Finding Information When All You Have is a Name

The only information that was found associated with the photograph below is the name of the young lady, Jessie Boor.

When the name “Jessie Boor” is entered into the database Heritage Quest, a database available through the Ohio Web Library, only one hit is retrieved. Jessie Boor is age 3 in the 1880 U.S. Census, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Boor of Scott Township, Sandusky County, Ohio. 

In the advanced search feature of the Hayes Obituary Index, a search for the maiden name Boor, yields 5 names, two which may be the young lady in the photograph. Jessie Sherrad died on July 14, 1939, the wife of Harry Sherrad, in Helena, Ohio. A Jessie Sherrard is also listed with the same death date. The variation in the spelling of the last name is not unusual in the 1930’s, and Jessie’s age lines up exactly with the census information, that Jessie Boor Sherrad/Sherrard was born about 1876 or 1877. 

Further clues are obtained by checking the database WorldConnect, one of the projects found at Rootsweb. Jessie Boor comes up with several “hits.” One is for a Jessie B. Boor, who was born on November 23, 1876 to Samuel Boor and Mary Ellen Snyder. Her spouse is Harry T. Sherrard, and her date of death is given as July 14, 1939. The cemetery where she was buried is Metzgar Cemetery in Scott Township, Sandusky County, Ohio, near Helena, Ohio. The children of Jessie and Harry are also listed: Sylvia, Sydney, and David.

The young lady in our photograph is most likely the future Mrs. Harry T. Sherrard, who lived and died in Sandusky County, Ohio. How the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library obtained the photograph remains a mystery, although a good guess would be that it was in a box of donations from an extended family member.

When doing family history research and you have a name with no information given, try entering that name in genealogical databases. You may find out that you can learn a lot about that individual.

Robert W. Traver, Former Chief of Police

Robert W. Traver died at the age of 57, but he lived a long life, filled with service to his country and local community. A lifelong resident of Sandusky, he joined the Sandusky Police Department in 1937, serving with the department for thirty years. He was promoted to sergeant on January 16, 1946 and  captain in 1952. On October 17, 1962 he was appointed Chief of Police, and served in that position until his retirement in 1967. 

In addition to his police career, Mr. Traver had substantial military service. He was in U.S. Army intelligence, taking leave from the Sandusky Police Department during World War II and the Korean War. 

In 1971, Mr. Traver was elected to the Sandusky City Commission. At the time of his death on December 20, 1972, he was Ex-Officio Mayor of Sandusky. Additionally, Mr. Traver had served on the board of directors of Providence Hospital, and was a member of the Amvets and the Fraternal Order of Police. For a time, he also was vice president in charge of personnel at Mr. Wiggs department store. 

Robert W. Traver was survived by his wife, the former Louise McGeachie, four sisters, two brothers, and a niece. Funeral services for Mr. Traver were held at the Frey Funeral Home, and burial was at Oakland Cemetery. A lengthy article in the December 21, 1972 issue of the Sandusky Register highlighted his distinguished career, and included several tributes from his colleagues.

The Army dress uniform once worn by Robert W. Traver is now in the collections of the Follett House Museum.

When Yontz’s Hall Was in the Cable Block

Razed in the 1970s, the Cable Block was at the northeast corner of Jackson and Market Streets in Sandusky, Ohio. Laurence Cable had this structure built in 1893 to house his real estate business and provide downtown office space for other local businesses. For many years the Manhattan store was located at the street level of the building. Through the years, the second floor was home to several attorneys and dentists. The Majestic Theater, later the Ohio, was also at street level, a few doors down from the Manhattan.

The third floor of the Cable Block was designated as a dance hall, as seen on this Sanborn Fire Insurance Map:

First used by the Sandusky Elks Lodge, the third floor was the space that William Heslet used for his dancing school from about 1908 to 1921. In the 1920s and 1930s, this space was known as Yontz’s Hall. On New Year’s Eve in 1921, the Plattdeutsche Verien held a dancing party in the hall, featuring the Schoder Trio.

An article in the September 13, 1922 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal reported that Yontz’s Hall had recently been remodeled and a new lighting system installed. Manager William Yontz stated, “We look for a bigger and better season than ever before, just because we are going to run high class dancing.”

On Memorial Day weekend of 1925, movie star Juanita Hansen appeared at the dance at Yontz’s Hall, and chose the prettiest girl at the dance. Miss Marge Melcher, a sixteen year old with bobbed hair, was chosen as the prettiest girl there.

