57,720 research outputs found
Chicago-Kent Patent Hub Launch - David Clough
No full textDavid Clough (Class of 1993) speaks at the launch event for the Chicago-Kent Patent Hub. The Chicago-Kent Patent Hub is a pro bono program that helps qualified, low-income inventors and small businesses in Illinois obtain volunteer legal assistance from local patent agents or attorneys licensed to practice before the USPTO. The program was launched by Chicago-Kent and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.https://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/events_2015/1077/thumbnail.jp
Kent Roosevelt High School yearbook 1959
No full textYearbook from Kent Roosevelt High School.
Digitization funded by David Dix, with the inscription: "To my wonderful classmates
The Kent Historian, Kent Historical Society Newsletter, Number 101, Summer 2021
No full textSpecial issue: In Memoriam
Remembering Roger DiPaoloTHE KENT HISTORIAN
September 2021
In Memoriam
Remembering Roger Di Paolo
By Sandra Halem President Emeritus KHS
In June 2009, Roger and I met at the Haymaker Farmer's Market in Kent and spoke once again about putting together a book about Kent history based on his Sunday Record-Courier newspaper columns. He had taken over the local history column after Loris Troyer had retired. It was his rightful inheritance. While Loris had learned his history as a transplant from Amish country, Roger was born to it. He absorbed the stories of his hometown as well as becoming an expert on all the small towns that made up his beloved Portage County.
As the Kent Historical Society Presi ent, 1 ha ma de publications a priority. We began a six-month accelerated timeline to a Christmas publica
tion assisted by "Team Roger," which included journalists Mary Louise Ruehr, Bob Springer, Kasha Legaza-Burton and her husband Jona, along with Roger, my husband Henry and me. We winnowed down hundreds of columns into categories but couldn't decide on a title. Roger settled on Rooted in Kent.
No one was more "rooted" here than
Jit.ne_3, lq5b -JLLne t't, ~o)J
Roger. He had been an award-winning reporter who could have taken his talents to a bigger city but leaving was unimaginable. Kent was everything Roger loved. Being editor of the RecordCourier was everything he had dreamed about. Few people can be so totally fulfilled by a job that both defined them and contributed to the betterment of their community.
He loved sharing. It was his honor to be asked questions and his greatest pleasure to be able to answer them. But most of all, he left us all with a better sense of the arc of our town's life through the eyes of one of its favorite sons who never had to leave to be successful. Roger stayed out of choice and contributed out of love. His death leaves an enormous hole. We will miss all the books that will never be written, but we are grateful to have had you here with us, dear friend. Thank you for making a difference.
By Wayne R. Enders Historian-in-Residence Portage County Historical Society
For most of its 213 years of history, Portage County has been fortunate to have had several individuals who have had an interest in recording local history. Roger Di Paolo and I met when we were in the eighth grade because of our parents' activity in local politics and stayed in touch over a half century due to our love for local history. Through his inquisitive mind, attention to detail, and his search for truth, he was able to apply his journalistic skills to write some of the best nar-, · l, rative histories of our age. As editor of the
Record-Courier at 36, Di Paolo had the most powerful typewriter in the county. He never used his influence to label or divide, but to encourage and unite. Roger was a great listener. He was not one to interrupt. If asked a question concerning someone he knew or a topic that was dear to him, he could talk at great length with a wealth of information. His books on Kent and Ravenna were a reflection of his commitment to history and his desire to educate his readers. Those narratives were but the tip of the iceberg of the knowledge he had, and the unwritten ones forever lost by his untimely death. A friend of the underdog and those who were denied rights and freedoms, he chose his friends from all walks of life, His only unwritten requirement was that a person be fair, honest and opened-minded. It was my honor and privilege to have been his friend and colleague. 2017, he authored Portage Pathways, a went on to careers in national media.
By David Dix Former Publisher, Record-Courier weekly history column that had been Born June 3, 1955, Roger is survivedstarted by his predecessor, the late Loris by his husband, Timothy Krasselt; his
Roger J. Di Paolo, my editor ofthe
C. Troyer. Di Paolo's Portage Pathways
son, Brian Di Paolo; and his sisters, LinRecord-Courier from 1991 until March were compiled into two books. Rooted da Di Paolo Prezioso and Betsy Soule.
2017, died June 18, 2021, following a
. in Kent was published in collaboration
long battle with cancer.
with the Kent Historical Society and An elegant The Ravenna Record was published to stylist and raise money to refurbish the historic grammarian Ravenna flagpole on Main Street.
By Henry Halem
ofprecision, I will miss Roger. He was a wonderVolunteer, KHS
an avid reader
ful conversationalist and my near daily
and student of Beyond a personal friendship, I had
discussions with him about the day's
local history, Di the pleasure ofworking with Roger on
news after he became editor were never
Paolo chronihis book publishing projects for the
dull. I looked forward to them and
cled the news of Kent Historical Society.
learned a lot. Roger held strong views.
Portage County Sometimes we did not agree, but he I have many fond memories ofsitfor 40 years. He got his start at the Rehad a way ofmaking me re-examine my ting around my dining room table withcord-Courier as a reporter in 1977 when
own opinions and Roger nearly always Roger and his editorial team, hashinghe reported on the protests surrounding
made me laugh. He had a great capacity out which articles and photos to includethe construction ofa building on land for empathizing with those getting a in his book Rooted in Kent: 101 Taleschat intruded on the site where four
ftom the Tree City. His eye forstudents were killed on May 4, 1970.
detail was always present. HereA Roosevelt High School student in
are a couple ofdetails Roger1970, the shootings had a formative
wanted included in the bookeffect on Di Paolo's view ofthe world.
that I found in notes from thoseHe had an affinity for the underdog,
meetings: Include about the Silkpassed on by his father, the late Judge
Mill: "... it took about one millionRoger F. Di Paolo.
bricks to build which were all supRoger's abilities were recognized plied by the Ferry Brickyard which early. In 1978 while a student at Kent was located in town. "About the State, Di Paolo was the recipient of Clapp/Woodward House, "... the James M. Sutherland Award, cited there is a fireplace in every one of as the Most Promising Young Profesthe four rooms facing out on main sional by the Sigma Delta Chi/Society street. No two fireplaces are alike. of Professional Journalist. He was One is oak, one is cherry, and two one of60 honored by the Kent State are paintedstone. "The book was University School ofJournalism and his labor oflove. Mass Communications at the School's
The years passed and Roger60th anniversary in 1997. He was
was itching to get involved inthe recipient offour Ohio Associated
another book. I suggested we putPress Awards including Best Editorial
together a book of Kent, BradyWriter. Honors were also bestowed by
Lake and Kent State Universitythe Portage County Historical Society,
vintage postcards. Roger thoughtthe Portage County Chapter ofthe
the book was a wonderful idea,NAACP, the Kent City Schools of
and we were soon hard at workHall ofFame, the Kent Area Chamber
sorting postcards. Once Rogerof Commerce, and the Ohio School raw deal in life and had no patience for made his decision, he would then writeBoard Association. He set a record as those who feel entitled. two or three lines describing each card.the featured speaker for Kent State UniAs
editor, Di Paolo oversaw a staff of But Roger soon found that for many
versity's town-gown Bowman Breakfast approximately 20 full-time and partofthe cards he had more to say. Howon three different occasions.
time employees and a budget exceedcould it be otherwise? Roger was a man Devoted to local history, Di Paolo ing $1 million annually. He enjoyed ofdetails. On many occasions I would compiled a popular weekly history feateaching newcomers and was proud that have to tell him to "shorten it" and ture called Yesteryears. From 2002 until some ofthe reporters he worked with began to think ofmyself as chat grumpy old editor often depicted in old blackand-white movies. He would grumble, but eventually he'd find a way to shorten it. This book, Welcome to Kent, A Postcard Portrait ofthe Tree City,
was in full color, and Roger was very happy with the result.
In 2020 my wife Sandy revived an idea she'd had when she was the president of the historical society. Roger's cancer was in remission and she hoped he could help develop a walking tour ofStanding Rock Cemetery. I would design a folded two-sided piece; on one side, a full-color map of the cemetery with specific grave sites marked, and on the other, a brief synopsis of the person buried at each site. He couldn't wait to start on the project. Roger and Sandy insisted that the tour include those individuals who represented -our historical diversity. Once the names were decided, Roger set to work writing a brief biography ofeach individual. "A Walking Tour of Standing Rock Cemetery" is a Kent "who's who." Seventy-seven people from all walks oflife who made a difference. Sad to say, there is now one more name to add to that distinguished list.
I loved working with Roger and his "Team Roger," as we were known. I loved Roger. Listening to him reflect on all things Kent was a treat. He was not a man of few words when it came to his hometown and all the families that lived and died here. Whenever a Kent question arose about a family, a person, a place or a date, "Call Roger" was the cry. Call Roger. We
cannot call Roger anymore, and I cannot tell you how many times since his death I have needed to make that call. Farewell, my friend.
By Doria Daniels Civic Leader
Roger and I shared the same passion about the accurate history and recognition of Kent's South End neighborhood. Our interaction with each other goes back over 30 years when as a journalist and later a city editor. He had a keen eye for digging deeper into stories that
emanated from our neighborhood. He didn't gloss over stories or dismiss content as we had experienced before. This is how our
friendship developed. It was years later that I learned his heritage began in the south end and he was obviously not embarrassed to associate or identify with his "South End" roots. He was fully supportive of our efforts to seek historic recognition for the neighborhood and was an asset in providing research, especially on the Italian contributions to this community. The legacy he left to this cpmmunity will be the drive to excel and to continue to overcome the prejudice and stereotypical depictions of the neighborhood. To that end we are PREVAILING.
Team Roger: I to r, Henry Halem, Bob Springer, Roger, Kasha Legeza-Burton, Sandy Halem By Charles Michel Childhood Friend
Conversations with my childhood friend Roger Di Paolo, always went something like this.
Me... "Roger, whatever happened to old Mrs. Kelly?"
Roger... "She died on Thanksgiving Day, 3 years ago. She had been living with her daughter, Lucy (whose married name
was Smith) down in Ft. Myers Fl. Lucy was the youngest of the Kelly kids. There were ten kids in all. From oldest to youngest... there was Tommy, Teddy, Theresa, Mary, Emily, Arthur, Danny, Helen, Ellen, and baby Lucy. They lived on Highland Avenue just behind St. Patrick's Church. They are all still living except for Arthur, who died in Vietnam on September 3, 1969."
No one person has ever known more about or cared more about the people in his own home community than Roger. Roger was much more than the editor of a newspaper... he was the heart that held close every memory of everyone and everything. For Roger, every Kent resident, past and present, living and dead... was family. And the entire community was itself more of a family because Roger lived his entire life there. Like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, Roger's life was made wonderful by making a very big difference in his very own backyard. Roger Di Paolo was indeed "the richest man in town." And
the town and the state and the nation
and the world will forever be a bit poorer now that Roger is no longer here
to keep it rich in memories and rich in
love.
By Jack Amrhein
President, KHS
On October 24, 2017 the Kent Historical Society and Museum's Board ofTustees appointed Roger Di Paolo as historian-in-residence. The board was fortunate that Roger was available to do the job and he and his knowledge of Kent's history were well known to the community. Mr. Di Paolo wrote or coauthored as well as edited books for the Society. In his role Roger helped muse
~------------------------
Roger's horse-drawn hearse on its way to Standing Rock Cemetery ~
um visitors research historic questions as well as helped them trace relatives or past businesses that were important to them. He also presented programs
on our behalf to the citizens of the community.
On many occasions I remember Roger sitting down with visitors, employees and members and
weaving Kent's history into fascinating and interesting stories. His knowledge of Kent's long and varied history was amazing. No one had the vast knowledge ofour community's history as did Roger. He was an excellent addition to our Museum's team. His talents as an author, editor and historian enabled the Kent Historical Society to enrich its programs of events, publications and public programs.
Roger will be deeply missed.
To contribute to the Roger Di Paolo Student Scholarship Fund at Roosevelt High School please call KHS at (330) 678-2712 or email [email protected]
Photo credits: Brad Bolton, Tim Krasselt, Sandra Halem, Henry Halem ~ . 1
fu,,b.,fLuc:t~v ill." Jtu~ ~ ~/},_
~-~---, ~ ~1'
And, ofcourse I am grateful for havinggrown up in Kent, a community whose diversity is part ofmy heritage
The Kent Historian, Kent Historical Society Newsletter, Number 82, Winter/Spring 2014
No full textTHE KENT HISTORIAN
The Newsletter of the Kent Historical Society Winter/Spring 2014
Number82
Town and Garden Tour returns June 7, 8
Kent is an eclectic mix of old and new, of
past and present.
In June, residents will have a special opportunity
to see this up close.
1he Kent Historical Society will host the
Town and Garden Tour on June 7 & 8, with a
special sponsors night party on June 6. The
tour will include a variety of unique historic
homes, gardens, and buildings in the downtown
and the West Main Street area. It will also
feature unique urban living spaces at Acorn
Corner.
Tickets will be 1 ,400 with a good portion of that going to
support the mission of Kent Historical Society.
KHS also raised 1,400, which will help support
the mission of Kent Historical Society.
The Brady Lake Park opened in 1891 and
remained in operation until the late 1940s,
when it deteriorated into a gambling and
nightclub resort.
veloper, Don Wilson Sr., rook over the park in
the late 1920s and led it during its "golden
age," Endres said.
The park eventually featured a figure-eight
roller coaster, a carousel and a midway. Campsites
and summer cottages were developed.
