J. D. Cadwallader

The Marietta Register, June 7, 1866

J. D. Cadwallader, who has been a most successful artist in this city - for several years conducting a photograph gallery of high reputation - as is well known, is soon to leave us. T. S. Tappan, of Cincinnati, said to be a most excellent artist, will succeed him here. Mr. Cadwallader will leave for Detroit, the first of July. The Detroit Tribune of May 23d, in an extended article on "Building Improvements" in that city, contains the following paragraph:

"At No. 223 Jefferson avenue, near Randolph street, a four story brick building is in progress of construction for Messers. J. & J. D. Cadwallader. These gentlemen propose to establish in the three upper floors a first-class photograph gallery, and a depot for the sale of photographer's stock. On the second floor will be the parlor, 44 feet in length, a capital operating room, with a skylight and several finishing rooms. On each of the two upper floors will be a skylight and operating room, and several other rooms for finishing purposes, and for preparing chemicals and stock. The parlor and operating rooms are to be decorated and finished in the most elegant manner, the floors to be of alternate strips of polished black walnut and yellow pine, and no expense is to be spared to make it one of the very finest galleries in the northwest. The ground floor will be used as a store. The cost of the building will be about $9,000."

Upon inquiry we learn from Mr. Cadwallader that the $9,000 mentioned above is independent of the lot, and for the naked building, without any fitting up of rooms; and that the "photograph gallery" will require about $5,000 in addition to render the rooms ready for operations. The best wishes of his fellow citizens here will attend Mr. Cadwallader.

Thanksgiving

The Marietta Register, November 9, 1865:

President Johnson has appointed a National Thanksgiving on Thursday, December 7th; and Governor Anderson has appointed a Thanksgiving for Ohio on Thursday, November 30th. Why the Governor should have made this appointment, after the President's Proclamation was out, and fixed the time a week earlier, it is not clear for us to see. The tendency will be to throw the whole matter into confusion.

The Governor most certainly should have conformed to the day fixed by the President, and as a matter of convenience to the people, we suggest to the several clergymen of Washington county that they at once make arrangements for the observance of the National Thanksgiving, by our people, with the hope that the Governor may make a change from November 30th to December 7th.

The Marietta Register, November 30, 1865:

Mayor's Proclamation.

In accordance with an ancient custom of our fathers, who loved liberty and religion, and hated tyranny, and who were ever thankful for divine beneficence and protection; and, in view of the recent proclamation of the president of the United States, and of the Governor of Ohio, setting apart Thursday, December 7, proximo, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer; and, especially, in view of the divine interposition in the overthrow of the recent rebellion, and the dawn of peace upon our beloved country, and the prospect of tranquility and plenty in the future, it is fit and proper, and is hereby earnestly requested that the citizens of the city of Marietta lay aside their various avocations of business, close their business houses, and conform, not only to the ancient customs of our fathers, but to the above-mentioned proclamation, and set the day apart as a day of thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty God for all our individual and national blessings. 

Samuel S. Knowles,
Mayor of Marietta

Fort Harmar

Marietta Daily Leader, November 24, 1900

In the autumn of 1785, Colonel Joseph Harmar sent Major John Doughty with a battalion of his (Harmar's) regiment to build and garrison a fort near the junction of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. It was, when completed, the first fort in the State of Ohio, with the exception of Fort Laurens, which was erected in the year 1778 on the right bank of the Tuscarawas, a little below Sandy Creek, by General McIntosh, in the heart of the Indian country, and was evacuated in the autumn of the following year.

The fort stood on what was called the "second bottom," being elevated above the ordinary floods of the Ohio, while between it and the banks of the rivers was a lower, or first, bottom. The outlines of the fort formed a pentagon, and the area embraced within its walls contained about three-quarters of an acre. 

The main walls of the fort were built of large timbers, placed horizontally and raised to the height of twelve or fourteen feet and were 120 feet in length. The bastions were of large timbers set upright in the ground, fourteen feet high, and fastened together by strips of timber. The outlines of these were also [pentagonal], the fifth side, or that opening into the area of the fort, being occupied by the dwelling houses or quarters of the officers.