At the Grocers’ and Butchers’ Ball, held February 27, 1930 at Yontz’s Hall, Cleveland radio star “Smiling Ed McConell” could not be heard. Because the dance hall was so tightly packed with dancers, his voice was drowned out by the crowd.

Wrestling and boxing matches were popular events held at Yontz’s Hall. Les Fishbaugh was one of the wrestlers to appear in an all star wrestling program presented by promoter Dan Morris in March of 1931.

William Yontz passed away in 1939, but during his time as manager of Yontz’s Hall, Sandusky residents enjoyed many dancing and sporting events. To learn more about the history of Cable Block, see an article by Helen Hansen and Virginia Steinemann in the September 23, 1990 issue of the Sandusky Register, available on microfilm and at the database Newspaper Archives.

Vincent Nusly, Swiss Immigrant, Inventor

Vincent Nusly was born in 1817 in Switzerland. He came to the United States around 1847, where he settled in Sandusky, Ohio with his wife and children. Mr. Nusly operated a jewelry store in Sandusky, where he also sold tickets for the nearby Opera House.  

The first Mrs. Vincent Nusly died in 1851. Erie County Probate Court records indicate that he married Rigina Gramenshashen in 1852. She most likely passed away not long after she married, because in 1854, he married Dorothy Mueller/Miller. He and his wife Dorothy had several children together; in  the 1870 U.S. Census, there were eight children residing in the household, ranging in age from four to fifteen. 

In 1889, Vincent Nusly was issued a patent for a car coupling device to be used on railway cars:

In about 1902, Vincent Nusly moved to Canton, Ohio. He died on July 3, 1910,  at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. A. VanSickle in Canton, at the age of 92. The funeral was held at the VanSickle home, and burial was at the Westlawn Cemetery in Canton. Mr. Nusly’s obituary appeared in the July 9, 1910 issue of the Sandusky Register.

Jay Vaughn McFall, Artist

Elementary student Vaughn McFall was listed as number 35 in the class photograph from 1883, taken on the steps of the old Sandusky High School on Adams Street. Jay Vaughn McFall was born in Sandusky, Ohio on December 4, 1877 to Mr. and Mrs. Jay Calvin McFall. His father worked in the family business, which was a men’s clothing store in Sandusky in the 1880s and 1890s.

After the death of  her husband, Mrs. McFall moved the family to Toledo, Ohio. In the 1900 U.S. Census, Jay Vaughn McFall listed his occupation as newspaper illustrator. In 1908, he married Adelaide Eddleman, and by 1910, he had his own art studio in Manhattan.  During his career as an artist, Jay Vaughn McFall did illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post, the Sunday Magazine of the Philadelphia Press, and the Chicago American. He died in 1912 from tuberculosis. His obituary (below) appeared in the New York Times:

Detroit Michigan, Dec. 5, 1912

Jay Vaughn McFall 34 years old, of New York, artist and magazine Illustrator died here today at the home of his mother of tuberculosis. McFall was a native of Sandusky, Ohio but began his Art work here. He went to New York as a member of the Art Students League and then to Chicago as an Illustrator for the Chicago American. Seven years ago he returned to New York and opened a studio illustrating for several magazines. His work was particularly known in the Saturday Evening Post.

Here is an illustration he did, from the January 19, 1908 issue of the Sunday Magazine of the Philadelphia Press:

This illustration appeared in the book, Prince or Chauffer? written by Lawrence Perry. (A.C. McClurg, 1911):

Marriage of John A. Strobel and Mattie E. Bretz

Rev. J. G. Enzslin of the Emmanuel German Evangelical Protestant Church officiated at the wedding of John A. Strobel and Mattie E. Bretz on June 20, 1894. The marriage license was recorded at the Erie County Probate Court on page 915 of Volume 9 of the marriage records. Witnesses at the marriage ceremony were his brother, Christ Strobel (who later became the namesake for Strobel Field) and her sister, Hattie Bretz.

The original marriage license of John A. Strobel and Mattie E. Bretz was secured into a wedding memory book titled Our Wedding Bells. The book was published by John Gibson Publisher with copyright dates of 1889 and 1892. Though no names are recorded, there are several lined pages on which guests could record their names and “courteous words.”

The wedding memory book contains twenty pages of poems and inspirational passages, including this passage, Song of the Bells:

Hear the mellow wedding bells,

Golden Bells!

What a world of happiness their harmony foretells,

Through the balmy air of night,

How they ring out their delight,

From the molten golden notes,

And all in tune.

