Ohio History Journal

Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting      567

 

During the past year two colleges have observed Cen-

tennial occasions--Hiram and Denison University--and Oberlin

College and Wooster College are now preparing for historical

celebrations this year.

It is quite noticeable the way communities over the state are

waking up to the opportunities offered by Centennial occasions

and to the value of the Pageantry as a means of portraying his-

tory and building community spirit.

The State Historical Society and the Gnadenhutten His-

torical Society, cooperating, are working on plans for a memor-

able Sesqui-Centennial Commemoration of the massacre of the

Christian Indians at Gnadenhutten in 1782. This event will take

place according to present plans on September 2, 3 and 4, 1932,

in connection with which a Pageant written and directed by Mr.

O. K. Reames will be presented. Mr. Reames has already estab-

lished his reputation in Ohio as a Pageant Master in connection

with pageants at Zanesfield and the George Rogers Clark Sesqui-

Centennial Celebration Pageant at Springfield in 1930.

Another new historical activity worthy of notice, although

not organized primarily to encourage Ohio history, is the Ohio

College History Teachers Association, organized at Cleveland,

April 8. At this organization meeting, the Curator of History

of this Society, was asked to speak on the related interests of

such an association and the State Historical Society. No such

organization in the state can help but be of assistance in our

educational program.

The Committee on Cooperation, representing the local his-

torical societies of the state, the educational institution, and this

society, which is appointed by the President of the Society, is

still actively interested in the best program possible for further-

ing the interests of Ohio history. Because of decreased appro-

priations, the committee has not been able to accomplish as

much as it had hoped to do during the year, but stands ready

to support as far as possible any worth while movement.

Chairman Sater announced that the reading of me-

morials would be the next order of business.           Dr.

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568     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

Thompson presented a memorial resolution in honor of

the late General J. Warren Keifer. This memorial was

placed on file as a part of the records of the Society.

The reading of memorial resolutions in honor of Mr.

George F. Bareis, General Edward Orton, Jr., and Dr.

G. W. Knight, was temporarily passed.

 

ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

The election of Trustees was announced as the next

order of business.

Miss Helen Bareis, Dr. W. O. Thompson, Mr. Webb

C. Hayes, II, and Mr. Harold Clark of Cleveland were

nominated to fill the vacancies;--Miss Helen Bareis to

fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of her father.

On motion of Mr. Carlisle, nominations were closed and

the Secretary was authorized to cast the unanimous vote

of the Society for those nominated. The motion was

duly seconded and agreed to. The Secretary cast the

ballot of the Society accordingly, and Miss Bareis was

elected for one year and the remainder of the nominees

for three years each.

 

READING OF MEMORIALS

The Secretary then read memorials to George F.

Bareis, General Edward Orton, Jr., and Dr. G. W.

Knight which were made a part of the records of the

Society. Copies of each were directed by the Chairman

to be forwarded to the families of the deceased. The

Memorials are found on succeeding pages. After the

reading of Memorials the Society recessed until 2 p. m.

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     569

GEORGE F. BAREIS

WHEREAS, Since our last annual meeting it has pleased

Divine Providence to remove from our midst our First Vice-

President and life member, George F. Bareis, and

WHEREAS, He had been identified with this Society since

1888, as a life member since February 19, 1891, and through a

greater portion of the subsequent years as First Vice-President,

and had seen this Society grow from a very humble beginning to

its present creditable proportions, and

WHEREAS, He was very active in the upbuilding of all the

departments of the work of the Society and especially the de-

partment of archaeology, therefore

Be it Resolved by the Ohio State Archaeological and His-

torical Society, That in the death of George F. Bareis, the So-

ciety has sustained a great loss, his associates a genial, optimistic,

sincere friend, and the state an unselfish and efficient servant.

Mr. Bareis was born July 23, 1852 near Bremen, Fairfield

County, Ohio. He was educated in the district schools and high

schools of Logan and Canal Winchester, Ohio. He was

through a large portion of his life engaged in the lumber busi-

ness in his home town, Canal Winchester, where he followed a

successful business career.

