Groundhog Day

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

Every February 2^nd, the scourge of  all farmers, the lowly groundhog,  becomes the center of attention for a day.

While beneficial to other wildlife who use abandoned groundhog holes for their burrows, the groundhog can wreak havoc with grain crops and can damage equipment that falls into their tunnels.

In the wild, groundhogs live only a couple of years. But in zoos, they can live as long as 10 years. They are usually 16-27 inches long and can weigh between 4 pounds in the spring, after hibernating all winter, to 14 pounds right before winter arrives. They are known by different names in various locations, including woodchucks, groundpig, whistlepig, and land beaver.

Out west, where groundhogs are not native, marmots are substituted. Both are part of the same genus and are basically "cousins".  

Yellow bellied marmot.
Photo from Wikipedia by Jean Gagnon

But on the second day of February, all that is forgotten as people throughout North America wait to see if the groundhog will see his shadow.

Why?

Legend has it that if the groundhog sees its shadow, there are six more weeks of winter. But if it is too cloudy for shadows, then spring is just around the corner. Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous of the groundhog prognosticators (remember the movie Groundhog Day?), is right only 50% of the time. 

Whether you believe the hype or not, you have to wonder just how this folk tale came about.

Imbolc Celebration in Marsden, West Yorkshire
February 2007
Photo by Steve Earnshaw

February 2^nd is midway between the winter solstice and spring equinox– December 21 and March 21. It has been celebrated for centuries, first as Imbolc by the Gaelic peoples. Imbolc marked the beginning of spring and during Imbolc, weather divination was practiced. If the weather was bright and sunny, better gather more firewood because the winter is going to be long!

Imbolc transitioned into Candlemas, a Christian feast day, and early Christians believed that a sunny Candlemas day meant another 40 days of winter. 

Poughkeepsie Journal February 9, 1831, page 3

German Christians took it a step further and said only if it was sunny enough that small animals could see their shadows, would there be six more weeks of winter. German immigrants brought this tradition with them when they immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. They adopted the groundhog as their “small animal” of choice.

The first printed mention of the "groundhog as weather predictor" appeared in James Morris' diary for February 4, 1841. The Morgantown, Pennsylvania storekeeper wrote:

"Last Tuesday, the 2nd was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate." - Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College.

Wikimedia Commons

The first official Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2 1886 in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania when a newspaper editor encouraged a local hunting club to create the festival.  Punxsutawney Phil became a fixture of the festival. 

Lebanon Courier and Semi Weekly Report  (Pennsylvania)
February 13, 1852

But you can find mentions of Groundhog Day in newspapers 30 years before that first official celebration.

This article appeared originally in the Johnstown Mountain Echo in Pennsylvania in 1852.

And just a few years later in another Pennsylvania newspaper:

Lewistown Gazette
February 4, 1858, page 2. 

 

Twenty years later, articles started appearing in the Medina Gazette:

Medina County Gazette
 February 28th, 1873, page 3
Who was "C." - Could not discover

Medina County Gazette
February 13th, 1874, page 3
This correspondent must have been a farmer

Medina County Gazette
December 24th, 1886 Page 2

 

Medina County Gazette
September 6th, 1907 Page 1

And in 1907,  W.P. Root (no relation to A.I. Root), wrote a series of articles that compared the "predictions" of the groundhog and the weather in the following 6 weeks. This was his conclusion:

In other locations, the forecasting groundhog/marmot goes by different names:

• Balzac Billy of Alberta, Canada is a man-sized costumed mascot.
• Buckeye Chuck of  Marion, OH is Ohio's official groundhog.
• Dover Doug of Dover, PA is also a costumed mascot. He has his own Linkedin account.
• Flatiron Freddy of Boulder, Colorado was a yellow belly marmot. His proponents claim a 90% accuracy rate.
• Fred la Marmotte from Quebec, Canada 
• General Beauregard Lee of Georgia for all of the southern US
• Poor Richard of York PA  
• Punxsutawney Phil of Gobbler's Knob, PA, celebrating since 1886 but he wasn’t named until 1961.
• Shubenacadie Sam from Nova Scotia, Canada 
• Staten Island Chuck, aka Charles G. Hogg, at the Staten Island Zoo, NY
• Stormy Marmot – Aurora, Colorado – Claims to be the most accurate weather forecaster
• Wiarton Willie from Ontario, Canada

Despite being famous and pampered, being a local weather guru is not an easy life for the animals:

• They are taken out of its natural habitat and have to be hand reared, if they are to be handled at all.
• Two of the animals are taxidermized: Flatiron Freddy was a marmot. The same is true for Poor Richard who makes his forecasts from heaven
• Staten Island Chuck bit Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2009. In 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped the animal and it died of internal injuries a week later.