John A. Strobel was employed for many years in the Sandusky offices of the B & O Railroad. He passed away on June 5, 1933. Mattie Bretz Strobel survived her husband and lived in Sandusky until her death on January 31, 1959. Mr. and Mrs. Strobel are buried in Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.

Pictured below is the Bronze Centenary Medal celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The medal once belonged to Mr. Strobel, and was given to the Follett House Museum by Hattie Bretz, the sister of Mrs. Strobel.

Mattie Bretz Strobel made a quilt that is also in the historical collections of the Follett House Museum. The quilt, which was pieced in part by hand and in part by machine, was made in the novel star design, with silk and satin fabrics. It is estimated to have been created in the 1890’s. Just a small portion of the quilt can be seen in this photograph.

Tribute to John J. Carroll of G and C Foundry

 

John Joseph Carroll, former president of the G. and C. Foundry, died on June 26, 1936. Funeral services were held first at his home at 1412 Columbus Avenue, and then at Saint Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church, with Father William F. Murphy officiating. The Sandusky Star Journal featured a tribute to John J. Carroll in its June 30, 1936 issue.

 A transcription of the remaining portion of the tribute is below:

 

It was one of the largest if not the largest funerals held in Sandusky. 

The funeral Mass was celebrated by the very Rev. William F. Murphy, pastor of the church, who also preached the sermon.

Father Murphy and Mr. Carroll were close friends. In youth they played baseball with and against each other. The friendship between the two grew firmer as the years rolled by.

Father Murphy’s tribute to Mr. Carroll was masterful. That it came from the heart was apparent. Now and then the venerable churchman’s voice seemed to falter. Many eyes were dimmed with tears.

The church was packed. In the gathering were representatives of every walk of life. There were friends and business associates here from Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Dayton and many other cities – friends and business associates of many years.

There were so many flowers that it was impossible to get them all into the Carroll home. Many of them came from cities, towns and communities far removed from Sandusky.

Honorary pallbearers were L.K. Burge. Chief John D. Curtis of the fire department, Carl F. Denzer, T.O. Edwards, E.F. Emmons, Congressman, William S. Fiesinger, James F. Flynn, Jr., Herbert F. Farrell, Dr. H.B. Frederick, Sidney Frohman, B.T. Gagen, Norman Gagen, E.B. Gangware, Dr. A.R. Grierson, Dr. George A. Heiler, William H. Hommel, Alfred Huntley, August Kuebeler, Jr., Norber Kuebeler, A.J. Little, John D. Mack, Dr. Frank J. Maher, William McLain, Charles F. Miller, Frank Mulheran, Frank W. Myers, John McCrystal, Sr., William J. Py, John Quinn, Russell Ramsey, William H. Ritter, John F. Rosino, Charles F. Mischler, Martin L. Ritter, Gil Rossmaan, C. Webb Sadler, Alfred Schnurr, George J. Schade, George A. Schoepfle, Ralph J. Smith, Edward A. Smith, Werner G. Smith, the Rev. Theo J. Stellhorn, the Rev. Dr. Donald Wonders, the Rev. Gates E.M. Young, Charles A. Thornburgh, Chief of Police C.A. Weingates, Major C.B. Wilcox, and John G. Wohlers, all of Sandusky; Fred and Phil Frankel, M.F. Gartland, T.A. Gartland, W.A. Greenbaum, William E. Rayel, L.R. Robinson, D.J. Ryan, Fred D. Ryan, Charles and Walter Seelbach, M.J. Sweeney, T.H. Terry, H.J. Trenkamp, and J.W. Wilbur, of Cleveland; H.P. Blake and C.W. Inches, of Canton; Charles H. Graves collector of internal revenue, Toledo and Port Clinton; P.F. Gartland of Indianapolis; F.J. Gartland and L.F. Gartland, of Marion, O.; W.J. Giuss, William F. McCarthy, and Robert J. Wiseley of Chicago; C. J. Miller of Fremont; and Anthony and John Haswell and C. E. Swank of Dayton.

 The active pallbearers were Carey W. Hord, Franklin D. Hohler, Rol G. Sloat, George Richter, Harry W. Gosser, Fred Schafer, and Edmund A. Andres, of Sandusky, and William Quinn, of Whitmore.

The city commission members attended the funeral in a body as did the officers and employees of the Third National Exchange Bank of which Mr. Carroll was a director.

The bank was closed while the funeral was being held.

 

The Carroll family plot at Oakland Cemetery is in Block H.