In the rear of the garrison, on the ground which had supplies the materials for building the fort, were fine gardens, laid out by Major Doughty. These were cultivated by the soldiers who took great pride in them. Peaches were planted out as soon as the ground was cleared and in the second or third year produced crops of fine fruit. A variety of this is still cultivated around Marietta and is known as the "Doughty Peach."

The fort was named in honor of Colonel Josiah Harmar. It was occupied by the troops of the United States until September, 1790, when they were ordered to Fort Washington, now Cincinnati. During the Indian wars, the fort was occupied by one Captain Haskell, their chief duty being to help the settlements of Belpre, Marietta and Waterford against the Indians. The houses formerly used by the soldiers as quarters were occupied by the settlers living on the west side of the Muskingum. 

It does not appear that any regular batteries were built within the walls for mounting of cannon, as it was in no great danger of any attack from the enemies who had the use of cannon. One or two six-pound field pieces were mounted on carriages and usually kept on the bank just without the walls; with these they could command the boats on the river.

Between the walls of the fort and the bank of the Muskingum was sufficient space to muster a battalion of men; a part of this ground was occupied by three stout log cabins erected for the use of the artificers attached to the garrison. At this day not only the whole ground between it and the water is washed away, but also more than half of the site occupied by the fort.

In digging away the bank in 1840 to form a landing or road up from the river on the site of the old fort, several interesting relics were found which once belonged to the inmates of the garrison. Although no attack was ever made upon the fort by the Indians, yet they often appeared on the hill in its rear, which commanded a full view of its interior. From this elevation they often watched the inhabitants as they went out to work in the gardens and fields, and many of these were killed within gunshot of the fort.

No trace of the fort is left, except a small marble monument and a fine school building; this showing that the site on which formerly stood an edifice of war is now occupied by an edifice of learning.

J. O.

    

Deserter Shot

The Marietta Register, January 19, 1865

On Monday, 16th inst., about noon, Deputy Provost Marshal, George S. Corp, by order of Capt. Barber, arrested Horatio W. Mason of Adams township as a deserter from the 2nd Virginia Cavalry. Mason was on board the steamer Elk as a pilot, passing through the lock at Harmar at the time of his arrest. he was taken to Capt. Barber's office and at once recognized as having been enlisted there about a year ago. He denied his identity, stating: "My brother is the man you want." Capt. Barber asked him if he knew J. S. Sprague of Marietta, who was raised near by him and could clear him if he was the wrong man, but he was "not acquainted with Sprague."

Capt. Barber then sent him in charge of Corp and Ed. Booth, one of his clerks, to Sprague's grocery on Front Street for identification. Just at Sprague's door, Corp having dropped a little behind, Mason started to run. He darted across the street for the alley, when Booth and Corp ordered him to halt, to which he paid no attention. Corp drew his revolver and told him to halt or he would kill him, but he did not stop. Corp fired into the air,  but still he did not stop. Then, as he was running, Corp shot at him and the ball passed in above the right ear, under the scalp for about two inches, and came out front. This brought Mason down, and he was given lodgings with Sheriff Hicks. The wound is a flesh wound, not at all of a dangerous character; but it was a "close shave" on a fatal shot.

Mason, we learn, was in the three months' service as 2nd Lieutenant in 1861; he enlisted in the 36th in August 186a, but jumped the fence at the camp and left before being sworn in. He afterwards went into the 77th, but managed to get out by some means. He is said to be a shrewd fellow, "up to almost anything." At one time, we hear, he turned Campellite preacher, and somewhere in the upper part of the State, among strangers, he took an active part in holding a revival and baptized several converts.

 

Fire in Harmar

Home News, August 25, 1860

On Thursday afternoon last, a fire broke out on the kitchen roof of Levi Barber's residence in Harmar, which consumed the kitchen and roof of the main building before it was arrested by the energetic exertions of the fire companies and citizens, who were promptly on hand and worked, as usual, with a will. The family were all at the picnic of the Whitney Chapel Sunday School in Williamstown, except a hired girl, who was ironing in the kitchen and did not notice the fire until it had burned through the ceiling over her head. The damage to the building is $800 or $1,000, which is covered by an insurance of $1,500 in the Washington County Mutual. There was no insurance on the furniture, which was all removed in as careful a manner as possible under the circumstances.