Corner of Putnam and Front Streets

The Marietta Register, August 10 1865:

Public Sale of Valuable Real Estate!

Will be sold at public auction on the 14th cay of August, A.D. 1865, on the premises themselves the following real estate, to-wit: All the landed property belonging to the estate of Mrs. Mary S. Jackson [Mary Sophia Meigs], deceased, situate in the city of Marietta, Ohio, and vicinity, and commonly called "The Meigs Property;" that is to say - 

- A lot on Ohio street in Square No. 68.

- Lots Nos. 566, 567, 568, 569 in Square No. 37.

- Lots Nos. 593, 594, 598, 206, in Square No. 45, situate on Front and Scammel streets, which lots will probably be subdivided into 60 feet lots fronting on the principal streets and running back 180 feet to an alley.

- Also lot No. 2 in Square No. 22, opposite the old graveyard.

- Lots Nos. 39, 64, 65, 105, 1005, 1006 in Square No. 5 on Front street, opposite the tanyards.

- Also lot No. 597 and parts of lots Nos. 595 and 596, fronting on Front street, 150 feet, running back to an alley 180 feet, including the old Mansion House, office &c.

- Also that valuable property at the corner of Putnam and Front streets, now occupied by Joseph L. Stephens and others as business rooms, owned by David Barber, Esq., in common with the devisees of Mrs. Mary S. Jackson, deceased, fronting on Front street 180 feet, running back 45 feet. Will be sold in lots to suit purchasers. The present lessees are to have one month to remove their wooden structures.

- Also a valuable 8 acre lot lying between the Fair Ground and the Muskingum River, subject to the present tenancy.

- Also another 8 acre lot and some fractions, making together 11 acres and a fraction, say 85-100 of an acre, on the river bottom adjoining lands of A. T. Nye, Esq., and others, subject to the present occupancy.

- Also that very desirable and valuable tract of land on the Muskingum River, 5 miles from the city, adjoining James Ward's lands, at the first lock on the river above the city, known as Duvall's Lock [Devol], containing 13-3/4 acres.

- Also 50 acres of valuable timbered land, 1 mile east of Duvall's Lock and adjoining lands of W. B. F. Duvall and others, with some oil prospects.

- Also three other tracts of timbered land on the west side of the Muskingum River, near the said Duvall's Lock, one tract containing 68 acres, being part of 100 acre lot No. 12, R. 9, T. 3.

- Another tract contains 72 acres, part of 100 acre lot No. 13. Also, lot No. 14, part of 100 acre lot No. 14, containing 80 acres. All very valuable for timber, and together the making of a good up-land farm. These lands have been in request for oil purposes.

- We also propose to sell that valuable estate situate in the Ohio River, opposite Marietta, known as Kerr's Island, or Triplit's [Triplett] Island, (lately called Jackson's Island), estimated to contain near 200 acres of very superior land. Propositions have been made by oil men to bore on this property.

Terms of Sale - One-half cash in hand; the residue in two equal payments of six and twelve months, with interest from day of sale, secured by mortgage on the premises so sold.

James M. Jackson, Executor for himself and other heirs of Mary S. Jackson, deceased.

 

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The Marietta Register, August 31, 1865:

The Sale of the Business Corner of Front and Putnam Streets

Two weeks ago we published the amount of the sale on the 14th inst. of the part of a lot on the lower corner of Front and Putnam streets, this city - viz: 171-1/2 feet on Front street by 45 on Putnam, including the old two-story brick building, for the total amount of $11,350. The details of the sale may be of interest to many of our readers. It was sold in seven divisions, facing Front street, each 45 feet deep, as follows:

1. To West & Varley, corner, with brick building, 46 feet on Front and 45 on Putnam, $4,500.

2. To Martin Wendelkin, 23 feet, $1,280.

3. To John Schramm, 21 feet, $1,285.

4. To J. G. Theiss & Bro., 27-1/2 feet, $1,310.

5. To Fred. Wehrs, 16-1/2 feet, $1,085.

6. To Lewis Leonhart, 18-3/4 feet, $1,005.

7. To John Leonhart, 18-3/4 feet, $885.

The ground only was sold, except on the corner - the frame buildings on divisions 2, 3, 4, and 5, belonging to persons who held leases, to expire in four weeks after the sale. Divisions 6 and 7, next to the canal, have no buildings on them at present. The property was sold at auction by the representatives of the Meigs Estate, David Barber holding a part interest therein.

Omitting the corner, the rest of the ground sold for $49.60 per front foot, 45 feet deep; or $1.10 per square foot for the whole ground.

It should be noted that, while this property is valuable, yet it is not in the main business part of Marietta. It is on one of the two chief business streets, but above the heavy trade, yet valuable for retail stands.