His sympathies were broad and his attitude toward and his

judgments of his fellow-men were generously tolerant. He re-

spected the sincere opinions of others, even when they differed

from his own. He had a wide acquaintance and a continually

growing list of friends in Ohio and other states.

He early identified himself with the Reform Church and was

active in its interest through life. He was sincerely interested in

the cause of education. Though he did not have the opportunity

to attend college or university, he was active in efforts to provide

the means in order that his young friends might have the oppor-

tunity that was not his. He was superintendent of the Sunday

School of the Reformed Church of Canal Winchester for thirty

years. He served as a member of the Board of Missions of

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570       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

 

that church and also on the Board of Directors of the Ohio

Council of Religious Education. He was especially noted for his

long and devoted service and financial support to Heidelberg

College.

His faithful service to this Society continued almost to the

hour of his death. He was present at the last meeting of the

Board of Trustees, at which he presided.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded

to his two surviving daughters as an evidence of the respect and

sympathy of this Society, which he served so long and well.

 

EDWARD ORTON

WHEREAS, On February 10, 1932, stalwart, vigorous, tal-

ented, courageous, General Edward Orton, Jr., at the age of 68

years, 2 months and 2 days, was called from faithful service to

the nation, state, this city and this Society, and

WHEREAS, The great loss in his death has been widely felt

and acknowledged in sincere tributes from the organizations and

institutions that he served efficiently and to which he gave freely

and generously of his time and means, and

WHEREAS, He leaves a vacant place in the official ranks of

this society that will be hard to fill, therefore

Be it Resolved by the Ohio State Archaeological and His-

torical Society, That we appreciate his earnest, unflagging and

effective service to this institution. He not only rendered helpful

service in getting appropriations for the north wing of the build-

ing in which we are now assembled, but as Chairman of the

Building Committee was the leader in planning the construction

of this addition. The Memorial Room was the object of his

special care. He devoted much time to the helpful criticism of

the World War panels and composed the legend inscriptions

accompanying each.

He was also active in securing funds for the erection of the

South Wing. Had he lived, it would have been one of his am-

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     571

 

bitions to have completed this quadrangular structure, but he was

not vouchsafed fulfillment of this ardent desire.

In the effort of this Society to complete the work that he

so successfully commenced here, thoughts will often revert to his

valiant, aggressive, and prevailing leadership, and we shall appre-

ciate even more fully the loss that we sustained in his departure.

His interest in military affairs was a development of his later

years, but there was always something of the soldier in his atti-

tude toward life and its problems. He told me once how eager

he was for overseas service. Like Lord Byron who died for

Greece at Missolonghi, he sought active service for the cause of

country on the far flung battle line. That was denied him, and

he was spared to carry on valiantly in his native land.

Resolved, That while we mourn his departure we cherish

the memory of his brave, helpful, manly life as a beneficent

inspiration.

Resolved, That we extend to his wife and surviving relatives

our sincere sympathy and congratulate them on the influence

left by this noble life "with much to praise, and naught to be

forgiven."

GEORGE WELLS KNIGHT

WHEREAS, George Wells Knight, since 1885 a professor of

history in the Ohio State University, and "a citizen of broad in-

tellectual interest in public affairs" and eminent scholarship in

his chosen field, was called by death in the early morning of

February 10, 1932, and

WHEREAS, In his long service as teacher he came into con-

tact with a vast number of young men and women who left the

university to carry with them into life the impress of his thor-

ough teaching and the inspiration of his example, and

WHEREAS, He ever found his greatest pleasure in the

achievements of his students and his keenest interest in history,

general and local, and

WHEREAS, His interest in local history led him years ago at

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the founding of this Society to become a member and soon after-

ward to become the first editor of its QUARTERLY, therefore

Be it resolved by the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical

Society, That in the loss of Dr. George Wells Knight this Society

has lost one of its most scholarly members and the community a

worthy public spirited citizen.

