Kelleys Island School - Emerald Isle Yearbook (Kelleys Island, OH)

Page 37 text:

Mr. Roy Erne has lived on Kelleys Island all his life. He was born in January, 1910. Roy's father, Alphonse Erne, was born on the Island. But, lda Erne, Roy's mother was born in Sandusky. There were seven children in the Erne family. Alphonse Erne was a butcher, but then became a commercial fisherman. After that he bought a truck, and hauled freight for people. He hauled such items as coal, water, and other freight. Floy started out as a young farmer working for Hank Beatty. He made five cents an hour. Roy turned to commercial fishing and after that he became a carpenter. He also helped his father haul freight with the truck. Finally, Floy was ianltor at Kelleys island School for 11 years before his retirement in 1975. The Island was heavily populated. There were around 1,500 people when Floy was young. There was employment for everyone. The school was full with an average of 20 children in each grade. Floy's wife, lva Fliedy Erne, was also born and raised on the Island. She attended school here. island life was exciting. There were dances, pinochle games every Saturday night, ice skating parties, and toboggan sled races. There were also masquerades, school parties, and at least three big balls every winter. People could also enjoy riding ice boats. Roy can remember going for sleigh rides with Lloyd Marchky. Roy said that he has never seen any winter as cold as last year's, although he has seen more snow. When he was young, there were no snow plows and people had to shove the roads by hand. Marie Feyedelem Mrs. George Yoscovitz .4' A695 Mr. and Mrs. Roy Erne Mrs. George Yoscvitz was born on Kelleys Island in 1907. Her father Mr. Charles Erne, was also born on the Island. Her mother Const ance Erne, was born in Poland, and came to the Island with the Frank Kelley family when she was sixteen. Once on the Island, she married Charles Erne and reared 12 children. They lived in the same house that the family lives in now. Molly 's father was a commercial fisherman and a farmer. At one time, he was a mailman and carried the mail across the ice to the mainland. On the Island, Molly worked at the Ward Hotel and the Kelley House. There were a lot of orchards, grape vineyards, and wine cellars on the Island. Many children were in school. All the rooms were full. For entertainment, there were dances, masquerades, and even a grape pickers' ball. The kids had ice skating parties at the big pond, which is now the Marina. They also skated on the lake to the mainland. Their winter transportation was by horse and sleigh. Also, they could walk on top of the frozen snow. Molly and George Yoscovitz celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1976. Marie Feyedelem 31

Page 36 text:

ii Mr. Karl Miller Ann Pohorence has lived on Kelleys Island since she was four years old. She is now 82. Her parents, Joesph and Ann Chervany, moved to the Island from Czechoslovakia. They and their seven children lived in a house by the stone crusher on the North side. Ann attended public school until the fourth grade. There was also a Catholic school on the Island. At the age of 15, she went to work. One of the railroad engines stopped in front of her house, so she always had a ride to and from work. There were at least a couple thousand year-round residents. The Island had quite a mixture of ltalians, Hungarians, Irish, Germans, and Czechoslovakians. It was very easy to find a job. There were quarries, stone crushers, machine shops, wine cellars, fruit orchards, a cooper shop where barrels were made, and lime kilns. Barges carried the stones away from the quarry. Ann admits she was a tomboy, and always watched the boats and railroad engines. There were around a dozen wine cellars on the Island when wine making was one of the main industries. ln the fall, the school children picked grapes. They made fifty cents a day. In the winter there was a lot of snow. People couIdn't always travel, and many children didn't make it to school. In the summer the Island was overflowing with people. Many kids went to Camp Darby during the summer. lt was a club on the west side. There was even a dance floor. Kelleys was never a dull place. Families could dance to accordian music every night. There was always weddings to goto, with receptions that lasted two or three days. Close to three masquerades were held a year. People even decorated their horses and rode them around the Island before they went to the Town Hall. There, a panel ot judges selected the person with the best costume. Ann married Joesph Pohorence when she was 17 years old. Joe Poherence had been born and reared in Marblehead. Mrs. Poherence has lived in the house where she now lives for 32 years. Her daughter, Florence, lives with her. Marie Feyedelem Mr. Karl Miller was born on December 13, 1891. He was reared on the Island. Karl is 86 years of age, and is still going strong. Karl's grandfather came from Germany to look for property. He brought 13 acres. Karl's father came from South Asherst, Ohio. His mother's maiden name was Schelb. She came from Middle Bass, Ohio. His mother came to the Island when she was twelve years of age. It was a strict rule to go to school everyday. After school they would pick grapes, and also on Saturdays. The whole valley was filled with grapes. Karl lived on the East side of the Island. The family had 23 acres that they farmed. Ten acres of it was used to grow grapes. After Karl graduated he worked in a winery. They made all kinds ot wines. The main occupation on the Island was the quarries. There were over 1,700 people on the Island when the old quarry worked. Block stone taken from the quarry was used to make many of the buildings and homes. Some homes still stand today. There were Lime Kilns on the north side of the Island. People began to raise Long Horn cattle, and had a slaughter house to do it. Alter a long days work, they had dances, masquerades, suppers and orchestras. When Karl Miller's mother was small she lived in Ted Blatt's house. It was the only one on Division street. Sherry Willis Mrs. Ann Pohorence

