Old Marietta Papers - Number 9

The Marietta Register, November 20, 1863

"Old Marietta Papers" was a series of columns compiled and published in 1863 and 1864 by Rodney M. Stimson, editor of "The Marietta Register." 

March 15, 1816, the "American Friend" first issued under the sole charge of the late Royal Prentiss, he having bought out his late partners T. & D. H. Buell. He announced that the paper would continue Republican, with "Truth its guide, Liberty its object." In its second issue Mr. Prentiss declared himself decidedly in favor of James Monroe for "the next President."

The year 1816 has been distinguished as "the cold year." April 19, the Friend says: "On Sunday last we were visited by a severe snow storm, and the night following by a severe frost. The prospects of fruit are entirely cut off. The weather still continues very cold."

May 17, 1816, it was announced that the Ohio Penitentiary was "filling up very fast," and contained 16 convicts! Think of the 800 today! There were none from Washington County.

A visit to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, in April, 1816, is related in a long letter published in the Friend by the late Nahum Ward. 

July 20, 1816, Nathan Cole of Warren, in a state of insanity, committed suicide by throwing himself into a well.

Sept. 2, 1816, William Reece was killed in Newport by a stick of timber falling on him at the raising of a barn.

Sept. 20, 1816, the store of Joseph Holden was broken open and robbed of between $100 and $200 in cash.

"David Putnam, Esq., raised in his garden this season a radish weighing 21 lbs., and 32 inches in circumference."

Levi Davis was tried for the murder of a stranger who was found floating down the river about a mile and a half below town. On the night of Aug. 8, 1816, Davis had started down the river in a canoe with this stranger; both had been drinking freely. Davis was sentenced to the Penitentiary for 21 years.

HORRID ACCIDENT - Under this head is related the explosion of the steamboat Washington, opposite Harmar, on the morning of June 5, 1816. It was a new boat, commanded by Capt. Shreve; left Wheeling Monday morning; "safely came to anchor opposite Point Harmar about 7 o'clock Tuesday evening"; the fires were kindled Wednesday morning, preparatory to starting, and soon it exploded and "spread death and torture in every direction"; seven persons lost their lives and ten others were scalded, some of them very badly; the town was alarmed by the explosion; six or eight of the victims "were nearly skinned from head to feet"; six died Wednesday night and were buried on Thursday, attended by a large concourse of citizens.

Among the badly scalded was Notley Drown; but he recovered to meet his death in a similar manner nearly fifteen years afterwards. He was killed by the explosion of the steamboat Tri-Color, April 19, 1831, at Wheeling, aged 35. Mr. Drown was Captain of the Tri-Color and was a resident of Harmar. His son, Capt. H. H. Drown, is the present well known and highly popular commander of the Marietta and Cincinnati packet, Bostona No. 2. 

Capt. Shreve was but slightly injured. The boat remained nearly three weeks for repairs, then left for the Mississippi.

ELECTION 1816 - Very light vote in this county. For Governor, Thomas Worthington, 360; James Dunlap, 225. For Congress, Levi Barber, 521; Edward W. Tupper, 47; Henry Brush, 17; John A. Fulton, 7. For Representatives, Sardine Stone, 535; and Robert Sinzee, 536, both elected without opposition. For Sheriff, Timothy Buell, 526; John Clark, 43; Alexander Hill, 28. For Commissioner, Titan Kimble, 441; Nathaniel Hamilton, 168. For Coroner, Sampson Cole, 525; A. Hamilton, 27. The district elected Levi Barber to Congress.

The Presidential Election took place November 1, 1816. The Friend of the week before contained no allusion to the fact, except the Sheriff's proclamation; and that published the week after contains no returns whatever. Two weeks after, the statement is made that but 42 votes were given in Marietta Township for Electors for President and Vice President, and but very few in the county. At previous elections Marietta had polled 170 votes. No public interest was felt in this election. The Federalist party was dead, and there was but slight opposition to the election of Mr. Monroe. Only 24 votes were given at Cincinnati, as the Friend learns. Ross County did not give 300 votes in all.

MARRIAGES in 1816:

January 21, Michael Gard and Clarissa Baker, both of Union.

April 7, Solomon Lewis and Miss Sarah White, both of Wooster (Watertown).

May 1, Joseph L. Reckard to Miss Delila Jennings, both of Marietta.

August 21, Henry Clark and Patty Herrington, both of Marietta.

August 15, John P. Mayberry, Attorney at Law, of Parkersburg, and Miss Lucy Fearing, of Harmar. 

August 27, John Corp and Elizabeth Dodd, both of Marietta.

September 22, George Dana and Deborah Fisher, in Belpre.

November 21, Zebulon Jennings and Betsey Maxon.

November 26, E. S. McIntosh of Marietta and Elizabeth Seeley of Waterford.

