civil-war

Gratiot County During Depression and War, February 1941: ‘What to Do as Winter Continues”

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February 1941 from the top: “The Light That Must Not Fail” from February 20, 1941, Alma Record-Alma Journal; the St. Louis boys basketball team celebrates a league championship; Gratiot County loses its last tie to the Civil War as Elm Hall resident Jasper Norton passes; winter was in full stride but Gratiot County farmers could find several things to do like attending this meeting in Ithaca in late February.

The dead of winter continued into February with the holidays long over.

News from the war involving Nazi Germany and England continued to sound troubling.

The third set of Gratiot’s young men went off as volunteers stepped up for training.

Communities experienced some of the New Deal programs that gave people – especially young people – something to do.

Yet even in winter, Gratiot County farmers planned for the upcoming farming season.

It was February 1941 in Gratiot County

News as Gratiot County Drifts Toward War

War news from England continued to sound grim as that island nation endured relentless Nazi attacks, later termed “The Blitz.” To illustrate the impact locally, Mrs. Frank Altenberg of Newark Township hosted her uncle, William T. Hill, visiting from England in 1939. Hill now sent a letter to a Carson City family member, which was published in the Gratiot County Herald, describing how his family in Belvidere, Kent, withstood nightly raids. Hill wrote, “We had not had a raid for nearly 48 hours. In fact, we were all able to go to bed last night, also the night before; that is the first time since the end of August, so you can bet it came as a treat.” Hill added the sentiment shared by many Britons: “It’s a great thing we can rely on your country for the great help we are getting. As long as the U.S.A. keeps us going with ships and planes, we will find the men to man them until Hitler and his murderers are finished.”

While Gratiot County’s residents read news from overseas, debates about American involvement intensified at home. Some Americans continued to oppose President Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease policy, which allowed the United States to aid Great Britain. Republicans complained that Roosevelt wielded more power than Prime Minister Churchill and that America failed to hold Roosevelt accountable for his policies. Regardless, the Lend-Lease Act, which provided free food, oil, and materials to several nations, would soon be signed into law, and Gratiot County residents were urged to read the act (H.R. Bill 1776) for themselves in the Gratiot County Herald. To understand why America should help Britain, maps in local newspapers continued to educate the American public about the Axis threat spreading to other countries, especially in the Mediterranean. Some maps showed probable Nazi invasion routes and bombing plans in their attempts to fully conquer the West.

As these international discussions continued, Gratiot County residents sought tangible ways to help those affected by war. Gratiot people could help Europe by contributing to the Greek Relief Fund. Led by James Stamas of Alma, this drive raised funds for the families of Greek soldiers in need of food, medicine, or clothing. By early February, it raised $866.19. Nationally, on February 8, the National Broadcasting Company aired an hour-long radio program called “Calling America” to request more Greek Relief funds. Among early donors in February in Alma were Walker’s Electric Shop, Dr. R.A. Wilcox, and Clarence Hankel.

One word that occurred repeatedly in Gratiot County and in America was “defense,” as in defense classes and school defense projects. Alma city and school officials reached an agreement with the National Youth Administration to lease the Washington School building and hold classes there. Under this agreement, the NYA held shop classes for young men and women ages 17 to 24. Programs included mechanical work for men and weaving, sewing, and a hot-lunch project for women. The Alma Board of Education agreed to condition the building for use; the city paid for heating ($150 per month); and the NYA provided trained instructors, full shop equipment, and all electrical needs. Newspapers reported that the program hoped to enroll more than 100 young men. Another set of defense classes was planned at St. Louis High School for young men between 18 and 25 who were out of school. These classes focused on carpentry, blueprint reading, maintenance, and building construction. Twelve men were needed, and Art Stinson served as shop instructor. After the first meeting, 16 men attended the class. By the end of February, LeRoy W. Layman supervised male activities in the woodworking shop. Layman had served as production man and superintendent of the Alma Trailer plant. Mrs. Frank Bennett supervised the girls’ and young women’s work with weaving, sewing, and the hot lunch projects. Bennett was also from Alma.

The American Legion attempted to engage with World War veterans by distributing voluntary questionnaires, regardless of whether respondents were members of the Legion. The questionnaires asked veterans to fill them out in order to “assist constituted authorities in certain capacities if requested, as well as reporting on the qualifications and capacities” for national defense. All participation was declared voluntary.

For most people, the draft most clearly tied Gratiot County to a possible war. To fill Gratiot County’s third service quota, 14 volunteers left for Saginaw on February 12. They met friends and relatives at Alma draft headquarters, then went to the American Legion Hall. A bus picked them up at 5:45. The group included Marcus Steele of Elwell and Franklin Frank Klein of Ithaca. When four men failed their physicals, three men from Breckenridge (Matthew Feith, Don Eugene Randall, and Tony Zoster) and one from Alma (Selas George Cole) volunteered to replace them. Many from around the state complained that men passed county physicals but failed Army physicals.

The Traveling Flying Cadet Examining Board came to Saginaw to recruit young men to become flyers. The board spent one week in Saginaw and invited young men from Alma College who had at least 2 years of schooling to consider joining and becoming ranked as high as second lieutenants. If a young man was on track to graduate in June, he could apply now and request that his training appointment be deferred until the summer. All these young applicants had to do was get to the Saginaw National Guard Armory. Those who missed this opportunity would have to go to Selfridge Field.

To present Army life after induction as pretty good, the Gratiot Draft Board sometimes published a letter from someone who entered the service. William Leonard of St. Louis wrote, “The Army is not so bad. There is enough to eat and enough to do to keep us out of mischief. We have 13 weeks of hard drilling, and then it is quite easy.” Leonard also loved the weather while serving with the 6th Coast Artillery Regiment at Fort Baker in San Francisco, California. Clarence Husted, 19, of Ithaca, appeared on the front page of the Gratiot County Herald after he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and went off to Scotts Field, an Army training field in southern Illinois. An only son, Husted’s father was a World War veteran who died from tuberculosis contracted during his service. He died when his son was only a year old.

