Lehighton’s Tecumseh cannon is among Lehighton’s
most unique traditions.
You hear it at every home game at Lehighton for about
50 years. It fires a 10-gauge blank shotgun
shell and reverberates throughout the entire Mahoning Valley and all through
town and across the river into Franklin Township.
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| A 1980 picture of Shutt with Tecumseh. |
It was purchased by Lehighton’s Charles B. Shutt. Shutt was a WWI veteran and former commander
of Lehighton Legion Post #314.
Shutt became fatherless as a young boy of 10 years
old. His mother had to become a live-in
house servant to the Begal family in Mahoning Valley.
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| Less than 2 years before his death, Shutt was honored by Legion Post #314. |
Shutt first worked at the New Jersey Zinc company
before he served at the end of the war. In
the 1920s he ran a confection shop on Second Street but later became an
accountant for Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
Perhaps it was his upbringing without a father,
Charles Shutt did much to make sure the youth of Lehighton had help growing
up.
He was a local pioneer in developing Boy Scout Programs
in the area, securing funding for the Troop 81 at All Saints Episcopal Church
from James I. Blakslee. He and his wife
also ran the Lehighton Youth Center in the 1940s and 1950s.
As for Tecumseh, Shutt got the idea from attending an
Army-Navy football game. He purchased
the cannon in the early 1960s for $15. Lehighton
football games wouldn’t be the same without the thunder from this gun. Except for a short-time restriction by
Principal Daniel I. Farren, the gun has not missed a game in over 50 years.
Shutt passed away in August 1985. By then, Lehighton native “Slats” Wentz took hold
of the rip cord. In recent years the
firing is conducted by former Lehighton Mayor Don Rehrig.
You can find dedicated volunteers in every town in
America. Lehighton is no different. Recently, the following individuals were
highlighted at the 100th Anniversary ceremony of Legion Post #314 in
September. These people dedicated their
unique talent and energies toward making our town and country a better place.
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| March 1960 |
Thomas Hamlet Hontz
He was a founding member of the Legion back in 1919.
Hontz married Lillian Shoemaker who was the kid sister
of William W Shoemaker, the first Lehighton soldier killed in the first war (4
August 1918).
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| August 1936 Graver Bathing Casino - Evelyn Ripkey (who had a beauty shop in Lehighton for many years) was crowned "Miss Carbon County," Hontz, Helen Tyson "Miss Mahoning," and Betty Smith. Not pictured was Dorothy Beers crowned "Miss Lehighton." |
It was Hontz who first made the motion to rename the
Legion post after Walter Haydt. Haydt
died when his B-24 Liberator was lost near Australia.
It was an altogether fitting tribute that Shoemaker’s brother-in-law
would be the one to explain and encourage the name change of Post 314 to the
Shoemaker-Haydt Post in memory of Walter Haydt.
Mary Kennedy Bayer
Not All Members of the Last Man’s Club Were MEN!
Mary Kennedy was from Mauch Chunk.
She and was among the first 20 women from the States
along with the first 100 from Canada to join the British Expeditionary Forces
early in the war, a full year before the U.S. entered.
Frank Bayer Sr from town was wounded in his left leg
and right arm at Meuse-Argonne the last month of the war, his 7th
over there.
Mary became his nurse.
They fell in love and married in France.
Mary and Frank joined the Last Mans Club (LMC) together. She became VP of the club. She was honored in the 1941 Armistice Day Parade. And when she died in 1948, Frank Sr took over
as VP.
Their son Frank Jr was a member of the WWII Club. He died just a few years ago.
Frank Bayer Sr and William Shoemaker were among the
first group of men sent off on 21 September 1917.
Lewis Dunbar
Lewis Dunbar started a confection store in the
Lehighton Heights after WWI. He was well
known as a kind and cheery fellow and a friend to many. He later achieved Lehighton immortality starting Dunbar Bottling, at one time where "Dance With Kim" is located at South Fourth St and currently along the bypass in Lehighton.