DEATHS in 1816:

Gen. Joseph M. Wilcox died in the beginning of the year, date not given.

May 10, H. W. Noble, Esq., formerly of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a highly esteemed merchant.

October 1, in Adams, Joshua Sprague, Sen., in his 89th year.

October 4, in Union, Sprague's granddaughter, Mrs. Cynthia Olney, in her 20th year.

ADVERTISERS in 1816 - Some notes from the advertisements in 1816, as follows: March 20, Nahum Ward offers "prime Ohio Bottom," opposite Guyandotte, at $15 per acre; land now worth $100 or more. John Platt, choice fruit trees for sale in Marietta. April 10, Bank of Marietta, A. Henderson, Cashier. April 25, Nathaniel Dodge "has put the rope-walk on Point Harmar in motion"; also Henry L. Prentiss "has put the old rope-walk (formerly occupied by Giles Hempstead) in motion." Elias Colby, blacksmith, at Harmar. June 11, J. & A. Cunningham, tailors, Marietta; and June 21, A. Fuller, sadler.

Boy's Revolver Cracks in Crowded Theatre and Adds Thrill to Western Picture

 The Marietta Daily Times, February 20, 1926

A touch of the realistic was injected into the make-believe of a roaring western melodrama at the Lyric theatre on Friday evening when a 13-year-old boy discharged a revolver in the middle of a capacity audience. The bullet from the gun tore through the skirt of an overcoat worn by Glen Andrews, a Junior High school student, passed on through the leg of his trousers, struck a seat iron and glanced harmlessly to the floor. No one was injured.

Johnny Kidd, son of Fremont Kidd of Cisler's Ridge, had possession of the gun, a harmless-looking weapon of 22-calibre. It was in his trousers pocket, he declares, when it was discharged, and he says the whole thing was an accident. Johnny was slated to explain matters to the juvenile court on Saturday.

The chance shot was fired shortly after 7 o'clock, and the theatre was packed. "The Riddle Rider," one of those western pictures with Indians and cowboys and wild-riding heroes and an appealing heroine was on the screen. It is a serial that the Lyric is running and just as the story reached a thrilling climax and the audience was keyed to the highest pitch of excitement, the gun cracked and the smell of real powder was wafted over the crowed.

The management called for the police and a whole squad of bluecoats responded. They pressed into the theatre and wormed their way through the crowd, finally discovering the boy with the gun. He was taken to headquarters and there told his story to Lieutenant Mills. He couldn't account for the firing of the gun and insisted that he wasn't even touching the weapon when it "took a fool notion to explode."

Judge Fleming of the juvenile court was called to headquarters and after questioning the Kidd boy, he sent him home with an agreement that he would report in court on Saturday.

The lad lives north of the city near the old Cole farm, and he and a twin brother attend the Lyric theatre regularly. "We always try to be there on Friday nights to see "The Riddle Rider," he told the judge. "It's a good picture and we like it. Several nights when we have walked to our home in the country, persons in automobiles along the Glendale hill road have shot at us, so I decided to get a gun. I bought the weapon of Chuck Camden of Norwood, giving him 50 cents for it. I got shells for it out of my father's rifle at home. I have carried the gun for a week or 10 days.

Johnny is a small boy for his years, is a student at Junior High school, and this is the first time that he has been in trouble. His chief concern on Friday evening was the worry his experience would bring to his parents.

Old Marietta Papers - Number 8

The Marietta Register, November 13, 1863

"Old Marietta Papers" was a series of columns compiled and published in 1863 and 1864 by Rodney M. Stimson, editor of "The Marietta Register."

The following comprises all that we can glean from the "American Friend" for the years 1814 and 1815, that will interest our readers:

Saturday, Jan. 1, 1814, D. H. Buell assumed editorial control of the paper, which was now published by the firm of "T. & D. H. Buell," Mr. Everett, a partner with them for eight months, during which he was the editor, having died the week before. We shall give some account of the Buells in another article.

April 16, 1814, the name of the late Royal Prentiss first appears as one of the publishers of the Friend - the firm being "T. & D. H. Buell and R. Prentiss."

Feb. 15, 1814, Lieut. Joseph M. Wilcox of the regular U. S. Army was killed by Indians on the Alabama River in his 24th year. He was a son of Gen. Joseph Wilcox of Marietta and entered West Point Military Academy in 1807. He was sent down the Alabama River on a perilous expedition in command of three picked men in a canoe. After being out two days, they landed to escape 10 Indians in a canoe, but the Indians landed; they beat off the Indians, killing two of them. They wandered about in the woods to escape, went through swamps, and finally returned to the river and began building a raft, one of their men having deserted them. Just as their raft was done, the three men were attacked by eight Indians. They made a desperate resistance, and after Lieut. Wilcox was shot through the body and mortally wounded, he rushed on an Indian, knocked him down with his rifle and threw him into the river. Corporal Simpson was wounded in the knee. The other man crept into a cane brake. The Indians split the skulls of Lieut. Wilcox and the Corporal, having first scalped them, and just then a detachment came in sight, but too late to save the lives of the gallant Lieutenant and Corporal; they rescued the man in the cane brake.

