Gertrude Schnaitter, American Red Cross Nurse in the Great War

Gertrude Schnaitter was born in Sandusky in 1884, to Frank and Christina Schnaitter. In the 1910 U.S. Census, Gertrude was listed as pupil studying nursing at the Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland. Below is a portion of Gertrude’s Passport Application, dated August 9, 1917.

Medical officials from Lakeside Hospital stated in a letter attached to the passport application, “This is to certify that Miss Gertrude E. Schnaitter has been duly appointed by the Officials in Washington as a Red Cross Nurse who is going to France as additional personnel to Base Hospital No. 4 now located there.” An article in the September 18, 1917 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal reported that she was the nurse in charge of the second contingent of nurses from Lakeside Hospital who were traveling to France to serve in military hospitals during the Great War. She cabled her parents that she had arrived “Safe.”

On November 1, 1917, an article in the Sandusky Star Journal indicated that Gertrude found joy in her work as a Red Cross Nurse. During her time in France, Gertrude served under the British, and cared for Australian soldiers who were injured during the war.

By the Spring of 1919, the medical team in Rouen, France returned to the United States. In April of 1921, Gertrude married Dr. Andrew Robert Warner in a ceremony officiated by the Rev. N.R.H. Moor. Dr. Warner had formerly been the superintendent at Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland.

Following Dr. Warner’s death, Gertrude Schnaitter Warner returned to Sandusky. She passed away on October 7, 1966, and was buried at Oakland Cemetery. 

To learn more about the Cleveland doctors and nurses who served at U.S. Army Base No. 4 during World War I, see the article about the Lakeside Unit in the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.

The Zurma Brothers

Image courtesy of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library, Fremont, Ohio

From the 1920s until 1945, two brothers of Italian descent, Urbano and Guerrino Zurma were in the tire business. The Zurma Brothers’ first shop was at 316 Scott Street.

The Zurmas were local distributors for Mason tires. They used a "Vulcanizing" process to repair tires. In an article in the Sandusky Star Journal of April 23, 1927, the Zurma Brothers promised to “give you the best in tire service.”

By June of 1928, the Zurma Brothers had moved their tire shop to the corner of Cleveland Road and Ogontz Street. In 1931, the Zurma Brothers sold Atlas tires and used Standard Oil products in their shop. In an article in the December 13, 1934 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal, Urbano Zurma explained that full retreading of tires was superior to the process of “capping” tires. The Zurma Brothers used Akron Simplex Retreaders at their tire repair shop.

Guerrino Zurma passed away in 1945. The Sandusky Register Star News of November 7, 1945 reported that the Lake Shore Meat Company had acquired the former property of the Zurma Brothers. When Urbano Zurma died in December of 1954, his obituary stated that he had been “a pioneer in the tire vulcanizing and repair business in Sandusky.”

Mrs. Josephine Leeson, Descendant of Pilgrims

Josephine Adelia Cook was the daughter of Dr. Thomas M. Cook, who was the surgeon of the 101st Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. The Cook family traces its roots back to Francis Cooke, who came to America on board the Mayflower. (Through the years, some family members dropped the final letter “e” on the surname Cooke.)

Josephine Cook married Joel Byington Leeson about 1874. In the 1880 U.S. Census, J.B. Leeson and Josephine Cook Leeson were residing with her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Cook. In the 1880s, J.B. Leeson was associated with the Sandusky Wheel Company, and later the American Wheel Company.

By 1900 the Leeson family moved to New York State. Joel Byington Leeson died in Cleveland, Ohio on October 30, 1922. He was buried in the Whitney Cemetery in Ontario County, New York. When Mrs. Josephine Lesson died in 1929, an article in the March 2, 1929 issue of the Sandusky Register reported on her death

Mrs. Leeson was buried next to her husband in the Whitney Cemetery. She was survived by two sons and four nephews. She had been on the Board of Trustees of the Sandusky Library from 1888 to 1891. When she lived in Sandusky, Mrs. Leeson sang in the choir of Grace Episcopal Church.

The John Rice Miner House

A daguerreotype image taken around 1876

The home at the southeast corner of Fulton and Washington Streets in Sandusky, Ohio, was built in 1868 in the Italianate style. In the 1870s and 1880s, the family of John Rice Miner resided here. Mr. Miner was a vice president of the Sandusky Wheel Company. The address of this home prior to 1915 was 934 Washington Street. By the late 1890s, Mr. and Mrs. Miner had moved to Fresno County, California.

