Granger Historical Society and the Granger Township Bicentennial

By Madison Thomas 

    It is an exciting time in Granger Township, celebrating the 200-year anniversary of its establishment in 1820. The township and its local historical society have been working together to create the festivities deserving of such a celebration for two years now due to Covid. Robert Hummel and JoAnn Boruvka have answered some questions to give an insight into what the Granger Historical Society has to offer and what to expect from the upcoming Bicentennial weekend!  

(Link to event information can be found at the bottom of this post) 

Granger Historical Society Building

JoAnn Boruvka – Research Director & Co-Chair for the Granger Bicentennial 

Q: Tell me a little about yourself and the work you do within the Granger Historical Society? What sparked an interest in your town's history?  

A: I became interested in local history when I accepted a second-grade teaching position at Garfield School in Medina in 1973 and learned that the social studies curriculum for the year was to be local history. I had to learn about the topic before I could teach it! When we moved to Granger in 1979, I found its history to be interesting. Bob Hummel asked that I write books that Highland 3rd graders could use to learn about local history. Seeing the local side of various periods in US history really brings history to life. 

Q: Near the end of this month is the Granger Township Bicentennial celebration. What might the community expect to find and learn at this event?  

A: I am the co-chair of Granger’s Bicentennial along with Roberta Gifford. We have 3 days of activities planned including; a parade, games, food, music, visits to the historical society and magical entertainment. All these events are designed to bring the community together. We will be presenting a theatre production Our Town: Granger, in the style of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Telling the history of Granger up to the 1840s with a cast of 35 people aged 6-80. There will be talks by Trustee chairperson Rich Pace and David “Doc” Loomis, pastor of Granger’s Remsen Christian Church. Also, the unveiling of a bicentennial quilt made and donated by the Little Red Quilt House in Granger. Residents can even start prior to the events to learn about Granger’s history by driving to various places throughout the township to participate in our bicentennial quiz. 

Q: How has the Granger Historical Society incorporated the history of Granger’s founding families in the Bicentennial? 

A: We will recognize descendants of Gideon Granger’s family, and descendants of the Codding, Ganyard, Hills, and Low families. Those 4 families together purchased 3/4 of the township from Gideon Granger and were among the first pioneers. (The other 1/4 of the township was purchased by Henry Remson, but we have none of his descendants.) 

Q: During the Bicentennial’s weekend the Granger Historical Society is hosting several open house events in their facilities. For the community and non-members, what are some benefits of attending? 

A: We hope to see our “regulars” and lots of new folks at our open houses. A lot of upgrades have been made to our museum and library in the last few years. There will be special displays about Granger’s earliest homes, and a wonderful collection of GAR items. 

Q: How can people get involved and volunteer for the Granger Historical Society and events in the future? 

A: We love to welcome new members and would be delighted to have people volunteer to do a myriad of tasks. 

Q: Is there anything else you would like people to know about the Granger Historical Society and/or the upcoming Bicentennial Weekend?  

A: You can see the timeline of bicentennial events at www.grangerhs.com where you will also find a list of contests we’ll be having. All events are free. Food will be available for purchase. 

 
Bob (Robert) Hummel- Granger Historical Society President 

Q: Tell me a little about yourself and what sparked an interest in your town's history? 

A: My interest in local history certainly evolved over the years. I have been a resident of Granger Twp. and lived on a dairy farm with both sets of my grandparents nearby who certainly influenced my interests. As a child, I would walk through the Granger cemeteries with my grandparents who would relay stories about those that they knew. This gave me a background to the various families and how they were connected.  

In my elementary years, our reading books followed a family from the early settlements into the 20th century. The stories fascinated me as we read about one generation to the next. Images of household goods, farm tools, clothing, toys, etc. were displayed which fascinated me, and I began to look for the items on the farm, in my grandparents' homes, and antique shops. I graduated from Highland High School, attended college, served in the army, and then returned to eventually begin a career in the Highland Schools for a period of 32 years.  