Big-name bands and acts performed, including
Cab Calloway and Rudy Vallee. Unusual
acts were brought in to draw larger crowds including
"aerial daredevils ," rodeos and horse
swimming acts. Bingo was added in 1938. In
1942, the park was sold to a group of Clevelanders,
who changed the focus to gambling,
which ultimately led to its closing in late 1949-
50.
Winter/Spring 2014
Sandy Halem steps down as KHS president
By Sandra Halem
This January, I retired from the presidency
and board of the Kent Historical Society. fu I
look back, I remember so much of the history,
both institutional and personal, that has
made this 40-year partnership so gratifying.
I was cleaning out my files and came across
an interview in the Record-Courier from
May 1977 which began with the following
paragraph: "Keeping Kent history alive is
Sandra Halem's hobby, a hobby that is keeping
her quite busy lately. Sandy and members
of the Kent Historical Society are preparing
to restore the Kent Railway Station."
At that time, I was a producer and writer
in the Television Services Department at
Kent State University, creating programming
for the newly opened PBS station Channels
45/49.
Our daughter, Jessica, was three years old
and my husband, Henry, was building the
glass program within the Kent State Art Department
from the ground up. His academic
appointment at Kent State was the reason we
had come to Kent in the summer of 1969.
We were newly married and anxious to find a
place to call home.
Loris Troyer, then editor of the RecordCourier,
had met my husband and I during a
1970 Town/Gown meeting held following
the tragic events of May 4th on the Kent
State campus. At that first meeting, Loris
learned of my love of history and convinced
Henry and I that Kent was a great place to
live and raise a family. It was the beginning of
a friendship that would last more than 40
years until his death in 2011.
Loris submitted my name to the Kent Historical
Society Board ofTrustees in 1974. I
would be replacing John Carson, who was
leaving to serve as county commissioner. I
was 30 years old and would serve as the first
woman, still unusual for membership on
boards of trustees. John Flynn also was appointed
at the same time, and Howard Boyle
would join in 1977 as the board sought to
engage younger members with skills that
would help in our 10-year quest to preserve
the Erie Depot.
See Halem, page 6
KHS board members in the spotlight
Amrhein new KHS board president
Retired teacher has served on
KHS trustees board since 1997
Jack Amrhein joined the Kent Historical Society
Board of Trustees in 1997 after being
asked by then-superintendent Marc Crail to
represent the school district.
Amrhein began his education career in 1980,
teaching at Davey Junior High, Stanton Middle
School and Theodore Roosevelt High
School before retiring in 2013. He also serves
on Kent City Council representing Ward 2.
This is his second term.
Amrhein moved to Kent in 1976. He graduated
from Kent State University in 1980 and
fell in love with the city and decided to make it
his home, he said.
Amrhein and his wife, Claudia, who is the
general manager of P ARTA, have two sons,
Joshua and Matthew and a daughter-in-law,
Raquel, who is married to Matthew.
Amrhein said chat although he has big shoes
to follow in caking the reins from Sandy, he
said he has learned valuable skills from her.
"Sandy has taught me to go with my gut instinct
and she has taught me to listen to others,"
Amrhein said. "She has also taught me to
think outside the box."
Amrhein said he always had a deep interest
in history and pop culture and has had the
Winter/Spring 2014
"privilege and good fortune to work in the
Kent Schools for some 33 years teaching those
subjects."
Amrhein's avid interest in pop culture helps
him to better understand what Kent was like
during the 1900s and how it has affected the
community as we know it today.
He hopes to continue to share his love of the
topic by hosting pop culture presentations for
the community in the near future.
He said his main goal, though, is to continue
on the same track char Sandy has taken, adding
that education, membership and preservation
are his top priorities as board president.
"History is important because WE ARE the
past: we are the sum of all the events - good,
bad, and indifferent - chat have happened to
us. This sum product guides our actions in the
present," he said.
Amrhein said he encourages people to get involved
with KHS to support the mission of education
and preservation and to assist with the
ongoing renovation and maintenance of KHS
museum's new permanent location at 237 E.
Main St. The museum has been located in the
historic Kem home for nearly three years. Amrhein
wants people to learn to know and love
the museum like he does.
"The Kent Historical Society is the caretaker
of the city's past. I love it," Amrhein said.
Sandy Halem resigned in January as
president of the Kent Historical Society
Board of Trustees. Jack Amrhein has
been selected as the new president of
the board. See story, below.
Friends look
back at Halem's
contributions
Booth
JEANBOOTI-1
KHS Board member
I have only known Sandy
well since I started volunteering
at the Kent Historical
Society a few years
ago. Over the years we
have spent a lot of time
in basements, attics and
storage rooms finding
and preserving historically
significant Kent artifacts. With Sandy
everything is fun no matter if it was a dirty
project like pulling weeds; a tedious one like
folding newsletters or a scary one like climbing
down rickety basement stairs (at our new museum)
to a damp dungeon (at our old museum
on Water Street.) A growing vibrant museum is
Sandy's legacy to Kent Historical Society. Although
Sandy has resigned from the board we
expect that she will continue to share her enthusiasm,
sense of humor and joy in life with
all of us.
See Friends, page 4
3
Halem from page 3
ROGER DI PAOLO
Historian, author, editor
"(Sandy's) like a force of
nature ... a whirlwind of
energy and ideas, but always
with a focus. She's a
great motivator. People
enjoy working with her
because she brings a sense
of fun to whatever needs
to be done. She decided it
was time that I had writ-
Di Paolo ten a book and she did so
much to make it happen. "Rooted in Kent"
would not exist without Sandy and Henry. We
started talking about "doing a book" in June,
she promised me that if I did what she told me
to do, it would be ready by the holidays. I did,
and we published it in early December 2009.
We sold 500 copies by Christmas."
BECKY DUNLAP
KHS board member
For countless years I have accompanied
Longcoy's third-graders on their walking tours
of the city of Kent. One of the students' favorite
stops was the Kent Historical Society
Museum. Sandy (or Mrs. Halem to the students)
would captivate and amaze her 9-yearold
audiences (and the parent chaperones) with
stories of Franklin Mills, early pioneers, etc.,
and show students some of the many interesting
artifacts housed in the museum (including
Martin L. Davey's desk from his time as governor,
antique wedding dresses, an early letter
with a Franklin Mills postmark, Haymaker
family tree quilt, etc.)
She made Kent's history come alive year after
year with the kind of enthusiasm a gifted
teacher wishes to instill in her students. Sandy's
eyes would shine and glow as she shared the
gift of the Kent Historical Society Museum.
Ending the tours, she would sit at the player
piano, pop in a roll of music, and her feet
would pedal to power the music that would
have students swaying to the beat as we exited
the museum.
Thank you Sandy, on behalf of all the children
you have helped educate on the rich and
varied history of Kent, Ohio!
AUDREY C. KESSLER
KHS board secretary
I remember the time after I first came on the
KHS board and Sandy asked me to be the person
to do the newsletter. We met about starting
up the publication. I was impressed with
Sandy's vast knowledge of Kent history. She
knew the information in such depth and detail.
She had ideas for the newsletter but was open
to my suggestions as well, including content
and the name of the newsletter. Her enthusi-
4
asm for the project also increased my excitement
about the work ahead. I felt honored to
be working with her and being able to tap her
expertise and wisdom about Kent history and
how that history could be expressed through
the newsletter.
SCOTT FLYNN
KHS board vice president
Everyone knows that
Sandy was a tireless and
passionate leader of
KHS, but what I'll miss
most is the sense of
humor Sandy brought to
KHS. She and Henry are
a hilarious couple. You
never know what will
come out of Sandy's
mouth next, which is
Flynn part of the reason the
KHS board is going to
miss her so much. Sandy joined the board in
'74, and left in '84. She rejoined the board in
'94 and became president in '04, only to leave
now in '14. I'm looking forward to her return
in 2024.
TOM HATCH
KHS Director
The entire Kent community has been fortunate
for Sandy Halem's leadership of the Kent
Historical Society and Museum over the past
10 years. Sandy's vision and articulate advocacy
has brought us acclaim and growth as she ably
helped us achieve our goal of collecting and
telling the important story of Kent's history
and keeping it accessible for future generations.
KASHA LEGEZA-BURTON
KHS board member
I always assumed historical
societies were stuffy.
And history? Never much
cared for the subject during
my school days. Then I met
local-history dynamo Sandy
Halem - and everything
changed!
In 2009 Sandy recruited
my husband, Jona Burton,
and me to volunteer as de- Legeza-Burton
signer and editor, respectively,
for our mutual friend Roger Di Paolo's book,
"Rooted in Kent: 101 Tales from the Tree
City." We (along with many others) worked
great together as a team to get a fantastic book
published on a very tight deadline. And I was
hooked on local history - and the Kent Historical
Society!
Not long thereafter, Sandy encouraged me to
join the KHS Board of Trustees - yet another
volunteer job I simply couldn't resist because of
her never.:.ending examples of energy, enthusiasm
and a heartfelt commitment to the preser-vation
and promotion of Kent history.
Sandy's youthful spirit permeates every aspect
of KHS - and it's the reason I constantly
find myself encouraging younger friends to join
our local history family with the catchphrase,
"We're not your grandmother's historical society!"
MATT METCALF
KHS board treasurer
Sandy's knowledge of the Kent community,
its people and history will be impossible to replace.
The size and the incredible state of our museum
is a direct result of her years of hard work
and dedication to the Kent Historical Society.
And now that she is no longer volunteering on
our projects, she better learn to keep her checkbook
ready.
JIM MYERS
KHS board member
Sandy, more than anyone
in the history of our
organization, has
PUSHED us to do more
and do better as a group,
encouraging others and
relying on the skrns of
others to make it happen.
We should all be grateful
for her being interested in
the history of her adopted Myers
home town. Since I as one
of the founders of the KHS, have seen her accomplishments
make others, who like myself
have helped along the way, seem "pale by comparison"
to what Sandy has done for us. The
"latch of Hatch," that is the hiring of Tom
Hatch, has taken us to a new higher level!
CAROL SfROBLE
KHS board member
I first met Sandy about
seven years ago when I
stopped in the historical
society when it was on
Water Street. There had
been an article in the
paper about the society
looking for new board
members.
So when I stopped in
to inquire about the open- Stroble
ing and to check out the
place (I had never been there before), I met
Sandy for the first time.
I was so impressed and inspired by her enthusiasm
for the society, her love of the history
of Kent and her passion for preserving it, I just
knew I wanted to be a part of this group!
I know we will all miss her constant presence
there, but she can be reassured that she has
been an inspiration to many others who will
carry on her work.
Winter/Spring 2014
From the pages of history
Fire destroyed Longcoy grocery 102 years ago
Store operated next day, was
rebuilt after Feb. 1912 disaster
The following is reprinted from a story in the
Ju61 30, 1952, edition of The Record-Courier as
the store shuttered its doors cifter 87 years of
operation in Kent.
In 1865 The Civil War had just ended when
a new grocery store and meat business was
started in Kent. Today, after 87 years'
continuous service to the community under the
same name, the store has gone out of business.
The Longcoy grocery store is no more. The
store that has carried the name "Longcoy" for
87 years, serving many of the old-time
Kentites, has sold its stock and fixtures.
***
THE STORE was started in 1865 by David
Longcoy with his twin sons, Frank and Francis
as partners. It continued that way until 1876
when Frank pulled out and went to Iowa. Soon
afterward, the market was moved from its
original location at the corner of Main and
River Sts. to 124 S. Water St.
Frank returned to Kent in 1889 and, with
his brother, handled the store until 1902.
Then, Harry C. Longcoy, son of Frank, bought
the store along with WA. Sparror.
It was during the tenure of these owners that
disaster struck. Early Sunday morning on
Lincoln's birthday in 1912 fire broke out and
destroyed the store.
H.C. Longcoy, aided by his employees,
worked all day obtaining a new stock and
business was resumed as usual Monday
morning in an adjoining room.
In 1917 Harry Longcoy bought out Sparror's
interest and became sole owner. He continued
in possession until 1946 when he sold to Harry
De Voe, who operated the store for a year and a
half under the Longcoy name.
***
ON DECEMBER 1, 1947, David B.
Longcoy, cousin of Harry Longcoy, bought the
store and carried on in the family tradition
until July 19. That date was the last business
Tour, from page 1
the Masonic Temple, the Clapp-Woodward
House (KHS Museum), the Franklin Hotel,
the May Prentice House (new home of the
Wick Poetry Center), the former Lilac Gardens
of Daisy Wolcott, and several other gardens
and historic homes where prominent figures
from Kent's early days lived.
One of the featured houses is the home and
Winter/Spring 2014
A fire in 1912 destroyed the Longcoy grocery store at 124 S. Water St. It was rebuilt and
continued operating until 1952.
day for the Longcoy grocery.
H. C. Longcoy expressed a desire and a hope
that the store could have continued for 100
years. But in this modern day of constant
change and movement, tradition has been
overcome by practicality.
Dave, whose health was the primary reason
for the selling, said, "It was unfortunate that it
fell to me to end the st
The Kent Historian, Newsletter of the Kent Historical Society, Volume 61, Spring 2008
No full textTHE KENT HISTORIAN
Newsletter of the Kent Historical Society
Spring 2008
Number61
HISTORY FEATURE
Spring Floods in Kent Cause Extensive Damage to the Area
It may not have been the first flood
in recorded history to inundate
Kent over the years, but it certainly
was the worst.
The spring 1913 flood did extensive
damage throughout the state, especially
in the Dayton area, though the
Kent area was not spared its ravages,
leaving extensive damage in its wake.