However you feel about groundhogs, woodchucks, marmots, or whistlepigs, they don't deserve that kind of treatment!

This is what I will be doing on February 2nd - watching the movie Groundhog Day!

AndieMacDowell holding a groundhog during a promotional tour in 2008
From Wikicommons 

Interested in history themed events in Medina County? Check out the new Medina County History Events Calendar HERE.

February 2nd Update - No shadows for our prognosticators! SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER! 

That's good news for those of us facing ice storms today...

Sources:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Groundhog Day". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Dec. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Groundhog-Day.  Accessed 14 January 2022.

Earshaw, Steven, “Imbolc”Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5857970 , accessed 14 January 2022.

Eldridge, Alison. "What's the Difference Between a Solstice and an Equinox?". Encyclopedia Britannica, Invalid Date, https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-a-solstice-and-an-equinox . Accessed 20 January 2022.

Fenton, Stephanie, “Candlemas, Groundhog Day, Imbolc,: From Phil to Snowdrops”, Religious Holidays & Festivals, https://readthespirit.com/religious-holidays-festivals/tag/groundhog-day/ , accessed 14 January 2022.

 “Groundhog Day”, Stormfax Weather Almanac,  https://www.stormfax.com/ghogday.htm , accessed 14 January 2022.

“Groundhog Day 2022”, Almanac, https://www.almanac.com/groundhog-day , accessed 6 January 2022.

History.com Editors, “First Groundhog Day”, History, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-groundhog-day , January 20, 2022.

 History.com Editors, “Groundhog Day: History and Facts”, History, https://www.history.com/news/groundhog-day-history-and-facts , accessed 6 January 2022.

History.com Editors, “Imbolc”, History, https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/imbolc , accessed January 20, 2022.

 “Nuisance Species:, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/wildlife-management/nuisance-wildlife/nuisance-groundhogs , accessed 14 January 2022.

Wikipedia contributors.  Groundhog. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Groundhog&oldid=1063817373 , accessed 20 January 2022.

Wikipedia contributors. "Imbolc." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc 20 Jan. 2022.

 

NEWSPAPERS:

Poughkeepsie Journal February 9, 1831, page 3.

Lebanon Courier and Semi Weekly Report  (Pennsylvania) February 13, 1852

Lewistown Gazette February 4, 1858, page 2. 

Medina County Gazette February 28th, 1873, page 3.

Medina County Gazette February 13th, 1874, page 3.

Medina County Gazette December 24th, 1886 Page 2.

Medina County Gazette September 6th, 1907 Page 1.

Get to Know Your Local Genealogical & Historical Societies

By Lisa Rienerth

We are continuing our series on local genealogical and historical societies with a society that is not so local, but still provides the research expertise and many resources for those living in Medina County. 

The Ohio Genealogical Society was incorporated in 1959 and immediately played an important role in preserving and researching the state's history along with the 88 counties. 

Mr. Noel B. Poirier, Executive Director of the Ohio Genealogical Society/Samuel D. Isaly Library and 

Dorothea Martin, President of the Ohio Genealogical Society, generously answered some questions for us.

We will begin with Executive Director, Noel B. Poirer. 

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you worked with the Ohio Genealogical Society?

 
OGS Noel Poirer: I am a Pennsylvania native who has worked in the non-profit museum and education fields for 30 years. I began my professional career with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and have worked for a variety of museum entities since, many of which operated significant archive and research facilities. Additionally, I am a Peer Reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums where I am asked to provide assessments and recommendations to museums as they mature and adjust to change.

I have a Masters Degree in History and enjoy researching family histories for my family as well as others. I am new to the Ohio Genealogical Society, and assumed the new role of Executive Director in August 2020.

Q: Give us a brief description of your responsibilities.

OGS Noel Poirer: I am principally responsible for the overall management and success of The Ohio Genealogical Society’s numerous operations, both in-person and remote. I supervise the Society’s staff at the Samuel D. Isaly Library and ensure that the Society’s collections are cared for and made accessible to Society members and the general public. Perhaps most importantly I work in collaboration with the Board of Directors to generate the funding resources, through donations, memberships, and other income generating endeavors, to guarantee the future of the Society.