Q: How did the Granger Historical Society begin and who were some of the early members? 

A: In 1966, Helen M. Thompson, a 1922 Granger graduate, donated her home and property to the Granger Township Trustees who at that time were Paul Krueger, Willis Stoll, and William Hummel. Helen's intentions were that her home would become a museum, especially for the benefit of children. She retained life-use of her home and died in 1989 leaving the contents of her home and her extensive doll collection. The house is known as the Thompson-Work Museum to honor her parents. With the donation of this house, the Granger Historical Society was formed in 1970 and incorporated in 1972.  

A donation was then received from Judge Aldrich B. Underwood, a 1906 Granger graduate, and a retired judge in Summit Co., that provided the funding to construct a 30x40 ft. building on the property to be known as the Judge Aldrich B. Underwood Library. His library collection, Native American collection, tools, and household items were a part of his gift. Some of the earliest supporters of this endeavor were Hazel and Willis Stoll, Faye and John Scanlon, Gladys and Al Kahl, and Esther and Stanley Allard to name a few.  

Q: What resources are available within the Aldric B. Underwood Library and Thompson-Work Museum?  

A: The house and library hold interesting displays of the artifacts and collections donated by Helen Thompson, Judge Underwood, and others over the course of fifty years. The class composites of the Granger School graduates are displayed. Albums of school group pictures and family genealogies are also maintained. People visiting often look for family, home, and property information which we can then use early histories that have been published as well as maps of various time periods. 

Q: For individuals looking for help with their research or for those who are not close enough to visit, how can they get assistance? 

A: The library building is open on the first Saturday, April through October, 1:00 to 3:00 P. M. or by appointment. I can be contacted via email, hummel1195@gmail.com or by phone, 330-239-2380. 

A link to the Granger Historical Society and the Granger Township Bicentennial can be found here: https://www.grangerhs.com/granger-bicentennial-events-granger

JUNETEENTH

 June 19

by
Lauren Kuntzman
and 
Kathy Petras

Juneteenth Flag
The white star stands for Texas. The curved arc represents a new horizon 
Wiki Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?

June 19th, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, Union General Gordon Granger proclaimed  that "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free." 

From Whitehouse.gov

The "Executive" was Abraham Lincoln who had died April 15, 1865 from an assassin's bullet. The "Proclamation" was the Emancipation Proclamation that had freed all slaves in Confederate Territory on January 1, 1863. 

However, the proclamation was hard to implement in states that were still under Confederate control. Only as Union troops moved into Confederate territory were they able to enforce the proclamation. And even though the Robert E. Lee had surrendered on April 9, 1865, Confederate troops held out in many places for weeks after. As the furthest west Confederate state, Texas was late to come under Union control.

Celebrating Granger's proclamation was immediate in Texas with feasting, song, dance and prayer. One year later, the first "official" Juneteenth took place. "Juneteenth" being a blending of "June" and "nineteenth".

Over decades the celebration spread throughout the country, each community developing its own tradition.

In 1980, Texas made it a state holiday, followed by Florida in 1991, Oklahoma in 1994, and Minnesota in 1996. Other states followed suit. Ohio proclaimed it in 2006. 

States that adopted Juneteenth as a holiday prior to the 2021 Federal recognition.
Red states recognized it before 2000. Yellow States recognized between 2000 and 2009. 
Blue states recognized between 2010 and 2021.
South Dakota (in grey above) did not codify the celebration until 2022.
Wikipedia

 

And in 2021, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed an act making it a National Holiday. 

And on June 19, 2022 Medina will officially celebrate Juneteenth for the first time.

And following the traditions from the first Juneteenth, the day will start with a church service, followed by speakers, including Danita Harris from WEWS, vendor tables, food trucks featuring soul food and traditional Southern cooking, African drummers and the Mojuba! Dance Collective from Cleveland.

