Hail Storm

The Home News, March 19, 1859

A sudden and violent hail storm, accompanied with high wind and a flood of rain, broke over this city and vicinity at one o'clock yesterday afternoon. The hail, about the size of peas or buck shot, soon covered the ground, but were too small to do any damage to window glass. 

Considerable havoc was committed by the wind in various quarters. The cement roofing from the brick building on Ohio Street, occupied by Cotton & Gray as a furniture store, was partially blown off, as well as that from the Wharfboat. The parapet gable of the old brick store on Ohio Street was blown over on the roof of Hall & Snider's bakery adjoining, entirely demolishing half of the roof, from front to rear, breaking a twelve-inch joist, and falling to the lower floor, within a few inches of a boy at work. 

The roof of N. Bishop's blacksmith shop on Fourth Street was blown in and fell on a man named Robert McKittrick, considerably bruising him about the head and body. A portion of the roof was carried a distance of 25 yards. About one-eighth of one side of the roof of Brown & McCarty's tannery on Third Street was lifted up and completely folded back. The window panes in the front of W. Mervine's house on the same street were dashed out. One of the chimneys on the residence of Col. Mills was overthrown, and another on the jail shared the same fate.

"The wind it blew,

The hail it flew,

And raised particular thunder

With skirts and hoops

And chicken coops,

And all that sort of plunder."

P.S.  The rain of yesterday afternoon turned to snow about midnight and this morning is half an inch deep on boards, bricks, &c. and still slightly falling, though the mercury has sun to 33 degrees only. Unless it becomes colder, fruit cannot suffer much.

The Killing of Lewis Mitchell by Colby C. Coleman

The Marietta Register, September 7, 1865:

A distressing affair occurred on Eight Mile creek in Newport Township on Thursday night of last week, August 31st, by which one citizen lost his life at the hands of another. A company, of which Lewis Mitchell was one, were on their way home from a singing school, and while passing the house of Colby C. Coleman, the former went into the orchard of the latter to get a few peaches. Soon after the report of a gun was heard, and Mitchell not appearing, search was made, when he was found under a peach tree, dead, with a few peaches in his possession. The corpse was suffered to remain where it was found until the next morning.

The Coroner was then called, a jury summoned, and a verdict given in accordance with the above facts. The ball, it seems, entered Mitchell's left breast, near the heart and lodged in the shoulder bone. Mitchell leaves a wife and two children.

Coleman was arrested, examined before Esquire Hill, bound over to Court, and placed in prison. Afterwards, he gave bail in the sum of $3,000 and was released.

The Marietta Times, September 7, 1865:

Lewis Mitchell, a citizen of this county, living on Eight Mile creek, in Newport Township, was shot and instantly killed by his neighbor, Colby C. Coleman, on Thursday night, August 31st. The particulars of this sad affair, so far as we could learn them, are as follows: A party, of which Mitchell was one, were returning from a singing school and while passing Coleman's peach orchard, Mitchell entered the orchard to get a few peaches. Soon afterwards the report of a gun was heard; and Mitchell failing to make his appearance, a search was made for him, when he was found under the peach tree, with two or three peaches in his bosom, one in his hand, and a piece of one in his mouth. The corpse was left lying until the next morning, when the coroner was summoned. It was then ascertained that the ball had entered Mitchell's left breast, near his heart, and had lodged in his shoulder-bone. 

From all we can learn, Mitchell was a quiet, inoffensive man, respected by all his neighbors. He leaves a wife and two small children.

A warrant was procured, Coleman was arrested and tried before Esquire Hill, by whom he was bound over to the Court of Common Pleas, and in default of bail, was committed to prison.

Below we give the verdict of the coroner's jury:

We, the undersigned, jurors, impanneled and sworn on the first day of September, in the year of our Lord, 1865, at the township of Newport, in the county of Washington, by Lemuel Grimes, coroner for said county, to inquire and true presentment make, in what manner and by whom Lewis Mitchell, whose body was found in Colby C. Coleman's peach orchard on the last day of August, in the year 1865, came to his death. After having heard the evidence and examined said body, we do find that the deceased came to his death by a gun-shot, fired by Colby C. Coleman. Said body was found with gun-shot wound in the left breast.

Given under our hands at the time and place of said inquisition above mentioned.

