Vantage Career Center grad writes a book

VW independent staff/submitted information

Vantage Career Center is celebrating a former student who is now a published author, having written a book about the local community.

Since graduating from Vantage’s auto tech program in 2015, Jarett Godeke (Antwerp) has earned an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in history. He recently wrote his first book, “The Reservoir War: A History of Ohio’s Forgotten Riot in America’s Gilded Age, 1874-1888.”

A special dedication was written in the front pages of the book to Vantage government and military history teacher Tony Unverferth. As a surprise, Godeke was able to share his book and the dedication page to Unverferth while visiting Vantage earlier this week.

The synopsis of Jarett’s book reads: “After peaceful appeals to the state legislature failed, the fiercest discontent in the history of Paulding County, Ohio, finally reached its climax on the night of April 25, 1887. The destruction was complete after a series of explosions again lit up the darkened towpath of the Wabash & Erie Canal. To quell what it considered a lawless mob, the State of Ohio deployed three infantry companies and one light battery of the Ohio National Guard from Toledo, Ohio. With a Gatling gun in tow, the first troops arrived in Paulding County the following evening.”

“Weaving together an abundance of primary and secondary sources, Jerett W. Godeke uncovers the history of this largely forgotten event. ‘The Reservoir War’ is the most exhaustive history of this remarkable riot to date and is an essential read for those seeking to know more about this fascinating chapter in the history of Paulding County.”

Anyone interested in interested in reading Godeke’s book “The Reservoir War: A History of Ohio’s Forgotten Riot in America’s Gilded Age, 1874-1888” can find it online at book selling websites such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.

Godeke will speak to Vantage students September 26.