Page 38 text:

Dr. Boker was born in Berlin, Germany on January 6, 1918. His parents, Mrs. Frida Shodert and Mrs. Otto Boker both came from Germany. Dr. Boker came here with his parents and two brothers, Kurt and Helmut and 1923. When Dr. Boker came here, he attended Kelleys Island School. There were only eleven in his class. He won a trophy for public speaking. This was a contest held among Erie County Schools. After a day at school, Dr. Boker and his brothers started working at their chores. For entertainment, the school had box lunches and the Islanders had Christmas parties much like the Islanders have today. There were 1,750 people on the Island. Most of the people that lived here worked in the quarry, or worked in the fishing industry. He started his practice in 1955 to help the people on the islands. He flies his own airplane in which he travels to the mainland to pick up supplies, and to visit friends and relatives. Paul Matso lf l-ll I- H V I I- , ,I T i I 1 I 4412 f, t........i in ..g.--M ,. Mr. Art Lange Dr. Boker in the Marshall Islands. Mr. Art Lange was born on the Island on February 19, 1886. His father was born in Germany, and came to this country when he was 4 years old. His mother was born in Cleveland. During Mr. Lange's school days, the Island had 3 quarries. There was the North Quarry, the South Quarry, and the West Quarry. They were owned by, the Kelley Island Lime and Transport Company. There were approximately 100 to 150 employed. The Island also had grape vineyards. Two-thirds of the Island was occupied by graped wneyards. The rest of the untouched land was used for cattle grazing. Fishing also was very important. The population was about 2,200 people. Mr. Lange said Before the Estes School was operating, the schools at that time consisted of a Primary school, where the Estes School now stands, also a high school on the same property location, a Primary school and Grammar school located in the stone building where Mrs. Mike Riedy now lives, and another Primary school located on the airport road, which is known as the Jerry Dwelle home. Mr. Lange spent his summer vacation weighing stone at the West dock for the Lime Company for a wage of 851.00 a day. After he graduated he worked as a shipping clerk at the Kelleys Island Wine Company. He worked there for three -years. During the winter Mr. Lange worked at the distill, manufacturing brandy from the pomace. Mr. Lage said that during the winter, transportation to the mainland was by row boat or horse and sleigh. There were five churches on the Island at that time. There was the M.E. i?l Church, Saint Michael's Church, Congregational Church, the Reformed Church and the iGreek Orthodoxy Church. The churches had regular meetings and occasionally a dance or lecture would be advertised. A hotel was located in the area which is our park. It was operated by Mr. Schandt. There also was a bowling alley on the Island. Mr. Lange was a cornetist in the orchestra and many dances were held. Mr. Lange said that there were only five telephones that were operating on the Island. They were at the Kelley Island Lime Company, Kelleys Island Wine Company, the Doctor's, the Kelley Island Dock Company and at Mr. Ward's home, who was our state representative to the General Assembly in Columbus, Ohio. Sherry Willis