The Rittman Family of Put-in-Bay and Sandusky

This picture of Lucy, George and Mamie Rittman was taken at the Pascoe studio in Sandusky, Ohio in the late 1880s. The parents of these children were Frank Rittman, Jr. and his wife, the former Fannie Parker. The Rittman family resided in Put-in-Bay, but often visited Sandusky to see relatives, including their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rittman, Sr. 

Memorial card for Grandfather Frank Rittman, Sr.

The Put-in-Bay column in the Sandusky Register often reported on the social activities of the Rittman family. In this brief posting, Lucy and Mamie had gone to Cleveland to visit their brother George and his wife.

George F. Rittman carried on the family butcher business at Put in Bay. He spent his final years on the mainland in Sandusky. In the early 1900s, Mary Rittman was a teacher in the public schools. In 1916 she married Captain Ezra Bickford, a veteran lakesman who was the first captain of the ferry the Erie Isle. Lucy became the wife of Granville Heuchele, who was associated with the U.S. Fish Hatchery. After Lucy’s death in 1933, Granville remarried.

The graves of George, Mary, and Lucy are all on South Bass Island. George Rittman (1877-1959) and Lucy Heuchele (1879-1933) were buried at the Maple Leaf Cemetery, and Mary “Mamie” Bickford (1882-1944) was buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery.

If you have ancestors from Sandusky or the Lake Erie Islands area, you can search for articles about them in local newspapers through Newspaper Archive, a Clevnet database. (To access, log in with your Sandusky Library card.)

Stereograph Cards of the Lake Erie Islands, by A.C. Platt

A.C. Platt was a popular photographer in Sandusky, Ohio in the 1870s and 1880s. The stereograph image above shows the A.C. Platt photographic art gallery and party room at Put in Bay. Platt produced a series of stereographic views of scenes on the Lake Erie Islands.

Here is a stereograph card of the well-known Round House at Put in Bay:

While we do not know whose house is pictured, here is a view of the inside of a home at Put in Bay:

In Coewell’s (or possibly Crowell’s) Billiard hall, several gentlemen appear to be enjoying beverages, before they play pool:

The Atlantic Billiard Hall is featured in this stereograph card:

An article from the July 9, 1873 issue of the Sandusky Register reported on the opening of the Atlantic Billiard Hall. A transcription of the article reads:

On Put in Bay

Among the new attractions this year on Put-in-Bay is the new Atlantic Billiard Hall in Doller's new building. Mr. Fred Gill, the proprietor, has fitted up the room in an elegant and tasty manner. The main room is 50x100 feet, and contains six of Brunswick, Balke and Co.'s splendid billiard tables, finished in superb style, and provided with Phelan's patent cushions, than which there are no better made. There is a pocket table for ball pool, and also one for pin pool. Mr. Gill has taken great pains to make his establishment au attractive place, one which ladies can visit with propriety and never have occasion to regret it. We are of the opinion and earnestly trust that Mr. Gill will have a successful season, for he is of a very obliging disposition, and exerts himself to the utmost to please his patrons. In addition to his billiard room, he has fitted up a ladies parlor, where ladies can go and enjoy themselves sipping lemonades or cobblers to their heart's content, without fear of molestation. In a few days Mr. Gill will have another entrance to his place, on the south side, for the especial accommodation of ladies and their escorts. He has stocked his bar with the choicest of wines, liquors and cigars, and what is better does not charge exorbitant prices for anything. A visit to the Atlantic Billiard Hall will convince any one that what we have said is strictly true, and we can assure them that Mr. Gill, who is a courteous gentleman, will strive to make them feel at home. Give him a call when you are on Put-in-Bay.

Traveling to Put-in-Bay in 1878

Around 1878 this Summer Time Card of the Put in Bay Steamers was printed by the Calvert Lithograph Company of Detroit. Steamers brought passengers to Put-in-Bay from Sandusky, Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit.

The steamer Pearl in Put-in-Bay harbor, circa 1878

The side-wheel steamers Alaska and Pearl were new in the summer of 1878. They had a daily line, with the exception of Sundays, that traveled between Put-in-Bay, Cleveland and Buffalo, with connections at Put-in-Bay to and from Sandusky, Detroit, and Toledo.