Join your neighbors and friends in celebrating this landmark day!

In honor of Juneteenth, here are 5 resources to help you research African American ancestry: 

1. African American Heritage
Search historical records specific to African Americans to trace your genealogy or to do research. Visit https://mcdl.info/OnlineLearning and access with your library card.

2. Ancestry - Freedmen's Bureau Records
Search 3.5 million records from 1846-1874 to learn about previously enslaved people moving from slavery to citizenship and freedom. Free access to Ancestry at MCDL branches.

3. Black Freedom Struggle in the United States
Explore newspaper articles, diaries, correspondence and more, from periods in U.S. history marked by the opposition African Americans have faced on the road to freedom. Access at https://blackfreedom.proquest.com.

4. Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936 to 1938
Explore 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves. Access at https://www.loc.gov/collections/slave-narratives-from-the-federal-writers-project-1936-to-1938/about-this-collection.

5. Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery
Search 2,500+ newspaper ads by formerly enslaved people seeking information on loved ones after emancipation. Includes 275 U.S. newspapers, published between 1865 and 1920. Access at https://informationwanted.org.

Sources:

• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Juneteenth". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Apr. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth. Accessed 9 June 2022.
• Higgins, Molly, "Juneteenth: Fact Sheet", Congressional Research Service, R44865,  https://crsreports.congress.gov  , accessed 9 June 2022. 
• "Juneteenth.com" https://www.juneteenth.com/   accessed 6-9-2022.
• "Presidents: Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the United States",  The White House, https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/abraham-lincoln/  , accessed 9 June 2022.
• Sipos, Lorraine, "Why Juneteenth Matters" Medina Weekly News, 2 June 2022, pp. 1-2
• Wikipedia contributors, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed 9 June 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Juneteenth&oldid=1092090534
• Wikimedia Commons contributors, "Juneteenth Flag", Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository,   https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php? , accessed 9 June 2022.

Military Records at Fold3

 

by
Kathy Petras

Fold3 is a database available either with a subscription or through your local Medina County District Library. 

It provides access to U.S. military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who have served in wars and conflicts since the Revolutionary War.

In 2007, when it was first created it was called Footnote and contained over 5 million records.

In 2010, Ancestry.com bought the database and it was renamed Fold3. Fold3 comes from the traditional flag folding ceremony in which the third fold is made in honor and remembrance of veterans who served in the U.S. military. 

Fold3 Library Edition is available in most Ohio public libraries. From the Medina Library site, mcdl.info, go to the Research & Learning tab and click on "F" from the alphabet list. Fold3 is the third item down.

It's a useful tool for all types of researchers:

• Historians
• Genealogists
• Teachers
• Veterans and their families.
• Genealogical Societies

While its focus and strength has always been U.S. military service people, it also covers records from the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The landing page has a simple search box with links to the records from different countries below it.

Beneath that are links to the most popular record groups and Featured Memorials for a few of the veterans on the site.

 The menu bar at the top of the page gives you several options.

The "HOME" button will always take you back to the Home Page, and the "SEARCH" button will always take you to the Search Box. 

"BROWSE" lets you browse the collections by:

• Conflict
• Title of the database set
• Place
• Publication Type
• Content Provider 
• Branch of Service

"WAR STORIES" provide insight to the events of the conflict. You can narrow it down by conflict, country and keyword. Since it is a new feature, they are looking for feedback.

"MEMORIALS" are dedicated to specific individuals. Anyone that Fold3 can identify has a Memorial created by the Fold3 team. But you can create Memorials to any of your ancestors. You will need to create a "MEMBER LOGIN" for that function. You can add stories, pictures and documents. 

Memorials I've created for just a few of my ancestors with military experience. I've included
photos, stories, records and even maps to help tell their stories.

The "HELP" tab lands you on Fold3's Training Center with videos explaining all of the sites many functions. I highly recommend you spend some time there. 

