Ohio History Journal

EDITORIALANA.

HISTORICAL STUDIES. The value of historical knowledge and study is being more and more appreciated, especially as relates to the beginning and career of our own illustrious country and state. Concerning this subject Professor Wallace N. Stearns of Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, makes some most timely suggestions, which we herewith publish, cordially approving the same and recommending their consideration by our readers and especially by all educators. "In endeavoring to illustrate the legends and traditions of classical countries, we frequently have had recourse to the use of similar inci- dents in the history of our own land. For example, the migrations that have occurred in the dawn of European history become more vivid by comparison with similar phenomena in the period of American history prior to and contemporary with the advent of white men. But students frequently are found to be more ignorant of the illustrative material than of the point illustrated. Of the wealth of lore at our very doors, of the richness of legend and tradition, of the abundance of romance and adventure it is not necessary to speak here. "But acquaintance with this material must begin early. These stories are as entertaining and as profitable as Mother Goose, and far more conducive to patriotism. Students, as they grow older, would learn to feel more than a commercial interest in their country. Would not a feasible plan for arousing such interest be: 1. To introduce into the curriculum of the public schools the study of the beginnings of Ameri- can history? A suitable manual for such work, comparable with text- books, on Greek and Roman antiquities, would be a prime necessity. 2. To arrange a reading course for systematic study. Representative vol- umes might be included in the circulating libraries. "Such a policy would create an intelligent interest in a subject, a knowledge of which could not fail to react beneficially on the student. "This plan would help the archaeologist. Private collections, small, but often valuable, are scattered and lost because the owners are ignorant of the value of what they possess. The awakening of interest would lead to the gathering up and preserving of these collections. "This study would acquaint us with many ballads and legends now practically forgotten, and further, we should have at our hand a story replete with deeds of heroism and fortitude, of crushing failure and triumphant achievements such as would fill with enthusiasm the most apathetic." (388)

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"THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET."

We have often wondered why Ohio has not been a more fruitful

field for the romancer than it seems to have been. Rich in archaeological

and historical lore; the great arena of the Indian wars and contests be-

tween the French and English; the frontier of the westward moving civ-

ilization, Ohio presents fertile soil for the story writer. To a certain extent

this field is invaded by Dr. James Ball Naylor, of McConnellsville, Ohio,

in his historical novel "The Sign of the Prophet." The Prophet is the

famous Tenskwatawa, the one--eyed brother of the great Shawnee chief,

Tecumseh. The career of Tenskwatawa is weird and romantic as the

wildest dreamer could conjecture. The Prophet undertakes to rally, by

the assumption of religious and supernatural power, the western tribes

of Indians and confederate them in a great uprising movement against

the advancing white civilization. In this Tecumseh was his aider, if

not indeed his chief and leader.                                      Dr. Naylor avails himself of this

splendid material for his work.                                       His story opens at Franklinton,

now a portion of Columbus. One Ross Douglas, accompanied by a

Wyandot Indian, Bright Wing, adopted son of Leatherlips, goes to join

Harrison's army at Vincennes at the outbreak of the Indian War in 1811.

The thread of the story follows the trail of Douglas, who leaves Amy

Larkin, his sweetheart, on the banks of the Scioto. The story is pathetic

and natural. Amy after the departure of Ross marries his rival, a scoun-

drel, George Hilliard, who abuses and deserts his wife. Douglas has

many hazardous and exciting experiences, as a brave and loyal soldier

in Harrison's army. He is captured and wounded and has escapades

varied and numerous enough to satisfy the most demanding taste for

perils and predicaments. He is ever accompanied by Bright Wing and a

faithful and almost humanly sagacious bloodhound "Duke." Indeed Duke

adds a peculiar charm to the story and is a most original feature of the

author's creation. In the war Douglas encounters La Violette, a Helen

in beauty, an orphan child of Canadian parents and adopted daughter

of the Prophet. About the time Douglas' affections have been thus

transferred, Amy appears under distressing circumstances, becomes sud-

denly widowed and Douglas has to make final choice between the

two loves, the old and the new. La Violette wins. It is a capitally

told story, carrying the reader steadily amid the life and scenes of

frontier warfare and Indian days.  The battle of Tippecanoe, siege

of Fort Meigs and other memorable events are accurately described.