Israel Irwin

J. S. McVay

William McVay

James McCoy

Thomas A. McCoy

Adam Wagoner

The Marietta Register, September 14, 1865:

The account we gave last week in reference to the shooting of Lewis Mitchell in Colby C. Coleman's peach orchard on Eight Mile, Thursday night, August 31st, has caused much comment. We are informed that scarcely anything was true in the statement, except the fact of the killing.

We have information that we cannot reject, that Mitchell had not been to the singing school at all, which was at George W. Hill's; that if he had, he was over a quarter of a mile out of his way, while in Coleman's orchard; that about half a peck of peaches were found on his person after he was shot; and Mitchell was not, as stated in the Times, a quiet and inoffensive person, and was not respected, but was a trifling man of not good character. 

It appears further, that Coleman had been greatly aggravated; that his peaches had been stolen in large quantities; that the bark had been stripped from his trees and the branches broken down; that even boxes of peaches prepared for market had been stolen; that he had told the depredators that he would shoot them unless they quiet their evil ways. 

The result is, one man killed and another in jail to await his trial. The facts, of course, will then come forth. It is doubtless true, that if these people had minded their own affairs this distressing affair would not have occurred.

The Marietta Times, October 19, 1865:

Court of Common Pleas

The September Term closed last Saturday night. The litigated cases of a civil nature posses no interest for others than the parties who were at issue, and so we shall not report them. The criminal cases - in part - are:

. . . State of Ohio vs. Colby Coleman. Murder in the Second Degree. Guilty. Sentenced to the Penitentiary for life. This is the individual who shot Lewis Mitchell in Newport Township on the night of the 31st of August, as Mitchell was passing through his peach orchard. Mitchell was about 35 years old; the prisoner is 57. This was the most important case tried by the court and elicited a great deal of interest.

The Marietta Register, October 19, 1865:

The Court of Common Pleas for this county, Judge E. A. Guthrie presiding, closed its October Term for 1865, at about 11 o'clock last Saturday night. It was an exceedingly busy and laborious term of eleven days. . . .

The Trial of Colby Coleman, for shooting and killing Lewis Mitchell in his (Coleman's) peach orchard on the night of Aug. 31st last, on Eight Mile Creek, in Newport Township, occupied fully two days. Col. David Alban, the Prosecuting Attorney, was assisted by M. D. Follett. For the defense, Knowles & Loomis. The Jury consisted of John Milligan and D. C. Perry of Barlow, John Boston of Liberty, W. A. Hawley of Beverly, H. H. Cole of Warren, and John C. O'Neal of Belpre, of the regular panel, J. S. Sprague, D. D. Rosseter, and J. L. Deterly of Marietta, Isaac Spaulding and T. K. Wells of Harmar, and W. Priest, talismen. It was a good jury. The charge was murder in the second degree. Thirty-two witnesses were examined.

It was in evidence that Coleman's orchard had been robbed of peaches to a very aggravating extent, that some of his trees had been "barked," and some limbs were broken down. on the night of the 31st of August, about dark, Coleman went into his peach orchard with a rifle and a revolver to protect his property. After he had been there about half an hour, probably a little after eight o'clock, Mitchell went into the orchard for peaches and was there shot in the left breast and killed. It was a moonlight night. There was no evidence that Coleman gave him any warning, or that he called upon him to halt.

After a thorough investigation of the case, the Jury returned a verdict of guilty, having been out about three hours. The Jury recommended "clemency." The counsel for Coleman moved for a new trial, which was overruled by the Court.

About 10-1/2 o'clock Saturday night, the Court commanded Coleman to stand up to receive his sentence, in giving which Judge Guthrie was very much affected. He remarked that Coleman was an old man, and he pitied him from the bottom of his heart; that the law had left him no discretion in the case; the Jury had found the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree, and the penalty was hard labor in the Penitentiary during the term of his natural life. He could not say that the verdict of the Jury was wrong, or that he himself could have found it differently had he been on the Jury. It was to be hoped that the defendant thought he had a right to kill the man who was in his peach orchard; and as to "clemency," the law allowed none on part of the Court, but if the defendant went to the Penitentiary, behaved himself well, performed all his duties in the right spirit, gave evidence that he might become a good citizen, and came to a realizing sense of the wrong he had done in killing his fellow-man, there was a chance for his pardon and restoration to society.

