Ohio History Journal

ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT

 

 

 

OHIO STATE

 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL

 

SOCIETY

 

 

 

 

FOR THE YEAR

 

FEBRUARY 19, 1895 TO FEBRUARY 18, 1896.

 

 

 

 

GEN. R. BRINKERHOFF, President.

E. O. RANDALL, Secretary.

 

 

 

 

 

COLUMBUS, O., JANUARY, 1896.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To His Excellency, ASA S. BUSHNELL, Governor of Ohio:

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the eleventh annual

report of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society,

covering the year from February 19, 1895, to February 18, 1896.

This report, while complete as to the more important pro-

ceedings of the Society, is made as concise as possible, and for

the greater convenience of the reader, the chief items of interest

are arranged topically. For the benefit of those not heretofore

familiar with the Society, a brief statement of its history prefaces

the regular report.

With very great respect, I remain,

Yours truly,

E. 0. RANDALL, Secretary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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OFFICERS

 

FROM FEBRUARY 19, 1895, TO FEBRUARY 18, 1896.

GEN. R. BRINKERHOFF, Mansfield, .          .       .    President

REV. WM. E. MOORE, Columbus,                 .                      . Vice President

S. S. RICKLY, Columbus,                                                             .   Treasurer

EDWIN F. WOOD, Columbus,           . Assistant Treasurer

E. O. RANDALL, Columbus,                  .            Secretary

WARREN K. MOOREHEAD, Columbus,                                                 Curator

 

TRUSTEES ELECTED BY THE SOCIETY.

 

TERM EXPIRES IN 1896.

HON JOHN SHERMAN,                   .    ..         Mansfield

*MAJ. E. C. DAWES,                       .                                                  Cincinnati

+PROF. N. S. TOWNSEND,                                                                    .    .    .                        Columbus

PROF. G. F. WRIGHT,       .                                  ..         Oberlin

REV. WM. E. MOORE,                                        ..                      Columbus

 

TERM EXPIRES IN 1897.

HON. CALVIN S. BRICE,                 .    .   ..             Lima

HON. ELROY M. AVERY,                        ..         Cleveland

BISHOP B. W. ARNETT,      .                            .         .             Wilberforce

MR. G. F. BAREIS, .    .. Canal Winchester

MR. S. S. RICKLY,   . . . .  .                  Columbus

 

TERM EXPIRES IN 1898.

GEN. R. BRINKERHOFF,                          ..         Columbus

HON. M. D. FOLLETT,       .                    .                                                               .                  Marietta

HON. D. J. RYAN,   ...                               Columbus

REV. H. A. THOMPSON,      .                             .                                                               .                  Dayton

MR. R. E. HILLS,                                                                                  .   .                              Delaware

 

APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

Mr. E. O. RANDALL, Columbus, 1896; Mr. A. H. SMYTHE,

Columbus, 1896; Hon. CHAS. P. GRIFFIN, Toledo, 1897; Hon.

A. ROBESON, Greenville, 1897; Hon. W. J. GILMORE, Colum-

bus, 1898; Mr. ISRAEL WILLIAMS, Hamilton, 1898.

 

*Deceased April 23,1895.

+ Deceased July 14, 1895.

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ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING.

 

 

The eleventh meeting (tenth annual) of the Society convened

in the reading room of the State Library, Columbus, Ohio, Feb-

ruary 19, 1895, General R. Brinkerhoff, the President in the chair

and E. O. Randall, Secretary. There was the usual attendance.

The minutes of the last (ninth) annual meeting of the Society

were read and approved. As the report of the Executive Com-

mittee of the Trustees, which was next in order, the Secretary read

the report which had been prepared by him in behalf of the So-

ciety and filed with Governor McKinley, as the official report

to the State. This report was approved by the Society. The

term of office of five Trustees, elected by the Society, terminated

at this meeting. These Trustees were as follows: Gen. R. Brin-

kerhoff, Mansfield; Mon. M. D. Follett, Marietta; Dr. H. A.