May 7, 1814, Mathew Hungerford died, having been mortally injured a day or two before by a limb of a tree falling on his head while chopping in the woods near Marietta.

May 17, 1814, John Glidden was instantly killed in Fearing by a stick of timber falling on him at the raising of a house.

May 21, 1814, the Friend gives an account of a "reported highway robbery," 10th inst., near Graham's Station, now Racine, Meigs County. Abraham Youngkin was bringing $1,915 from J. C. McFarland at Charleston, Kanawha, to Joseph Holden in Marietta. He "reported" that he had been robbed. Afterwards $1,817 of the money was accidentally discovered where it had been secreted in Marietta. The Friend "forbears to comment," &c.

July 4, 1814 - celebrated by the "Republican citizens" at the Congregational Church. Declaration read by Col. Levi Barber, then Clerk of the Court. Oration by Isaac Humphreys, Esq. Dinner at the house of John Brough Esq. The committee of arrangements consisted of William Skinner, Joseph Holden and R. C. Barton.

March 30, 1815, Samuel McClintick, "a respectable citizen of this town," was drowned a short distance below Harmar, leaving a numerous family.

April, 1815, Samuel Hoit succeeded Griffin Greene as Postmaster of Marietta.

June 1, 1815, the ferry-boat attached to a rope across the Muskingum and propelled by the current, crossing in high water, was sunk by the force of the current and mismanagement of the ferry-man, having on board H. L. Prentiss and a black servant girl who lived with Gen. Wilcox. The girl was drowned. The others escaped.

July 4, 1815 - celebrated by "the Republican citizens." Procession formed in front of Joseph Holden's store under Chief Marshal R. C. Barton. Marched to the M. E. Church. Declaration read by Dr. Hildreth. Oration by D. H. Buell, Esq. Dinner at the house of John Brough, Esq.; Joseph Wood presided. Speaking of the oration by D. H. Buell, the committee of arrangements (Joseph Holden, Levi Barber, J. B. Regnier, S. P. Hildreth and R. C. Barton) in their report say that "for classical elegance, correctness of delineation, and the pure spirit of Republicanism which it breathed, it has rarely been equaled and never excelled in the Western country."

ELECTIONS - For the election in 1814, the Republicans of this county nominated John Sharp and Jehiel Gregory (the latter of Athens) for Representatives; Timothy Buell for Sheriff; Joseph Holden for Commissioner; and Silas Cook for Coroner. Capt. Buell declined to be re-elected Sheriff, and Capt. Alexander Hill was nominated instead; Joseph Holden declined to be Commissioner, and Daniel Goodno was nominated in his place, for re-election. The Federalists nominated Joseph Barker and Silas Bingham for Representatives; John Clark for Sheriff; Joshua Shipman for Commissioner; and Moses McFarland for Coroner.

The county went Republican, as it had usually done. The vote for Sheriff stood - Capt. Alexander Hill, 462. Maj. John Clark, 397. Total vote of Washington county, 870.

For Representative in Congress - William Creighton, Jr., of Chillicothe, received 509 votes. Levin Belt, 361. Athens County gave Creighton 212; Belt 106.

In 1815, John Sharp of this county, Republican, was elected to the State Senate, beating the late Deacon William R. Putnam 127 in Washington County and 175 in Athens. Henry Jolly of this county and Robert Linzee of Athens were elected Representatives over Joseph Barker and Alvin Bingham. William Skinner was elected Commissioner over Caleb Emerson. Total vote of Washington County, 817.

Marietta voted for Senator, Sharp, Republican, 121; Putnam, Federalist, 49.

MARRIAGES:

Dec. 30, 1813, Richard Alcock and Wealthy Buell, both of Marietta.

Jan. 2, 1814, Rufus P. Stone of Belpre and Eliza Barker of Union.

Feb. 13, 1814, Nathaniel Smith and Jemima Broom, both of Marietta.

March 20, 1814, Levi Cole and Sally Duncan, both of Marietta.

April 7, 1814, Abraham Payne and Philomelia Pixely, both of Marietta.

Oct. 29, 1814, by John Brough, Esq. (father of Gov. Brough), N. Bishop and Elizabeth Giles, both of Marietta.

Oct. 30, 1814, Reuben Cartwright and Catherine Protsman, both of Marietta.

Nov. 3, 1814, Capt. Jason R. Curtis and Polly Clark (parents of William F. Curtis), both of Marietta.