Coleman did not appear to be much affected, not nearly so much as was the Judge. On Monday morning, he still said he thought he had done right in killing Mitchell for stealing his peaches.

To us, it is a plain case. Mitchell was a trespasser, and in trespassing upon the property and the rights of another, he lost his life. Coleman was aggravated by repeated depredation upon his peach orchard, but his remedy was not in shooting and killing his neighbor for the wrong done him, thereby committing a far greater wrong, immeasurably greater.
 
 

Marietta College - New President

Marietta Intelligencer, January 13, 1855

Our readers are aware that Rev. Dr. Smith has resigned the Presidency of Marietta College, and is to enter upon his duties in Lane Seminary in April next.  The Trustees of the College held a meeting on Thursday last, and with entire unanimity, made choice of Prof. I. W. Andrews as President Smith's successor.

Prof. Andrews has been connected with the College about sixteen years, we think, having occupied the post of Tutor for perhaps a year, and that of Professor of Mathematics for about fifteen years.  He has filled the Professorship with distinguished ability, and the best possible evidence  that he has performed its duties to the entire satisfaction of the friends of the College, is furnished by the Trustees' unanimously promoting him to the Presidency.

The friends of the Institution may well be congratulated upon the election the Trustees have made. We believe that President Andrews will fill his new office as to others, and as creditably to himself, as he has that of Professor of Mathematics. He has some peculiar qualifications for his new post - among which we may mention his remarkable talent as an Executive officer, and as a thorough, prompt, and efficient business man.

That the appointment will be a very popular one in the community generally there can be no doubt. Unlike most scholars and scientific men, Professor Andrews is eminently a practical man, and ever since he resided in Marietta he has identified himself with every enterprize having for its object the prosperity of the town and county, and the general good of the community. His active labors in behalf of Public schools throughout the State are known to all, as are his efforts to build up and sustain every cause which seeks to elevate the condition of men, and promote the best interests of all classes of society. He is, in short, a Life Man, progressive and yet conservative, neither one-idead nor one-sided, but a symmetrical, whole and true Man.

The election of a successor to Prof. Andrews in the Mathematical Department is not yet announced and probably will not be until after another meeting of the Board.

Marietta to Devola: "Our Coney Island"

Marietta Daily Times, July 24, 1917

Conditions noted along the line, and things we saw on this trip, cause us to speak of it through the press, for we believe some persons living here do not fully appreciate the many good and beautiful things of really high class that they see and pass each day, because they are either absorbed with other affairs, or don't have their "thinking caps" on.

After leaving the city and on arriving at Rathbone, we noticed with pleasure and relief, that the "avalanche" in front of Mr. Marsh's home that has advanced several times without orders or even giving the countersign, has been arrested , and that he seems now to have the conditions well in hand, all of which must have required courage on his part in trying to hold this soil where it belongs.

Then coming to the Children's Home, we find the exterior conditions in fine form, and while we did not visit the Home, we learned that Mrs. Jordan, who is in charge, is complete master of the institution, outside and in, and that much credit is due her for her faithful and untiring efforts.  She has instituted gardening, or truck growing, among the little boys, who have small lots or tracts laid off near the car line tracts from car windows, all of which show that the boys take pride in doing the work and doing it well, and through Mrs. Jordan's efforts, there is being instilled into the nature and being of these boys that grand feature in any man's life, industry and pride in what he does.

Who knows but that some of these boys may some day be leading men in many ways of agriculture.  Mrs. Jordan buys their products, pays them the money, and they are to spend it for clothing or the useful things they need, which proves another good point brought out by Mrs. Jordan.

Splendid Wheat Field

On up the beautiful paved way, through gardens galore, we next came in view of a wheat field on the land of W. W. Mills at Millgate that arrested our attention.  It has been our good fortune to have visited some of the leading wheat growing states from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon, and in all our life, we have never seen a field of wheat that was better, and few that equalled this.  Judging from the thickness of same, its even height, and being so well filled, these points make it a sure prize winner this season in Ohio.  It was a grand sight for the eyes of those who enjoy and appreciate anything along this line of agriculture.

We saw it after it had been cut and shocked and should like to know how much it would yield per acre.  We understand that at a meeting of farmers and fruit growers which was held in Marietta recently, Mr. Mills and Mr. Chamberlain and other prominent landowners were present, and each addressed the meeting, both claiming they were not real farmers, but simply "agriculturists."  Well, we think Mr. Mills has the wheat growing theory on the right plan and would suggest that some of our farmers get his formula and apply his method in producing the crop for 1918.  He surely has the key on wheat growing and the soil to back it.

