Thankful for Joel’s Help

Museum Musings from the Governor Gordon Browning Museum

Dr. Vickie Summers, Executive Director                           

About the time I married Barry many years ago, his younger brother Joel finished mortuary school in Cincinnati and moved home.  Growing up in McKenzie, I knew about the Summers family, but I didn’t know them first hand.  Being new to the bunch, I started learning all the different personalities, talents, and quirks.  There was also a lot of collective family lore they loved to share, especially every time there was a gathering.  They had lots of stories that they told over and over. 

There were so many stories repeated so often, as the years progressed when Barry would start to tell one of them yet again, I would tell the kids, “That’s number 37”, or “this one is number 42.”  Since Joel was the youngest of four children, he was the blunt of much torment. I still cringe at the thought of Barry catching Joel in the bathroom, flinging open the door armed with a can of Lysol and a lighter, yelling “here comes the dragon.”  Joel did finally get him back by dropping a large glass pitcher of water over the top of the shower to bust against the cast iron tub at Barry’s feet.  I can only imagine the look on Russellene’s face. She was a saint full of maternal tolerance, but they did push the limit.

I immediately learned about Joel’s interest in all things about trains and railroads when he orchestrated buying and placing a caboose behind the family home on Forest Avenue. Though he already knew a lot about the train lines that first came through our part of the world, and how the system evolved through time, it appeared he was constantly researching and finding bits and pieces of information as he went along.

I soon learned Joel had an appreciation about all things old.  It was important to know about things used in the past, and the history of their purpose, how they were used, and by whom. Pieces from the family homeplace along with things scavenged from near and far were placed around his home and office.  He researched dairy farms, country stores, how the roads were configured, who was related to whom, local businesses, how the local government was run by whom, and on and on and on.  He even collaborated with my mom, picking her brain about things she had researched, and lived through herself.  They had a great relationship based on a mutual interest in history.

Joel had used the Governor Browning museum and library for research for many years.  In the last few years, he has served as president of the Carroll County Historical Society, continuing to serve in that position now even though he has health constraints.  He had tried to get me involved for several years.  I kept telling him I would love to, but life was too busy.  Last summer, he asked me to come on board as secretary/treasurer of the historical society to be the executive director of the museum.  He said it had become congested and outdated with very little interest left in the community.  The lady in that position was getting elderly and didn’t live here, so she wanted out.  They discussed options including closing the museum for good.  His final argument to me was Barry had been gone a year, and this would be a good thing for me to put my mind on.  I finally said ok.

I came on board.  Joel retained the position of president of the board.  Miss Nola retained her position on the board as well.  Jennifer was added as vice-president.  Then we recruited the rest of the new  board members. On advice of the state, we closed the museum and spent 9 months in total renovation.  We finally opened back up last week thank goodness.

Last Friday, I had people from Ohio come wanting help to find information about their family and a country store they ran in Carroll County about 70 years ago. It turned out that Joel and Barry’s great grandmother came from the family being researched.  I had Barry’s copy of that family history line to share, and found a thing or two in the museum, but while they were here, I called Joel and put him on speaker.  From the top of his head, even with severe health issues, he was able to give intensive detailed information that got them what they needed to find where the store had stood, and possibly where it has been moved to, still standing.  They were ecstatic. I was too.  I was thankful for Joel’s help.  He gave us credibility, when I felt like I was flying blind.  That is a true blessing. Thanks “Goey”