Editorialana. 295
THE MEMOIRS OF RUFUS PUTNAM.
Compiled and annotated by Miss Rowena
Buell, Marietta, Ohio.
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston and
New York.
This is a work of rare historical value,
and one which every
student of history, and particularly of
Ohio history, will covet and
consult with great satisfaction. It
consists mainly of the official papers
and correspondence connected with the
life and deeds of General Rufus
Putnam, who was the leader in the little
band of pilgrims who came
from New England, and in the later
Mayflower sailed down the Ohio
and landed, on that memorable 9th of
April, 1788, at the present site
of Marietta. Next to the settlement of
Plymouth by the passengers
of the first Mayflower, this second
voyage was fraught with greatest
results to American history. The
"Adventure," as the Mayflower was
first called, was to the great northwest
empire what that little ship,
which landed upon the bleak shores of
Cape Cod, in December, 1620,
was to the American colonies of the
new-born American republic.
The material comprising this book is
historical, and admirably ar-
ranged and edited by Miss Buell. The
first part is autobiographical,
giving the family history and descent of
Rufus Putnam, beginning with
his first American ancestor, John
Putnam, who came to Salem in
1634. The second part covers General
Putnam's military and public ser-
vices until 1804. General Putnam was a
distinguished participant in the
Revolutionary War, enjoying the personal
friendship and esteem of
Washington; he was an engineer of
superior attainment and superin-
tended all the defenses of New York in
1776, and aided in construct-
ing the fortifications at West Point.
The War of the Revolution over,
he began the second period of his
career, perhaps more distinguished,
certainly more romantic and not less
courageous, by his services in direct-
ing the first settlement in the
Northwest Territory.
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, and
President Perry, of Marietta
College, contribute introductory pages
to this volume, which is pub-
lished under the auspices of The Society
of Colonial Dames of America
in the State of Ohio.
It is a volume which should be in every
Ohio library, and which
will be of value to all students of
early American history, and particularly
of the foundation and development of the
Northwest Territory and the
state of Ohio. Miss Buell has
contributed a most valuable volume to Ohio
literature.
THE VANISHED EMPIRE.
"The Vanished Empire," by
Waldo H. Dunn; published by The
Robert Clark Co., Cincinnati.
296 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
This is a little volume just issued from
the press, in which the author
recounts "A tale of the Mound
Builders." The location of the events
of the story is mainly at Serpent Mound
and Marietta, at which latter
place the author locates the capital or
abiding place of the king of the
Mound Builders, whom he calls Oko. The
story is not intricate, and is
simply and speedily told. It is an
imaginative portrayal of the life and
character of the Mound Builders, whose
king is Oko, husband of Queen
Gurda. There is a treacherous officer of
the court known as Bodo,
who becomes the spy and accomplice of
the race under King Inca, who
came from the south, attacked and
vanquished the Mound Builders. The
author has, evidently, studied the chief
pieces of literature concerning
the Mound Builders. He gives a vivid
description of Serpent Mound
and the ceremony of worhsip supposed to
have been their custom at
that place, one Gilgo acting as high
priest. Mr. Dunn's book is rather
unique, in that it deals almost
exclusively with that mysterious race
concerning which we really know very
little. His book is calculated
to arouse an interest in the people of
that vanished empire and stimulate
the inspection of their remaining works,
and the study of such authors
as have dealt with this long-buried
race. The book has some illustra-
tions, particularly two excellent ones
of Serpent Mound, around which
the story revolves. The book is honored
with an introduction by Prof.
J. P. MacLean, the distinguished scholar
of American archaeology.
ST. MEMIN PORTRAITS.
Dr. William J. Campbell, the wellknown
bookseller of Phildelphia,
is writing an elaboratework on St. Memin
portraits. It will be in eight
volumes with over eight hundred and
thirty engraved portraits, all on
separate pages.
The basis of the book will be the famous
"Collection" of 761
proofs, made by the artist himself,
which has recently come into Dr. Camp-
bell's possession.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art and the
Library of Congress, both of
which have extensive collections, are
co-operating with the author, giving
him the free use of any portraits that
they possess that are not in his own
collection.
Any of our readers who have information
either biographical or
genealogical, about any portrait that
St. Memin made, or any information
as to the present location of any
original crayons, coppers or engravings,
will confer a favor on the author by
communicating with him.
Due credit will be given in the book for
all information received.
Dr. Campbell's address is 1218 Walnut
street, Philadelphia.
ZANE'S TRACE.*
CLEMENT L. MARTZOLFF.
The first road maker in our country was
the buffalo. His
successor was the Indian. Instinct told
the buffalo where to
make his path. Nature, which is another
name for instinct,
prompted the red man in marking his
trail. The white man
came and reason told him that the
red man and the buffalo
had selected the driest, shortest and
most practicable routes of
migration. This is only another way of
saying that the geog-
raphy of any country determines its
history.
Every institution which we have is the
product of the
centuries. History therefore is the
finding of the factors. Ohio,
occupying the enviable position she
does, in the sisterhood of
Commonwealths must consequently have a
remarkable history.
In studying the evolution of our state
the author believes
that he has discovered a prime factor of
its development in
Zane's Trace.
Behind the historical event stand the
actors. In the consid-
eration of the present subject there are
two.
On the outskirts of the village of
Martin's Ferry, Belmont
County, Ohio, is an old neglected
grave-yard situated upon a
terrace overlooking the Ohio River.
Within the barbed wire
enclosure is another, surrounded by a
substantial brick wall,
capped with stone. An iron gate on one
side allows you means
of ingress. The interior of this
enclosure is a maze of briers
and brambles. It is the private burial
ground of the Zane family.