Dr. Naylor has adhered closely to historical lines. His description of

the Prophet, his peculiar hold on his followers, and the final collapse of

his leadership and influence are presented in a most lifelike and pictur-

esque manner. Dr. Naylor's book should be read by the young especially;

it will give them all the adventures they ask for, while imparting to

them much valuable information and stimulating rather than destroying

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a fondness for history itself. Dr. Naylor's book is having the large

sale it well deserves. It is published by the Saalfield Publishing Com-.

pany, Akron, Ohio.

 

BLENNERHASSETT AGAIN.

In the July (1901) number of the QUARTERLY we made somewhat

extended allusion to the then current (July) Century article, by Therese

Blennerhassett-Adams, entitled "The True Story of Harman Blenner-

hassett." In the same number we noticed briefly Prof. W. H. Venable's

historical novel "A Dream of Empire," which deals with the scenes and

personages involved in the career of the American Blennerhassett. We

hardly closed Prof. Venable's delightful volume before broadcast adver-

tisements called our attention to the story, just published by Charles

Felton Pidgin, U. S. A., bearing the title "Blennerhassett - A Romance."

Mr. Pidgin's book is a highly spiced account of the same epoch and

events treated by Prof. Venable. With the Blennerhassetts as the central

figures, the Colonel reproduces in rich, and at times, extravagant imagin-

ation, the romantic story of the unscrupulous Burr and his ill fated and

unsuspecting victim, Harman Blennerhassett. There are the well known

characters of Wilkinson, Hamilton, Jefferson, Aaron and Theodosia Burr,

the Blennerhassetts, Harman and Margaret, and the minor figures in

immediate attendance upon the principals in the so-called "Burr Con-

spiracy" and subsequent tragic ending of Theodosia.  Prof. Venable

crowded a volume of history into a light, pleasing story--it had

the charm of romance without sacrifice to the reality or truth of

history.  He gave us the personages in their actual characters.  It

is a model in conception and execution of the best type of the his-

torical novel. Mr. Pidgin avowedly sets out to pervert history and dis-

tort characters. His book is an attempt to "whitewash" Aaron Burr and

blacken Alexander Hamilton. He would remove all odium thus far

resting undisturbed upon the loyalty and integrity of Burr.  In this

heroizing process Mr. Pidgin naturally, under the circumstances, has to

resort to powerful stimulants and appointments in the shape of highly

wrought scenes; theatrical climaxes; "blood and thunder and blue lights";

that would do credit to the prize numbers of yellow backed literature.

Like the magician on the stage in the dazzling glare of electric effects,

and red velvet and gold tinsel trappings, Mr. Pidgin hopes to bewilder

the reader while he "presto, change," transforms some evil spirits into

white winged fairies and vice versa. And Mr. Pidgin is very clever;

he is no mean necromancer. He is a consummate expert of his craft. He

is a gifted artist in style. He wields a poignant pen. The reader is

whirled along spell bound; lays down the fascinating book and rubs his

eyes as if coming out of a maze. In short, this story as related by Mr.

Pidgin is a strong "show" - it is a spectacular production, it is realistic,

but it is very far from being historic. Mr. Pidgin in his preface speak-

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ing of the historical basis of his book says: "Where the statement was

one of fact, fact has been adhered to. Where the language is imaginative

such words have been chosen to express fiction as seemed to conform to

those used to convey fact; in other words, if the characters in this

romance did not do the things or say the words attributed to them, from

what they did do or say, it seems fair and proper to infer that they would

have done or said them had occasion offered, or circumstances been

propitious." Now that is a laudable statement-but in Mr. Pidgin's

hands it proves but dust for the public eye. In the heat of the last

gubernatorial contest (fall of 1901) we received a letter from a party in

a distant part of the state, inclosing a little campaign pamphlet containing

a series of malignant false charges against a prominent candidate. Our

epistolary interrogator wrote: "My dear sir, I know you are intimately

acquainted with the candidate this circular tells about. What I want to

know is, are these facts true?" I hastened to assure my well meaning but

somewhat mixed seeker after veracity, that as a general proposition facts

were true. But the charges in the pamphlet in question were not facts -

they were fiction. That is the trouble with Mr. Pidgin's "facts" which

he uses as a basis for his "historical" novel. His facts are not true.

