WASHINGTON AND THE OHIO IN 1770, AS
SEEN BY A VOYAGER IN 1932*
BY EDMOND S. SINDLINGER
On October 5, 1770, George Washington
set out
on his historic journey to the Ohio
country. This jour-
ney was made in the interest of the
Virginia soldiers
who had fought in the Indian wars, and
had been
promised western lands as a reward for
their services.
He arrived at Fort Pitt on October
17th. Here he ob-
tained two boats: a large one for
himself and seven com-
panions, and a canoe for the two
Indians. On October
20th all was ready and the sturdy
boatmen began their
journey down the beautiful Ohio to the
mouth of the
great Kanawha.
February 22, 1932, was the bicentennial
anniver-
sary of the birth of George Washington.
From this
date and continuing till Thanksgiving
day of 1932 there
was a series of celebrations all over
the country in honor
of this great American. The major and
final celebra-
tion of the States of Ohio and West
Virginia was the
reenacting of this journey down the
Ohio. As Pennsyl-
* In the preceding contribution an
attempt has been made to present the
George Washington Bicentennial River
Pageant from the viewpoint of
those who witnessed it and the various
local celebrations on the Ohio and
Virginia shores. Fortunately one of the
actors in the crew of the larger
boat, E. S. Sindlinger, representing
Captain William Crawford, kept on
the entire voyage an account of the
experiences of the voyagers and the
celebration as witnessed by him. We take
great pleasure in presenting this
in full. Ed.
(57)
58
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
vania did not share in this event it
was impossible to
start the journey in Pittsburgh, and
for this reason it
began two miles above East Liverpoool
on October
21, 1932.
Characters were selected to represent
the ten mem-
bers of Washington's party. They were
not arrayed in
brilliant uniforms, but were
comfortably clothed in the
pioneer costume of that day. The
Indians were properly
costumed and bedecked with war-bonnets
of eagle
feathers. A boat was procured for the
party and a
canoe for the Indians. One of the boys
who portrayed
an Indian character had his own canoe
painted and
striped so that it made a striking
appearance. The boat,
a twenty-eight-foot motor launch, was
obtained at
Steubenville, Ohio. It was painted,
equipped with large
sweeps, and as nearly as possible made
like the craft
used by Washington. Of course
Washington did not
use a motor launch nor were there any
locks crossing
the river in those days. Therefore, not
having the cur-
rent, other means were necessary in
order to follow the
schedule made by Washington. The men
were provided
with guns, powder-horns, tents and
camping equipment.
Every care was taken by those who
planned this
journey that the stops and camps made
by Washington
one hundred and sixty-two years ago
should be made on
the corresponding date of this trip.
Every act and deed
of the Washington party of 1770 was to
be made by this
Washington party of 1932 and would form
a part of the
program presented at their relative
camps.
Friday, October 21, 1932. The river
trip began at
2:15 p. m. two miles above East
Liverpool, Ohio, as the
ten men impersonating the characters of
Washington
Washington and the Ohio in 1770 59
and his party left the Ohio shore in
their twenty-eight-
foot launch. Led by the Indian guides
in their canoe,
the party first landed on the West
Virginia side to scout
around and seek out a camp site. The
Indians had then
gone to the Ohio side and, by the
Indian sign language,
beckoned us to cross over, where
suitable place was to
be had on that shore. On our way over
the guides met
us and we gave them a barrel of biscuit
which they
buried on the upper end of a little
island above East
Liverpool, in order to lessen the
weight of the boat. We
went ashore and set up camp where there
awaited
several thousand people who had come
out for this initial
stop in spite of the cold winds that
were blowing. After
making our camp we cooked a meal of
steak, potatoes
and bread. Our camp activities were considerably
hindered by several hundred school
children who, in their
excitement, pressed close about us.
That evening we were the guests of the
Daughters
of the American Revolution at a banquet
in honor of
this event. A wonderful program had
been prepared
and the speakers were noted men and
women of the
State who were much concerned with the
success of this
journey. The people of East Liverpool
deserve great
credit for the successful start to this
river pageant.
