Fall 2011

Author: Sally Whiting

The first encounter I had with a family Bible was in my grandmother’s cavernous attic in Charles Town, West Virginia. I was in elementary school and had begun to read voraciously, but I had never seen books like these before. Four of the huge volumes were resting on a dusty shelf. I was afraid to open or even touch them - for one thing, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to even lift them. How could a book be so big? I assumed that they were filled with magic spells and that this confirmed my grandmother was, indeed, some kind of sorceress in secret.

When my mother later explained that they were Bibles, I was almost disappointed. Bibles? How boring! But she went on to explain why these particular Bibles were important to the family, and showed me the pages where my great-great-grandmother had recorded the births of her children, and the dates of their weddings. A second hand solemnly noted the date of her death.

This is probably a familiar story to most people who have found family Bibles of their own; too large for normal bookshelves, they end up stashed in an out-of-the-way part of the house and become coated with decade’s worth of dust. In my grandmother’s case, after she died the Bibles ended up going to my aunt’s house after we’d cleaned out the Charles Town house. By this time, the books were not merely dusty, but covered in bat droppings. That anyone decided to keep them at all is entirely because of what was written inside.

I personally haven’t looked at my own family’s Bibles in years; my next encounter with such Bibles was here at the Ypsilanti Historical Society. I began volunteering in February, working with University of Michigan graduate student (now graduated!) Liz Skene on a project to catalog the Family Bible Collection and add that information to the archival database. The Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County had already made good progress on the transcription and cross-filing front, so in some cases all we needed to do was add the listing to the archival catalog.

The Bibles themselves are housed in a room on the second floor of the museum; 26 of the large family volumes are shelved along with a collection of other books from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of the Bibles are from the mid- to late 19th century, with a couple of them dating from earlier: one from the 18th century, and another from 1662. Both are in German and likely crossed the Atlantic with their original owners.

Family Bibles hit their heyday in the mid-19th century in America. A quick browse through the collection here reveals that many of them were given as gifts between newlyweds in the 1870s. Some have no records written beyond the initial dedication; recording their grandchildren’s marriages. The Bible for the Tefft family even has a 1980 birth recorded in ballpoint pen.

Safely stored in the museum, the family Bibles in the Ypsilanti collection are a great resource for anyone interested in local family history, even if the books themselves are generally not worth a lot.

Most preservationists encourage people to focus on transcribing information that was handwritten in the Bibles before the ink fades into illegibility. Preserving the book itself is generally a secondary concern; the information stored within its pages is far more valuable than the trappings. An excellent resource for anyone interested in their own local family history is the Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County, where volunteers continually add transcribed information from family Bibles. Most of the records in the YHS Bible collection have been added to this database as well.

As far as actual storage goes, most family Bibles do end up stashed in bat-infested attics like my grandmother’s. Another popular choice is the moldy, flood-prone basement. These are far from ideal conditions; temperature fluctuations and humidity will quickly warp pages and break down the binding, making the book very difficult to handle without causing damage. Many of the Bibles in the YHS collection have suffered conditions like this before coming to the museum.

Family Bibles are a great find for anyone interested in their own family history. If you’re unsure how to protect the book against wear and tear, most preservationists would recommend storing it in a box and preferably not keeping it in an area of your house prone to extreme temperature or humidity fluctuations. But above all, be sure to make a note of what it is and record the genealogical information it holds, so that future generations don’t lose out on this valuable resource.

(Sally Whiting is a regular volunteer in the YHS Archives and is now working on our Map Collection.)

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

Photo 1: The YHS Bible Collection is stored on the second floor of the Museum but all family information has been transcribed and placed in folders in the Family Collection.

Photo 2: Many of the Bibles are very fragile and would be damaged if handled by visitors to the Archives.

