Adventist Heritage, Fall 1992
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A Journal of Adventist History Volumc 1 Number 2 clientage Contributors JOHN E. BUCHMEIER (1929-1991), a native of Kansas, relocated to Battle Creek in 1963 to work at the Defense Logistic Services Center in the Federal Center building. The location of his office in the Towers addition of the former Editor Sanitarium inspired him to research and write the history of the buildings and Dorothy Minchin-Comm institutions of the Sanitarium, Percy Jones Hospital, and the Federal Center. He La Sierra University wrote the guidebook to the Federal Center and conducted hundreds of tours. Named the official historian of the Federal Center in 1990, Buchmeier was Associate Editors largely responsible for listing the buildings in local, state, and national registers. He Ronald D. Graybill was a member of the Battle Creek and Seventh-day Adventist historical societies. La Sierra University Gary Land RONALD D. GRAYBILL is an associate editor of Adventist Heritage and also Andrews University serves as circulation manager. He has a Ph.D. in American Religious History Issue Editor from Johns Hopkins University and chairs the History and Political Science Ronald D. Graybill Department at La Sierra University. He teaches courses in American and Adventist history and writes frequently in those areas for Adventist and scholarly Managing Editor journals. He is currently studying the textual transmission of Ellen White's Norman D. Ault, Jr. writings, tracing the pre-publication revisions of her handwritten manuscripts La Sierra University and evaluating the various revisions made as published texts were reissued in different forms. Editorial Intern Kara Watkins JAMES R. NIX is chairman of the Department of Archives and Special Collections at Loma Linda University and president of Adventist Historic Layout and Design Properties. He is a frequent contributor to this magazine and to other denomi- Lori Gulley national publications. James Gulley LILA JOAN BISSERT PECK is the fifth generation of her maternal line to live Circulation Manager in Battle Creek, where she was born. She graduated from Battle Creek academy Ronald D. Graybill and attended Andrews University in Berrien Springs. Peck and her husband La Sierra University recently returned to Michigan after twenty years in California, where she worked at the Adventist Media Center in Newbury Park. She writes a weekly genealogy Managing Board column, "Tracing Your Roots," for the Marshall Chronicle. Mrs. Peck treasures Dorothy Minchin-Comm the vast collection of memorabilia preserved by her family over the years; she Steve Daily especially values the forty-five volumes of diaries kept by Theodore Bogardus Lewis. Ronald D. Graybill Frit: Guy GARTH "DUFF" STOLTZ is the official historian and archivist of the Battle Frederick Hoyt Creek Sanitarium and the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Battle Creek. John R. Jones Stoltz is founder and president of the Adventist Historical Society and serves as Kenneth L. Vine a tour guide for the SDA History Tours. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Historical Society of Battle Creek and is the liaison between the society Editorial Board and Historic District Commission. He serves as Vice-President of Adventist Ronald l7. G rayk 11 Gary Land Historic Properties and is responsible for three historic houses and the Sanitas Dorothy M inchin-Cornm SDA Museum building in Battle Creek. Stoltz is also a member of the Calhoun County Heritage Council. cjekiventist clie&age Volume 15, Number 2 Fall, 1992 The Editor's Stump 2 Breakfast 4 A Taste of Cereal Garth "Duff' Stoltz Breakfast 10 101 Cereal Manufacturing Companies Garth "Duff' Stoltz in Battle Creek, Michigan Genealogy 14 Kellogg Genealogy Lila Jo Peck Nutrition 16 A Sticky Subject John E. Buchmeier Photo Essay 18 The Miller Farm James Nix History 25 The Whites Come to Battle Creek: Ron Graybill A Turning Point in Adventist History Photo Essay 30 Social Life in Old Battle Creek Lila Jo Peck Back Issues 43 Adventist Heritage is published by La Sierra University, 4700 Pierce Street, Riverside, CA 92515-8247. Bulk postage rates paid at Riverside, CA. Copyright 1992 by La Sierra University, Riverside, CA 92515-8247. