Gilbert Boomer

Marietta Intelligencer, July 4, 1844

Gilbert Boomer, of this place, died suddenly in the jail at 12 o'clock yesterday (Tuesday). For some weeks past he had been constantly intoxicated, having drank from two to three quarts of whiskey per day. On Friday night last he broke open the ice house of J. E. Hall and took therefrom four kegs of powder, for the supposed purpose of blowing up the warehouse of Mr. Hall.  He was discovered in the act, the next day arrested, and after an examination before Justices Protsman and Allen, required to give bail for his appearance at Court - for want of which he was committed to prison. That terrible disease of the drunkard - the delirium tremens - soon attacked him. On Monday, he fancied himself tormented by witches. Monday night and Tuesday morning devils were in pursuit of him. His ravings continued until nearly noon, when he was quiet for a few moments, and upon entering his room to ascertain if he was sleeping, he was found, lying upon the floor, dead.

A Family Bible

The Marietta Times, July 26, 1888

Mrs. C. L. Hall [Caroline, daughter of Daniel Greene and Mary Strout] is the owner of a family bible that has certainly reached a venerable old age. It was published in 1764, and its record of births anti-dates it more than a century. It was originally the property of her grandfather, who emigrated from the West Indies to Baltimore, Maryland, some time prior to the beginning of the present century, bringing with him this bible, a testament, also a number of other valuable books and two slaves - one a barber, the other a tailor, quite a fortune in those days. The combination seems to be an odd one now, but it was probably the proper thing at that early period of our country's history. The bible is in a fair state of preservation and will be on exhibition at the Woman's Fair in the Town Hall on July 24th to the 27th.

 

Boiler Corner

The Daily Register, June 30, 1902

Editor Register:

The old boiler at the corner of Ohio and Front streets - where did it come from and for what purpose was it used? 

The following account, which the writer believes to be correct, was given by the late Ebenezer D. Buell, who was born in 1805, in the old red house which stood on bank of the Ohio river, opposite the head of Marietta island on the Ohio side, quite recently torn down. Mr. Buell spent the most of his life here.  

He says that a man by the name of Adams had a distillery on the bank of the Little Muskingum, where the road leading to Cornerville strikes the creek, for many years known as the Howe place, but at present the Scott farm. Mr. Buell says this boiler was used in that distillery, that he was often there when a boy, as it was not more than a half mile from his father's home.

It will be observed that there is a short pipe on one side, 6 inches in diameter, perhaps, without any arrangement for a connection or for closing other than a wooden plug which Mr. Adams made use of to confine the steam; in so doing he had made the discovery that steam had considerable power when confined, and on one occasion called in his wife to witness the operation while he worked the plug. Having much more pressure on than he was aware of, the plug blew out with considerable force, slightly scalding him. 

Mr. Buell, in speaking of this old boiler, always claimed that it came from the Adams distillery. We have no means of telling just when this distillery ceased to do business. The writer remembers going to school in a house which was very near where the distillery stood and remembers that it was all gone but two or three rounds of the bottom logs. This was as early as 1827 or '28. The only other history I ever had of the old boiler was from the late G. M. Woodbridge, who claimed that it was shipped to his father in transit to some other point and that his father had paid some freight charges which he never collected, as the boiler never got any farther.

William Harris  

 

Fire - Baptist Church Burned

Marietta Intelligencer, March 22, 1855

The Church building belonging to the Baptist Society of this place was destroyed by fire this morning. The pulpit, most of the seats, and some of the doors and windows were removed, in a damaged condition.

The fire was discovered about eight o'clock on the roof and in a few moments the entire roof was in a blaze. The walls of the lower story of the building were of stone and were, of course, but little injured. The loss is about $1,000. There was no insurance.

By most diligent efforts the fire was prevented from extending to the frame buildings near - some of them not more than 20 feet distant. We are requested by Mr. L. Brigham to express his hearty thanks to the people for their vigorous and continued exertions to save his property from destruction. His buildings were in imminent danger, but by most resolute efforts, no serious injury was done to them.

Before this fire was extinguished, another alarm was given, occasioned by the discovery of fire on the roof of O.Franks' warehouse, near his foundry. It was extinguished without difficulty.