Ohio History Journal

THE WOODBRIDGE-GALLAHER COLLECTION

 

BY HARLOW LINDLEY

Introductory.

The Library of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical

Society recently secured a very unusual collection of material

consisting of letters, manuscripts, journals, account books, maps,

pamphlets and books. The manuscript collection consists of about

1,100 items, the most notable of which is the Woodbridge-Blen-

nerhassett collection of approximately 600 items.

A word of explanation concerning the collection and those

associated with it will be of interest.

To understand how a collection of such seeming diversity and

yet of such basic unity and continuity has come to be, it is neces-

sary to understand the family back of it. This was no ordinary

collector's offering, with an accession from this celebrity and an

accession from that, an autograph here and another there. Almost

without exception the manuscripts in this collection have come

together artlessly and naturally, so that it is possible to trace today

the reason for the presence of each one. This unity, in fact, is one

of the most unique features of the collection.

In the early eighteenth century, Samuel Backus was a "quiet,

enterprising farmer" of Norwich, Connecticut. He had eleven

children who grew to maturity, and as further evidence of his

enterprise it is known that he operated a grist mill and an iron

works in addition to his farm. His fifth child was Elijah, born

in 1726, and it is this Elijah whose name appears on the earliest

papers of the Woodbridge-Gallaher Collection.

Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., after being graduated at Yale,

opened a law office and import shop in Norwich, where he met

and married Lucy Backus. Her father, Elijah Backus, Sr., fur-

nished many supplies to the Continental army from his iron

foundry in Norwich, Connecticut, and was a man of considerable

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local importance. Of her brothers, James came west with his

cousin, Eben Holden Parsons, as surveyor, and his 1788 Journal

is very interesting for the beginnings of the Marietta district.

Elijah, Jr., came a bit later and bought quite a lot of land, the

Backus or Blennerhassett Island being one of his holdings. He

later moved to Kaskaskia, his daughter Lucy marrying a Pope of

Kentucky, becoming the mother of General John Pope. Matthew,

the youngest brother, attended Princeton, prepared for law, came

west, drifted back east, and eventually committed suicide because

he failed to find his niche in the world. Clarina Backus came

west with Lucy when the family moved to Marietta in the autumn

of 1789 and seems to have spent considerable time in Ohio.

Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., and Lucy Backus had six children.

When they came west in 1789, Dudley, Jr., and William (later

the first governor of Michigan) were left in "prep" school in the

East. The former first married Jane, daughter of Benjamin Ives

Gilman, who died soon after the birth of their daughter, and

(second) Maria Morgan. After a couple of years at Yale, he

came west to take over his father's business and spent the re-

mainder of his life in Marietta. Though a business partner of

Harman Blennerhassett, he had nothing to do with the con-

spiracy save the ordering of certain food stuffs from the East.

William, after "prep" school in Coventry, studied law under

Tapping Reeve in Litchfield, married Juliana, daughter of John

Trumbull, and after a few years' practice in Marietta, went to

Detroit as secretary of the Territory in 1815. Sally, or Sarah,

married John Mathews, the surveyor, and they lived in Zanes-

ville. Lucy married Jean Georges Petit, one of the Gallipolis

Frenchmen, and theirs was the first divorce granted in the Ter-

ritory. John married a Kentucky girl and became a banker in

Chillicothe. David died very young.

The Woodbridge and Backus families were part and parcel

of New England's ministry and governmental forces since the

early days and their descendants played an important part in

laying the foundation of our own State.

Mention also should be made of Colonel George Morgan of

Revolutionary and New Madrid fame, who was the great grand-

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WOODBRIDGE-GALLAHER COLLECTION            445

 

father of Mrs. J. A. (Laura Woodbridge) Gallaher of Marietta,

her grandfather Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., having married Maria

Morgan. Mrs. Gallaher is still living and has cherished and

preserved this valuable collection of historical material for years.

She gave the collection to her grandson, Charles Penrose, of

Marietta, from whom the Ohio State Archaeological and Histor-

ical Society obtained it.

