AN INVENTOR AMONG US
By Larry Wagner
A while back I did a story about the Town of Williamsport and how it got it's name. Then a couple of weeks ago a reader stopped me and told me he had some more information about the story he wanted to share. I told him to write it out and send it to me and I would print it here. He did so as I said I would here it is:
WillowEnterprises - Little Bit News
This is what has been told to me from history people. First the town (of Williamsport) was called Bingham from a town in Germany on the Rhine. However, two Williams brothers had a trading station by the river in the late 1700's. In time the called the town William's Port - not Williamsport. The nick name of the Bingham Bombers - high school team may have come from the first name Bingham.
Also, I have 6 inventions enclosed is a little history of my family.
This was also included with the letter but the author did not sign their name.
We have an entrepreneur plus inventor among us. Larry Wagner of Route 2, Attica, Indiana has invented a new type of mower/cutter and an anti-plug sickle developed to help harvest bio-mass for the production of ethanol. A new type of bale knotter that has only 3 moving parts, that works on a cam, compared to the old finger system that has close to 10 moving parts,a new design for straw walkers that will increase longevity many times, a new type weed eater that will not only cut grass, but brush as well.
He has also discovered a natural enzyme for herb to inject in cattle, hog or sheep feed that will eliminate scours He also makes soap that is 100% biodegradable and all natural. Some say that they have never used anything better.
A neighbor stopped by the other day ad asked him how he thought of all this? He responded, "it must be in the genes." His folks all college people. Mr. Wagner went to Purdue and received degrees in A Engineering, Animal Science and Forestry.
A Family History:
First Mr. Wagner's grandfather Frank graduated in eastern Illinois in 1898 in Mechanical Engineering. He and a person by the name of Henry Johnson opened a machine shop in Clinton, Indiana. They once made tool and dyes for Henry Ford. In the last 2 or 3 years Mr. Wagner has has met with 2 business people in Clinton, Indiana that knew them. Rusty Wilson of Ford and John Scott of John Scott Oil Company. Rusty told Mr. Wagner, "these two old Germans could make anything." He took a picture of the old shop while he was there. The shop has since been razed. Mr.. Wagner's father, Vernon Wagner, brought the state title to Attica High School during his senior year for public speaking. About that tine his mother won Warren County Queen. Mr. Wagner would also like to mention Russell Blickenstaff of Attica, IN., and Bob Swain of Marshall, IN. They were great people. The incentive he received from these people was fabulous.
Frank Wagner and Bob Swain's untimely deaths put Mr. Wagner's life in turmoil at that time. These special people will never be replaced. It was evident at their funerals. The crowds were awesome. Mr. Wagner has had some letters from major equipment companies but would like to build his own factory He has a grandson that is taking mechanical schooling and would like to help. He has one other project mind but does not have the capital to do so. It would be awesome.
This is the type of story I like to print. It is about one of our own. It contains history and imagination. It shows that we all have a story to tell. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Each time I do a story like the one of naming a town, or how Mudlavia began, or musselling on the Wabash and I hear from a descendant or someone with a story to add it makes this all worth it.
I only wish more people would take the time contribute here. There is nothing better than hearing about one of our own and their history, is there?
Whispering Willow
By: Willow
I have been an avid reader since I was old enough to hold a book by myself. There are times when I will read as many as five novels a week. And once I buy a book and read it becomes like a close friend I find it almost impossible to part with it. But that has gotten better since I started using the library more. But I will check out as many as ten or twelve books at a time.
I have no special favorite type of book; I go through stages, biographies, all kinds of fiction, history, and "how to", to name a few. When I was a youngster my favorite books were the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys series. I read them all. The local librarian use to call me at home when a new one came in.
One of my favorite writers is a woman originally from the Danville area. Susan Wittig Albert is a popular mystery writer. Susan is a former English professor and university administrator. She has been writing full time since 1985. She and her husband Bill Albert have written over 60 novels for children and young adults. This includes books in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series under the pseudonym Robin Page, which I was so fond of. The Alberts are co-authors of Twelve Victorian mysteries, the latest is the Death of a Lizard. Susan is also the author of two non-fiction books, Writing For Life: Telling Your Soul’s Story and Work of Her Own: A Woman’s Guide to Success off the Career Track. Her newest mystery series features Beatrice Potter, The Tale of Hawthorn House.