There are monuments in various stages of
decay. Upon a stone
tomb, about three feet in height rest
four slabs, on one of
these are the words:
*In the preparation of this article, I
wish to acknowledge my grati-
tude to John B. Overmeyer, Somerset, 0.;
Chas. W. Hunt, Somerset, 0.;
Judge M. Granger, Zanesville, 0.; Col.
Chas. C. Goddard, Zanesville, 0.;
Captain N. W. Evans, Portsmouth, 0.; Mr.
Sarchett, Cambridge, 0.;
and Judge Cranmer, Wheeling, W. Va.
( 297 )
298 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
"In memory of Ebenezer Zane, who
died 19th
November, 1812, in the 66th year of his
age. He was
the first permanent inhabitant of this
part of the
Western World, having first begun to
reside here in
the year 1769. He died as he lived, an
honest man."
In the prosperous city of Zanesville, on
a hill overlooking
what is known as the Terrace, is the
John McIntire Children's
Home. In a beautiful grove of trees,
just as you begin to ascend
the hill, your attention is attracted to
a tall iron fence inclosing
a tomb. On the marble slab is the
inscription:
"John McIntire, 1738-1815."
1The Zane family originated in Denmark.
They certainly
possessed one characteristic of their
Danish ancestry - their rov-
ing, adventurous disposition. At an
early date a scion of the
family went to England and it is from
him that the American
Zanes trace their descent. When William
Penn came to America,
he was accompanied by one Zane, who was
also a Quaker. In
the new settlement it seems that he was
somewhat prominent.
Zane street in Philadelphia was named
for him. It is said that
he became obnoxious to his Quaker
brethren. The cause of
this disaffection is not known. It may
be that the Quakers were
obnoxious to him. Philadelphia may have
become too crowded
for a man of his temperament. He may
have longed for the free-
dom of the woods. At any rate he left
Quakerdom and settled
on the south branch of the Potomac, near
what is now Moorfield.
Hardy County, W. Va. but then known as
Berkeley County, Vir-
ginia. Here the Zanes became
characteristic woodmen, and pio-
neers. They were hunters, scouts and
Indian fighters. They
possessed that stern sense of justice
that such conditions of life
can only develop. The social condition
of that pioneer day was a
distinct evolution of its own. There was
no room for the puny
weakling. It was a case of the
"survival of the fittest." There
was no room for sentiment. It was a
battle royal for existence.
The weak and sentimental succumbed or
went back to the settle-
1Wiseman's Pioneer, Fairfield County.
Zane's Trace. 299
ment. The strong remained or pushed further into the interior. There were wild nature, wild beasts and wild men to conquer. Even a Quaker under such conditions could lay aside his sombre gray and from beneath his broad brimmed hat sight along the barrel of his rifle and shoot men. In summing up the character of the Zanes it is enough to say that in this pioneer conflict they not only survived but pushed on toward the setting sun. Ebenezer Zane was born in the Potomac Valley, October 7th, 1747. He had four brothers and one sister. 1 The assertion that Ebenezer Zane together with two brothers, was a captive of the Wyandottes for thirteen years has not sufficient evidence behind it to give it credence. His wife was Elizabeth McCul- |
|
loch. She was a sister of the McCulloch brothers who were no less renowned as frontiersmen than the Zane family. It is said that she was in every way an estimable helpmeet to her husband. It was in 1767 that Ebenezer Zane and his brothers, Silas and Jonathan, began to make preparations for a journey to the west. The following spring with all of the family and property, which included some negro slaves, they set out on the old Cumberland Trail, to what is now Brownsville, Pa. The next year they took up the journey again and at the mouth of the Wheeling Creek See Denny's Journal. |
300 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
on the Virginia side of the Ohio, they established their homes
thus becoming the founders of Wheeling
in 1770. Their fam-
ilies came the next year. However the
town was not regularly
laid out till 1793.
"Zane had chosen one of the
strategic points of the Ohio
Valley, though this could hardly have
been known to him at
the time. All that he probably cared to
know was that he had
found an advantageous spot to trade with
the interior of Ohio.
It was where the crowding hills left
scant room for a town site,
but when the Ohio was low, it was
practically the head of nav-
igation, even for flat and keel
boats. Of course its further
advantage as a point of departure for
the east had not then been
discovered, or that other advantage
which it presently assumed
as a stopping place for emigrants
descending the river."-(From
Abbott's History of Ohio.)
l Zane soon had title to all the land
where Wheeling now is,
Wheeling Island in the Ohio River, up
the Ohio Valley as far
as Burlington, and up Wheeling Creek on
the Ohio side for quite
a distance.
He became the recognized leader of the
new settlement.
He possessed the rare elements of
leadership. He knew the
woods, the Indians, and the pioneer. 1
In this he was aided by
his brothers, who carried into execution
his plans. In 1806 he
laid out the town of Bridgeport, on the
north side of Wheeling
Creek, on the line of the old
"Indian Trail." He planted the
first seedling nursery in the upper Ohio
Valley, on Wheeling
Island in 1790. He even
originated a new species of fruit. "Zane's
Greening" was for many years, a
popular apple in eastern Ohio.2
1Among the first to brave the dangers of
pioneer life was James
Maxwell, who was obliged to leave his
home in Virginia to avoid prose-
cution for a murder of which he was
subsequently proven innocent. He
was a cousin of Col. Zane and it was the
Zane settlement he attempted
to reach to find security; but such was
not the case, as Zane ordered him
to leave at once or he would himself
convey him to Berkeley County, Vir-
ginia, where the crime was said to be
committed." * * *
Later. "Zane recommended him to
Capt. Hamtramck as a scout
for the new fort (Steuben). Zane said his
eye was keener and his tread
lighter than those of the most wily
savage." - Hunter's Pathfinders, Jeff-
erson County.
2 History
of Upper Ohio Valley.