The easiest way to search an individual is to type a veteran's name into the search box. If it is a very common name, add the person's birth year to narrow down the search results. 

The search results page displays the most likely search results and how many results were found. On the left, a list of filters helps to narrow down your search results. 

With such a common name as Donald W. Johnson, this relative's military service nearly escaped my attention. Nothing I knew about him suggested he had served. His draft registration card even indicated he had "a short right leg" which would have disqualified him for military service. 

This "Application for Headstone or Marker" proves that he did serve. He was part of the Army's 1560th SCU. SCU stands for Service Command Unit. The 1560th was stationed at Camp Atterbury in Indiana as a Special Training Unit. They trained recruits in academic as well as military subjects that better prepared them for service elsewhere. 

The database has numerous tools to help you modify or use images of the records you find. The most important one is the Tools icon that appears above and to the right of the image.

It allows you to download or print the image, add it to an Memorial or share it via Facebook or Twitter.

Explore all these tools as you research your ancestors and relatives with military service in their background. Or honor your ancestor by creating a Memorial.

Green Goose Club

by 

Kathy Petras

Library Associate

VWMFH&LC

Sometimes the topics for our blog posts come to us in very serendipitous ways. That is especially true of today's topic: The Green Goose Club, one of the oldest family-oriented nudist clubs in the U.S.

National Sunscreen Day is an unofficial holiday that reminds us that while exposure to sunlight is essential for our body's production of vitamin D, it can also cause irreversible damage to our skin that can result in skin cancer. The higher the SPF (sun protection factor) in your sunscreen or sunblock, the better. As the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention says, "Don't fry!"

This leads us very indirectly to the subject of today's blog, Medina County's own nudist resort, Green Valley. Because, you know, nudists can never have enough sunscreen.

I was recently reminded about the club when I was reading the third book in the Carolina Slade Mystery series by C. Hope Clark, titled Palmetto Poison. The quirky protagonist followed some clues, and her missing sister, to a local nudist resort in the South Carolina Low Country. 

Does the Medina club still exist?

Yes. It does.

But before you get all twitterpated*, some history...

Nudity, just like clothing preferences and styles, is a societal issue. During the early part of human history, clothing was only used to protect the body against the natural environment. There are some cultures where nudity is still the norm.

Indeed, public nudity is still accepted in certain situations, such as Japanese baths, saunas, and specially designated beach areas. But the Puritans and the Victorian era curtailed nudity, seeing it, and the human body, as inherently sinful. 

A resurgence of interest in nudity grew out of the health movements of the late 19th century in Europe and the return of the Olympics, which were originally held in the nude. And for some, it was a reaction against rigid moral attitudes.

Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) gymnasium - founded 1888 in London
Encyclopædia Britannica - https://www.britannica.com/topic/YMCA#/media/1/654082/76363

The first known nudist club was Freilichtpark in 1903 in Germany. After World War I, Clubs sprang up in France, called The Sparta Club, and the Spielplatz in England. Returning soldiers brought the concept home to America with them. 

The American League of Physical Culture was founded in 1929 to promote nudism. The first official camp in the United States was Sky Form in New Jersey which opened in May of 1932. 

And in 1936, in Medina County, The Green Goose Club was formed "to promote interest in outdoor life, recreation & amusement and the clothing prohibited, family oriented lifestyle" Green Goose Club claims to be one of the oldest family-oriented nudist clubs in the U.S. Originally the Club owned 100 acres.

The first few years were very active for the new club:

• 1937 - March - they sponsored the president of the American Sun Bathing association to speak at a hotel in Cleveland. In the newspaper, Green Goose Club is described as "developing a recreation center and group of country homesites south of Cleveland."
• 1937 - May - held a recital to raise money for "convalescents, under-privileged youngsters... referred to them by such institutions as the Cleveland Clinic"
• 1937 - July - 4th of July celebrations with fireworks. Also, three cottages have been built
• 1937 - August - Chapel is dedicated on the shores of Green Goose Lake
• 1938 - May - The Club sponsors a meeting in Cleveland extolling the benefits of living a naked life.