Her books that I am most fond of are her China Bayles Mysteries Series, and I am thrilled at the possibility of getting to meet this wonderful writer that has given me and so many others so many hours of great reading. Susan Wittig Albert will be signing and speaking about her two latest books, one a China Bales Mystery, Nightshade and the other a Beatrice Potter book, The Tale of Briar Bank, at Glorie Bee Antiques in downtown Covington on Saturday, October 4th between 2:00 - 4:00 (Indiana time). Glorie Bee Antiques is located on the Square in Covington at 314 Liberty Street. I know I’m going to be there early, how about you?
Be Blessed
Willow
Willows Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth
Collecting and Preparing Herbs for Storage
There are a few guidelines that you need to follow when collecting herbs, whether you are collecting them to use for decoration, seasoning or medicinal.
1. Identify the plant you are collecting ( especially when you are collecting in the wild.) There are some herbs that are indistinguishable from others and have totally different purposes. Be sure and take a good illustrated guide with you if you aren’t sure about the plant you are looking for.
2. You should never pick plants that are within a mile of a public highway. There is a chance that the municipality has sprayed that area. Quite a few states and towns spay the side of the road to keep down wild growth.
3. Choose carefully the time when you pick your herbs. It is a little known fact that just as the moon’s gravitational pull affects the rise and fall of the tides, it also affects the rise and fall of the sap within plants. A plant picked at high-tide when the moon is waxing will contain a lot more sap than one picked when the moon is on the wane. Also the plant will contain a lot more sap in the spring when the plant’s water content is highest.
Time is a very important factor. By mid morning most the dew has evaporated from the foliage. This is the best time to pick the plant because dew laden plants tend to develop mold soon after picking.
Once you have found the plant that you want then it is important that you select the best specimen and defoliate the plant in the correct way. You should avoid any plants that show any signs of damage or disease. Black spots on the leaves or discoloration of the stems and leaves, or drooping foliage are some tell-tell signs of a problem with that plant.
Unless you need the root of the plant it is not necessary to destroy the whole plant and it is likely that the plants will be there next season. My ex-mother in law used to say, "leave some for God". No matter what you are picking always leave a few plants for Mother Nature to reseed with next year. Many folks make the mistake of taking the whole patch and then wonder why they can’t find the plant in that spot the next season.
Picking new growth ensures that the whole plant will not be destroyed. Besides old leaves tend to be tough and dry. Biennial plants should only be harvested in their second year.
Flower heads can be particularly prone to damage, especially from insects. The best time to pick flowerheads is early morning, but be sure to dry them as soon as possible to avoid mold and avoid flowerheads that are beginning to lose their pedals. These are past their prime.
Removing bark requires the most delicate operation. If removed in the wrong way the plant may die. The best time to remove bark in the Autumn. Carefully select the tree or bush, then with a SHARP blade of small hack-saw remove the smaller branches from the top and outer area of the plant. It is much easier to remove bark from the new stemmage or branches. Do Not attempt to remove the bark while they are still attached to the tree, you could accidentally run a strip of bark down the tree or bush and leave the tree open to infection from parasites, fungi, or disease,
Once you have removed the part of the plant that you need they should be transported in a cotton or muslin bag. But NEVER mix herbs into one bag. It will amaze you to know how two herbs that looked entirely different in the field can look so confusingly similar when you lay them out on your counter at home. Be careful not to bruise or damage the specimens in transport. A wire frame inside the bag can help to prevent this.
Next Week
Preservation and Storage of Herbs
Be Blessed
Willow
PRESS RELEASE
THREE FUN FILLED DAYS OF ACTIVITY AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
POTAWATOMI FESTIVAL
Attica, Indiana
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
September 19, 20 and 21.
Entertainment - Flea Market - Arts & Crafts - Heritage Crafts - Baby Contest - Antique Tractors - Big Bounce - Pony Rides - Gospel Show - Kareaoke Contest - Car Show - Free Kiddy Tractor Pull - Firefighters Waterball Fight - and PARADE.
FREE PARKING ADMISSION FREE FRIDAY ONLY
After 5 PM. $1.00
Normal Admission
Adults - $2.00
Children - $1.00
Children 6-12 - $.50
Children 5 and Under FREE
For More Information Call
Diana Molden - 765-764-4515
Dema Freeman - 765-762-3879
RECIPE
PEACH PANDOWDY
3 ½ C. peeled, sliced peaches
½ t. cinnamon
2 ½ t. cornstarch
1/3 C. brownsugar
¼ C. butter
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1 Egg
¾ C. all-purpose flour
¼ t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/3 C. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 T. granulated sugar
mixed with 1/8 t. cinnamon
In a 1 ½ Qt. Casserole or soufflé dish, combine the peaches, cinnamon, cornstarch, and brown sugar. Toss together. In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg. In a small bowl, combine the flour, alt and baking powder. Stir into butter mixture alternately with the milk to make a batter. Add vanilla.
