Bill Gillett's Union City
News and History
by William Gillett, Sr.
Historian VFW Post, 6773
Union City Times
Wednesday, August 6, 1979
John Wilkins Gates
I have lost another old friend that I have known many years. John was a nice little fellow when during his school days he used to work with other school boys all summer long helping me to paint fire escapes and rooms in the school houses in Union City. I had charge of maintenance of schools in those days. He worked with John Downs, Joseph McInerney, Pinky McLean. John’s father, Ray H. Gates, was a member of the school board along with Guy Eldridge, Elmer Foster, my father-in-law, Mrs. Arthur Treat, and John Duncombe (Ha.)
The big A.G. Sweet Insurance Agency was founded by Addison G. Sweet in Union City after the Civil War. It is the oldest agency in Erie County. I believe my grandfather and Bill Blanchard were about the first to take out insurance on the wooden building where the museum in Union City now stands. My grandfather Abe Gillett and Bill Blanchard had a big furniture store, also an undertaking parlor.
When A.G. died, George took over with Mary. When George died, his son Lewis Sweet took over with Mary. Then Lewis took in Ray H. Gates who at that time was in the grocery business with Ben Hess on South Main in Union. Lewis Sweet sold out to Ray Gates who did good business until he passed away. Then John W. Gates, Ray’s son took over, and was taught the business by Mary Layden. John was a hustler and did a big a big insurance business under the name still of Sweet Insurance Agency. He continued the agency to his recent death which makes “Old Bill” feel sad on losing such a friend.
John married Betty Kunkel and their children were Jonathan, Thomas, and Tracy. John’s mother, Pearl Wilkins Gates, is still living with her sister in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, just across the river from Harrisburg. Pearl is WAY up in years. God bless her.
John started real young to play the saxophone and was a real artist playing in Coleman Band and the Shrine Band of Erie. I believe he was one of the many Coleman Band members who joined my Aero Supply War Plant band at Corry during World War 2.
I remember in 1925 when my orchestra was furnishing entertainment at Wattsburg Methodist Church for their big yearly supper. I teased John to play his first solo on his saxophone. I remember he played like an old trooper a hard solo “Canadian Capers.” The crowd in church gave him a big hand that really started him in Coleman Band and later in the Shrine Band.
I have had fire insurance in the Sweet Agency for over 60 years myself. (Ha!)
When Tom Gardner passed away, John took over the management of the big Gardner Block with the Palace Theater.
I can’t begin to tell you good readers today how bad I feel on the death of this old friend. Margaret and I want to extend our deepest sympathy to Betty and children, also to his mother Pearl. We know God will bless him.
KID 5584, Union City, Pennsylvania
Ruby Jane Steadman. I call her Miss Radio Room. Ruby and I are the only Radio Fire Company Communication Operators that started on July 19, 1963, 17 years ago. set up by Chief of Police Paul Behan and Instructor Bill Campbell.
On that hot afternoon, July 19, 1963, we, the operators, gathered in the new communications room on the second floor of the Union City City Hall. We were Ruby Jean Steadman, Jimmie Marvin, Alice Proctor, and relief operator Hazel Edwards, also “Old Bill” Gillett. (Ha)
Bill Campbell showed us operators how to use the radio for fire, police car; we didn’t have our own ambulance those days, so funeral directors used their own hearses. They were the Glenn Funeral Home and the Musser Funeral Home. These boys were faithful on ambulance calls. rain....snow…ice…or mud. This went on for almost two years and then the city bought an ambulance, hired a driver, and set up a large attendance at this social affair. Members of the Union City community paid so much a year ; then we took in Waterford and Mill Village and a year later we took in Bloomfield (Canadohta Lake). All this time and up to 1980, Ruby Jane Steadman has served her city and firemen. God Bless her.
As I said just now, we lost operators Jimmie Marvin, Alice Proctor, the two original operators, then Virgil Clark, Cleo Boyd, Hazel Edwards, and Marjorie Rice are still retired as I am and I hope, still living. (Ha)
We also lost and old friend and WW I buddy, Cash Sears who used to work extra for us.