Blennerhassett, of Blennerhassett-Burr fame, bought his

island in the Ohio River from Elijah Backus, Mrs. Gallaher's

great-uncle, and was a business partner of her grandfather, Dud-

ley Woodbridge, Jr.

 

Blennerhassett Papers.

The Blennerhassett papers consist of business and personal

papers, being letters and accounts from July 31, 1797, when

Blennerhassett was introduced by a letter from Edward D. Tur-

ner to Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., until 1884, in which year there

are a few letters from his descendants.

In this group there are some six hundred items. These

consist for the most part of personal letters between Dudley

Woodbridge, Jr., and Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett's orders on

the store at Marietta; letters and accounts of their partnership;

and several letters from Margaret Blennerhassett. Little mention

is made of the plans to join Aaron Burr, but the agreements

drawn up on the tenth of December, 1806, and the few subse-

quent letters are eloquent of the tragedy that followed. Many of

the items are of interest because of the information they give

regarding the furnishing of the famous Blennerhassett mansion.

This collection is interesting for studying the economic and social

conditions of the day.

 

Woodbridge and Backus Manuscripts.

Small notebook containing names of settlers in Marietta

district in 1817.

Day book, probably of Woodbridge store, 1814.

Correspondence and records of James Backus with Scioto

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Company, 1790, listing Gallipolis settlers and expenditures in

transporting them to Ohio.

James Backus' notebooks recording his first visit to Marietta

and surveys made. Parts of these are printed in the Backus

genealogy.

1754-79: The earliest papers deal with business and martial

affairs in Norwich, Connecticut. Signatures of Elijah Backus,

Sr., Benjamin Huntington, Samuel Leffingwell, Samuel Loudon,

Andrew Tracy, Elisha Tracy, Jr. Twenty-five items.

1781-87: Norwich and vicinity, business and political. Sig-

natures of Labdiel Rogers, Elijah Backus, Sr., James Backus,

Comfort Chapman, Jr., Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., Rufus Lathrop,

James Watson, Samuel Loudon, John Fox, Archibald Crary.

Twenty-two items.

1788: Beginnings of the Marietta settlement. Letters from

Samuel Holden Parsons, James Backus, Samuel Loudon, Fourth

of July celebration, Samuel Wyllys, David Bull, Robert Walker,

Joseph Walker, Elijah Backus, Return Jonathan Meigs, Rufus

Backus, Backus and Kindall (apparently a trading-house) day

book, Benjamin Tupper, Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., Haffield

White, Griffin Greene, Ebenezer Battelle, Return Jonathan Meigs,

Jr. Forty-two items.

1789: Growth of Marietta, dealing with surveys, military

affairs, merchandise, and general conditions. Letters from James

Backus, Dudley Woodbridge, Sr. (who came in the early spring),

closing of Woodbridge financial interests in Norwich, Benjamin

Tupper, Samuel Holden Parsons, Return Jonathan Meigs, David

Brown, Benjamin Converse, William Dana, Jesse Brown, Abel

Mathews, James Owen, Daniel Rodman, Thomas Lord, Jr.,

Enoch Shepard, Griffin Greene, Clarina Backus, Roger Griswold,

Earl Sproat. Thirty-three items. These letters are often to

members of the family and give intimate details of the place

occupied by Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., and James Backus in

Marietta.

1790: For correspondence of James Backus and papers

concerning the French settlers of Gallipolis, see ante. The letters

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WOODBRIDGE-GALLAHER COLLECTION           447

of this year pertain to the growth of Marietta, Indian troubles,

Woodbridge and Backus family matters, and general business

and legal affairs. Letters from Matthew Backus, Rufus Backus,

Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., petition for donation lands, Elijah

Backus, trade license for trade in Connecticut, John May on

transportation from Boston to Marietta, Dudley Woodbridge, Jr.,

Benjamin Throop grants power of attorney, signatures of Neh-

miah Waterman, Andrew Tracy, letter of Clarina Backus, Wil-

liam Littell, Rufus Putnam, Daniel Rodman, Nathan McFarland,

Isaac Guion, G. Blakeney, Richard Sholes. Fifty-eight items.

