Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Portrait Painting

Marietta Register, February 3, 1870

This fine art is now carried to great perfection in Marietta; though it seems strange that our citizens should not be aware of it, or, knowing it, do not avail themselves of the opportunity presented of securing perfect pictures of themselves and friends.  Recently we dropped into the studio of the artist, Mr. Brewer, over Pearce & Triem's Drug Store, and were delighted with the familiar faces we there recognized on canvass - faces that look ready to walk out of the canvass with a "How do you do?" greeting.

Among others, we recognized portraits of Col. John Mills, President I. W. Andrews, N. Fawcett, W. C. Hood, Wylie Oldham, and W. F. Curtis.  Mr. Brewer also has some beautiful fruit pictures, painted in oil, and so natural that all can recognize in them premiums of their kind.  Mr. Brewer designs leaving Marietta when warm weather sets in; therefore all who would take advantage of his skill must do so soon.

 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Improvements in Marietta

The Marietta Intelligencer, June 7, 1859

We have obtained, at some time and trouble, the following list of the buildings now in process of erection, and those that are undergoing extensive repairs, in the city.

Bosworth, Wells & Co.  Three story brick, with iron front, 43 ft. on Front St. by 100 on Monroe Street.  Hardware and Dry Goods Store.  J. T. Hart, contractor for the stone work; James Lewis, contractor for the brick work; D. R. Sniffen for joiner work, and Putnam, Poole & Co. for iron work.  To be completed early in the fall.

C. & S. Shipman & Co.  Three story brick,with iron front.  37 ft. by 82.  Greene St., on site of old building.  Dry Goods Store.  N. S. Alcock, contractor for stone work; J. and C. Jones for brick work, and Owen Franks for iron work.  To be finished next fall.

James Holden.  Three story brick with iron front.  40 ft. front by 80 deep.  On site of Bosworth, Wells & Co.'s old store.  For rent.  J. T. Hart, contractor for stone work; other contracts no yet made.

T. F. Hall.  Two story frame.  20 by 32.  On Front St., next to W. F. Curtis' dwelling house.  Benjamin Snider, builder.  Lower story, office for owner, and upper story rented to Davis & Smith for shoe shop.  Nearly completed.

George Scherer.  Two story frame, with brick basement; 26 by 50 ft.; Greene St., between Front and Second street.  Said to be for a Market House.  Will be finished in a few weeks.

Luther Temple.  Frame cottage; 24 by 35, with two wings, each 13 by 19.  Second street between Scammel and Wooster.

Bank of Marietta.  Undergoing repairs to amount of $1000.  D. R. Sniffen, carpenter; J. Jones, mason.

Stephen Newton.  Two story brick dwelling; 44 feet front by 35 deep.  Fourth St., nearly in front of College Chapel.  Milton Hovey builder.

William Styer.  Two story brick, 28 by 32; corner Sixth and Putnam sts.  William Styer, builder.

Fred Petre.  Frame cottage; Fourth St., between Washington and Sacra Via.

Nicholas Cline.  Additions and improvements on house to the amount of $400.  Third St., between Scammel and Wooster.

Pres. I. W. Andrews.  Fourth Street, corner of Putnam.  Undergoing changes and repairs to the amount of $500.

J. C. Fell.  Tannery.  William Vinton's old tannery to be moved across the river and made over new, with considerable enlargements.

W. F. Curtis.  Brick dwelling house, two stories; 74 feet front by 33 deep.  M. H. Needham, carpenter; T. F. Westgate, brick mason.  Outside of corporation, on College Hill.

Catholic Parsonage.  Brick, 2 stories and basement; 42 by 20, on Fourth St., rear of Catholic Church.  William Moore and ____ Weaver, contractors for stone and brick work, W. W. McCoy for wood work.

J. M. Booth, H. Booth, and G. S. Jones.  Three story brick store, with iron front; 37 ft. front on Greene Street, by 82 deep; on site of S. Slocomb & Co.'s old store.  To be built in connection with C. & S. Shipman's store.

The above does not show all the improvements on this side of the river.  Several buildings have already been completed this spring, and many more have been repaired and enlarged.  Our mechanics are all engaged, teamsters all employed, and day laborers have as much work as they can do.

