Kelley’s New Life Medicine

Not the section of the advertisement in German. Many German immigrants lived in Sandusky during the late 19th century.

In a program from the Grand Theater close to the turn of the twentieth century, W.H. Kelley advertised his patent medicine called New Life Medicine. This formula was supposed to cure chronic catarrh and dyspepsia, and claimed to prevent one from catching a cold. Mr. Kelley offered a $1,000 reward for any “germ disease” that Kelley’s New Life Medicine did not destroy. A portion of the advertisement was written in the German language, and featured a testimonial from Mrs. Rachel Lathrow of New Jersey. Customers could find Kelley’s New Life Medicine at local druggists, or order it through the mail.

In an advertisement in the August 31, 1921 issue of the Sandusky Register, William H. Kelley told of having recovered from failing health by taking his own medicine, after several medical doctors and specialists were unable to help him. Though he had both legs amputated as a result of serious illness in the past, by 1921 Mr. Kelley lived on his own, made a good living, and was back in good health again.

By 1922, an ad in the Sandusky Star Journal claimed that Kelley’s New Life Medicine was a treatment for Bright’s disease, rheumatism, gout, diabetes, jaundice, coughs and colds, and also was good for blood purification.

Mr. Kelley ran a second hand shop at 408 East Water Street in Sandusky for several years, in addition to manufacturing the New Life Medicine. In the 1910 U.S. Census, Mr. William H. Kelley was a 42 year old widower, living in Sandusky, Ohio, with his teenage son, William H. Kelley, Jr. The place of birth for both father and son was listed as Pennsylvania. After 1922, William H. Kelley, Sr. did not appear in any Sandusky City Directories. It is possible that he moved out of the area, or he may have died in the early 1920’s. Mr. Kelley was successful at marketing his New Life Medicine for over twenty years. To read about another Sandusky businessman who sold patent medicine see our previous blog post about Dan Schaffer’s Wonderful Liniment.

Knapp’s Balsamic Cough Syrup

The advertisement above appeared in the Sandusky Register on February 8, 1875. John Knapp was associated with the Sandusky Medicine Company, which had its offices in the Sandusky Register building on Water Street in 1874 and 1875. Knapp’s Balsamic Cough Syrup was recommended for colds, sore throat, laryngitis, and all diseases of the throat.

Edwin Cutter, of Cleveland, Ohio gave a testimonial in the newspaper. He said he had tried a hundred remedies for asthma, but Knapp’s Balsamic Cough Syrup gave him the quickest and most effectual remedy of any other product. Mrs. E. Husted of Norwalk, Ohio stated that she was afflicted with a distressing cough for many years, but she found immediate relief with Knapp’s Balsamic Cough Syrup. The Sandusky Medicine Company seems to have gone out of business shortly after 1875, and by 1900, John Knapp was residing in Cleveland, Ohio with his daughter and her family. Patent medicines were very popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Sandusky’s drug stores sold many patent medicines before the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

Walther’s Peptonized Port Sold in Sandusky

In August of 1903 the Sandusky Register featured several advertisements for Walther’s Peptonized Port.  

The ad above stated that Peptonized Port was helpful for “people who are nervous, cannot stand noise, start at the least unusual sound” and “get that fly-to-pieces feeling often.” The ad below informed consumers that the remedy was a combination of port wine and pepsin, with no added drugs or chemicals.

The remedy was considered a good tonic for dyspepsia, indigestion, and recommended for nursing mothers, invalids, and older people. Two sizes were sold in 1903, one for fifty cents, and a larger size for one dollar. Two drugstores that sold Walther’s Peptonized Port in Sandusky were Henkelman & Bechberger and L.A. Biehl. Henkelman & Bechberger operated their drugstore on the street level of the Sloane House hotel in downtown Sandusky.

L. A. Biehl’s drugstore was located at the corner of Hancock and East Monroe Streets.

1818 Letter from Dr. Christopher C. Yates to Jabez Wright

On April 30, 1818, Dr. Christopher C. Yates, an Albany physician, sent a letter to Jabez Wright in Huron Township, which was part of Huron County at that time. (Erie County was formed in 1838.)
In his letter, Dr. Yates discussed Jabez Wright’s health issues, which involved nervous irritability. Jabez Wright seemed to think his medical problems stemmed from a lingering virus, but Dr. Yates did not agree. He urged Jabez not to use patent medicine, stating that once patent medicine is begun “you will never abandon again, it will be as necessary to you as rum to the toper, or tobacco to the sailor.” The letter concludes with Dr. Yates advising Jabez Wright to take his old advice, presumably from a previous visit to the doctor, and not to seek further treatment.

Dr. Christopher C. Yates was a prominent doctor in Albany, New York, the son of Christopher J. Yates and Catharina Lansing. In 1818, he co-authored an essay on bilious epidemic fever. He was married to Emma Willard in 1838, but they divorced in 1843. Dr. Yates eventually moved to Canada, and he died in Nova Scotia in 1848.

Jabez Wright was an early surveyor of the Firelands. He was a justice of the peace in Huron Township, and was also an associate judge, holding court in Huron County as early as 1815. In an address to the Firelands Historical Society on February 22, 1888, Rush Sloane stated that Jabez Wright was one of the first men in the State of Ohio to aid fugitive slaves. The Ohio Historical Society placed a historical marker noting Judge Wright’s home as a station on the Underground Railroad.

You can see several items which once belonged to the Wright family at the Follett House Museum, including an 1825 tea canister and a side saddle used by Mrs. Jabez Wright.

Dan Schaffer's Wonderful Liniment

From 1898 until about 1930 Daniel Schaffer manufactured liniment. Advertisements claim it to be the “greatest pain killer on earth.” Sold at local drugstores for fifty cents, the Wonderful Liniment was used in the treatment of diphtheria, pneumonia, neuralgia, toothache, lame back, corns, warts, sprains, cuts, bruises, rheumatism, sore throat, insect bites and frostbite. The liniment was manufactured locally, first at the Schaffer home on Wayne Street, then later at 725 John Street.

Daniel Schaffer was born in 1860 to German immigrants. He married Augusta Miller about 1887, and they had two daughters, Emma and Rena. Augusta Schaffer became an invalid in her later years, and Daniel cared for her. Daniel Schaffer died on January 12, 1944, and Augusta passed away only thirteen days later. Emma Schaffer Bremer was the mother of Florence Bremer, who married Dr. Lester Parker, a well known Sandusky physician and school board member.