Zane's Trace. 301
In the Journal of John Matthews in which he keeps a record of the survey of the Seven Ranges, he frequently men- tions the name of Zane, e. g.,"went to home of Col. Zane for dinner." "Esq. Zane brought us word of an Indian being killed." "Pitched tent near Esq. Zane's store," etc. In 1774 occurred what is known as Dunmore's War-short of duration, but pregnant with mighty results. Wheeling was the original storm center of this conflict. Twenty-six years after- |
|
ward Ebenezer Zane wrote to Hon. John Brown, one of the sena- tors in Congress from Kentucky, as to the causes of this war. The letter is dated at Wheeling, February 4th, 1800, and is as follows :1 "I was myself, with many others, in the practice of making im- provements on lands upon the Ohio for the purpose of acquiring rights to the same. Being on the Ohio, at the mouth of Sandy Creek, in com- pany with many others, news circulated that the Indians had robbed some of the land jobbers. This news induced the people generally to 1 History of the Upper Ohio Valley. |
302 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ascend the Ohio. I was among the number.
On our arrival at Wheeling,
being informed that there were two
Indians with some traders near and
above Wheeling, a proposition was made
by the then Captain Michael
Cresap2 to waylay and kill
the Indians upon the river. This measure I
opposed with much violence alleging that
the killing of those Indians
might involve the country in a war. But
the opposition party prevailed
and proceeded up the river with Captain
Cresap at their head.
In a short time the party returned and
also the traders in a canoe, but
there were no Indians in the company. I
enquired what had become of
the Indians and was informed by the
traders and Cresap's party that they
had fallen overboard. I examined the
canoe and saw much fresh blood
and some bullet holes in the canoe. This
finally convinced me that the
party had killed the two Indians and
thrown them into the river.
"On the afternoon of the day this
action happened, a report pre-
vailed that there was a camp or party of
Indians on the Ohio below and
near Wheeling. In consequence of this information Captain Cresap
joined by a number of recruits,
proceeded immediately down the Ohio
for the purpose, as was then generally
understood, of destroying the
Indians above mentioned. On the succeeding day Captain Cresap
and his party returned to Wheeling. It
was generally reported by the
party that they had killed a number of Indians.
Of the truth of this
report I have no doubt as one of
Cresap's party was badly wounded
and the party had a fresh scalp and a
quantity of property which they
called Indian plunder. At the time of
the last mentioned transaction
it was generally reported that the party
of Indians down the Ohio were
Logan and his family; but I have reason
to believe that this report was
unfounded.
"Within a few days after the
transaction above mentioned a party
of Indians were killed at Yellow Creek.
But I must do the memory of
Captain Cresap the justice to say that I
do not believe that he was pres-
ent at the killing of the Indians at
Yellow Creek. But there is not the
least doubt in my mind that the massacre
at Yellow Creek was brought
on by the action above stated.
All the transactions which I have
related happened in latter end
of April, 1774; and there can scarcely
be a doubt that they were the
cause of the war which immediately
followed, commonly called Dun-
more's War.
I am with much esteem, yours etc.,
EBENEZER ZANE."
2"The
settlers began to gather at Wheeling, the rush being from all
points, none of them agreeing to accept
the protection offered by scouting
parties from Ft. Pitt and return to
their plantations. Cresap was elected
leader and on April 21, received a
letter from Ft. Pitt confirming the
rumors of impending war. A counsel was
held and Cresap's men at once
declared war against the Indians."
- Hunter's Pathfinders of Jefferson
County.
Zane's Trace. 303
Lord Dunmore, the titled governor of the
old Dominion, de-
termined to carry the war into the
enemy's country. He or-
dered Colonel Angus McDonald to raise a
regiment for imme-
diate service.
With a force of four hundred Viriginians
McDonald crossed
the mountains to Wheeling, where he
built Fort Finncastle, in
honor of Lord Dunmore. On the 25th
of July, he floated down
the Ohio to Captina Creek and there with
Jonathan Zane, as
guide they started for the Indian
villages on the Muskingum.
At the mouth of the Wappatonica, near
Coshocton, they destroyed
towns and growing crops and the Indians
for the time were
subdued.
During this war Col. Ebenezer Zane was
made Disbursing
Agent of the Militia at Wheeling and was
practically the com-
mandant of Fort Finncastle.
1Two years later when Virginia renounced
her allegiance to
the crown and deposed her royal
governor, Col. Zane, true patriot,
as he was, changed the name of his fort to
that of Fort Henry,
for the first governor of the
Commonwealth. There was no regu-
lar militia to defend it. The settlers
who were driven within its
walls for protection, composed its only
garrison.
Here on the last day of August, 1777,
four hundred Indian
warriors, led by that prince of
cut-throats, Simon Girty, under
the royal insignia of King George, with
the consent and approval
of the "Hair-buying" 1
scoundrel at Detroit, appeared before the
walls and gave the garrison fifteen
minutes in which to sur-
render.
Col. Zane replied that before they would
surrender or ab-
jure the cause of liberty that every
man, woman and child within
the fort would rather perish. There were
but twelve men and
boys besides the women, in the fort.
Col. Zane gave everybody
work. The women made the bullets and
they helped to shoot
them. The siege continued for
twenty-three hours until rein-
forcements came and the Indians
despaired of reducing the fort.
But all of the houses without the
fortification were burned arid
many of the settlers' cattle and hogs
were driven away.
1Hunter's Pathfinders.
304 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The last battle of the American
Revolution was fought here
in 1782.
The conflict is described by Col. Zane
in a letter sent to
Gen. Irvin by the hands of Mr. Loyd.
WHEELING, 14th of September, 1782.