Dec. 1, 1814, Frances R. Stanley of Fearing and Nancy Payne of Salem.

Dec. 15, 1814, Ezra Chapman and Mary Conner, both of Marietta.

Dec. 22, 1814, Robert Wells and Hannah Case, both of Marietta. 

March 12, 1815, Capt. Nathaniel Olney of Union and Mary Smith of Adams.

April 6, [1815], Col. Robert C. Barton and Rachel B. Van Duyn, both of Marietta.

May 25, 1815, Francis Thierry and Fanny Blake, both of Marietta.

Sept. 6, [1815], in Wooster (Watertown), Peter Taylor and Margaret Ashcroft.

Oct. 12, 1815, Eli Iams and Catherine Crawford (parents of R. P. Iams), both of Marietta.

DEATHS:

March 29, 1814, Didier Gevrez, a native of France, aged 52.

April 7, 1814, Mrs. Polly Cole, wife of Samson Cole, "an amiable woman."

May 4, 1814, in Belpre, Mrs. Eunice Curtis, wife of Capt. Eleazer Curtis, aged 48.

May 9, 1814, Abigail Hoyt, wife of Benajah Hoyt, aged 59.

May 24, 1814, in Fearing, John Amlin, a native of Germany, aged 77.

May 29, 1814, Roswell Buell, eldest son of Capt. Timothy Buell, aged 19.

June 26, 1814, Jonathan Delong of Salem, aged 55.

Aug. 14, 1814, in Belpre, Col. Nathaniel Cushing, aged 57, and on the 26th, his wife Elizabeth, aged 61, both of fever; moved from Massachusetts in 1788, and the obituary states: "Long will the loss of this once happy pair be regretted by their neighbors and acquaintances. So long as virtue remains will their characters be esteemed."

Jan. 29, 1815, in Harmar, Isaac Mixer, tavern keeper, aged 78.

March 12, 1815, in Newport, Mrs. Elizabeth miner, wife of Capt. Matthew Miner, aged 45.

April 16, 1815, Charles Wells, Esq., of Tyler County, [West] Virginia, who had lived on the frontiers 40 years, aged 70.

May 2, 1815, in Adams, Mrs. Sabra Sprague, wife of Jonathan Sprague, aged 48.

October 31, 1815, in Washington, Kentucky, Joseph Bates of Marietta, aged 36.

July 16, 1815, Artemas Sawyer, Esq., died in Marietta, a lawyer and a native of Sterling, Massachusetts.

Aug. 7, 1815, Gordius G. Pierce, son of Stephen Pierce, in his 23d year.

ADVERTISERS - Among the advertisers in the years 1814 and 1815, we notice J. Mason, teacher of penmanship; James White, new mill on Duck Creek in Fearing; Robert McCabe & Co., shoemakers; H. Cole, tailor; Jonathan Devol & Carlisle, clothiers in Union; Capt. T. Buell requests the Washington County Volunteers who were in service in 1813 to meet at Stephen Shepard's tavern; Joseph Holden, in trade, Marietta, also James Whitney & Co., Harmar; Capt. Alexander Hill, Sept. 10, 1814, re-opens his public house at the old stand on Greene Street, having retired from the U. S. service; Skinner & Chambers, in trade, Harmar; Elisha Rose and Oren Newton, clothiers in Newport; James Stanley, clothier in Fearing; Jonathan Guitteau & Co., merchants; Woodbridge & Pierce, merchants; and H. W. Noble & Co., merchants; the late Dudley Woodbridge being in all of these firms.

The "Marietta Races" were advertised to take place on the Commons, Nov. 10, 1814 - a purse of $70 for four mile heats, on the second day, $30 for two mile heats, on the third day for "a handsome sweepstake," one mile heats. "N. B. No person will be permitted to erect a tent or sell liquors on the ground who is not a subscriber to the amount of $5."

The "Marietta Moral Society" notified to meet at the "new Congregational meeting house," Nov. 14, 1814.

Jan. 19, 1815, Griffin Greene, P.M., offers a reward of $150 for the detection and conviction of person or persons who broke open the mail between Marietta and Athens, Dec. 18, 1814. Jan. 28, 1815, law card of Porter Converse to practice in Marietta; and Feb. 4, medical card of Dr. Charles  A. Newton in Newport. April 13, 1815, Bank of Marietta, D. S. Chambers, Cashier; also D. J. Burr, Harmar, offers his flock of 91 merino sheep for sale, household furniture, &c. Lieut. Andrew Fisher, tavern, in Harmar. Samuel Jellison, tailor, in Marietta. June 2, 1815, dissolution of partnership in trade of Weston Thomas and Philip Cubbage. Ambrose Stewart, Harmar, blacksmith; and John Dodge, Waterford, wool carding.