While Gratiot County looked forward to new challenges, it also paused to honor its past. One veteran’s story from the past was published in February, as the county recognized the loss of its last Civil War veteran. Jasper Norton of Elm Hall died at the age of 95 after living an unusually active life around his home and village. Norton enlisted in the Union Army at age 16 as a member of Company D, 12th Michigan Infantry. He saw action in many skirmishes and was wounded at the Battle of Camden, Arkansas. He married in 1871 and moved to Elm Hall. Jasper Norton’s death marked Gratiot County’s last tie to the Civil War.

Life in Gratiot County During the Depression and New Deal Programs

Signs of the Great Depression were still evident among Gratiot residents in February. The welfare committee of the St. Louis City Council and Nonpareil Club called for donations of new or slightly used clothing for adults and children. Donations could be left in the fire department room at City Hall. The AAA office in Gratiot County announced that it received over 600 applications for one carload of cotton mattresses. A group of seven people representing home economics groups in the county went to Mt. Pleasant to learn how to stuff and make cotton mattresses for AAA. Work on creating mattresses for Gratiot County would be done on rainy days and in the evenings during the spring. Anyone who wanted to see what the mattresses looked like could visit the Gratiot County courthouse to view some on display.

Overall job placements in the county exceeded those for January 1940, according to the Alma district office of the Michigan State Unemployment Service. A total of 99 placements for regular and temporary jobs took place. Regular jobs lasted more than 1 month; temporary jobs lasted less than 1 month. The MESC office in Alma advertised openings for skilled positions, including bench molders, floor molders, turret lathe operators, tool grinders, and automatic screw machine operators. How many people in the county actually were qualified was another question. Another concern in February centered on Consumers Power workers, who were rumored to go on strike in early March. What would happen to lights and electricity?

Probably the saddest story involving the Depression involved an altercation between Theodore Adams of Alma for his assault and battery upon C.J. Chambers, Gratiot County social welfare commission director. Adams claimed his family was in dire need and faced eviction from their home, and he had been denied access to the director’s office. After being involved in an argument, Adams waited for Chambers, grabbed him by the neck, and forced him against a wall. Observers called the Sheriff’s department, who soon arrived and stopped the altercation. Theodore Adams went to court, pled guilty, and accepted jail time rather than pay $14.85 in fines and costs. Adams claimed it was now up to the county to support his family. Newspapers reported that Adams had difficulty finding work to support his family. The family apparently received relief while Adams was in jail.

New Deal programs from the National Youth Administration (NYA) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) remained very active during the winter months. After a week of preparation by NYA workers, the planned Ice Carnival in Alma had to be postponed due to a February thaw. As a result, the planned speed and feature skating contest above the dam had to be postponed due to melting ice. However, people could come to view the snow sculptures of an igloo and a fortress, as well as use the sled slide at Turck Beach. A week later, the postponed speed skating and novelty contests took place despite a gale that made skating on the river difficult. Approximately 50 girls, boys, and adults participated in the carnival. Loren Eyer and Phyllis Babcock were among several first-place winners. A group of NYA boys was responsible for keeping the ice in good condition, as the weather permitted. Another part of being involved in a NYA program meant that workers in Gratiot County eventually became eligible for NYA health exams. Those employed in out-of-school projects underwent physical exams in Ingham, Clinton, Livingston, and Eaton counties. Designed to find physical flaws in NYA youth, these exams were expected to be offered in Gratiot County in the near future.

The WPA Recreation Department received permission from the Alma city manager to use the public address system during times when people skated on the river. Skaters heard music on Tuesday and Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons. The WPA also set up floodlighting for skaters. The Sawkins Music Company offered the use of suitable records for skating. Other towns in Gratiot County also wanted WPA workers and their programs, but were informed that a WPA leader assigned to that location meant the town had to provide housing and that the worker would first have to complete two weeks of WPA training. A new recreation project began in Riverdale, offering both indoor and outdoor programs under the direction of John Porter of Alma. Some of the work there included plans to bank and flood the school playground for skating. Also, the high school gymnasium would be used one night each week for indoor recreation for adults and young people. The WPA honored its workers by offering its first family night at Alma High School for 300 workers and their families. Children’s contests included cracker-eating and balloon-blowing. Lester Fillhard and Harry Scholtz played their electric guitars for entertainment, and Reverend Gilbert Appelhof gave a short talk on family life. Grace Rowell and Darrell Milstead served as the program’s leaders, as the program was expected to go on monthly.

Farming in Gratiot County – in the Winter!

February 1941 featured a variety of news events related to farmers, even as winter continued. Large crowds of interested farmers visited the new St. Louis Co-Operative Creamery. The new processing plant cost $55,000, and an estimated 800 people attended the Creamery’s annual business meeting in the St. Louis High School auditorium. Over 1,000 people attended the association’s lunches, many of them at local restaurants that hosted the overflow. During the meeting, Fred Pernert retired as director of the Creamery but continued as manager. Pernert had served the association for 25 years.

A big issue for farmers and hunters involved the proposal to ban all Sunday hunting in Gratiot County. If the ban went into effect, even landowners would be prohibited from hunting on their land on the Sabbath. Some in the county saw the ban as a good way to stop careless hunters from damaging their crops and fields, many of whom came from outside Gratiot County during pheasant season. Another argument was that some farmers could only hunt on Sundays because of their work. In response to concerns from both sides, county hunting club officers planned to meet in early March to learn more about the proposal.

A sad bit of hunting news appeared in newspapers when John Young died in a hunting accident north of Elwell. It happened when Young tried to step over a low wire fence, lost his balance, and discharged his gun, killing him instantly. The public recalled that Young worked at Swift and Company in Alma for 26 years as yard manager and was considered a national expert on duck raising. More bad news came from the Ray Swigart in southern Gratiot County when a 2 ½ year boy, Garth Redman, drowned in a creek 1 ¼ miles south of Middleton. The boy had played with a puppy and followed the dog near a stream, apparently falling into the swift waters. While an observer found the lad and called for help, the child failed to respond to resuscitation.