Thompson, Dayton; Hon. D. J. Ryan, Columbus, and Mr. R.

E. Hills, Delaware. On suspension of the rules, these gentle-

men were unanimously re-elected to serve for the ensuing three

years, viz., 1895-1898.

A committee of three, viz., Dr. Moore, Mr. Bareis and Dr.

Townshend, were appointed to wait upon Governor McKinley,

present to him the greetings of the Society then in session and

suggest to him that the sentiment of the Society was in favor of

the re-appointment by him of the two Trustees whose terms ex-

pired at this time, viz., Judge W. J. Gilmore, of Columbus and

Hon. Israel Williams of Hamilton. The committee at once per-

formed its errand and reported that the Governor returned his

compliments to the Society and stated he would be glad to re-

appoint those gentlemen as requested. He also expressed satis-

faction over the work being accomplished by the Society.

The Society instructed the Secretary to keep a scrap book,

to be the property of the Society, in which might be permanently

preserved such historical articles as may come to his notice or

be furnished him from members of the Society or others. The

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280       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

Secretary explained the situation as to the Greenville celebration,

that the Legislature (1893-4) had failed to make an appropriation

for this purpose, but that he, the Secretary, was in correspondence

with the Committee at Greenville and had pledged the co-opera-

tion of the Society, so far as it would be able to act.

Upon call for the report of the special committee, consisting

of Messrs. Wm. E. Moore, E. F. Wood and E. O. Randall, ap-

pointed at the last annual meeting (Feb. 19, 1894) of the Society

to revise the Constitution, the Secretary reported that owing to

the lack of anything approaching a suitable constitution, the

report contained practically a new constitution. The report of

the committee was then read and after due consideration the new

constitution was approved and adopted.*

On motion, meeting adjourned.

The meeting of the Society was immediately followed by the

Annual Meeting of the Trustees.

 

 

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TRUSTEES.

The following Trustees were present: Messrs. Arnett, Bareis,

Brinkerhoff, Gilmore, Hills, Moore, Randall, Rickly, Robeson,

Smythe, Townshend. The officers elected to serve for the ensu-

ing year, February 19, 1895, to February 18, 1896, were as fol-

lows: President, Gen. R. Brinkerhoff; Vice-President, Rev. Wm.

E. Moore; Treasurer, Hon. S. S. Rickly; Assistant Treasurer,

Edwin F. Wood; Secretary, E. O. Randall. In addition to the

officers of the Society, who are ex-officio members, the following

Executive Committee was elected: Messrs. Gilmore, Bareis,

Ryan, Hills and Smythe. The organization of the new Execu-

tive Committee was completed by the selection of Rev. Wm. E.

Moore, as Permanent Chairman and E. O. Randall as Secretary.

Professor Warren K. Moorehead was elected Curator of the

Museum and Mrs. Benigna G. Kalb Official Reporter of the

Society. The Executive Committee determined the salaries of

 

* This new Constitution is printed in full in Volume IV. (1895) of the

Society's publications, and is also published separately in pamphlet form

and can be had on application to the Secretary.

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Eleventh Annual Meeting.              281

 

the various officers. Meeting adjourned subject to the call of

the Secretary.

In the evening the Society celebrated the tenth anniversary,

the first decade of its history, with a banquet in the parlors of the

Y. M. C. A. It was the most successful occasion of the kind

ever participated in by the Society. Upwards of eighty sat down

to the tastefully arranged tables. Gen. R. Brinkerhoff presided

as Toastmaster.

The literary program was as follows:

Opening Address,            .   .       GEN. R. BRINKERHOFF

"Our Society,"  ...                        HON. S. S. RICKLY

"Relation of the O. S. U. to the O. A, and H.