Through the years, the house was sometimes a private residence, with an apartment upstairs, but often it was home to a variety of businesses. In the early 1900s, the Gilbert Harris family lived in the house. When Mr. Gilbert died in 1905, the Sandusky Register featured an obituary of the prominent businessman.

In 1937 Dr. James D. Lea had his “optical parlors” at what by then was 618 West Washington Street.

From about 1942 through 1973, Brownworth’s Furniture was in business on the site. In this advertisement from the May 7, 1953 issue of the Sandusky Register Star News, it appears that Philco radios were a popular item at the business.

The Darr Chiropractic office was in the house for much of the decade of the 1990s. In more recent years, a legal office has been in operation at 618 West Washington Street. Here is a recent view of the former home of John Rice Miner:

From Google Maps

Visit the Sandusky Library to learn more about the residents of Sandusky and Erie County, Ohio.

Women's History Month: Miss Emeline Baumeister, Educator and Author

Emeline Baumeister was the youngest child of Frank and Katherine Baumeister, born in Erie County, Ohio in 1895. She graduated from Sandusky High School and attended Kent State University, earning a lifetime teaching certificate. By 1919, Emeline and her sister Edna were both teachers at Campbell School, also known as the 8th Ward School. By 1927, she was the Principal of the school.

Between 1924 and 1936, Emeline Baumeister, along with school superintendent Frank J. Prout, and Nellie Mischler authored several reading textbooks that were published by the University Publishing Company. Several of the books authored by Dr. Prout, Emeline Baumeister and Nellie Mischler are still found in university libraries throughout the United States today.

An article in the March 14, 1936 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal reported that Miss Baumeister had special lessons with a youngster who had moved to Sandusky from Italy, and who did not speak English. Two-thirds of the way through the school year, young Mariana Cinquanta was speaking and reading English very well, with a slight Italian accent, after special attention from Miss Baumeister.

At the end of the school year in 1946, Miss Baumeister was promoted from Principal of Campbell School to the position of Elementary Supervisor for the entire Sandusky City Schools district. Students and teachers paid tribute to her with gifts and a dinner party.

Miss Baumeister was a popular speaker for women’s organizations in Sandusky. In 1953 she spoke to the Mothers’ Federation along with television star Paige Palmer ("The First Lady of Fitness"), when the ladies met at Osborne School. 

Emeline Baumeister retired from her long career in 1959. She passed away on September 25, 1980. An article in the Sandusky Register of January 9, 1982 reported that she left the Sandusky City Schools over $95,000 in her will (worth about $312,000 today). Miss Baumeister cared about the children of Sandusky during her lifetime, and she made provision for Sandusky students even after her death.

Remembering the Cassidy and Silvani Market

Ad from Sandusky Register Star News, February 17, 1953

Silvani’s Market was located at 1614 Milan Road in Sandusky, Ohio for several years. The original store was started by Arthur Silvani’s father in law, Primo Cassidy, who was also known as Primo Cassadei. Mr. Cassidy started in the grocery business in Sandusky in 1922.

In 1935, Cassidy’s was just one of several Sandusky grocery stores that carried Kellogg’s Wheat Krispies.

An article in the April 3, 1940 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal reported that the Cassidy Super Market was to be open for public inspection, after the store had recently been enlarged. New refrigeration cases had been added, and modern display counters were in use. With the newly enlarged floor space, Mr. Cassidy offered a wider variety of grocery items for sale. He invited all shoppers to visit the store to see the improvements. There were specials on sale in every department.

By 1947, Mr. Cassidy had retired, and the market became known as Silvani’s Market, now run by Primo’s son in law Arthur Silvani.

In November of 1960, Silvani’s advertised “more big food bargains” at the market.

Arthur Silvani died on February 27, 1967, and Primo Casadei in 1971. Sandusky city directories list a Clearwater Pool Supply business at 1614 Milan Road in 1970 and 1971. Many of our parents and grandparents probably shopped at the former Cassidy or Silvani Market, which was in the heart of Sandusky’s Little Italy neighborhood.