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Museum inspires recollections of yesterdayBY JEANETTE MATHERNMemories, philosphers say, are the only form of true and lasting happiness. Memories of yesteryear-itspeace and war, its turbulence and tranquility — are preserved in abundance in the Wyandot County Museum in Upper Sandusky.The massive white brick home at 130 S. Seventh Street, -surrounded by a black iron fence and huge lawn, was donated to the Wyandot County Historical Society in 1962 by Fowler Beery~McConnell in memory of his mother, Leefe Beery McConnell. She and her husband, Dr. Robert N. McConnell, occupied the house for many years following their marriage in 1891. The house was built in 1852 by George Beery, an Upper Sandusky merchant.Nine rooms and two large hallways in the old Normandy mansion are filled with historic mementos of the past. Each room, lined with antique-filled glass cases, is given its own name, according to the segment of the past it reflects.As one enters the beautiful home, he ilrst encounters the immaculate red carpeted open stairway and long first-floor hall. The Music Room to the left displays many rare and ancient musical instruments, iiicluding 'several impressive pianos and organs. The room also has on exhibit the original translation of the Martin Luther Bible, printed in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1545.Windows in the music room, as in most of the house, are draped in plush velvet tied with gold braid. The ornate woodwork and general architecture themselves are lasting monuments to the area’s early life styles.Adjacent to the music room is the original family dining room. It no longer contains normal dining room furniture, but glass cases full of collector’s items instead. Cases exhibit priceless accumulations of antique china, silver, pewter and toys.Nearly one whole side of the dining room is designated for a congregation of old dolls. One parian head doll, attired in an elaborate blue velvet dress, is over 125 years- old. Another doll, bought in 1890 for a girl named Bertie Hibbins (who died in 1891) was donated to the museum by Mrs. James Summers of Carey.Also displayed in the room, are collections of crystal, jewelry, pocket watches and spectacles. Some of the Ben Franklin type eyeglasses are obvious anCesstors of some of the current fads in frames.Arrow heads, stone heads, chisels, mealing stones and pestles, flints, club heads and hatchets line the walls and cabinets in the Indian Lore Room, also on the first floor. Innumerable war weapons and relics of the early Wyandot Indians, Mound Builders and missionaries as well as outstanding historical paintings are on display.Perhaps of the most historic value of all displays in the museum is the glass enclosed full Skelton of an Indian of the Glacial Kame culture. The tribe is believed to have lived in Ohio about 2,000 years ago. They were a nomadic group who .engaged in agriculture, hunting, and fishing.'Relics of these II found eight to 22' feet deep in sand and gravel deposits in the area. This particular 30-year-old male was found at the Reber site, south of Upper Sandusky, when the area was first excavated for road buildings materials in the 1930’s. Edward Galitza and- Edwin Bair were -credited with the discovery.Also In the Indian Lotfe Room are stone pipes, beaded leather bags,jsashes and mocassins of thel Indians in the' area. An,Indianbow, an arrow formerly belonging to Chief Sitting' Bull and an ornately beaded pain of mocassins taken-off an Indian Chief who died at Custar’s Battle of the Little Big Horn add to the value of the exhibits.One entire glass case is dedicated to Mother Solomon, the last full-blooded Indian to live in Ohio. She was also the first pupil to enroll at the Mission School in 1822. Daughter of Squire Grey Eyes, a chief and local preacher. Mother Solomon died Aug. 17, 1890. Her spectacles, pipe, beaded purse, candle molds and woven basket are on display along with her picture.A beaver top hat belonging to John Solomon, Mother Solomon’s husband, is also shown at the museum. Story has it that the hat formerly belonged to the father-in-law of E. E. Gibson, near Carey. Solomon had always admired the hat and, when he came to visit one day, he gave Mr. Van Doren the Indians’ “charastic sales talk, consisting of the word ‘trade’ and wore thq hat home.” Solomon wore the hat the rest of his life.An early American kitchen leads off from the Indian Lore room. Inside is ran authentic dry sink and wood stove. A wood' box is stationed beside the stove. Walls are lined with numerous cooking utensils used by early settlers, and is sure to make Mother appreciate her convenient little kitchen at home.Above the kitchen on the second floor is a room called the Drug and General Store. Behind the old wood counter is an abundance of apothecary jars, old time remedies, tin boxes and scales. One shelf is devoted to a collection of glass candy jars with real candy peppermint and lemon sticks.Clocks, hair jewelry, shoes and personal items are amassed in the Heritage Room, also on the second floor. One of the large wall clocks dates back to 1755. A case in the middle of the room is filled with old shoes, most of them buttoned from top to toe along the side. Even many of the baby shoes on display feature the round black buttons and two-toned color effects.One particularly odd feature of the Heritage Room is the display of various objects created of human hair. The construction of