Q: Who else staffs the OGS Library? And what are their responsibilities?

OGS Noel Poirer: The current staff of the library includes Linda Swanson, the Library Collections Manager, and our Administrative Assistant Sherri Dulin. Linda is responsible for the care and development of the library’s collection as well as working towards making that collection accessible to our members and the public. She also answers many of the questions and requests that come to the library from Members and the general public. Sherri takes care of all of the day-to-day administrative needs of the Society as well as assisting Society Members with issues relating to their membership.
In addition to paid staff, the library also has about two dozen very dedicated and talented volunteers who work on a regular basis at the library. They undertake a variety of short and long-term projects that add to the Society’s mission and the library’s efforts.

Q: Where is the library located? And what are the hours?

OGS Noel Poirer: The Samuel D. Isaly Library is located at 611 State Route 97 West in Bellville, Ohio. The library is located less than 2 ½ hours from virtually anywhere in the State of Ohio. The library’s regular hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm, however, the library is closed on Federal holidays and during the Society’s annual conference.

Q:What resources are available and who can make use of the collection?

 
OGS Noel Poirer: It is impossible to list all of the available resources here, but in general, the Society offers a vast library of first-hand resources, expert researchers to help you understand methodology and make connections, conferences, seminars, lectures and more from leading experts and for everyone, and publications and programs for genealogists of every level. I would encourage folks to visit our website at www.ogs.org to discover all of the resources membership provides.

Q: If an individual needs help with research -- or if they live too far away to visit OGS-- how can they get assistance?

OGS Noel Poirer: While we do not have an on-site researcher tasked with undertaking research on behalf of individuals, our staff and volunteers can assist with guiding individuals towards the resources that might serve their research best.

Q: Does a person need to be a member to access the resources at the library?

OGS Noel Poirer: No, the general public is welcome to use the Samuel D. Isaly Library for a small $5.00 fee. If they think that they will need to use the library’s resources more than once, it is more than worth it for them to become an Ohio Genealogical Society Member for only $40.

 
Q: Is there anything else you’d like everyone to know about the Ohio Genealogical Society Library?

OGS Noel Poirer: Making the library’s resources available to Members and to the general public is an ongoing and labor-intensive process. It can also be an expensive one. The Society, and its library, are a non-profit entity that needs the support of all those interested in the preservation of Ohio’s historical records. If a reader is interested in supporting the Society, and its mission, I welcome their phone call or email.

We continue with the President of OGS, Dorothea Martin.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself? How long have you been involved with the Ohio Genealogical Society?

OGS President, Dorothea Martin: I am retired from Detroit Police Department. I have served on the OGS Board of Trustees since 2010, and have been President since May 2020.

Q: What are your responsibilities as President?

OGS President, Dorothea Martin: The Ohio Genealogical Society is a 501©3 organization tasked with meeting the educational needs of its members and the general public through the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of genealogical and historical information pertaining to the people of Ohio.

As President, my responsibilities include working with my Board of Trustees and the OGS professional staff to attain the goals of OGS. As with any non-profit, this would include supervising and promoting OGS, presiding over Society meetings, appointing personnel to chair committees, fill vacancies, and perform other duties to ensure the smooth running of the OGS.

Q: Who are the other members on the Ohio Genealogical Society Board? And what are their responsibilities?

 
OGS President, Dorothea Martin: The OGS Board is composed of an Executive Committee consisting of the President, 3 Vice Presidents, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, as well as Trustees representing various areas of the State of Ohio.

The duties of the Board include determining the policies of the Society, overseeing the financial health of the OGS, maintaining Society records, ensuring compliance with all non-profit requirements, and engaging with OGS chapters.

Q: What resources are available and who can make use of the collection?

OGS President, Dorothea Martin: The OGS maintains the Samuel D. Isaly Library in Bellville, Ohio. The Library holdings include books and publications from and about all 88 Ohio counties, local histories, bible records, military records, city and county directories, a collection of Ohio high schools and college year books, OGS lineage society applications, and family histories.

OGS also has a large collection of records on its website, www.ogs.org, including an online catalog of the Society’s holdings, databases, Special Collections, Ohio Civil War Center, as well as a large collection of microfilm holdings indexed by county. All library resources are available to members as a member benefit. Non-member visitors are invited to use the Library by paying a $5.00 per day fee.

