Anna Gilbert’s Autograph Book

Anna Gilbert, daughter of George and Anna Gilbert, is pictured above in her graduation picture from  Sandusky High School in 1892 The picture was taken by photographer J.M. Lloyd. In 1884 Anna received an autograph album as a Christmas gift. The autographs Anna collected range in date from 1884 to 1890. Several of the verses written to Annie were decorated with colorful illustrations.

On February 14, 1885, E.A. Gilbert wrote this verse encouraging Annie to think of the author, even if she were to live far away in the future:

Minnie Carter signed this verse in 1886:

George M. Stevenson suggested that Anna was the female pictured on the page on which he signed his name.

Anna Gilbert lived to the age of 96. She passed away on January 17, 1970, at the colonial Manor Nursing Home. An obituary for Anna Gilbert appeared in the January 16, 1970 issue of the Sandusky Register. Anna was a retired bookkeeper, and had been employed at several area businesses, including several wineries, the former Roberts Motor Company, and Harten and Brooks Motor Sales.

City Marshall George Washington Gilbert

                  

These badges were once worn by Sandusky’s City Marshal, George Washington Gilbert. They are now in the historical collections of the Follett House Museum. George W. Gilbert served as Marshal in 1895 and 1896. His office was on the second floor of the city’s central fire and police station, seen here in 1901, at the time of President William McKinley’s death.

According to a Sandusky Register article written by Helen Hansen on June 18, 1989, in about 1904 the title of city marshal was changed to police chief, when Charles Weingates held that position. 

From 1887 to 1900, George W. Gilbert served on the City Council. For many years Mr. Gilbert also worked as a fisherman. He died on April 25, 1926, at the age of 79, survived by four sons and four daughters. His obituary in the Sandusky Register of April 27, 1926 stated that he had been one of Sandusky’s best known residents.

Eunice Downing’s School Friendship Book

Eunice Downing was the daughter of Roy and Bertha (Haller) Downing. Her father Roy M. Downing was the U.S. Deputy Collector of Customs in Sandusky for 48 years. Eunice kept a friendship book during her high school years. She was a 1929 graduate of Sandusky High School.

The School Friendship Book was designed and illustrated by Clara Powers Wilson and was published by the Reilly & Lee Company of Chicago in 1910. (The 1916 edition of this title sold for $1.00.) The book provided pages for autographs and photographs. 

Juanita Gilbert wrote this verse for Eunice on June 1, 1925:

When your (sic) in love it’s hearts

When your (sic) engaged it’s diamonds

When your (sic) married it’s clubs

And when your (sic) dead it’s spades.

Dorothy Lorcher wrote:

Nothing more

Nothing less

Just a friend

From S.H.S.

A certificate of proficiency from the Remington Typewriter Company appears on page 44.  Eunice could type at a net speed of 29 words per minute for fifteen consecutive minutes. Also included in the friendship book were programs from art shows, concerts, and tally cards from many bridge games. Napkins, decorations, favors, and invitations found in the book have retained their original bright colors. Eunice’s book includes birthday cards, Christmas cards, Valentines, and graduation cards from the late 1920’s.

Newspaper clippings from Sandusky High School sporting events, honor roll announcements, and Sandusky social and church events allow us to learn what was important to Eunice in her teenage years. Eunice was the winner of a limerick contest sponsored by the Sandusky Star Journal, and she kept her letter of congratulations from the Star Journal.

The “Kodak Snap Shots” section of the friendship book features several photographs of Eunice and her family and friends. In the picture below are: Ila Chaffin, Dolores Neir and Eunice Downing.

Below are snapshots from a family trip to Niagara Falls in 1925.

After graduating from Sandusky High, Eunice Downing was a teller at the Western Security Bank. She married Myron G. Kryeski, and they were married for 35 years. Eunice died on May 17, 1987. Eunice and Myron Kryeski donated many items to the historical collections of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. The Roy Downing Maritime Collection, in memory of Eunice’s father, contains many photographs of Great Lakes ships from 1902 through 1950, the years that Mr. Downing was with the Sandusky Customs Office. By looking through Eunice’s School Friendship Book, one can get a vivid view of the life of a young lady from a former generation in Sandusky. The friendship books of both Eunice and her sister Evelyn Downing can be seen at the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library.

Sandusky Post Office

From 1857 until 1927, the Sandusky Post Office was at the southwest corner of Columbus Avenue and West Market Street. An annex building was just west of the Post Office on Market Street. Here are some of the earliest mail carriers in Sandusky, from about 1896:

Front row: Mose Doyle and John Gilbert. Middle row: James McCann, Adam Rice, Gust Heiberger. Back row: Henry Schimminger, John Schaub, Charles Schoepfle, and William Twigs.

Former Librarian Miss Mary McCann donated this picture of mailmen posed inside the Post Office Annex building in about 1912.

The men in the photo are: Harry Schimminger, Jim McCann, Tim Ryan, John Schaub, Harry Gosser, Charles Schippel, Charles Schoepfle, Ed Ernst, Dan Schwab, Roman Ott, Jimmy Davis, Bill Twiggs, and Louis Holzhauer.

A new Post Office opened at the intersection of Jackson Street, West Washington Street, and Central Avenue in 1927. This facility was in operation until 1987, when a new Post Office building opened on Caldwell Street. The Merry Go Round Museum is now located at the site of the former Post Office.

You can read more about postal service in Sandusky in Article 68 of From the Widow's Walk, by Helen Hansen and Virginia Steinemann.

The “Tourist” Gets Trapped in an Ice Floe

On December 20, 1929, the Tourist, a 78-foot steel boat powered by oil engines, got stuck in an ice floe, shortly after leaving the dock from Sandusky. A sudden northeastern storm contributed to the hazardous situation. The boat was carrying several residents of Kelleys Island, many of whom had come to the mainland to do Christmas shopping. The steamer Messenger and the tug Gillan were unable to free the Tourist from the ice. Captain John Gilbert ordered all aboard to walk on the ice from the trapped boat to the Messenger. Many of the passengers had several packages to carry with them on the ice, in the cold and windy weather. All but three of the boat’s passengers made their way to the Messenger, and then to Sandusky.

A front page article in the December 20, 1929 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that Mrs. Charles Martin had to carry her ten week old infant in her arms across the ice, while her husband wheeled the baby carriage. Mr. Martin said, “Wheeling that baby carriage across the ice was worse than being without a cigarette and having to walk a mile.” Mr. and Mrs. Martin and baby Elaine spent the night at the Hotel Rieger. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Elfers also had an infant to carry across the ice. The Register reported that the most unfortunate person on the boat was Mrs. Paul Nemethy of Kelleys Island. Mrs. Nemethy had just had six teeth pulled, and it was terrifying for her to think of spending the night on a boat in the bitter cold.

On Sunday, December 22, two airplanes took the stranded Kelleys Islanders back home. Arrangements were handled by the Parker Airport, and the pilots were Milton Hersberger and Joe Esch. The Kelleys Island landing field was blocked with snow, and a crew of island residents worked frantically to get it cleared. It took several flights to deliver the passengers and freight. The bulk of the freight was merchandise for Charles Martin’s store. Four school teachers and three others were transported from Kelleys Island back to Sandusky. The December 22, 1929 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that both Hersberger and Esch were highly complimented on their ability in handling the planes.

Visit the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library to read more about the “Tourist” being trapped in the ice in 1929 on microfilmed copies of the Sandusky Register. To learn about the vessels of the Great Lakes, see B.G.S.U.’s Historical Collections of the Great Lakes website.