Saturday, July 14, 2012

The First Newspaper in Marietta

The Marietta Register, September 12, 1862

Julius Deming of Watertown, has furnished us an older copy of a Marietta paper than any we have before seen.  It is The Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald of date Monday, Oct. 24, 1803 - six months older than the half sheet of the same paper owned by Francis Collins, of Grandview, noticed by us some weeks ago.

It was at this time (Oct. 24, 1803), published by Samuel Fairlamb; and according to the number of this copy, the first was published Nov. 30, 1801.  The size of the sheet is about three-eights that of the Register.

The first page is taken up exclusively with advertisements, set mostly in very large type, so that there are only seven in all, the "List of letters remaining in the Post office at Marietta, October 1, 1803," occupying a column and a half of the four columns on the page.  Griffin Greene was then the Postmaster.  Post offices were not very frequent at that day in these parts, for there are letters advertised here for persons, (we give the spelling as we find it,) at Belleprie, Little Kenhawa, Kanhaway, Galliopolis, Guiandot, and Great Sandy. 

John Cline and Enos Atwater give notice that they intend to apply at the next term of Court "for a right of establishing a ferry from the point at Fort Harmar across the Ohio river to Mr. Porter's, in Wood county, Virginia."  Notice is given that "the inhabitants of the townships of Newtown and Tuskarawa, in the county of Washington," intend to petition the General Assembly for a new county, with "a permanent seat of justice at or near the mouth of Licking creek on the Muskingum."  Joseph Buell gives notice that a horse and a colt "broke into the enclosure of the subscriber," and requests the owner to prove property and take them away.  N. Gates, Secretary, gives notice of an adjourned meeting of mechanics, to consider "the propriety of forming a Mechanical Society" in Washington county.  And Edward W. Tupper says he "has just received from Philadelphia, and offers for sale at his store in Marietta, a large and general assortment of Dry Goods, Hardware, Saddlery, &c."

The second page is wholly filled with foreign news, over two months old.

The third page is half filled with the "Laws of Ohio," four short, miscellaneous articles, and four advertisements, one from Clarksburg, Va.  John Green advertises that he had "opened a Public House in the Town of Newport, on the great road from Marietta to Wheeling, fifteen miles from Marietta."  James Riggs, of Grandview, says "an iron grey mare came to my plantation, and broke into my enclosure," and requests the owner to prove property, &c.  And Richard Green offers for sale "a very valuable farm in the town of Marietta, about half a mile from the city, containing 39 acres."  Also on the third page election returns are given for the counties of Washington and Gallia, as follows:

Senators:

Republican:  Elijah Backus, 489; Joseph Buell, 488.
Federal:  Benjamin Ives Gilman, 304; Paul Fearing, 208.

Representatives:

Charles Mills, 495; Jesse Fulton, 494; William Jackson, 489; Simeon Deming, 298; Nathaniel Cushing, 297; Brewster Heigley, 288.

The Federal ticket it appears was beaten by a large majority in proportion to the vote.

The fourth page contains over a column more of foreign news and some miscellaneous matter - which ends the paper.




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