The brick building, we may state, was erected about the year 1817 by Henry P. Wilcox - the same who built the house where Col. Mills now lives; and who left Marietta within a few years after.

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The Marietta Register, February 23, 1886:

Guitteau Corner

"Hallo, Mister, are you hunting up old things yet? If you are, you will see a great lot at the Guitteau Corner," was the greeting of a friendly teamster who stopped his span of horses to give me the good news.

At the instance of a friend who the night before had told me of this wondrous find in the old house at the corner of Front and Putnam streets, I had hunted up Mr. John Mankin and from him was promised the sight of all he had taken home, and now to know that many old things were with Capt. West and Mr. Buck started me for their coal office. They kindly allowed me to look over all they had gathered, but one thing I had heard of was not among them - the leather mail bag of 1820. 

Soon I traced this to Postmaster Grosvenor. Finally, and with his consent, I had a full look at it and contents. Now I propose telling your readers all about what I saw, excepting two things - that don't concern the dwellers here-abouts in 1886.

First I will speak of the building. As early as 1816 it was built by Gov. R. J. Meigs and Mr. Henry P. Wilcox. The north room was occupied as a store and the south room as the Post Office. The store goods were owned by Gov. Meigs, and Mr. Wilcox was Postmaster from 1818 to 1825. And right here I will answer a question often asked me about Marietta Postmasters, who they were, and when they served.

Gen. Tupper distributed letters from 1788 to 1794, I believe. R. J. Meigs, Jr., handled the mails from 1794 to Oct., 1795. Josiah Monroe from Oct. 1795 to 1800. David Putnam from 1800 to 1802. Griffin Greene from 1802 to 1804. Phillip Greene from 1804 to 1806. Griffin Green, Jr., from 1806 to 1815. Sam Hoit from 1816 to 1818. H. P. Wilcox from 1818 to 1825. David Morris from the summer of 1825 to late in 1825. Daniel H Buell from 1825 to 1829. A. V. D. Joline from 1829 to 1841. Abner L. Guitteau from 1841 to 1850. F. A. Wheeler from 1850 to 1853. Nathaniel Bishop from 1853 to 1857. A. D. McCormick from 1857 to 1861. Sala Bosworth from 1861 to 1870. William B. Mason from 1870 to 1878. S. L. Grosvenor from 1878 to 1886. Each one of these men, excepting A. Guitteau in his second term, represented the party in power during his employment as Postmaster. But I am away from my subject.

This old building has been variously occupied since the days of Wilcox. At one time John K. Joline taught school in the north part of it. The Jolines printed a paper in it. A. V. D. Joline occupied the south part of the building for a Post Office. Abner L. Guitteau used the building for a Post office and grocery for several years. The Marietta lodge of Free Masons occupied the upstairs for years. Mr. Elijah B. Guitteau, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Brigham and others at times had salesrooms in it.

It has recently changed hands and is being overhauled from cellar to garret, and many old papers and curious things have been brought to light. Notably the papers of Gen. Wilcox, dating back to 1810, Gov. R. J. Meigs, H. P. Wilcox, A. V. D. Joline, John K. Joline, &c.

I have only time to speak of a very few of them. It would not have answered for us fellows who live in find houses and don't pay our debts to have lived seventy years ago around here. Listen:

"Mr. Silas Cook: Sir: - You are requested to stay the service of the writ of attachment until Saturday at 10 o'clock. I will be accountable for General Wilcox so far as to deliver his body on that day. In the suit of J. M. vs. Joseph Wilcox - 17 Nov., 1813. Timothy Buell, Sheriff."

Within the remembrance of the writer, a nicely dressed gentleman with ruffled shirt was in jail bounds for five months for debt. 

There used to be wolves as well as dogs around here. Read:

This agreement made between Joseph Wilcox and Thomas Reynolds of Marietta, witnesseth that I, Thomas Reynolds, take this 6th day of July, 1812, one ram of the merino breed, said ram is 7/8 blooded, has horns of a middling size, with a hole in each ear on the following conditions: (viz.). Then followed the conditions, the last of which is that said Reynolds is to secure said ram from the wolves and dogs, but said Wilcox insures the life said ram against all unforeseen accident and natural death.

Another:

Article of agreement between Joseph Wilcox and Samuel Shepard. Said Samuel Shepard takes of said Wilcox a part of a square of land situated in Marietta called the Elevated Square. Said land is to be put in flax and corn - 1-1/2 acres to be put flax. Furth conditions unnecessary to copy, signed Marietta, 10th March, 1811.

And so on I could write of interesting things contained in these papers, but the morning bell for six o'clock is ringing and I must close.

Postage in those days for a double sheet letter from Philadelphia to this place was fifty cents; now it is four cents.

W.