In other farm news, Fulton farmers watched moving pictures at the Fulton Farmers Club at the home of W.G. Troub. Up at Alma FFA held a father-son banquet in the Junior High Gymnasium on February 20. After dinner, Walter Illsley, a Muskegon farm boy who lived in Germany for 10 months, planned to talk about his experiences in Germany, Denmark, and Norway. Illsley attended Michigan State College. The Gratiot County Social Welfare Commission struggled with the issue of 125 Mexican beet migrant workers who stayed in Gratiot County during the winter and applied for relief. As state laws permitted them to return home, sugar beet companies were contacted to ask how to return the workers. The problem of employing underage field workers in beet fields has resurfaced, this time in claims that farmers and companies received federal subsidies and violated the law by using young workers. If confirmed, growers in both St.Louis and Alma could be affected by these penalties, dating back to 1939.

Farmers received invitations to attend a special spring meeting at Ithaca High School Gymnasium on March 7, and a free lunch would be served. On the other end of the village, “Get Acquainted Day” took place at Johnson Farm Equipment Store on a Saturday. A group of 600 people attended the program, received a cafeteria-style lunch, and listened to music performed by the Johnson family. In other news, education programs continued at the state and county levels, and farmers were warned again to be on guard against the corn borer problem in 1941. As a reminder, Gratiot County suffered more damage from corn borer in 1940 than any other Michigan county. People were also told that last year’s six-month dog quarantine effect seemed to be wearing off in the 47 lower Michigan counties. A rise in rabies-related infections occurred after 32 dog heads were sent to Lansing for rabies testing. This all meant more quarantines in the future.

The Long Arm of the Law

Reports in local newspapers showed that 48 cases appeared in county courts in January. Most of the violations involved traffic incidents, but five involved illegal trapping and transporting venison. As a result, fines and costs raised $299.45 for the county. However, there were disturbing cases like the theft of Mrs. Ruth Hutchins’ 1935 Chevrolet Coach from in front of the Alma Library on a Friday night. Thanks to a tip, the car was later found in the front yard of the home of one John Delmont Evans, 18, of Edmore. It turned out that Evans was home from training at Camp Custer and took the car when he discovered it running on the street in Alma. Upon discovery by the State Police, the Mrs. Hutchins’ Coach was found outside of Edmore missing its spare tire (which had been sold), stalled in a snowbank and covered in mud, had a broken front bumper, a torn rear fender, and contained a dry radiator. Basically, Mrs. Hutchins’ car was ruined. In response to this, John Delmont Evans found himself locked up in the guardhouse at Camp Custer while his father continued to hope that Army life would settle down his wayward son.

Another tough case in the county involved Miss Henrietta Kerby, 92, of Arcada Township. Kerby’s nephew asked the Gratiot probate court to appoint a guardian for the elderly lady, as her mental faculties had declined. An estate worth an estimated $20,000 was the reason family members became concerned about the lady’s decline, and that she had somehow deeded 280 acres of land near Houserville to Mr. and Mrs. Clark Wood on a life lease. As Kerby was bedridden and unable to conduct her affairs, Judge Matthews was now involved and heard the matter. The ever-drinking, ever-driving Cornelius Eichorn of Emerson Township received a $20 fine, $30 in costs, and 15 days in jail for driving without a license. Eichorn was a very familiar name in the courts in 1940-1941. Mrs. Mazel Ellsworth’s story continued in the local jail and in the courtroom as her arson charges progressed, even after she had spent almost two months in jail for failing to provide a $1,000 bond. After considerable time in jail, she confessed to starting a fire in her home to collect insurance money, then she changed her mind and renounced her plea in front of the judge, talking in a barely audible tone of voice. The drama continued. In another case, William Farrell, 50, of Alma, was charged with committing offenses with two CCC boys who were hitchhiking on a trunk highway. Farrell’s attorney said the story and charges were false and would be proven in a March trial.

In other lawful matters, a total of 29 descriptions sold at the state land board’s auction at the courthouse for $4,869. Most of the properties were in Alma, and more than 100 people attended the auctions. The last day to pay 1940 taxes for Alma taxpayers was February 28. Pet owners ere were warned that unpaid dog licenses would be returned to the county treasurer for final settlement. Then there was news that a new citizenship program for aliens who wanted American citizenship was held at St. Louis High School. Fourteen people then received cards to take their final examinations under sponsorship from the Jean Bessac Chapter of the DAR. Some of those who later attended their naturalization hearing at the Ithaca courthouse included Joseph Hassen, a native of Syria and resident of St. Louis; Joseph Witschi, a native of Switzerland and resident of St. Louis Route 2; and John Pappademetrakopoulos, a native of Greece and resident of Alma. In the end, nine of the candidates received citizenship, three continued the process, and two were denied. At the end of their confirmation, the group learned about the American flag, took the Pledge of Allegiance, and received a miniature flag of their own.

Twenty-three years after Gratiot County’s “Trial of the Century,” Alma attorney J. David Sullivan found a link to the trial in a table drawer in the Gratiot County Circuit Court chamber. Notes regarding the trial of Albert Eichorn for the murder of Beatrice Epler could be found on a yellow sheet of paper that somehow survived over two decades. Strangely, the current Judge Kelly Searl served as the attorney in the case and identified his own handwriting after viewing the paper. Another then participant, Attorney Charles Goggin of Alma, also remembered the case and Albert Eichorn’s involvement when he was shown the document. The paper had been inside the drawer since 1918.

Issues of Health and Living in Gratiot County

Warnings and consequences about poor public health remained in the news. Doris McCumber of Fulton Township lost her 2 ½ month old baby to sudden pneumonia.  She and her family were devastated. A St. Louis woman, Mary Koval, 52, lost her two-year battle against tuberculosis at the Ingham County Tuberculosis Hospital in Lansing. She was born in Austria-Hungary, came to Chicago at age sixteen, returned to Austria, and then came to the United States for good. The Kovals lived near St. Louis for the last five years.

