We are in receipt of a mighty interesting letter from Mr. E. B. Clarke, an old Marietta boy, now living at Athens, and in which he says, after some very complimentary words about Marietta, the town, the people and the Observer:
"The paper interests me very much and I thought I might contribute to the cause by sending you some 'scraps of paper' giving some early recollections.
"It might be asked by what authority I announce myself as a historian. I think my credentials will admit me. My grandfather arrived at Marietta soon after those who landed on that memorable seventh of April. I was a school boy at Marietta and played football in Butler Street while a student at the Western Liberal Institute. Afterwards was for several years employed in the offices at the Court House and in the Post Office. Did I become acquainted with any of the Marietta people? Yes, I knew them all, but now I fear I would be a stranger but not in a strange land. J. W. Nye was about the last survivor of those I knew so long ago.
"They were good people, I have never found better."
Factories
Marietta Bucket Factory, John Newton, manager, at ferry landing, Harmar. There was another bucket factory at the north boundary of Harmar, buildings afterwards used as a pow factory. There was a flour mill adjacent. Marietta Woolen Factory, operated a few years, now Nye's stove foundry. Henry Wesselman did the painting at the Chair Factory. There was a barrel factory near the foot of Washington Street. A wooden pump factory was operated near the Exchange Hotel. M. J. Morse's tannery East side Second Street, near Butler. Two large dogs pumped the water by treading a wheel.
J. O. Cram's flour mill, just above the railroad bridge, was burned. A man named McBride owned the mill on the West side of the river. McBride was arrested as the incendiary. He shot Davis Greene, the attorney who defended him, and when about to be arrested for attempted murder, committed suicide by shooting.
Owen Frank's machine shop on Second Street built machinery for steamboats, mills, etc., and manufactured cotton plows which were shipped by the boat load to Mississippi and Louisiana.
Steamboats were built at the shipyard in Harmar.
John Hall had a cracker bakery on Ohio Street.
A. & S. Fuller manufactured furniture by hand, no power machines.
J. Naylor had a boot making shop on Gilman Street for many years.
A. Weber's tailoring establishment was on the island between the bridges on Front Street.
W. B. Hollister had a marble shop on Gilman Street. Peter McLaren's shop was on Front Street.
First gas works built about 1855. Previous to that time we carried lanterns when on the street at night.
Hotels
Mansion House by Mrs. F. Lewis, near junction of rivers. Marietta House by C. W. Moseley, Third and Ohio streets. Biszantz House by C. F. Biszantz, Butler Street, west of Front. National Hotel by N. Fawcett, Greene and Second streets. Brophy House, Ohio and Third streets. Exchange Hotel (afterward Putnam House), Gilman Street, near river. Harmar House, diagonally across street from Putnam's store.
Banks
Marietta Branch, State Bank of Ohio, I. R. Waters, cashier. Benedict Hall & Co., private bank. D. G. Mathews, member of firm.
Some Marietta Merchants
A. A. Darrow & Bros., C. & S. Shipman & Co., George M. Woodbridge, John M. Woodbridge, John Brophy, George Benedict, William F. Curtis, Gates & Payne, David Putnam, L. & D. Barber, A. Stone, James Holden, D. Holden, Bosworth Wells & Co., John Marshall, C. F. Biszantz, Gerd Wendelken, W. B. Thomas, Wilson & Waters, A. B. Waters, r. P. Iams, J. Ebinger, John Mills, Mills Iams & Dana, were dry goods and some general merchandise.
J. B. Hovey, A. L. Guitteau, Bosworth Wells & Co., retail grocers.
Hovey, Iams, Battelle & Co., wholesale grocers.
J. C. Paxton, S. H. Paxton, cigar store and factory.
Gurley & Cross, C. E. Glines, George Jenvey, Edwin Fuller, books.
W. L Ralston, S. Slocomb, boots and shoes.
E. B. Perkins, Cotton & Buell, Buell Brothers, drugs.
J. W. Baldwin, David Anderson, M. T. Peddinghaus, watches and jewelers.
Bosworth Wells & Co. (two stores, one groceries), A. T. Nye, Rodick Brothers hardware.
Hugh Brennan liquor store, Greene Street, only drink shop in town.
L. Soyez "ice cream saloon" on Ohio Street. General Lafayette visited Mr. Soyez.
Reckard & Fawcett operated a livery barn on Third Street near Greene and owned the only omnibus.
A. W. Sprague owned a low water steamboat of which he was captain. It made trips up the Ohio.
Physicians
F. Regnier, J. D. Cotton, H. Trevor, Seth Hart, ____ Sawyer, S. P. Hildreth, George Hildreth.
Dentists
E. H. Allen, J. A. Tenney.
Newspapers
Marietta Intelligencer by Beman Gates was the Whig newspaper. T. L. Andrews became owner and editor, and he sold it to R. M. Stimson who changed the name to Register. A. W. McCormick was editor and owner of the Republican, the Democratic organ. McCormick sold the paper to William Scott and became a captain in the Civil War. The Republican soon ceased to exist. William Lorey published the Marietta Demokrat, a German paper. It had a short existence. E. Winchester of the Home News, published that paper for a few years. Tradition says the Marietta Gazette was the first newspaper and that Caleb Emerson was editor.
Early Postmasters
A. L. Guitteau - Fillmore's administration and before.
Nathaniel Bishop - Pierce's administration.
A. W. McCormick - Buchanan's administration.
Sala Bosworth - Lincoln's administration.
Teamsters
All draying and probably delivery of coal was done by two ox teams in dump carts owned by "Sink" Munsey and M. Torpy. James Goldsmith operated the first two-wheeled dray.
The Fair
The first Agriculture fair was held in the Court room of the old Court House. The live stock, consisting of eight or ten cattle and a few sheep, were on exhibition on the square north of Scammel Street and east of Third. No houses on that square at that time.
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