 |
| Urfa Dotterers Grave Site Riverside Cem. Defiance Ohio |
Urfa Dotterer better known as Butch, has never given up the idea that he can make a go of things in his home town, Junction. From his parent's store, he fashioned, when business slacked a fine white semi-modern home, the last $30 that he had in his possion at that time to buy paint for it.
He was born on July 15, 1894 in the building where he now lives when his mother had a dry goods and millinery business in the front part. Although he is not old enough to be a true old timer, he spent his early boyhood watching men repair boats in the dry dock across the way, located where Ruby Yenser now has her garden. He remembers the canal boats and recalls that the last passed through to Defiance about 58 years ago.
He also observed much in his grandfather Dotterer's store and in the saloon in the rear of the building. His grandfather, George Dotterer, not only was an importer and Junction business man, but he also owned a store in Paulding and the Forst grocery building and the Jaffe store building in Defiance. He also had several farms.
Grandfather Dotterer was in partnership, for a while, with Mr. Naveau who made shoes. At the time that they dissolved partnership, they had 200 pair of boots on hand. These were hand sewn pegged, and turned, and quite uncomfortable to wear. They averaged making two pair each day.
Grandfather's store, said Mr. Dotterer was the kind that sold everything from crackers to whisky. Practically all wares came in a barrels including nails, crackers, raisins, flour, whisky, and even peanuts.
The building was located at Main and Canal street, and was one of the most impressive in Junction, which was larger than Defiance before the coming of the Wabash Railroad. About that time, Captain Dania Columbia, a great grandfather of Mr. Dotterer, sold out a successful business in Fort Wayne in order to reopen in Junction. Lucky, he didn't live long enough to see the decline of the little metropolis.
The Village of Junction was laid out in 1842 by John Mason and Nathan Shirley. John Mason was the postmaster of the first post office built at that time. In 1849 the first church was erected and the first Sabbath School was organized by the Rev. Mr. Adams. Samuel Doyle, who had a quarry which stone was used to build the aqueduct one half mile south of town, and the first hotel a half mile east of Junction. Another quarry was owned by T.H. B. Columbia. This finer gray limestone was used mostly for construction purposes.
Frederick Rufner constructed the first mill in 1855 along the canal at the south edge of Junction. The framework, with two mill stones, was run by a turbine water wheel with power furnished by the Miami-Erie canal. The first saw-mill in Junction was, built by William Daggot in 1841. It was about a mile north of town and was powered by water. The first schoolhouse in the vicinity was a log structure 28x30 feet with a clapboard roof and a puncheon floor. The place was heated by a stone-fireplace which had a stick chimney. Later, a frame building was constructed in 1854, with C. Arams as teacher.
The village reached its height during the times of commerce and travel on the Miami-Erie and the Wabash Canals, and began to decline rapidly after the building of the Wabash and B.O. Railroads.
He was born on July 15, 1894 in the building where he now lives when his mother had a dry goods and millinery business in the front part. Although he is not old enough to be a true old timer, he spent his early boyhood watching men repair boats in the dry dock across the way, located where Ruby Yenser now has her garden. He remembers the canal boats and recalls that the last passed through to Defiance about 58 years ago.
He also observed much in his grandfather Dotterer's store and in the saloon in the rear of the building. His grandfather, George Dotterer, not only was an importer and Junction business man, but he also owned a store in Paulding and the Forst grocery building and the Jaffe store building in Defiance. He also had several farms.
Grandfather Dotterer was in partnership, for a while, with Mr. Naveau who made shoes. At the time that they dissolved partnership, they had 200 pair of boots on hand. These were hand sewn pegged, and turned, and quite uncomfortable to wear. They averaged making two pair each day.
Grandfather's store, said Mr. Dotterer was the kind that sold everything from crackers to whisky. Practically all wares came in a barrels including nails, crackers, raisins, flour, whisky, and even peanuts.
The building was located at Main and Canal street, and was one of the most impressive in Junction, which was larger than Defiance before the coming of the Wabash Railroad. About that time, Captain Dania Columbia, a great grandfather of Mr. Dotterer, sold out a successful business in Fort Wayne in order to reopen in Junction. Lucky, he didn't live long enough to see the decline of the little metropolis.
The Village of Junction was laid out in 1842 by John Mason and Nathan Shirley. John Mason was the postmaster of the first post office built at that time. In 1849 the first church was erected and the first Sabbath School was organized by the Rev. Mr. Adams. Samuel Doyle, who had a quarry which stone was used to build the aqueduct one half mile south of town, and the first hotel a half mile east of Junction. Another quarry was owned by T.H. B. Columbia. This finer gray limestone was used mostly for construction purposes.
Frederick Rufner constructed the first mill in 1855 along the canal at the south edge of Junction. The framework, with two mill stones, was run by a turbine water wheel with power furnished by the Miami-Erie canal. The first saw-mill in Junction was, built by William Daggot in 1841. It was about a mile north of town and was powered by water. The first schoolhouse in the vicinity was a log structure 28x30 feet with a clapboard roof and a puncheon floor. The place was heated by a stone-fireplace which had a stick chimney. Later, a frame building was constructed in 1854, with C. Arams as teacher.
The village reached its height during the times of commerce and travel on the Miami-Erie and the Wabash Canals, and began to decline rapidly after the building of the Wabash and B.O. Railroads.
No comments:
Post a Comment