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    SCHS MEMBER DISCOVERS OLD SEYMOUR PRESS

    SCHS MEMBER DISCOVERS OLD SEYMOUR PRESSCathy with her son Jonathon

    Lifetime SCHS members Pat and Cathy Krull had an unexpected surprise when razing an adjacent house. They found a Seymour Press dated February 7, 1899 nailed to an interior wall. Even though the paper is in rough shape, it does provide some insight into life in the city around the turn of the century. Some of the highlights are included below.

    Seymour Press February 7, 1899

    Margaret Wright who has been having a serious time with her eye the past two months has at last regained her sight. The trouble was caused by her getting infected dust in her eye.

    A good fellow is one who makes a chemical analysis of himself about twice a week to tell the difference between himself and a darn fool.

    Miss Hellen Leama, of Green Bay is visiting her sister, Mrs. Anderson who is slowly recovering from a very bad attack of la grippe.

    Editor’s note: La grippe was the term used to describe what is today known as “Influenza”. To illustrate the seriousness of the illness in 1918 over 50 million worldwide died of “The Flu.” Newspapers of the day gave this advice to avoid contracting the disease.
    • Avoid close, stuffy and poorly ventilated rooms. Insist on fresh air, but avoid disagreeable drafts.
    • Eat nourishing food and drink with plenty of water.
    • Avoid constipation.
    • Secure at least seven hours of sleep.
    • Avoid physical fatigue.
    • Do not sleep or sit around in damp clothing.
    • Keep the feet dry.

    F. H. Dean informs us that his sale of boilers, engines, and farm machinery is larger this winter than ever.
    Editor’s note: F. H. Dean had a store and machine shop west of Main St. near the RR track. A 1900 industrial review of Seymour described the enterprise in this manner. “Mr. Dean employs sixteen skilled mechanics, which number will be largely increased in the near future to meet the rapid growth of his business. His machine shop is equipped with special machinery from original designs for satisfactory and rapid production.”

    R. H. Hendershot, the original Drummer boy of the Rappahannock, will appear at the Odd Fellows Hall Feb. 15 under the auspices of the G. A. R. and W. R. C. Tickets are 15, 25, and 35 cents.
    Robert Henry Hendershot who became known as “the Drummer Boy of the Rappahannock.” He was a drummer boy for the Eighth Michigan. His regiment was stationed near the Seventh Michigan during the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. On December 11, 1862, the Seventh was trying to cross the Rappahannock River under fire. Robert answered a call for volunteers and ran to help push the boats. He had crossed the river when a shell fragment hit his drum and broke it into pieces, so he picked up a musket. He encountered a Confederate soldier and, taking him as prisoner, brought him back to the Seventh Michigan. The story of a boy capturing a man made him a hero.

    Editor’s note: The Odd Fellows Hall was located on the west side of South Main St. across from the hotel. It was a popular meeting spot. Lecture programs like this were a popular form of entertainment.

    Brer. Groundhog didn’t come out. He merely called up the fuel company, ordered another weeks supply of coal, took a quinine pill and a finger of whiskey and went to bed again.

    C. F. Spregler has the hottest stove drum to ever come down the pike. Stop at his store to see it.

    A few of them five or ten cent books for sale at the press office might be the means to keep that boy or girl home in the evening.

    If a newspaper gushingly comments favorably upon any enterprise or individual, that person would walk out of his way a dozen blocks to avoid vouchsafing a word of thanks. If an error, no matter how trivial finds its way into the paper, within ten minutes after it leaves the press demands are made for its correction. That’s the difference.

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