Ohio History Journal




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July sixth was known as "Military Day." A large section of the

state militia under the command of Brigadier General William V. Mc-

Maken paraded the streets of the city, headed by the Eighth Regiment

Band and the Marietta Guards. Governor Herrick and his military staff

reviewed the movements of the troops. This was followed by a gather-

ing at the fair grounds, where speeches were made by Col. W. R. War-

nock, Governor Myron T. Herrick and Senator C. W. Dick. In the

evening there was held a fitting closing feature which was really the

literary event of the week. The exercises were held in Clifford's Theatre,

which was filled to its utmost capacity by an interested audience who

listened to addresss by Governor Herrick, Senator Dick, Secretary of

State Laylin, Lieutenant Governor Harding and Mr. Howard D. Man-

ington, who presided.

The volume mentioned at the beginning of this item contains the

proceedings of these various days in full, with reports of the speeches

and much additional matter pertaining to the history of Urbana and

Champaign county.   Particularly valuable is the historical matter by

Mr. John W. Ogden, Rev. Charles S. Wood, Mr. J. T. Woodward and

Mr. I. N. Keyser, Superintendent of the Public Schools of Urbana.

 

 

 

 

RICHLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

The Richland County Historical Society has just issued a neat little

pamphlet containing the proceedings of the society, beginning with its

first annual meeting, Saturday, June 10, 1899, and closing with the pro-

ceedings of its last annual meeting held in the G. A. R. rooms of the

Memorial Building, Mansfield, June 7th, 1905. At this latter meeting

a most interesting program was carried out. An address was delivered

by the Rev. Joshua Crawford on the ill-fated and memorable "Expedition

of Col. William Crawford" in the summer of 1782 against the Sandusky

Indians. Rev. Crawford is a collateral descendant of the famous subject

of his address. We regret that space does not permit of our publishing

this address, but the subject has been treated in a scholarly manner by

Judge J. H. Anderson in a previous number of the Quarterly. Other

addresses were delivered by the Hon. W. G. Geer, representing the Rich-

land County delegation; Mrs. James R. Hopley, Bucyrus, by special request

delivered the address given by her at the Ohio Centennial Celebration at

Chillicothe on "The Part Taken by Women in the History and Develop-

ment of Ohio;" Prof. Sample, of Perrysville, Mr. Hiram R. Smith and

Mr. Peter Bissman, of Mansfield, rendered short talks.  Prof. Sample

has one of the largest collections of archaeological and historical relics in

Ohio. Mr. Hiram Smith has reached the honorable age of ninety-three

years, and when called for remarks responded by reciting,



472 Ohio

472        Ohio. Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

"You may scarce expect one of my age,

To speak in public upon the stage."

 

Mr. Peter Bissman made a most interesting off-hand speech which

held the undivided attention of the audience. Prof. C. W. Williamson

of Wapakoneta read a very carefully prepared paper on "The Allied

Indian Tribes of Western Ohio."  Prof. Williamson's address dealt in

detail with the early invasion of Ohio by the English traders and the

war for extermination which was waged against them by the French

from Quebec, who by the aid of the Indians were able to drive back

the first of the traders. He also graphically pictured the conspiracy of

Pontiac and the plan and efforts of that distinguished Indian chief

to regain the Ohio valley from the encroachments of the white men. The

Secretary of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society de-

livered an address entilted "Some Phases of Early Ohio History." Hu-

morous recitations were rendered by Miss Lenora R. Shaw of Ashland

College and Mr. M. A. Ricksecker of Galion.

This meeting of the Richland County Historical Society, both in

interest and attendance, proved to be the most successful of any in its

history. The society under the administration of Gen. R. Brinkerhoff,

President, and Mr. A. J. Baughman, Secretary, is doing splendid work

and gathering much historical material concerning the county and the

state which would otherwise be lost to future readers.

 

*      *     *      *     *

On August 3, 1905, by invitation from Mr. A. J. Baughman, Secre-

tary Randall paid a visit to the far-famed watershed barn, situated near

Five Corners, in Springfield township, seven miles west of Mansfield,

Richland county, on what is known as the Leesville road. The party

from Mansfield consisted of Gen. Brinkerhoff, Mr. A. J. Baughman, Mr.

Martin B. Bushnell, Mr. Peter Bissman and Mr. M. D. Frazier, Editor

of the Daily Shield and the writer. The party proceeded by trolley from

Mansfield to the farm, upon which the barn is located, said farm now

being the property of Mr. C. Craig. The barn, a large structure, stands

upon the roadside, facing the east and west, and not, as is generally sup-

posed, north and south. The barn rests upon a slight elevation, midway

between what are known respectively as the Palmer Spring and Little

Lake. Each of these water sources is about a quarter of a mile from

the barn. Palmer Spring is the head source of the Sandusky River,

which empties into Lake Erie, and the Little Lake is the head source of

Clear Creek, which finds its way to the Mohican, thence into the Tus-

carawas, the Muskingum, the Ohio and then into the Mississippi. The

geographical location at this point is, of course, upon the "divide," hav-

ing an elevation of 832 feet above Lake Erie, 965 feet above the Ohio

River, and 1,265 feet above sea level. Photographs were taken of the

barn and the two river sources. The visit proved to be one of special in-



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Editorialana.                       473

 

terest, which was greatly heightened by the information gained of the

geological and historical features of the section as related by Mr. A. J.

Baughman, than whom few in the state are better qualified to speak

upon matters pertaining to its geology and history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDIAN VS. ABORIGINE.

The following communication is self explanatory. It is from the

pen of Prof. R. W. McFarland, Oxford, Ohio, who has contributed many

articles of value to the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society

Quarterly.

 

Mr. E. O. Randall:

In reading your highly commendatory notice of Dr. Slocum's Histori-

cal work, I was pleased to see your remark about his use of the word

Aborigine instead of Indian. Allow me to say that the term has never

been recognized by Webster, or Worcester, by their co-adjutors, or their

successors, as belonging to the English language. It is found in the

Century and the Standard, -and we are entitled to suppose that its

presence there is because some writer had used it. The plural, Aborigines,

is applied to the first inhabitants of a country; it does not apply to

subsequent races. Unless the Dr. can show that the Indians were the

first inhabitants of America, the term cannot be applied to them at all.

Further; four hundred years ago when this continent was discov-

ered, it was supposed to be what is now called the East Indies; in dis-

covering the error, the term West Indies was given to the islands be-

tween North and South America, and they have borne the name ever

since. The inhabitants of these islands were naturally and properly

called Indians, the name subsequently being applied to all the race,

whether on continent or island. And from that day to this, the word

has been used alike by writers of fiction as well as of history, -by

Cooper, Irving, Bancroft, Prescott, McMaster, Wilson, - indeed, by all

standard authors. It has been used by the authorities of the country,

both state and national, in regard to civil cases as well as to military;

and such has been the practice ever since the English occupied this

country. The Spaniard, the Portugese, the French also used the like

word. This term has been too long in vogue, and has covered too wide

a territory to be called in question at this late day.

It seems to me that the careful and judicious reader of the work

in question may be led to suspect that such a lapse may not be an iso-

lated one, but may be accompanied by others no less bad. The tendency