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $12 for three issues ($18 overseas surface, $25 overseas air). Available back issues are sold at $4 each. Subscription orders, change of address notices, editorial correspondence and manuscripts should be sent to: Adventist Heritage, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA 92515. Adventist Heritage invites manuscripts. Each will be considered, but no responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited materials. Adventist Heritage is indexed in the S. D.A. Periodicals Index, and is available from University Microfilms International. ISSN 0360-389X. THE r DITO R's 5TL1 M P Battle Creek. Many Adventists know it prima, anonymous classroom photograph we printed on the rily as the site of the spectacular 1902 fires. This is cover of our Summer, 1990 issue. Readers will recall unfortunate, for Battle Creek has played a pivotal that it was at first identified as having been taken in role in Adventist history both before and after the the Takoma Park, fires. Some of that history is revealed in this issue. Maryland, SDA school Special thanks goes to Mary Butler, President of in 1932, but Nevins the Board of Directors of Heritage Battle Creek Harlan's letter (see the magazine for permission to reprint adaptations of Spring, 1991 issue) led articles which earlier appeared in Heritage Battle Creek, to further research which a fine journal of local history. Buchmeier's article confirmed his claim that will be a boon to teachers of Adventist history who the picture dates from are constantly met with skeptical looks when they 1922. Ronald D. Graybill tell students that peanut butter was invented by John Harlan's letter en- Harvey Kellogg, not George Washington Carver. abled us to get our dates right, but we still didn't know Adventist Heritage is settling nicely into its new, who any of the other people in the picture were. exclusive home at La Sierra University. The sub- Then Marjorie Von Pohle, of Riverside, California, scription list is once again in good order, and renewals recognized the teacher as Mabel Cassell, a teacher are coming in at a good pace. Some subscribers are she had known and loved while attending church even remembering the Adventist Heritage Endowment school in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. This was Fund and sending a little extra for that noble cause! puzzling, since we were quite sure the picture was In an era of shrinking educational budgets, projects taken in Takoma Park, Maryland. A little checking such as Adventist Heritage, which cost more than they unravelled the mystery. A history of Atlantic Union earn, depend on the generosity of patrons from the College said Mabel Cassell taught at South Lancaster community to augment institutional support. till 1916, then left, returning in 1923. The SDA I wish also to report on the ongoing saga of the Yearbook for 1921 identified her as a teacher in the 2 ADVENTIST HERITAGE / Fall, 1992 District of Columbia Conference, which at the time she took a position in the Normal Department. She administered the church school on Columbia Avenue also continued her studies at Boston University, in Takoma Park, which later moved and became the receiving an M.A. and completing her Ed.D. in John Nevins Andrews School. The photo of Mabel 1942. By the time she received her degree, she was Cassell submitted by Marjorie Von Pohle shows the teaching at Emmanuel Missionary College, now same part in the hair as is seen on the teacher of the Andrews University. In 1945 she accepted a call to Takoma Park schoolroom featured in Adventist what is now Columbia Union College; while there Heritage. she chaired the General Conference committee on Mabel Cassell was born in Laura, Ohio, in 1897, Bible textbooks for grades one to four. She passed and attended Mount Vernon Academy and Wash- away in 1951, and is buried in the George Washing- ington Missionary College, taking her A.B. in 1920, ton Cemetery in Ade1phi, Maryland. two years before the cover picture was taken. After Many of the facts concerning Mabel Cassell's life returning to Atlantic were supplied by her nephew, Jack Cassell, a former Union College in 1923, president of Pacific Union College. Left: Mabel Cassell, 1897-1951 THE EDITOR'S STUMP 3 B R E A K F A A Taste of Cereal By Garth "Duff' Stoltz Ask today's child based coffee substitutes such as Postum "What's a breakfast food?" asked to define "cereal" and one might hear were also considered cereal or "health Mr. Hennessey. of From Loops, Frosted Flakes, or Ninja food" products when they were first "It depinds on who ye ar-re," said Turtles, products which would cause manufactured. Mr. Dooley, "In ye'er case it's the inventors of instant breakfast ce- annything to ate that ye're not goin' reals to turn over in their graves. After to have fr dinner or supper. But in th' all, pioneer cereal makers considered case iv the rest iv this impeeryal re- cereal to be a health food, a "food public, 'tis th' o'y amusement they which will make ill folks well, and will have. `Tis most th' advertisin' in th' prevent well folks from becoming ill," pa-pers. Tis what ye see on th' bill as one early Battle Creek Sanitarium boards. Tis th' inspiration iv pothry Food Company brochure put it.1 an' art. In a wurrud, it's oats."3 One popular dictionary defines Why did Battle Creek become cereal as "grain used for food," any the cereal capital of the world, the "grass producing such grain" or "food center of production for one of the made from grain."2 Most people would most popular foods in America? Was probably add that cereal is generally it the best place to raise grain? Did it eaten for breakfast.