Dr. Knight was of distinguished New England ancestry. A

number of his forebears were soldiers of the Revolution. He

was a lineal descendant of William Bradford, first Governor of

the Plymouth colony. In this ancestry he took a modest but

patriotic and pardonable pride.

While he kept aloof from politics, he maintained a keen in-

terest in public affairs. His interest in the study of constitu-

tional history caused him to consent to the use of his name as a

candidate for delegate to the Ohio Constitutional Convention of

1912. With ten candidates in the field and two to nominate he

led the ticket with a large majority. The work of that conven-

tion bears many of the marks of his conscientious, conservative

service.

He was fond of travel and in his later years visited many

foreign lands.

Dr. Knight's name appears on the earliest printed lists of

the members of this Society. At the time of his death he was

the oldest surviving member. The memory of his character and

achievements we claim as a cherished heritage.

Resolved, That we send with these resolutions to the sur-

viving members of his family the assurance of our sincere sym-

pathy in their bereavement.

 

GENERAL J. WARREN KEIFER

The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society has

learned with profound regret of the death of one of its distin-

guished members, Brigadier General J. Warren Keifer, at his

home in Springfield, Ohio, Friday, April 22, 1932, at the age of

96 years. The Society records its appreciation of his membership,

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     573

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574       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

 

of the interest he took in its welfare and progress and of the

service he rendered from time to time in the plans and projects

before the Society.

General Keifer was in many ways an unusual man. Born

in 1836 he lived through one of the thrilling periods of our his-

tory. As a boy whose father was a pioneer he became familiar

with the experience with the Indians. This interest reached its

maximum expression at the dedication of the George Rogers

Clark Memorial near Springfield in 1924, when General Keifer

was one of the active promoters and a speaker for the occasion.

In the Civil War he proved himself a true and courageous

soldier, returning at the close of the war with military honors to

renew his civic duties amid the scenes of his boyhood. Later on

he went as a soldier in the War with Spain risking his health and

life in the climate of Cuba. This service was rendered in the

same patriotic, high-minded manner as marked his service in the

Civil War.

General Keifer's interest in politics took him to Congress

where he became Speaker of the House. After his retirement

from Congress and many years of the practice of the law he was

again returned for two terms to the House where a generation

before he had served. His return brought him many pleasant ex-

periences in which he was privileged to rejoice in the renewal of

the confidence and affection of former years.

As a civilian General Keifer spent his long life in the com-

munity of his birth. He associated with himself in the practice

of the law his son and his grandson. Thus four generations of

the Keifer family have served and continued to serve as citizens

of merit--in their native city.

In local matters General Keifer was an active substantialcit-

izen--in the church, in the city government and in general in the

progressive movement of the city. He was an ardent and devoted

Republican associated with two generations of men beginning

with the period of the Civil War. In the parlance of every day

he was "a gentleman of the Old School." His intellectual life

found expression in reading the history of his country and in

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     575

 

familiarity with the history of the profession to which he devoted

his life.

We shall not soon see another man of his type. Most of

them have passed. We shall miss him from the roll of this

Society. His name, however, will be on the roll of honor and we

shall hold him in grateful memory as a citizen of integrity, honor

and distinction.

 

GENERAL J. WARREN KEIFER

Tribute of Clark County Bar Association

High praise of the achievements of the late Gen. J. Warren

Keifer, dean of the Clark County bar, as lawyer, soldier, states-

man and citizen, was sounded at a meeting in his memory held by

the Clark County Bar Association in the common pleas courtroom

in the court house Saturday morning.

Principal tribute was paid in the memorial prepared by a

memorial committee headed by Attorney Chase Stewart, consist-

ing of laudatory review of the life of this distinguished citizen.

Others on the committee included Attorneys John L. Zimmerman,

Sr., Jacob M. Harner, Clem V. Collins and Judge Frank W.

Geiger.

Attorney John M. Cole, president of the Clark County Bar

Association, presided. The service was attended by about 50

members of the Clark County Bar, including Judge Albert H.

