The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-03-06

And George Washington's birth
day last month also marked the l00th
birthday anniversary Of the late A
aron Augsburger, father of Mrs. Med
Murray, one Of Bluffton's pioneer
residents. His name appears on the
cornerstone of the town hall as
member of the village council when
the structure was built. A builder by
trade, he worked on many structures
in the towns early days some Oh
which are still standing. In denomln-
ational affiliations he was a charter
member and elder of St. Johns Re
formed church and his character was
one of integrity and uprightness.
Bluffton had plenty of company in
the recent cold snap-comes word
from Mrs. |. E. MARY Steiner) Vim
cent, formerly of the Settlement near
Bluffton, now living at Merrifleld,
Va, saying that they have had heavy
snow and temperatures went down to
90 above zero, unusually cold weather
for that locality.
And speaking of letters, comes one
from Barbara Butler, former Bluff
ton high school student who is IN
school this year at Bellingham, Wash
ington. High school pals will recall
Barbara's flair for art and the hand
decorated stationery indicates. that
she has lost none of her artistic
touch. She says she follows with in
terest the fortunes-or misfortunes
of the high school basketball team
here.
And comes word from Warren Ro-
senberger of Creskill, n. j., formerly
of Bluffton college who has been fol-
lowing the high school Pirates and
Burcky's varsity Beavers this winter.
*##
The Berne Mems chorus which
gave a mighty fine concert here Sun
day night is something more than an
outstanding musical organization
it's the spirit Of the group which sets
it apart from the general run Of its
kind. Organized fifty years ago it
has retained many of the original l.
deals of its founders. No one connect
ed with the chorus receives any pay
for his services-members even pay
their own travelling expenses. Any Of
ferings or other income received by
the group is contributed to benevo-
Iences. We liked the concert-but we
liked better the motives of the Choir
us-there should be more of such or
ganizations.
Going back to the days when Bluff
ton was Shannon--comes an almanac
of the year 1859 advertising medicin
al preparations of that day. Imprint
on the back cover of the booklet says
these are sold by one Abram Long at
the store of E. Thompson, Shannon,
Ohio. The almanac, 34-page book
let, printed in German belongs to Os-
car Wenger of Spring street, collec-
tor of old books, and was found a.
mong the effects of his father, the
late David Wenger. It's the first time
we ever have seen anything printed
from back in the days before Bluff
ton changed its original name.
&#&
Horace Stratton south of Bluffton
who has been following items in this
column relative to former names of
towns tells us that Mortimer, north
of FindIay was formerly Stewards
vile and of course there's Pandora,
formerly Pendleton. And Lafayette's
postoffice was formerly officially
designated as Herring, altho the
town always was known as Lafay-
cite and the postoffice was later
changed to that name.
And John T. Huber, pioneer resi-
dent Of Beaverdam sets us right on
the name of that town which was
formerly Shutdown, being laid out
by man named Shull about 1862.
It's present name was acquired from
dam built by beavers in low ground
west of the town. The animals felled
trees to form a small body of water
in a swampy area near the village.
Mr.. Huber says he recalls that in
constructing an open ditch thru the
| Edgecomb farm the workmen un-
covered logs Of the beavers dam un-
der some three or four feet of soil
Also he remembers when there We're
wooden slabs on the present Lincoln
highway to make pioneer travel pos.
sible thru the swampy region in that
vicinity. These slabs. he saws were