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| Lewie Dunbar's ad in the 1931 Lehighton yearbook. |
But in 1935, national newspapers picked up on a story
of Lewis serving in WWI while he attended the state Legion convention in
Wilkes-Barre. The headlines proclaimed
him to be the “fattest WWI Legionnaire.”
At the time, Dunbar was only 63” tall, but 65" around!
Dunbar wanted to serve in WWI in the worst way. But because of his short stature and large weight,
he should have never been allowed in the military. He stood only 5’3”...he was one inch to short
to be drafted.
When WWI broke out, he was married and living in Ohio.
He wanted to join in the worst way.
But he was rejected at the recruiting station.
He didn’t give up.
He hung around DAY AFTER DAY...for WEEKS.
Finally, the commanding officer asked his staff who
the fat man was hanging around the office.
When they told him, his story, he ordered them to sign
him up.
The reason?
Let me Quote: “His mirthful spirit and good humor”
will do wonders for morale of the other men.
Lewie was fond of retelling how he walked around the
first weeks of training camp at Fort Lee Virginia, without pants because the
army had none with a big enough waist band.
But even though he was rounder than he was tall and should never have served, Dunbar did his part to serve his country.
4-Star General Bert A. David.
Founder Bert B. David also had a son named Bert. Bert A. David became Major General Bert A.
David. Graduate of West Point, fought in
Japan, fought in Korea, and 3 campaigns in Vietnam. Silver Star. Legion of Merit with two oak
clusters. Bronze Star.
Be sure to schedule a visit to Legion Post #314 to
view the display cases in the entryway into the main hall. David’s medals, pictures, and other information
is on display.
George Harmon
If you can recall Bert B. David’s words on this Legion
and his comrades being a tolerant group of men, one member of the WWI LMC was
George Harmon.
George Harmon came here from Delaware and opened a
shoemaker’s shop. He instantly immersed
himself in giving his time to civic duties.
Besides being an active Legionnaire, he was a firefighter, coached youth
baseball for seven years, and along with Wilbur Warner, did everything he could
to help get the Hospital up and running, and served in many volunteer
capacities there.
When South First Street burned in December 1955, he
stayed up all night working the dispatcher radio coordinating emergency
services.
And the 1955 flood of Weissport - He secured leather
donations and worked around the clock making 100 pairs of shoes, for free, to
help the victims.
And even though Harmon served with the segregated
troops of WWI, he came to Lehighton to become one of our most integrated and
selfless citizens.
His wife Sarah moved here from Philadelphia. They married at Fire Company #2 and held
their banquet at the Legion. The entire
WWI LMC was there.
And though never a rich man in money, even in death he
kept giving. Both he and his wife
donated their bodies to Philadelphia Medical Colleges for research.
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| 1950s WWI Last Man Dinner - George Hamon, front left of the picture, legs and arms crossed. |
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| Wilbur Warner and Charles Shutt - January 1950 |
Wilbur Warner - This article does not mention one of Lehighton's greatest volunteer and civic leaders of all time. His body of work is too large and needs his own story. He was a WWI veteran and early leader of the Last Mans Club. He was postmaster, spearheaded the construction of our new post office, borough hall, and Fire House #1. He was instrumental in the creation of the Gnaden Huetten Hospital.
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| You can follow the unique parade route that the following pictures took, beginning and ending at the Legion Post #314. You can read all the district Legion Posts and their number on the edge of the page. |
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National Legion Convention in Miami Florida October 1948 - My dad, Randy Rabenold, was a young Marine Corps recruit. He was a member of the Marine Corps Band and they were called down to march in the parade. In his letter, he wrote how they played "Hail to the Chief" for President Truman and his daughter. He said Harry walked within 10 feet of him.
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| 1980s UVO Color-guard - Randy Rabenold (sunglasses, left) and Porky Hunsicker, Sergeant at Arms, center. |
