With all of the hustle and bustle that goes with preparations for the holidays, I thought I’d share some diversion with the following pieces of news from county newspapers published during the past century — meaning the early 1900s.
A story published in the Union Register in 1927 describes the unusual experience of a minister who ended up in jail.
Rev. Frank House, pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Cardington, and a friend, Will Ruth, had returned from spending the night before at Sychar Camp ground in Mount Vernon. They returned that Thursday morning, each driving his own car.
They arrived at Mr Ruth’s house at 4 a.m. Because it was August, Rev. House decided to gather sweet corn in his garden at the rear of the Nazarene Church. After separating from Mr. Ruth, he continued to gather corn when he suddenly fainted and fell to the ground. It could not be determined how long he lay there but when he became aware of his surroundings two hours later, to his surprise, he found himself locked up in the Cardington jail.
The town’s mayor, Walter Vaughn, was called and asked the minister a few questions and then retired. Very shortly afterwards Mr. House was given his liberty and because his family was absent from home, he was taken to the home of E. C. Maxwell and wife for refreshment and rest.
He was later examined by Dr. F. H. Hartsook, Cardington physician who stated that Rev. House was simply ill due to an exhausted condition of the nerves and should have been removed to a physician’s office or a private house and not the town jail, the lodge of law violators. The pastor asked that those responsible for these false reports please rectify them as soon as possible. This column was signed by the doctor, the mayor and four council members.
• Another story in a 1915 Morrow County Independent describes an appendectomy surgery on a young woman at the home of her parents here in Cardington. The surgery was performed by a Columbus surgeon and two local doctors. The surgery was a success and a local nurse then assumed her care.
• The “stork” (haven’t heard that term in a long time) had been busy the previous week delivering twins to the A. E. Salisbury home, a baby girl to Henry and Hazel Poorman, a girl to the Adna Green home and a girl to the home of Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Mattix. A son was also delivered to the home of Jerry Coleman.
• The Morrow County Independent also headlined a story in the December, 1910 edition concerning a local couple who had lived in Cardington for 60 years and shared many memories of the town from 1850. Among the nuggets of information I learned was the confirmation of the fact that the town’s center was at East Main and Center streets for many years.
50 years ago, December, 1969: Donna Baer and Mary Jo Frey of Cardington were certified as licensed practical nurses.
Remember when baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle? Or taking drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin?
Or when water balloons were the ultimate weapon?