SIR:--On the evening of the 11th instant
a body of the enemy
appeared in sight of our garrison. They
immediately formed their lines
around the garrison, paraded British
colors and demanded the fort to be
surrendered, which was refused. At
twelve o'clock at night they rushed
hard upon the pickets, in order to storm
but were repulsed. They made
two other attempts to storm before
daybreak but to no purpose. About
eight o'clock next morning there came a
negro from them to us and
informed us that their force consisted
of a British captain and forty
regular soldiers and two hundred and
sixty Indians.
The enemy kept up a continual fire the
whole day. About ten
o'clock at night they made a fourth
attempt to storm to no better pur-
pose than the former.
The enemy continued round the garrison
till the morning of the
13th instant when they disappeared. Our
loss is none. Daniel Sullivan
who arrived here in the first of the
action is wounded in the foot. I be-
lieve they have driven the greatest part
of our stock away and might, I
think, be overtaken. I am with due
respect,
Your obedient servant,
EBENEZER ZANE.
Addressed, William Irwin, Brigadier
General, Commanding at Pitts-
burg."
The fort stood at what is now the corner
of Main and Elev-
enth streets in Wheeling. The spot is
marked by a stone, bear-
ing these words:
"By authority of the State of West
Virginia, to commemorate the
siege of Fort Henry, September 11th,
1782, the last battle of the American
Revolution, this tablet is here placed.
S. H. GRAMM,
W. W. JACKSON,
T. M. GARVIN,
G. W. ATKINSON, Governor. Committee.
Col. Zane's house stood about sixty
yards without the fort.
He himself remained in his own building
which was a sort of
1History of Upper Ohio Valley.
Zane's Trace. 305
block house. His three brothers, Silas,
Jonathan and Andrew
were within the fort as was also their
sister Elizabeth, a young
woman of twenty-three. It was on this
occasion that she per-
formed that feat, famous in song and
story.
"This dauntless pioneer maiden's
name
Is inscribed in gold on the scroll of
fame.
She was the lassie who knew no fear
When the tomahawk gleamed on the far
frontier.
If deeds of daring should win renown,
Let us honor this damsel of Wheeling
town,
Who braved the savages with deep
disdain,-
Bright-eyed, buxom Elizabeth Zane.
'Tis more than a hundred years ago,
They were close beset by the dusky foe;
They had spent of powder their scanty
store,
And who should the gauntlet run for
more?
She sprang to the portal and shouted,
'I!
'Tis better a girl than a man should
die!
My loss would be but the garrison's
gain.
Unbar the gate!' said Elizabeth Zane.
The powder was sixty yards away
Around her the foemen in ambush lay;
As she darted from shelter they gazed
with awe
Then wildly shouted, 'A squaw!' 'a
squaw!'
She neither swerved to the left or
right,
Swift as an antelope's was her flight.
'Quick ! open the door !' she cried
amain.
'For a hope forelorn! 'Tis Elizabeth
Zane.'
No time had she to waver or wait
Back must she go ere it be too late;
She snatched from the table its cloth in
haste
And knotted it deftly around her waist,
Then filled it with powder-never, I
ween,
Had powder so lovely a magazine;
Then, scorning the bullets' deadly rain,
Like a startled fawn, fled Elizabeth
Zane.
She gained the fort with her precious
freight;
Strong hands fastened the oaken gate:
Brave men's eyes were suffused with
tears
That had been strangers for many years.
From flint-lock rifles again there sped
20 Vol. XIII.
306 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
'Gainst the skulking red skins a storm
of lead.
And the war-whoop sounded that day in
vain,
Thanks to the deed of Elizabeth Zane.
Talk not to me of Paul Revere
A man, on horseback, with naught to
fear;
Nor of old John Burns with his bell
crowned hat-
He'd an army to back him, so what of
that?
Here's to the heroine, plump and brown,
Who ran the gauntlet in Wheeling town;
Hers is a record without a stain,-
Beautiful, buxom, Elizabeth Zane."
-John S. Adams in St. Nicholas.
1The heroine of this poem afterwards lived about two
miles above Wheeling on the Ohio side.
She was twice married,
first to Mr. McLaughlin and then to Mr.
Clark. She died in
1847 at St. Clairsville, Belmont County,
and is buried in the
Zane burial ground, but no monument
marks the spot.2
It is evident that much of Zane's
knowledge of the Ohio
country was derived from his brother
Jonathan, who it seems
had traveled over a considerable portion
of eastern Ohio. In
1785 General Parsons from Massachusetts,
afterwards one of
the judges of the territory north of the
Ohio, while on an in-
spection tour in the interests of the
then proposed Ohio Company,
made a trip up the Muskingum River. At
the "Saltlick," Dun-
can's Falls, ten miles below the mouth
of the Licking, he met
and conversed with Jonathan Zane about
the Ohio Country;
Zane was there making salt.3 Dr. Cutler
himself was advised by
Col. Zane to make his proposed
settlement on the Muskingum
north of the Licking.
4When Gen. William Crawford led his
expedition against
the Sandusky Indians, Jonathan Zane
served in the capacity
of scout and guide. He was invited to a council before the
battle and because of his superior
knowledge of Indian prowess
and tactics he advised a retreat. His
advice was not acted upon
and the result was fatal to the pioneer
army.
1Howe's Historical Collection.
2Wiseman's Pioneers of Fairfield County.
3Hildreth's Pioneer History.
4Wiseman's Pioneers of Fairfield County.
Zane's Trace. 307 No better man than Ebenezer Zane could have been found to cut a road through Ohio. His influence in the new settlement, his wealth and his general knowledge of the country made him the logical man to assume the responsibility. His brother Jona- |
than was his right hand man in everything he did, and this was a great aid to him in all of his undertakings. The first pioneers to our state settled along the Ohio river. The great interior was still the hunting grounds of the Indian. |
308 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The first decade after the Revolution
was not a propitious time
to make settlements too near the
frontier border. It was not till
after the decisive victory of Wayne in
1794 that the influx of
settlers began to ascend the streams, to
any material extent.