artifacts from the hair of members of the family was evidently a popular passtime in the 18th and early 19th century. One leather case is arranged with various braids, curls, locks and wired flowers all taken from the hair of 78 members of one family in 1776. A huge wreath of the same type, measuring nearly three feet square, is hung on one of the walls. The hair is ornately fashioned into handsome wired petals and leaves, giving the effect of brownish-colored flowers.Visitors are permitted no farther than the doorway of the McConnell Memorial Room, The bedroom furniture, which -belonged to the original family, is typical of last century. Shoes await beside the bed and the closet is full of once Inhabited clothing. It is perhaps the only room that appears as though it is still occupied.Room cwere captured or killed in the area. Stuffed beasts include twin bear cubs, a buffalo head, a 68-pound beaver, squirrels, ground hog and numerous birds. Mineral and fossil collections are also, displayed and a huge, insect hive hangs.from the chandelier. - ;A War Memorial Room is devoted to relics from the War of 1812, the Mexican, Civil and Spanlsh-American Wars and World’.Wars ,I and n. .Weapons, field equipment, documents and’medals All the glass cases. Several pictures are on exhibit to help complete the portrait of the past.Before descending the front staircase, a visitor of the museum encounters two more glass cases in the upper hallway. Three antique manicans attired in authentic 19th century gowns occupy the larger case. One of the dresses was worn hy Florence Richmond Boyd,THESE 19TH CENTURY GARMENTS are displayed in the upper hall of the Wyandot County Museum in Upper Sandqsky. Backed by a colorful paisley shawl, the wedding gown features lace and beaded trim and matching shoes. The Lady Macbeth gown on the right was worn by Florence Richmond Boyd, famous Shakespearean actress, in 1879.Telephone inventory being conducted in the areaA complete inventory of outside telephone line facilities is being conducted in 10 exchanges of Northern Ohio Telephone Co.’s Bowling Green district.Communications Systems Corporation in Morton Grove, III., is conducting the pole-to-pole inventory, said Robert Ryland, district commercial manager. The inventory will take about six months.Staff members will inspect poles and lines in the exchanges of Bowling Green, Carey, GrandRapids, McComb, North Baltimore, Pemberville, Haskins, Van Buren, Wayne and Weston.Ryland explained the information will be fed into a computer to provide Northern with a continuing ‘ property record inventory as required by the Federal Communications Commission.Some visits to area customer’s will be necessary in connection with the Inventory,' Ryland said. He stressed that all members of the inventory crew carry identifcation.a famous Shakespearean actress throughout the United States and Europe in 1879. The gown was donated by her daughter, Mrs. Fred Smith of Harpster.In a smaller case in the corner of the hall is an exhibit of murder weapons from famous(Continued On Page 2)Mayor tells club about municipal taxMayor Ray Peiffer met with the Carey Kiwanis Club Monday at the Coach Lantern Inn to report on a special hearing he attended recently concerning municipal taxes.Municipal income tax was incorporated about thirty years ago to supplement local funds, the maypr said. Approximately 305 municipalities in the state have a taxing system.Of monies allocated for federal tax grants, the tax commission learned, only 49 percent goes for local use, such as Head Start programs, aid to the aged and dependent chil-dred, sewer projects, etc. The other 51 percent is spent on the administration payrolls in the process of establishing the programs and collecting and distributing the funds.Douglas Myers, program chairman, discussed the state proposal of a mandatory 2,000 student school district with the group before the introduction of the guest speaker. He added that there are 290 school districts in the state of Ohio which do not enroll 2,000 students from klndergarted through the twelfth grade.Another proposal is that each county -serve at least 5,000 school students or be fprced to consolidate with a neighboring county. Wyandot County does not enroll 5,000 pupils.Tom Snowberger, Steve Bar-don and Duane Kemerley attended the meeting as Junior. Kiwanians. Dr. Preston Ports was a guest of the group.Guyer commencement speakerGuyer is scheduled to speak at the 1971 Carey High^School Commencement exercises May 28. The senator has distinguished himSelf not only as a community leader, minister and worker with youth, but is in the process of completing a fourth term as Ohio Senator from the Second District. ,Since.1950, he has combined his position - as Director of Public Relations (now Director of Public Affairs) with the ‘ Cooper Tire and Rubber Company in Findlay, where 4ie makes his home, with service in the Ohio Senate.-Born and‘raised in Findlay, Senator. Guyer married Mae Reuter, a d6ctor’s daughterfrom Ohio City. They now have two daughters, Sharon and Rosie, both career girls.. In addition to giving a couple of hundred talks each year, the senator, has been _awarded dozens of plaques, citations, awardsj medallions and. scrolls for public service and outstanding projects.
Newspaper Details
Carey Progressor
Carey, Ohio, US
Wed, May 19, 1971
Page 1
Full Page
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NA, 08 May 2024
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