Advertisements for the Put-in-Bay House, the Beebe House, and the Golden Eagle Wine Cellars appeared on the opposite side of the Steamer Time Card.

Several books and historical photographs about the Lake Erie Islands region are available at the Sandusky Library and its Archives Research Center.

The Battle of Lake Erie Monument Association

On the weekend of July 4, 1852, five companies of the Volunteer Militia of Ohio celebrated the anniversary of American independence by holding a three days’ encampment at Put-in-Bay. A preliminary meeting was held “for the purpose of effecting a monumental organization…in reference to the erection of a monument on Gibraltar Rock, Put-in-Bay, commemorative of Perry’s brilliant victory on Lake Erie, and in honor of the dead who fell in that memorable engagement.”

A book recording the event, An Account of the Organization and Proceedings of the Battle of Lake Erie Monument Association and Celebrations of the 45th Anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie is housed in the historical collections of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center, and is also available full text at Google Books.

The library has an invitation presented to Horace Newton Bill, a Brigadier General in the Ohio Militia, to the ceremonies of the laying of the cornerstone of the monument to commemorate the naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie.

While the cornerstone was laid in 1859, the monument was not completed as planned. After purchasing Gibraltar Island in 1864, Jay Cooke built a small monument to Oliver Hazard Perry using the existing base. A photograph of the monument also appears at the Remarkable Ohio website.

After several failed attempts to construct a larger monument to honor Commodore Perry, construction of the Perry Memorial at Put-in-Bay was begun in 1912. Now known as the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, the monument opened to the public on June 13, 1915. To learn more about the history of Put in Bay and the Battle of Lake Erie, you could find several books in the Sandusky Library's collections.

A Trip to Put-in-Bay

The library's historical collections contain photographs of young ladies from Sandusky visiting South Bass Island in 1919 and 1920. Pictured below are Ruth Beach, Helen Rheinegger and Verna Bornhauser, who were all in their late teens at the time. 

    

The young ladies also visited Hotel Victory during their visit in 1919. They posed for a snapshot on the ladder of the (apparently empty) hotel swimming pool. Sadly, the Hotel Victory was destroyed by fire on August 14, 1919.

  

On May 22, 1920, Verna Bornhauser and Dorothy Sturm posed on the barrel of a cannon in the park at Put-in-Bay.

                      

This picture was taken on the road to a visit to the state fish hatcheries:

Residents of Sandusky were fortunate to have easy access to steamboat transportation to the Lake Erie Islands. The Frank Kirby was just one of the steamers that ferried passengers to Put-in-Bay in 1919 and 1920.

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.

The Sidney Frohman Lodge

Sidney Frohman was born in Sandusky in 1881, the son of David and Rachel Strauss Frohman, who were both born in Germany. Known as the “Dean” of the corrugated box industry, Sidney Frohman served as President of the Hinde and Dauch Company for thirty four years, and chairman of the board for seven years. During his years at the helm of Hinde and Dauch, he led the company through a steady expansion program. He was a generous supporter of civic organizations in the Sandusky area, and formed the Sidney Frohman Foundation charitable trust in 1952.

From 1935 until 1960, the Sidney Frohman Lodge was a focal point for entertainment on the East Point of South Bass Island. Mr. Frohman used the lodge to entertain friends as well as business associates. The lodge featured a main home with 24 rooms, five small cottages, banquet facilities, and a large boat dock.

On June 7, 1936, a group of Hinde and Dauch employees visited the Sidney Frohman Lodge at Put in Bay.

Katharine Hepburn and Ann Harding’s visit to Sandusky and Put in Bay

On the front page of the October 28, 1940 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal, reporter Harold Detlefsen wrote a feature article about two movie stars who made a visit to the Lake Erie Islands area on Sunday, October 27, 1940. (Harold and his wife would later found the RFD News.)

In conjunction with a promotional tour for the movie “The Philadelphia Story,” Katharine Hepburn, her brother, and actress Ann Harding made a stop in Sandusky while traveling from Cleveland to Detroit. The group traveled in the Hepburn Lincoln town car which had New York license plate number H-97. They visited the Sloane House hotel, where Ann Harding told the housekeeper that she was a direct descendant of Rush Sloane, for whom the hotel was named. She said she was also related to Jay Cooke. (To date, these family connections have not been confirmed.)