Pour batter over peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and bake at 375 degree for 30 minutes. Serve warm, rather than hot with vanilla ice-cream.
PRESS RELEASE
WEST LEBANON PATRIOT FESTIVAL
Sept. 26th - 27th - 28th
TOWN WIDE YARD SALES - FOOD COURT & MARKET PLACE
LITTLE MR. & MISS PATRIOT - CRUISE-IN CAR SHOW
SMALL PET CONTEST - HOOLA HOOP CONTEST
COW PIE BINGO - CAKE WALK - KID GAMES - WEST LEBANON FIRE DEPT. FISH FRY - FIREMAN'S WATER BALL COMPETITION - FREE MUSIC ALLEY - CORNBREAD & BEAN FUNDRAISER - TRACTOR SHOW -
KAMP SPEEDWAY CARS & DRIVERS - POWER WHEELS RACE - CASH RAFFLES - BIKE DECORATING CONTEST
OUTHOUSE RACES
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
3 DAYS PACKED WITH FUN!
According To Big Al
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."
Family
The last week of August Donna and I made a trip to Wisconsin to attend a Hagedorn Family reunion. As you probably suspect it was my family reunion, not Donna's. To say it was a heart warming experience is an understatement. As we get older family relations become more and more important to us, I am no exception.
We left late Thursday night or early Friday morning to avoid traffic and get past the inevitable road repair tie-ups. We wanted to get to our destination at Eau Claire lake early Friday afternoon so we could check in to our motel room, freshen up a bit before our dinner date with Robert Miley my first cousin and his wife and two daughters. Robert is more than a cousin to me, he was like an older brother to me when I was growing up in Wisconsin. It was Robert who gave me the 3 letters from my dad that enabled Donna and I to locate the whereabouts of my dad in l995 after our trip back from Washington. My dad was indeed like a father figure to Robert who grew up with his mother (my aunt Dora) and grandmother on an 80 acre farm.
As you remember me stating before that my dad played an old Hohner push-button accordion when he would visit his mother and aunt Dora and Robert on the family farm. I have many a fond memory of these visits with my dad and family. Well that accordion was actually Robert's, although I don't remember him playing it. I kind of relate it as my father's, although it wasn't his. Well sometime ago, I asked Robert if he would leave me that accordion in his will if I should outlive him. He said that was no problem, that he would be happy to do so. While we were having a drink at the bar and waiting for a table for dinner Robert said that I need not wait for his accordion, that I could have it as he seldom ever played it. What a sense of bonding that made to me, and then he said he had another surprise he had for me – three more old letters for me that my dad had sent to him and his mother back in the early 60's. Not only that, but he said he felt sure there were some more, although they were probably water-damaged from a leak that was encountered in their family basement from a water leak from the bathroom. He said he would try to get to them and give me copies of any that pertained to my dad. What and incentive to get back to see him again? As we parted and said our good byes after dinner I was trying to impress on him how important it was to me for him to be at the family reunion tomorrow. He said he would try, but they had some real important matters to attend to. I asked him to attend a part at Roger Green's on Saturday night if they couldn't make it to the reunion. Roger and Robert attended the same grade school as children.
Saturday we attended the reunion and made new acquaintances and and reestablished old ones. I played the keyboards for a while to the attendees, but my heart wasn't in it as I wanted Robert to hear me play as it is kind of like playing for my dad who never heard me play. Later that evening I went to my cousin's Roger Green's for a Green's family get-together. Roger is my self-appointed "Brother" who is the last of the Green boys left. Roger and his wife Verle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July. Verle is a girl whom was a good friend of my sisters and we went to the same grade school together.
She is very much like a sister to me. It it very hard to me to think that we are all getting that old. I had a very good time at their party, indeed I always thoroughly enjoy their company. After the party was nearing the end, Roger asked me for a favor. He said he would really enjoy spending Sunday we me and Donna and drive up "North" to where I lived when I was 6 years old, and he wanted to take me to where his father and brothers hunted together. I said I would be happy to do so. We agreed to meet about 8:00 A.M. Sunday.
The next morning Donna and I met Roger and Verle at his house and went to Cadott for breakfast. After breakfast we looked over the old family residences of my Grandfather's and Great Grandmother's in Cadott. Great Grama Green's family was the common relationship between Roger Green's family and mine. There were 17 children born to her and Charlie Green. My Grandma Green was the eldest in the family. From Cadott we went to Cornell to visit the Mose's Lake area that my family lived on when I was 6 years old and started 1st grade. This is the place where my Grandpa and Grandma Dudenhoeffer lived with us on the lake for about 6 months-one of the happiest times in my memory. From there we headed north to Glen Flora, a place that my dad lived for a while after the divorce. We had a little bit of a problem in finding the place as the old buildings were torn down and a new house was built on the site since I seen it last. We met a Hagedorn family relative at the little gas station in town and I gave them information for the family reunion.
