Historical Albion Michigan
By Frank Passic

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ALBION 100 YEARS AGO - DECEMBER 1922

Morning Star, November 27, 2022, pg. 3

We continue with our theme of "Albion, 100 Years Ago." December 4, 1922: "Mike Magnotta recently opened up an attractively appointed market and grocery on W. Porter St. and is working up a nice trade. Mr. Magnotta is planning to handle a number of food products imported directly from Italy, including Italian spaghetti and olive oil."

December 5, 1922. "Troop 2, Boy Scouts, went on a hike to Sandstone quarry Saturday. The 22 boys who went were under the command of Floyd Quigg, assistant scoutmaster."

December 7, 1922. "A considerable amount of coal is being mined daily at the People's Coal Mining Company's mine four miles north of Albion at the present time."

December 8, 1922. "Frank E. Nowlin and Louis F. Striker won the billiard and pool championships respectively of the Leisure Hour Club, at the conclusion last night of the three-day handicap tournament for members of the club, held at the club-house."

December 11, 1922. "The 2-story and basement frame building on the north side of Austin Ave, between Chauncey and Albion Streets, owned and occupied by Mrs. Sofia Dubina as a billiard hall, soft-drink parlor and bath-house was practically destroyed by what was evidently a fire of incendiary origin early Sunday morning. The loss is around $3,500 covered by insurance. The officers are attempting to ascertain the identity of the incendiaries, who are thought to have borne a grudge against Mrs. Dubina and took their spite out on her by setting fire to her building."

December 14, 1922. "Morning Blaze Drives Family Out Into Snow. [Note: This is a very long compound sentence here, as printed!] Fire destroyed the house of John Miller in the miners' colony at the mine of the People's Coal Company north of Albion, shortly before four o'clock this morning, and the family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Miller and five young children, were forced out of the structure into the snow in their night clothes, barely escaping with their lives, while all of their clothes, household goods and other belongings were completely destroyed."

December 16, 1922. "Mrs. Mildred Byfuss [originally Beilfuss] who is attending the state normal college at Ypsilanti, returned Friday evening to spend the holidays with her parents on S. Superior St." [Note: This is Mildred Duckworth who taught in the Albion Public Schools for many years.]

December 18, 1922. Headlines: "Robinson Hall Burns. Oldest College Building Ruined Early Sunday. Damage to the Structure to Reach $175,000. Flames That Lay in Ruins Stately Albion College Structure Start From Defective Wiring and Rage From Midnight Until Dawn."

December 22, 1922. "The inheritance tax of $194.47 in the estate of Madelon Sheldon Leffingwell was adjusted in probate court yesterday."

December 23, 1922. "With other women liquor law violators taking their medicine and paying fines, also going to jail as they should, we are wondering why Mrs. Alexandra Shelengewicz, better known here as Mrs. Dempsky, hasn't had her case tried in circuit court during the past two terms. She was caught with the goods on, as much as other women who have been arrested here recently, and it is the consensus of opinion here that she should come before the court like the others, instead of having her case put over from term to term."

December 28, 1922. Headlines. "College to be Kept in Albion, Says Dr. Laird. President of Albion College Makes Statement That Notwithstanding Rumors of Removal, There is Not Slightest Possibility of This Being Done."

December 30, 1922. "A couple of young men purchased a pint of liquor on Austin Ave near the Albion St. corner last evening about 9 o'clock of Carl Rick, who lives at 807 N. Albion St., and it happened that Chief of Police Clyde Stoddard witness the transaction according to a statement made by the chief today. He placed Rick under the arrest and confiscated the liquor, which had cost the two young men $1.50."

Read more Albion 100 Years Ago articles.

Next 100 Years Ago article: January 1923

Next week: BRUCE KINMONT, DRUGGIST


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All text copyright, 2026 © all rights reserved Frank Passic  |  Artwork copyright Maggie LaNoue © 2026

Frank Passic Albion Historian Frank Passic — Albion Historian

An Albion native and 1971 graduate of Albion High School, Frank Passic has been researching and writing Albion history since 1976. He is the creator of the Albion Historical Notebook, with hundreds of articles appearing weekly in the Morning Star and The Recorder. Frank maintains an extensive personal archive including Riverside Cemetery records, family surname files, genealogies, photographs, city directories, and high school yearbooks. Support his 2026 research at the Historic Albion Michigan Facebook page.

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