Medina County Gazette  March 3, 1939 Page 1

But then 1939 rolled around. 

An Ohio Representative from Delaware County by the name of Keller introduced a bill to outlaw mixed gender nudist camps in Ohio. Four men from Medina testified in support of the bill.

This kind of backlash occurred in Michigan and New York States as well.

The bill passed through the Senate late in May of 1939 and the governor signed it into law in June. The law took effect 90 days later.

Somehow, the club continued in existence. 

Did they don clothes? 

Did they become a single gender club? 

Did they operate privately behind locked gates and high hedges?

In 1943, they renamed the club the Green Valley Outing Club.

In 1955, they had a different set of legal problems. The officers of the club claimed that their replacements had been voted into office in an "illegal election at an unauthorized meeting."  The court eventually found in favor of the new officers. In the article the club's purpose was stated as "to promote interest in the outdoor life." 

Also in 1959, their long time gate keeper, Mrs. Flora Belle Larsonier, was struck and killed by an automobile while walking along a road one late February evening. It is unclear why the 72 year old woman was out walking in February.

Then, in 1973, Ohio's new criminal code permitted nudist camps as long as "participants take necessary and reasonable precautions to insure their privacy."

Medina County Gazette September 11, 1974 Page 1

Whatever it's status was between 1939 and 1973, the Camp was definitely back up and running as a nudist camp in 1974!

However, that same year, a pilot was fined $8,000 for "buzzing" the camp 8 separate times. He was low enough that the identification number on his small Piper airplane could be tracked down and he could be prosecuted.

In 1995, the Club's name changed to Green Valley Outing Club, by which name it is still known. On Facebook, the group is known as Green Valley Family Nudist Club and on camping.org, the name given is Green Valley Family Naturist Park.

And as recently as 2016, Rachel Hunt wrote an article for Cleveland Scene Magazine on the club. 

There's plenty to do while visiting the Camp where activities include:

• RV hookups
• Rental cabins
• Tent camping
• Heated clubhouse
• Hot tub
• Hiking trails
• Volleyball
• Basketball
• Pickle ball
• Horseshoes
• Shuffleboard 
• Miniten
• Mentaque
• Children's playground
• Pond with pedal boat & stocked with fish.

Shuffleboard court from their web site.

And they have a set of policies that caused one group to be expelled in 2000 for not abiding by the rules:

• Must provide a government issued photo ID that is checked against the National and Ohio Registered Sex Offenders Registry.
• People are known by first names only. Personal information is shared only if so chosen.
• Strive to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere.
• Respect each other's privacy
• Photography is outlawed.
• "Suggestive familiarity" is prohibited.
• Staring is NOT acceptable behavior. (emphasis mine)
• Keep a towel handy for sitting purposes.
• Liquor & firearms are prohibited.
• Illegal drugs are strictly prohibited.
• Children are welcome at Green Valley. Parents are responsible for their safety and behavior.
• Both parents/guardians must give their consent for a minor to visit Green Valley. 

The Club is a member of AANR - the American Association of Nude Recreation

And now you know...

*twitterpated - 1. In a state of nervous excitement 2. Infatuated or obsessed. Made popular from the Disney movie "Bambi" - From lexico.com

Help Make History Accessible!

By Lauren Kuntzman

On April 1st, the 1950 U.S. Census was released to the public.  It has the potential to be a treasure trove of information for family historians… but only if the records can be easily searched.  

 

To help improve the searchability of the census, MCDL Genealogy Team has been contributing on FamilySearch by reviewing and correcting the census’s index.  Now, the Genealogy Team would love to have you join us in making these historic documents accessible to people around the world. 