Society,"      .PRESIDENT WM. H. SCOTT

"The Early Geologists of Ohio,"  .PROF. EDWARD ORTON

"Woman as a Factor in Ohio Politics," .               .  . MRS. J. A. SHAWAN

"Buckeye Folks,"--Recitation, .  .                           . MISS ANNE V. CULBERTSON

"Fort Ancient,"  .      .                                                                                                JUDGE W. J. GILMORE

"War Governors of Ohio,"                                                                                      GEN. GEO. B. WRIGHT

"The Pioneer Woman of Ohio,"  .. MRS. ABRAM BROWN

"Ohio's Congressmen During the War,"  .    TOD B. GALLOWAY

'The Colored Man of Ohio,"                                                                                  BISHOP B. W. ARNETT

"Archaeology of Ohio,"                                            .       .                                     PROF. W. K. MOOREHEAD

"Value of Personal History,"                                   . .                                           . RE. WM. E. MOORE

"The Old Buckeye State,"- Soprano Solo,  MRS. J. F. MCNEIL

 

WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The Executive Committee has been most faithful, efficient

and indefatigable in its supervision of the affairs of the Society,

in its efforts to protect its interests, promote the objects of the

Society and economically expend the funds placed at the disposal

of the Society by the appropriation of the Legislature.  The

committee as a whole has met on an average once a month dur-

ing the year, its sessions averaging some three hours in length.

Every detail of the work in the Society has been directed by the

committee or at least been carefully scrutinized by them. The

committee has been subdivided into four committees, respectively,

on Finance, Museum and Library, Fort Ancient and Publications.

These sub-committees have held such meetings as their work re-

quired.

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282      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS.

In November, 1895, the Society issued the fourth volume

of its publication, of documents and papers. This volume, com-

prising some five hundred pages with maps and illustrations is

the most extensive work yet issued by this Society. It contains,

besides much historical and biographical matter, all of the material

prepared or collected by the Society concerning the Ohio Boun-

ary Line Disputes. The style and value of the book speaks for

itself and more than justifies the appropriation made by the State

for the purpose. The amount allowed in the appropriation bill

only permitted an edition of five hundred, but the work is in

plates so that subsequent editions can be easily and cheaply pro-

duced. The Society has now published, not including the ex-

tensive report of the Society's exhibit at Chicago, 80 pages 1894-

four volumes of interesting, valuable matter, pertaining to Ohio,

its history, biography and archaeology. Most of this material

has been either originally prepared or exclusively preserved by

the Society and the work of the Society in this line alone is suf-

ficient reason for its being and for support by the State. These

publications are in great demand by the leading historical soci-

eties and libraries, not only of the United States, but even those

in Europe. These books are all in well preserved plates. Sec-

ond editions have already been required of the first three volumes

and no doubt a second edition of volume four will soon be de-

manded. Should the Legislature meet the request of this Society

as to funds it is the intention to publish the forthcoming year,

1896, a volume containing the proceedings of the Centennials at

Fallen Timbers 1894, Defiance 1894, Greenville 1895, and the

forthcoming (1896) Centennials at Chillicothe and Cleveland.

Also a volume on the land title history of Ohio - an historical

abstract showing the title descent from the English grants to the

Colonies down to the settlement of Ohio's present boundary.

 

EXCHANGES.

The Society is in constant correspondence with the other

State Societies and the leading Historical Societies of the country.

With all these a system of exchange of publications is established,

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Eleventh Annual Meeting.             283

 

and a large and valuable library is in this manner being accumu-

lated -a library which can be obtained in no other way, and

which will be of inestimable interest and value to all who wish

to consult this class of literature. The State of Ohio has been

most negligent in collecting and preserving historical material

pertaining to Ohio. Our Society is doing what it can to assist

in accumulating an Ohio historical library.

 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.

This department of the Society has been under the direction

of Prof. Warren K. Moorehead. Mr. Moorehead is a most ac-

complished scholar on this subject, the author of "Primitive man

in Ohio," and a complete work on "Fort Ancient." Mr. Moore-

head has done much in behalf of the Society in this line, the past

year, and would have done much more had the Society been able

to supply him with the deserved means.