Wheeling was situated where this pioneer
army was apt to di-
verge from the established water route.
Knowing the land as well as he did, it
was natural that Col.
Zane should advise people to settle upon
the Muskingum.
Neither does it take such a great
stretch of the imagination to
see how he might conceive the blazing of
a trail, and the cutting
of a road to reach these new lands. A
road starting from his
town would make it an important factor
in the development of
the Ohio country.
There was another thing in his favor.
There might be an-
other outbreak of the Indians. Governor
St. Clair had officially
reported to Congress concerning the
absence of roads and pointed
out their importance in the moving of
troops.
Col. Zane had already blazed a trail
from Pittsburg to
Wheeling and its value to the new
settlers only made him more
sanguine regarding a road connectiong
the Ohio with the Ohio
and running through what was then the
garden spot of the state.
It was early in 1796 that Ebenezer Zane
presented a me-
morial to Congress stating his plans. On
Friday, March 25th
of that year.1
"Mr. Brown (Kentucky) presented the
memorial of Ebenezer Zane
praying liberty to locate such military
bounty lands, lying at the cross-
ings of certain rivers, mentioned in the
said memorial as may be neces-
sary to enable to establish ferries and
open a road through the territory
Northwest of the Ohio to the state of
Kentucky, which memorial was
read.
"Ordered that it be referred to
Messrs Brown, Ross and Livermore
to consider and report thereon to the
Senate."
Wednesday, April 6th, 1796.
The Committee to which was referred the
petition of Ebene-
zer Zane states:
"That the petitioner sets forth that
he hath at considerable ex-
pense, explored and in part opened a
road, northwest of the river Ohio,
between Wheeling and Limestone, which
when completed will greatly
1 History
of Congress.
Zane's Trace. 309
contribute to the accommodation of the
public as well as individuals. But
that several rivers intervening, the
road proposed cannot be used with
safety until ferries shall be
established thereon.
"That the petitioner will engage to
have such ferries erected pro-
vided he can obtain a right to the land
which is now the property of
the United States. And therefore prays
that he may be authorized to
locate and survey-at his own
expense-military bounty warrants upon
as much land at Muskingum, Hockhocking
and Scioto Rivers as may be
sufficient to support the necessary
establishments. And that the same be
granted to him by the United States.
"That they having received
satisfactory support of the above state-
ment are of opinion that the proposed
road will be of general utility,
that the petitioner merits encouragement
and that his petition being
reasonable, ought to be granted.
"The committee therefore submit the
following resolution:
"Resolved, That the petition of Ebenezer Zane is reasonable; that
he be authorized to locate warrants
granted by the U. S. for military
services upon three tracts of land, not
exceeding one mile square each,
at Muskingum, Hock-hocking and Scioto
where the proposed road shall
cross those rivers, for the purpose of
establishing ferries thereon: and
that leave be given to bring in a bill
for that purpose.
"On motion it was agreed that this
report be adopted and that the
committee who were appointed on the
petition be instructed to bring in
a bill accordingly.
"Mr. Brown from the Committee
instructed for the purpose reported
a bill to authorize Ebenezer Zane to
locate certain lands in the territory
northwest of the river Ohio, which was
read and ordered to a second
reading Thursday, April 7th, 1786.
"The bill to authorize Ebenezer
Zane to locate certain lands in the
territory of the United States,
northwest of the river Ohio, was con-
sidered:
"Ordered, That the second reading of this bill be the order of
the
day Monday next.
(Nothing seems to have been done that
day.)
Wednesday, April 13th, 1796.
"The bill to authorize Ebenezer
Zane to locate certain lands in
the territory of the United States,
northwest of the river Ohio, was read
the second time and referred to the
Committee appointed on the 8th
instant, on the bill entitled, 'An act
providing for the sale of lands of the
United States in the territory northwest
of the river Ohio and above
the mouth of the Kentucky River' to
consider and report thereon to the
Senate.
Wednesday, April 27th, 1796.
"Mr. Ross from the committee to
whom was referred the bill 'to
authorize Ebenezer Zane to locate
certain lands in the territory of the
United States Northwest of the river
Ohio' reported amendments thereto
310 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
which were read and adopted and the bill
was ordered to a third read-
ing.
Thursday, April 28th, 1798.
"The bill to authorize Ebenezer
Zane to locate certain lands in the
territory northwest of the river Ohio
was read the third time and being
further amended was passed.
"An act to authorize Ebenezer Zane
to locate certain lands in the
territory of the United States,
northwest of the river Ohio.
"Be it enacted, etc. That upon the
conditions hereinafter men-
tioned, there shall be granted to
Ebenezer Zane three tracts of land, not
exceeding one mile square each, one on
the Muskingum River, one on the
Hock-hocking River and one other on the
north bank of the Scioto River
and in such situations as shall best
promote the utility of a road to be
opened by him on the most eligible
route, between Wheeling and Lime-
stone, to be approved by the President
of the United States or by such
person as he shall appoint for such
purpose.
"Provided such tracts shall not
interfere with any existing claim,
location or survey nor include any salt
spring, nor the lands on either
side of the Hock-hocking River at the
falls thereof.
