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Ottawa County Time Traveler Eastern Ottawa County Past & Present JANUARY 2025 |
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by Linda Higgins Harry Thomas Griffing and Sue Griffing founded Griffing Flying Service in 1937 on a 100-acre plot of land in Sandusky. It began as a flight school, then evolved into a private air taxi company within a few years, flying goods as well as humans of all ages back and forth between Sandusky and the Lake Erie islands. By October of 1992, the company had taken over the rival Island Airlines, adding a daily mail service to the islands under the U.S. Postal Service.
Griffing continued to develop its reputation as reliable and safe for two more decades. Then, in 2013, the company moved from Sandusky, taking with it 20 jobs, two Griffing turbo props, eight single props, 12 private planes, and a full-service mechanics shop, to the Erie-Ottawa International Airport on State Road in Port Clinton. One of the perks was that the trip to the islands was now faster than from Sandusky.
Although the shuttles were and are active year around, in winter they’re the only way to get to Kelleys Island, Put-In-Bay, and the Bass islands. The ferries from Port Clinton, Marblehead, and Sandusky can’t run because the lake and rivers are usually iced over during the winter months.
Harry Thomas (Tom) Griffing, Jr., son of the company’s founders, grew up riding in, working on, and flying Griffing planes. As a result of his exemplary, longstanding safety record, in July of 2024 he was awarded the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. This recognition is given only to pilots with 50 years of safe flying; in his case, over 33,000 miles. His family cites his excellent decision-making skill as a major factor regarding his safety record.
Griffing has Hawker private jets and King Air turboprop airplanes available for its long corporate and private charters, nonstop flights throughout the States and Canada. College student charters and transport of schoolchildren are among the many other types of long- and short-haul trips.
Griffing has a flying school and a maintenance shop, as well as their daily, and some emergency, trips to and from the islands, including Ontario’s Pelee Island. Besides mail, Griffing’s fleet also carries UPS and FedEx boxes for distribution to customers.
Like his father, CEO Harry Thomas (Thomas) Griffing III grew up around and on planes, flying and working on them. Both of them were flying commercially by 18 years of age. Their educations were literally gathered from the ground up, as they were working on the planes in various essential capacities by the time they were 13. Thomas’s son, Harry Thomas Griffing IV, is in line to inherit the business and no doubt is being exposed to the same learning experiences as his dad, grandfather and great grandfather, although at eight years of age he’s a bit young to fly planes now.
As of this past year, Griffing Flying Service has a fleet of 20 planes, including five long-haul aircraft, and 16 pilots, offices, the maintenance shop, and a large hanger. Their maintenance department, made up of fully certified A&P mechanics, has grown substantially and handles repairs and inspections for 65 aircraft, most of which are owned by other businesses and individuals. The flight instructors offer both primary and advanced instruction. Griffing Flying Service clearly has fulfilled a need historically in our area, and continues with its mission today and well into the future. Use this link to see or share the article online: Linda |
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The new Norton Center Field House building which was just completed in October, is now in use. Games are being played on the two basketball courts and athletes are exercising in the new weight room. Every time anyone uses this building, students and visitors are reminded of the man it was named for, Fred Norton. Why the building was named for him will become clear when you learn about his life. Marblehead Beginning The Village of Marblehead had just become incorporated in 1891, when Fred William Norton was born there two years later, on February 3, 1893. He was the son of quarry worker Frank Norton and Catherine “Kate” Lynch Norton, whose father emigrated from Ireland. Frank was from Elmore, and Kate was born in Marblehead. They lived in the Jamestown area of the village. Fred was baptized at the nearby St. Joseph Catholic Church, and he attended its Catholic School through 8th grade. Then Fred did something unusual for local males at the time. Instead of quitting school after 8th grade and going to work, Fred went to high school. He graduated from Lakeside High School in 1912, one of a class of only 13 students. At that time, Lakeside High School was located near Lakeside’s south entrance parking lot. It wasn’t until 1923 that Danbury High School was built at its present location a short distance west. Though he remained in school, Fred always seemed to have a job outside school hours. One of them was providing music for the silent movies at the Marblehead Auditorium Theater on Main Street and he also acted in amateur vaudeville shows there. While in high school, Fred became known as an outstanding student and athlete. Fred played football, baseball, basketball, and ran track. Right before he graduated, he participated in the first Ottawa County Track Meet on May 27, 1912. As a senior, Fred placed first in seven events and took four second places, making little Lakeside High School the first champion of the meet that continues annually to this day. Besides being an outstanding athlete, Fred was an outstanding student, earning a 4.0 average in high school. Fred had ambitions. He set his sights on going to college. After graduation, Fred began saving money toward this goal by working at the Lakeside and Marblehead Railroad Company ten hours a day, six days a week. He repaired locomotives and motors, and cleaned cars. Records show he worked 7.5 hours on Christmas Day in 1912. Fred was accepted to Ohio State University in Columbus. At that time, there were only 6,000 students there. Today, there are over 66,900 enrolled. Fred’s parents did what they could to help, too. Ohio State found his father Frank a better paying job at the Marble Cliff quarry in Upper Arlington. Frank sold their house in Marblehead. He moved the whole family, Frank, Kate, Fred, and Fred’s younger sister Pearl, to Columbus so Fred could live at home and save the cost of room and board. At college, Fred decided to major in Forestry and participate in athletics. Next Article: The Amazing College years. You can use this link to read or share this article: Lorrie |
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The People of Ottawa County - Careers and More Vol. X A Collection of Oral Histories, Ottawa County Historical Society  977.1212 PEOPLE 2024 v.10 This tenth volume continues the tradition of exploring Ottawa County history through the voices and stories of its people. From Oral History Project by Janet Stephenson [who passed away in 2022] "Ottawa County if a large and diverse county. East and west have very different interests... the hard-working farmers; the orchards; the fishermen; the resort and vacationland interests. Memories are not always the same... There is the good, the bad, the sad, the critical, the personal. We hope our selections have done a fair job. Oral histories are valuable in recording first person testimony and historical flavor. At the same time, their accuracy is subject to memory and personal interpretation. They are intended to be read as such." |
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News Herald December 14, 1962 Imagine what an article would include regarding record keeping today. I shudder every time I think about accounts, insurance, other resources that are only accessed online. When people can't remember their own email / password, what hope is there for online identifications and passwords for accounts & services set up years ago! |
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The Ohio Genealogical Society has published the program for their annual conference. This year's theme is "Light Up Your Genealogy" a tribute to Thomas Edison. The meeting is at the Kalahari Resort and Conference Center in Sandusky, from Wednesday, April 30 to Saturday, May 3, 2025. Registration is now open. You can use this link to the Program online. Or stop at the library to pick up a printed copy. There is a limited number, so one per person while supplies last. |
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I didn't know! The 2nd Friday in January is known as "Quitter's Day." This is the time from New Years Day until the majority [up to 80%] of resolution-makers have given up on their goals and resolutions for the New Year. Of course, if you don't make a New Year's resolution, it's not an issue. For those who do, I hope Quitter's Day passed you by without notice. If not, I hope you made the most of January 10th and know that you were just one of many who are recognized on Quitter's Day. |
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Mother Nature was definitely late this holiday season. Instead of having snow and wintry weather for Christmas and New Year's, it was wet and gray. And just after heading back to work and school, it turned freezing and white. |
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