Fall 2011

Author: Peter Fletcher

1. Prior to World War II, Ben Burbank operated a retail business at
25 South Huron Street. What did he sell?

2. Before the days of municipal trash collections where were the
city dumps located?

3. Name the local family who had a business making excellent chocolate candy
in the 1920s and ‘30s?

4. Is Ferris Street named after the Ferris Wheel of carnival fame?

5. During our Civil War how did they know which communities to return the
bodies of “unknown soldiers” to if they were truly unknown?

6. What branch of the U. S. Military was our local Armory on South Huron Street
on Ford Lake connected with?

7. Which former U. S. President was the State Normal College lab school
named after?

8. How many of the general practice Medical Doctors can you name who
had offices in Ypsilanti before World War II?

9. Do you remember the words and the tune to the song used to promote
the “Henry J.” auto built here?

10. What cruelty was visited upon some children confined to an iron lung
during the polio epidemics of the 1940s and ‘50s?

11. Name in chronological order the fuels used to heat buildings during
the last 150 years.

12. Give the prices of some common commodities in the 1930s, such as gas,
bread and adult movie tickets.

13. Identify some of the popular national radio programs in the 1930’s.

14. What was the common alternative use for auto running boards?

15. Give the first names of the men these cars were named for: Chevrolet,
Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, DeSoto and Dodge.

16. When the wreck of the “Titantic” was finally located on the Atlantic Ocean
floor by Robert Ballard, what special Michigan connection unfolded?

17. What peculiar event did Ypsilanti––along with the rest of the USA––
encounter within minutes of the Kennedy assassination in Dallas on 11/22/63?

18. Ypsilanti was part of a gesture of common decency to Japanese Americans
living on the west coast following the Day of Infamy – 12/07/41. What was it?

19. A recent History Channel series on World War II said the War was won in
Detroit referring to the high amounts of equipment built here. Identify some.

20. Why did old fashioned telephone 3-digit phone numbers often end with
the letter J or W?

21. Where in this area can you clearly read a familiar Latin phrase?

(Peter Fletcher is the President of the Credit Bureau of Ypsilanti
and is widely known for his inspirational speeches.)

Fall 2011

The Friendly Feud
Many think the friendly feud between the cities of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor is a recent trend. However, the following poem appeared in the Ann Arbor Courier on January 14, 1891:

YPSI & ANNIE
(A Romance of Two Cities)

Sweet Annie and Ypsi
For Years have been famed,
As possessing for each
Green envy, untamed.

Whenever old Ypsi
Would boast with a zest
Of the Greek in his name,
And the Gaul ‘neath his vest,

Fair Annie with scorn
From her Arbored repose,
Has on every occasion
Presented her nose.

And Ypsi so stung
By the maiden’s keen wit,
Has often retorted
In language that hit.

He’s called her red-headed,
And hinted that she
Was not always pure
As a maiden should be.

This thing has gone on,
With increasing hate
To the utter disgust
Of all neighbors of late.

But all ways have a turn;
There’s an end to their scorn;
And the incense of orange
On zephyrs is borne.

The two now are wed,
And Ypsi and Annie
Are billing and cooing
And spooning as any.

Published In:
Ypsilanti Gleanings, Summer 2010,
Summer 2010

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Original Images:

Author: Maureen Kerwin

Have you seen the Ypsilanti Historical Society's Digital Photo Archives? It is an online collection of approximately 400 digitized photographs documenting a wide range of subjects and time periods in Ypsilanti history. If you have browsed it before, the collection was nearly doubled this spring so there is more to see! You can access the collection through the YHS's website on the "Publications" page. Each image has a description, subject terms, and additional information attached to it. The collection can be searched or browsed by key words.

The Digital Photo Archives project started in 2000 and is a collaboration between the Ypsilanti Historical Society and the Digital Library Production Service at the University of Michigan. The photographs are selected from the archives, researched, scanned, and entered into a database by the YHS; the DLPS provides the web infrastructure that makes the collection accessible online.

The collection is very diverse. There are photographs from as early as the 1870s and as late as the 1990s; they are of cemeteries, churches, cars, people, parades, buildings, sports teams, and more. There is even a photograph of a Japanese opera production from circa 1900! Many of the photographs are related to the automobile industry such as the picture showing the first Henry J automobile sold in Ypsilanti to Mellencamp’s Clothing Store.