The reservoir at the Kent water-
Commerce and school children together
found the money to repair the
dam. This was regarded as a civic enterprise.
The restored dam remained
intact until the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency demanded that it
be breached during the late 1990s and
early 2000s.
Kent's history of floods began in
the early 1800s, not long after its first
Cuyahoga River dam (albeit a
crude one) was built in 1806,
roughly where the Main Street
bridge is today. The dam was
about seven feet high and was
made of stones, logs and dirt
packed into it to stop the water
flow. A mill race was
constructed on the west side of
the river, and several businesses
used the water. These
included a small grist mill
started by the Haymaker family.
A short time later, a saw
mill was erected, as was a
forge with a trip hammer for
the manufacture of scythes,
The statewide extent of death and destruction in the
1913 flood exceeds all other weather events in Ohio
history, justifying the title of Ohio's greatest weather
disaster. Rainfall over the state totaled 6-11 inches.
The death toll statewide was 467. In Kent (above) , the
Cuyahoga River overflowed its banks.
axes and pitch forks. All used
works was breached, and the water did water from the dam.
considerable damage to the B&O railroad
tracks. Uptown, people anxiously
watched the dam at Main Street as
the water rose higher and higher. The
water was now almost to the floor of
the Stow Street bridge. Large quantities
of stone were placed by the
bridge's footers, and the bridge held.
Back at the dam, the water finally
washed through the lock gates. The
rushing water then started moving the
great blocks of stone from the ends of
the dam. The stone was carried down
the river, and the pool beside the dam
.___; -vas reduced to just the river itself.
The dam was not repaired until
1925 when the Lamson-Sessions Company,
women's clubs, the Chamber of
In March 1832, it rained most of
the month, and on March 28, the dam
gave way. Water rushed downstream
and washed away most of the businesses
that were along the river. The
grist mill, the saw mill, the woolen mill
and the forge all were gone. This dam
was replaced with a sturdy stone dam
when the P&O canal was built from
1836 to 1840. This new dam, which is
historically unique in many ways, is
the same one that is in place today.
It has been reported that the Kent
dam is the oldest masonry dam in
Ohio, the 19th oldest masonry dam in
the United States, the second oldest
arched dam in the United States and
the only masonry dam in the country
that is attached to a canal lock. Although
both the dam and the canal
lock were severely damaged in the
1913 flood, the dam was rebuilt in
1925 to its current height and is in relatively
good condition today. Underwater
remnants of the canal lock also
remain.
Numerous periods of high water
came along in the next few years, but
the next flood of any importance occurred
during the second week of
March in 1868. This flood damaged
the canal banks, breaching them in
several places. The canal at this time
was all but abandoned, but the banks
were repaired by the Akron Hydraulic
Company, which had purchased
the water rights. This was not accepted
by the villagers because they now
complained that the canal was filled
with weeds, had stagnant water and
smelled bad. This flood also washed
away several foot bridges.
During May and June of 1904, the
water in the river rose steadily until
the top course of blocks on the dam
gave way. The rushing water
uprooted many trees and undermined
Sec FLOOD, p. 6.
Inside ...
Tree City Ball . . ... . ... . ... .. .... . . 2
Happy Birthday, Kent . . . ... . . .... . .. 2
KSU Museum Fashion Exhibits . .... .. . 3
From the Kent Tribune . ...... .. ...... 3
KHS Volunteer Spotlight . . ... ..... . . 3
Tales from Oral History . . .. . ... ..... 4
Kent History Briefs .. . . . . ... . ... ... . 4
1924 Kent Cook Book . . ...... . ..... .. 5
New Book on Martin Davey . . . . . . . . . . 5
New KHS Volunteers . .... . ...... . .. 6
Third Annual KHS Tree City Ball
Celebrates 'Preserving Community'
T he Kent Historical Society's Third
Annual Tree City Ball will celebrate
"Preserving Community" while
it honors the recipients of its Leadership
and Legacy awards.
The gala event-which includes a
buffet dinner, an open bar, and dancing
to the music of the gifted singer Helen
Welch and her band-is set for 6 p.m.
on April 26 at the '
American Legion
Hall, 1945 Mogadore
Road in Kent.
Recipients of
the Leadership
Award are Nancy
and Bruce Hansford;
the Legacy .t
Award will be •
presented to the Main Street Kent organization.
The Hansfords are being
honored for their lifetime of service to
the Kent community, while Main
Street Kent is being recognized for its
dedication to preserving and revitalizing
downtown Kent.
Proceeds from the Tree City Ball
support the many programs of the
Kent Historical Society, including ongoing
preservation and care of the
Erie Depot; the acquisition, preservation
and display of Kent artifacts and
photographs; the Oral History Project,
which records spoken accounts of
Kent history; and the Community
Education Program, which takes Kent
history to local schools, organizations
and businesses.
Tickets for the gala are 90 per couple. Sponsorship
tickets are available at three levels.
The 500 Legacy
Sponsor includes
a listing
in the program
and four event
tickets; the 250
Leadership
Sponsor includes
a listing
in the program and two event tickets.
Tickets for the community event
would make a thoughtful Mother's Day
gift! Come out, support the Kent Historical
Society, and enjoy a fun evening.
The Historical Society accepts
Visa, Master Card and checks. Make
checks payable to the Kent Historical
Society, and mail them to P.O. box 663,
Kent, Ohio 44240.
For additional information, call
the Historical Society office at
330 I 678-2712, board president
Sandy Halem at 330 / 673-8632, or
event chairperson Jack Amrhein at
330/ 678-9749.
Happy 141s~ Birthday, City of Kent!
Bake a big cake, and light the
candles-all 141 of them-for that
2
day in 1867 when Franklin Mills Village
was officially
incorporated
and
renamed Kent
on May 6,
1864.
It was on
that date that
the Ohio legislature
ap-proved
the name change, though the
Post Office Department adopted the
new name on August 17, 1864.
The community was so grateful to
Marvin Kent for his efforts to bring
shops and railroad jobs to the village
that it pushed for naming the newly
incorporated town to Kent in honor of
Marvin Kent.
But Marvin Kent thought otherwise.
His preference for the town's
new name was Rockton. It is not
known why Marvin Kent favored that
name. Despite his protestations, the
name was changed to Kent.
Kent Historical Society
THE KENT HisroRIAN is a quarterly
publication of the Kent Historical Society,
a nonprofit organization that strives to be
the primary Kent history resource and
reference center, leading the community
in the collection, preservation and interpretation
of Kent's heritage through exhibitions,
educational programs and activities.
The society brings educational
programs to schools, businesses and
civic organizations and collaborates with
the Main Street Kent and other historic
preservation projects in the community.
Board of Trustees
Sandra Halem, President
Dawn Carpenter, Vice President
Jack Amrhein, Treasurer
John Benedik
Howard Boyle
Scott Flynn
Larry Hugenberg
Audrey Cielinski Kessler
Pat Morton
Jim Myers
Carol Stroble
John Wunderle
Staff
Mary Ann Green, Administrator
Newsletter Staff
Audrey Cielinski Kessler, Editor
Museum Hours
Thursday: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Groups and special tours
by appointment
Direct inquiries to
Kent Historical Society
P.O. Box 663
Kent, OH 44240
330/678-2712
[email protected]
www.kentohiohistory.org
Spring 2008
'Timeless Fashion' from Designers,
Artists on Display at KSU Museum
. ~ xperience .. . timeless fashion at the Kent State University Museum now
- .1....1 through early 2009. Several galleries have been devoted to many of the
world's great fashion designers and artists, with changing exhibitions spanning the
18th century to the present.
Included are European and American gowns, celebrity gowns, traditional
dress and more. The following exhibits ar on display:
• Inner Secrets : Japan ese M en's Haori. Blum Gallery, extended until further notice
• Native Americans through the Prism of Culture: Edward S. Curtis & the Legacy of
Collectors. Mull and Palmer Galleries, through June 15, 2008
• Mood Indigo. Broadbent Gallery, through August 31, 2008
• Belle Epoque Brides. Higbee Gallery, through January_4, 2009
• Galanos. Stager Gallery, through January 4, 2009
Sec FAS HION, p. 6.
From the Pages of the Kent Tribune,
May 24, 1928: 'An Appeal to Public
Spirited Citizens of Kent'
"For the last month, 20 solicitors have worked constantly and steadily to raise a fund
of 8,000 with which to purchase land now owned b y the Gougler Machine Co., having
a frontage of 402 feet located on North River street [now known as North Mantua
Street] to be deeded to the L.N. Gross Co., upon which said Gross Co. proposes to
'-""~rect a beautiful factory
building, and to
beautify this present
unsightly lot from the
street to the river,
with lawn, shrubbery
and trees .... Subscriptions
will be appreciated
and are
solicited from 8,300 was subscribed locally
to purchase a lot on North River Street where the company could erect the
kind of building it needed. The building was completed in October 1928. A large
amount of new equipment was installed and capacity operation was started within
a short time. The branch employed approximately 150 persons, the large majority
,f whom were girls and women (source: The History of Kent, by Karl Grismer.) In
.._/l 994, Dale Adams bought the building that had been vacant for many years and
began its restoration. It i s now home to Dale Adams Enterprises, 315 Gougler Street
(formerly North River Street).
Spring 2008
KHS Volunteers
in the Spotlight
T he volunteers in the spotlight for
the spring are Guenveur Burnell
and Kathryn Hahn Burgess. Here is
what each one had to say about donating
their time at the Kent Historical
Society.
Gu enveur: "I am a long-time Kent resident
and Kent State graduate. I have
seen many changes in the city. I really
enjoy
learning
more
about its
past and
finding
stories of
the Kent
people
from long
ago."
(Guenveur
is helping to scan the Historical Society's
scrapbooks.)
Kathryn: "I was born in Kent, at
home, and have lived in the area for
84 1 / 2 years now. It was my hometown
and having our family business
here [Hahn's Bakery] for over 50
years, you
become
acquainted
with everyone.
By
volunteering
at the
Kent Historical
Society,
I can
help preserve
the
memories of the town I grew up in
and relive them alongside the wonderful
members who work so hard to
keep Kent's history alive."
The Kent Historical Society offers a
variety of activities for volunteers, including
making and sorting artifact
files, identifying and organizing photos,
conducting research on a topic or
individual, leading tours of the museum,
and helping with administrative
tasks such as filing and making copies,
and preparing new-member packets .
To volunteer, contact the Historical Society
office at [email protected]
or 330 / 678-2712.
3
Recollections: Tales from Oral Histories
The following are excerpts from the oral history of Mabelle Apley
(shown here as a young child) recorded December 6, 1990, prepared
for the Kent Historical Society by Donna L. Jeffers and Brigette
Bolger. Apley was born in Kent in March of 1915. She is a
member of the Longcoy family who owned and developed a considerable
amount of property on Kent's west side.
DL/88: And when my father, Harry C. Long-
Could you coy, went into business with the twins,
tell us a little why they started a grocery store. The
bit about the building was a wooden building origi-
Longcoys and nally, and they decided that they
their impact ought to make a cement building. It'd
on the city of be safer .. .. in February of 1912, a fire
Kent? broke out, and they lost a great deal.
MA: ... the original David Longcoy
came from New York state and settled
in what was Franklin Mills at that
time. He had some experience in a
[linseed] oil mill, so he began an oil
mill and then later went into the brick
making business, which was on
Franklin Avenue. And there are build-ings
in Kent which have those bricks.
Sue Nelson Designs' has uncovered
some of those bricks ... in her store.
He married Abbey Woodard, and for
years we had a Woodard-Longcoy reunion.
And as a child ... they told the
story of Abbey's mother taking one of
her babies and riding back to Geneva,
New York, to see her family because
she was so homesick, and she did this
several times on horseback. Then David
and she had a house at Twin
Lakes, and eventually they changed
property with the Haymakers ...
which was known as Longcoy Acres
eventually. And he built a large home
there ... so they lived out here on the
farm for a long time and they said
that David Longcoy was one of the
most generous people. That even with
his large family, they never sat down
to a meal without an outsider, and
that he was a very kind man . . .. But
my grandfather had married Ada
Whetmore ... and they went into the
meat business and [butchered] at
night, late at night, 'cause there was
no refrigeration, and went out the
next day to sell the meat ... later the
business moved across the river ....
Correction ...
They were able to save their cows, and
some meat blocks, and some important
things ... but the rest was gone.
And they called into Akron ... and a
company came and piled everything
they could out of the store, and they
took it down to another building,
south of them, and put it in there ...
they were able to open the store on the
next Monday.
DL/88: So they didn't lose a lot of
money ... ?
MA: ... my father had one of the first
trucks in Kent, an International truck.
They had cars, but they didn't have
trucks. And so, after they got that
truck, they could begin to make deliveries
... again, in the meat business,
they would work and cut that up and
go into the retail business . ... They
would have a route, and they'd pull
up in front of a house and a woman
would come out, select her meat, for
what she wanted, and they'd go on.
And of course, the person at the end
of the route didn't have the best selection
[laughs] unless she had ordered
ahead. And my father started the Kent
Packing Company, which is now
[1990] part of the waterworks over
here on Middlebury Road. The great
hopes were for my brother to go into
the business, but World War II came
along, and he didn't come home. And
so, in a couple years my dad decided
to sell the store, and he sold to
See APLEY, p. 5.