The creation of a countywide health department and the presence of a county health nurse for everyone remained a topic of discussion and debate. Smith Memorial Hospital announced that the new incubator at the hospital was serving the Switzer twins, who were born prematurely. Jimmy and Johnny Switzer were the sons of Franklin Switzer of Mio and formerly of Shepherd.

And So We Do Not Forget

The county planned on six more weeks of winter as the groundhog saw his shadow on Sunday, February 2…Rowley and Church in St. Louis planned to enlarge and improve their gas station. They just received a wholesale and retail distributorship of products from Roosevelt Oil Company in Mt. Pleasant. As a result, the station planned a three-day sale of its new products…The Alma Ministerial Association planned to lead a series of inter-church preaching mission services from March 17-21. Services would take place in different Alma churches each night…Charles L. Delavan, age 89, died in Florida after being hit by a car in Fernandino, Florida. Delavan was active in Alma business affairs for nearly fifty years and was the son of the man who built the first brick store in Alma…Wyllys’ Distributing Company in Alma advertised Firestone tractor tires and tractor oil for $2.50 per 5 gallons. Wyllys’ did business across from Leonard Refineries.

“Gone With the Wind” returned to Gratiot County for the second time at the Strand Theatre for three days. Movie receipts equaled those received in the spring of 1940. Matinees cost 40 cents and evening showings 55 cents (down from 75 and $1.10 in 1940). Some in the audience watched the movie for the second or third time. Ithaca’s Ideal Theatre also featured a short run of the same movie…Hickerson Chevrolet on Gratiot Avenue in Alma advertised their new 1941 Chevrolet – “Eye it, Try it, Buy it!” with its 90 horsepower engine, Tiptoe-Matic Clutch, and box-girder frame. No price advertised….Talented actress Cornelia Otis Skinner held the attention of over 600 people in the audience at Alma High School’s auditorium as she gave a one-person performance of character sketches and monologues. Skinner largely used scarves of different sizes, shapes, and colors to affect the characters she played. Four Gratiot County Rotary Clubs sponsored the event…Alfred J. Fortino, 26, of Alma, married Mary Alice Damon, 24, of Romeo, Michigan.

Healthy Horehound Candy was again in the news from St. Louis. A Detroit News columnist bemoaned the lack of places still making the famous candy. Walter H. Fuller of St. Louis wrote to the columnist to remind him that St. Louis had been a center of the candy industry for over forty years and sent the paper samples. The editorial staff agreed that the St. Louis candy was the best…The Gratiot County Rural School Festival is planned as six district events, beginning the week of May 12. The performances featured chorus singing, folk games, and high school bands. The program shifted to different locations after two years in Alma…A Boy Scout pancake supper at St. Louis High School drew over 100 eaters for over 500 pancakes and raised $27.25 for new troop equipment…Mrs. W.G. Troub of Middleton suffered a serious injury when she was hit by a Newark Township driver as she crossed the street in front of her home…The rush was on as people waited until the last minute to renew their license plates before the March 1 deadline. Applicants got them on the second floor of the Alma Record building and the County Clerk’s office in Ithaca. Better get there early!

The St. Louis High School basketball team won the Valley C Championship title by defeating Ithaca, 30-18. The win was the team’s ninth league victory in a row. Elliot Oldt coached the young St. Louis men…The Danceland Ballroom in Alma underwent changes in management and entertainment. Jim Hanners took over the management while Bernie Blair led as the new “sax man.” Gents cost 35 cents, and ladies are admitted for only 15 cents…See Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette in “Ridin’ on a Rainbow” at the Alma Theatre for 10 and 15 cents for news, cartoon, and picture people…The Varsity Shop in Alma offered Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” as the first installment of the Book-of-the-Month-Club for $2.75…The thermometer in Alma on early Monday morning, February 17, hit two below zero, only a degree away from the coldest day so far in Gratiot County…For St. Valentine’s Day, pick up your red heart-shaped boxes at almost any candy, drug, or dime store in the county.

The Vestaburg Independents beat the Riverdale Tartars in basketball in the Riverdale gymnasium on a Monday night. The final score: Vestaburg 38, Riverdale 31…Delbert and Darrell Towersey found out that guns caused problems as they engaged in target practice on the way home from school. After school one Friday, the boys aimed for one target, hit it, and then a ricochet hit Delbert in the eye. Medical treatment indicated no permanent injury, and he returned to school the next week. Fredrickson Motor Sales of Alma moved again, this time to the old Elks’ temple building at 315-317 East Superior Street. Prior to this, Pung Motor Sales occupied the location, which was originally home to John Hall’s McHugh Motor Company…People in the county mourned the death of young Maurice Slavins, 18, an active 4-H leader and participant from New Haven Township. Slavens, who attended Ithaca High School, died from diabetic complications.

Buy an ABC Washer for $59.95 from Consumers Power Company in Alma. Save $20, pay $5 down, and as little as 53 cents per week…Optometrist Harvey B. Thompson of Ithaca debuted as the first in a series of “Gratiot Men at Their Work” in the Gratiot County Herald. Thompson learned to become an optometrist through diligent study at home, correspondence courses, and the best available books…Tom Worden of Pompeii lost his garage in an early Tuesday morning fire. While moving to the rooms over his garage, he built a fire in the living room and went down to unload his truck. By the time he returned, the entire upstairs was engulfed in flames. He saved many of his contents in the garage but had no insurance on the house or its contents…The Gideons held a rally in Ithaca on February 9 and also supplied speakers to many churches in the county. A group of Christian businessmen and salesmen, the Gideons, placed Bibles in many places for people to encounter and read…Edward G. Robinson starred in “A Dispatch from Reuters” at the Ideal Theatre for three nights. Admission costs 10 and 15 cents for a movie, news, Merrie Melody, and a Pete Smith Specialty.