Other photographs are related to the many civic organizations that have existed in Ypsilanti over the years. According to one photograph the Ypsilanti Knights of Pythias civic organization were “Michigan State Champions” in 1923. We are not certain what the competition involved but it may have involved costumes.
Whatever interests you about Ypsilanti history, there is certain to be something for you in this collection. If you have questions about the Digital Photo Archives project you may contact me (mkkerwin (at) gmail.com) or Al Rudisill (al (at) rudisill.ws).
(Maureen Kerwin is a student at the University of Michigan and served as an Intern in the YHS Archives working on the Photo Archive project.)
Photo Captions:

Photo 1: A photo from 1951 showing the first Henry J automobile sold in Ypsilanti. The vehicle was sold to Mellencamp's Clothing Store (located at 122 West Michigan Avenue from 1907 to 1984) by the Norris Motors Kaiser-Frazer dealership (334 East Michigan Avenue). Pictured are William D. Stevens and Collin F. Bonner, owners of Mellencamp's.

Photo 2: According to this photograph, the members of the Knights of Pythias civic organization were the Michigan State Champions in 1923. Pictured are Hart, Hand, McGraw, van DeWalker, Tripp, Shaibly, Elsworth, Warner, Smith, Geer, Millage, Tenny, Boutell, Burrell, Pierce, Hamond, and Williams.

Author: Virginia Davis-Brown

Summer is almost here and we are looking forward to some new and exciting exhibits. We hope that you were able to visit the Art Exhibit. There are so many talented people in our area and the artists were willing to share their pictures with us for two weeks.

We were honored to have Boy Scout Troup 290 from the Emanuel Lutheran Church present us with a 48 star flag on June 14, Flag Day. It was a very impressive ceremony with several boys and their leaders taking part. We thank them very much.

A few weeks ago we received a large collection of military uniforms and hats from the estate of Martin Omen. After they have been identified and cataloged we will be putting some on display.

On June 17 we honored our docents with a luncheon. Our docents do a wonderful job taking care of our guests and sharing the history of Ypsilanti. We are always in need of more docents and it only involves three hours per month. In July we will start looking for docents to help us over the Heritage Festival weekend. It involves a two to three hour commitment. We provide each docent with all the information needed. If you are interested, please contact me at 734-484-0080 or 734-482-4990.

The Lost Ypsilanti Exhibit will begin on July 19 and run through Labor Day. This year the theme is “Henry Ford and His Influence on the Ypsilanti Area.” It is hard to believe that he has influenced this area since the early 1900s.

Please come and visit us at the Museum.

Treasured objects and artifacts held by the Ypsilanti Historical Museum will be preserved for future generations with help from the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS has now awarded almost 3,000 free sets of the IMLS Bookshelf, in cooperation with the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH).

“When IMLS launched this initiative to improve the dire state of our nation’s collections, we understood that the materials gathered for the Bookshelf would serve as important tools for museums, libraries, and archives nationwide,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. “We were both pleased and encouraged by the overwhelming interest of institutions prepared to answer the call to action, and we know that with their dedication, artifacts from our shared history will be preserved for future generations.”

The Ypsilanti Historical Museum received this essential set of resources based on an application describing the needs and plans for the care of its collections. Our successful application was written and submitted by Pamela German and Veronica Robinson, Masters-level students in the Historic Preservation program at Eastern Michigan University. The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in art or history museums and in libraries' special collections. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.

YHM is incredibly excited about this initiative and are already putting the resource materials to good use! To learn more about the Institute of Museum and Library Services, visit www.imls.gov.