The caption for the photo on page 1 of the winter edition, gave an incorrect date of
1826. The correct date is 1876. We apologize for the error.
4
Kent History Briefs
First Mayor of Kent-by Two Votes
John Thompson, a native of Scotland
who emigrated to the United States in
1832 and settled in Streetsboro, had
the distinction of being the first mayor
of Kent. He was elected Tuesday, July
30, 1867, at the first election held after
the Kent's incorporation as a village. He
defeated Luther Parmalee 145 to 143.
Multi-Arched Bridge
The multi-arched downtown bridge was
started in 1876 and completed in September
of 1877. The bridge it replaced
was a covered bridge made of wood
and constructed in 1837. This wellknown,
arched landmark is 275 feet
long by 60 feet wide and consumed
123,750 cubic feet of stone.
Underground Railroad
Throughout the 19th century, AfricanAmerican
families lived and worked in
Kent. Among them was George Jennings
, a free black man who lived in the
town for more than 40 years. He
worked at the Cuyahoga House and Inn
at the corner of Cuyahoga and Mantua
streets. Run by Jonathan and Eliza
James, the Cuyahoga House was one
of the Underground Railroad "stations"
operating in town. Even though it was
against the law to do so, many citizens
sheltered runaways who went through
Kent, heading north.
Town Slogan
In 1910, a community contest was held
to create a slogan to represent the bustling
town of Kent. The winner? " Kent,
Home of Hump and Hustle."
The Original Tree City
John Davey, founder of the Davey Tree
Expert Company, published a book in
1901 titled The Tree Doctor, which provided
the foundation for a great business
success story. From this book
grew the Davey Tree Expert Company.
John Davey became know as the father
of tree surgery. Martin L. Davey would
go on to become Governor of the State
of Ohio in 1932.
An Ohio Tree City
Long before the National Arbor Day
Foundation initiated the Tree City USA
program , the city of Kent was proclaimed
the original Tree City of Ohio,
on February 19, 1949. The Davey Tree
Expert Company commemorated the
occasion in its newsletter, The Davey
Tree Expert.
Spring 2008
Museum Gift Shop Featured Item:
l924KentCookBookforMother's Day
'" __,J- n 1924, when the ladies of Kent's Congregational Church published their cook-
~ .1. book, modem conveniences such as washing machines, refrigerators and gas
stoves gave women more leisure time. The 17 women in the Circle C Ladies'
Union who compiled and edited more than 300 of their favorite recipes for the
book were happy to share a few of their cooking secrets. This nostalgic reprint is a
perfect gift for your favorite lady. A small selection of vintage-style aprons also are
available. To purchase the book or an apron, visit the Kent Historical Society Gift
Shop during regular museum hours. Here is a recipe for Sunshine Cake from Miss
Emma Patton.
Sunshine Cake
7 whites small, fresh eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 / 3 teaspoon cream of tartar
5 egg yolks
2 / 3 cup flour
Pinch of salt
Beat whites, add cream of tartar and beat very, very stiff. Stir in sugar lightly,
then 5 yolks, well beaten. Then add flour. Put in tube pan and into oven at once.
APLEY
Continued from p. 4
the wrong person ... were not making
a go out of it. So he took it back,
'nd for a few years, David Longcoy
_____.Al ran the store, and then finally he
sold off the equipment. ... When dad
retired, he built this house next door
for he and mother . . . this was out in
not uncommon for tramps to walk
along there .... Generally people we
called tramps were not really looking
for work. They were just footloose, and
would go to houses and ask for food,
and the housewives generally did not
want to turn anybody away .... they
usually got some food. I can remember
one time somebody stopping at our
house when we lived on Park Avenue.
Mother gave him a sandwich,
and at the end of the
driveway he threw it away. It
didn't suit him. But sometimes
they were really
hungry, and they would sit
on the steps and eat, and tell
her how much they appreciated
it.
DUBB: You weren't
afraid? I mean, today you'd
be afraid if someone did
Employees and interior of the Longcoy grocery store , 124 S. that to you.
Water Street in 1917.
the country. So when I came as a Girl
Scout, we used to hike out there and
bring our picnic lunches. And the old
house down at the end of Middlebury
Road, the David Longcoy house ...
and the wallpaper was sagging off the
ceiling and ... it was really spooky.
t\nd there was a straw stack outside
-..__....ihat was still standing, and one time
we were playing around in that and
we saw a man' s clothes and oh, were
we scared! But in those days it was
Spring 2008
MA: I wasn' t because I was
young. And they, my parents, never
made me afraid. But when I think
about it, mother made me stay in the
house when they were there. And one
Sunday morning, I was the only one
that had gotten up, and one came to
the door, and I said, "Well, I'm the
only one up." And after that, mother
said, "You don't say those things."
That was the time I began to realize
you had to be a little bit more careful.
New Book Tells
Story of Kent's
'Most Famous Son'
Politician Extraordinaire: The Tempestuous
Life and Times of Martin L.
Davey by history professor Frank Vazzana
is a carefully researched and engagingly
written political biography
that marks the first full treatment of
Ohio native and politician Martin L.
Davey. An important figure on the local,
state and national political scene
in the early decades of the 20th century,
Davey served as mayor of Kent,
Ohio, was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives and completed two
terms as Ohio governor.
As Vazzana shows, Davey, a
maverick Democrat, did things his
way no matte
The Kent Historian, Kent Historical Society Newsletter, Number 74, Winter 2011-12
No full textTHE KENT HISTORIAN
The Newsletter of the Kent Historical Society Winter 2011-12
Number74
'All About Kent' features
rediscovered author
Rogue vagabond, author who spent
time in Kent topic of Nov. 1 event
By Paul Bauer
Author and Kent book dealer
A short, slightly stooped middle-aged man
stubbed out a cigarette and walked through the
door of my bookshop in Kent, Ohio. In the six
years I'd known Mort Krahling this scene had
repeated itself hundreds of times. Mort (real
name Ron, Mort being a nickname acquired in
tribute to comic Mort Sahl) was such a frequent
visitor that I often handed him the keys
to the shop when I was away. Mort had survived
the turbulent 1960s and his own personal
aftermath in the 1970s to become one of the
fine poets associated with Shelley's Book Bar at
the corner of Franklin and Summit. He was
also a first-rate bread baker and tended bar at
the Town Tavern. And he was an inveterate
note-taker, stopping every few feet in his wanderings
around town to jot down whatever
struck him as interesting. Mort could be curmudgeonly
and irascible - I regarded that as
part of his charm - but was at his core a bookish
and gentle soul.
On this particular summer afternoon in
1992, Mort, as usual, mentioned whatever
book he had just finished. His typical review
was, "It had its moments." Mort was an omnivorous
reader but consumed paperback mysteries
like salted peanuts. He also asked about one
book in particular. Mort requested a copy of
1he Bruiser by Jim Tully, who was regarded by
many as the father of hard-boiled fiction.
I was slightly pained to say that I'd never
heard of the book since I was a great fan of the
genre. My humiliation was complete when
Mort added that Tully had lived in Kent for six
years.
When Mort said Tully was a hard-boiled
writer, I'd assumed he wrote mysteries. Yet
Tully didn't appear in any of the usual mystery
references. He did, I discovered, appear in my
favorite reference book, William Coyle's Ohio
Authors and 1heir Books. The entry for "Tully,
Jim" was written by Paul Chapman, an English
professor at Mount Union College in Alliance.
Tully's biography, according to Chapman,
was fascinating. Born in 1886 (Chapman gave
an incorrect date) in St. Marys, Ohio, Tully
had little formal education beyond a stint in an
orphanage.
Jim Tully, above, is the topic of
KHS' "All About Kent'' program
that will be held Tuesday, Nov. 1,
at Christ Episcopal Church, 118
S. Mantua St. in Kent. Tully lived
in Kent before making his way to
Hollywood, where, for a time, he
worked for Charlie Chaplin, seen
at right with Tully.
While still a child, he hopped a train and
spent the next years crisscrossing the country.
As Chapman gently put it, he "had wide, firsthand
experience with various unattractive aspects
of American life ... " Tully traveled with
drifters, slept in hobo jungles, worked as a circus
roustabout, a tree surgeon, professional
boxer and newspaper reporter. Tully's life was
the stuff of pulp nonfiction.
And, we later learned, he wooed and lost
Nellie Dingley, Kent's first librarian. During his
road years he haunted public libraries and between
trains was kept company by Conrad,
Twain, Dostoyevsky, and others. He found his
way to Hollywood, where he committed himself
to writing, saw his first book published
and, for a time, worked for Charlie Chaplin.
That book, Emmett Lawler, like most of those
that followed, was autobiographical in nature
and drew on Tully's road years.
How, I wondered, could I have never heard
of this guy? Surely, my well-read friend Mark
Dawidziak, then at the Akron Beacon Journal,
would be able to tell me more about Tully.
When Mark dropped by the shop, I mentioned
Tully. Nothing. I pulled Coyle off the shelf,
opened it to Tully's entry and jabbed my finger
on the page. Mark was intrigued. He later
found a copy of Shanry Irish at The Bookseller
in Akron and, after reading a few pages of
Tully's autobiographical novel of his childhood
in western Ohio, he too was hooked.
We started rounding up Tully's books. This
was not as straightforward as it seemed. There
was no bibliography and no Internet. We compiled
a working list of his books from Tully's
dust-jacket flaps and began collecting magazine
articles by or about Tully, as well as books
about Hollywood, boxing, vagabondage and
histories of St. Marys and Kent. And I started
pulling newspaper microfilm at the Kent State
University Library, scanning reel after reel, year
after year, looking for Tully's name to pop up in
See Tully, page A4
2
Pufferbelly Restaurant
marks 30 years this Dec. 16
By Sandy Halem
KHS President
Everyone has always credited Sam Apicello
with the idea of beginning the Kem Historical
Society in 1971. Sam gathered the other
founding trustees, Bill Birkner, John Carson,
Titus Jackman, Leland Keller, Jim Myers, Reed
Strimple and Loris Troyer, to help create the organization
that would preserve Kent's history.
While Sam served as its first president, the task
of creating a museum and all of the exhibits fell
to Bill Birkner, who would devote thousands of
hours of his time. Our first Board of Trustees
reflected a variety of skills that would serve as
the template for future board members. This
was going to be a "working" board that had to
craft a mission worthy of our community.
Though the board drew up a list of important
buildings worthy of preservation around
Kent, the fate of the Erie Depot became the
focus of all its energy. The Depot exists because
of that mixture of public/private partnerships
which seems such a familiar phrase today.
With the opening of the Pufferbelly restaurant
on Dec. 16, 1981, the Kem Historical Society
had an anchor. By 1984 both the Kem
Historical Society and the Kent Chamber of
Commerce would occupy the second floor. The
Pufferbelly Restaurant, now under the ownership
of long-time manager Kevin Long, continues
to be a destination point.
www.pufferbellyltd.com/
The second floor is now rented to Jason
Noble who specializes in studio photography.
His web site is / /www.nobleimages.net/
This past year the society acquired a new
home at 237 E. Main St. I urge you to spend
an hour with us before the end of the year and
perhaps shop for something special for your
holiday gifts. The warmth of our home, its
beautiful rooms, displays and artifacts delight
everyone who has visited.
I smile every day I come to volunteer.
Remember our hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, or by special appointment
for research or tours.
Tell us your memories of Kent landmark
On Aug. 28, 1972, a Kem landmark burned
to the ground.
But many people have pleasant memories of
shopping at Kent's commercial block, located
at Main and Water streets, erected in 1836-37
by Zenas Kem.
Roger Di Paolo, editor of the RecordCourier,
is writing an article to mark the 40th
anniversary of the event next year and would
like to hear some of your memories.
Where did you shop? Do you have photographs
of the fire?
Help us paint a picture of that block's most
recent history and its tragic end.
Please email your written memories or photographs
to [email protected]. You
may also mail them or bring them in person
during our regular hours.
Winter 2011
John, Jean Jacobs honored with first Birkner award
This September, the Board of Trustees voted
to create the "William A. Birkner Distinguished
Service Award."
No two people could fill this extraordinary
call to service more than Jean and John Jacobs,
named our first recipients. Jean and John Jacobs
first volunteered on Jan. 24, 2008. Hundreds
of hours later, the two of them have
shown the same love, devotion and respect to
our society and museum that they show for one
another. John and Jean are a team. They have a
long and distinguished history within our community
which unites two outstanding families:
the Longcoys and the Jacobs. They don't just
volunteer to do what they want - they volunteer
to do what needs to be done.
Please join with our board of trustees, staff
and friends, including special guest Carol
Birkner, as we honor our dear friends the Jacobs
at the special award ceremony and reception
following the ''All About Kent" program
on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, at Christ Episcopal
Church in Kent. The program begins at 7 pm
and features guest speakers Paul Bauer and
Mark Dawidziak.
John Jacobs was born in Kent and graduated
from Kent State High School in 1945. He
graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy
and was a physician in Kent for 39
years. He retired from family practice in 1993.
After becoming interested in learning about
Jean's genealogy, their involvement at KHS
"just seemed kind of natural," Dr. Jacobs said.
"There are good people and interesting
things to do and we are always learning," Dr.
Jacobs said.
Jean (Longcoy) Jacobs was born in Kent.
Joshua Woodard, Jean's maternal grandfather,
came to Kent in 1811. Her paternal grandfa-
Oral History ... Bill Birkner
Nov. 14, 1990 (transcribed and edited)
Prepared for the Kent Historical Society Oral
History Project by Dave Ressler and John
Capretta, students of Dr. William Wilen's Secondary
Social Studies Methods Class in the College
of Education.
Interviewer: When the trains were running
through here (Kent) quite frequently, (what
were some of the) problems of the traffic before
some of the bridges were built?
