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.
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