Kunkle of the Court of Appeals and Common Pleas Judge Gol-

den C. Davis. The service also was attended by a number of

persons not members of the bar.

Verbal tribute to Gen. Keifer was paid in addresses by Judge

Geiger, and Attorneys Stewart, John L. Zimmerman, Sr., Harry

A. Brenner, George S. Dial and Clinton S. Olinger.

High spots in the memorial relate to the admission of Gen.

Keifer to the Clark County Bar, January 12, 1858, nearly three-

quarters of a century ago, his service in the state senate, his 14

years in the national house of representatives, during two years

of which he was speaker and his accomplishments as soldier,

lawyer, statesman and private citizen.

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576       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

The association voted to approve the memorial and ordered

that a copy be delivered to the Keifer family, another copy pre-

sented to the common pleas court to be spread on the records of

the court and other copies distributed for publication.

"Save four years, 100 years have passed since Gen. Keifer

was born," Attorney Stewart said. "It was a remarkable period

during which the state of Ohio has emerged from a condition of

wilderness to its present state of development. Gen. Keifer lived

during this period and tried to keep pace with this development."

"The memorial as set forth," Attorney Zimmerman said,

after the memorial had been read, "contains the facts concerning

the life of Gen. Keifer as the committee understands them.

Every fact therein set forth is based on the truth and this me-

morial can go down in the record as authentic history."

Declaring the memorial was written "largely by my friend

Stewart," Attorney Zimmerman related early experiences with

Gen. Keifer whom he pictured as "the outstanding figure" in

Clark County history.

Gen. Keifer possessed certain "Bohemian traits found in

every great man and was organizer of an unrecorded Bohemian

Club in Springfield composed of Catholics, Protestants and Jews

which for 30 years exerted a powerful influence in public affairs

in Clark County," Attorney Brenner said.

"Few of those closely associated with Gen. Keifer," Judge

Geiger said, "stopped to realize what a great character dominated

the actions of Gen. Keifer. Early history has it that Gen. Keifer

was born just a few miles from the birthplace of Tecumseh,

two outstanding figures in the history of Ohio."

The memorial adopted by the Bar Association follows:

"Memorial

"Of Clark County Bar Association

"In honor of

"General J. Warren Keifer

"April 30, 1932

"General J. Warren Keifer, son of Joseph and Mary (Smith)

Keifer, was born in Bethel township, Clark County, Ohio, on

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     577

 

Jan. 30, 1836, the family residence being in the neighborhood of

the battlefield in the valley of Mad River, where Gen. George

Rogers Clark fought and defeated the Shawnees.

"On March 22, 1860, Gen. Keifer was married to Eliza

Stout, who was born in Springfield, Ohio, and to them were

born four children, Joseph Warren Keifer, jr., and William W.

Keifer, both living, and Horace Keifer and Margaret Eliza Kei-

fer, both deceased. The present Horace Keifer is a grandson.

"The earliest recorded reference to Gen. Keifer appears in the

first volume of Henry Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio. It

was made in 1846 when Mr. Howe was securing data in Clark

County to be published in connection with the early history of

Ohio. Desiring to secure information relative to Tecumseh he

states that 'a bright intelligent boy 10 years old stood by my side

who had been sent by his father, a farmer nearby, to point out

to me the various objects of historic interest and among them

the hill called Tecumseh.' This boy was J. Warren Keifer, the

subject of this memorial. He obtained his education in the coun-

try schools and attended Antioch College one year. When 19

years of age he commenced the study of law with Gen. Charles

Anthony in Springfield; was admitted to the bar Jan. 12, 1858,

practicing his profession for a short time only, for almost before

the young lawyer had an opportunity to prove his ability, the

Civil War was precipitated upon the country and his ambitions,

like those of hundreds of his fellow citizens, fell into abeyance

before the great wave of patriotic enthusiasm that then swept

Ohio. Forensic triumphs were to be delayed, for upon the in-

auguration of hostilities in 1861, he volunteered and enlisted in

defense of the Union on April 19, 1861, being among the first

to proffer his services. They were so prolonged and of so dis-

tinguished a character that their records appear in every contem-

porary history of Ohio.