When I retired on November 1, 1971, it was on account of my health and climbing over curb snow banks trying to get into my home. The police boys were good to me by driving me home and digging a path through the big snow banks that the street plow would pile up. The police boys would help me into my home. Again, God Bless them.
I remember the first ambulance very well. One winter night I was going to work from 12 p.m. to 8 a.m. next morning when in the hallway at City Hall was a young fellow wanting to stay all night in our open jail room. I told him I would radio the police car and the officer would take care of him.
At about 2 a.m. the young fellow pounded on the radio room door and said the waste paper basket was on fire in the truck room. I said kick it outdoors into the snow which he did; then about 4 a.m. he pounded on my radio door again and said that the ambulance was on fire. I put in an alarm and had the boys there in less than five minutes. The imitation leather upholstery on the ambulance set off black smoke that filled the building, also my radio room.
I called Chief Behan and Steadman who came immediately. Our fire boys were having a time putting out the ambulance and truck room fire. Nobody said a word to me and as I thought with the City Hall on fire I would have to call Waterford and Mill Village for help on my radio. So I stuck my head out the open window to get fresh air and stayed at my post. Finally Chief Behan looked up and said, “Get down here, Bill.”
So Carl Sedmina led me down the stairs that I couldn’t even see on account of the smoke.
I always thought the young fellow must have been a fire bug and did it all. Finally, the fire boys pushed the burning ambulance across the street on to the Kendall Parking Lot where it stayed for weeks. (Ha)
In my column today I have pictures of my little friend Ruby Jane Steadman and me at our posts in the radio room KID 5584. I know my friend Ruby Jane has had some bad experiences the same as I.
Next week, God willing, I will tell you about the big Rice Hotel fire and help I had from Bill Campbell and the late Bob Shreve.
God Bless you good readers.
I am “Old Bill” and his Margaret.
by William Gillett, Sr.
Historian VFW Post, 6773
Union City Times
Wednesday, August 6, 1979
John Wilkins Gates
I have lost another old friend that I have known many years. John was a nice little fellow when during his school days he used to work with other school boys all summer long helping me to paint fire escapes and rooms in the school houses in Union City. I had charge of maintenance of schools in those days. He worked with John Downs, Joseph McInerney, Pinky McLean. John’s father, Ray H. Gates, was a member of the school board along with Guy Eldridge, Elmer Foster, my father-in-law, Mrs. Arthur Treat, and John Duncombe (Ha.)
The big A.G. Sweet Insurance Agency was founded by Addison G. Sweet in Union City after the Civil War. It is the oldest agency in Erie County. I believe my grandfather and Bill Blanchard were about the first to take out insurance on the wooden building where the museum in Union City now stands. My grandfather Abe Gillett and Bill Blanchard had a big furniture store, also an undertaking parlor.
When A.G. died, George took over with Mary. When George died, his son Lewis Sweet took over with Mary. Then Lewis took in Ray H. Gates who at that time was in the grocery business with Ben Hess on South Main in Union. Lewis Sweet sold out to Ray Gates who did good business until he passed away. Then John W. Gates, Ray’s son took over, and was taught the business by Mary Layden. John was a hustler and did a big a big insurance business under the name still of Sweet Insurance Agency. He continued the agency to his recent death which makes “Old Bill” feel sad on losing such a friend.
John married Betty Kunkel and their children were Jonathan, Thomas, and Tracy. John’s mother, Pearl Wilkins Gates, is still living with her sister in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, just across the river from Harrisburg. Pearl is WAY up in years. God bless her.
John started real young to play the saxophone and was a real artist playing in Coleman Band and the Shrine Band of Erie. I believe he was one of the many Coleman Band members who joined my Aero Supply War Plant band at Corry during World War 2.