The Fulton Pirates basketball team defeated Laingsburg 39-16 at home. Many fouls on both sides marred the game. Babcock, McKenna, Brauher, Kennett, and Cole made up the starting lineup for Fulton…John L. Allen, age 80, died in Flushing, Michigan. Allen was believed to be the first white child born in Gratiot County, the son of Hamilton and Phoebe Allen in Wheeler Township…Buy a DeSoto from N.J. Roth in Breckenridge. Drivers did not have to use the gear shift lever or clutch for normal driving.

And that was February 1941 in Gratiot County, during the Depression and War.

Copyright 2026 James M. Goodspeed

Gratiot County in Depression and War, January 1940: “A New Year, New Prospects?”

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January 1940 photos from top to bottom: Fred Pernert, manager at the St. Louis Co-operative Creamery, took on the role as county chairman for the Finnish Relief Fund; a picture of Japan’s new three-man pocket submarine appeared in the newspapers; “Mugsey,” the Holstein cow belonged to J. Ward Doyle of Breckenridge. No other cow in the county produced milk at cost as Mugsey did; the dean of American League umpires, George Moriarty, appeared at Ithaca High School.

By January, the holidays passed, and winter finally arrived in Gratiot County, dumping snow and creating colder temperatures. As a new year started, residents wondered if the Depression was beginning to end.

What would happen in Europe as fighting continued?

It was January 1940 in Gratiot County.

Images of War in Gratiot County

County newspapers continued to provide Gratiot readers with glimpses of the fighting taking place in the world. Most news stories seemed to pay attention to Nazi Germany. However, in January, news coverage focused on the Russian invasion of Finland, which took place near the Arctic Circle. Here, Finnish soldiers endured bombings and had to flee to neighboring Norway for refuge. During some of the fighting, the Finns wore white uniforms as camouflage, while Russians fought in their traditional dark suits. Names of Finnish cities like Turku, Hanko, and Tornio all now became newsworthy while they endured Russian attacks. Over in St. Louis, Fred Pernert, manager of the St. Louis Co-operative Creamery, accepted the chairmanship of the Finnish Relief Fund. Pernert received the request from President Herbert Hoover to serve as chairman. This fund sought to help the Finns as they fought for principles similar to America’s. Supporters could send money to the Creamery office or Commercial Savings Bank. In St. Louis, Rotarians heard a speech from John L. Giles entitled “Communism in the United States.” Giles went on to explain his experience with Communist propaganda and urged listeners to be aware of the dangers of “the Reds.”

 A cartoon entitled “The Middle Man” in county newspapers depicted the predicament neutral nations found as they tried to sail through the British Blockade, which contained German sea mines. This problem echoed events over twenty years earlier when the United States tried to stay out of the First World War while trading with European nations. In an ironic twist, the Gratiot County Herald showed Japan’s new three-person vest pocket submarine, which started production. Small submarines like this appeared at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

News coverage also featured two Gratiot men who served the country while the rest of the world was at war. Fireman First Class Arthur Wood of Alma came home on a ten-day pass to spend the holidays with his parents. Fireman Wood, in the service for four years and ten months, told the Alma Record about what he saw during fighting at Soochow Creek, China, in 1937 and rescuing the crew of the gunboat Panay in 1939. Wood was also involved in the rescue of the steamship President Hoover near the island of Formosa. Other journeys led to Vladivostok, Russia; Manila, Philipines; Siam; and journeys through Alaskan and Chinese waters. Over time, the young sailor managed to keep a record of his journeys in a picture album. Sergeant Chester Harvey of the 106th Cavalry of Alma was the other serviceman to return to Gratiot County. Harvey went to Fort Riley, Kansas, for three months of training to prepare for a promotion as a commissioned officer. Harvey, an Alma College graduate, also had the record as one of the best shots from Troop B.

The Depression Rolls Onward

One of the new developments in Gratiot County by 1940 concerned changes for those requesting welfare. The Gratiot County Social Welfare Board made a presentation to the County Board of Supervisors regarding hospitalization for those on welfare, especially afflicted children. Mable Clelland, county agent, was ordered by the Supervisors to handle investigations of the sick and disabled children until the state appointed a person to replace him. One positive report showed that the county had 113 fewer relief cases than a year ago. The Supervisors then transferred $10,000 from the general fund to the social welfare fund, giving it a balance of $24,000 for the upcoming year.

The biggest news concerning welfare centered around Gratiot County’s new program unofficially called Work for Relief. Relief clients who wanted assistance now had to do work provided by the county. One type of employment meant cutting brush along county highways for $1.50 daily. The question was then asked, what about the many clients who would not be able to labor cutting brush? To answer this question, the board asked physicians to designate those unfit for such labor. Still,  “work or no relief” caused relief clients to appear at one of five county garages on the first day to get their work assignment, which entailed working eight hours daily. Twenty-two showed up at Alma, eighteen in Breckenridge, ten at Ithaca, nine at Ashley, and seven in Middleton. To help the clients, the county road commissioners furnished tools and supervision.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) continued in Gratiot County, although it sometimes lacked favor from some, like the Gratiot supervisors. Mr. Morrell, a WPA legal advisor, proposed a five-year federal relief project involving compiling a Gratiot County history to the supervisors. The project would employ five people, and the federal government would finance it with $4,000. Gratiot County had to pay $300. The results? The Board flatly turned the offer down. One commissioner likened the project to a dog chasing a train. What would the dog do with the train once the dog caught the train?  In other words, what would the long-term benefit be for creating the history of Gratiot County? In other news, Alma Junior High hosted a state WPA Project where Gladys Bradshaw Perry, state supervisor of the Michigan State College WPA Project, brought an extensive collection of toys created by WPA workers. The collection consisted of stuffed dolls and animals, educational toys, doll beds, and various games done by WPA workers. The federal government paid wages for the workers, and materials came from sponsors and co-sponsors, all in an attempt to give the unemployed jobs and the opportunity to learn a trade. The WPA also did other things in the county, such as holding a city-wide ping pong tournament. Both WPA recreation leaders, Jack Acker and Wilford McWilliams, oversaw the program. Other WPA recreation programs occurred at Alma’s Wright Park, the Old Republic School, the Republic skating rink, and the city skating rink. Over at St. Louis, a new skating rink debuted through the Community Council, which opened weeknights and weekend afternoons. The WPA and NYA (National Youth Administration) had members overseeing activities at the rink. In addition to a weekend of working to create good ice, skaters also had a warming house for taking a break from skating. Over at East Alma Recreation, the WPA sponsored Junior Bug-a-boo, Senior Bug-a-boo, and Girls Doodle Bug clubs. Participants enjoyed food, music, crafts, and dance instruction.