 

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

A Pleasant Resort

The Marietta Register, April 30, 1886

The beautiful and historic spot, Blennerhassett Island, will be made into a pleasure resort this summer.  Walks and roadways are being opened up, seats provided throughout the grove, a commodious platform and lunch tables for picnic and basket parties are being built, rope swings have been put up for children, and other amusements for the older folks.  An ample supply of pure, cold water is always to be found at the famous Blennerhassett well.  Those who desire to spend a day pleasantly and profitably with their families and friends cannot do better than to go to Blennerhassett Island.  Ten cents will be charged each person for the privilege of the grounds and its accommodations.  The grounds will not be opened until the first of May.  Dancing parties must provide their own music.  Refreshments will be found on the grounds.  Take your family and friends to see this historic spot.


Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Old Times - Our First Boat

Marietta Register, May 3, 1892

Oakland, California, April 17, 1892.

Editor Register.

In addressing you on matters of interest to myself I think I can give you some items of much interest to your readers.

I was born in Washington county in 1811, consequently, as you well know, a boy never forgets his happy school days.  I went to school in the house adjoining the Presbyterian church, with the little brick bank in the same block, opposite the residence of Governor Meigs.  My school mates were George and Charles Hildreth, Dudley and George Woodbridge, Richard and James Green, Bill Nye, Jack Brough, Will Holden and others too numerous to mention.  Mr. Slocomb was our teacher, and could use the switch splendidly.  Our residence adjoined Parson Robbins' on one side and the three maiden Stone's on the other.

I have a host of relatives living in Washington county.  My mother's name was Devol.  She had two brothers and one sister settled in Adams township, Washington county.  They all raised families - Isaac, Allen, and Nancy were their names.  Nancy married Oliver Dodge and left two children, Richard and Mary.  Mary married P. B. Johnson of McConnelsville, Ohio; Richard left no children.  The children of Isaac and Allen are too numerous to give their names.

My father was John Green.  He built the first steamboat ever launched in Marietta.  At that time there were only five or six steamboats on the Ohio river.  The boat was built just above the ferry, where, I am informed, the dam is now situated.  The boat was called the General Rufus Putnam, and was a funny craft compared with the present steamers.  Her dimensions were:  length, 100 feet; breadth of beam, 16 feet; depth of hold, 6 feet.  She had a cabin of ten lengths of berths, making forty all told.  Her engine was spurr gearing, with two boilers; her fly-wheel made two revolutions to one of the water wheels.

She made her first trial trip on the Fourth of July, 1821.  The boat was as full as standing room would accommodate.  She left Marietta for Parkersburg, Virginia, at 10 a.m., and made the trip (12 miles) in one hour and a half.  At Parkersburg there was firing of cannon, speaking and a general jubilee for two or three hours.  

We left for Marietta about 2 p.m. and made good progress until about half way (just opposite Judge Cutler's residence), when the engine was stopped and A. M. Phillips, the builder of the engine, hallooed to father he must drop the anchor, as the boilers were getting out of water.  The anchor was let go and the wheels were uncoupled and the engine given a rapid motion and soon had plenty of water.

The engineer then sang out:  "You can hoist the anchor," but did not stop the engine.  When the anchor was up, father shouted, "Go ahead."  There was a man at the coupling, who geared the wheel, and at the word "Go ahead," he threw the wheel in gear, and in consequence broke the main cog-wheel.  That put us in a bad fix; the skiff was brought into requisition, and a line run ashore, the boat landed and all on board had six miles to walk home, and the majority of them were ladies!  It took old Commodore Davis four days to work the "Putnam" back, and it was three weeks before a new wheel was brought from Steubenville - it had to come down in a skiff.

In my next I will give you an account of the first trip of a steamboat to Zanesville.  I do not think there are many living who made that trip.  The only children on board were Miss Maria and Miss Julia Holden and Richard Green (son of Daniel), and myself.

It is fifty-five years since I was in Marietta.  I came to California in 1849.  The only persons from Marietta I have met in this State were David and James Whitney, Dudley Stone, and my cousin, Dick Johnson, also a son of Robert Crawford and some Browns who mined in Tuolumne county, California.