"Sec. 2. And be it further enacted,
That upon the said Zane's pro-
curing at his own expense the said
tracts to be surveyed in such way
and manner as the President of the
United States shall approve and
returning into the Treasury of the
United States plats thereof, together
with warrants granted by the United
States for Military land bounties
to the amount of the number of acres
contained in the said three tracts;
and also producing satisfactory proof by
the first day of January next
that the aforesaid road is opened and
ferries established upon the rivers
aforesaid, for the accommodation of
travelers and giving security that
such ferries shall be maintained during
the pleasure of Congress, the
President of the United States shall be
and hereby is authorized and
empowered to issue letters patent in the
name and under the seal of the
United States, thereby granting and
conveying to the said Zane and his
heirs the said tracts of land located
and surveyed as aforesaid; which
patents shall be countersigned by the
Secretary of State and recorded
in his office.
"Provided always, That the rates of ferriage at such ferries shall
from time to time be ascertained by any
two of the judges of the territory
Northwest of the river Ohio, or such
other authority as shall be ap-
pointed for that purpose.
Thursday, April 28th, 1796.
"A bill was received from the
Senate authorizing Ebenezer Zane
to locate certain lands northwest of the
river Ohio which was read and
referred.
May 2d, 1796.
"Mr. Orr, Chairman of the Committee
to whom was referred the
bill from the Senate authorizing
Ebenezer Zane to locate certain lands
Zane's Trace. 311
northwest of the river Ohio, reported the bill without amendment. Re- ferred to a committee of the whole. Wednesday, May 11th, 1796. "The bill authorizing Ebenezer Zane to locate certain lands in the Northwestern Territory was read a third time and passed." Approved, May 17th, 1796. If Col. Zane could not have accomplished the work he did without the help of his brother Jonathan, it is equally certain that he would have done much less had he not been assisted by his son-in-law John McIntire, who now appears as a factor in the achievements of Ebenezer Zane. |
|
Born of Scotch parentage in Alexandria, Virginia, 1759, John McIntire came to Wheeling in the capacity of a shoemaker. Possessed of a handsome figure and much native ability and address, he succeeded in winning the affections of Sarah Zane, the second daughter of the Wheeling proprietor. She was at this time but fifteen years of age and over twenty years younger than her gallant admirer. The old adage of "true love running not smooth," was verified in this case to an ultimate certainty. For Col. Zane and his wife opposed the match with great vehe- mence. But the result is the same old story. They were married in spite of parental objection. During the wedding festivities, the father-in-law absented himself, by taking a hunting trip. The lWiseman's Pioneers Fairfield County. |
312 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
mother-in-law used her slipper over the
shoulders of her daughter
to show her disapproval.
It is said that sometime after the
marriage Col. Zane in pass-
ing the cabin of McIntire saw his
daughter chopping wood. He
did not hesitate to remind her that if
she had stayed at home
she would not have had to do such manual
labor. But everything
was righted before long and McIntire
became a favorite of Mr.
Zane. Now that he had the contract to
cut a road through the
Ohio woods, it was but natural that he
should leave the real
work to this son-in-law and his brother
Jonathan.
The experience of Jonathan Zane stood
him well in hand,
in the laying out of the road. The route
determined upon was
the result of his advice.
However Jonathan Zane was not the
originator of the route,
in its entirety, for the Indian had gone
over practically the same
ground, that the Trace afterward
covered. The work of blazing
trees and cutting out small undergrowth
and removing fallen
timber began in the summer of 1796.1
2 The
party consisted of Jonathan Zane, John McIntire,
John Green, William McCulloch, Ebenezer
Ryan and several
others whose names are not known.
John Green had charge of the pack
horses, that carried the
tent and provisions. Being also a boot
and shoemaker and not
used to handling the ax, he was selected
to kill game of which
there was an abundance. He was also the
cook and general ser-
vice man of the party. At night a fire
was built to keep away
beasts of prey and two men were kept on
watch for fear that a
straggling party of Indians might attack
them. But there was
no need of this precaution for the
spirit of the Ohio Indian had
been broken by Mad Anthony two years
before at Fallen Timbers
and the chances for attack were remote.
The route of Zane's trace followed
Wheeling Creek for about
seven miles, where it climbed the hill
and struck the ridge be-
1The marking was done with axes; and as
far as can be learned
now, it was never surveyed, or any part
of it returned to Congress or the
land office. No report of it was made or
can be found in the general
land office. CAPT. NELSON W. EVANS.
Portsmouth, Ohio.
Archives of Muskingum Pioneer Society.
Zane's Trace. 313
tween Wheeling Creek and McMahon's
Creek. Since the Na-
tional Road from Wheeling to Zanesville
is located approximately
upon Zane's Trace, we deem it proper to
describe its route in
reference to this road.
1 The
"Trace" from St. Clairsville, Belmont County followed
the ridge and crossed Big and Little
Still Water Creeks, gradu-
ally climbed along the side of the hill
to Morristown. From
Morristown it went north of the National
Road and also north
of Henrysburg, passed over the ridge at
Fairview, Guernsey
County, crossing the National Road at
this place and kept south
of the Pike following Putney Ridge which
divides Leatherwood
and Salt Creek tributaries of Will's
Creek, till about three miles
east of Washington, which is the oldest
town in Guernsey
County.
Following the divide to this town it
passed through it, at
an angle to the present street.2
Crossing the National Road here it kept
on the north side
for five miles, when it crossed to the
south again, about three
miles east of Cambridge and just east of
the Crooked Stone
Bridge. For a very short distance it
continued south of the
road, but crossed again to the north at
Stone Bridge, crossing
Cook's Run. The house standing above the
bridge is on the
"Trace," Old Wheeling Road and
National Road, but by means
of a "cut" is somewhat
elevated. From here it practically fol-
lows the National Road with only a
divergence of a few rods
until within one and a half miles east
of Cambridge. At this
point it veers to the north of the Pike,
and follows the ridge just
north of Wheeling street in Cambridge1
and just a little north
of Steubenville Avenue of the present
city.
It crossed Will's Creek at a point above
where the Baltimore
and Ohio Railway Bridge is now situated.