The other significant New Deal Program in Gratiot County concerned the NYA (National Youth Administration). Vernon Davis of Alma was one of only 200 young people chosen to take a two-year program that educated young men interested in aviation. Davis enrolled at the Waterloo Project at Camp Cassidy, which trained men in mechanical engineering. The young men in this program lived in cottages, each with a leader (Davis was elected as one). NYA workers would also be involved with 2,150 Gratiot youth in a nationwide survey to determine unemployment problems for those ages 16-24. The survey attempted to determine how many young people were out of school and did not have jobs. Some of the NYA workers in the county helped conduct the study. Here in Gratiot County, NYA members worked clearing the ground of dead logs around Conservation League Park, built tables and benches,  a shelter house, and rebuilt a log cabin. Around city hall, boys in the NYA did shop work and cleaned and painted walls. Over at Alma Schools, several worked in woodworking classes. A sewing project sponsored by the city of Alma involved NYA, and the Salvation Army employed ten unmarried young women aged 18 to 25. The project had help from a local company that loaned machines so the women could condition old clothing and create layettes for newborn children.

In other news, the Townsend Club followers continued to hold meetings in the county. President Charles Reed, who oversaw the Alma club, invited Reverend George Gullen from Detroit to attend a program at the American Legion Hall over Reed’s Shoe Store. Gullen represented the Townsend movement in the state as its attorney. Another Townsend meeting occurred at the St. Louis Park Hotel, where Harry Elliot, a national speaker, planned to discuss the Townsend Plan. Over 200 people attended the program, ending with Edgerton Crandell playing the xylophone.

New Deal programs like the WPA, NYA, and others often faced criticism from Americans who believed the programs to be a waste of government dollars. One such program gave the public millions of surplus apples at seventy cents a bushel. Because farmers could hardly get twenty-five cents a bushel for apples, a critic wondered why the government paid seventy cents for each bushel it planned to give away without helping farmers. On top of that, too many apples seemed to go to waste, and to this county newspaper, the government just seemed to be “shaking the tree.”

The Outdoors, Farming, and Farm Issues in January 1940

After the holidays, Alma urged Christmas tree owners to deposit their used trees at Conservation Park. The previous winter, large flocks of birds appeared and used the trees as shelter. The Gratiot County Herald ran a story about a new winter sport – ice fishing in Michigan. However, a new law prohibited using lights at night to catch bluegills. In another topic relating to fishing, Michigan sugar beet executives met to discuss the issue of epidemic fish killings again in places like the Pine River below Alma and St. Louis. The large number of fish killed was attributed to the sugar beet plant’s inadequate treatment facilities. It took ten miles of chasing, but hunter Charles Boots shot a red box west of Bridgeville along the Maple River but a second red fox got away, and many had been seen between Bridgeville and Maple Rapids. Henry B. Gulick of Mason, Michigan, grew up in Lafayette  Township. He recalled what hunting was like as far back as the 1870s in Gratiot County and described the abundance of bears, which made hunting very successful. Within three hours on one hunting day in 1884, Gulick and his family shot three bears in Section 24, and with the help of their wagon, they had them back home by noon. The largest bear weighed 450 pounds.

Farmers met at different shows and meetings as the 1940 winter moved forward. The Middleton Methodist Church hosted the Gratiot-Clinton District Association of Farmers. Middleton merchants furnished roasted meat for the noon potluck meal as a break from the whole day of meetings. Don Sharkey from St. Louis hosted one of three tractor shows in January. Sharkey, who sponsored one meeting at the Community Hardware Company’s implement building, highlighted the use of John Deere tractors and implements. One of the features of the meetings included free talking movies and a free lunch. The St. Louis Beet Growers Association held its ninth annual meeting in the St. Louis High School auditorium. The meeting was expected to draw 500 to 600 farmers, and the Lutheran, Episcopal, Christian Church, and American Legion Auxiliary provided a meal. When the day ended, over 800 people attended. News came from Washington that a government sugar beet program would take place in 1940, but payment rates would be the same as in 1938 and 1939.

Some of the controversial news involving farmers that winter dealt with the sensitive issue of ending Sunday hunting in Gratiot County. The Gratiot County Board of Commissioners voted 18 to 6 to petition the state legislature to allow a referendum vote on the issue. Clinton County also sought to ask the state the same thing. A group of ministers in the Gratiot County Council of Churches and Sunday Schools approached the commissioners and urged an end to Sunday hunting. However, a ban would not be enforced for at least one year. Opinions on both sides of the issue appeared in local newspapers. H.O. Butler wrote a long letter to the Gratiot County Herald telling readers that he was against a ban on Sunday hunting, saying, “It is no more wicked to hunt on Sunday than on any other one of the five remaining work days.” He added that if preachers did more of their job preaching “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” from the scriptures, there would be no hunting on Sundays as more hunters would be in church. Butler also added that he did not hunt or own a gun.

 H.J. Pinter and D.W. Olson announced the opening of Blue Ribbon Hatchery in Alma, located one block south of city hall. The owners planned to buy poultry and sell Blue Ribbon poultry feeds to the public. Swift and Company of Alma published a fifteen-page annual Yearbook of Swift and Company that covered what the company did in the past year. “Mugsey,” a Holstein owned by J. Ward Doyle of Breckenridge, appeared in the news as a record-grade cow. Mugsey produced 17,708 pounds of milk and 739.7 pounds of butterfat during 1939, returning to owner Doyle $229.79 above feed cost. Doyle wanted to know if any other cow in the county had a higher producing grade.