1791: Continuance of Indian troubles. Letters of Dudley

Woodbridge, Sr., William Ferguson, Matthew Backus' descrip-

tion of travel in South Carolina, list of soldier land warrants,

expenses from Marietta to New York, deed of Ebenezer Sproat

to James Backus, supplies bought by Ohio Company, James

Backus' opinion of Scioto County officials, order of Jonathan

Devol, A. Adgate & Co. Twenty-two items.

1792: Deed to Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., of Wolf Creek

land from Ezra Lunt with signatures of Return Jonathan Meigs,

Jr., Stephen Peirce, Return Jonathan Meigs, Sr., letters of Rob-

ert Oliver, Matthew Backus, James Backus, Dudley Woodbridge,

Sr., Elijah Backus, Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., from school in

Connecticut, account book of labor on blockhouse constructed in

1792. Fourteen items.

1793: Letter-book of Dudley Woodbridge, Sr. (1792-95),

giving considerable of local interest in business and politics.

Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., from school, Matthew Backus, Dudley

Woodbridge, Sr., Wayne's march to the Indian country, Clarina

Backus. Eleven items exclusive of letter-book.

1794: Ohio Company grant to Dudley Woodbridge, Sr.,

signed by Rufus Putnam, Manasseh Cutler, Griffin Greene, Rob-

ert Oliver, Return Jonathan Meigs, Daniel Story, Matthew

Backus' views of Marietta, Elijah Backus, James Backus. Eight

items.

1795: Abstract of pay due soldiers of Second Sublegion,

James Backus on Ohio Company affairs, marine insurance policy,

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448   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

bill of lading, Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., letter of Rufus Putnam,

Matthew Griswold, Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., appointed Recorder

of Deeds with Arthur St. Clair's signature. Fifteen items.

1796: Bill for schooling; letters from Enoch Parsons, Dud-

ley Woodbridge, Sr., John Rathbone, Jabez True, Josiah Hart,

Roger Griswold, Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., army warrant bill in

Congress, Rufus Putnam, Joseph Woodbridge, James Backus,

land grant with signatures of Rufus Putnam, Manasseh Cutler,

Griffin Greene, Robert Oliver, Josiah Munro, and William Rufus

Putnam, school letter of William Woodbridge, Samuel Wood-

bridge, Jonas Prentice, J. G. Petit, Jonathan Trumbull, Joseph

Bassett, Joseph Thomas, John Harris, Samuel Loudon, Matthew

Backus, J. A. Visinier, Joseph Clark, David Redick, Lucy Wood-

bridge, Sr. Sixty items. These letters are mainly about busi-

ness and political affairs, orders, bills in Congress, etc. Value of

army warrants, establishment of land office, the seven ranges,

Jay's Treaty, Spanish Treaty, family matters.

1797: Letters from Samuel Woodbridge, Lucy Woodbridge,

Sr., Elijah Backus, Sr., Charlotte Woodbridge Mumford, Dudley

Woodbridge, Jr., William Woodbridge, J. G. Petit, Dudley Wood-

bridge, Sr., Ohio Company grants with signatures of Rufus

Putnam, Manasseh Cutler, Griffin Greene, Robert Oliver, Levi

Whipple, J. Peirce, William R. Putnam. Twenty-three items.

These papers are mostly business correspondence of Dudley

Woodbridge, Sr., a few pertain to the settlement of his mother's

estate.

1798-99: Notebook, apparently of lot owners, interesting

for names it contains. Letters of Clarina Backus, Dudley Wood-

bridge, Sr., Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., James Backus, Timothy

Pickering, Enoch Parsons. Fourteen items. These papers per-

tain to the Woodbridge business; one to yellow fever in Phila-

delphia.

1800: Letters from Samuel Woodbridge, Enoch Parsons,

Mary Parsons, Roger Griswold, Clarina Backus, Arthur St.

Clair, Jr. Fifteen items. Family and business matters, land

purchases, etc. In December, 1800, Lucy Woodbridge obtained

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WOODBRIDGE-GALLAHER COLLECTION           449

a divorce from Dr. J. G. Petit, and since this is the first one

granted in the Northwest Territory, being an act of the legisla-

ture, it is quite interesting. Petit was one of the Gallipolis

Frenchmen.

