Marietta Miscellany, 1815 - 1825

American Friend, February 24, 1815:
Whereas the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Washington and State of Ohio, have, at their last Court, constituted and appointed me guardian to Edmund Molton of the township of Adams in said County, and State aforesaid, this is therefore to forewarn all persons from purchasing any of said Molton’s property, or from renting any of his lands except from me or by my consent.
Charles MacKawen.
Marietta, Feb. 22, 1815.

American Friend, February 14, 1817:
The Weather. Since the 16th January the weather has been excessively cold, with the exception of a few moderate days. The Ohio river has been completely bridged with ice since about the 20th ult. And loaded wagons, sleds, &c. have daily crossed with perfect safety, the ice being about nineteen inches thick. The oldest inhabitant cannot remember a winter as severe as the present. Letters from gentlemen who have lately left this place for the Eastward state that the snow on and near the Allegany mountains, is from two and a half to three feet in depth, on a level.   Should the winter suddenly break with warm rains, inundations of the low bottom lands on the Ohio will, undoubtedly be the consequence; but if gradually melted by the warmth of the spring, this need not be apprehended.
Farmers and others, however, who are situated on the low lands, would do well to be prepared for it, as delays in similar cases have been attended with ruinous consequences.

American Friend, February 21, 1817:
The Eastern Mail, due on Wednesday, has not arrived, probably owing to the breaking up of some of the rivers.

American Friend, February 21, 1817:
To Mr. Alexander Mitchell, of Short Creek, Virginia,
Sir – I have lately seen in the St. Clairsville paper, that you have given a challenge to run my horse Ploughboy against your horse Defiance, for 500 or 1000 dollars, four miles and repeat, with equal weights – which challenge I accept, provided you come to Marietta to run – or I will meet you at Wheeling and run you three miles and repeat, with a catch on each, for either of the above sums, any time in the month of May next.
If you accept of the above proposals, you will give me notice on or before the first day of April ensuing.
Nath. Clark.
February 19th, 1817.

American Friend, April 11, 1817:
By virtue of an execution to me directed, there will be sold at public sale at the Court House in Marietta on Monday the 28th inst. the following property, viz. three pair blacksmith’s bellows, three anvils, seven pair tongs, two sledges, one vise, on pair nippers, twenty six pieces of steel of 130 weight, one desk, one slack-tub, one hammer, one grind-stone, one muley Cow, one bureau, one desk or writing stand, one breakfast table, one do. stand, five old Windsor chairs, three kitchen chairs, one bake kettle, one dish do., one tea-kettle, one spider, one pair hand-irons, two white dishes, five edged plates, eleven pewter plates, one coffee mill, one gallon coffee pot, one salad-dish, one large iron kettle, one bed-bolster, sheet and blanket, one bedstead, one bed sheet and coverlet, one lot and blacksmith’s shop, taken as the property of Ambrose Stewart, to satisfy said execution, in favor of D. J. Burr and others – sale to commence at 1 o’clock P. M.
Timothy Buell, Sheriff.
April 4, 1817.

American Friend, May 9, 1817:
Extract of a letter to a gentleman in this place, dated Zanesville, May 4th, 1817.
“My Dear Sir – I have this afternoon been informed from good authority, that within 30 miles of this place there now exists 5 cases of variola (small pox,) they having taken the disease the natural way. Our situation is something alarming; and having been informed that you are now inoculating with the vaccine virus (kine pox,) I wish that, immediately on the receipt of this, you would have the goodness to send me some of the genuine matter, & c.”
It would be well for the citizens of Marietta, and of the country generally, to introduce kine pox into their families, without delay, as it is not known how soon, but we have reason to fear that the Small Pox may make its appearance in this part of the country.

American Friend, July 25, 1817:
Notice.
The subscriber will give a generous price for Fat Cattle, Calves and Sheep.
John Clark, Butcher.
July 25, 1817.

American Friend, August 29, 1817:
John Clark, Butcher in Marietta, advertises that he will give a generous price for fat cattle – We beg leave to state, for the interest of those who live at a distance from Marietta, and would drive cattle to him by virtue of his advertisement – that he does not give a “generous” price nor pay cash for fat cattle, and that his advertisement is wholly unworthy of notice.
Stanton Prentiss, Jr.
John A. Windsor.
Marietta, Aug. 26th, 1817.

American Friend, July 17, 1818:
The Weather.
In this town, on Sunday last, the Thermometer was at 99 in the shade, and at 124 in the sun.

American Friend, August 6, 1819:
The Drought – For many weeks past the drought, in this vicinity, has been excessive; the earth is dry to a great depth; the very few showers we have had, have not penetrated deep enough, during the summer, to wet the roots of the corn, which is supposed will not yield more than half the quantity of preceding years. The crops of wheat have been good.

