically maintain the cemetery.  This was not a summer project—he did it for years.

He spoke of his father driving him to Canton so that he could spend time doing historical research at the library on subjects which interested him.  His dad would patiently wait for hours for him to have the time he needed.

Today Jason still has an active interest in history although he did not pursue it as a career.  He contributes to Find-A-Grave and helps educate others through the Malvern Historical Society.

If you know a child who has an active interest like Jason—take the time to allow him or her to explore and do historical research.   One never knows where this time spent will lead—a rewarding career or perhaps a life-time of helping others learn about the past.

• Judy Cloud Pocock – Guest Blogger, Volunteer McKinley Presidential Library & Museum

 

Memory Honored…

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Welcome back to 70 Artifacts for 70 years! Look for our logo in platinum honoring the 70th anniversary of the Stark County Historical Society.

Today we feature a book published in 2007 by Arcadia Publishing, Written by our Museum Curator, Kimberly Kenney! This book can be purchased in the Museum Shoppe, and is available for reference research in the Ramsayer Research Library.

Canton’s Pioneers In Flight is a 154 page book that focuses on the citizens of Canton, Ohio that “took to the air” after Wilbur and Orville made that triumphant flight December 17, 1903.

The focus of this blog post is Raymond “Bud” Sherrick, and his daughter Joan (Jo Anne) Sherrick.  Bud’s story can be found in chapter 6 of Kim’s book titled, Any Sane Person Took a Train, Canton’s Early Airfields.

Last week Joan Sherrick visited the library along with her daughter, and grandson.  She told the story of her father Raymond performing stunts in an airshow at Milton Dam near Milton, Ohio.  She said her mother being six months pregnant with her, watched her husband’s plane fall to the ground. Raymond Sherrick just twenty-eight years old, was killed.  Raymond served during The Great War as a Naval Aviator.  He resided at 1937 Tuscarawas Street West in Canton.  He graduated from Central High School, in 1915, and later from The University of Michigan in 1923. 

Courtesy of the Stark County District Library’s Genealogy Department

Courtesy of the Stark County District Library’s Genealogy Department

Courtesy of Find-A-Grave

Courtesy of Find-A-Grave

It was an honor to meet this family who holds an important link to our Stark County history.  Thank you for sharing your story!

Raymond Sherrick’s memorial can be found following this link to Find-A-Grave.

More Later…

Margaret’s Gift…

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Welcome back to 70 Artifacts for 70 years! Look for our logo in platinum for the 70 years of the Stark County Historical Society!

On the birthday of President William McKinley, January 29, 2016, we celebrated with a little more background on a biography by Margaret Leech.

Margaret Kernochan Leech’s 1960 Pulitzer Prize Winning Biography Copyright, 1959

Margaret Leech (1893-1974) McKinley biographer, was born in Newburgh, NY. She graduated from Vassar College in 1915.  She was a prolific writer–writing both novels and historical non-fiction.  Two of her history books, Reveille in Washington which dealt with the Civil War and In the Days of McKinley a biography of the life of President William McKinley won Pulitzer Prizes in 1942 and 1960, respectively.

Margaret had the good fortune to live during the time that immediate members of the McKinley and Saxton families were still living.  She was able to speak personally with Margaret (Disoway) McKinley, the widow of James F. McKinley, the President’s nephew and Helen McKinley Heidt Magee, daughter of the President’s niece, Grace McKinley Heidt.  She was also able to interview Mary Barber Hartzell, Ida’s niece, and Ida Day Gunn, daughter of Ida’s namesake, Ida Barber Day.  These women were able to furnish unique perspectives and memorabilia from William and Ida’s lives.

In the Days of McKinley is carefully researched and presents McKinley’s life from his early life to his assassination in 1901.  

Ralph Pulitzer, Margaret’s husband, died in 1939.  They had one daughter, Susan Pulitzer Freedburg.  The Pulitzers are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, NY

• Judy Cloud Pocock, Volunteer

Margaret “Pulitzer” 1959

This book is available in our museum gift shop.

More Later…

What Ever Happened To…

Welcome back to 70 Artifacts for 70 years! Look for our logo in platinum for the 70 years of the Stark County Historical Society!

Periodically the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum would like to know “what ever happened to…”. This could be a known historical object such as a chair belonging to President McKinley that was known to be in his home in 1900.  Or it could be  important sculpted marble figures atop a large fountain in front of the Stark County Courthouse. Which brings us to

“what ever happened to”…..

