Sentimental Sunday: Reproduction of a 1931 Good Housekeeping Cover

This thrift shop tin features a reproduction of the cover of Good Housekeeping Magazine from November, 1931. My mother, Joyce Parker Orshoski, was born in December of 1931. Perhaps her mother or grandmothers read a copy of this magazine as they awaited the birth of the first granddaughter in the family. Mom told me stories so often of how her Irish grandmother Irene Larkins used to make delicious cakes. Mom is pictured below with her mother, Doris Wheeler Parker, her grandmother, Irene Larkins Risko, and her great grandfather, Thomas Larkins, in 1941.

Mom's paternal grandmother, Ada Steen Parker, was a marvelous cook, having lived on a farm most of her life. I am told her pies were scrumptious, especially at harvest time. My great grandmother Ada Steen Parker is pictured below, holding me as an infant, with Rusty the dog close by.

I often found vintage tins for Mom, and she seemed to love them, though I almost always found them at garage sales or thrift stores. This tin reminds me of my mom, and those oft told stories from long ago. Miss you Mom!

H. William and Helena Curth

According to the book SANDUSKY THEN AND NOW, Heinrich Wilhelm Curth was born on May 9, 1820 in Hanover, Germany, and he settled in Sandusky, Ohio in 1850. In the 1867 McKelvey's city directory for Sandusky, H. William Curth is listed among several shoemakers in the business listings for Sandusky.

The 1870 Industry schedules for Sandusky, accessed at Ancestry Library Edition, indicate that H.W. Curth was employed as a shoemaker. He used hand tools to make and repair boots and shoes. SANDUSKY THEN AND NOW states that H.W. Curth was married three times. His first wife,nee Beka West, died in 1852. His second wife, nee Bernahardine Schulte, died in 1864. The third wife of H.W. Curth was the widow Helena Immel, whose maiden name was Schunk. According to U.S. Census records, it appears that Mr. Curth had children with each wife. Helena Curth died on September 16, 1889. H. W. Curth died on November 2, 1893. H.William and Helene Curth were laid to rest in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Both H.W. and Helena Curth came to the United States from Germany. They both suffered loss, and I think they worked hard to support their large family. May they rest in peace.

Missing Our Son Joel

Tomorrow will be one year since we lost our son Joel to suicide. Though all these days have gone by, we still miss him so much. I will never forget the joy he brought to us, and not a day goes by that I don't think of him. Below are a few pictures of our son Joel through the years.

Perry Family Information at the Website of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society

Though the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society is now closed for the season, you can still access its website. This link will take to you to a page that lists direct and indirect descendants of the War of 1812 naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry.  A slide show is found on the "About Us" page of the website. Next summer if you have a chance, travel to South Bass Island and visit the museum of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society. Several items honoring Oliver Hazard Perry are found in its collections.

Souvenirs from the Centennial of the Battle of Lake Erie and Perry's Monument are on display at the museum.

All through the museum, you will be taken back in time as you view murals, artifacts, and  pictures which  show you what Put in Bay was like in days long ago.

The Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum  is located next to the police station  in the village of Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island.

Sentimental Sunday: Vintage Postcards of Cedar Point on Display at Sandusky Library

Cedar Point has been a destination for my family members for several decades! In preparation for the premiere of the documentary "Under the Baton: Music at Old Cedar Point," the Sandusky Library has enlargements of vintage postcards from the resort on display in the lobby of the library.  If you had ancestors from northern Ohio or southern Michigan, they may also have visited Cedar Point! Click here to read more about the upcoming documentary.

Loyal C. Miller, 1926-1949

Loyal C. Miller was an instructor of Physics at Capital University. Sadly, he died on October 26, 1949,  after a lengthy illness. Mr. Miller was a graduate of Sandusky High School and Capital University. At his graduation from Sandusky High in 1944, he had been awarded the Citizens Bank Cup and the Trojan Powder Award at commencement exercises. Mr. Miller was survived by his wife, a young son, a brother, his parents, and his grandparents. Funeral services for Loyal C. Miller were held at both Capital University and at Zion Lutheran Church in Sandusky, Ohio. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery. An obituary for Mr. Miller appeared in the October 27, 1949 issue of the Sandusky Register Star News. An inscription of the tombstone of Loyal C. Miller reads:

"You helped to make my life's structure a temple."

Verena Schmidlin, 1821-1887

The tombstone of Verena Schmidlin is found at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. The inscription on her tombstone states that Verena was born on July 1, 1821 in the Canton of Clarus in Switzerland. She was the wife of Mathias Schmidlin, and she died on October 24, 1887. To date I have not found many details about Verena Schmidlin.  In the Ohio County Marriages database, a part of FamilySearch, we learn that a Verona Blumer married Mathias Schmidlin in Lucas County, Ohio on March 13, 1857. In the 1873 Sandusky City Directory, Matthias Schmitling was listed as a carpet weaver who resided on the north side of Neil Street, west of Wayne Street. Verona’s name appears as Frona Schmitting in the 1880 U.S. Census. At that time she was living by herself on Neil Street, and her occupation was housekeeper. In the1886 Sandusky City Directory, Verena Schmiedling was listed as a widow, residing at 625 Neil Street. As often is the case in 18th century records, Verena's name appears with a variety of spellings of both her first and last name.  Rest in peace Verena.