Author: Kathryn Howard

Early in 2009 I received a phone call from Marilou (Deubel) Reinikka of Vancouver, Washington. Marilou is the great granddaughter of William and Sally Deubel of Ypsilanti. Later, I received a letter from Marilou offering to send the Deubel Family Bible (currently on display) and other written history about the family – now in the Fletcher-White Archives. The Deubel family was known for their flour mills along the Huron River in the area and lived on North Huron Street during the late 19th century. Early this fall, I again received a letter from Marilou stating she was sending an oil portrait of Hattie Deubel. In the letter she included information about the portrait and Hattie:

Hattie Deubel was the daughter of William and Sally Deubel. She died about the age of 14 from Pneumonia. The portrait was painted from a photograph after her death. My grandfather, Frank Deubel, sat for the painting of the face of the portrait since he and Hattie looked much alike. The mouth however, is Frank’s which was a Cupid ’s bow shape; Hattie’s was really much straighter and thinner according to my mother.

The Portrait was passed from one brother to another through the family. It seems that each time it went to another brother, that brother died soon after. This happened several times and when it was Frank’s turn to have it, my grandmother wanted no part of it – she thought it had bad karma! Frank insisted and they hung it in their living room. Soon after, Frank died as the others had, all from massive cerebral strokes. Quite an interesting story! It remained on the Deubel family wall until my aunt died two years ago. Doris Jean Deubel had some restoration work done to the painting about five years ago.

(Marilou Reinikka - 2009)

(Note: We plan to hang the Hattie Deubel portrait in the Victorian bedroom in the YHS museum; however, we need a gold colored frame in order to do so. The portrait is 2’ 1” x 3’ ¼”. If you or someone you know has a frame of this size that you are willing to donate to the project, please contact Kathryn Howard at the museum - 734-482-4990).

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Strange things happened to the Duebel brothers when the Hattie Duebel portrait was hung in their home. Was it coincidence?

The Historical Society of Michigan selected the Ypsilanti Historical Society “Gleanings” for their statewide award in the area of “Communications: Newsletters and Web Sites.” The award was presented to Al Rudisill (Editor) and Peg Porter (Assistant Editor) at the Society’s annual conference held on Mackinac Island on October 2-4, 2009. The State History Awards are the highest recognition presented by the states’ official historical society and oldest cultural organization, established in 1828. The “Gleanings” was nominated by George Ridenour, a regular contributor to the newsletter and a volunteer in the Ypsilanti Historical Society Archives.

Thirteen awards were presented at the conference in the following categories: Publications - University and Commercial Press; Publications – Private Printing; Media; Communications; Educational Programs; Restoration & Preservation; Distinguished Volunteer Service; Special Programs and Events; and Lifetime Achievement.

The first “Gleanings” was published in 1973 and features historical articles including the reminiscences of people and places in Ypsilanti and the surrounding area. The newsletter features articles and photographs documenting the history of the area and also includes advertisers and columns of current interest such as history based programs and web sites.

An index of all back issues of the Gleanings is posted on the “publications” section of the YHS web site at “ypsilantihistoricalsociety.org/publications.html” and the Ann Arbor District Library has digitized all past issues and posted them on the Internet. They can be accessed and downloaded at “ypsigleanings.aadl.org.”

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: The Gleanings is published four times per year and is included with the $10 annual membership fee.

Published In:
Ypsilanti Gleanings, Spring 2010,
Spring 2010

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Original Images:

Author: James Mann

We are very pleased to announce the publication of a new book titled “Tales from the Ypsilanti Archives: Tripe-mongers, Parker’s Hair Balsam, The Underwear Club & More” written by our own Laura Bien.

The Ypsilanti Archives in the basement of the Museum at 220 North Huron Street is a treasure trove, not of gold, silver or diamonds, but of stories from Ypsilanti’s past. Laura Bien has mined this rich vein in frequent trips to the Archives, and has shared these stories in her Dusty Diary blog, and her columns in The Ypsilanti Courier, The Ypsilanti Citizen, The Ann Arbor Observer and AnnArbor.com. A few of these gems are now collected in one volume.

