Grover Cleveland Enjoyed Fishing in Ohio

An often forgotten President, who is the subject of a recent book (available at the Sandusky Library), Grover Cleveland enjoyed fishing in several spots across the United States, during and after his terms as U.S. President. The Sandusky Star Journal of September 11, 1926 reported that during his administration, President Cleveland “sought refuge from the affairs of state by fishing in the streams fed by the cold waters from the mysterious ‘Blue Hole’ of Castalia,” as a member of the Castalia Trout Club.

A trout stream at the Blue Hole circa 1940

An article in the May 10, 1956 issue of the New York Times reported about a time that Ex-President Cleveland had arrived in Sandusky, Ohio to spend several days fishing at Middle Bass Island. Accompanying President Cleveland were Professor John Lloyd, Judson Harmon, and Charles Foster, former Secretary of the Treasury.

In 1906, the former President wrote a book called Fishing and Shooting Sketches; this book is available in full text at the Internet Archive.

One of the chapters in the book was “A Defense of Fishermen.”

To learn more about the history of Castalia, read Glenn Kuebeler’s book Castalia, Cold Creek, and the Blue Hole (Arcadia Publishing, 2007.)

The Other Kerber Grocery

Many people in Sandusky are familiar with Kerber Marine Grocery located on Tiffin Avenue, but not many people know there was another Kerber grocery business on the east side of town.

Albert Kerber was born in 1861 in Ehrenstten, Baden near the city of Freiburg. His parents were Anton Kerber and Cecelia Bauman. Anton Kerber’s brother Vincent Kerber immigrated to Sandusky in 1849 and ran several well-known businesses. He was a masonry contractor whose projects included the Water Works, Barker School, Standard Wheel Company, and several social halls. Later in life Vincent collaborated with his sons in a number of businesses including Consumer Ice Company and a grain and feed business on Water Street.

Records show Albert immigrated in 1880. He was listed in the 1880 census as living with his uncle Vincent on Ogontz Street. Albert then settled on Middle Bass Island and worked for the Golden Eagle Wine Cellars.

While on Middle Bass he met Augusta Kubach who was born in Sandusky in 1865. Augusta’s father John Kubach was born on the Steamer Albany during the family’s immigration to the United States. Albert and Augusta were married in July 1884.

Albert and Augusta moved to Sandusky in 1887. They built a store and residence at the corner of First and McEwen Streets in the east end, near Alberts’s uncle and cousins. The photo below was taken around 1891 and shows Albert and his brother-in-law Andrew Kubach in front of the store. One sign in the window advertises a steamer trip to Cleveland on Thursday June 25, 1891, for fifty cents. The other sign advertises Arbuckle’s Coffee.

Albert’s brother Lawrence (Lorenz) Kerber was born in 1862. In 1888 he founded Kerber Marine Grocery. Lawrence unfortunately died young at just the age of 30 in 1892.

Sometime around 1900 Albert expanded the grocery store to include a saloon. The picture below taken around 1905 shows the store and saloon. Standing in front of the store are Alberts’s sons, Millard and Carlisle and another brother-in-law, Clyde Kubach.

Like many businesses of the era, the saloon issued tokens. Shown below are the two sides of a 5-cent token.

Albert was active in the community and there were numerous listings in the Sandusky Register about hosting social events, sponsoring visiting musicians and travels to visit friends and relatives. One brief article in the Register noted “A young son of Albert Kerber, the Huron Ave and McEwen Street grocer, was struck by an automobile in Huron Ave, Thursday night but escaped serious injury.” The article implies there was a second grocery on Huron Ave, but no records were available.

Albert died on March 13, 1911. His obituary indicates funeral was conducted by Sandusky Lodge No. 669 International Order of Odd Fellows. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery.

The building at the corner of First and McEwen Streets stands today as shown below.

Lake Erie Island Pictures by Harley Hoffman

In the “Neighboring Communities” collection of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center are several photographs taken by Harley Hoffman, a commercial photographer who had a studio in Castalia, Ohio in the 1950s. Above is a picture of ferry boat passengers approaching Middle Bass Island. You can see the Lonz Winery on the shore. 

The picture below was taken at the Put-in-Bay dock. A sun bather can be seen soaking up the sun on the pier.

 

Vintage vehicles are visible along the streets of Kelleys Island in this picture of the business district. Businesses pictured include Matso’s Place and the Island Market.

Mr. Hoffman snapped this picture of someone standing by the sign at Inscription Rock along the lakefront at Kelleys Island.

              

The community oven at Kelleys Island allowed residents to bake bread in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

These men are enjoying an afternoon of fishing at Kelleys Island.

   

Harley W. Hoffman passed away in 1986. His obituary, which appeared in the May 28, 1986 issue of the Sandusky Register, stated that he had been a salesman for the Mr. Wiggs Department Store. In the decade of the 1950s, Mr. Hoffman is credited with dozens of photographs that appeared in the Sandusky Register Star News. Because of Harley Hoffman’s photographs, we have a better understanding of what everyday life was like in a by-gone era.

Wehrle Hall on Middle Bass Island

The Wehrle family founded the wine business that first gave Middle Bass Island its fame. The winery Wehrle, Werk, and Sons was one of the earliest businesses on the island. The elder Andrew Wehrle emigrated from Germany in 1852, and established the business on Middle Bass. Achieving success, he erected a large hotel and dance pavilion on the island (shown above). It is said that Grover Cleveland made the Wehrle Hotel his headquarters during his fishing trips on Lake Erie. The Wehrle family ended operation of the winery shortly after Andrew Wehrle, Sr.'s death in 1896; the business was eventually taken over by the Golden Eagle Wine Cellars. In the 1920's a fire destroyed the wine cellars, hotel and dancing pavilion.

Andrew Wehrle, Jr. was said to be the first child born Middle Bass Island. He achieved his own prominence through a coal business in Sandusky, which he operated until 1900. The old steamer A. Wehrle, Jr. was named after him. Andrew Wehrle, Jr. died on Jan. 4, 1931.