December 17, 1981
Picture #1 – The bicycle which M.W. Abbott bought at Copley’s bike shop in 1910, and rode to work at Mennel Mill.
Picture #2 – M.W. Abbott
Today’s feature photos will remind readers of the bicycles of many years ago, and of a Fostoria resident who rode one all around town.
The person was Marion Whitney Abbott, whom many readers will remember.
The bicycle was purchased at F.A. Copley’s bicycle shop in 1910, and was featured in one of Copley’s advertisements in The Review many years ago, with Abbott standing beside his trusty vehicle. Copley’s was one of many bike shops in Fostoria back then, and he was a color-figure around town. He sponsored bike races for the youth as well as other activities involving bikes.
The old advertisement of Abbott and his bike was provided recently by Lyndon Abbott, Dayton, his son. It was not suitable for reproduction so we had the RT photograph the old bike, now at the Fostoria Area Historical Society Museum. Lyndon has kept his father’s bike for years, but finally decided it should be part of the memorabilia at the museum, and presented it as a gift.
Mr. Whitney was an employee of Mennel Milling Co. for more than 60 years, until his retirement and death in 1955. He started at the mill in 1893 in the shipping department and was office manager when he retired. He rode his bike daily to work from his residence on Maple Street. Abbott and his bike was almost a “trademark”.
During his active years in Fostoria he was a Kiwanian, being a charter member also a member of the Methodist Church and all the Masonic bodies in Fostoria.
FEEDBACK NORTH MAIN ARTICLE
In it was listed various ones who played the piano and organ at the Buck’s Colonial Theatre. A message from Mildred (Shlatter) Chesley, Melbourne, Fl., informed me that she also performed at that job. The new Wurlitzer organ was amazing then, she said. It had stops for all the sound effects. When I substituted for Lauda Buck (sister of Ural and Arthur), I would study and practice with the sound script which accompanied the movie (Cue Sheet). It was fun. Your article brought this out of my memory bank. I enjoy your articles.
ALLEN MOTOR STORY
Allen Swedenborg, La Mesa, Ca., grandson of E.W. Allen, wrote an interesting letter to Potluck author after reading the article, part of which is reprinted here:
Dear Mr. Krupp: It was good to hear from you again, and it is indeed nice to know that the history of the Allens of Fostoria is being so carefully remembered. The articles were especially interesting to me because my mother (Clara Louise Allen) was not at all precise about the facts of her father’s business, although she and Walter Allen, a cousin, loved to reminisce and banter names of Fostoria people back and forth. I grew up with this Ohio talk always in the background at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. But she was never real clear on the chain of events outside the social.
I learned things from your articles which I never knew, e.g. exact dates, the cars quality and prices, and how surprisingly few are left.
Mr. John Allen, a second cousin of my mother, purchased an Allen maybe 8-10 years ago, and was still in possession of it two years ago.
I really hope to visit Fostoria before too many years go by. I only passed through once as a teenager driving a dilapidated Ford from Ashtabula to Los Angeles. On that next visit of mine I’ll have to take my first look at an Allen car.
Thank you in your thoughtfulness in sending the articles.
SOUTH MAIN STREET STORY
That article brought a welcome letter from Mrs. Marie (Fred) Yaryan, Los Andeles, Calif., whom many readers will remember, part of which is reprinted:
Dear Mr. Krupp: a former Fostorian and a California resident since 1944, and a Review subscriber these many years, I have enjoyed Potluck so very much.
Thursday, Nov. 5, 1981, was a special interest to me. The picture of the South Main Street block brought back many memories. In 1915 when Fred Yaryan and I were married it was called the German Block, and the middle apartment was our first home. My cousin, S.W. Jacobs, who was agent for American Express Co., and his wife in one apartment and Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Faush and daughter in the other one.
At that time the cigar factory was there. Across the street from Myers Plumbing was Blazer Grocery and Dr. Leonard Hospital.
Mr. Yaryan and Fred Davis who was married to Doris Steele both came to Fostoria from Anderson, Ind., to work for Allen Motor Co., and were the first roomers in the YMCA.
I was a native of Findlay and came to Fostoria in 1911 to make my home with my aunt and uncle, Robert P. Lingenfelter, and worked for the Ohio Bell Telephone Co. My husband passed away 22 years ago.
I still speak of Fostoria at home and truly enjoy the paper, reading about the many changes and most of all Potluck. I pass the paper to relatives in southern California. Perhaps some readers will remember Tim Carmen as a Fostoria football player. Again Thanks for Potluck.
LONGFELLOW SCHOOL
That story brought a number of responses from readers, especially those who attended that school. Here are a few:
Edith Masel, 832 N. Cheryl Dr., told me that the school was always known as “Longfellow”. I had said it acquired that name when the new school was built. Sorry! I had always known it as “Sandusky Street School” When the new school was built, it had “Longfellow” prominently displayed and that name became the common reference. Mrs. Masel went to school there.
Ralph Gee, Risingsun, telephoned to say he was glad to see that photo of his old school in print. He remembered that Fan O. Harris was principal…also a Miss Hill was one of the teachers. He especially recalled that Walter Dye was the janitor when he attended, and that he was killed in a fall from a scaffold at the high school, while doing maintenance work.
Willis Wyant, West South Street, also was one of the readers who recalled the accidental death of Dye. He said that the plank on which Dye was standing while doing painting at a high elevation, broke, and the fall resulted in a broken neck.
Mrs. Clifford Myers, Elm Street, who attended Longfellow school all six years, was another reader who reported pleasure in seeing her old school in print.