I remember in 1925 when my orchestra was furnishing entertainment at Wattsburg Methodist Church for their big yearly supper. I teased John to play his first solo on his saxophone. I remember he played like an old trooper a hard solo “Canadian Capers.” The crowd in church gave him a big hand that really started him in Coleman Band and later in the Shrine Band.
I have had fire insurance in the Sweet Agency for over 60 years myself. (Ha!)
When Tom Gardner passed away, John took over the management of the big Gardner Block with the Palace Theater.
I can’t begin to tell you good readers today how bad I feel on the death of this old friend. Margaret and I want to extend our deepest sympathy to Betty and children, also to his mother Pearl. We know God will bless him.
KID 5584, Union City, Pennsylvania
Ruby Jane Steadman. I call her Miss Radio Room. Ruby and I are the only Radio Fire Company Communication Operators that started on July 19, 1963, 17 years ago. set up by Chief of Police Paul Behan and Instructor Bill Campbell.
On that hot afternoon, July 19, 1963, we, the operators, gathered in the new communications room on the second floor of the Union City City Hall. We were Ruby Jean Steadman, Jimmie Marvin, Alice Proctor, and relief operator Hazel Edwards, also “Old Bill” Gillett. (Ha)
Bill Campbell showed us operators how to use the radio for fire, police car; we didn’t have our own ambulance those days, so funeral directors used their own hearses. They were the Glenn Funeral Home and the Musser Funeral Home. These boys were faithful on ambulance calls. rain....snow…ice…or mud. This went on for almost two years and then the city bought an ambulance, hired a driver, and set up a large attendance at this social affair. Members of the Union City community paid so much a year ; then we took in Waterford and Mill Village and a year later we took in Bloomfield (Canadohta Lake). All this time and up to 1980, Ruby Jane Steadman has served her city and firemen. God Bless her.
As I said just now, we lost operators Jimmie Marvin, Alice Proctor, the two original operators, then Virgil Clark, Cleo Boyd, Hazel Edwards, and Marjorie Rice are still retired as I am and I hope, still living. (Ha)
We also lost and old friend and WW I buddy, Cash Sears who used to work extra for us.
When I retired on November 1, 1971, it was on account of my health and climbing over curb snow banks trying to get into my home. The police boys were good to me by driving me home and digging a path through the big snow banks that the street plow would pile up. The police boys would help me into my home. Again, God Bless them.
I remember the first ambulance very well. One winter night I was going to work from 12 p.m. to 8 a.m. next morning when in the hallway at City Hall was a young fellow wanting to stay all night in our open jail room. I told him I would radio the police car and the officer would take care of him.
At about 2 a.m. the young fellow pounded on the radio room door and said the waste paper basket was on fire in the truck room. I said kick it outdoors into the snow which he did; then about 4 a.m. he pounded on my radio door again and said that the ambulance was on fire. I put in an alarm and had the boys there in less than five minutes. The imitation leather upholstery on the ambulance set off black smoke that filled the building, also my radio room.
I called Chief Behan and Steadman who came immediately. Our fire boys were having a time putting out the ambulance and truck room fire. Nobody said a word to me and as I thought with the City Hall on fire I would have to call Waterford and Mill Village for help on my radio. So I stuck my head out the open window to get fresh air and stayed at my post. Finally Chief Behan looked up and said, “Get down here, Bill.”
So Carl Sedmina led me down the stairs that I couldn’t even see on account of the smoke.
I always thought the young fellow must have been a fire bug and did it all. Finally, the fire boys pushed the burning ambulance across the street on to the Kendall Parking Lot where it stayed for weeks. (Ha)
In my column today I have pictures of my little friend Ruby Jane Steadman and me at our posts in the radio room KID 5584. I know my friend Ruby Jane has had some bad experiences the same as I.
Next week, God willing, I will tell you about the big Rice Hotel fire and help I had from Bill Campbell and the late Bob Shreve.
God Bless you good readers.
I am “Old Bill” and his Margaret.