Last Civil War Survivor – Sept. 1959

Here's an interesting article that appeared in the Lorain Journal on Sept. 4, 1959. It concerns Walter Williams, who at that time was believed to be the last surviving Civil War veteran on either the Union or Confederate side.

From Dec. 21, 1959
News Messenger

There was (and still is) doubt whether the “Old Rebel” had ever fought as a member of the Confederate army, as there was no official, documented proof.

Nevertheless, in sharp contrast to current times – in which the Confederate flag is reviled and statues of Confederate generals are being removed – Walter Williams was regarded as an honored military veteran by the U. S. Government.

When he eventually passed away later that year in December 1959, the nation’s flags flew at half staff by President Eisenhower’s executive order. Williams was given a full military funeral and was paid tribute by federal, state and local governments.

In a statement issued by the White House, the President noted, “With millions of Americans throughout our land, I pause in respectful silence to honor the passing of the last surviving veteran of the War Between the States, Walter W. Williams.

“The wounds of the deep and bitter dispute which once divided our Nation have long since healed, and a united America in a divided world now holds up on a larger canvas the cherished traditions of liberty and justice for all.

“With Mr. Williams’ passing, the hosts of Blue and Gray who were the chief actors in that great and tragic drama a century ago also have all passed from the world stage. No longer are they the Blue and Gray. All rest together as Americans in honored glory. An era has ended.”

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Could it be that the extensive news coverage of Mr. Williams’ passing helped to provide the inspiration for the plot of a Deputy Dawg TV cartoon?

In the cartoon Rabid Rebel (1962), Deputy Dawg encounters an ancient Confederate soldier who doesn’t know or believe that the Civil War is over. Hilariously, the soldier mistakenly thinks Deputy Dawg (a Southerner) is a Yankee.

I remember seeing this cartoon as a kid. It was probably the first time I was made aware that there had been a Civil War. It also cemented the idea in my head that Confederate soldiers were all old geezers.

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Ha! I just remembered another 1960s cartoon featuring a creaky Civil War soldier as the antagonist (although his wartime sympathies were not relative to the plot). It was a Super Chicken entry called "The Geezer." In the episode, the Geezer (a Bluecoat) stole a geyser out of a National Park for use in his car wash business.

Scootin’ Along with Lorain Police – Sept. 1959

You may have noticed that last week, several of my posts contained subject matter related to September 1959, as opposed to my usual 50-years-ago perspective. That’s because when I went to the Lorain Public Library to gather material for my September blog posts, the 1969 Journal microfilm reel for that month was missing. Thus the need to improvise a bit and go for the 60-year lookback.

Anyway, we’ll linger in the late 1950s and early 60s a little bit longer before making our way up to hippie-dippie 1969.

First up is a nifty little item from the Journal of September 11, 1959, showing the Lorain Police Department trying out a cool new vehicle for checking parking meters.

I showed the clipping to longtime blog contributor and researcher Dennis Thompson, who was able to easily I. D. the type of scooter it was: a late 1950’s Cushman Truckster.

Dennis even sent me a link to a website devoted to Cushman Motor Scooters. Referring to the website link, Dennis wrote, "The yellow one part way down looks like the same model.”

Here’s what Dennis was referring to.

Courtesy Jim Frederick and www.hobbytech.com

Dennis noted, "They made dozens of models. Trucksters, Vansters, Golfsters, Mailsters, metermaidsters (I forget what they call that one). Three and four wheeled versions of most. Electric and gas. Geared for off road or on. Not to mention the scooters. 

"I drove a really nice one about 3 years ago. It was for sale on Rt. 58 by the Speedway. A good price and in perfect condition. A Vanster model with doors and a heater. But it was the off road gearing and only went about 15 mph. The road versions can go 45 mph."

What was playing at the Tivoli on Sept. 6, 1959?

To close out this week of what was largely a parade of pop-culture tidbits, let's ask the question: What was playing at Lorain’s Tivoli Theater back on September 6, 1959 – 60 years ago today?

Why none other than the Three Stooges in their first full-length feature film: Have Rocket, Will Travel.

This ad appeared in the Journal a few days before on September 3, 1959.

Here are a few British lobby cards, courtesy of Ebay.

And here’s the clever trailer for the film.

Ever since the Stooges’ Columbia movie shorts appeared regularly on local TV stations in the 1950s, they had been enjoying renewed interest in their act. This led to a full-blown comeback with merchandising, personal appearances in front of adoring crowds of kids, and the opportunity to star in several features for their former studio.

This article from the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin of June 3, 1959 explains it all very nicely.

The Stooges were popular enough in Lorain for the trio to make a live appearance here on July 31, 1960 (which I wrote about here, here and here).

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Hey, back here on this post, I asked that question: “What was playing at the Tivoli back on Labor Day 1963?” The answer to that question involved Stooges as well!

"Laramie" Debuts – September 1959

When I saw this promotional photo for the TV series “Laramie,” I chuckled and knew I would have to post it here on the blog. It appeared next to the TV listings in the Lorain Journal on September 1, 1959 – 60 years ago this month.

It amused me because I watch a lot of the GRIT TV channel, which is mostly Westerns, and the ever-popular “Laramie” is a mainstay of its daytime programming. Episodes run from mid-morning until mid-afternoon most weekdays, so its fans can do a little Western-style binging.

The series was brand new and soon to debut on September 15, 1959 when the publicity photo ran. It includes the original cast, John Smith (Slim), Robert Fuller (Jess), Hoagy Carmichael (Jonesy) and Bobby Crawford, Jr. (Slim’s brother Andy). By the time of the second season, Andy would be pretty much packed off to boarding school, and replaced by a new kid in the third season. Jonesy disappeared in the second season as well.