The next morning Donna and I met Roger and Verle at his house and went to Cadott for breakfast. After breakfast we looked over the old family residences of my Grandfather's and Great Grandmother's in Cadott. Great Grama Green's family was the common relationship between Roger Green's family and mine. There were 17 children born to her and Charlie Green. My Grandma Green was the eldest in the family. From Cadott we went to Cornell to visit the Mose's Lake area that my family lived on when I was 6 years old and started 1st grade. This is the place where my Grandpa and Grandma Dudenhoeffer lived with us on the lake for about 6 months-one of the happiest times in my memory. From there we headed north to Glen Flora, a place that my dad lived for a while after the divorce. We had a little bit of a problem in finding the place as the old buildings were torn down and a new house was built on the site since I seen it last. We met a Hagedorn family relative at the little gas station in town and I gave them information for the family reunion.
From there we headed North to the Flambeau Flowage area and the place where the Green family had their deer hunting cabin. This is an area not far from Winter Wisconsin. During this time Roger was telling me about things that he recalled from the past about his father and brothers. I felt like he was treating me like one of his own. When we got to the cabin I was truly disappointed as to how the location is being overrun from weekenders setting little nests in this huge forested area that was the hunting area of the Green's. Roger told me how the area that is infested with the weekenders was available to them, but they fumbled the ball in getting the property and they now are seeing the results. He asked me for my opinion as to what should be done with it. My honest opinion is that it is an opportunity missed and that I would tend to let the property go unless the rest of the Green family felt otherwise. You see Roger is now considered the overseer of the Green family.
From there we caught something to eat before heading back to Cadott. In Cadott we went to the family cemetery where we visited the kinship's of the Green's and our many family ties and where they were buried. This brought about plenty of discussion about how our family were related. It was a very soul-satisfying day and made me feel much closer to my family ties than I have in a long time, but then the Green's have always been a strongly family oriented bunch and I am happy to be considered one of them. Why do we have to live so long to learn these very basic feelings?
Donna and I headed back to the motel and stayed another night before getting up early in the morning and heading back to home. It was at this point (2:00 A.M.) in the morning that I realized that we had used up nearly all the gas and we didn't know if we could make it to a gas station before we ran out. It didn't help that Donna forgot our pillows about 10 miles toward home and we had to turn around and drive back to the motel. We did find a gas station that takes a credit card and you can get gas at an unattended gas station. Sometimes there is something to be said for progress. In the old days we would have had to sit there until they opened in the morning.
From there we caught something to eat before heading back to Cadott. In Cadott we went to the family cemetery where we visited the kinship's of the Green's and our many family ties and where they were buried. This brought about plenty of discussion about how our family were related. It was a very soul-satisfying day and made me feel much closer to my family ties than I have in a long time, but then the Green's have always been a strongly family oriented bunch and I am happy to be considered one of them. Why do we have to live so long to learn these very basic feelings?
Donna and I headed back to the motel and stayed another night before getting up early in the morning and heading back to home. It was at this point (2:00 A.M.) in the morning that I realized that we had used up nearly all the gas and we didn't know if we could make it to a gas station before we ran out. It didn't help that Donna forgot our pillows about 10 miles toward home and we had to turn around and drive back to the motel. We did find a gas station that takes a credit card and you can get gas at an unattended gas station. Sometimes there is something to be said for progress. In the old days we would have had to sit there until they opened in the morning.
BIG AL
Listen To the Classic Music
of
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If You Like Hank You'll
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Sunday, Sept. 21st
VFW - Attica
4:00-7:00
Every Month
3rd Wednesday
Friendship Circle Senior Center
Covington
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
4th Wednesday
Williamsport/Attica Senior Center
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
To Book Big Al at your event or business
Call
765-893-4936 765-585-6802
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Your Community Events
WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
Join The Fun! Join the Girl Scouts! Open to all girls ages 5-17. Discover your full potential through learning, laughing, leading. For more information on join or volunteer contact Hollie Myer Girl Scouts of Sycamore Council at 1-800-876-0059 ext 107. Or go to www.sycamorecouncil.org.
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710
VEEDERSBURG - CRUISE -IN STREET DANCE - THIRD SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM MAY UNTIL OCTOBER LIVE MUSIC BY "HOOSIER DADDY"