Despite cool weather, the visitors took a speedboat ride to Put-in-Bay. Sandusky resident Herb Barber was at the helm of the boat, owned by Worthy Brown, Inc. Ann Harding was familiar with Put in Bay, as she had formerly lived there while married to actor Harry Bannister. Mr. Detlefsen said that in spite of inclement weather, Katharine Hepburn said to him, “R-E-A-L-L-Y, I’ve had the most wonderful time here.” Miss Hepburn also autographed a photograph for the reporter. Harold Detlefsen said that the driver of the boat did not know the identity of his passengers until after their boat trip. In fact, only a few area residents got a glimpse of Katharine Hepburn and Ann Harding. Mr. Detlefsen stated that after seeing and speaking with Miss Hepburn, he felt he had “seen real glamour!”

Kurt Boker and Snakes of the Lake Erie Islands

Among the numerous historical notebooks from the Kurt Boker Collection of the Sandusky Library’s Archives Research Center, is a collection of documents related to Snakes and Snake Stories of Kelleys Island and Surrounding Areas. The articles are from the Firelands Pioneer, Sandusky Register, and several other periodicals. As article from the May 17, 1911 issue of the Sandusky Weekly Register, by E. L. Moseley, urges area residents not to kill the fox snake, which were helpful to farmers by eating rodents.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the Lake Erie water snake to be a threatened species. The non-venomous eastern fox snake is found in the northern most portion of Ohio, as well as on the Lake Erie islands. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, rattlesnakes were once prevalent on Rattlesnake Island. The last sighting of the poisonous timber rattlesnake was in 1961. Pictured below is Mr. Boker and a rattlesnake he found on Put in Bay in 1961.

In May of 1961, Mr. Boker was hoping to transport three snakes from Ohio to the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. Roger Conant replied to Kurt Boker, with instructions on how to ship live snakes via train or air, along with instructions for shipping pickled specimens.

Mr. Boker successfully managed to ship three snakes to the Philadelphia Zoo. All were of record size: an eastern garden snake with a length of 48 ¾ inches, an eastern hognose snake which was 45 ¼ inches long, and an eastern fox snake with a total length of 78 1/8 inches. Roger Conant wrote about the three snakes in the December 31, 1965 issue of the Journal of the Ohio Herpetological Society. Mr. Conant felt that the most interesting of the three snakes was the eastern fox snake. He wrote that besides being of great size, it was eyeless, and many of its scales were fused together. During its time at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden, the eastern fox snake ate freshly killed white mice that the zookeepers placed near its head.

Visit the Archives Research Center to view the Kurt Boker Collection which contains a wealth of historical and genealogical information about the families and businesses of Kelleys Island.

Semiannual Encampment of the Ohio G.A.R., 1869

Several Sandusky residents, along with two hundred fifty delegates to the Semi-Annual Encampment of the Ohio Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) took a trip to Put-In-Bay on July 22, 1869. The steamers “Evening Star” and “Reindeer” transported the excursionists, commanded by Captains Kirby and Orr. The Sandusky Register of July 23, 1869 reported: “It was noticeable that the entire party, fully one-third of which was ladies, were in the best of spirits. The occasion was a joyous one, and the weather was as perfect as could be desired. The citizens present vied with each other to make the occasion a memorable one in the annals of the Grand Army of Ohio…”

During the Ohio Encampment, several speakers were heard. Gen. J. Warren Keifer made an address in Sandusky on July 21st, which was published in the July 22, 1869 Sandusky Register.
When Gov. R. B. Hayes spoke, “he assured the audience that the speakers present had been warned not to occupy more than five minutes.” An important topic of the encampment was the necessity of establishing a children’s home for the orphans of veterans.