Anyway, my mother watches a lot of GRIT too, with the result that we often have funny conversations about things like whether we prefer episodes featuring Slim or Jess. I was surprised to discover that Mom prefers watching Slim (who she thinks is handsome) while I would rather watch the hot-headed Jess spring into action with his fists or his guns.

Interestingly, when “Laramie” was first broadcast in color in 1962, NBC launched a special promotional introduction featuring its peacock to go with it. It has become known as the “Laramie Peacock," and ran for many years on the network before its color programming.

Watch this clip and don’t be surprised if memories of the 1960s come flooding back.

Happily, 60 years after “Laramie” debuted, Robert Fuller is still with us. Here he is in a short, funny 2010 interview in which he explains how he got his job on “Laramie.”

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Visits Lorain and Avon Lake – September 1959

Here’s a portion of an ad for Sparkle Market announcing the arrival in the area of Little Oscar and the Oscar Mayer Wiener Car (or Wienermobile) at the two local stores. The ad ran in the Lorain Journal on September 2, 1959.

It would have been nice if the Journal had covered the event with a photo, but it frankly must not have considered it newsworthy, as there was none to be found in the pages of the paper.

So who was behind the wheel of the wienermobile that day?

There were four different men who played the iconic Little Oscar role during that time period, traveling around as a goodwill ambassador for the company and handing out Wiener Whistles. Each was based out of a different part of the country.

There’s no way of knowing for sure, but it’s entirely possible that George Molchan, one of the best known Little Oscars, visited Jay’s Sparkle on Oberlin Avenue and the Sparkle Market in Avon Lake. His home was in Indiana, and he worked out of the Chicago area. (The other Little Oscars had home bases of Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Madison, Wisconsin. )

Molchan loved playing the character, and did it for twenty years. He was so identified with Little Oscar, that when he retired in 1987, Oscar Mayer retired the Little Oscar character as well.

Anyway, here’s a photo of one of the Oscars during a visit from that same time period to give you an idea of what the stop in Lorain looked like.

These days, Oscar Mayer has six different wienermobiles covering the country and the company is always recruiting new drivers (known as “hot-doggers”). Read what it’s like to drive the iconic vehicle here.

And here’s the link to the wienermobile’s page on the Oscar Mayer website.

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During the 1950s, there were many versions of Little Oscar illustrations in the Oscar Mayer ads. Overall, he seemed to be evolving from a pointy-eared elfin character (much like Snap, Crackle and Pop) to more of a regular guy.

Here's a sample from 1959.

Ad from the Van Nuys News, Oct. 8, 1959

Ad from the Daily Herald, June 4, 1959

Ad from the Atlanta Constitution, July 30, 1959

Ad from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 18, 1959

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Gee, I sure write a lot about hot dogs. Earlier this summer, I featured Little Oscar’s competitor, Frankie, here.

Goodbye, Garwell's

Over the long weekend, I noticed that the old Garwell’s Bait & Tackle store was being torn down. A large dumpster had been parked on the property for a week or two, so I knew it was a matter of time.

Courtesy Lorain County Auditor

The business had been closed for almost twenty years. But seeing the store, which dated back to 1950, always brought back memories of the good old days in Lorain, when Garwell’s was the first stop on the weekend for many local fishermen.

A June 8, 1968 article in the Chronicle-Telegram noted, “After working with area fishermen for 18 years, George Garwell can supply the sportsman with about every conceivable item – including knowledgeable advice – necessary for the successful fishing trip.

In the article, Garwell observed, “Although we try to have everything for the fisherman, we still specialize in the supplying of all kinds and types of baits.

“If anyone has a question on fishing, I would be happy to help, although unlike my merchandise I can’t guarantee it,” said Garwell.

I remember my father stopping at Garwell’s many times when he was taking my brothers and me fishing (which I wrote about here). As I mentioned before, I can still hear that bubbling tank with the minnows in it. Thus it was kind of sad to see the building torn down.

The building in 2018

The view on Saturday

The view on Sunday

That western approach to Lorain sure has changed a lot in the last few years, with all of the various motels and former restaurants being demolished, and erased from our collective memories.

Anyway, I contacted my old Admiral King Class of 1977 classmate Mary Garwell-Ziegman to let her know how sorry I was to see her family's store come down. She thanked me and responded, "I’m proud that my parents ran a reputable business; it was great when Lorain was booming. Even today, I hear stories from strangers that have fond memories. 

"I liquidated on eBay when I closed the doors to the public in 2000.”

These days Mary stays busy by running her own (non-fish related) business, Mary’s Mobile Boutique.

Labor Day Ads – 1959

Well, it’s Labor Day – the traditional end of summer, and the day on which we honor organized labor and all that it contributes to the American way of life. So here’s a nice full-page ad with that theme that ran in the Lorain Journal on Saturday, September 5, 1959.

The ad includes a nice sentiment and a powerful illustration. It also reminds readers to drive carefully (sorry, no Grim Reaper in this ad).

As usual, the ad includes a roll call of businesses that sponsored the ad. Happily, a few of them are still around, including Crystal Clear Dry Cleaners (at various locations), National Waste Paper, Amherst Memorial Studio, and Schwartz Home for Funerals (as Boyer & Cool Home for Funerals).

The same edition of the Journal included this ad for the Lorain Banking Company honoring the American worker.

The choice of clip art illustration is a little comical, though, even for 1959. “Mr. Citizen” looks more like he belongs in a Father’s Day ad.