Saturday, October 22, 1932. At 9
o'clock on the
morning of October 22nd, we left East
Liverpool for
Mingo Junction, Ohio, where we were due
at 2:30 in
the' afternoon to take part in what
proved to be one of
the largest and most colorful programs
of the entire
trip. An enthusiastic greeting was sent
out to us by
the people of Wellsville, who lined the
banks as we went
by. An Indian in a canoe came out and
presented us
60
Ohio Arch. and list. Society Publications
with letters from organizations of the
city and the
mayor wishing us a pleasant voyage. We
were greeted
by hundreds along the shore at Empire,
Toronto, New
Cumberland and Steubenville. In going
by Brown's
Island we scraped a sand-bar and
slightly damaged the
rear of the boat, which was repaired in
the evening after
the program. We arrived at Mingo
Junction a little
early and tied up to some barges to
await the signal to
approach. The weather was perfect, warm
and bright
and a finer day could not be had. As we
approached the
landing the Indian chiefs came down to
the shore and
invited us to come and eat broth with
them. We went
ashore and they took us to their
village a short distance
back from the river. Here we found an
Indian village
of twenty tepees erected in a
semi-circle and in front of
each was a kettle suspended by a tripod
over the fire. In
the center was a larger camp-fire for
the use of the tribe.
There were over two hundred young
braves and maidens
in this village and all were in Indian
costume which
made a very impressive sight. This
required quite a bit
of space which was roped off for the
occasion. On all
sides of this enclosure, except the
path which led from
the river, were packed some ten
thousand interested
people to witness this historic
pageant. Temporary
stands were erected to the rear and on
one side to ac-
commodate a part of this crowd. This
pageant at Mingo
Junction consisted of two parts, the
first was that of
Washington's trip down the river and
the second was
that of his return trip. There had been
much speaking
and singing before our arrival, a part
of which we could
hear on the river through the loud
speakers which were
installed. After greetings by the
Chiefs Half King,
Washington and the Ohio in 1770 61
Thunder Cloud and Logan, Chief Half
King told his
people of our trip down the Ohio and
they wished us a
safe return. The young braves and
maidens gave the
friendship dance and as we were about
to leave a runner
came in from the south with a message
that two white
traders had been killed in the Grape
Vine village on
Captina Creek. The Indians feared for
our safety but
Washington said we must go on. The
Indians sang the
farewell song as we returned to our
boat.
They resumed their village life and in
a short time
we came Back to their village to
present the second part
of the pageant. In this second part the
Indian Sorceress
warned her people against being so
friendly with the
white man, saying that he wished only
to steal their
land. The Chiefs said her ravings were
foolish, that
the White Chief bought the land and was
their friend.
Then followed the sacred dance and the
peace-pipe cere-
mony and our party left for the West
Virginia side
where we mounted horses for the return
trip to Fort
Pitt.
Sunday, October 23, 1932. At 10:30 a.
m. we left
Mingo Junction for Wheeling, West
Virginia. The site
as shown by Washington in his diary for
this date was
a short distance above Wheeling but we
asked to con-
tinue on to Wheeling to take part in
the program they
had prepared. The weather on this day
was not so
favorable as it rained until noon but
by 2 p. m. it had
cleared considerably. We erected a
temporary shelter on
the boat by using the tents and poles.
Many people were
gathered at Brilliant, Tiltonville,
Yorkville and Martin's
Ferry even though the weather was bad.
As we neared
U. S. Dam No. 12, just above Wheeling,
we were met
62
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
by a gayly decorated cruiser which
acted as escort to the
Wheeling wharf. As we left the dam,
whistles in all
directions, from boats and factories on
both sides of the
river, seemed to break loose in a
contest of noise. We
landed just below the wharf promptly at
2:30, set our
tents and made a fire by which we again
cooked a little
food. We were then taken to the
speaking platform in
a park nearby where a short program of
speeches took
place. The enthusiasm and spirit with
which we were
received in Wheeling was a source of
joy to the en-
tire party.