 

To make it easy to help and to crowdsource our efforts for maximum impact, the Genealogy Team has created an online Indexing Group.  We’ve set a goal to review 50,000 names on the 1950 Census before Flag Day.  While the team has made progress toward that goal, we’ll need your help to review another 20,000 names in the next four weeks. 

Here’s how you can help! From your computer’s web browser: 

1. Sign in to FamilySearch. (If you need help creating an account, directions are available at this link.) 
2. Click this link https://familysearch.org/groups/family?groupId=MMM9-HTD&inviteId=MMM9-KWK and a MCDL Genealogy Team member will approve you to join our Indexing Group. 
3. Visit https://familysearch.org/getinvolved/1950 and then…

Click the state you’d like to review.  (Ohio is only 13% complete, so our home state is a great choice!)

In the “Review Names” box (bottom right), click “Get Started.” 

Skip filling in an optional last name and just click “Search.” 

Compare the text highlighted in blue with the text in the pop-up bubble.  If it matches, click the “Match” button. 

If the text doesn’t match, and you can read the handwriting, click “Edit,” correct the name in the pop-up bubble, and click “Submit.” If you can’t determine how it should be corrected click “Unsure.” 

Sometimes text that isn’t a name (like the enumerator's note "County Home" in the example below) was highlighted by mistake. In those cases, click “Not A Person.” 

Most users can complete 20 names in just a few minutes!

We hope you’ll join us in this historic effort!  To learn more about the 1950 Census, read our earlier blog post here. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the MCDL Genealogy Team at me-team.genealogy@mcdl.info. 

*Note: if you prefer to work using your mobile phone or tablet, you can download the FamilySearch Get Involved app from your app store, then follow the prompts. Joining the Indexing Group may only be possible from a web browser.  

Celebrating National Postcard Week!

By Lauren Kuntzman

Since 1984, the first full week of May is celebrated as "National Postcard Week." In honor of the week, here are some fun facts about postcards, plus a few selected images from the collection held at the Virginia Wheeler Martin Family History & Learning Center.  

Fun Facts about Postcards

• The study of picture postcards is called deltiology. Collectors of picture postcards are known as deltiophiles. Individuals who study the history of postcards are deltiologists.  
• Deltiology has a an Ohio-connection: it was coined by Ashland University biology professor Dr. Rendell Rhoades. 
• The first postcards with photographs were created in the 1870s in France. 
• 1907-1915 is known as the Golden Age of Postcards, during which time their popularity exploded. 
• Postcards are often distinguished as either Real Photo Postcards (RPPC) or printed postcards. The difference is found in the method by which the postcard is reproduced. RPPC use photographic paper and are developed as photographs, while printed postcards using a variety of printing methods. When viewed with a magnifying glass, printed postcards often reveal tiny halftone dots from the printing process.  
• Many details on the backs of postcards can help determine when they were created. One resource for dating Real Photo Postcards is https://playle.com/realphoto.
• Postcards are a great way for local and family historians to get a glimpse of their community's past. 
• Postcard collecting is the third biggest collecting hobby in the world -- right after stamps and coins!

Medina Postcards

The Family History & Learning Center has numerous postcards in its collections.  Enjoy postcards featuring the Medina Square and A. I. Root Company in the two slideshows below.  

Want to Learn More?

Here are some resources to help you learn more about postcards. 

• History of Postcards https://worldpostcardday.com/history
• Smithsonian Postcard History https://siarchives.si.edu/history/featured-topics/postcard/postcard-history
• How to Start Collection Postcards https://jasper52.com/blog/how-to-start-a-postcard-collection
• Coining the word Deltiology - Akron Beacon Journal, 5 July 1980, p. D10. 
• Identifying Postcard Eras http://jewelspostcards.com/del.htm
• Dating Guide for Real Photo Postcards https://playle.com/realphoto
• History of National Postcard Week https://postcardhistory.net/2021/05/national-post-card-week