 

MR. MOOREHEAD'S REPORT.

 

[DEPARTMENT OF ARCHEOLOGY]

MR. E. O. RANDALL, Secretary of the Society.

DEAR SIR: -Since my last report, made to you January

15th, 1895, we have received several valuable additions to the

collections of the Society in Orton Hall. The first field work

directly in the interests of the Society, has been accomplished in

the examination of Southern Ohio Caves in search of evidences

of the occupation of Ohio by Paleolithic Man.

Through the medium of exchange, and by purchase, the

Curator secured 754 specimens from New England, Maryland,

South Dakota, Missouri and Arkansas which he presented to

the Society.

Mr. E. G. Swartzel presented a small but choice collection

from Preble County.

Mr. Warren Cowan, who donated specimens last year gave

another valuable collection. It is of particular interest, being

found on and about the famous Serpent Mound by previous own-

ers of that singular ceremonial structure during the years 1878-

1885. There are some 200 objects in the exhibit.

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284      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

 

EXPLORATIONS.

Eastern Museums, especially the University of Pennsylvania

Museum, the Peabody Museum and the Bureau of Ethnology of

Washington, have been much interested in the question: "Did

paleolithic (glacial) man occupy Ohio?" Professor Andrews for

the Peabody Museum did the only work along these lines in

Ohio. He explored Ash Cave, in the Hocking Valley, four miles

from Bloomingville in Hocking County. His report was pub-

lished by the Peabody Museum.

The Society, largely through the kindness of Hon. Asa S.

Bushnell, and two other gentlemen, undertook to make a pre-

liminary survey of the caves and rock shelters, canons and gorges

of Southern Ohio, with the object in view, that if the preliminary

survey was favorable, extended explorations would be projected.

Dr. Thomas Wilson, Curator of Prehistoric Anthropology in the

Smithsonian Institution, kindly volunteered his services in di-

recting the work among the Ohio caverns. Dr. Wilson, several

university students, myself, and a number of laborers set out

from Bainbridge, Ohio, about the 1st of July to explore the caves

along Rocky Fork, a tributary of Paint Creek, in Ross and High-

land counties. After completing the work on Paint Creek, the

party examined caverns in Hocking county at several points.

We made a careful examination of several of the Bainbridge

caves, and dug holes in about fifteen of those found in the Hock-

ing valley. The cave, dirt, etc., is about ten feet deep. The ex-

cavation which we sank was four feet wide and fifteen feet long.

In the large or "wet cave" the accumulation of dirt, etc., at the

opening is 13 to 20 feet in depth and 120 feet in width. The

expense of excavating this would be somewhat over $500.00. In

the larger caves of the Bainbridge region small holes were sunk,

but nothing of importance was discovered.

In the Hocking region the sand and dirt was scooped out

of many of the caves, and although pieces of pottery and arrow

heads and other flint implements were found in several caverns,

there was no indication that more than one of the Hocking caves

have been inhabited in glacial times. At Ash Cave we found a

cavern some 80 feet in height, 100 feet in depth and 400 feet long.

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Eleventh Annual Meeting.             285

 

Two hundred and fifty feet of this distance is covered by a deposit

of ashes, ranging from 2 to 6 feet in depth. Picnic parties, relic

collectors and others have pretty well dug over the entire deposit.

However, we would recommend a thorough exploration. We

understand from people living near the cave that three human

skeletons have been found at 4 or 5 feet depth, and that several

whole pottery vessels, a sack of seeds, and two or three pairs

of sandals were exhumed by some gentleman from New York,

but we could not ascertain his name.

We have excavated extensively in Ash Cave and found the

relics of man very numerous throughout the ashes and the cave

dirt on the floor. These relics consisted of small fragments of

pottery, flakes and scales of flint, bones hardened or burned by

fire, broken stones, arrow-heads, blocks of partly worked flint,

bone awls, charcoal, burnt stone, etc. About 400 specimens were

found in two days' digging.

