Abner Lord - Early Businessman of Marietta

The Marietta Register July 17, 1873

Among the prominent business men of Marietta at the beginning of this century was Col. Abner Lord. Co. Lord emigrated from North Lynn Connecticut, to Vienna, Wood County, Virginia, soon after the close of the Indian War of 1795. Vienna was a small village, situated on the Ohio, just above  the farm owned by Dr. Joseph Spencer, and nearly opposite the residence of the late Judge Cutler. It contained some twenty or thirty houses, all of which have since been removed. The place, though very handsomely situated on beautiful ground, was not favorable to the growth of a town. 

The exact time when Col. Lord removed to Marietta, I am not able to give, probably about 1800. He engaged in merchandizing, and also in ship building. His place of business was in a building at the foot of Front Street, on the Ohio riverbank. His shipyard was on the ground now occupied by the Phoenix Mills. His dwelling house, which he erected for his own use, was the house now occupied by Charles Biszantz, known as the "Biszantz House," on Butler Street.

His master builder in the shipyard was Whittington W. McGrath. He continued ship building from 1802 to 1807 inclusive, when the business was suspended by the embargo. During that period, he built the following named vessels:

1802 - Brig "Marietta" 150 tons.

1803 - Schooner "Whitney," 75 tons.

1803 - Schooner "McGrath," 75 tons.

1804 - Ship "Temperance," 230 tons.

1805 - Ship "John Atkinson," 320 tons.

1807 - Ship "Rufus Putnam," 300 tons.

1807 - Brig "Collotta," 140 tons.

Col. Lord's wife was Miss Mary Selden, sister of Mrs. Dr. Spencer of Wood County, Virginia.

Their children were Sophia, Polly, Betsy, Temperance, Eliza, and Abner R. Sophia married George Cass of Muskingum County, and Polly married Jonathan Guitteau, Marietta. These marriages were on the 18th of May 1809. Betsy married Capt. Eliphalet Fraser, November 28, 1809;Temperance married Thomas Backus of Franklin County; Eliza married Major A. J. McDowell of Columbus, the father of Gen. Irvin McDowell, U.S. Army.

Abner R. Lord was a successful merchant in the city of New York, but was never married. He died many years since.

Capt. Fraser was killed by the explosion of a steamboat on the Mississippi River. He left two sons, James A. Fraser and Abner L. Fraser, both well known business men of Cincinnati, who are now living. Mrs. Fraser afterwards married Hon. Benjamin Tappen of Steubenville, some time U.S. Senator from Ohio.

Col. Lord was married a second time, to Miss Ely of New York. They had three daughters: Phebe D. was married to Dr. Andrews of Steubenville; Sarah C. was married to John Ely of New York; and Mary S. who died without marrying, at the age of 20.

Col. Lord removed from Marietta about 1811, to Franklin County, Ohio, where he died in 1821.

A.T.N.