July 27, 1815, Augustus Stone, Harmar, offers $100 reward for the robber who broke open his store and stole $360. Oliver Record to make edge tools in Marietta.

The 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3d Division, Ohio Militia, was ordered to parade on the Commons in Marietta, Sept. 2, 1815, by Col. Augustus Stone. The Regimental Staff consisted of Rev. S. P. Robbins, Chaplain; Dr. S. P. Hildreth, Surgeon; G. S. B. Hempstead, Surgeon's Mate; Jesse Davis, Paymaster; William Pitt Putnam, Adjutant; Daniel G. Stanley, Quartermaster; Stephen Devol, Sergt. Major; Weston Thomas, Quartermaster Sergeant; William Henry Shipman, Fife Major; John Matthews, Drum Major. John Thornily was Major. We are not advised who was the Lieut. Colonel.

Nov. 24, 1815, the late Dr. John Cotton inserted his medical card, stating that he had taken his residence in Harmar and would "faithfully and punctually attend to any business in the line of his profession."

So ends our notes for two years from the American Friend (1814 and 1815) and in the entire two years there was not more local matter than is often contained in a single number of The Marietta Register of this day.

Injunction Against the City

The Marietta Register, September 29, 1871

The Council of Marietta broke ground a few days ago on the lower end of the Common, on Front Street above Putnam, for the erection of a City Building, to contain the Mayor's Office, Council Chamber, Police Office, City Prison, Firemen's Hall and Engine Room - whereupon two applications were made to the Court for an injunction to stop the city from the work, one on the part of M. D. Follett and other citizens, the other by Weston Thomas, David Barber, and F. a. Wheeler, Trustees for land granted in Washington County for religious purposes.

The cases were heard before Judge E. A. Guthrie at the Court House, Thursday, September 21st.

It was claimed on part of the citizens, plaintiffs, that the ground named on which the city was about to erect this building, had been for more than three-quarters of a century left open and used for public amusements; that the citizens asking for the injunction had taken the titles to their lots fronting on the Common with the understanding that it was to be kept open for public ornament and amusement, and had a right to have it kept open; that it having in the grant been given for a Common, its use could not be diverted to any other purpose. The defense denied and claimed the right of the city to use the grounds for public buildings, as within the grant for a "Common." 

The Court granted a temporary injunction on this application, enjoining M. H. Needham, W. W. McCoy, and others, contractors and builders, from proceeding with the work. Knowles, Alban, Ewart and Follett, counsel for plaintiffs; City Solicitor R. L. Nye, and Nye & Richardson for defendant.

For the Trustees, it was claimed that they had Section 29 in Town 2 and Range 8, part of which falls within the corporate limits of Marietta, a portion left open as the Common in question, on which the city was now about to erect the building for municipal purposes. Questions, whether the Trustees had any powers as such, and any powers over this Common, and what were powers of the city over the same, involving not only the legal title, but the duties of the Trustees.

The Court overruled the application for a temporary injunction in this case, and leaves the application for a perpetual injunction, on final hearing. Knowles, Alban & Hamilton, for plaintiffs; Nye & Richardson, for defense.

Old Marietta Papers - Number 7

The Marietta Register, November 6, 1863

"Old Marietta Papers" was a series of columns compiled and published in 1863 and 1864 by Rodney M. Stimson, editor of "The Marietta Register."

Our notes from the "American Friend" are continued. In No. 2, May 1, 1813, appear four advertisements only. D. Woodbridge, Jr., advertises "a general assortment of merchandise"; H. W. Noble & Co., "English, India, and Domestic Goods"; R. Putnam, Capt., notifies the members of the "Washington Independent Military Company" to meet at the Court House; and Alexander Hill, Capt. 27th Reg., U. S. Infantry," advertises for raising a full company in the counties of Washington, Athens and Gallia - to fight in the war with Great Britain. We cannot get another item out of this paper, except that Timothy Buell, Sheriff, publishes a proclamation for an election of a Representative in Congress in place of Duncan McArthur, resigned.

May 8, 1813, new advertisers appear - Dodge & Co., (Capt. Nathaniel Dodge) "imported and domestic goods"; Daniel Greene & Col, a "New Store at Capt. T. Buell's house"; and E. B. Merwin & Co., "dry goods and groceries." Five stores were now advertised in Marietta. Two stores in Harmar are advertised, that of Augustus Stone, and that of James Whitney & Co. B. F. Stone, Adm'r. de bonis non, advertises "all the real estate of Jonathan Devol, late of Waterford," for sale. That was over half a century ago, yet Augustus Stone still lives in Harmar at the age of 83, and B. F. Stone in Marietta, 81.

The first marriages announced in the Friend are in No. 3 - D. H. Buell, married April 18, 1813, to Miss Phebe Ward of Belpre; and May 1st, Thomas Alcock to Miss Sally Wells of Virginia.