Later the crossing
was changed to the east opposite the
Marietta Depot. Here a
ferry was maintained and later a rude
log bridge was built by
General Biggs who owned the land upon
which the city of Cam-
1Sarchett.
2 (See
old street back of the present one.)
1The first tavern in Cambridge called
the Bridge House Tavern was
situated on the Trace.
314 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
bridge is built. Persons crossing this bridge were required
to
pay toll. The general afterward sold the
bridge to Beatty and
Gambier who laid out the city. In the sale the right to cross
the bridge free from toll was reserved
by the seller to himself
and his descendants forever.
From Will's Creek the Trace crossed
Crooked Creek Bot-
tom,2 then the National Road
where the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
way now interescts it, and then
continued north of the Pike till
about five miles west of Cambridge and a
little west of Cassel
station, where it strikes the road
again. Just before striking the
Pike is the residence of Judge Speer.
This is situated on the
"Trace" and here the judge
kept a tavern. About a mile west
was another public house known as the
Grummond Tavern. Here
the "Trace" again crossed the
National Road and continued on
the south side of it till it reached New
Concord.
3 It
was at first determined to run the "Trace" along the li
of the old "Mingo Indian
Trail" from Cambridge. This would
2At Crooked
Creek, Mr. Sarchett says that the trace went between
two oak trees, so close together that
they were almost cut off by wagon
hubs.
3When Ebenezer Zane in 1797 surveyed his
road, he passed through
the territory now known as Union
township (Muskingum County), and
opened up a highway in the wilderness
along which the tide of emigration
passed.
"Old Wheeling Road surveyed by Zane
entered Union Township
(Muskingum County), in Township 1,
"Military Lands, on S. E. of Sec.
10, and passed in Range Six, now Perry
Township in the N. E. 1/4 of
Sec. 16."
"In 1827, the National Road was
surveyed. It entered the township
(Union), in S. E. 1/4 of Sec. 1, and
passed out on the N. W. 1/4 of Sec. 15.
The Wheeling Road (Zane's Trace), was
then abandoned."
"After the Cumberland Road had been
established the travel over
Zane's Trace was diverted toward
Columbus."
"So they started from the Schaffer
Meeting House in a south west
course until they came out by the Evans
and Irwin place on the National
Road, then to Mill Run, up Mill Run hill
south, then nearly due
west, then down the steep hill, where
the machine house now stands,
known as the Cochran Hill. Then they
crossed over to Sullivan street
between Dr. Brown's late residence and
the German Catholic Church;
down Main street to the foot, crossed
the Muskingum, south of Licking
Zane's Trace. 315
have made the crossing of the Muskingum
at Duncan's Falls,
ten miles below Zanesville. But the
superior water power at
the mouth of the Licking caused Jonathan
Zane to leave the
"Trail" when he reached Salt
Creek and instead of following
the "Trail" along that creek
he made a direct line for the Lick-
ing. He now crossed to the north of the
National Road till they
reached the Shaffer Meeting House, three
miles east of Zanes-
ville on the Adamsville Road. From here
they intended going
down Mill Run near the Indian trail,
then cross Mill Run near
the Iron bridge by the old blast
furnace, go south to the head of
Layhew's hollow, then southwest to the
foot of Market Street in
Zanesville. Finding that the proposed
town could not be laid
off to advantage, this idea was
abandoned.
1A survey of December 14th, 1798 of Zanesville Mile
Square
shows the line of the "Trace"
for a few miles east of Muskin-
gum River. This indicates that it
crossed the east line of Sec.
7, Township 12, Range 12 about one-third
mile south from N. E.
corner of said section. Ran northwest
across sections 7, 1 and 5
and interesected the south line of
United States Military Land
just east of Zane's Mile Square, crossed
the river within said
Mile Square and ran from the branch of
the Licking or Pataskala
Creek at its mouth, S.W. and then south,
again southwest cross-
ing Sections 1, 2, 11 and 14 in
Township 16, Range 13. It
crossed the south line of Sec. 14 about
one-third mile from S. W.
corner of said section. From
this point to where it reached
Island over Chap's Run; then south east
of the stone quarry; through
the Springer farm and then south along
the Maysville Pike."
"The old Indian Trail3 crossed
the (Muskingum) river at the foot
of Market street at the head of the
upper falls near where the old dam
was built. Then into West Zanesville
over Licking Island into South
Zanesville; up Chap's run; through the
Fair Grounds to the Maysville
Pike. This Indian Trail went from
Wheeling, through Zanesville to
Chillicothe and the Ohio River. It was a
well beaten path, several inches
deep.2 I have seen it many
times as it went through my father's farm
in Washington Township," (Muskingum
County.)
Judge Munson.
Zane's Trace did not follow an Indian
Trail at least east of the
Muskingum. HULBERT.
2 Writer in old Zanesville paper.
316 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
the Perry2 County line it
followed approximately what is now
known as the Maysville Pike, through the
towns of White Cot-
tage and Fultonham.
It entered Perry county in Section 22, Madison Township,
crossed the Pike several times, then
took an almost westerly
course, leaving Somerset1 a
mile and a half to the south. Upon
striking the waters of Rush Creek they
went south along the
ridge east of the Creek until they
struck the Pike again just east
of Rushville5 in Fairfield
County. From here6 to Lancaster the
Indian trail leading from the Muskingum Valley by the great
Swamp and Standing Rock to the Pickaway
Plains was the
general route followed. The Maysville Pike is nearly on that
path.
In Lancaster it is pretty well
established that the "Trace"
followed Wheeling street as far as
Columbus street, where it
diverged to the south and crossed the
Hocking at Coate's cabin,
where there was a ripple or ford about
three hundred yards be-
low the turnpike bridge.