We think from our examination that the cave was used as

a habitation site for a considerable length of time, and that three

or four burials were made in the sand at the back of the cave

against the rear wall. The ashes covering the sand at the place

of burial are about three feet in depth. We found a number of

human bones at the rear of the cave, and from their state of pre-

servation the skeletons uncovered by previous explorers must

have been perfect. We understood that the sack of seeds buried

with one of the individuals was of very coarse texture, and in

size about 24 x18 inches. The pottery is thin, made of local

clays, and superior in texture to those usually found in Ohio.

The decorations are simply incised lines cut with a sharp flint or

pointed stick.

Dr. Wilson suggests that further explorations be carried on

in the Hocking and Paint valleys before we either affirm or deny

the existence of paleolithic man. He is of the opinion that the

discoveries in Ash Cave prove its occupation by the red Indian

or his immediate ancestor.

I believe that the thorough exploration of the large wet cave

above Bainbridge, and also a number of caverns in a canon known

as "The Gulf," some two miles from Ash Cave are of such im-

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286       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

portance, that they should be undertaken by the Ohio Archaeo-

logical and Historical Society.

 

ARCHAEOLGIC MAP OF OHIO.

For more than one year we have been working upon a most

important undertaking. Nearly all the European countries have

maps (township) showing the location of every pre-historic ruin,

mound, fortification and village site. Ohio has no such record

and at the present rate of demolition, all our pre-historic monu-

ments will soon be obliterated and no trace remain. So we un-

dertook to have archaeologists over the State co-operate with us

in the recording of these various structures, and for that purpose

we prepared township maps of every county. These were sent

out together with a list of symbols representing the kinds, posi-

tion, etc., of ancient remains. As these county maps come in

we transcribe the marks to our large map. Thus we have nearly

3,000 recorded. We estimate there are at least 12,000 more in

the State. In some localities we find as high as 20 mounds in

one group.

An extensive correspondence has been established with local

and foreign archaeologists and collectors. We should have larger

collections on hand to facilitate exchanges; also, funds to pur-

chase valuable exhibits. It is imperative that we put a good sur-

vey into the field next spring and summer to compete with the

Eastern Museums, as they are likely to carry East all of our most

valuable antiquities. On the whole the Museum of the Society

has done exceedingly well and shows a growth of fully 120 per

cent. in the last 18 months over the preceding 7 years.

Respectfully submitted,

WARREN K. MOOREHEAD,

Curator of Pre-historic Archaeology and Ethnology.

December 30, 1895.

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Eleventh Annual Meeting.            287   FORT ANCIENT. The Committee, with Rev. Wm. E. Moore as Chairman and Superintendent, having Fort Ancient in charge, have diligently and efficiently performed its work. The funds appropriated by the State for this special purpose have been judiciously expended.

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288      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

Several visits to the Fort have been made by the Chairman and

other members of the Executive Committee, and personal super-

vision has been given to the care and preservation of this pre-

historic spot. An arrangement was entered into with Messrs.

Moorehead and Cowan, the former the Curator of the Society,

by which the enclosure within the embankment was thoroughly

cleaned of all rubbish, underbrush, debris and dead wood; the

washings were filled or checked and the entire grounds cleared

into a park-like condition. A competent man was engaged to

occupy the dwelling house at the entrance and guard the grounds

from intruders. The embankment and enclosures have been pro-

tected by erection of barbed wire fences.

The legislature should not hesitate to continue its provisions

for the care of this property, the largest, best preserved and most

interesting, and probably most important relic of the ancient

mound builders in this country. It is hoped the State will no

longer delay obtaining possesion of that portion of the Fort which

by mistake, in its previous purchase, it failed to secure. The

State should be the sole and complete possessor of this property,

and that before the part now owned by private parties is destroyed

or irretrievably damaged. Of such interest to the archaeologist

is this Fort that models of it are made in some of the museums

of Europe. It is becoming more and more an object of historical

and archaeological study on the part of scholars throughout the

United States. It is also a most popular resort for pleasure seek-

ers and should be a State park as well as a State relic.