Breckenridge was busy that January as it hosted its 12th annual community fair. The Future Farmer Chapter and Breckenridge merchants sponsored the two-day event, which enabled 800 people to view exhibits of farm produce, sewing and home economics, and handcraft projects.

Gratiot County also took a moment to pause and reflect on the history of farming. A long article in the Gratiot County Herald reminded readers of the vital role of the County Extension Agent. The article reminded readers that Gratiot County’s first agent went on duty starting in 1917. The current agent, C.P. Milham, provided the history and details.

The Long Arm of the Law in Gratiot County in Winter

If anyone wanted to know the status of lawbreakers, they only needed to read the newspapers. During the previous month, the prosecuting attorney, Robert H. Baker, announced that thirty convictions occurred, with an additional 21 traffic violation convictions. Eight people in the group were convicted of illegally trapping muskrats. Another offense, passing bad checks without sufficient funds, had five culprits.

 January began with a settlement in the farm accounting case of Rowland Sexton, a Flint minister, and Maurie Arman. Arman operated as a tenant on Sexton’s farm near Houserville for nine years. The pair settled the accounting issue after evidence was taken to circuit courts. Fines and costs brought in approximately $280 to the court.

Various stories behind some criminal cases contained a mixture of sadness, grief, and even disbelief. Berniece Barry, wife of a Porter Township oil worker, failed to have her driver’s license after being involved in a traffic accident. It cost her $55.05 or 60 days in jail. Cornelius Eichorn, reported to be a well-to-do farmer in Emerson Township, made a petition to regain his automobile license, which had been suspended when Eichorn drove his car against a car off of US-27.   Eichorn had not been allowed to drive for several months. Eichorn’s wife petitioned the court to speak on her husband’s behalf in a February hearing. Mike Miczek of Middleton was brought before Judge Potter for stealing coal from Middleton Farmers Elevator. He paid $18.15 for fines and costs or spent 20 days in jail. Newell Little of Wheeler got the book thrown at him when the court sentenced him from 7 ½ to 22 ½ years for forgery. Little forged the name of William Kipp of Wheeler to a check amounting to $12.50. Little had a long line of forgery offenses that came up at sentencing. Kipp was sent to Jackson Prison as a second-offense felon.

Richard Storms, a WPA worker in Alma, stood mute after being arrested for assaulting his wife, who was trying to find medicine for a sick baby. Storms wanted the baby to stop crying and beat her. Storms was allowed to return home while awaiting trial as long as he “lived in accord” with his wife. Theodore Orwig, age 18, of  Alma, broke into Clare Shunk’s car on an Alma street. Orwig had previous probation terms and, therefore, went to jail for ninety days.

Jesse Perez’s attorneys attempted to bring his three-year-old murder case back to court. Perez argued that he did not understand the implications of his confession to a murder he committed in Seville Township in 1936. Perez was convicted of killing another Mexican beet worker, Gonzola Silba, after a dispute while working in the field.

Probably the most talked about topic in Gratiot County in January remained the Dewey Glinke embezzlement case. The probe of Glinke’s efforts to embezzle funds from the Gratiot County treasurer’s office now went to state auditors, and Gratiot County had to pay the state for the audits. Had Glinke been manipulating records for only one or two years or more? To know for sure, auditors now suggested a complete probe of Glinke’s work, which went back five years. The current Glinke defalcations ran up to $1,800. Despite this scandal, the state auditor commended and sympathized with County Treasurer William Federspiel for his cooperation and determination in getting to the bottom of Glinke’s crime.

Norman Prange of St. Louis tested the city of Alma’s peddling laws. He made $1 on a sale at one of his door-to-door stops and was arrested after he failed to pay a $40 license fee. The case was to be reviewed in February, as his lawyer argued that the transaction involved interstate commerce. Finally, In the February 1940 term, two county women, Mrs. Never Hole of Alma and Pearl Strong of St. Louis, served jury duty. The rest of the jury pool consisted of men.

And So We Do Not Forget

The Alma First Methodist Church started holding Lenten season evangelistic services over two weeks. Reverend Edward Patsch of East Liverpool, Ohio, served as evangelist…Eugene T. Walker of Alma wrote a letter to the Alma Record Alma Journal regarding his memories of operating thrashing machines during harvest times in Arcada and Sumner Township. Walker described how he threshed a total of 927,194 bushels of grain in his lifetime. Walker also collected and owned old thresher catalogs, which he loaned to interested readers…Gratiot County Treasurer William G. Federspiel announced that citizens of the county continued to conduct good tax collections. Roughly 58 percent of assessed taxes had been paid so far…Viewers continued to see Alma’s Local News Reel on Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Strand Theatre. Also, Billy Farrell entertained audiences from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. during intermissions each night. Farrell played the Hammond Organ before features on Tuesday and Friday nights…Alma City Manager William Reynolds laid the rules for those using the city skating rink. The number one rule said no games of “I got it,” “Crack the whip,” or “Tag”…The hamlet of Pompeii witnessed a fire that caused over $7,000 worth of damage to the home of L.E. Passenger, which turned out to be a complete loss. Pompeii had no fire department, and all calls had to be answered by the fire department at Perrinton…Members of the Alma Fire Department planned the upcoming annual fireman’s ball. The ball took place on Washington’s birthday.

Used car sales in Alma remained very brisk. Hickerson Chevrolet Sales said it had more used car sales during the winter than could be remembered. Usually, car buyers wait until after winter to make their purchases, but not this January…Mr. Bourikas at the Main Café in Alma announced that the new modern fireproof addition enabled him to keep up with his growing business. The new 20×24 floor space connected to the dining room and helped him serve the busy crowds on Saturday and Sunday nights…The Newberry Store in Alma announced a new addition that called for an 80 percent addition to its existing space. Newberrys planned to lease the adjacent store building, which belonged to Floyd Luchini. The Simi Café that operated next door planned to move. A 40-foot addition in the back of Newberry’s allowed more space. A partition between the two buildings would be removed, and the store would have different entry locations…The first fatal traffic accident of 1940 took place in Wheeler Township when Lawrence Bartlett, age 29, died when his car collided with one from Ricard Jessup, age 19, of Wheeler. Bartlett, who died at Smith Memorial Hospital, failed to stop on M-46 and crossed in front of the Jessup vehicle.