American Friend, September 1, 1820:
Waterford, 22d August, 1820.
The Heat.
The Mercury in Fahrenheit’s Thermometer, in the shade has indicated, at the following dates, the following degrees: (at 3 o’clock P.M. on those days viz:) 2d July 94° 9th July 94° 23d July 94° 10th August 98° 13th August 94° 14th August 91°; and 64° at the break of day of the last date.

American Friend, November 2, 1821:
Zanesville, 12th Sept.
Mr. Editor, I am a youth of about eighteen, and begin to feel towards the ladies, what I cannot well describe; though, this much I can tell, when I see a handsome woman I always feel strange palpitating at my heart. In short, I begin to have a great partiality for the fair sex; and as I have long wished to see some of the fruits of my unfruitful brain in print, (and by the by, it is a great satisfaction to any one) I thought I could not try my hand better, than upon the subject that engrosses all my thoughts. I therefore send you (with a humble request to print it) the following short eulogium.
On Miss R. C. of Marietta.
What pencil can her form portray,
Or paint the beauties of her mind?
Her eyes like the bright God of day,
Dart fire, with modesty combined.
P.

American Friend, January 18, 1822:
Notice.
In order to prevent the confusion originating from a promiscuous location of graves, and preserve a regularity of interment of the deceased, &c. the Town Council have appointed Mr. Joseph Glines, superintendent of the Burying ground square, within this town, and request all, who may be required to perform their last duties to their deceased friends, to call upon him for the purpose of locating their graves.
By order,
R. Prentiss, Town Clerk.
Jan. 14th, 1822

American Friend, May 8, 1823:
A certain distinguished gentleman of Marietta is requested to call at my office and take some books, newspapers, letters, &c &c belonging to him, and for which he probably has as much room as I have – If not called for soon they will be sold to pay the expense of removal.
Benj. P. Putnam.
May 7th, 1823.

American Friend, & Marietta Gazette, April 22, 1824:
To All Whom It May Concern.
The owner or keeper of any horse, mare, mule, ass, ox, sheep or goose, who suffer the same to run at large on the streets or commons of the town lying west of Duck Creek, are hereby notified that the by-law of the town restrains any of the aforesaid animals from running at large between the 15th day of April and the 15th day of November, under the penalty of one dollar for every horse, mare, mule, ass or ox – and twenty-five cents for every sheep or goose, and ten cents for every ten days the same shall be suffered to run at large as aforesaid – and that if not immediately restrained, by their owners or keepers, complain will be made, and the law rigorously enforced against all its offenders.
A.

American Friend, & Marietta Gazette, May 6, 1824:
Notice.
The commissioners of Police, for the town of Marietta, give notice, that they propose to commence the performance of that part of their duty, which requires them to examine the premises of individuals, on the 14th inst. It is hoped that all nuisances will, before that time, be removed.
Any person who may know of the existence of stagnant water, or any other cause, by which the health of the inhabitants would be liable to be endangered, is requested to give information of the same, to either of the members of the board.
By order of the board.
William Slocomb, Clerk.
Marietta, May 5, 1824.

American Friend, & Marietta Gazette, July 15, 1824:
Earthquake – At 17 minutes past 11 o’clock, this day, while we were engaged in working off our papers, we experienced a shock of an Earthquake, for a few seconds, attended with a noise something like distant thunder, which appeared to come from the East, and proceeded to the West, and could be distinctly heard some time after the shock ceased. The shock was violent while it lasted. The oscillation appeared to be 2 or 3 inches.

American Friend, & Marietta Gazette, March 18, 1825:
Hail Storm. On Wednesday, the 16th inst. we were visited by a hail storm, which for violence and the size of the hail, was unprecedented in this section of country. During the preceding night and fore part of the day copious showers had fallen – such as is generally said to “make the grass grow, and produce” (with a warm intervening sun-shine,) “a rapid growth of vegetation.” At about half past 2 o’clock, P. M. a cloud arose in the west, accompanied with wind, thunder and lightning, from which the rain and hail fell in torrents. The hail, although not larger than acorns, was driven with such violence that, as far as we have heard, not a house escaped without having more or less window-glass destroyed – averaging from twenty to eighty panes each. When the storm abated, and the inhabitants had barely time to count their “broken panes,” another cloud arose which seemed to threaten a total destruction; the hail again began to fall and “larger grew,” but was accompanied by less wind than the preceding shower, for the space of two or three minutes. Some of the hail-stones measured 2-1/4 inches in diameter, but were generally about the size of hen’s eggs in circumference. From the last shower, however, not so much damage was sustained as in the preceding one, the hail, fortunately, fell in a more perpendicular direction.