 

 

QUARTERS FOR THE SOCIETY.

The great need of the Society is adequate quarters for the

placing of its property and facilities for its work. The Society

is now located in the Orton building of the Ohio State University.

The University authorities have granted every accommodation

they can, but cannot spare what we positively need. Our museum

is upon the second, or gallery floor of the Orton Museum, in

inaccessible and cramped quarters. Our library is mostly packed

in boxes in the basement rooms of the same building, while we

have no office facilities or reading room. The State of Ohio can-

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Eleventh Annual Meeting.              289

 

not afford to ignore its Historical and Archaeological Society.

The State, if it is not ready at this time to erect a building espe-

cially for the use of the Society, should at least remember the

Society to the extent that it grant the Ohio State University

such buildings as the University needs, with ample accommoda-

tions in one of them for the exclusive occupancy of the Society.

Many valuable donations of books, documents and specimen col-

lections are only waiting to come to the Society when it has

quarters to receive them. The Society has grown in the value

of its work and its reputation till it is recognized as in the front

rank of similar State societies, and our great State cannot do

otherwise than liberally promote its progress. No well regu-

lated or self-respecting State in the Union is without an Histor-

ical Society, more or less fostered by the State. Even the western

and newer States, with nothing like the need or field for such an

agency as Ohio has, liberally care for their State societies. For

instance, Nebraska, last year gave its society, if I am correctly

informed, $4,500.00; Kansas, $5,680.00, and Wisconsin, $12,-

000.00. No State can surpass Ohio for wealth of material in

the line of Archaeology, Biography and History. The Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society is the only State agency

for the collecting and preserving of this wealth. It should be

afforded every means and facility required for the full accomplish-

ment of its purpose.

Respectfully submitted,

E. O. RANDALL, Secretary.

By order of the Executive Committee.

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290         Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

 

TREASURER'S REPORT.

 

FEBRUARY 1, 1895 TO FEBRUARY 1, 1896.

 

RECEIPTS.

Balance on hand February 1st, 1895, .                                              $155 69

Received from Life Members.     .     .                                                                                           145 00

Active Members,                                   ..              124 00

Banquet tickets (1895),                                .                                67 00

Subscriptions,     .    .                                                       4 00

Sale of mileage book,                    .                        6 00

Rental of Fort Ancient,      .                                           200 00

State Treasurer,      .                                                       3,369 71

Interest on Permanent Fund,       .                .                  23 80

Contributions for Cave Explorations,           .                      63 95

Rebates (E. O. Randall and E. F. Wood),       .                  15 47

 

Total,     .    .    .    .   .               .                          $ 4,174 62

 

DISBURSEMENTS.

Reprinting Volume 3,    .    .    .         .          .        .    .    .       $ 500 00

Publishing Volume 4 (on account),               .                   .                                       450 00

Job Printing,      .      .        .                                                                       54 35

Work at Fort Ancient,             .                                                                 .                             400 00

Committee Expenses account Fort Ancient,         .          .      .                  33 45

Stenographer,         .   .    .                                                                151 40

Second installment State Archaeological Map,               .        25 00

Postage,   .     .                                                                                               43 35

Salaries - Secretary, Curator, Asst. Treasurer,                                   1,311 65

The "Archaeologist,"               .                              ..                         250 00

Cave Explorations,            .      .        .       .                                      63 95

Advertising,              .               .                   .                   .                                                                                       12 50

Banquet (1895),       .               .        .          .                                                 75 50

Express and Drayage,               .        .                   ..                                       30 24

Stationery and Supplies,     .      .        .                                                        21 86

Sundry Expenses,      .                      .             .                .                   .       .      .                        27 54

Transferred to Permanent Fund, .     .          ..                                           395 00

Balance in hands of Treasurer February 1st, 1896,  .    .                   328 82

 

$4,174 62

Respectfully submitted,

S. S. RICKLY, Treasurer.

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