He has written a most fascinating and at times thrilling narrative. But

after his professions in the preface he wrongs his readers by misleading

them into the realms of pure fiction while calling it "historical." His

work is most entertaining as a novel, and he should have let it go at

that. If he wanted to restore Burr to respectable standing-he should

have done it in an historical manner, by producing the evidence. This

soaping of historical figures, condemned to disgrace and obloquy, with

the sapolio of sympathy and condonement, is a dangerous fad. We have

read volumes claiming to be history, that Richard III. never had a hump

on his back but was the very "mold of form" and a model of correct-

ness in character; that Henry VIII. was a paragon of patience, purity

and conjugal dutifulnetss; that Lucretia Borgia was a gentle, saintly

woman that would have swooned at the thought of killing a fly with

poisoned sugar; that Judas Iscariot was the truest and the best of the

twelve, and so on. We happen to be just now perusing a late volume

on Jean Paul Marat, the "Monster of the French Revolution," in which

work the author endeavors to prove that Marat was the most maligned

man of that fiery period; stainless in his private life and actuated by the

loftiest principles of humanity, philanthropy and patriotism; a martyr to

the cause of freedom, averse to blood and injustice; in short, that he was

the embodiment of an entire humane society of the latest perfected con--

dition and workings. These eccentric ebullitions are literary curios and

more or less fascinating, but must not be taken too seriously. Mr.

Pidgin has produced a most readable book, the plot is dramatic, the

scenes picturesque and graphic, the characters strong and distinct but the

atmosphere is not natural - too often the environment is forced, entirely

too stagy to be real. His attempt to elevate Burr to the rank of patriotism

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and honor is not deserving of praise. The historical data are heavily,

conclusively against Burr. Burr was a man with the inordinate ambition

of Bonaparte and equally unscrupulous, cold blooded and selfish. There

was no sacrifice of friends or country or honor or truth or morality he

would not make for self-gratification and self-glorification. Burr was a

born intriguer and was associated with Lee and Gates in their schemes

against Washington. He was detected by the latter in gross immoral-

ities, and ever after he affected to despise the military genius and

noble character of Washington. He basely entrapped the simple minded

Blennerhasset. He wrecked his victim and cowardly deserted him when

the game was up. More than that, in the most dastardly manner he

scorned Blennerhasset in the hours of the latter's distress and disgrace.

No historical novel can right the wrongs committed by Aaron Burr,

though that novel be written by so gifted and accomplished a writer

as Mr. Pidgin.

 

GREAT SEAL OF OHIO.

We have frequent inquiries concerning the Coat of Arms of the

State of Ohio and especially whether Ohio ever adopted the motto

Imperium in Imperio.

On April 6, 1866, the Legislature passed the following act:

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of

Ohio, That the coat of arms of the state of Ohio shall consist of the

following device: A shield, upon which shall be engraved on the left,

in the foreground, a bundle of seventeen arrows; to the right of the

arrows, a sheaf of wheat, both standing erect; in the background, and

rising above the sheaf and arrows, a range of mountains, over which

shall appear a rising sun; between the base of the mountains and the

arrows and the sheaf, in the left foreground, a river shall be represented

flowing towards the right foreground; supporting the shield, on the

right, shall be the figure of a farmer, with implements of agriculture and

sheafs of wheat standing erect and recumbent; and in the distance, a

locomotive and train of cars; supporting the shield, on the left, shall

be the figure of a smith, with anvil and hammer; and in the distance,

water, with a steamboat; at the bottom of the shield there shall be a

motto, in these words: Imperium in Imperio.

SEC. 2. The great seal of the state shall be two and one-half inches

in diameter, on which shall be engraved the devise included within the

shield, as described in the preceding section, and it shall be surrounded

with these words: "The Great Seal of the State of Ohio."  Vol. 63,

page 185.

On May 9, 1868, the Legislature amended the above act and passed

the following:

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of

Ohio, That the coat of arms of the State of Ohio shall consist of the

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Editorialana.                      393

 

following device: A shield, in form, a circle. On it, in the foreground,

on the right, a sheaf of wheat; on the left, a bundle of seventeen arrows,

both standing erect; in the background, and rising above the sheaf and

arrows, a mountain range, over which shall appear a rising sun.

SEC. 2. The great seal of the state shall be two and one-half inches

in diameter, on which shall be engraved the device as described in the

preceding section, and it shall be surrounded with these words: "The

great seal of the State of Ohio."

SEC. 4. The act passed April 6, 1868 (0. L. 63, 185), entitled an act

to provide the devices and great seal and coat of arms of the State of

Ohio, and said act as amended April 16, 1867 (0. L. 64, 191), be and

the same are hereby repealed.

It will thus be seen that the motto Imperium in Imperio only existed

during the short life of two years. It may not be uninteresting to note

that the Legislature which adopted the "imperial" motto was a Repub-

lican one, while the repealing assembly was Democratic, being the same

which elected Hon. Allen G. Thurman to the United States Senate.

