Ohio History Journal

EDITORIALANA.

RICHLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. The ninth annual meeting of the Richland County Historical Society was held in Mansfield, Wednesday, June 26, 1907. Preliminary to the business session, a procession was formed in front of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial building and marched to the court house lawn, where a short patriotic service was held at the Block-house, from the flag staff of which a beautiful flag floated gracefully in the breeze. The meeting was called to order by Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, president of the Historical society, and prayer was offered by the Rev. J. Craw- ford, a kinsman of the lamented Colonel Crawford.    Deputy Sheriff Sheridan Carroll sang the "Star Spangled Banner," the audience joining in the chorus. Col. H. R. McCalmont recited James Whitcomb Riley's apostrophe to "Old Glory." Mrs. Kate Brownlee Sherwood, wife of Gen. I. R. Sherwood, was present and was introduced to the audience. She made a few remarks which were well received. Photographic views were taken of the assemblage. A squad of soldiers from Company M of the Eighth regiment was present and fired a three-volley salute in honor of the American flag. After which the company dispersed and returned to the Memorial building. The march to and from the Block-house was led by Barney Pulver's drum corps, and the parade was in charge of A. J. Baughman, secretary of the Historical society. The members of the G. A. R. were out in full force. A large number of citizens were also in the parade. Speakers and other guests of honor were in carriages. Following the Block-house exercises, the regular meeting of the historical society was held in the G. A. R. rooms, Memorial building, General R. Brinkerhoff, presiding. General Brinkerhoff said in his address of welcome: "To-day we hold the ninth annual meeting of The Richland County Historical Society, and it is again my pleasant duty as its president to extend a cordial welcome to all who have honored us with their presence. "This society, as has been heretofore stated, is not a pioneer asso- ciation for the very good reason that the pioneers of this country have all passed away. Of course we are glad to receive and preserve any new information in regard to the pioneers, together with all later and current events, which is our main business. (505)

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506        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.   "During the past year our efforts, in the main, have been given to preparation for celebrating the Centennial Anniversary of the founding of the city of Mansfield, which occurred in the month of June, 1808, and a whole week will be given to this celebration in June, 1908. In order to make the necessary arrangements for this anniversary, it will be re- membered, a centennial commission was appointed at our last annual meeting, with ex-Mayor Huntington Brown as its president, and A. J. Baughman as its secretary. Much has already been accomplished by this commission. As a preparation for this centennial the old Block-house which we have just visited, was erected on the court house grounds, and

as a relic of pioneer days this Block-house is certainly very impressive and instructive. The history of this Block-house, together with various other historic matters of interest, has recently been published by our society in an illustrated pamphlet of seventy-two pages, entitled, 'The Centennial Souvenir.' "We have also arranged for re-opening of the museum in the third story of this building, in which are many historic relics belonging to our society. Curator Wilkinson, who has it in charge, will answer any questions in regard to it. There is no other city in Ohio, or elsewhere, so far as I know, of the size of Mansfield that has a museum of equal interest or value.

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Editorialana.                       507

 

"One of the things greatly needed by the Historical Society is an

increase of members. In a county as large as Richland, we ought to have

several hundred as they have in the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Certainly we ought to have at least one hundred, which would enable us

to print and furnish to each member a full report of our annual

proceedings."

Mr. George F. Bareis, of Canal Winchester, vice-president of the

Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, was present and was

introduced to the meeting. He gave a pleasant and interesting talk. Dr.

A. Sheldon, secretary of the Firelands Historical Society, was present

and gave a short talk. The Hon. W. S. Cappeller spoke with good effect,

and the Hon. M. B. Bushnell, Peter Bissman and others gave short, in-

teresting talks concerning the coming Centennial, dwelling upon the fact

that Mansfield was founded on June 11, 1808, and that next year the

people of that city would properly celebrate its centennial anniversary.

Mr. A. J. Baughman, secretary of the Centennial Commission, gave a

short resume of the work already accomplished by the commission and

what it expects to further achieve in the future. Miss Irene Carroll, a

relation of the late Phil. Sheridan, sang a number of patriotic songs,

which were well received by the audience.

In the evening a meeting was held in the Opera house, which

meeting was presided over by General Brinkerhoff. A pleasant feature

of this meeting was the singing of the Vesper choir, led by Mrs. Florence

Blumenschein-Rowe. The latter also sang a delightful solo.

The main address of the evening was delivered by Mrs. Kate Brown-

lee Sherwood, of Toledo, her subject being "The Women of Ohio." We

regret we cannot present in full the splendid address of Mrs. Sherwood,

a gifted author and one of the best known women in Ohio.

Mrs. Sherwood said Ohio women covered three periods, the pioneer

period, the Civil War period, and the period of organization. She traced

the history of women from the earliest period down to the present time.

She told of the great sacrifices of the women at the time of the Revolu-

tionary war, of their heroism and those of the pioneers of the state and

country. She told of the important part played by the women in the

history of the state and nation.

Mrs. Sherwood said that whole volumes could be written of sacrifices

and heroism, and declared that no great man had ever existed who did

not have a great mother.

The audience was told the mothers of early days knew the secrets

of nature, that they traveled great distances to help one another in sick-

ness and distress; that they taught their children to be honest, unselfish

and patriotic.

In speaking of the Civil War period, Mrs. Sherwood spoke of the

achievements of Ohio women and of the important part they took in

work on the field of battle in nursing and caring for the sick and furnish-

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508        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

ing food and supplies. She quoted the words of President Lincoln that

without the women of the north the union could not have preserved.

The speaker dwelt at some length on the honors that Ohio women

had won in various pursuits and callings, that over one hundred of them

had been given medals for their part in great achievements. She gave a

number of important actions benefiting womankind in which the initiative

was taken by Ohio women.

Mrs. Sherwood spoke of the suffrage movement for women and

said there was a class of men who were afraid to give women the right

of suffrage because they were afraid that they would get the offices.

In speaking of the suffrage movement she said the finest country in the

world was getting to be a back number as far as women was concerned.

She told of the rights that women had in voting, notably in Finland.

Mrs. Sherwood advocated organizations of women in the towns,

villages and state, for the benefit of women. She impressed upon them

the necessity of taking an active part in the work of uplifting mankind.

"We must answer the question, 'Am I my Brother's Keeper?' There

is only one answer for the women of Ohio, and that is 'Yes, I am my

brother's keeper.'"

Mrs. Sherwood's address was listened to with much interest and she

was frequently interrupted with applause.

 

 

 

HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.

 

BY ELROY M. AVERY- VOL. III.

The Jamestown Episode.

The Jamestown Exposition now in progress located in Princess Anne

County, Virginia, at the mouth of the James River, while not drawing

the crowds of visitors that were expected and that its merits deserve is

certainly attracting the attention of historical readers and students through-

out the country, and reviving among them the accounts of the memorable

events connected with the establishment of the first permanent Anglo-

Saxon settlement on this continent. Though the Exposition commemora-

ting the event, for reasons of accessibility is situated as above noted, the

scene of the actual historical occurrence is at Jamestown Island some

thirty miles up the James River.

The Norseman had invaded New England several centuries before,

and the Spaniards had explored the territory all along the Gulf. There

had been vain attempts at English colonization.  Sir Walter Raleigh's

"lost colony of Roanoke" had been started and had disappeared from

the shores of North Carolina, when on May 13 (old style), 1607, the

three little ships, the "Susan Constant," the "Goodspeed" and the "Dis-

covery" landed on the little island called James Towne--from the

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