Monday, October 24, 1932. At 10:30 a.
m. we left
Wheeling, West Virginia, for Powhatan,
Ohio, situated
at the mouth of Captina Creek. We
enjoyed more per-
fect weather, bright and warm all day
long. Again we
greeted the crowds who were gathered at
Bellaire, Ben-
wood, Shadyside and McMechen. At
Moundsville we
stopped, ate our lunch and waited for
the school children
to come, as it was just noon and we had
but eight miles
to go. We rounded the bend and arrived
at Powhatan
at 2:15 p. m., going first to the West
Virginia shore
while the Indians explored the Ohio
side. By their signs
they told us to come to that side where
we could put up
our tents. After we made our camp
Washington dis-
patched one Indian and a scout up the
creek to investi-
gate the rumor we had received at Mingo
Junction of
the killing of two white traders. They
returned in the
company of an Indian Chief and reported
the death of
only one white man who had been
accidentally drowned.
The Chief came into our camp and there
followed a short
pageant in which he and his tribe
offered peace to
Washington and his party and wished
them a safe re-
Washington and the Ohio in 1770 63
turn. Following this were several
interesting and noted
speakers. A short time previous to our
landing the
ladies of the D. A. R. had unveiled a
marker near this
site in honor of Washington.
The part of the Indian Chief was played
by Robert
Brown of Powhatan, who is widely known
for his great
collection of Indian pieces and relics.
That evening our
entire party visited his home and he
delighted in show-
ing us this remarkable collection.
Tuesday, October 25, 1932. We left
Powhatan at
9:10 a. m. for Fly, Ohio. This was
another beautiful
day. Probably one of the prettiest
spots on the Ohio is
just above Clarington where those hills
just seem to
make a cradle for that river and what a
scene they pre-
sent! There was quite a crowd at
Clarington and we
tarried there a short time. When we
neared Hannibal
Mills there developed a slight defect
in the universal of
the motor and we stopped to have it repaired.
While
there they asked that we come up to the
Post-Office,
and as we walked up the one street
probably fifty people
gathered and Washington responded with
a short talk.
To me it was these small but interested
groups who con-
tributed much toward the success of the
trip. Our boat
repaired, we then crossed over to New
Martinsville
about two miles below where a large
crowd waited. We
ate our dinner in New Martinsville and
stayed there for
a few minutes as it was a good crowd.
Next, at Paden
City, West Virginia, we were treated to
a most striking
reception. As we neared the landing
where six people
were waiting, we pulled in close and
just as we were
about to leave there came from
seemingly nowhere about
300 school children with a large picture
of Washington
64 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
and the American flag. We landed and
this time I am
sure it was we who paid tribute to this
fine patriotic
group. We landed at Fly at 2:45 p. m. A
great crowd
had gathered, having come chiefly in
machines and 'buses
which were parked 100 strong near at
hand. We set
our tents, started a camp-fire and
stayed by our camp
while we enjoyed a program of speeches
and songs by
the school children who were there in a
great number.
After the program we scouted around,
went over to
Sistersville and then came back to our
camp to end the
day's activities.
Wednesday, October 26, 1932. We left
Sistersville
at 9:15 a. m. for Marietta, Ohio. This
was our longest
hop of the trip, about thirty-four
miles. About five
miles below we stopped at New Matamoras
where some
five hundred people had gathered. The
American Legion
of that place were on hand and greeted
us with a gun
salute as we rowed in to the landing. A
few speeches,
and here ended another of those
enthusiastic receptions.