We did not visit his delightful summer home on the crest, above Millgate Station, the view of which is hidden from the driveway below by the canopy of trees on the hilltop, but we are told that all its beauty and grandeur are at once uncovered when you arrive at the summit, and that the view up and down the beautiful Muskingum and across the valley is extremely picturesque.  Mr. Mills, with all his wealth, generosity, hospitality and patriotism, is a grand man to have in this or any community.

One Big Garden

 

Leaving Millgate, we passed the lovely farm homes of Mr. Dawes, Mr. Cram, Mr. Dyar, and the Devol Brothers, and you are simply in one big growing garden, interspersed with fields of corn, alfalfa, barley and oats, all of which indicate great prosperity.

 

The next we find is the Country Club grounds on the farm of the Devol brothers, and they are beautiful from either the driveway or the Inter-urban car line. From the latter you see the north side and golf links, while from the driveway you see the south side and the "automobile trail" into the grounds.

 

We left the paved way at Mr. Dyar's and took the dirt road up the river front, and when we passed the Country Club we were then upon the large farm of Harry Chamberlain. He has recently erected a very fine barn, in fact about the last word in barn construction.

 

This magnificent structure, 60x100 feet, with mandrel roof and all the associate buildings surrounding it, and the beautiful grove in the background, makes a commanding appearance from the river front. Mr. Chamberlain has moved from their old resting place these associate buildings, from near the home. The new structure is very spacious and convenient, having automatic water service and complete sewerage system, with creosote blocks installed, and perfect ventilation, in which the air can be changed every twenty minutes.

 

After seeing inside, as well as the outside, we were reminded of the two battleships we once went on board, while they were anchored in the harbor at Seattle, long years ago. I refer to the Charleston and the Baltimore.

 

In the new barn, Mr. Chamberlain keeps his herd of pure bred Guernseys and high grade Guernsey Jerseys, while in the other barn, the horses are quartered.  The associated buildings comprise the chicken and hog houses, blacksmith shop and machinery or tool house. The moving of all these was a large undertaking, but their going has added much to the beauty of the surrounding home at Walnut Hills.

 

Mr. Chamberlain takes great pleasure in all of his home affairs, but especially is he proud of his herd of pure bred Guernseys and feels that in "Souvenir of Mt. Vernon," which is at the head of his herd, no better sire can be found in the country.

 

Marietta's Coney Island

 

We finally landed at Devola and took a stroll down to the beach that we have heard so much of, and where the bathing is so fine and attracts thousands of persons during the bathing season. Some are going in now, but a little later the season proper will open and the sport will be kept up until cool weather. The banks of this beautiful river are dotted with campers all summer, some of the camps being elegantly fitted up and equipped for home comfort and pleasure, by some of Marietta's leading citizens and persons from a distance, who spend their vacation here in leisure hours of bathing, boating and fishing.

 

The famous resort is to Marietta, what Coney Island is to New York City, and we readily see why it is so popular with the people.

 

Returning to the station we met a friend who wanted to show us some real estate values in the way of lots at Devola, so we walked about with him and looked them over, and I must say if Devola is to ever take on any boom, the owners of these lots, or some of them, must give the lots a shave and a haircut, for they do look wild and wooly. The mullen and weeds were "head high to a giraffe" on some lots, and such conditions lead the passerby and onlooker to think the owners had forgotten they had these lots, or decided the suburb was a "dead one," and no use to clean up. No greater mistake can be made, however, than to think that the influence of such conditions are not detrimental to Devola.

 

There are some pretty homes here, the "Flag Bungalow" of Mr. Peters, and the bungalow of Mr. Withum are new and modern in all ways, and equally so is the stucco home of Mr. Ryan. Recently a town hall has been erected on one of the lots at Devola, and it adds much to general appearances of the village. The business meetings of the township and all the elections will be held here in the future, rather than at Unionville, as has been the custom in the past. The building is frame, with brick veneer and stone trimmings, very substantial and cozy.

 

Near the town hall and station is a store and dwelling combined, owned by Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Johnson, and this serves a great convenience, not only for the residents, but also for the campers on the waterfront. We understand there are some persons living near Devola, who can do some of the "specials" in life, or that they are "combination people."