We cannot gain an item from the next six papers, except we learn the Anthony Sheets was then a Justice of the Peace in Grandview Township, and Amos Porter in Salem Township; and Wheelock, Fuller and Sadler advertise that "the Cat's Creek Mills in Adams are in operation." Russel Fuller, on of the partners, is still living in Marietta Township, aged 77.

In the Friend of June 26, 1813, is the first and only "local item" published in ten weeks (and none for ten weeks after), except three or four marriages and a few advertisements. It is: "His excellency Governor Meigs arrived in town on Thursday from his late journey to the westward."

Died, in Newport, May 27, 1813, John Greene, Esq., aged 69 years and 6 months, formerly of Warwick, Rhode Island; and married, June 13, Jasher Taylor and Elizabeth Hill, both of Newport.

July 21, 1813, J. B. Boon (as it is here spelt) advertises $40 reward for his "negro man Sam," who ran away from him in Greenup County, Kentucky. This was Judge Jesse B. Boone, who then lived a mile above Greenupsburg and was a son of the famous Col. Daniel Boone.

No item in reference to celebration on the 4th of July, except notice was given that David Everett, Esq., was appointed to deliver an oration, and the "Washington County Volunteers" were "requested to attend."

Daniel Goodno and Henry Jolly, Commissioners, publish an "Exhibit of the Receipts and Expenditures of the County for the year ending June 1, 1813" - total i$1571.35; expenditures the same.

Aug. 21, 1813, Jonathan Guitteau & Co. advertise "a fresh supply of family medicines."

From record of Court Martial in Marietta, we learn that James Mann was Colonel of Militia, D. H. Buell, Adjutant. Also Joseph Palmer was Justice of the Peace in Wesley.

No paper, except one half a sheet, was issued from Sept. 18, to Oct. 23, and the announcement of sickness of hands in the office is the second "local item" we have found, not an advertisement except a very few marriages and deaths.

Oct. 23, 1813, Robert Wells, Jr., advertises cabinet making in the shop lately occupied by Maj. Alexander Hill. Gen. Rufus Putnam was President of the "Ohio Bible Society."

October Election, 1813 - returns published, Oct. 30 - the first notice in the paper that there was any election at all; not a word of any description in regard to the election until these returns, two weeks and four days after the election, yet the Friend at that time was not a "neutral" paper, but advocated the principles of the Republican party of that day.

In electing members of the Legislature, Washington and Athens counties were then closed together. Stone and Hatch (what Stone and what Hatch the paper does not say) were elected Representatives. They were Republicans. The candidates for the Senate were Woodbridge and Putnam, the former Republican, the latter Federalist. It was William Woodbridge, who died a year or two ago in Michigan (U. S. Senator 1841-47) and the late Deacon William R. Putnam.

The vote stood for Woodbridge, in Washington 416, in Athens 228; for Putnam in Washington 303, in Athens 115. Majority in the district for Woodbridge, 226. In later years, both were Whigs. The vote in the townships of this county was as follows:

Adams - Woodbridge, 24; Putnam, 24.

Belpre - Woodbridge, 3; Putnam, 61.

Deerfield (now in Morgan) - Woodbridge, 11; Putnam, 3.

Fearing - Woodbridge, 33; Putnam, 25.

Grandview - Woodbridge, 32; Putnam, 1.

Marietta - Woodbridge, 114; Putnam, 39.

Newport - Woodbridge, 30; Putnam, 19.

Roxbury (Palmer &c.) - Woodbridge, 29; Putnam, 7.

Salem - Woodbridge, 12; Putnam, 18.

Union - Woodbridge, 28; Putnam, 28.

Waterford - Woodbridge, 34; Putnam, 42.

Warren - Woodbridge, 25; Putnam, 8.

Wesley - Woodbridge, 21; Putnam, 7.

Wooster (Watertown) - Woodbridge, 20; Putnam, 30.

Total - Woodbridge, 416; Putnam, 303.

Oct. 22, 1813, William Kelley, and Fanny Cady, both of Marietta, were married. S. Fuller and J. Taylor had a Fulling Mill on Little Muskingum, and Thomas Stanley, one on Duck Creek. Joseph Wood was Register of the Land Office in Marietta. William Woodbridge, Joseph Holden and S. P. Hildreth were Directors of the "Marietta Cotton Factory," old building still standing on Putnam Street, between Fourth and Fifth.

Dec. 1, 1813, Moses McFarland advertises salt "for sale at $200 per bushel," on commission; and Elisha Frost "once more takes up the tailoring business."

Dec. 18, third "local item" in eight months appears - the announcement of the sickness of the editor.

Capt. John Thorniley advertises from Fort Stephenson, Lower Sandusky, for two deserters, one from Capt. J. Ford's company of drafted militia, and one from Capt. E. B. Dana's company.