Small crowds were on hand at Ben's Run,
U. S. Dam
No. 16 and at various other places
along the way. We
arrived at St. Mary's at noon and as we
were a little
ahead of schedule we stopped and ate
our dinner. About
two thousand people were gathered here
and they surely
gave us a royal welcome. The Marietta
pageant was to
be presented at U. S. Lock No. 17,
about five miles above
Marietta. We arrived there at 2 p. m.
and when we
were given the signal we approached and
landed at the
upper end of the wall. The Indian
Chiefs led us to
their village and pointed out a site
where we could make
camp. Temporary stands were erected in
a V shape and
the stage was set at the open end of
the V. I say stage
Washington and the Ohio in 1770 65
because such it really was; they had
tables, chairs, cur-
tains (which were used as screens), and
pine branches
scattered about. The program comprised
seven differ-
ent scenes representing the period
1758-1788 in the life
of Washington. The parts were taken by
over 200 per-
sons who, in their costly Indian,
pioneer and colonial
costumes, made up one of the most
elaborate and color-
ful pageants of the entire journey. Some
of these people
were sixty and seventy years of age,
and how they did
show up in those flashy costumes! The
closing number
of this program was a parade of all
characters, led by
our party, down by the stands and back
which certainly
made an impressive sight. Just as the
program closed
an awful storm came up and the four of
us who took the
boat to Marietta were drenched. That
five miles to
Marietta was rough, wet and windy and
we had to
pump water all the way, but I was glad
to be one of the
four as it helped us to appreciate the
good fortune ex-
perienced through the rest of the trip.
Thursday, October 27, 1932. We left
Marietta at
11 a. m. for Parkersburg, West
Virginia, a distance of
only fourteen miles. This jaunt was
uneventful except
for a rough and windy ride. The weather
threatened
all day but it did not rain until 2 p.
m. as we neared
Parkersburg. We stopped at Belpre just
opposite Park-
ersburg for lunch. Just as we started
over to Parkers-
burg it rained, but it cleared quickly;
the sun came out
and we had another fine day for the
program. We landed
below the wharf and were greeted by the
Indian Chiefs
whose village was erected on the bank.
After greetings
and dances by the Indians, our part was
mainly to stand
by and enjoy the program which was made
up of vari-
Vol. XLII--5
66 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
ous important events in the life of
Washington. A high
platform which was nicely decorated,
and a loud-speak-
ing system brought every act within
sight and hearing
of the great crowd which had gathered
for this event.
Following the introduction of all
characters from the
platform we were transferred to the
city park where
ground was broken for the erection of a
marker in honor
of George Washington. I might say that
this marker
was a stone taken from Washington
Bottom, a tract of
land which had been owned by
Washington, just south
of Parkersburg.
There were no dull moments in
Parkersburg, as it
was their chief aim to see that our
stay there was a
pleasant one. Not just that day but on
to the next and
until we were out of their reach they
made it truly
pleasant.
Friday, October 28, 1932. We left
Parkersburg at
8 a. m. for Long Bottom but there were
a few stops to
be made enroute, hence the early start.
At 8:30 a. m.
we landed on the Ohio side just
opposite Blennerhasset
Island where Mrs. Hannah of Parkersburg
had invited
us to stop and have breakfast. She owns
a summer
cottage at that point and had gone
there at 6:30 in
the morning, with her help, to prepare
our breakfast.
That certainly was a treat and much did
we appreciate
the trouble she went to for our party.
We then left
for Hockingport where we arrived at
11:15 and were
met by quite a crowd who had come from
the surround-
ing country. Several noted speakers
made up a short
program at this point and the patriotic
spirit displayed,
left nothing to be desired. We were
then invited to the
home of Mrs. Humphrey, who had prepared
a lunch for
Washington and the Ohio in 1770 67
us, before continuing on to Long
Bottom. We arrived
at Long Bottom at 2 p. m. A short
distance up stream
we were met by the Indians who came out
in their canoes
to escort us to the landing, which had
been prepared,
leading to a space roped off for our
camp. There fol-
lowed a short pageant between the
Indians and our
party, which ended with the friendship
dance and the
smoking of the peace pipe by the Chiefs
and Wash-
ington. About fifty yards back from our
camp there
was a high cliff of rock upon which was
printed in bold
yellow letters "Washington and
Kiashuta Camp Sites."