Q: Tell us about your upcoming OGS Conference and any other events that may be coming up.

 
OGS President, Dorothea Martin: Our annual OGS Conference will be held April 27-30, 2022 at Great Wolf Lodge just outside Cincinnati, in Mason, Ohio. The Conference is open to all. Registration information can be found at www.ogsconference.org . The OGS also holds a Fall Retreat each year, and other educational opportunities throughout the year.

Q: Do people have to be members to attend?

OGS President, Dorothea Martin: Individuals do not have to be members to attend the majority of these events. More information, as well as registration, can be obtained on the OGS website www.ogs.org.

Q: How can an individual join the society? What benefits do society members receive?

OGS President, Dorothea Martin: New members are always welcome. Simply go to the website and click on the red Join button at the upper right. The numerous membership benefits are listed on the same membership page and include two publications, access to the Members Only area on the website, discounts at the OGS Conference and other member events, discounted OGS Library Copy Services, and many more.

Q: Is there anything else you'd like everyone to know about the Ohio Genealogical Society?

OGS President, Dorothea Martin: OGS is the largest state genealogical society in the country and has chapters in a majority of Ohio’s 88 counties. And we are fun people to be around! Please consider joining OGS. You won’t regret it!

 

A Little-Known Resource for Medina History

These are two of the 50 volumes in
the Landmark File collection.

By Lauren Kuntzman

One of our most unique resources at the Family History & Learning Center is the Landmark File collection.  

This collection is easily overlooked… but in some cases the Landmark Files are the only source of information documenting the history of Medina County people and places.  

To help you understand the collection, here are some frequently asked questions – and answers! – about it.  

What are the Landmark Files?

The Landmark Files are a 50-volume collection that documents Medina County history for a quarter of a century. Between 1962 and 1987, librarians at Medina Library clipped newspaper articles from local papers that they deemed important to the county’s history. They pasted the articles into old journals, notebooks, and annual reports, to keep the newspaper clippings from being lost over time. Each one of these booklets forms a volume of the Landmark File. 

What topics are included in the Landmark Files?

This is just one example
of the family history
information you may find
in the Landmark Files.

The articles in the Landmark Files focus on businesses, homes, individuals, and institutions throughout Medina County. Some of these articles document current changes in the community, which the librarians thought would be historically important to future generations.

The Landmark Files also include a series of articles written by Evelyn Thomas, entitled “About the Past.” These articles focus more on Medina County’s past, writing up Ms. Thomas’s recollections and reminiscences about Medina decades earlier.  

To get a better idea of the topics that are included, review this digital copy of the Index to the Landmark Files: Index to the Landmark Files.

How can the Landmark Files help my research?

If you are researching any part of Medina County history that happened before 1987, the Landmark Files are a great resource to check. As noted earlier, in some cases, the Landmark Files are the only source of information we have about certain events in Medina County history. 

Are there any problems with the Landmark Files?  

Unfortunately, the Landmark Files aren’t perfect. In many cases, the librarians clipping the articles neglected to note their source, so we’re unsure which newspaper the articles were originally printed in or when they were published. 

The collection is also in poor condition. The clippings and the paper they were glued on have become brittle over time, making them very fragile and, at times, difficult to read. 

Where can I access the Landmark Files collection?

The originals of the Landmark Files can only be accessed at the Family History & Learning Center, located in Medina Library. As seen at right, all 50 volumes are in the Medina County section of the "Local & Family History Collection." Staff members will be happy to help you locate them.

But, in coming months, FHLC staff will be digitizing the Landmark Files and making them available through the Digital Archives of MCDL at https://mcdl.info/newspapers. 

In the meantime, if you can’t visit the Family History & Learning Center in person, you can request digital copies of the Landmark Files to be sent to you. Review the digitized index (Index to the Landmark Files), then send a request to me-team.genealogy@mcdl.info with the topic, volume, and page number you’d like and we will email it to you free of charge. 

Upcoming History/Genealogy Events

Sat. 1/15, 1:00 PM. Medina County Historical Society @ Medina Library. History of Transportation in Medina County. Postponed. Will be rescheduled for a later date. Learn more here or email mchs@zoominternet.net for updated details.