"On April 27, 1861, he was commissioned major of the Third

Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for a period of three months, and be-

fore the expiration of that time was commissioned for three years.

"He participated in the battle of Rich Mountain, July II;

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578       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

1861, and in the same year was on the field at Cheat Mountain

and Elkwater, W. Va.

"On February 12, 1862, he was commissioned lieutenant-

colonel of the Third Ohio Infantry Regiment and was present

at the capture of Bowling Green, Ky., Nashville, Tenn., Hunts-

ville and Bridgeport, Ala.

"In April, 1862, he led an expedition to Georgia, and on

September 30, 1862, he was commissioned colonel of the 110th

Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and being assigned to Gen.

Milroy's division in West Virginia, was placed in command of

a brigade and the Post at Moorefield.

"On June 13, 14 and 15, 1863, were fought the battles of

Winchester, in which Col. Keifer was twice wounded.

"On July 9, 1863, Col. Keifer was assigned to the Third

Army Corps of the Potomac which was pursuing Gen. Lee's

army.

"In August, 1863, he was dispatched with his command to

New York to suppress riots and enforce the draft, after which

he rejoined the army and from that time to the close of the re-

bellion participated in the many battles that took place between

the armies of Grant and Lee to the time of the surrender of the

latter at Appomattox.

"At the battle of the Wilderness, on May 5, 1864, he was

seriously wounded, but in August of the same year, in spite of

his disability he resumed command of his brigade. He was

nominated for promotion to, Brigadier-General by President

Abraham Lincoln for his conduct in commanding the Third

Division of the Sixth Army Corps in the battle of Cedar Creek

where Philip H. Sheridan made his famous ride.

"For gallant and meritorious services in the battles of Ope-

quon, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek he was breveted brigadier-

general by President Lincoln on December 29, 1864, and in 1865

he was breveted major-general for gallant and distinguished serv-

ices, being mustered out of the service shortly thereafter.

"In 1866 he was tendered a commission as lieutenant-colonel

of the 26th United States Infantry, but this honor he declined,

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     579

 

as the country was at peace, and a return to civil life and to the

practice of law was preferred rather than to remain in permanent

military service.

"Many years after, in April, 1898, when war with Spain

was declared, he was again ready for service, although 62 years

of age.

"Appointed a major-general by President McKinley, he

served in command of the Seventh Army Corps at Miami and

Jacksonville, Florida, and embarked at Savannah with 16,000

men for Cuba, establishing his headquarters at Buena Vista, just

outside the city of Havana.

"He was in command of the United States military forces

which took possession of the city January 1st, 1899.

"The political life of General Keifer also covers a long period,

and as a statesman he has won the commendation and admiration

of his fellow citizens in equal degree as a soldier.

"From 1868 until 1870, he served with marked efficiency as

a member of the Ohio state senate. In 1876 he was sent as a

delegate to the Republican national convention and in the same

year was elected to congress, where he served continuously from

1877 until 1885.

"In December, 1881, he was chosen speaker of the house of

representatives, an office which he filled with his usual distinc-

tion, enjoying the prestige of being at that time the first and only

Ohio man who was selected for this office, having occupied it

until March 4th, 1883. It was during his term as speaker that

was caused to be introduced a new procedure, which attracted

much attention at the time locally and abroad, under the name

of 'Cloture,' which is the right of a speaker to close debate

and cut off purposely obstructive motions and questions and bring

the house to an immediate vote upon the main question. This

decision was cited and adopted by Gladstone in the house of com-

mons.

"Following his service in the Spanish-American War, Gen-

eral Keifer was again called into public life, and in 1904 he was

again elected to congress, where he served three terms, making

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580       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

14 years in all in which he served the country in the house of

representatives.

