Click

PIX #1 - Country Club Caddies of years ago...reeading from left to right: Al Knox, John Lee, Leland Gorrill, Maurice Schart, Frank Hemersbach, Orlo Luhring, Ray Krupp, Walter Fruth, Truman Weimerskirch, Phil Degan, "Mope" Bill Doyle, Harold Krupp. (Names and faces identified and verified by J. Lee & L. Scharf).

Caddies? What were they some readers may ask. The headline says they were important part of golf 65 years ago.

This article and the accompanying photo are about one group of boys who caddied at the Fostoria Country Club during its early days.

Today, golfers use motorized carts to carry their bag of clubs and to ride around the golf course. Back then, golfers employed boys to carry their bag of clubs and to chase balls. That's mainly what caddies did, but being a caddy paid dividends other than what they earned from their services.

Being on a golf course, the caddies learned much about the game...the use of the various clubs and when to use each...and many other pointers best learned from good golfers.

MOST CADDIES BECAME GOOD GOLFERS

Most of the boys shown in the accompanying photo became golf enthusiasts in later years, some of them excellent players who continued to play at the club where they once caddied.

Out of the 13 shown in the photo, only two, John Lee, 700 N. Main St., and Walter Fruth, 836 N. Union St., are still living. Ray Krupp, on of those in the photo was an active golfer all of his life in Fostoria, but died recently.

During the early years of the Fostoria Country Club, Fremont didn't have a golf course, so golfers from there came to Fostoria to play. Three of the regular visitors from there according to John Lee and Lawrence "Gus" Scharf, 728 S. Main St., were Bill Emmons, Art Christy, and Charles Sherwood. The last two were officials at the Christy Safety Razor Co.

"FORE"...BUT LEE GOT WALLOPED

The story is told that one day, at the end of a round of golf when the sun was setting, and Christy was at the end of the course, John Lee ran ahead to retrieve the ball in the vent it was lost. Christy walloped the ball and then yelled "FORE".

Lee turned around to look...and wham...the ball hit him squarely on the forehead...knocking him out cold. Christy ran to John, picking him up and carrying him to his car. When he regained consciousness Christy took him to Dr. Henry Sr. at John's request. Leaving him there, Christy put a $20 bill in John's hand and said, "If that isn't enough, I'll make it right".

Dr. Henry cleaned and bandaged the laceration and then, according to John, asked how much he had to pay. John explained about the $20 and the doctor reportedly said, "You'll make a profit on this treatment".

Dr. Henry was the grandfather of Josephine, John Lee's present wife. Dr. Henry Sr. and son, Josephine's father, both practiced at 111 W. Center St., where Sam Hammonds and Lester Stewart, attorneys, now have offices.

There were other boys who caddied at Fostori's Country Club at various times, but today's featured photo is the only one that has surfaced. Scharf, mentioned earlier was one of those caddies, and recalled Lee's injury when I talked to him about this article and the photo.

SEIPLE ONLY EARLY GOLFER LIVING

Robert Wagner, a well-known Fostorian of that era, was an avid golfer and also caddie-master there. Other golfers who frequented the local course were: Clarence Brown, president, American Railway Signal; Walter Witherspoon, attorney; Dr. M.E. Seiple, dentist; Dr. M.A. Prudden, osteopath; W.O. Hays, insurance agent; Glenn H. Eaton, druggist; E.R. Pillars, industrialist; Earl Ash, farmer/banker. Dr. Seiple is the only one of the group still living.

READER FEEDBACK PRAISE FROM ONE OF RISDON FAMILY

Months ago, this column published a series about the Risdon family...David Risdon, having planned and surveyed the village of Risdon, now part of Fostoria.

Copies of the series were circulated among the Risdons, scattered all over the U.S.

A surprise letter arrived recently from George William Treat Flint, Reno, Nev. David Risdon's older brother Josiah Jr., was Flint's third great- grandfather, as explained in the letter. Further, he explained that Josiah's son Jellis Clute Risdon went to California around 1865 and settled near San Rafael. Flint is the fourth generation California born descendent of Jellis Clute Risdon and his (Flint) mother, Grace Estelle Risdon is still living on the Oregon coast.

"I congradulate you on a fine job of reflecting on a very special early America family", she wrote.

Flint said he thought a reunion of Risdons in Fostoria is a great idea. Flint's cousin, Allen Risdon, is an editor of The Nevada State Journal, and Flint is chief of staff for Senator Donald R. Mello, State of Nevada, Washoe District 2. Flint is also a member of the National Society of The Sons of the American Revolution.

ELIZABETH WILLIAMS REPLYS

Elizabeth, wife of deceased Hugh, son of Josh Williams, who was included in a recent article, was pleased with the story, but reminded me that her sister in-law Aline Hynson was not a nurse but a dietitian. Sorry! This author always thought her a nurse, even though we were friends all through high school years.

ABOUT THE AMSDEN SERIES

I hadn't had time or column space to remark about the Amsden series of articles until now.

Without question, it was a very popular series, and the response warrants articles about other Seneca County villages, as earlier planned. The response was excellent from rural as well as Fostoria readers; also from relatives of families who had their roots in the Amsden area, but now are residing at great distances from the village.

An indication of the response is indicated by the fact that The Review Times normal supply of extra copies was depleted.

For those readers who thought that the Amsden series was too lengthy and deprived them of Fostoria history, the author can only say that the record does not substantiate that opinion.

The author wishes to provide interesting informative articles which will satisfy all segments of the population. I try to keep my ears and mind tuned to the populace.

Thanks for your continued interest and comments whenever you wish to express them.

JOHN HARRISMAN TELEPHONES

Many readers in my age bracket will recall John Harriman who grew up in Fostoria and who's father was local agent for the Hocking Valley Railroad for many years.

John telephoned recently as he does periodically. He now resides in New Riegel but reads Potluck regularly.

John's call was to tell me that we listed his father as J.C. Harriman in an article and it should have been J.V. I don't know how it happened.

John was active in sports as a boy and young man and out of our telephone conversation there may be a baseball story with a unique twist we can tell in this column sometime.

Incidentally, the house where the Harriman's lived at one period of time on North Main Street was sold at a sheriff's sale recently. It has stood vacant and boarded up for a number of years. John told me it was fine old house when his father owned it.