Birkner: Sometimes it was almost impossible
to get through town, because - this was especially
during World War II. Of course, I can
remember that quite vividly. There were trains
Winter 2011
John and Jean Jacobs, above, are the first recipients of the 'William A. Birkner Distinguished
Service Award." The Jacobs will be honored at a ceremony and reception following
the Nov. 1 "All About Kent" program at Christ Episcopal Church.
ther, David Longcoy, settled in Kent in 1834.
Jean attended Kent State High School, where
she studied business. She worked at the familyowned
Longcoy Grocery, which began serving
the community in the mid- l 800s. The Jacobs
married in 1950 and have two children, Steve
and Jan.
"I love the city of Kent," Jean said. "I love
learning about it and helping others discover
Kent's history."
Birkner was a founding member, past KHS
president (1981-1995) and director ofKHS'
Rowe Museum. Born in Kent, he served in the
Navy during W.W.11 and graduated from Kent
State University upon his return. He worked
for several companies, including Davey Tree,
on this track all the
time, and you had
three places where
you could cross -
one was Crain Avenue
and one was
Main Street and one
was Stow Street. And
you might have trains
... actually, one train
would come down
the track this way, Birkner
and just about the
time that he was off of the three crossings, one
would come from the other direction. And
sometimes you would sit there - I know I
have sat there for more than an hour, waiting
and retired in 1989 from Field Local Schools,
where he taught industrial arts for 18 years.
Birkner worked at building a historical society,
collecting its earliest artifacts and helping
raise awareness about the importance of preserving
the history of the Kent community.
Loris Troyer, another founding member of
KHS, described Birkner's role there in a
newsletter article in July 1989:
"Bill Birkner was a virtual one-man director
of the renovation effort. He spent many hours
of on-hands labor, an effort the community
recognized in 1982 when he was awarded the
Kent Area Chamber of Commerce Public Service
Medal. The Depot's central tower is named
in his honor."
for a train. And then the other part that really
got us was where the roundhouse was. They
had all these tracks where they'd pull the cars
off to unload them. It was like a terminal.
And they'd be switching, and sometimes regular
trains weren't going in and out - while
the switches were on the tracks, and they were
switching stuff around.
And sometimes they'd close Crain Avenue
for 20 or 30 minutes before you could get
across. And this is the reason that they finally
built the bridge over the tracks.
(Ihe new Fairchild Avenue Bridge over the
Cuyahoga River, which will replace the Crain
Avenue Bridge, is scheduled to open to traffic this
November.)
3
Tully, from page 1
the local papers. Mark and I compared notes
on Sept. 24, 1992, and, we grandly announced
to our wives that we would write the first-ever
biography of Jim Tully. They were encouraging.
Publishers, we would discover, were not.
Both of our big breaks occurred on the Kent
State campus. The first came courtesy of
Michael Cole, a KSU librarian. Michael had
noticed my heavy use of the microfilm readers
and asked what it was I was looking for. He
noted Tully's name and promised to do some
looking. A few weeks later, Michael surprised
me with the news that he had located Tully's
personal papers. Over 100 boxes were deposited
at UCLA 's Special Collections Library.
In just a few months we'd gone from having little
more than the entry in Ohio Authors to having
more than enough material for a detailed
biography.
With the help of my wife, Francine, and
Mort, who watched the shop, I flew to Los Angeles
in July 1993 and met Mark, who was already
there on newspaper business. Mark's wife,
Sara, also joined us.
The boxes of Tully's papers were even better
than we'd imagined. There were Tully's manuscripts,
published books and articles, tax returns,
newspaper clippings, divorce papers and
all the other raw material necessary for a biography.
And, best of all, nothing had been
touched since it was donated by Tully's widow
in the 1950s. I will always look back on those
UCLkdays with much happiness. Opening
every box was Christmas morning.
The trail in St. Marys and Kent had largely
gone cold. Francis Kline recalled his father talking
about Tully's visits to the family grocery in
Kent, but that was it. So we were thrilled to
learn that Tully's daughter, Trilby, was living
just outside Los Angeles. If we were to be limited
to just on<; interview, this was the one to
get. Before flying out, we'd heard from Trilby's
son, Robin, that his mother had suffered a
stroke. With lowered expectations we decided
to proceed with the interview and on a sunny
California afternoon, Sara and I were greeted at
the door by Robin and his wife. It was far
worse than we'd imagined. Trilby was confused
and speechless. All those memories. Gone.
We'd missed her by just a few weeks.
Back at UCLA, Mark, Sara and I sat at long,
wooden tables in the Special Collections room
and made our way through the boxes. Our
time in LA was limited and we worked quickly,
taking notes (pencil only) on yellow legal pads
or setting some papers aside to be photocopied
by the library staff. We worked from opening
to dose with only a short break for lunch. It
was both intense and exhilarating, but there
was just too much to look at and too little
time. Mark and I returned the following summer
and Mark returned a third time to examine
the last boxes. One afternoon stands out.
We pulled a newspaper out of one of the boxes
with a headline that was so shocking, we had to
4
Tully wooed and lost Nellie Dingley,
above, Kent's first librarian, who later
served as a nurse and died in France
during W.W.I.
reread it several times. The incident we read
about that afternoon at UCLA would provide
the perfect ending for our book: shocking, dark
and twisted.
We returned to Ohio and unpacked stacks of
yellow legal pads and photocopies. We had
gone from too little information to far more
than either of us could remember - and none
of it was organized in any useful way. Without
logging it all into a database, it was worthless.
Three years and 4,000 entries later, the database
was complete. We wrote an introduction and
began looking for a publisher.
A few more years slipped by before we struck
an informal agreement with a small press. It
wasn't a good fit and we eventually parted company.
Thinking that an agent might have better
luck we signed a contract with a New York
agency. The response was the same everywhere.
The acquisitions editors loved the idea, but the
marketing people worried about promoting the
biography of a subject so unknown.
Even with two of us, the writing was daunting.
We were aware that this would be not just
the first biography ofTully, but possibly also
the last. We had to get it right. The book
needed to be rich in detail but could not become
a data dump. We outlined the chapters
and divided them between us according to interest.
Mark, for example, tended to get the
chapters on Hollywood, Chaplin and Broadway,
while I worked on Tully's St. Marys and
Kent days, including his boxing career. It was
also important that the writing be seamless and
have one voice so we edited each other's chapters.
Disagreements were inevitable but rare
and, in every instance, minor and quickly resolved.
I had many occasions to congratulate
myself on my choice of partner.
When our contract with our agent expired,
we filed away the first few chapters we'd written
and turned to other projects. Tully's life had
seemed like a terrific idea for a book, but I was
forced to concede that the project was beginning
to look like a lost cause.
Our second big break came at a reception
hosted by Kent State University Press. Mark
and I had both known Will Underwood, the
Press's new director, for a few years and when
we bumped into Will, Tully's name came up.
Not only was the Press interested in the biography,
but they had a strong desire to reissue a
few ofTully's books. This coincided with our
real goal: reestablishing Tully as an important
American writer. We spent years looking for a
publisher only to wind up, literally, across the
street from my bookshop. With Will's enthusiasm
and the commitment of a publisher, work
resumed.
With the biography finally rolling to completion,
we began soliciting forewords for the
reprints.
We were very fortunate to get forewords
from filmmaker John Sayles (for Shanty Irish),
historian Gerald Early (for Ihe Bruiser), and
my old friend Harvey Pekar (for Circus Parade).
Harvey's fine piece was one of the last things he
wrote. And Mark succeeded in getting a superb
foreword from Ken Burns for the biography.
The reissues appeared over the last two
years and, after 19 years, Jim Tully's biography
was published in spring 2011.
Nellie Dingley once wondered aloud to Jim,
"It will be interesting to know what becomes of
you ... if you do not get killed in some saloon
or the ring." Now, at last, we know.
Books about, penned by Tully available at KHS
The book ''Jim Tully: American Writer, Irish
Rover, Hollywood Brawler," by Paul J. Bauer
and Mark Dawidziak, is on sale at the Kent
Historical Society.
The biography "compellingly describes the
hardscrabble life of an Irish American storyteller,
from his immigrant roots, rural upbringing,
and life as a hobo riding the rails to
the emergent dream factory of early and
Golden Age Hollywood and the fall of his
fortunes during the Great Depression," according
to the Kent State University Press
website. Also available are Beggars of Life, Circus
Parade, Ihe Bruiser, and Shanty Irish, written
by Jim Tully.
Books also are available through KSU Press
at (330) 672-7913 or at www.kentstateuniversitypress.
com
Birthday bash for bridge comes off without a hitch
More than 100 people witnessed our celebration
of the Stone Arch Bridge dedication.
The Kent Historical Society and Kent Parks
and Recreation co-sponsored "Bridging Kent's
History." A unveiling of the city's Bicentennial
Sculpture was followed by a gala celebrating the
134th anniversary of the opening of the Stone
Arch Bridge.
The sun came out to welcome the crowd that
gathered by the Gazebo as artist George Danhires
spoke about the creation of Kent's own
Bicentennial Sculpture. The sculpture, which is
a bronze relief, is mounted on a sandstone
taken from Plum Creek Park. It is located between
the Gazebo and the Pufferbelly Restaurant
on Franklin Avenue.
Taking their seats directly on the bridge,
spectators enjoyed a performance by the "Advanced
Choral Ensemble," or A.C.E.s. The
group, from Theodore Roosevelt High School,
was directed by Donna Crews. Following a welcome
from Kent Historical Society Director
Tom Hatch, architect David Sommers of
David Sommers & Associates spoke about the
features of the bridge. Although there once
were many similar bridges across the country,
few remain because they were not large enough
to accommodate traffic. Those responsible for
the bridge's construction, particularly Marvin
Kent, insisted that the bridge be built at 60-feet
wide instead of the original proposal of 40 feet.
The crowd was treated to a re-enactment of
the ceremony that marked the bridge's opening
in 1877. Donning costumes for their roles were
Jeff St. Clair as then-Mayor Charles Kent; Ron
Burbick as Edward Parsons; Jim Myers as
Simon Wolcott; John Jacobs as Edward Day;
David Hassler as T.B. Townsend; and Bruce
Dzeda as Marvin Kent. The original script was
written by Sandy Halem.
The crowd smiled as an authentic 1891
Kramer freight wagon - owned by the Bourgeois
family of Stow and Hudson - was pulled
across the bridge by two magnificent Belgian
horses named Jim and Cody, both about 9
years old. In the wagon were Harold and Harry
Ruggles, who are the grandsons of Oscar
Champney, the first person to drive a wagon
over the bridge in 1877. Helping Jack Shuman
with the horses were Roger Bourgeois, Ron and
Kathy Sadler, Pat Shuman and Jessie Hodge,
daughter of Pat and Jack Shuman.
The festivities continued at the Home Savings
Plaza, where cake prepared by Judy Lanfranchi
was served. Special thanks to Marilyn
Sessions and Home Savings for their assistance
in organizing this event. Tours in Heritage Park
also were led by Cathy Ricks of Kent Parks and
Recreation
Winter 2011
Clockwise from top: The team of Belgian
Kent Historical Society Newsletter, Volume 7, Fall Issue, October 1991
No full textKENT HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
"PRESERVING THE PAST TO IMPROVE THE FUTURE"
A Society dedicated to the preservation of historical artifacts
and properties within the City of Kent, Ohio
October, 1 gg 1
152 Franklin Avenue, P.O. Box 663, Kent OH. 44240, Pr1one (216) 6 78-27 t 2
A Q Uititerly Public atiori V oltllne 7 . Fall I~ue Oc10ber .1991
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARVIN KENT
1 75th Anniversary
On September 21st, 175 years ago, Marvin Kent was
born. He became a resident of Franklin Mills in
1838 following manufacturing and mercantile
pursuits. Christian Cackler called him our foremost
citizen. When you consider all of his endeavors and
what all he did for the village, it's no wonder that in
1867 its citizens renamed Franklin Mills Kent Ohio.
The list of the Kent's accomplishments includes a
Mercantile business in Ravenna and real estate in
Franklin Millslike the Franklin Exchange, office
building and the Franklin House Hotel. When built in
1837 the hotel was the largest and tallest building in
the state. The Kent's also built and operated flour
rn i1i s, a tannery l woo 1 en rn il1 s, rJ h:iss factories and
the county's fir.st bank.
Marvin Kent's most challenging feat was the charter
and building of the Atlantic and Great Western
Railway. He made it possible for a freight or passenger
car to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great
Western plains. Marvin liked to call it the great link
because r,e felt he had linked the East with the West
by utilizing the same gauge of track from the Erie
Railroad at Jamestown New York to the Mississippi
and Ohio Railway at Dayton, Ohio.
The building of this railroad also brought to Franklin
Mills car sr,ops where the building and repair of
Coach cars provided employment for over 200
workers. The railroad brought great prosperity to
our town.
The Atlas of 1874 says "The great broad-gauge
railway l stretching in unbroken connection from
New York City to St. Louis, is one of the grandest
monuments of American energy and enterprise upon
the continent, and while others have co-operated in
the work, yet the chief honor of the achievement is
due to President Marvin Kent, Jl So 175 years after
his birth, we wish to acknowledge his birthday.
B i1l Birkner
DON "T FORGET I
The Collector's Addition Christmas Tree ornaments
are on sale at the following locations:
Home Savings Bank
Kent Hardware
The Works
Kent Historical Society
McKay Bricker
Thompson 1s Drug
These ornaments are bright red with a picture of the
Station screen printed on them. We plan to make this
a tradition and each year have a different historic
building or structure.