"During his retirement from public life and while in the

active practice of the law he found time to turn his attention to

literature and wrote his political and military history 'Slavery

and Four Years of War,' in 1895-6, but interesting addenda were

made after the Spanish-American War, prior to the issuance of

the book, in 1900. The work was recognized as being compre-

hensive and convincing.

"He assisted in the organization of the Men's Literary Club

on the 3rd day of October, 1893, and remained an active and

valuable member, when not in public service of the country, until

recently, when the condition of his health prevented his attend-

ance.

"As a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, he did

much for the interests of the soldiers and has been honored by

them with official position. He was first commander-in-chief of

the United Spanish War Veterans; was an honorary life mem-

ber of the International Peace Union and America's official rep-

resentative at the World Peace Conference at Brussels, Belgium,

in 1910; a member of the Perry Centennial Commission, and

served for many years as president of The Lagonda National

Bank at Springfield, and when it merged with The Citizens'

National Bank he was made honorary president of The Lagonda-

Citizens' National Bank.

"In 1870 he served as one of the trustees of the Soldiers'

and Sailors' Orphans' Home at Xenia, he having organized its

board of control in 1868.

"In 1908 a reception was given in his honor by the Clark

County Bar Association at the fiftieth anniversary of his admis-

sion to the bar, which was attended not only by his fellow mem-

bers of the bar in Springfield, but by the judiciary and distin-

guished lawyers from different parts of Ohio.

"Either the political or the military career of Gen. Keifer

was sufficiently outstanding to entitle him to a position of promi-

nence, but added to these distinct careers was that of the lawyer.

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Report of the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting     581

 

"Across the threshhold of his practice fell the shadow of the

Civil War. When that had passed, he returned to active practice,

and soon gained recognition as one of the outstanding young men

of the bar. As time went on, his activities touch every compli-

cated relationship arising in a highly industrial community, and

he became the trusted advisor of many important business enter-

prises.

"His outstanding ability was not confined to office practice,

as he was eminently successful in the trial of important cases be-

fore courts and juries.

"The Ohio Supreme Court reports contain many cases in

which Gen. Keifer appeared as counsel. He was an active prac-

titioner in both state and federal courts.

"His practice was not confined exclusively to civil cases. He

often appeared in criminal cases, where his success was marked.

"The prominent characteristics of Gen. Keifer as a lawyer

were his unceasing industry in his client's cause, a persistence in

the pursuit of what he conceived to be his rights, and a never-

flagging determination to employ every honorable means to ob-

tain the result he sought. The younger men of the bar could

approach Gen. Keifer with full assurance that he would take a

kindly interest in their problems and extend to them any aid that

his experience and learning could furnish.

"Closely connected with his activities as a lawyer were those

incident to his unceasing interest in civic matters and the welfare

of this community. He was not one to let important local mat-

ters pass without giving them deserving recognition. As a public

speaker he was impressive and convincing. He had a remarkable

fund of information, covering a wide range of study, which il-

luminated his discussion of any topic.

"The numerous positions he has filled with honor and in-

tegrity attest the esteem in which he has been held by the public,

and his long and familiar acquaintance with public measures and

public men, his wide legislative experience both in the Ohio senate

and in the congress, his distinguished military career, his many

and valuable civic services, his national prominence, and his for-

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582       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications mer abundant usefulness to the people of the country fully entitle him to the respect that has been shown him by his fellow coun- trymen. "This is not an occasion for sorrow or mourning. A great man has passed after a life of intense activity and splendid service to humanity. "It is rather an occasion for rejoicing that during his re- markable career he has done so much to bring honor, not only to himself, but to the community which loved and will always revere him. "We recognize his splendid genius and rejoice that his life was crowned with so many victories. "He lived far beyond the allotted span of life and there should be no regret at his passing, but only gladness that he wrought so much and so well. "The rewards of the faithful are his. He earned them, and what we may here record will not add to or detract from them. "Chase Stewart, "John L. Zimmerman, "Jacob M. Harner, "Clem V. Collins, "Frank W. Geiger."

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