Updated: 18 April 2021
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Updated: 18 April 2021 ~ 0 ~ z FORWARD This work has been assembled by me from many sources including some related to me verbally. As it says on the cover, they can be tales or myths or legends and possibly sometimes of dubious validity. This has been put together less as a history lesson in some cases, and more as a celebration of what small town life was and still is to some degree. I have decided to not use real names in a few circumstances for various reasons. I don’t consider this a work of fiction for the most part, nor of total fact in a few cases. It was collected mainly for the enjoyment of any former or present Paw Paw resident, or anyone else with ties to the community. Several people have been instrumental in helping this work get into print. The Paw Paw District Library, the Harry Bush family, and most of all Dan Smith, PPHS-63 who has placed it on his pawpawwappaw.com website, and has really spent a lot of time finding candidates for the book, and pictures of them. He also has done a lot to make this work look professional. Thanks to all. Robert “Butch” Hindenach Paw Paw High School Class of ‘57 ~ 1 ~ Table of Contents Forward ................................................................................................................................. 1 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... 2 Happy Days ............................................................................................................................ 6 A Man of His Word ................................................................................................................. 7 Isaac W. Willard ..................................................................................................................... 8 The Lawton Murders ............................................................................................................ 10 George “Pat” Paige .............................................................................................................. 11 Squire Pugsley...................................................................................................................... 12 George Howe ....................................................................................................................... 13 Michigan’s Banana ............................................................................................................... 14 Loretta Long ......................................................................................................................... 15 Dodge’s Tavern .................................................................................................................... 16 Captain R.M. Buck ................................................................................................................ 17 Early Schooling ..................................................................................................................... 18 Gala Days In the Village ........................................................................................................ 19 The Father of Paw Paw Baseball ........................................................................................... 20 A Village With Good Taste .................................................................................................... 21 John Bonamego ................................................................................................................... 22 Homer Smith ........................................................................................................................ 23 Power to the People ............................................................................................................ 24 Ron Labadie ......................................................................................................................... 25 Doane Harrison .................................................................................................................... 26 Dear Edwina ........................................................................................................................ 27 The Lure of Paw Paw ............................................................................................................ 28 Chris D’Arienzo .................................................................................................................... 29 Willard’s Folly ...................................................................................................................... 30 Hot Time in the Old Town: Paw Paw’s Human Blow Torch .................................................... 31 Early Beliefs ......................................................................................................................... 32 John Agard ........................................................................................................................... 33 Jason Babin .......................................................................................................................... 34 Charles Joseph Labadie ........................................................................................................ 35 ~ 2 ~ Roy Rowan ........................................................................................................................... 36 Seth Handy .......................................................................................................................... 37 Ol’ Paw Paw ......................................................................................................................... 38 Jerry Mitchell ....................................................................................................................... 39 Bill “Reindeer” Killefer ......................................................................................................... 40 Wade “Red” Killefer ............................................................................................................. 41 Early 20th Century Paw Paw .................................................................................................. 42 Early Higher Education ......................................................................................................... 44 Paw Paw’s First Resident ...................................................................................................... 46 Bob Scranton ....................................................................................................................... 47 Fred Reichel ......................................................................................................................... 48 Frank Lewis Van Ness ........................................................................................................... 49 Our Mobile Opera House...................................................................................................... 50 Colonel Richard J. White, US Air Force .................................................................................. 51 Dan Velez ............................................................................................................................. 52 The Little Tramp In Paw Paw ................................................................................................ 53 Staff Sergeant Russell A. Hindenach, Jr., US Army ................................................................ 54 Thomas Kowalski ................................................................................................................. 55 Paul Paynich ........................................................................................................................ 56 Edward Mihelich .................................................................................................................. 57 Growing Up In The 40’s and 50’s ........................................................................................... 58 Hugh Richard Paul ................................................................................................................ 60 Saturday At The Movies ....................................................................................................... 61 Circus in Town ...................................................................................................................... 62 Shayne Whittington ............................................................................................................. 63 Veteran’s Attorney ............................................................................................................... 64 Ingrid Lacy Williams ............................................................................................................. 65 150 Years and Still Serving .................................................................................................... 67 42 Years Later Is Better Than Never ...................................................................................... 68 Tyler Field ............................................................................................................................ 69 Where There Is Smoke ......................................................................................................... 70 A Grape Idea ........................................................................................................................ 71 ~ 3 ~ Elsie Belle Tuttle .................................................................................................................