Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Halloween at Marietta College

 The College Olio, November 17, 1883

It is the general opinion that Halloween carryings on are utterly useless and barren of results. For the past twenty years there has been a regular programme for the night, which has been more or less strictly adhered to. The evening is begun by four class suppers, after which each class marches to the campus, accompanied by the music of two-cent tin horns. A fire is next kindled with boxes, barber poles and other paraphernalia collected on Front Street. Then follows a rope pull between the Sophomores and Freshmen. The rest of the evening is consumed in successful or futile efforts of the lower classes to burn each other in effigy. For several years this programme has not been fully carried out. This year the solitude of the Dormitory was undisturbed except by Freshman tin music. In all probability this is the last year Halloween will be celebrated.

The most cruel deed that was done Halloween by the boys was to frighten several of the young ladies of the city, who had assembled just across the street from the Campus, from carrying into execution their long-formed plans. They had intended to consult the oracles that night in regard to their future by walking around a square at midnight and performing various other superstitious acts. However, as the boys made their appearance about that hour, the young ladies dispersed to their homes.


Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Resurrection of Pioneers

The Marietta Register, November 2, 1871:

The City Council recently passed an order for the removal of the remains of persons buried on the ridge just south of Oak Grove Cemetery. This ridge was the site of the first burial ground in Marietta, laid out as a cemetery by the Ohio Company at the foundation of the city, in 1788. It was abandoned as a cemetery about seventy years ago.

During the Indian War, 1791-95, this ground, being in an exposed situation, was forsaken and burials were made on the brow of the sand hill, now dug off, just above Wooster Street on the line of Third. March 13, 1791, Capt. Joseph Rogers, one of the spies or rangers of the garrison at Campus Martius, was killed by the Indians on the side hill above the present residence of William R. Putnam. His body was brought in the next day and buried in Third Street, then unimproved.

A daughter of Gov. St. Clair, named Margaret, a son of Maj. Ezra Putnam, Matthew Kerr, killed by Indians June 17, 1791, and probably James Wells and wife and daughter and others who died of small pox in 1793, and W. Moulton, with others, were buried there. About the year 1839 the remains of most of these were exhumed and re-interred in Mound Cemetery. There were some graves still remaining immediately back of Third Street as late as 1849.

Gen. Benjamin Tupper, who died in 1792, was buried under an apple tree between Third and Fourth streets, opposite the Quadranaou, on Warren Street, also a child of Col. Ichabod Nye and at a later date, Maj. Anselm Tupper. But these remains were removed to Mound Cemetery about 1820.

After the Indian War there were other burials on the ridge, in the original cemetery, which was abandoned in 1801 on the opening of Mound Cemetery. How many were buried there, it is impossible now to tell, as no record has been preserved and even the names of most have been lost. As complete a list as we can now make out: 
  A little daughter of Col. Nathaniel Cushing, aged 13 [months], died August 25, 1788, the first death in Marietta. 
  Gen. James Mitchell Varnum, Director in the Ohio Company, died of consumption January 10, 1789. 
  Several children died of measles in November, 1789. 
  Mr. Welch landed from a boat bound for Kentucky and died of small pox January, 1790. Eight persons who died of small pox, brought here by Mr. Welch. 
  Mrs. Rowena Sargent died in 1790, daughter of Gen. Benjamin Tupper, married February 6, 1789, in Campus Martius by Gen. Rufus Putnam (a judge) to Col. Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of the Ohio Company, also of the Northwest Territory - the first marriage here.
  Mrs. Shepard, first wife of Col. Enoch Shepard.
  Mrs. Clark, first wife of Maj. John Clark, also a son of hers, perhaps 12 years old.
  Capt. Josiah Monroe, a member of the Ohio Company, coming here with the first forty-eight who landed April 7, 1788. He was appointed the first Postmaster in 1794, was a Justice of the Peace, lived and kept the Post Office near where the store of Bosworth, Wells & Co. now stands, and from him was named Monroe Street, running there from Front to Muskingum.
  Also Mr. Boutelle, who came here as a Tutor in the College and within three weeks died of small pox June 13, 1835, in a cabin near this ridge, was buried there.

The remains of Capt. Monroe were removed to Mound Cemetery last winter. The work of exhuming the remains was faithfully done, as well as could be at this date, last week and the week before, under the direction of William Warren, who opened twenty-six graves and re-interred the remains in twenty-six newly made graves in two rows on an elevated and beautiful lot in Oak Grove Cemetery. The appearance of some graves there was probably entirely obliterated, certainly that of all the children, their small bodies not causing enough of falling in of the earth to distinguish the spot. Stones had been erected at several of the graves, but time and the want of care had broken or removed or defaced all, so no inscription could now be seen. None of the twenty-six could be certainly identified, except the remains of Gen. Varnum and Mr. Boutelle. In Gen. Varnum's grave were found four handsome vest buttons of gilt and dark blue glass. He was very stylish in his dress.