The above is all that we can glean from the "American Friend," for the first eight months of its publication, that can interest anyone at this day.

  

Post for Colored Veterans

The Marietta Daily Times, March 18, 1947

Preliminary steps for organization of an American Legion post for colored veterans of Washington County were taken at a meeting held Monday night in the court house assembly room.

Harold Butler, 713 Ninth Street, was chosen temporary chairman and James Burke temporary secretary. These two officers will preside at a meeting of all county veterans to be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Second Street. The chairman, plus Donald Mason and Dwight Butler, were named as a committee to round up potential members.

There are approximately 130 colored veterans of World Wars I and II in Washington County, it was announced at the meeting, all eligible for membership in the proposed Legion post. Former members of local Legion posts for colored veterans were present at the Monday night meeting and several local vets now members of organizations in other cities announced their intention to join the Washington County post.

E. W. Stephan, county veterans' service officer, was chairman of the organization meeting. He introduced Ed Smith, field representative of the American Legion, and Fred Nolan of local veteran organizations, who talked on Legion work and veteran activities.

"There is a definite place in the Legion for you veterans," Field Representative Smith said "and there is work for you to do in your own community. We were all in service for the same purpose and we all now have the same problems to solve. This can only be accomplished by organization."

H. A. Dye, commander of Marietta Post No. 64, assured the colored veterans their organization would have the support and cooperation of local Legionnaires. Fred Nolan made the same statement for the Disabled Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars. A large group of local Legionnaires attended the meeting. Later war pictures were shown by representatives of the local Army recruiting station.

Old Marietta Papers - Number 6

The Marietta Register, October 30, 1863

"Old Marietta Papers" was a series of columns compiled and published in 1863 and 1864 by Rodney M. Stimson, editor of "The Marietta Register."

The late Caleb Emerson sold out his "Western Spectator," and the paper was continued under a new name - "American Friend" - which name was continued twenty years, from 1813 to 1833. The first number of the Friend belongs to the Register Office, together with scattering subsequent numbers. William S. Ward owns the complete files for the twenty years, bought from the late Royal Prentiss, who became connected with the paper in April, 1814, and remained in it nineteen years. Mr. Ward has kindly loaned us the files and we shall make notes therefrom as may interest our readers. It may here be remarked that Mr. Prentiss worked upon the first paper printed in Marietta - "The Ohio Gazette" - Nov. 30, 1801.

The "American Friend" was first issued April 24, 1813. It was edited by David Everett, Esq. Printed by T. G. Ransom for D. Everett, T. Buell and D. H. Buell. Price, $2.50 a year, payable half in advance. Its motto was that now so trite: "United we stand, Divided we fall."

David Everett was a native of New Hampshire. He read law at Amherst in that state and went to Boston, and there attained no little reputation as an editor. He had devoted himself to literary pursuits from his early years and was a very fine writer - independent and vigorous. He was the author of the lines so famous among school boys:

"You'd scarce expect one of my age

To speak in public on the stage;

If I should chance to fall below

Demosthenes or Cicero,

Don't view me with a critic's eye,

But pass my imperfections by;" &c.

Mr. Everett's health had failed somewhat, and he left Boston for a milder climate in January, 1813, and arrived in Marietta in the following March. He began his editorial labors here in April, but finished his earthly career within eight months. He died in this place, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 1813, of consumption, aged 44. He was buried with Masonic honors. Mrs. Everett died in New Ipswich, N. H., in January, 1859, having survived her husband over 45 years. She was a sister of Hon. Nathan Appleton, a distinguished merchant of Boston and Representative in Congress.

Mr. Everett was a Republican of that day and conducted the paper as a supporter of Madison's Administration; Mr. Emerson had conducted its predecessor, the "Western Spectator," as a Federalist paper. Marietta has never had, connected with its press, two writers of more ability than Caleb Emerson and David Everett; yet the labor of an editor of that time was but trifling compared with what is at present required - so great a variety is now demanded, so many news and local items, a single paragraph of six or ten lines taking half an hour, a whole hour, or even more, to chase down the facts. The old style of editing a paper was to write a single long article, perhaps two, or none at all, and fill up with some public document and a few selections, and in place of local matter there was column after column of foreign news, clipped bodily from Eastern papers - anything else but "home news."

The first number of the "American Friend" contains Mr. Everett's salutatory, a column in length; a leader upon "The War," that of 1812, nearly three columns; an article of two and a half columns on the "American War," from Cobbett's Weekly Political Register; several other articles of no interest at this day; and three advertisements - in all just 33 articles, items, and advertisements, of every description in the entire paper. A single column of the Register some times contains that many items, news or local, while our issue of last week, which had no more than an average, contained 290 separate articles, items, and advertisements.