The beautiful fountain that stood in front of the Stark County Courthouse?

Take a look at this photograph of this 2nd version of the Stark County Courthouse built between 1868 and 1870.

This beautiful Italianate styled courthouse and annex were dominated by rounded topped windows, classical-styled gables and hand-carved stonework. Notice the large fountain that graced the east side of the courthouse lot facing Market Avenue (and wrought-iron fencing surrounding the property).

According to a September 28, 1871 issue of the Stark County Democrat newspaper they called this fountain a “Neptunian Fountain”depicted by the elevated figure of Neptune at the top of the fountain and surrounded by nymphs.

The fountain cost the taxpayers $3000 to install and there was a controversy regarding the need for erecting a non-patriotic (and pagan) sculpture on public land.

This fountain stood in front of the Courthouse until 1893 when the 2nd version of the two- towered Courthouse was replaced with a larger, one-towered courthouse. The fountain was removed and re-installed in Canton Waterworks Park at this time. Here’s a postcard from 1895 showing the fountain in Waterworks Park.

So, “WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO IT”?

The McKinley Museum has not determined as of yet who sculpted this fountain nor what became of it? Is it in a landfill now? It is in somebody’s back yard?

Any help would be greatly appreciated by the public.

Contact:

Tom Haas

Volunteer Researcher

Cannon Day…(Guest Blogger)

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One of the advantages of being a volunteer researcher at the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum is that I learn about fascinating aspects of our rich Stark County History.

We recently received a request from a person who emailed our Ramsayer Research Library to identify a photograph of President William McKinley giving a speech from the back of a train. He told us this photograph could have been taken by his great-great grandfather while attending Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois or in his hometown of Lancaster, Wisconsin between 1896-1900. I set out to find an answer.

I tried to trace some campaign stops in either 1896 or 1900 that McKinley may have made by train. In the course of reviewing Stark County historian, Edward T. Heald’s unpublished and unfinished, McKinley Biography 1967, regarding possible train stops for McKinley during his presidential years. I had no luck, though, in finding a connection between McKinley and Evanston, Illinois or Lancaster, Wisconsin.

So, as it happens frequently in the research business, you don’t always get what you want (as the song goes). Sometimes, though, you find other completely unrelated historical tidbits peeking their little heads out of their hiding places….which leads me to “Cannon Day”.

While I couldn’t help the great-great grandchild with the McKinley picture, I did uncover some interesting facts about a big celebration that happened in Canton on July 4th, 1900.

President McKinley returned to Canton with Ida, the First Lady, from Washington, D.C. after being successfully renominated in June in Philadelphia at the Republican National Convention. According to our Stark County Historian, Edward T. Heald’s unpublished manuscripts for which, The Canton Repository is a major source, which tells the story of McKinley’s 1900 presidential campaign.  President McKinley would stay at his North Market House most of that summer (now the location of the Stark County District Library.) Canton was a very active city at that time as McKinley received many visiting delegations of dignitaries from all over the country.

One of the events during this late June/early July period would be the dedication by McKinley on July 4th of a newly procured Spanish-American War souvenir for the City of Canton….a brass cannon that was captured at Santiago Harbor, Cuba. Canton’s cannon was made possible with the help of Canton native, William R. Day, U. S. Secretary of State during the Spanish-American War (and later named a Supreme Court Justice by President Theodore Roosevelt).

This Spanish cannon was cast in France in 1748 by King Louis XV and, at some point, made its way to Spanish-owned Cuba. This cannon stood at the Estrella Battery on the east side of Santiago Harbor.

Dedication of the cannon that July 4th occurred on the lawn at the southwest corner of the old Canton City Hall building on South Cleveland Avenue (where the newer City Hall now stands). William R. Day, and other dignitaries from Washington, D.C. gave speeches that day at City Hall.

Canton City Hall as it Appeared in 1900 Cannon Located on South West Corner of Cleveland Avenue South and Present Day 3rd Street S.W.

There was a huge parade that day represented by recent Spanish-American War Veterans, Civil  War Veterans and many workers from various companies throughout the state. The people of Canton were treated to a daytime fireworks display after the parade at public square and fireworks were displayed that night from the area at the intersection of Shorb Avenue and West Tuscarawas Street.

On July 6th, 1900 thousands of people descended on the McKinley home and were treated to rousing speeches by President William McKinley and (soon-to-be Vice President), Governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt had just arrived in Canton that day after returning from a vacation in Arizona with his Rough Riders. Cannons situated on Dueber Heights boomed their salutes upon arrival by train of Roosevelt. Factory whistles were also heard throughout the city proclaiming TR’s arrival.