The coat of arms practically as we now have it was originally adopted

in year 1802 or soon after the State was admitted into the Union.

 

 

HARPERS MONTHLY AND SERPENT MOUND.

Harper's Monthly for January current, has an interesting article by

Prof. Harlan Ingersoll Smith, Department of Anthropology, Ameri-

can Museum of Natural History, entitled the Great Pyramid. In this

sketch, which treats of a few of the most prominent archaeological monu-

ments in the United States, Prof. Smith describes Fort Ancient and the

Serpent Mound. After speaking of the preservation by our Society of

these valuable relics of a prehistoric day, Prof. Smith says: "It ( Fort

Ancient) is now preserved in a public park, like the Great Serpent, Ohio's

other famous aboriginal earth-work, and, like that, is controlled for the

public good and preserved for posterity by the Ohio State Historical So-

ciety. Nor should it be forgotten, that the good work initiated by Pro-

fessor Putnam of the Peabody Museum at Harvard, and followed by the

Ohio State Historical Society, is of the highest value to the country at

large and to future generations, as well as deserving of the highest praise

in our own time." We quote in full Prof. Smith's description of Serpent

Mound. "Of all these mounds, the Great Serpent appeals peculiarly to the

imagination. About its story, which is yet to be told, the fancy of the

twentieth century weaves traditions of serpent-worship in a forgotten ci-

vilization, or dreams of Eden and man's first disobedience. On the top of

a rocky promontory extending into the beautiful valley of Brush Creek, in

Adams county, Ohio, in the year 1848, Squier and Davis, the pioneers of

American archaeology, located the Serpent in a dense forest, and first de-

scribed it. An earthen effigy, complete and symmetrical, the Great Serpent

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394        Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

measures from the uper jaw to the tip of the tail twelve hundred and

fifty-four feet, in folds so lifelike, as they rise near the head to a height of

five feet above the ground, that their very view inspires the beholder with

awe. In front of the mouth lies the outline of that part of this monumental

earthwork which has been called the Egg, around which open the jaws of

the Serpent as if in the act of swallowing. From the outer wall of this

small oval, or Egg, the tip of the Serpent's tail is four hundred and ninety-

six feet distant. The Egg is itself one hundred and twenty feet long and

sixty feet at its greatest width. The Serpent's jaws are banks of earth

seventeen feet wide each, and sixty-one and fifty-six feet respectively in

length. The distance across the open mouth, from lip to lip, is seventy-

five feet. In the centre of the oval there is now standing, as there has been

from time immemorial, a mound of burnt stones. This sacrificial mound,

or altar, perhaps, has in past years, been uprooted by white men in the vain

search for buried gold, but still preserves its identity; at the base of the

cliff upon which the Great Serpent was constructed similar stones showing

the action of fire in past ages have been found in comparatively recent years.

Fortunaty further depredations have been prevented by the purchase of the

Great Serpent and the surrounding land with a fund raised by private sub-

scription among the ladies of Massachusetts, who subsepuently transferred

the property to the trustees of the Peabody Museum in Cambridge. They

in turn made over the Great Serpent Park to the people of the state of

Ohio, who now protect it by legislative enactment under conditions similar

to those to which the Fort Ancient Embankment is safeguarded." Prof.

Smith's article is accompanied by several excellent pictures of both Fort

Ancient and Serpent Mound.

 

PIONEERS OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY.

Mr. C. M. L. Wiseman, Author of "Centennial Lancaster," has just

issued a little volume on "Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fair-

field County, Ohio." Mr. Wiseman has performed his task in a most

pleasing and painstaking manner. Fairfield County is rich in historical

and biographical material. Mr. Wiseman has developed this in an accu-

rate and satisfactory way. Many of the most illustrious families in

Ohio's history are associated, either by birth or residence, with Fairfield

County. James G. Blaine, Thomas Ewing, William Medill, John

Brough, the Shermans, C. R., John and Tecumseh. There is a very

interesting and valuable chapter on the Zane family. Ebenezer Zane

was employed by the U. S. Government in 1796 to open a road from

Wheeling, W. Va. to Maysville, Ky. Ebenezer with his Indian guide

"Tomepomehala" and perhaps others, inspected the route and blazed

the way. It was the famous "Zane's Trace." Zane's sons laid out the

town of Lancaster in the year 1800. Mr. Wiseman has made a decided

contribution to the historical literature of Ohio. The book is printed in

most creditable form by F. J. Heer & Company, Columbus, Ohio.

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