Ohio History Journal

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Emilius Oviatt Randall

Emilius Oviatt Randall.               93

Mr. Williams, in presenting Gov. James E. Campbell, said:

Conspicuous as Mr. Randall was in many different and va-

ried activities, there is one field in particular, where he stood

pre-eminent, and that was the field of archaeology. Fine as he

was in literary ability, he there had his rivals; happy as he was

as an after-dinner speaker and toastmaster, others there ventured

to challenge his superiority, but in knowledge of the early history

of Ohio, and of its earliest inhabitants, he was universally recog-

nized as having no equal. His writings on the Mound Builders

and their works, concerning Indians and Indian life and charac-

ter, are and will continue to be accepted as authority.

Mr. Randall was a trustee for many years of The Ohio

Archaeological and Historical Society. For the last twenty-five

years, he has been its Secretary.

During much of Mr. Randall's connection with the Society,

Governor Campbell has been a conspicuous and helpful member,

and is now its President. He knows much of Mr. Randall's con-

tributions to its literature and its records, and will speak.

 

RANDALL, ARCHAEOLOGIST AND HISTORIAN.

 

BY HON. JAMES E. CAMPBELL.

It is especially fitting that these impressive services in mem-

ory of Emilius Oviatt Randall should be feelingly participated

in by The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society; for,

of the many eminent and useful citizens associated with that

organization in its long career, his name leads all the rest.

In February, 1893, the society was in an unsatisfactory con-

dition generally, and three thousand dollars behind financially.

Governor McKinley, having a full appreciation of the work for

which the society had been founded, repeatedly urged Mr. Ran-

dall to accept a trusteeship and, although a very busy man, he

finally consented. Having assumed the responsibility, however,

he took hold of his duties with his customary intelligence and

vigor, and a few months later, became Secretary of the Society

which position he held continuously until his death - having been

successively appointed as trustee by Governors Bushnell, Nash,

Herrick, Harris, Harmon and Cox. In addition to his work as