 

A combination horse is rated as one of the most useful of all horses, because he can do different gaits, and can be used under the saddle and is equally useful when hitched in harness, and I believe the same may be applied to a man who can do many things with success.

 

We were told Carl Becker, who is the leader of the orchestra at the Auditorium Theatre in Marietta, and a man who is recognized by the musical profession everywhere, and who has clerical ability unusual, is also a practical farmer and truck grower near Devola, and that Dr. Frank Sparling is a prominent physician in the community, and at the same time a very successful farmer and truck grower, employing a large force of help during the garden season, and that R. B. Ward is a pioneer farmer and truck grower on scientific principles, having educated both his sons at the College of Agriculture at Columbus.

 

Mr. Ward is sort of a "Community Father," being a man of affairs in the township and community in general and always on deck.  Ed Devol spends his summers in farming and truck growing near Devola and in the fall goes to Florida, where he spends the winter engaged in the culture of oranges and grapefruit, near Winter Haven.  We were told that other prominent truck farms were on up above Devola, and that another summer resort, called Fern Cliff, was only one mile away.

 

At this resort they have a dance hall and amusements of all kinds all summer, and that a Mr. Stowe lives near there, who is very popular with the Brotherhood of Elks, who accept and enjoy his hospitality many times during the summer, and that the United Woolen Mills people have a fondness for him and his fine home and take their vacation trip to his place each summer, where they dance and feast, and that all the girls of the company think there is no one just like "Pop Stowe."  We surely were pleasantly met by all on our little trip, and enjoyed it very much and think we would like to own a home at Devola, and some day we may.

 

Joker Starts Something

 

While were were waiting for the car, our attention was called to a sign on some stakes where pumpkins were planted. It read like this, "Pumpkin Park, California pumpkins, watch 'em grow, they say they grow to be ten feet long. Say boys! I mean the vines." We could not understand its meaning, and as we read it some gave us the laugh. So we called up Mr. Wilson, who is in charge of the Inter-Urban affairs and grounds at the station, and asked him if the company was starting an "experiment farm" on the station lot at Devola. He said they were not, and that he had advised the party who had the "nerve" to plant said pumpkins on their land that a trip to Columbus, Ohio, was in store for him for trespassing on the company's grounds. We then inquired who the "Jasper" was who did this, but no one about Devola could or would tell.

 

We wanted to return to Marietta over the gravel road and paved way, via the Putnam School and church building combined, by the way, established the same year the writer first saw the peep o'day in 1859, near which Sam H. Plumer lives, who is one of the county's best, reliable and industrious men; also the home of John Strecker and his son-in-law, Elmer Drain, who are very successful in everything they attempt, and the old "Devol homestead," where Clark Devol is "monarch of all he surveys," and the county experiment farm, in charge of that good and capable man, Owen Riley, also the "Iris," a suburban home owned by our old friend, Will Neubeck, who we regret to learn is in poor health.

 

He has made this land, bought of Charles Dyar, into a beautiful country home and farm, which is being farmed by a Mr. Davis, who is a hustling farmer, with good ideas, a fine wife and bright family, among which is a son who was strong in the corn contest of Ohio, and had a free trip to Washington, D.C., and other eastern points last year, where he enjoyed all and got much good information.

 

Right here, we are also near the land of the Devol Brothers, who not only farm and grow garden stuff with great success, but are also among the leading dealers in Ohio in "white face" or Hereford cattle, pure bred and high grade.

 

We should have called upon Mr. Devol of dairy fame, but time did not allow.  "Jimmy" is a real bright up to the minute fellow, not only in dairy work, in general farming, and the affairs of our country, and how he and his cousin, Ed Devol, of Devola, have ever escaped matrimony is more than some can understand. They are congenial fellows, who seem to have a fondness for the ladies, but a lack of courage to propose.

 

If somebody don't shoot or imprison me for this write up, I may appear again, as soon as I harvest the pumpkins at Devola.

 

We were told at the last moment that Pinchville or Pinchtown, on the way has been changed to Unionville. We asked why its original name, "Pinchville," and were informed that in days gone, booze was administered from this, a road house there, and that the frequenters were mostly from Marietta, and all got pinched; thus the name "Pinchville."