This will be seen there for many years
to come. Imme-
diately in front of this cliff were
assembled the speakers
and a band who presented a very
interesting program.
Here also the members of the D. A. R.
unveiled a marker
in honor of Washington's visit to the
Ohio country.
Following the program at this point we
went about ten
miles further down the river to
Ravenswood, where we
were quartered for the night.
Saturday, October 29, 1932. We did not
have to
travel any on this day as our schedule
for Saturday and
Sunday had been changed a little to
permit us to take
part in the programs prepared by
Ravenswood and
Pomeroy. As we had come to Ravenswood
the evening
before, we spent the morning walking
about the town
and dressed in civilian clothes for a
change. At 1:30
p. m. we took our boat and went a short
distance up
the river then turned and came back to
the landing
where the people of Ravenswood were
gathered for the
program. We landed and set up our camp
after which
a few in Indian costume came and
extended a welcome.
Following our camp activities we formed
a parade, led
68
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
by the band, and marched through the
town to the Grace
Episcopal Church where an elaborate
program had been
prepared. This was the first of the
programs to be held
in a church and the speaking and songs
made a very
effective service. This program was
concluded by un-
veiling a tablet on the church lawn by
the Ravenswood
Chapter of the D. A. R. We then marched
to the high
school where another marker was
unveiled by the State
in honor of this great American.
Since circumstances necessitated our
being in Ravens-
wood two nights we were made to feel
that we were
well acquainted with the town and the
people. We left
certain that we would remember their
town for years
to come.
Sunday, October 30, 1932. We left
Ravenswood at
9 a. m. for Pomeroy, Ohio. The weather
was fine, clear
and crisp and those bends in the river
presented more
beauty. There were many people to meet
us at U. S.
Dams Nos. 22, 23 and 24 and also at
Antiquity and
Racine. About two miles above Pomeroy
we stopped
for a few minutes on the West Virginia
side as we were
ahead of schedule. While there a boat
went by and two
of the boys started out to take the
rollers in the canoe.
They only started, however, because
they turned it over
in three feet of water to take a good
soaking and also
bring about our first mishap of the
trip. Immediately
upon landing at Pomeroy the two Indians
went to
change clothes. Although there was no
scheduled pro-
gram at Pomeroy it seemed that the
entire town was
there on the bank. An Indian Chief came
down to meet
us then we proceeded up the landing
where the mayor
of the city made a short talk and some
lively music was
Washington and the Ohio in 1770 69
presented by the High School Band.
After dinner we
were taken to Point Pleasant by machine
to watch the
rehearsal and mark out a landing-place
to be used on
the morrow. This was the first
automobile ride we had
enjoyed during the trip and we
certainly appreciated the
kindness of these gentlemen, namely,
Mr. Compton and
Mr. Reed.
Monday, October 31, 1932. We left
Pomeroy at
10:45 in the morning for Point
Pleasant, West Virginia,
a distance of fifteen miles. The day
was very warm
and bright but clouded up some as we
neared the point.
This last hop was somewhat quiet as
there were no river
towns between these two places. We
arrived at U. S.
Dam No. 25 at 12 noon and as we had
only four miles
to go we waited there until 1 o'clock.
We went down
along the Ohio side and then pulled
over in front of the
point and landed at 2 p. m. We unloaded
our camping
equipment and went up to Tu-Endie-Wei
park where
several thousand waited to witness this
final celebration.
Temporary stands were erected and
facing the log
house which was very nicely decorated
for the event.