I have been written to often, asking for advice about emigrating to California or Oregon.  I will send you an article on my views of the Pacific coast as a home, and shall hope you will find this of sufficient interest to publish it.

Alonzo Green
No. 264 Sixteenth St.
East Oakland, Cal.

 

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Death of an Ohio Pioneer

The Marietta Intelligencer, April 8, 1858

Thomas Thorniley Sr., died at his residence in Fallston, Pa., on the 23d of February.

Mr. Thorniley was born in Cheshire, England, April 1st, 1790, and came to America with his father, Caleb Thorniley, in 1795.  The same year, the family descended the Ohio, from Pittsburgh, and settled in Marietta.

In 1813, Mr. Thorniley removed to Beaver County, Pa., where he resided until his death.  We make some extracts from a lengthy obituary notice of the deceased, in the Beaver County Argus, not doubting that they will be read with interest by many of our citizens:

Since 1813, Mr. Thorniley has been a constant resident of the county, and being a liberal and public-spirited man, his name is identified with all the various improvements that contribute to make up the prosperity and favorable history of our county.  Few men perhaps have done more to elevate the character, advance and mature the manufacturing, agricultural and general producing interests of the county, than Mr. Thorniley.  The last several years of his life, he devoted almost entirely to agricultural and horticultural pursuits, and the ability with which he directed and superintended the cultivation of his extensive gardens, together with the arrangement, nicety and perfection to which he brought this department under his own observation, almost entitle the plan to the appellation of a science.

Having a familiar and rare knowledge of almost every department of business, he was prepared to act with efficiency in any capacity or position that might be assigned him, in the business affairs of life.  In all the various enterprizes that have hitherto combined to constitute the present growth, wealth and influence of the county, he always acted a prominent part, and occupied a commanding position.

The nature of his illness was such, that he maintained the full vigor of his mind to the last moment, and departed under pleasant circumstances - dying in the bosom of an affectionate family - surrounded by everything that heart could wish.

In this dispensation of divine Providence, the Church has also suffered a loss.  For many years and up to the time of his death, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church - and witnessed a good profession.  However much pressed and perplexed with business, he always found time to wait upon God by meditation and prayer.  He loved the courts of His house, and as long as health permitted, his place was never vacant in the Sanctuary on the Sabbath.

 

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Quiet Fourth of July

The Daily Register, July 5, 1906

The Fourth of July was a quiet day in Marietta.  Of course, there were the usual number of firecrackers during the morning and fireworks during the evening, but aside from this sort of amusement there was little or nothing doing in the city.

The majority of the pleasure-seekers of the city either went to neighboring towns to participate in the celebration of the day, or took in some one of the many picnics given in the country.  Private picnics were also in order for the day and the inter-urban cars out of the city carried scores of happy people who spent the day in the woods.

Perhaps the biggest outing in the vicinity of Marietta was the Pathfinder's picnic and annual outing at Buckeye-Eureka Park.  This affair was managed by the local lodge of that order and to say that it was a success would but mildly describe the situation.

Some twelve or fifteen hundred people were on the island and the boats which were engaged to carry the crowds were kept busy from early morning until late at night.  There was plenty of amusement of all kinds and all who attended feel amply repaid for their time and trouble.

Another of the successful picnics of the day was the annual outing of the Christian church people in West's orchard at Reno.  The affair was attended by hundreds of people from the city and surrounding country, and assisted by the good people of Reno, those who had the affair in charge made it a grand success.

The afternoon was given over to speeches and music, with other amusements for both young and old.  A basket picnic supper was also in order and in the evening, those present were treated to an excellent selection of fireworks, the money for which had been raised by popular subscription among the people of the Reno neighborhood.

The Country Club was also another attractive place for many people from the city who are fortunate enough to be members, and the day and evening afforded a round of pleasure for all present.

Several hundred people from the city found entertainment and plenty of first class amusement at the ball games at the fair grounds between the Marietta Grays and the Parkersburg team.  Both games were good ones, the Marietta boys being victorious in the morning, while the visitors carried off the laurels in the afternoon.

On the whole, the Fourth was perhaps the most enjoyable of any similar occasion in many years, and the return of the day, just as it was Wednesday, will be warmly welcomed by all.