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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, April 11, 2021, pg. 16 Regarding our March 28 article about the Old Rugged Cross historical marker monument in Albion being destroyed, Michigan State Representative Jim Haadsma has provided the leadership for a project to raise money to restore this monument. The Michigan Historical Commission has indicated the cost of replacing the monument to be $2,700. Jim is collecting donations this month to reach that amount. Checks should be made out to the Michigan Historical Commission and sent to him at 249 Snow Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49027. Jim will send the checks to the Commission and work out the details for the replacement marker. Note: Police reports indicated a hit-and-run driver, so no insurance money is available. The Recorder newspaper has had several editors/owners during its long existence. One of them was Verner Jerome Tefft (1854-1895), who guided the Albion Recorder in the early 1890s. Verner was born in Spring Arbor on April 15, 1854. He was the son of Varnum J. Tefft, a native of Rhode Island who was a pioneer of Spring Arbor. His mother was Hannah Miller Tefft (1824-1905). Varnum owned a considerable amount of land in Spring Arbor south of today’s M-60 along what is Teft Road and Lime Lake. Teft Road (spelled with only one "f") is named after the family. Six weeks after Verner was born, his father passed away. Hannah and her son Verner subsequently moved to Mason five years later. There Verner was educated, graduating from Mason High School in 1873. He then attended the University of Michigan, and graduated with honors in the class of 1877. While at the U of M, his writing abilities became quite apparent, and Verner was active in University newspaper activities there. In 1878 he was admitted to the bar, and in 1879 served as city attorney in Mason. Although he was educated with a law degree, his talent for journalism excelled. Verner subsequently edited and published the Ingham County News. In 1890, Verner purchased the Albion Recorder newspaper and moved here. "Under his management the paper and business of the office rapidly improved," his obituary stated. The family home was at 400 E. Erie St. He married Belle McRobert of Mason in 1877. The couple had four children: Bessie, Lewis, Sybil, and Dorothy. While here he was active in the Knights of Pythias, the Leisure Hour Club, and the Republican Party. As owner of the Recorder, he helped print the duo Albion-Marshall 1894-95 City Directory. In the spring of 1894 Verner was elected an Alderman from the Third Ward to the Albion City Council, and he served on the Finance, Fire, and Ordinance committees. Unfortunately, in the spring of 1895, Verner began to experience severe neuralgia symptoms on his face and head, including paralysis of face and eye muscles. The paralysis began to expand, and his situation deteriorated throughout the year. He died on October 21, 1895 and was interred in Riverside Cemetery in Albion. From our Historical Notebook this week we present an 1895 photograph of Verner J. Tefft, owner/editor of the Albion Recorder from 1890 to 1895. How many of our readers have old copies of the Recorder from the 19th century?  1895 photograph of Verner J. Tefft
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