Reviews, Notes and Comments. 151
JOHN DANA
On the morning of September 20, 1926,
John Dana,
a life member of the Ohio State
Archaeological and
Historical Society, died at his home in
Belpre, Ohio.
The news of his death brought sorrow to
friends in his
home town and in Parkersburg, where for
many years
he had business and social
affiliations. About a year
previous to his death he gave up his
business connec-
tions with the Dana Company, Wholesale
Grocers, due
to failing health. Of this firm he had
been President
since 1910. Recently he lived quietly,
enjoying his
books, friends and surroundings, in all
of which he
found a lively interest.
He was born in the old Dana homestead
near Belpre,
February 10, 1856; was the son of
George and Lucy
Brighton Dana; was descended on his
father's side from
the Revolutionary soldier, Captain
William Dana, who
fought at Lexington; who later left
Massachusetts as a
member of the Ohio Company and was one
of the found-
ers of the settlement in Marietta in
1788. William
Dana is said to have burned the first
brick made in the
Northwest Territory. "Like his
descendants, he loved
the beautiful and made his home a
habitation of beauty."
His wife was Mary Bancroft. His son
George Dana
was born on a farm near Belpre and was
educated in
Athens and Marietta Colleges. More than
a century
ago this family, it is claimed, set out
a grafted apple
orchard, the first in the Ohio Valley,
and through the
following years their descendants have
kept up their
interest in horticulture.
John Dana was educated in the schools
of Belpre
and Marietta College. He married
February 10, 1886,