1801-05: Letters of Thomas Bassett, W. Young, Thomas

Worthington; Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., appointment (with St.

Clair's signature) as lieutenant in Second Regiment of Militia of

Washington County. Signatures of James Lanman, Larkens

Armstrong, ----- Briggs, James Backus; letters of John and

William Woodbridge, Elijah Backus, J. P. R. Bureau, A-----

Backus, Matthew Backus, Joseph Hopkins. Twenty-three items.

Business letters, estate of Elijah Backus, Sr., and general family

matters.

1806-12: Letters of J. Webster, Elijah Backus, S. Adams,

James Backus, William Woodbridge, Lucy Woodbridge Petit,

Benjamin Ives Gilman, James Mackenzie, A. Glennie, Edward

Carrington, Abner Backus, John Woodbridge, James Adams;

signatures of S. P. Hildreth, William Skinner, Levi Barber,

Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., Lothrop Connley (?), Joseph Holden,

Dale McFarland, Jr., Alexander Hill. Thirty-one items. Busi-

ness correspondence, epidemic in Marietta, Duck Creek bridge

lottery, property appraisal with interesting list of names, Matthew

Backus' estate, Muskingum bridge, army discharge, patriotic

address for 1812 enlistment, muster roll of First Regiment, First

Brigade, Third Division of Ohio Militia under Captain James

Flagg in 1812, stand of Republicans in Washington County with

many signatures.

1813-17: Military reports of the war; letters from Jacob

Lindley, J. P. R. Bureau, R. Meigs, Lucy Petit, Thomas L.

Pierce, William Woodbridge, Dudley Woodbridge, Sr., John

Woodbridge, Julia Trumbull Woodbridge, William Petit. In

addition to military affairs, these letters tell largely of domestic

affairs. Mrs. Woodbridge had gone to Detroit to visit William.

Enroute home, she contracted pneumonia, from which she died

at the home of John in Chillicothe. Interesting for travel condi-

tions. Twenty-eight items.

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450   OHIO ARCH_AEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

1819-87: Letters of Jacob Lindley, Dudley Woodbridge,

Sr., Lucy Woodbridge, Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., William Wood-

bridge, David Putnam, Clarina Backus, Maria Morgan Wood-

bridge, George Morgan Woodbridge, Thomas Morgan, David

Woodbridge, Cyrus Byington, William Duane, John Sherman, W.

W. Backus. These letters are very scattered and pertain mainly

to the Dudley Woodbridge, Jr., family. George is a student at

the University in Athens. Dudley, Sr., writes of a chance meet-

ing with Mrs. Blennerhassett. Poll book of Marietta in 1825.

Constitution of Athens Circuit Sunday School Union. Member-

ship certificate in American Tract Society. Land warrants from

Act of 1847. Dimensions of Ft. Harmar well. Sixty-five items.

Pencil sketch of home built by William Woodbridge in 1806,

dates sold to brother Dudley. An etching has been made of this.

In addition to the above, there is a group of forty letters of

Lucy Backus Woodbridge. These are particularly interesting in

showing the migration of a New England family to Ohio, the

physical and social limitations of the surroundings, part of women

in business, interest in education, etc.

Printed map mounted on cloth, 12x24, "Part of the Seven

Ranges Survey'd agreeable to the Ordinance of Congress of May

20th, 1785." Bears label: "Army Lands Woodbridge."

Original Map of the Lands Granted by Congress to the

French People of Gallipolis. Hand-drawn, ink and perhaps

water color. Survey made by Absalom Martin. Approximately

18x20.

Revolutionary Journal of John Smith, of Bristol, Rhode

Island, covering the years 1776-1777.

In addition to the manuscript collection there is a collection

of pamphlets relative to Marietta and the Old Northwest, and a

miscellaneous collection of books, some of historical and some of

literary value. There are also six scrap-books containing hun-

dreds of clippings pertaining to Marietta and early Ohio.

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