Be a char-i.er- member and buv one todav. Price 3,500 for the purchase of
computer and office equipment. This equipment,
purchased from Jasan Company and Kent Office
Supply, will make the project much easier to accomplish
in addition to having a long-range benefit
to the Historical Society and the Museum. A special
thanks goes out to the Kent Kiwanis and a donor that
wishes to remain anonymous for their generous
donations. Another thanks to Mr. Birkner for his
timeless and dedicated work on behalf of the History
project and the Society itself.
Jody Huebert Hamm
Project Director
HAYMAKER PIONEER CEMETERY WORKDAYS
On Sunday, September 22nd, Dr. and Mrs. John
Jacobs and Debbie Redman 1s Junior Girl Scout Troop
#62, worked all afternoon mowing, trimmingl and
raking up the grounds of the cemetery. They were
one week early because yours truly had given them
the wrong date for our workday. but my error turned
out for the best because they were ab le to get everything
ready for our big work day on September 29th.
We certainly hope no one gets a poison ivy rash from
our tasks.
Our largest group came from the United Church of
Christ. The UYF youth group and twenty great kids
in attendance. There were four members from Kent
Kiwanis, and three of us from the Kent Roosevelt
class of 1945. We want to thank Gary and Mary
Young for taking the time on Sunday afternoon to
bring and supervise the UYF ( United Youth Fellowship)
members. These kids restores one's faith in
our youth.
We accomplished so much, but we still have a way to
go to clear the brush on the other side of the fence,
repair and clean the stones, and get some plantings
done on the east fence.
We cannot end our story without thanking Mr. Pat
Moffet, Craig McClintock, Roy Foster, David Ear 1
Cox, and David Davis of the Kent Parks and Recreation
Department for supplying trucks and drivers
for removing the brush and debris. Without these
people, especially Roy, David Earl, and David, we
cou 1 d not have accom p 1 i shed our goa 1.
Bill Birkner
LATEST ACQUISITIONS
Wagon Jack, circa 1880. By Mrs. W.W. Loewenguth.
Two pictures of Klines Grocery Employees and the
Elgin Reunion, circa 1911. By, Mrs. Dorothy Moody.
Picture of Roosevelt High-school Band, circa 1924.
By, Mr. Wildun Scribner.
Painting Portage Indian from Portage National Bank
Lobby. By, t1r. John Hostler.
Hand Cloths Wringer, circa 1920's. By, Mr. John
M. Birkner, Jr.
Toy Steam Enginel circa 1930 's. By, i1r. Hugo E.
Birkner, Jr.
Book, Kent State, The Years of Youth, by Phillip
Shriver 1 1954. By,--Mr. W111iam B. Birkner.
The Historical Society is interested in any artifacts,
printed material, or photographs that you may have
The day was wonderful, not too cold, the sun was that pertains to Kent. Please contact the Historical
shining and 32 beautiful people showed up to cut Society at 678-2712 if You have anvthina You would
trees, drag brush, and deal with plenty of poison ivy. like t~ donate for our c~llections. · -· '
Kent Historical society
152 Franklin flue., P .o. Boa 663
Kent, Ohio +1240
KENT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MEMBERSHIP APPL/CATION
NAME: ______________________ _
STREET: ----------------------
CITY: ______________ STATE: ___ ZIP: ___ _
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RATES (please check one)
D Student 35.00
D Single 50.00
D Famtly 100.00
D Lifetime Membership $1,000.0
Kent Historical Society Garden Tour: Honoring the 200th Birthday of Marvin Kent
No full textKENT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TOWN AND GARDEN TOUR
June 7 & 8, 2014
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
WEST MAIN/HISTORIC AREA
D Marvin Kent
Home/Kent Masonic Center
D WW Reed home
D Lilac -Gardens
D Patton House
D Vaughan Gardens
EAsT MAIN/DOWNTON
Acorn Corner 0
Landmark, South Depeyster D
Clapp-Woodward home/Kent
Historical Society Museum D
Dr. Krape/Bumphrey home D
All sites are open and can be visited on either Saturday or Sunday.
This tour booklet is your ticket antlwill be marked at each stop.
Keeping histor~ alive
Family of Leah Bradstock
continues support of KHS
as lead donor for home tour
For more than
Ira Marsh
150 years, the WellsMarsh-
Kunsman-Bradstock
families have contributed
to the life of our community.
Ira Marsh and Edward
Wells both arrived in Kent
Metta Marsh, above left, was the
daughter of Emma (Wells) and Ira
Marsh. Metta's daughter, Leah, below,
was dedicated to preserving the history
of Kent.
after the Civil War. Marsh was a harness
maker; Wells owned a livery. In 1884, Ira
Marsh married Edward Wells' daughter, Emma.
One of Edward and Emma's daughters, Metta, is
pictured in the photo, above right. The duster she
is wearing in the photo is currently on exhibit at
the KHS Museum.
KHS is proud to be the recipient of this family
treasure. Metta's daughter, Leah Kunsman Bradstock,
donated many artifacts, photos and memories
to our museum collection. Leah also served on
our historical society board from 1985-87.
Her daughters, Linda and Jan, continued her tradition
of supporting Kent history.
"Beyond my own interest in keeping Kent's rich
history alive, my family loved living in Kent and I
know how much they wanted to share their part in
its history," Linda said. "The Kent Historical Society
provides me with a way to honor both them
Leah Kunsman Bradstock,
the daughter of Metta
Marsh and Alvin Kunsman,
was born in 1918 in Kent,
where she lived until 2001.
and their wishes, while the dedicated staff continues to provide the public with a
thorough overview of the town's history."
We are sincerely grateful for 'Linda's continued support on behalf of her fami-lies
as the lead donor in this year's event. ·
We salute these families and hope they inspire you to discover and appreciate your
own family's history.
West Side
Tour Sites
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1. Marvin Kent Home/Kent Masonic Center
2. WW Reed home
3. Wolcott Lilac Gardens
4. Patton House
5. Vaughan Gardens
2
Marvin Kent Family Home
(Now Kent Masonic Center)
Built in 1884
409 W. Main St.
Construction began in 1880 on the homestead of Marvin Kent, now
home to Rockton Lodge 316 F & A. M. of Kent. Kent searched northern
Ohio for the finest wood and hired wood carvers from New York
and Cleveland. The craftsmen lived in Kent while work progressed on
the house.
Among the home's remarkable features are walls and partitions of
solid brick, cellar walls and entrance of thick sandstone, and a sloped
slate roo£
When the elaborate home was completed in 1884, it provided 7,335
square feet of living space with 20 rooms, including a ballroom and 20
fireplaces.
During the time the Kent family lived in the home, four U.S. presidents
- either before or after their term - were guests and slept in the
southeast second-floor bedroom. This room remains much as it was in
those days, including the furniture.
The Masons have initiated a nonprofit society, the Kent Home Preservation
Society, to raise funds and coordinate the restoration of the home
to its 1923 status or earlier. The society is open to anyone with an interest
in preserving the Marvin Kent Homestead.
3
W.W. Reed Home
Built in 1889
703 W. Main St.
This beautiful three-story Victorian home was built by W W Reed
for his wife Minnie and their three children, Hattie, Glenn and Helen.
Mr. Reed lived in the house from its construction in 1899 to his death
in 1939.
Mr. Reed was a very prominent and active member of the commu- .
nity, serving as postmaster for several terms beginning in 1905. He also
served the community as a dentist, village clerk, member of the school
board and president of the Chamber of Commerce.
In 1913, Reed, with his son Glen and son-in-law Ross Strimple,
started the WW Reed Agency, which became the region's largest realestate
and insurance business. Mr. Reed also served as the first secretary
of the Home Building & Loan Co. founded in 1898, which is still
thriving today as Hometown Bank.
Through all of his activities, Reed's home became his base of influence
and it was used for many family and community social events that were
enjoyed by his many friends. In October of 1938, Mr. and Mrs. Reed
hosted an open house to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary that
was attended by then governor of Ohio Martin L. Davey and his wife.
After his death in 1939, Mrs. Reed stayed in the house until the mid-
1940s when it was sold to Sam Bissler and later to Dr. Baumgartner for
use as his medical office. The home was later converted to a duplex until
it was restored to its original splendor by current owner Colin Boyle,
who is secretary of Hometown Bank-112 years after the first secretary
of the bank built the home.
4
Wolcott Lilac Gardens
Established 1863
450 W. Main St.
The Wolcott House is a
fine example of eclectic Western
Reserve and Gothic Revival
with influences of
Victorian and Arts and
Crafts from its 1918 additions.
Simon Perkins Wolcott
started construction of the home at 450 West Main in 1863. Wolcott, a
noted politician and civic leader, entertained many at the home through
the years, including Presidents Garfield and McKinley. It was at this
home where Simon and his wife Mary Brewster raised three children,
including son, Duncan, who would eventually own the home.
Although there were some gardens initially present, it was not until
Duncan married Evelyn Daisy Lodge of Silver Lake in 1906 that the infamous
lilac gardens began to take shape. Duncan and Daisy were both
avid gardeners and they set out to build one of the finest home gardens
in the area. The Wolcott garden was far from a normal garden, it was
more of a series of rambling paths, terraces and stone walls, as well as
grassy lawns and flower beds. They purchased additional property to expand
the gardens.
In 1920 the "Lilac Gardens" began to take shape when Daisy received
a gift from her uncle, Col. William R. Plum. Col. Plum owned the
largest collection of French lilacs in the world .and he sent Daisy more
than 100 varieties for her garden. The Wolcotts carefully tended their
lilacs and added more as time went on.
When Duncan died in 1930, Daisy opened the gardens to the public.
The gardens attracted visitors from around the world. Daisy passed
away in 1955 and her sons continued the tradition for a few years until
they eventually sold. the property. The home and gardens fell into disarray.
In the fall of 1985, Stephen and Eleanor Zavodny purchased the property
and set out to restore the estate. At that time, only 70 of the original
lilacs had survived. The· original garden areas were cleared and
azaleas and rhododendrons were planted. A rose garden with a central
fountain was also added. After the passing of Stephen in 2007, Eleanor
and her son Robert continue the restoration of both the home and gardens.
It's a labor of love and far from complete. One hundred and
thirty one lilacs currently occupy the property, with at least 10 more
being added in 2014.
5
Patton House
Established 1902
529 W. Main St.
Once known as the Patton Memorial House, the family residence of
WW Patton, his wife, Harriet, and daughter, Emma, was built in
1902.
Among many community positions, Patton served as Kent's postmaster
and superintendent of Kent schools (1872-1878). Having studied at
both the Boston and Oberlin Conservatories of Music, Emma returned
to Kent to provide music lessons in her beautiful home. Upon her death
in 1939, Emma bequeathed the Patton House to Coterie, a ladies organization
founded in 1896. This "circle of friends," which formed
from the merger of a literary and a cooking club, was chosen to maintain
the property and provide space for community groups to gather.
Having served as the home for Kent State presidents Dr. James Engleman
and Dr. Karl Leebrick from 19 39 to 1942, the formidable front
porch and pleasant large rooms of the Patton House have welcomed
many area social events.
A lovely stained glass window provides a focal point at the landing of
the stairway leading to a large second floor which houses the family
who oversees the property. The decor includes many of the original elements,
from the hand-carved oak foyer, to the antique grand piano
Emma used to share her love of music with her students. Many of her
original furnishings remain, as well.
The home continues in the care of the 125 members of five Kent Co-'
teries who strive to maintain this historic dwelling, which stands, regally,
at the west entrance to downtown Kent.
This historic meeting site is available to rent for groups of up to 50.
Information is available by calling 330 673-5221 or Email kentcoterie@
yahoo.com.
6
Vaugha~ Gardens
129 N. Prospect St.
Home of
Gingr Vaughan
YIN (water) and YANG (rocks)
Rocks are the bones of these gardens; they are ever-present and dominate
in the serene austerity of winter. In warmer months water ripples
from the center of an old stone birdbath, plunges over a boulder-ledged
waterfall and drifts as mist from a secret source high above. The fish
who survived the past winter to call this watery garden home are a
hardy lot and include koi, comets and golden orfes.
Up stone steps, through two ancient red cedars, are a shaded wild
flower garden on the right and a rock garden on the left.
The rock garden provides an environment for a variety of plants as it
covers a bank which is half shade (just the ticket for ferns, hostas and
bleeding hearts) and half sun (to accommodate heaths and heathers,
flocks and thymes).
A redwood gazebo provides a cool, restful spot in the center of the
gardens and allows access to a culinary herb garden and a memorial pet
cemetery which is the final resting place for many cats and two beloved
greyhounds.
7
Kistler
A HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE
FIRMS IN KENT,
OHIO
AND THE REMARKABLE STORY OF 330.673.4818
Fuller
Charles G. Kistler was the first licensed architect in the City of Kent. He began
his practice here in 1920. When state licensing became available, he became the 170th
architect in the State of Ohio to achieve that credential. Kistler's designs include the
original Theodore Roosevelt High School, the movie theaters in Kent and Ravenna,
the Venice Cafe in downtown Kent, and the L.N. Gross building on River St. His phone
number was 673.4818. Kistler's career lasted until 1959 and he eventually went on to
practice with the architects Marine Cornachione, Robert Steuber, Kenneth Derr. and W.
Prentiss Brown.