Sacra Via Destroyed

The Marietta Republican, March 29, 1861:

Sacra Via has been destroyed; several thousand yards of earth have been cut away and made into brick by the retiring member of the Council from the Second Ward. It is pretty generally understood that he has never paid or offered to pay therefore. If this be true would it not be well for voters to ponder the matter well before consenting to return him again?

One of the most beautiful spots in our City has been destroyed by our iconoclastic Councilman, and though he cannot restore the view, he should be compelled to make some recompense for his vandalism. This of this, voters of the Second Ward. 

The Marietta Intelligencer, September 29, 1858:

The Marietta Mound and Earthworks.

In the New York Christian Inquirer we find a letter from this place, which we judge from the initials to have been written by a gentleman at present a temporary resident here. He writes upon the ancient works of Marietta. From his letter we make the following extracts:

Marietta - remarkable for its beautiful situation among the hills, at the confluence of the Ohio and the Muskingum, and for its college, the best in Ohio, and its Unitarian church, the most perfect, perhaps, as a work of art, in the West - is not less remarkable for its vestiges of a race of men of whom the most vague traditions is lost, the ancient mound-builders. The relics here are, with one exception, as remarkable as any in the Mississippi Valley. They are numerous and extensive, far more so than I had ever supposed. 

I knew that in coming to Marietta I was going to the very hear of the mound region, but I cannot picture to you my surprise and bewilderment when last week, on turning a corner, I came in sight of the burying-ground and saw rising in the very midst of the city of the dead, with faultless symmetry, one of the largest mounds of the West. I do not think I could have been more impressed with an unexpected view of the Egyptian Pyramids. In the midst of fresh graves it rises, the grave of the buried Past, a perfect cone, to the height of thirty feet. Some dozen of the largest Western trees are growing upon it, one an oak of great antiquity; but older yet are a few decaying trunks where trees of an unknown age once flourished and died.

When Marietta was settled, all the earthworks were covered with a dense forest; now the trees remain but upon two. I shall have something to say by-and-by of the desecration to which they have been subjected.

A detailed account of the Mound and Elevated Square follows, and the letter thus concludes:

All these works lie on a plateau above the valley of the Muskingum, a fair and grassy plain. There is one other work which to me was as marked as any. I mean the Sacra Via, or Covered Way, as the people generally term it. 

From the larger square on the plateau there leads to the river's banks one of the most imposing of roads. It is about seven hundred feet long and lies between two artificial banks, which are in the highest place some twenty feet high. The centre of this road is raised and gracefully rounded. At the foot of the banks this Sacra Via is one hundred and fifty feet wide; from the top of the banks across it is two hundred and thirty feet. Probably nowhere in the world can a finer relic of ancient roadmaking be found.

As I stood on the banks of the Muskingum and let my eye run up this masterly ancient road, and in my mind saw it thronged with the men of an ancient civilization, passing to and from their religious rites on the plateau above, and saw the altars smoking with the victims, and the mound overshadowed with the Divine presence which they adored, I felt that this communing with the Spirit of the Past had richly paid me for my visit West; for the desire to be for a time among these scenes had been one motive in inducing me to spend a few months in Ohio.

There is one great drawback here, just as there is wherever the Present comes in contact with the Past. The utilitarian spirit of the day is here before me and is doing its customary work. It does seem a sacrilege to see a miserable modern Warren Street, running up and down the middle of the magnificent Sacra Via, and to see a road cut directly through the banks which form the sides of it, in order to accommodate the wants of a tannery.

A German colony, too, has located itself on the site of the smaller square, and with making cellars and ploughing gardens and laying out streets, the day is close at hand when not a vestige of it will be seen. The Sacra Via is already harmed beyond telling by the roads which I have mentioned. The top of the large altar is a cow pasture. 

But thanks to a few wise souls, the smaller altar is fenced, and the mound is in the cemetery, and they are safe. No, not quite safe. Some are discussing seriously the expediency of excavating the sides of the latter and putting tombs therein. It makes me almost provoked, that is to day, it carries me about as far as Paul would have me go, in "being angry and sinning not," to see this utilitarian spirit wreaking its dollar-and-cent spite upon these mysterious remains. The intention of the first settlers of Marietta was to have them sacredly preserved.

In the frontispiece of the Smithsonian volume of Squier and Davis, you have a good colored view of the Marietta remains. The last picture in the work is a colored engraving of the great mound. In the body of the book is a chart and a full description. I suppose the volume is in most good libraries. That gives a better account than I can give, for I feel the need, of engraving to tell the whole story in a worthy way. But no view equals the seeing. When you look at that mound and stand on the altars, and throw your glance up the Covered Way, you are in the very presence of the past, and the spirit of that gray, dim, mysterious Past oppresses you with its vague and uncertain shadows, but delights you with the bewilderment which it awakes.

W. L. G.