Mon. 1/17, 10:00 AM. Cleveland History Center. MLK Day Celebration. Learn more here.

Wed. 1/19, 6:30 PM. Medina Library and Zoom. MCDL Celebrates 40 Years. Register here.

Sat. 1/22, Noon. Medina Library. Medina County Local History Fair. Learn more here. No registration required.

Wed. 2/1, 6:30 PM. Medina Library and Zoom. Beginning Genealogy. Register here.

New “Toys” in the Family History & Learning Center

By Lauren Kuntzman

The Family History & Learning Center was very fortunate this holiday season and we have several new “toys” to share with you in 2022!

In the Local & Family History Collection, we’ve added the following books:

New York

• All-Name Index to the 1860 Gazetteer of New York State

Pennsylvania

• The Welcome Claimants Proved, Disproved and Doubtful with an Account of Some of Their Descendants

• Travels In Pensilvania and Canada

Ohio

• Ohio's Canals: History - Description - Biography

Cuyahoga County

• A History of Cleveland and Its Environs: The Heart of New Connecticut, vol. I, II, III

Medina County

• Medina County Home Cookbook 1992

Summit County

• History of Bath 1818-1968

Family Histories

• The Search for Holmes, Robson, Hind, Steele, and Graham Families of Cumberland and Northumberland, England

• Proceedings of the Sesqui-Centennial Gathering of the Descendants of Isaac and Ann Jackson at Harmony Grove, Chester County, Pennsylvania

• Josiah Moore of Hunterdon County, New Jersey Some Ancestors and Descendants

• Ancestry of Sharpless Moore and Rachel (Roberts) Moore, With Their Direct Ancestors to and Including Thirty-six First or Immigrant Ancestors with Some Old World Pedigrees and Origins And Direct Descendants

• Moore and Allied Families, The Ancestry of William Henry Moore

• Genealogy of the Sharpless Family, Descended From John and Jane Sharples, Settlers Near Chester, Pennsylvania, 1682

• Stough Stauch Stouch, Vol. 1, Vol. 2 (Book 1 & 2), Vol. 3 (Book 1, 2, 3, 4)

In the Digital Lab, to help patrons who are scanning slides and negatives, we’ve added a light table and a magnifying loupe. It’s just an added option for previewing slides/negatives before you even get them on the scanner bed. 

In the Makerspace, we’ve added two new items for creativity. 

First, there’s now a metal stamping kit. We have a stamping block, hammer, two fonts with letters, numbers, and punctuation, a bracelet bending bar, and bracelet pliers.

To use it, just call 330-725-0588 x5017 to set up an appointment. You’ll need to bring along whatever material you’d like to stamp. Before your appointment, view the ImpressArt tutorials in advance, on YouTube. Good videos to start with are “Metal Stamping Basics.”

Next, we’ve added a Cricut Mug Press. With this device, you can create custom mugs that are brilliantly-colored, fade-resistant, and safe for food, dishwashers, and microwaves.

To use the device, just call 330-725-0588 x5017 to set up an appointment. You’ll need to bring infusible ink sheets and Cricut mugs. We supply the Cricut for cutting our your design, the Mug Press, plus a heat-resistant mat and heat-resistant tape. Again, stop by YouTube first, for many, many video tutorials on the mug-making process. 

If you have questions about any of these new resources, please call the FHLC staff at 330-725-0588 x5017.  We’re happy to share what we’ve learned and are always willing to help.  

Also new this year…  

At the end of each blog post, we’re going to list area classes and programs available over the next month. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about genealogy and local history!

History/Genealogy Events for January 2022

Sun. 1/9, 2:00 PM. Zoom. English Equity Courts. Email chapter@medinacoogs.org for details.

Wed. 1/12, Noon. Medina Library. Genealogy Discussion Group. Learn more here. No registration required.

Thu. 1/13, 7:00 PM. Zoom. History of Jazz in Cleveland. Register here.

Sat. 1/15, 1:00 PM. Medina County Historical Society @ Medina Library. History of Transportation in Medina County. Learn more here or email mchs@zoominternet.net for details.

Mon. 1/17, 10:00 AM. Cleveland History Center. MLK Day Celebration. Learn more here.

Wed. 1/19, 6:30 PM. Medina Library and Zoom. MCDL Celebrates 40 Years. Register here.

Sat. 1/22, Noon. Medina Library. Medina County Local History Fair. Learn more here. No registration required.