Doug Fuller, a Boston native, graduated from the Kent State University School
of Architecture in 1973, and remained in Kent to begin his career. Fuller's license
number is 6,298, indicating that there had been 6,128 architects registered since
Kistler. Fuller eventually purchased the firm of Kistler's successor, W. Prentiss Brown in
1984, acquiring the phone number 330.673.4818, and becoming Fuller Design Group
for the next thirty years.
David Sommers graduated (also from KSU) in 1974, and became a registered
architect in 1979 (license number 6,340). He worked for W. Prentiss Brown for the first
5 years of his career before founding his own practice, David Sommers and Associates
(DSA), in 1983. When he moved his firm out of its original home bedroom office, he
moved into the very space where Kistler practiced architecture, the second floor of the
Hometown Bank Building (originally the Carver Block building built in 1889).
When Doug Fuller decided to become a member of the DSA team last year,
he brought with him the phone number that originally belonged to Charles Kistler,
returning 330.673.4818 to the DSA offices at 136 North Water Street where it was first
in use by Kistler.
A managing partner at DSA, Jeffery Meyers (license number l4,903) also a KSU
grad, joined the firm in 2002 and is positioned to succeed Sommers at his retirement.
Together with the current staff of 13 at DSA, he is very proud to continue the tradition
of successful architecture firms in Kent, Ohio, into the 21st century.
Sommers
DAVID SOMMERS & .t'\.SSOCfATF .. S, uc
'AHCBITECTUHE • PLANNING • lNJ'E'f.'<fOr{S
IJ-iui11_3 ,ShtifH! to 'Your Vi~on
136 N. Water St. • Suite 208 • Kent, Ohio 44240
330.678.6144 • 330.678.6135F • www.dsarchitects.net
ADVERTISEMENT
8
Meyers
THEBURBICK Cow ANIES
IS PROUD TO SPONSOR
THE KENT HISTORICAL SocIETY'S
TOWN AND GARDEN TOUR
Kent's Acorn Corner
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2012-2013
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Home of Your Best Bottom Line Deal®
on New and Used Cars, Trucks, Minivans,
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9
Columbus
E. Main St.
East Side
Tour Sites
Esplanade
Summit St.
1. Acorn Corner (Formerly Franklin Hotel)
2. The Landmark, South Depeyster
3. Clapp-Woodward home/KHS Museum
4. Dr. Krape/Bumphrey home
----=========== The Record-Courier ===========-
Proud Sponsor Of
THE KENT HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S
TOWN AND GARDEN TOUR
The Record-Courier
1050 West Main St., Kent • www.RecorclPub.com
330-541-9400
Construction began in June
1919 on a five-story structure that
was planned to be the pride of the
community.
The Franklin Hotel opened on
September 8, 1920. The 16,000-
square-foot concrete and brick
structure featured 50 rooms, including
27 with separate baths,
a formal lobby, mezzanine, coffee
Acorn Corner
(Formerly
Franklin Hotel)
Established 1920
Depeyster/Main
Streets
shop, restaurant, ballroom, billiards parlor and barbershop. At the time,
the city of Kent was very prosperous due to other local development
and the expanding railroad industry. But after numerous changes of
ownership and financial hardship for several decades, the Franklin
Hotel had difficulty operating as a profitable business and eventually sat
empty for nearly 20 years.
Late in 2011, entrepreneur, philanthropist and Acorn Alley developer,
Dr. Ronald L. Burbick, purchased the building and committed to
renewing its historic character, adding some modern-day flare and turning
it into a viable mixed-use facility.
Dr. Burbick began by having the hotel placed on the U.S. Registry of
Historic Buildings. The restoration began in 2012, and the plan called
for restoring the hotel as closely as possible to the 1920s version with a
new minor addition within the footprint of the original building to accommodate
a new, modern elevator and interior staircase. In the spring
of 2013, the old Franklin Hotel was dedicated as "Kent's Acorn Corner,"
and is now home to Buffalo Wild Wings on the first floor and second-
floor mezzanine level; Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and
Marathon Financial Services on the third floor; luxury apartments on
the fourth and fifth floors; and The Secret Cellar Speakeasy in the basement
level.
11
The Landmark
210 South Depeyster
Established 2014
The Landmark at Kent is located in the heart of Kent's new
1 if the group could find a permanent site for it.
It is one of several known houses still standing in Kent linked to the
Kent family. Four other identified houses are the Clapp-Woodward
House, now the Kent Historical Society Museum; the Helen Parkhill
house, now the office of Attorney Ralph Oates; the home of Marvin
Kent, now the Masonic Temple; and the home of Charles Kent on
North Pearl Street.
May H. Prentice Home
KSU Esplanade
Originally located at 128 Willow, this
was the home of May H. Prentice, the first
female faculty member of Kent State Normal
School.
Prentice began teaching extension
courses in the fall of 1912, before any of
the academic buildings were under roof on
campus, and retired at the close of the 1930 summer session. When the
Memorial Gateway at the corner of East Main and South Lincoln
streets was dedicated in her honor, Prentice called the gate "a fitting
symbol of the college ... as an entrance into the larger life."
She died at home three weeks later, on Feb. 6, 1935. Her two
youngest sisters continued to live in the house, and Georgianna Prentice
took in student boarders until her death in the 1950s.
The May Prentice House will be the new home of Kent State University's
Wick Poetry Center. The university recently relocated the home to
its new Esplanade.
15
Home is where
the heart is.
Our heart has been in
downtown Kent since 1898.
MEMBER
FDIC
ff Hometown
Bankao
142 N. Water Street, Kent, OH • 330-673-9827
www.htbnk.com
Hometown Banking Since 1898.
16
"'
Thanks
Contributing Sponsor ( 100)
Ametek
Claudia and Jack Amrhein
Don and Jean Booth
Linda and Howard Boyle
Brimfield Insurance Group
Kasha Legeza-Burton and Jona Burton
Carter Lumber
Dale Adams Ltd.
Detect Alarm Systems, Inc.
Janet and David Dix
Christine and Bruce Dzeda
Kitty and Fred Endres
Escott & Company, LLC
Anna and Scott Flynn
Connie and John Flynn
Sandra and Henry Halem
J ance and Thomas Hatch
Jean and John Jacobs
McKay Bricker Gallery and Framing
M.O.M.S.
Sue Nelson Designs LTD. Inc.
Jim and Sally Myers
W.W. Reed Insurance
Ray's Place
Robinson Memorial Hospital
Carol and Jim Stroble
Betty Hejma-Sweet
Walgreen's of Kent
Williams, Kratcoski & Can
Wright Heating & Cooling
Special thanks to co-organizers Dawn Carpenter and Carol
Stroble, committee members jean Booth, Sandy Halem
and jack Amrhein, and book editor Lorie Bednar.
18
Thanks
Contributing Sponsor (100)
Ametek
Claudia and Jack Amrhein
Don and Jean Booth
Linda and Howard Boyle
Brimfield Insurance Group
Kasha Legeza-Burton and Jona Burton
Carter Lumber
Dale Adams Ltd.
Detect Alarm Systems, Inc.
Janet and David Dix
Christine and Bruce Dzeda
Kitty and Fred En
The Kent Historian, Kent Historical Society Newsletter, Number 89, Winter 2016
No full textTHE KENT HISTORIAN
The Newsletter of the Kent Historical Society Winter 2016
Number89
Historic Kent Town Tour successful fundraiser
Eight sites showcased to celebrate Marvin Kent's birthday
The Kent Historical Society's celebration
of Marvin Kent's 200th birthday began
with an open house for the sponsors on
Friday, Sept. 16, at the KHS Museum.
On Sept. 17 and 18, hundreds of participants
enjoyed touring the eight sites that
highlighted the contributions of the Kent
family in the town's transformation from
Franklin Mills to the city of Kent.
Tour participants received a 36-page
booklet that included descriptions of the
tour sites and Kent family history.
The celebration concluded with a
birthday party on Marvin's actual birthday,
Sept. 21, at Hometown Bank Plaza. The
See Tour, page 4
Kent Wells Sherman House volunteers Tracy
Wallach, Bruce Gill, Allan Orashan and Gayle
Bentley stand in the house, which was moved in
September 2013 to its current location.
Eleanor Zavodny, ow-ner of Kent's
Wolcott Lilac Gardens, passes a-way
Donations being accepted to continue garden preservation
photo courtesy of Lilac
Gardens Facebook page
Eleanor Zavodny purchased the
Lilac Gardens, which now feature
over 170 types of lilacs.
Eleanor
Zavodny,
owner of the
Wolcott Lilac
Gardens
and adjoining
house
on West
Main Street
in Kent,
passed away
on Oct.
16, 2016.
Her house
was built in
1863 by Simon
Perkins
Wolcott.
Wol-cott
and his wife, Mary Brewster, raised
their three children there and their son,
Duncan, eventually took ownership. He
married Evelyn Daisy Lodge in 1906 and
they began to build what would be one
of the finest home gardens in the area. In
1920, Daisy received 100 varieties of lilacs
from her uncle, Col. William R. Plum,
who owned the largest collection of French
lilacs in the world.
After the death of Duncan in 1934,
Daisy opened the gardens to the public
and hundreds of visitors would come every
year on Mother's Day to enjoy them. A
few years after Daisy's passing in 1955,
the property was sold and the home and
gardens fell into disarray.
In the fall of 1965, Stephen and Eleanor
Zavodny purchased the property and
set out to restore the estate. At that time,
only 70 of the original lilacs had survived.
The original garden areas were cleared and
azaleas, rhododendrons and a rose garden
with a central fountain were added.
After the passing of Stephen in 2007,
Eleanor and her son Robert continued the
restoration of the house and the gardens.
At present, there are over 170 types of lilacs
occupying the property. One of a new
variety of lilacs was chosen by them, and
See Eleanor, page 5
Descendant celebrates
Marvin Kent
A journal entry of my September trip
to Kent
by Mary Jo Johnston
Two hundred years after his birth,
Marvin Kent would be proud of his
namesake city.
With thanks to the kindness of Sandy
Halem and the Kent Historical Society,
my husband Kelly and I are invited
to travel to Kent from our home in
Missouri in order to celebrate Marvin's
200th birthday. My siblings and I have
long known Marvin was our great-greatgreat-
grandfather though occasionally
we must pause to count the number of
greats. Marvin's granddaughter Grace
Emily Kent was our great-grandmother.
We eagerly accept Sandy's invitation and
arrive for a celebration of both the man
and the city.
See Birthday, page 2
Kelly Johnston, KHS president emeritus
Sandy Halem and Mary Jo Johnston, greatgreat-
great-granddaughter of Marvin Kent,
were eager to greet guests at the Sponsors
Night of the Historic Kent Town Tour.
Birthday, from page 1
Upon arriving in Kent, we head directly
to Standing Rock Cemetery to visit my
mother, her mother and the others in the
Kent family plot back through time to
Grace Emily to Henry Lewis to Marvin
and Maria. My Kent family ancestors were
long-time Ohioans, including my mother,
who lived in Cleveland until her undergraduate
years at Carleton College. With
a geography degree in hand, she moved to
The headstones for Mary Jo Johnston's ancestors,
including Marvin Kent, can be found in
Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent.
Washington, D.C. to work for the U.S.
Army Map Service, met and married my
father, and started a family. My siblings (a
mechanical engineer, a teacher, an accountant)
and I (a librarian) are now scattered
around the western half of the country, but
we know well our Ohio roots.
My mother and her mother are also remembered
with a 1949 photo in the Kent
State University Library exhibit, "From
Johnston's grandmother, Josephine, and mother,
Judy, at the Marvin Kent train car dedication
in 1949.
Franklin Mills to Kent: Prominent Families
in Kent's History." This exhibit, presented
by Cara Gilgenbach and the KSU Special
Collections and Archives, showcases several
of KSU's fabulous holdings, including the
papers of Zenas and Marvin Kent. We applaud
the efforts of KSU in taking on the
long-term responsibility of caring for these
significant and historic collections.
2
Though today's Marvin Kent train car is
different than the one dedicated in 1949,
we applaud its community use by the Kent
Jaycees and appreciate our tour from John
Benedik.
Mary Jo Johnston stands with John Benedik,
who played Caleb the canal boy while he led
tours of the modern Marvin Kent train car.
Kentites remember well their past and
the Kent Historical Society is leading the
charge in preserving and sharing local
history. The society's meticulously restored
Clapp-Woodward House is a landmark for
outreach and education programs and for
hosting public receptions like the one we
Kelly Johnston admires the working train table
as KHS volunteer Henry Halem points out the
model buildings of Kent landmarks.
attend during our visit. We enjoy meeting
so many Kent residents who support the
historical society and have made it into
what it is today. The train room is the
ideal tool for presenting third graders (and
visitors like us) an overview of the city and
its history. Thanks to Henry Halem for the
tour. We also enjoy the comparison photos
of the "Then & Now" exhibit that were
taken from similar vantage points of familiar
locations. Kudos to KHS for keeping
Kent history alive!
Visiting the Marvin Kent homestead
allows us to take a step back in time to the
late 19th Century and imagine life in Marvin's
circle of family, friends, businessmen,
Kelly and Mary Jo Johnston take a break from
their tour of The Marvin Kent Homestead, which
was led by Barb and Fred Moore.
politicians. What must it have been like
to host a U.S. president? Or four? Upon
inheriting the home from their uncle William
Kent in 1923, my great-grandmother
Grace Emily Kent and her sister sold the
home to the Rockton Lodge and it has
been in their good care since. During our
visit, we explore this magnificent building
with Fred and Barb Moore and unexpectedly
meet my fifth cousin once removed, a
descendant of Mariah Kent.