The brass cannon along with another mortar and a metal piece of the conning tower from the Battleship, Maine, that was sunk in the Havana (Cuba) harbor all stood on the grounds of the old City Hall until 1938. These items were then moved to Canton City’s Waterworks Park. These relics of the Spanish-American War were finally moved to the recently erected Stark County Veterans Memorial at Westbrook Park around the year 2000.

Here’s some of the decorative elements still visible on the 1748 brass cannon at the Veterans Memorial:

“Ultima Ratio Regum”… “The last argument of Kings”

“Mars”….”mythological god of war”

Decorative fleur de lis and other designs:

Such is the day in the life of a historical researcher. Always challenging, frequently frustrating, but always a treasure hunt.

Send us your questions…

• Tom Haas, Library Volunteer

 

The Importance of Old Letters (Guest Blogger)

In today’s digital world, we accept the fact that communication takes place in 140 characters or less. Anything longer is reserved for blog posts (like this one), articles, books and scholarly papers. The art of writing a letter strictly as a way to tell loved ones about news, life and other important matters has fallen by the wayside.

This is what makes this cache of old letters – any cache of old letters – vitally important. These particular letters were saved by Katherine (Barber) Belden, President McKinley’s niece. She saved them in a wooden trunk that is so large it needs to be supported by two chairs.

Most of these hundreds of letters were addressed to her, although some were written to her children: Marshall, Betty and Henry III, as well as her husband, Henry Jr. They range in date from the 1890s up through the 1940s, with the majority of them falling between the years of 1900 and 1919. Unfortunately, she did not save the letters that she wrote in response, so the conversations are somewhat one-sided.

One letter in particular was written to her by her aunt, Ida McKinley. This letter is postmarked November 15, 1904, and is written on the black-bordered stationary that Ida used after her husband was assassinated in 1901. The letter contains plenty of news (also known as gossip) about mutual friends, neighbors and family members. It ends with the words: “With much love, I remain your loving aunt, Ida McKinley.” It is this type of kind words that are abbreviated today, or expressed with an emoticon or two.

Even without a letter from a “famous” relative, this collection remains interesting. Although they were written to express sentiments, they contain tiny details about life during the time period. A mention of War Bonds evokes World War I, while slow and declining sales are indicators of the Great Depression; the history contained within the letters tells numerous stories at the same time.

It may be too late to spark any interest in the old-fashioned art of letter writing, but that doesn’t mean that there are boxes of old letters in people’s basements and attics waiting to be preserved. Are there any in yours? Let us know!

Plum Street School Mystery (Guest Blogger)

During my internship here at the Ramsayer Research Library I have been involved in the reorganization of the Stark County photograph files. This has been a bit time consuming, but a very interesting project for me! Hailing from Canton myself, it has been rather neat seeing how much Canton has changed, learning more about my hometown, and making connection between Canton’s past and the way I remember it growing up here.

Currently, I have been working on reorganizing all of the photograph files of many of the different schools that have been or currently are in the Canton area.

Recently, I came across a particularly interesting mystery. I found the library had two separate files labeled “Plum Street School” and “McKinley Avenue School” but low and behold, when looking at the building in these pictures, they appeared to be one and the same! What??

S. Plum Street School ~1887

McKinley Ave School, 1st grade April 21, 1897

After some research for a previous mystery related to the Garfield Avenue School, I came across an article on The Canton Repository site citing “A Collection of School Histories: Canton Public Schools” by Gordon G. Humbert as a source of information. So, of course I had to hunt this source down to see what else it had to offer. Fortunately, I did not have to look far as I soon discovered the book is posted in its entirety on the Canton City School District’s website: A Collection of School Histories

In former Superintendent Humbert’s collection I finally found some information on this mysterious South Plum Street School. As it turns out, South Plum Street, McKinley Avenue, and Wells School are in fact all the same building. In 1875, the Plum Street School was built and named after the street it faced. In 1875, it was a four classroom building, by 1896 eight additional rooms were added. During the “McKinley era” Plum Street was renamed McKinley Avenue and consequently the school was renamed as well. From what I can gather, this change happened some time in the 1890’s.
In 1918, when McKinley High School was built on Market North across from the McKinley home, McKinley Avenue School was once again renamed, this time to Bezaleel Wells School after the founder of Canton.

– Lisa Bailey, Intern