In between was a large space marked off
for the pro-
gram and at the south side of this
space we made our
camp. In front of the log house was the
speakers' stand
and on one side was erected a stockade
used as a screen
for the characters of the pageant. The
Indians came
out from their tepee village, talked
with our Indian
guides, then received Washington in
their camp. They
presented a number of dances and
offered peace cere-
monies. We then went to our tents and
watched the
rest of the program, which consisted of
"The Battle of
Point Pleasant," "Death of
Chiefs Cornstalk and Red
70 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
Hawk," "The Arrival of Daniel
Boone and Ann
Bailey," and other events which
were of particular in-
terest to the people of that locality.
Then followed some
fine speakers, our introduction from
the platform and
the program transferred to the Shadle
farm (Mount
Vernon on Kanawha) where the Daughters
of the
American Revolution unveiled a state
marker to of-
ficially close this Washington
Bicentennial River Pag-
eant. Just as the program ended at the
point it com-
menced to rain and as we had to take
our tents and
camping equipment to the boat we were
unable to go to
the Shadle farm, much to our regret, as
we understand
it is a beautiful place. As this was
Hallowe'en we had
a great evening, and the spirit of
these Point Pleasant
people provided a fitting close for
this remarkable and
historic journey. On the morning of
November 1st, the
boys prepared to leave for their homes
up the river. I
stayed with Mr. Loy and helped him back
up the river
with the boat, as it was necessary that
he have help in
locking through the dams and taking
care of the canoe.
The three and one-half days required
for our return
trip is another very interesting story
to me. We stopped
at new places and met many more people.
One of these
stops, our first one, was a little
place named Apple
Grove, Ohio, where we stayed with some
people that I
had heard of back home. They certainly
made us feel
at home and the welcome given us would
equal any of
the others through the entire trip.
As for myself, upon landing at home at
Brilliant,
Ohio, there ended one of the most
thrilling yet educa-
tional and pleasant trips I had ever
been privileged to
make. The hospitality accorded us
everywhere, the
Washington and the Ohio in 1770
71
friendships and the experience gained, will long be re-
membered.
In closing this narrative it is fitting
that we voice
our appreciation of those who are
responsible in the
states of Ohio and West Virginia for
making this trip
possible, for those sincere and
patriotic persons who fol-
lowed the trip from point to point and
served its every
need and also to those countless
persons who served on
committees in their respective towns
for the success of
their program.
Name Address Representing
L. R. Webb ......... Steubenville, Ohio
Roy W. Lewis ...... St. Clairsville,
Ohio George Washington
DeMar Erskine...... Steubenville, Ohio
L. C. Banner........ Steubenville,
Ohio.. Dr. James Craik
E. S. Sindlinger ..... Brilliant, Ohio
..... Capt. William
Crawford
Frank Claig ......... Mingo Junction, O.
George McClister .... Mingo Junction, O.
Joseph Nicholson
A. Abels............ Mingo Junction, O.
Hiram Eathorn...... Mingo Junction, O.
William Harrison
DeMar Erskine...... Steubenville, Ohio
A. Abels............ Mingo Junction, O.
Robert Bell
George McClister .... Mingo Junction, O.
Victor Pekruhn...... Steubenville, Ohio.
Charles Morgan
Turner Loy......... Steubenville, Ohio..
Daniel Reardon
Thomas Kincaid..... Steubenville, Ohio..
Indian called The
Pheasant
Mont Parr.......... Mingo Junction, O.
Unnamed Indian
Warrior
NOTE: L. R. Webb impersonated Washington
from East Liverpool
to Mingo Junction. Roy Lewis, Esquire,
took this part at Wheeling and
Powhatan Point. DeMar Erskine took the
part from Sistersville to Point
Pleasant. George McClister took the
place of Frank Claig from Wheeling
through the remainder of the voyage.
Frank Claig represented Nicholson
from East Liverpool to Wheeling. Hiram
Eathorn took the part of William
Harrison from Fly to Point Pleasant.
DeMar Erskine took the part of
Harrison from East Liverpool to Fly.
Frank Claig represented Joseph
Nicholson from East Liverpool to Mingo
Junction. McClister and Abels
changed characters on leaving Mingo
Junction.