The McMeens Post of the G.A.R. was the topic of a previous blog entry. Post 19 was named in honor of Dr. Robert McMeens, a Civil War Physician. Larry Stevens, in his Ohio in the Civil War web page, lists these Erie County posts of the G.A.R.:

McMeens Post 19 --- Sandusky
Arthur Cranston Post 73 --- Milan
Gen. M.F. Force Post 142 --- Ohio Soldiers' & Sailors' Home
Geo. E. Fowler Post 153 --- Berlin Heights
Thomas Neill Post 423 --- Castalia
H.G. Delker Post 428 --- Vermillion
Sam Edwards Post (611) --- Sand Hill
Moses Martin Post 649 --- Huron
J.T. Toland Post (695) --- Sandusky - Ohio Soldiers Home

While not all details are known about these Erie County Posts of the G.A.R., some details have been gleaned from historical newspaper articles. The General Manning Force Post 142, at the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home was named for General Manning F. Force, an officer in the Civil War, who was Commandant of the Ohio Soldiers Home from 1888 until his death in 1899.
The J. T. Toland Post 695, also located at the Ohio Soldiers Home, was named for Colonel John T. Toland, of the 34th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who was killed at Wytheville, Virginia on July 18, 1863. The George Fowler Post 153 was most likely named for a corporal in Company G of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Arthur Cranston, namesake of Milan Post 73, began service as a private during the Civil War, later appointed a cadet at West Point. and was a lieutenant when he was killed in the Modoc War in 1872. The H. G. Delker Post 428 was named for prominent Vermilion business man Henry G. Delker. The Sam Edwards Post 611 at Sand Hill, Moses Martin Post 649 at Huron, and the Thomas Neill Post 423 the Thomas Neill Post were all named for Civil War Veterans who lost their lives during wartime service. Thomas Neill, Jr. and his brother Foster Neill, both in Co. G of the Ohio 123rd Infantry, were imprisoned at Andersonville, Georgia, during the Civil War. Foster Neill was part of a prisoner exchange, and he was returned North during the war, but his brother, Thomas Neill Jr., died while he was being held prisoner at Andersonville.

While these Erie County Posts of the G.A.R. are no longer active, the Thomas Neill Woman’s Relief Corps, No. 275 is still active in Castalia, Ohio. The members of the group provide an annual scholarship to a graduating senior at Margaretta High School, and members place flags on the graves of area veterans prior to Memorial Day.

John Brown, Jr., of Put-in-Bay

Born in Hudson, Ohio in 1821, John Brown, Jr. was the oldest child of abolitionist John Brown and his first wife Diantha Lusk. During the Civil War, John Brown, Jr. served as Captain of Co. K of the Seventh Kansas Cavalry. In 1862 John Brown Jr. moved to Put-in-Bay, where he lived for the rest of his life, a well respected citizen. The 1880 Census lists John Brown, Jr. as a grape grower, living in Put-in-Bay with his wife Wealthy and children John and Edith. Edith would later marry Thomas B. Alexander, an actor and Mayor of Put-in-Bay for many years.

John Brown, Jr. died on May 2, 1895. Funeral services were held under the auspices of Science Lodge, F. and A.M. Masonic ritual was adhered to throughout the entire service. Judge E. M. Colver gave the eulogy. Judge Colver paid a glowing tribute to Mr. Brown, stating that John Brown, Jr.’s “name was connected with the greatest pages of America’s history.” The judge continued, “He was a disciple of truth and his life exemplified that great truism, ‘an honest man is the noblest work of God’ ”

Sanduskian James M. French paid tribute to John Brown, Jr. on behalf of the people of color of Ohio. He spoke of the sacrificial spirit of the Brown family. “The lesson to be carried away is that we should have a renewed inspiration for progress and advancement in our civil and educational lives, to show our appreciation for what was done in our behalf.”

Active pall bearers were appointed from the G.A.R. and the local Masonic lodges: H.G. Schumacher, T. F. Spencer, A. A. Magill, S. C. Wheeler, C. F. Steen, and S.R. Irvine. Honorary pall bearers were: Capt. John Stone, J. J. Stranahan, Jackson Jones, Home Ennis, Capt. George Brown, and D. P. Vroman

Lydia J. Ryall included a sketch of the life of John Brown, Jr. in her 1913 book Sketches and Stories of the Lake Erie Islands, available in the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library. An earlier edition of Ms. Ryall’s book, under the pen name Theresa Thorndale is found at Google Books. The papers of John Brown, Jr., including many letters, are found at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center. The Genealogical Project of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society features a page on its website dedicated to the Brown Family.