The book includes stories on many diverse topics from Ypsilanti’s past including: the battle the city waged against standardized time; the history of the Ypsilanti High School colors; and, Inez Graves the Angel of the Depression. Included in the book is the story of Lora Bryant - the Normal College student who disappeared in 1907; Elijah Pilcher - the itinerant Methodist preacher including the travails and hardships of his calling; and John Norton, the Civil War veteran who could not take of himself.

Each story is carefully researched and crafted, giving a glimpse of the rich history that is Ypsilanti. Bien is a talented writer with a gift for words. She conveys a sense of place, whether it is to a 19th Century store or the scene of a murder, the reader has a feel of the setting. Take for example the tale of the Clara Richards, the Flapper Bootlegger, as she tried to save herself from arrest as police raided her home. “Clara was determined that her luck wouldn’t run out. She grabbed a jug of moonshine and ran to the kitchen sink, where she upended the jug. Glug, glug, glug - the incriminating ‘shine was almost gone! The clear liquid spiraled down the drain.” Bien then explains why Clara’s efforts to escape the law were not as successful as she had hoped. “There was only one problem: Clara’s sink wasn’t connected to the water system. The pipe went through her kitchen wall, draining wastewater into her yard. And at the end of that pipe, Clara saw Officer Connors collecting the moonshine as she poured it out. She desperately threw water into the sink, but it was too late. Connors had over a quart of evidence.”

Bien tells of the girls at Harriet School altering old worn out clothing so children would have something to wear during a cold winter of the depression. “Not only were the children sewing usable garments that were going back into the community, but they were also doing it with style - they were hand-sewing on bias tape. This is the colored decorative strip seen around the edges of things like potholders and aprons. It is folded three times and is devilishly difficult to sew by hand. No problem for these ten-year olds.”

This charming volume of Ypsilanti history will be enjoyed for years to come by everyone who has either lived in our great city or had relatives who resided here.

(James Mann is a local historian and author, a volunteer in the YHS Archives, and a regular contributor to the “Gleanings.”)

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Laura Bien in the YHS Archives doing research for one of her writing projects.

Photo2: The new book recently authored by Laura Bien.

Published In:
Ypsilanti Gleanings, Spring 2010,
Spring 2010

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Original Images:

Author: Gerry Pety

The YHS Archives advertises itself as “The Collective Memory of Ypsilanti,” and that is truer now than ever. Normally when one grows older, memory begins to fade – but not here. The older the archives get, the more of that “collective memory” is uncovered and exposed as our volunteers research the past and write articles and books for your knowledge and pleasure. The articles appear not only in the “Gleanings” but also on the Internet and in our local papers. Now, one of our own is again turning some of this research about our past into a delightful panoply of recently discovered memories that has slipped into the abyss of time.

Laura Bien, our Friday hostess in the YHS Archives, is a prolific writer and researcher and has written a book titled “Tales from the Ypsilanti Archives: Tripe-mongers, Parker’s Hair Balsam, The Underwear Club & More.” The book is available in the YHS Museum gift shop or in the YHS Archives. The Society will be sponsoring a book signing for Laura on April 24 between 2 and 5 p.m. in the Archives. But don’t wait to buy your copy, pick up one now and then bring it back on April 24 for the author’s signature and a little conversation.

A special thanks to Bill Ridenour, who is related to our own George Ridenour - Saturday host in the YHS Archives, for a copy of a book on the Underground Railroad in this area. This book adds to our “collective memory” of this explosive era in our history.

We extend our sincere appreciation to George Ridenour for his efforts in assisting people with research on family members and friends who once lived in Ypsilanti or the surrounding area. In addition to being an outstanding researcher, George is also a prolific author who contributes regularly to the “Gleanings.”

Laura and George are only two of the many people who volunteer time in the Archives and we keep adding to our staff. Recently Amanda Ross, who has experience working at The Henry Ford, has volunteered to serve as a staff member in the Archives on Saturdays. Welcome Amanda! We know that eventually the “researchin” and “writin” bug will infect you too as it has everyone else here in the Archives.