COINCIDENCE: Ellie Lathrop celebrated a fun coincidence upon reading June 8’s edition of The Era: there were articles about both her uncle and her granddaughter.
The life of U.S. Army Sgt. John Berg of Crosby (1889-1956) was retold in an article on Page A-3. On Page B-1 was an article about Hannah Lathrop of Port Allegany, who is playing softball for the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
In fact, Ellie tells us she named her son — Hannah’s father — in honor of John Berg.
Ellie recalls that when she was around the age of 10, she told Uncle John she was going to name her son after him. Uncle John wasn’t fond of the idea.
But Uncle John and Aunt Blanche never had children, so when Uncle John died, Ellie named a son, Sean, in his honor.
Sean is the Irish form of John.
Ellie notes that Sean has coached wrestling in Port Allegany for about 25 years.
The building that housed John and Blanche’s business, The Wagon Wheel, eventually became the location of the John Berg American Legion Post 976.
Ellie notes that when the Post was destroyed by fire in 2013, two of the wagon wheels used as chandeliers were able to be saved. Those chandeliers are now fixtures in the newly built Post.
BOOZE: While searching The Era’s archives, we found a story from June 1929 about Prohibition.
“County Detective Jack J. Allison continued his war against illicit liquor traffic yesterday when he confiscated probably the largest quantity of liquor ever secured in this city in one haul. H.K. Roberts of 84 Main street was arrested on a warrant issued by Justice of Peace Frank Whitting at Smethport and taken to the county seat where bail was arranged.
“Confiscated from a stall rented by Roberts was 540 pints of ale, 40 quarts of gin, 34 pints of whiskey, 96 quarts of whiskey and 550 small bottles of whiskey equipped with cork screw attachment for opening.”
Impressive.