Red Cross contributions thus far totaled $2,230.90. An increase of 408 new members raised the total from this time last year. Emerson Township had 61 members and contributed $75.60….The newsreel man from the Strand Theatre made his way to Grayling to watch the crowning of the Snow Queen during Grayling’s Winter Festival. The queen, Miss Pauline Merrill, previously lived in St. Louis and Breckenridge and was well known in Alma. The movies will be shown before the show each day until February 4. The film also featured several Detroit Tigers players who attended the festival…Bernard Gallagher, who worked at Bragg’s Standard Oil service station, was taken to Wilcox-Carney Hospital for acute appendicitis. After emergency surgery, Gallagher was resting and had much improved…Mr. and Mrs. Louis Gittleman, owners of their style shop in Alma, traveled to Detroit for a fashion show. The Gittlemans hoped to obtain new merchandise for the Alma store and the ones they owned in Greenville and Ionia…St. Louis Community Council announced that the new skating rink for children would soon open on Wheeler Field. Adults who wanted to skate used the rink on the newly lighted softball field…The Alma Public Library continued to grow as demands for books in practical arts, history, and special sciences doubled. The Masonic Home received 442 books on loan from the library, and the Gleaner Home received 108 books…The Gratiot County Farm Bureau held its fourth annual meeting in the basement of the Ithaca Methodist Church. After the business meeting, a potluck dinner occurred at noon, followed by special singing by Mrs. Neikirk. Mrs. Hearn played the piano…The movie “Beau Geste,” starring Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, and Susan Hayward, played at the Strand Theatre in Alma. Tickets were ten and twenty cents…January 22-26 became known as Health Week for Gratiot County, according to county school commissioner Donald L. Baker. All teachers in the county stressed the importance of good health with students. Topics included keeping the body clean, proper care for teeth, getting physical examinations by the family doctor, vaccinations, and good sources of drinking water…Redman Trailer sales experienced a 200 percent increase for 1939 compared to the previous year. The company sold 400 trailers and grossed $220,000. The company employed sixty men with a payroll of $38,000.

The Gratiot County Herald announced its tenth annual baby contest. A list of rules about those who entered the first babies born in 1940 could be found in the January 4, 1940 newspaper. The first prize involved a baby bed with a mattress or a high chair with a waterproof tray. First place went to Judith Joan Russell of St. Louis, born at 4:18 a.m. on January 1 to Mr. and Mrs. Rolland Russell…Young Dale Paul Todd of Middleton won the Gratiot County Herald’s New Year’s Baby Contest in 1939 and celebrated his first birthday on January 1. Now walking around the house using chairs and furniture, young Dale Todd weighed 25 pounds and measured 29 inches…Roy W. Richards of Alma was appointed enumerator for the 1940 census. Richards began a check-up of business property, but the population count would not start until April 1…Alma’s new sander now sanded three blocks of the road with the same material that formerly only did one road…E.R. Erickson and Edwin Harwood completed work at the University of Michigan to obtain their master’s Degrees. Harwood taught English and wrote a thesis for his degree; Erickson chose to do extra work hours instead of the thesis. Both men taught at St. Louis High School…The St. Louis Rollers women’s bowling team, outfitted in their new uniforms, won two of three games at Alma Recreation Alleys. St.  Louis merchants donated the uniforms…Over 100 couples attended the annual J-Hop held at St. Louis High School auditorium on a Friday evening. Giant white stars hung from the light blue ceiling while the orchestra’s stage displayed blue lights on Christmas trees. Kenneth Harrier, vice-president of the class, led the grand march along with Elaine Ellsworth. Several classes had graduated in attendance from as far back as 1934…462 Gratiot County teachers with teacher certificates filed their oath of allegiance. Those who had not filed had 60 days to do so.

“The Wizard of Oz” made its first movie appearance in Gratiot County when it debuted at the Ideal Theatre in Ithaca on January 11. Admission was 15 cents and 10 cents…The Perrinton Community Hall underwent renovations, and new seats and furniture were installed. Upon completion, the Fulton High School basketball team planned to play its home games at the hall… Noted columnist and radio speaker Boake Carter appeared in Ithaca as part of the Gratiot Town Hall series. Carter was initially supposed to appear in October, but with the outbreak of war in Europe, he remained in Washington. Carter’s reputation as one of the finest radio speakers of his day meant good attendance for his program…The Gratiot County Rural Letter Carrier’s Association held a potluck supper at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Knapp in Alma…Ithaca Schools gave out standardized tests to students on two days in mid-January. Superintendent McKibben said the tests revealed whether the schools expected too much or too little for children in each grade. The scores told whether students performed at their grade level, or higher or lower…The Ballard Trophy at Ithaca High School went to Ralph Cheney for the most valuable member of the 1939 football team. Elwood Mellinger was announced as captain of the 1940 team…The Mellinger School planned a P.T.A. meeting later in January. George (Elmer) Schleder and his “amateurs” would provide entertainment….The Union Telephone Company issued its 1940 telephone directory with 3,094 names of subscribers. Alma had 1,350 telephone stations… The Christmas weather seemed somewhat light, but cold temps in January dropped to the mercury to four above zero…The Ithaca High School Athletic Club sponsored the dean of American League Umpires, George Moriarty, who spoke at the Ithaca High School gym. Moriarty also showed a movie entitled “Touching All Three Bases.”  The Ithaca High School Athletic Club sponsored the event, and entrance was free.

And that was January 1940 in Gratiot County during Depression and War.

Copyright 2024 James M. Goodspeed