Touring the Erie Car Shops and the
Kent Free Library, we find evidence of two
examples of Marvin's marvelous gifts to the
city more than 100 years ago.
Mary Jo Johnston and other participants look at
the Erie Car Shops during a tour led by Tom Myers,
president of Davey Drill.
We're pleased to be part of the Kent family
that is known for their generosity. And
we are delighted to return to Kent more
than 100 years since Marvin's death and
see first-hand the continued prosperity of
his namesake city due to the generosity and
hard work of many 20th-Century Kentites.
Marvin, too, would be proud.
Thanks for including us in the celebration.
Winter 2016
.
.KENT
, HISTORICAL
. SOCIETY
> >
Winter 2016
Saturday, Dec. 3
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Kent Historical Society Museum
237 E. Main St.
Kent, Ohio 44240
(330) 678-2712
~ Victorian Style Decorations
~ Activities for Kids (Holiday Crafts &
Decorating/Eating Gingerbread Cookies)
~ Carolers from KSU Men's Chorus
It's FREE!
Check out our photo exhibit, "Then & Now,"
and purchase the photo book! Editor Henry Halem
will be on-site signing.
"Kent, Ohio:
Then & Now"
A photo book of KHS'
current exhibit
17
(cash, check, or credit card)
Featuring 86 photographs of historic
sites and buildings in Kent
which are re-photographed as they appear now
For sale during KHS'
Victorian Holiday Celebration
Get your copy signed by editor Henry Halem!
11
3
Kent Tribune: Read all about it!
The Kent Tribune newspapers' 611 issues
and 6,655 pages are now available through
the KHS website. KHS is the only known
resource for Volumes III through XIV,
which cover the period from November
1917 through September 1929.
The complete set of weekly newspapers,
collected by its editor John Paxton, was
passed on to his daughter and the bound
volumes were given to KHS by his granddaughter,
Pat Hall, in 2006. The newspapers
were very fragile and deteriorating
and, after several years of use, were no
longer available to the public for viewing.
Thank You
The Kent Historical Society would like
to thank those families and organizations
who have continued to preserve their
historic residences and buildings and
graciously offered to share them with all of
us for the 2016 Historic Kent Town Tour,
including Rockton Lodge 316 F & A.M.,
Coterie, Heather and Wade Caldwell, Kent
Wells Sherman House, Kent Jaycees and
Davey Drill.
4
Lead Sponsor (5,000)
Woodward Foundation
Gold Sponsors (1,000)
Bissler & Sons Funeral Home
Brimfield Insurance Group
The Burbick Foundation
Furukawa Rock Drill, USA
Hometown Bank
Renaissance 2000, Inc.
Silver Sponsors (500)
Kent Jaycees
PARTA
R.W Martin & Sons, Inc.
Wright Heating & Cooling
Thanks to the generosity of donors to
the project of preserving them, KHS had
the volumes professionally microfilmed,
digitized and uploaded to the Ohio
Memory database. The database, located at
www.ohiomemory.org, is the collaborative
statewide digital library project of the Ohio
History Connection (formerly the Ohio
Historical Society) and the State Library of
Ohio.
At the age of 19, John Paxton came to
Kent to become a reporter on the Courier.
William Kent, Marvin's son, was the
See Tribune, page 5
Bronze Sponsors (250)
Jack and Claudia Amrhein
Bill and Donna Anderson
Jim and Sallie Bear
Doris Brown
Colonial Machine
DS Architecture
Carol Lockhart
Linda Bradstock MacDougall
Portage Community Bank
Schlabig & Associates, LTD
Contributing Sponsors ( 100)
Don and Karen Barrett
Don and Jean Booth
Linda and Howard Boyle
Jona Burton and Kasha Legeza-Burton
City Bank Antiques
College Town Kent
Detect Alarm
Janet and David Dix
Jim and Becky Dunlap
Bruce and Christina Dzeda
Kitty and Fred Endres
John and Connie Flynn
Scott and Anna Flynn
Polly Germer
Sandra and Henry Halem
Tour, from page 1
Davey Elementary School fifth grade choir
led guests in singing "Happy Birthday." A
proclamation by Mayor Jerry Fiala declared
that day as Marvin Kent Day.
The program concluded with birthday
cupcakes for all in attendance. On display
was a birthday banner created by Davey
students.
Special guests for sponsors night and
the tour were Mary Jo Johnston, Marvin
Kent's great-great-great-granddaughter, and
her husband Kelly from Aurora, Mo. It was
an honor to have a descendant of Marvin
here to help us celebrate his birthday and
for us to learn more interesting facts and
stories about the Kent family. Enjoy reading
the article in this newsletter that Mary
Jo wrote about their recent visit.
The funds raised from the tour will be
used for the preservation of the historic
Erie Depot, the preservation and operations
of the KHS museum, and for ongoing
educational programs.
More party & tour pictures on page 6
Dona May Hall
Patricia H. Harper
Lynn A. Harvey
Betty L. Hejma-Sweet
Jean and John Jacobs
Dave and Sherry Joy
Kent Kiwanis Club
Kent Lions Club
Kent State University
Audrey Cielinski Kessler
The Kretovics-Saito Family
John and Kathy Lilley
Melissa M. Long
Jim and Sally Myers
George and Jane Preston Rose
Rotary Club of Kent
Mark and Linda Seeman
Siefer Electric, Inc.
Smithers-Oasis Company
Carol and Jim Stroble
Sue Nelson Designs, Ltd Inc.
WW Reed&Son
Harold and Janet Walker
Bill Wilen
Williams, Kratcoski & Can
Robert Zavodny
See Thank You, page 6
Winter 2016
Marvin Kent Curtis' books donated to KHS
KHS recently received a donation of five
fictional books written by Marvin Kent
Curtis and published in the late 1920s.
He was named for his great-grandfather,
Marvin Kent, but was also known as Kent
Curtis. The books were donated by Missouri
residents Mary Jo and Kelly Johnston
while they were visiting in Kent to celebrate
Marvin's 200th birthday. Curtis was
Mary Jo's great-uncle and they are both
descendants of Henry Kent, Marvin's son.
Born in 1890, Curtis was an aviator in
World War I, a novelist, illustrator, sailor,
teacher and camp counselor. He published
boy's adventure stories that took place in
the locations he loved most: the North
Woods of Minnesota and islands off the
Eleanor, from page 1
was officially named the Daisy Wolcott.
They opened the gardens for public
viewing the past two Mother's Days
and hundreds of visitors were thrilled
to be able to step back in history and
enjoy Daisy's legacy.
The
city of
Kent
thanks
Eleanor
for her
loving
care of
these
magnificent
gardens
and for
help-photo
courtesy of Lilac Gar- ing to
dens Facebook page preserve
One of the features of Eleanor's them
Lilac Gardens is this birdbath. for the
enjoyment of future generations.
KHS is accepting donations in
Eleanor's name for their continued
preservation.
Tribune, from page 4
owner and Charles Scott was the publisher
and editor. Scott left abruptly and Paxton
became the editor at the age of 24. When
Kent sold the paper to A.N. Lawson,
Paxton started the Kent Tribune with Sam
Baker in 1915. A year and a half later,
Winter 2016
Florida coast.
This is only a brief men-
., tion of Curtis. In the next
newsletter, you will be able to
learn much more about his
amazing life, which included
a dangerous journey as
an aviator during the war,
his many sailing adventures
across the Atlantic Ocean
and the Caribbean Sea and
his love for the outdoors.
The five books written by Marvin Kent Curtis that were recently
donated to KHS are, in back, from left to right, "The Tired Captains,"
"Drumbeater's Island," "The Last Wanigan," "The Blushing
Camel" and, in front, "Cruises in the Sun."
Thank you, Mary Jo and
Kelly, for this generous gift.
You have opened our eyes to
another extraordinary member
of the Kent family!
Davey picture mystery solved
Ever since the KHS Museum received
the large, backlit picture of tree cavity
repair work done by the Davey Tree Expert
Company, everyone has tried to guess
where and when it was taken.
The mystery was solved when Matt
Fredmonsky, senior project manager at
Davey Tree Expert Company and managing
editor of The Davey Bulletin, recently
discovered the photograph in an old Davey
Tree publication.
The photo showcasing the then-common
practice of tree cavity repair appeared
prominently in magazine advertisements
for Davey in the early 1920s. It was taken
on the estate of Jon A. Turner in Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada.
Davey pioneered the practice of tree
cavity repair, a method which sought to
remove decayed and rotting wood and
Paxton
bought
out Baker
and ran
it alone
for seven
years.
Later, LB.
Holm
bought
a half
interest of
the newspaper.
In
A young John Paxton stands in
the doorway and William Kent sits
in a chair in front of the Tribune office
at 149 N. Water St.
replace it with a special cement to maintain
a tree's integrity. Davey commonly provided
the service to estate owners who wanted
to preserve and maintain their mature trees
rather than remove and plant new trees.
The practice was discontinued in the mid-
20th Century.
1929, the Tribune was sold to M.L. Davey,
transferred five months later to E.V. Dix
of Wooster and then merged with the
Courier.
The Tribune filled its weekly pages with
the life of its local community as well as
documenting the changing world. This
collection includes World War I and ends
just before the collapse of the stock market
and economy in 1929. Visit the KHS website
at www.kentohiohistory.org and enjoy
browsing through the Tribune pages to see
what life was like in Kent and around the
world almost 100 years ago.
5
6
Kent Historical Society
7he Kent Historian is a
publication of the Kent Historical
Society, a nonprofit organization
that strives to be the primary Kent
history resource and reference center,
leading the community in the
collection, preservation and
interpretation
of Kent's heritage through
exhibits, educational programs and
activities. The society offers educational
programs to schools, businesses
and civic organizations.
Board of Trustees
Jack Amrhein, President
Scott Flynn, Vice President
Carol Stroble, Vice President
Matt Metcalf, Treasurer
Audrey Cielinski Kessler, Secretary
Jean Booth
Howard Boyle
Rebecca Dunlap
Thomas Hatch
Kasha Legeza-Burton
.· Maggie McKendry
Jim Myers
Staff
,Julie Kenworthy, Director
. . Amy Craft, Collections Manager &
· · Membership Coordinator
. ·: Dari Stroble, Newsletter Editor
Museum Hours
\ 237 E " Main St.,
9 ·a:m. 'tcr2 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays
/:. and by appointment.
.Contact ,·
Kent Historical Society
. 237E. Main St.
Kent, Ohio 44240
330-678-2712
· Email
[email protected]
. Website
-www.kentohiohistory.org
Find us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/
KentHistoricalSociety
KHS schedule
for end of 2016,
new year
The last day in 2016 that KHS Museum
will be open to the public is Saturday,
Dec. 17. It will reopen on Friday, March
3, 2017. While it is closed, the volunteers
and staff will be busy preparing for the new
year. Under the direction of new employee
Amy Craft, the archives and artifacts in
our collections will be inventoried and
organized. Plans will be made for our
educational programming and for future
events. Even though we will be closed, we
are always available to take phone calls and
to schedule group tours. Thank you for all
your support in 2016!
Birthday party & town tour
Andrew Madonio, Kent Jaycees vice president
of community, explains the organization's steps
in preserving the "Marvin Kent" railroad coach,
which was manufactured in 1922 .
Several
town tour
sponsors
enjoy reading
the KHS
Museum's
list of prominent
Kent
residents
who were
members
of various
social clubs
in the early
1900s.
David and Kay Hansford compare the past and
present of Kent at KHS' photo exhibit, "Then &
Now."
Thank You, from page 4
Special thanks to Hometown Bank, Sue
Nelson Designs and McKay Bricker
Framing/or selling the tour booklets.
Also, thanks to tour co-organizers Dawn
Carpenter and Carol Stroble, committee
members Jean Booth, Sandy Ha/em,
Henry Ha/em, KHS administrator Julie
Kenworthy, KHS board president Jack
Amrhein and booklet editor Dan Stroble.
Volunteers at Sites
Carlyn Bassham
Paul Bauer
Jaime Baughman
John Benedik
Brad Bolton
Julie Brett
Jona Burton
Amy Craft
Faye Darrow
Roger Di Paolo
Becky Dunlap
Bruce Dzeda
Sue Frank
Carol Fridy
Jean Giulitto
Becky Head
Lee Higgins
Barb Hipsman Springer
Adrienne Kaltenborn
Darlene Kousaie
Karin Lange-Underwood
Kasha Legeza-Burton
Tim Martin
Joanne Maynard
Amanda Metcalf
Matt Metcalf
Jim Myers
Sally Myers
Cathy Ricks
Eleanor Schindler
Beth Schoonover
Bob Springer
Polly Tucker
Allyson Westover
Mikelann Williams
Mark Yohe
The Davey Elementary School fifth grade choir
leads guests at the Marvin Kent birthday party in
singing "Happy Birthday."
Winter 201
Chicago-Kent Patent Hub Launch - Speakers
No full textSpeakers at the launch event for the Chicago-Kent Patent Hub. L-R: Patent Hub director Mary Anne Smith, David Clough (Class of 1993), U.S. Congressman Danny Davis, U.S. Congressman Bobby Rush, Illinois Tech President Alan Cramb, Dean Harold J. Krent, and the USPTO’s Jennifer McDowell, Professor Edward Lee, director of Chicago-Kents Intellectual Property Program. The Chicago-Kent Patent Hub is a pro bono program that helps qualified, low-income inventors and small businesses in Illinois obtain volunteer legal assistance from local patent agents or attorneys licensed to practice before the USPTO. The program was launched by Chicago-Kent and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.https://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/events_2015/1081/thumbnail.jp
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