This writer has enjoyed collecting and sharing many stories through the years, but stories of “the first” (person, event, etc.) have always been the most fun. Not all of those collected were shared because there was not “enough story” to wrap around them. Sharing these “firsts” today may bring lively conversation to the family dinner table or bring a few dollars to someone making a friendly bet. They will definitely enlarge or refresh your knowledge of Lancaster history.
1849 Oct. 19 Gazette: Drs. Boerstelter and Sachse, attended by Drs. Bigelow and Effinger, amputated a leg…having put the patient under the influence of Chloroform. The operation was performed without a particle of pain to the patient, who woke up unconscious of having lost a limb…This is the first instance we believe for such an operation in which it has been administered in this place.
1860 June 7 Gazette: The three story brick, on the north side of Main Street, occupied by J. Lyons, Stoneburner & Jeffries and Martin’s Exchange Bank, has been during the last week, newly roofed with slate, by some gentlemen from abroad. It is the first slate roof in the city.
1894 June 7 Daily Eagle: The first union of labor ever attempted in this city was organized last night at Klinge’s hall, and is a branch of the American Railway Union…About 250 railroad boys assembled at the hall and selected for Chairman of the meeting Mr. Wm. McClinton, and for secretary Mr. Noah Yenrick.
1910 Nov. 7 Gazette: Eighteen boys of the Presbyterian Church to organize first Boy Scout patrol to be started in Lancaster. R. M. Giesy was to be scout-master and the group would not be denominational.1912 Jan. 18 Daily Eagle: Mrs. Albert Hood and her 10 pound baby boy survived the first successful caesarean operation performed in Fairfield County. He was born in Lancaster’s Park Street Hospital on Dec. 21, 1911.
1919 March 12 Daily Eagle: John Friesner, manager of the Home Store Co. in Bremen was opening the first self-serve grocery in the county.
1922 Jan. 26 Daily Eagle: The first Quota Club in Ohio was organized Jan. 25th when 24 business and professional women met at the Hotel Martens for a dinner meeting.
1923 Aug. 6 Daily Eagle: Miss Mary Geiser was first woman in Fairfield Co. elected to a public office. A Democrat, she was elected to the office of Clerk of Courts in Nov. 1922.
1925 Oct. 15-17 Daily Eagle: First Dog Show held in Fairfield County under the auspices of the American Kennel Club of NYC. It was held on the SE corner of the Fair Grounds, corner of High St. and Fair Ave.
1932 Dec. 27 Daily Eagle: Fairfield County barristers met at the Courthouse to organize “The Fairfield County Bar Association.” The organization was to have jurisdiction over all attorneys practicing law in Fairfield County.
1940 June 10 Eagle-Gazette: Esther Crook of 222 N. High St. became the first woman from Fairfield Co. to receive a bachelor of science degree in optometry. She graduated from OSU.
1949 Aug. 8 Eagle-Gazette: Anna Ruth Defenbaugh, a graduate of OSU, was the first woman pharmacist employed in a Lancaster Drug Store.
1949 Oct. 24 Eagle-Gazette: For the convenience of readers, E-G added a daily schedule of three television stations to the newspaper. The schedule appeared on the comic page.
1963 Nov. 6 Eagle-Gazette: Mrs. Austin W. (Dorothy) Secoy was the first woman elected to a seat on City Council
1972 March 25 Eagle-Gazette: Anita Kennedy became Lancaster’s first female letter carrier or “mailwoman.”
1978 Nov. 8 Eagle-Gazette: Donna Crist was elected Fairfield County’s first female County Commissioner.
Readers my contact Harvey at joycelancastereg@gmail.com
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Exploring the many firsts in Lancaster history
Reporting by Joyce Harvey, Special to Eagle-Gazette / Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joyce Harvey, Special to Eagle-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