The coffins had generally gone to dust, although in several cases the shape was clearly defined. Of those made of black walnut, parts were taken out of about the firmness of moss. The wrought nails of the early coffins were found, with the hinges, and the cut nails of the coffin of Mr. Boutelle of later date. In one case a brass pin was distinctly seen on the top of a skull, where it had been placed in pinning a handkerchief, but on touching it crumbled to dust. The hair was found, but in a decayed state mixed with the earth. The skulls were generally taken out whole, with many sound teeth, also most of the large bones of the arms and legs.

The Marietta Register, December 7, 1871:

Mr. A. T. Nye gives us the following additional names of persons buried in the old Cemetery, and probably among those whose remains were recently removed to Oak Grove, viz: Dr. William Pitt Putnam and Miss Abigail Gleason. Dr. Putnam's widow, who was a sister of Miss Gleason, married Gen. Edward W. Tupper, who became a well known citizen of Gallipolis. Dr. Putnam was a brother of the late David Putnam, Sr., of Harmar, and a grandson of Maj. Gen. Israel Putnam. Also Hiram, son of Gen. Joseph Buell, who died at three years of age in 1797, was as we suppose, buried there.

 

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

New Washing Machine

The Marietta Intelligencer, June 18, 1846

Certificates.

Belpre, Ohio, Nov. 12, 1845.
We have used Mr. Clark's Washington Machine, and find it superior to any that we have used, cleansing the clothes with less ware and labor.
Edwin Guthrie
Hugh Wiley
Seymour Clough

Tupper's Plains, Nov. 15, 1845
I have used Mr. Clark's Washing Machine and find it superior to any that I have ever used. The saving of labor is equal to one half, and without any ware to clothes; when washed they are much cleaner.
Susan Green

This may certify that we have been using Mr. Nathaniel Clark's Washing Machine for about six months, and find it to be superior to any other that we have ever had. My wife says that it saves half of the labor, and it makes the clothes much cleaner.
Marietta, Nov. 24, 1845. Joseph Kelly

This is to certify that Mr. Nathaniel Clark, of Marietta, Washington county, O. left with my wife a Metallic Washing Machine, which he claims as his own invention. On using it in my family, I was informed by my wife that it answered a much better purpose than one made of wood, or any wooden one that she ever had used. In consequence thereof, I recommend the same pattern to the public, for its superiority to any other machine whatever.
Marietta, O. Nov. 24, 1845. J. Gabaudan

My family have one of Mr. Clark's Washing Machines in use, and fully concur in the above recommendation.
William Holden

I have had one of Mr. Clark's Machines in use in my family, and find it to be superior to any other machine we ever used or saw in use.
Marietta, Dec. 16 1845. John O. Cram.

We fully concur in the above. It is an excellent machine for the purpose named.
A. L. Guitteau
S. P. Hildreth
Clark Middleeswart
Owen Franks
William Fay
B. F. Dyar
Selden N. Merriam
John Swift
Charlotte Cockings
E. Gates
Robert Lyon
Eliza Jennings

This is to certify that I have seen used most kinds of Washing Machines; but the Washing Machine that Mr. N. Clark has invented is the best that I have seen. My wife says she can wash clothes as clean with his machine, without boiling, as she can with the old fashion with boiling, and they look much cleaner, and it saves one half the labor and soap.
Darius Towsley, of Marietta, O.

A supply of these Machines may be found at W. Holden's Store, or at the Shop of the manufacturer, in Marietta.

N. Clark
June 17, 1846


Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Mariettan's Song Will Be Dedicated Tonight at Armory to Ohio Soldiers

The Marietta Daily Times, October 8, 1940

William H. H. Gantz of 521 Third Street has written the music for a beautiful poem, "There Is a Valley in Ohio," that was published in The Times recently, and that is suggestive of the romantic lore of the Muskingum Valley. The new song will be sung for the first time in public at the farewell party for the boys of Company A, 166th Infantry, at the Armory tonight, when Marietta Post No. 64, American Legion, sponsors the event.

William H. Schneider, past district commander of the American Legion, has made arrangements for the introduction of the song, the words of which were written by H. A. Burns of Baltimore, traveling agent for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, who jotted down the verses while traveling down the Muskingum Valley over the O. & L. K. Division of the B. & O. system. He expressed his appreciation of one of the finest and most beautiful parts of the world in a real classic.

Gantz, who writes music for pastime and pleasure, saw the lyric in The Times and obtained permission from Burns to set the words to music. The railroad official was in Marietta on Monday and heard the song played and sung and was much impressed.

The Jones Harmony Quartet will sing the song at the Company A party tonight, and there will be its dedication to the soldier boys of Ohio. Printed copies have been made by Hyde Brothers and they will be distributed at the party this evening.

H. A. Burns, who is a personal friend of Governor George White, gave the poem to Governor White as the lines were penned on the train. Governor White recognized their merit and he brought them to The Times.