From Lancaster to Chillicothe4 with
but a few variations,
Zane's trace and the Maysville Pike are
identical. The route
is almost directly southwest, passing
through the famous Picka-
way Plains.
2"A road was cut in 1805 from
Putnam to intersect Zane's Trace in
Perry County. It passed diagonally
through the township (Newton),
from north-east to southwest." The
Indians used the Zane's Trail which
is a little south of this."-Old
writer.
1Zane's Trace passed School House No. 14
in Reading township,
Perry County.
5"It (Zane's Trace), passed through
the present villages of East
and West Rushville. Edward Murphy kept a
hotel near this road a short
distance from West Rushville. Among the
many distinguished guests
who partook of the bounties of this
hotel at various times were General
Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. The old
hotel, now a rather dilapidated
structure is still standing
(1883)."-History Fairfield County.
6"The
first road in Pleasant Township (Fairfield County), was the
one leading from Wheeling to Maysville,
known as Zane's Trace. It
crossed the southern part of the
township."
4"A post-office was established at
Chillicothe in 1799. The mail was
brought from the east by Zane's Trace
and from the west by Todd's."
Zane's Trace. 317
2 From Chillicothe it followed Paint
Creek to the point where
it bends to the northwest, four or five
miles southwest of the
city.
Continuing in a southwesterly direction till just after it
crosses Black Run where it intersects
Todd's Trace up Morgan's
Fork of Sun Fish Creek.1 The remainder
of the route to Mays-
ville is virtually the same as that over
which Todd's army crossed
2Dawley's
Map of Virginia Military District.
1 In June, 1787, Colonel Robert Todd led
a party of mounted men,
about three hundred in number, on an
expedition against the Indians
at Old Chillicothe. The expedition
originated with Simon Kenton. He
was then at Washington, Kentucky, about
three miles back of Maysville.
The Indians were quite troublesome. They
would make raids, steal
horses and sometimes murder the
settlers. Kenton sent word to Col.
Robert Todd at Lexington, to bring as
many men as he could, and he
would bring a number and they would join
forces and destroy the In-
dian towns on the north fork of Paint
Creek. Kenton commanded a com-
pany and piloted the expedition, but
Col. Robert Todd had the command.
The party crossed the Ohio at the mouth
of Threemile Creek early
in the morning and followed it to near where
Bentonville now stands.
It passed south of the site of West
Union, and struck Lick Fork and fol-
lowed it to its mouth, where it camped
on the west side of Brush Creek.
The next day the expedition divided and
a part, that part under Kenton
went up Brush Creek to the site of
Fristoe Bridge, crossed Brush Creek
and went along the route of the present
turnpike to Sinking Springs and
thence to Cynthiana, Pike County, where
they camped the second night.
The right wing, under Col. Todd crossed
the creek at the site of the Iron
Bridge, and went up the old Chillicothe
road to Steam Furnace, to
near Cynthiana, where the forces joined.
From there they went by way
of Bainbridge to within three miles of
Old Chillicothe, where they
camped the third night out. About five
miles from Old Chillicothe, the
advance guard met four Indians, two of
whom they killed and the re-
maining two they captured. Kenton's
company then advanced to recon-
noiter, and sent word back to Col. Todd.
Kenton's party surrounded the
Indian camp but attacked before it was
light enough. Two Indians were
killed and seven made prisoners. The
remainder escaped. Col. Todd
with the force under his immediate
command, did not arrive in time to
participate in the attack. The town was
burned and all the crops de-
stroyed. The army encamped on the north
fork of Paint Creek the night
after the attack and the next day
started for their homes. Where they
camped on their return is not known, but
they took the route of the left
wing in returning. From the Ohio River
to Frankfort in Ross County,
the entire route was a virgin
wilderness. The party had to and did cut
out a road for themselves, their horses
and pack horses, all the way from
the Ohio River to Frankfort. The route
from the Ohio River to Old
318 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ten years earlier, with the exception
from Locust Grove to a
point opposite Sinking Springs, Highland
County.3.
Between these two places the
"Trace" passed through Sink-
ing Springs, over the Todd War Road, and
crossed Brush Creek,
(the route of Christopher Gist, 1750,)
at Dunbarton in Adams
County.
It paralleled Brush Creek and one of its
southwestern tribu-
taries till it reached the junction of
the two streams forming the
Big Three Mile Creek which it followed
to the Ohio River oppo-
site Maysville or Limestone.1
Chillicothe by the route of the right
wing was afterwards called Todd's
Trace. That part of the route taken by
the left wing from the mouth of
Lick Fork by the Fristoe Bridge to
Cynthiana was called Todd's War
Road, and the name of that route,
"Todd's War Road," was given it by
Gen. Simon Kenton. * * * * After Zane's
Trace was laid out in
1797, Todd's Trace was forgotten except
as used in surveys made be-
tween 1787 and 1797, but the route of
Todd's War Road was the one used
by the stages from the time they began
to run."-N. W. Evans, Ports-
mouth, Ohio.
3"So far as the Trace went through
Adams County, it followed
the general course of Todd's Trace,
except between Bentonville and West
Union, where it was located further
north and east; and at the crossing
of Brush Creek, it went up by Steam
Furnace. The first settlers in it
were John Treber and Andrew Ellison, who
located on it in the spring
of 1798 on Lick Fork. These two
locations are the earliest known on
the line of the Trace in Adams County.
They are supposed to have set-
tled there in order to kill plenty of
game.
Zane's Trace was the usual route from
Maysville, Kentucky to Chil-
licothe, Ohio, from 1797 until about
1820. When first opened, it only
afforded a passway for persons on
horseback and packhorses. The first
man to ever pass over with a team was
William Craig, who drove a
wagon and a team of horses through from
Maysville to Chillicothe. This
was in 1798, and he had to cut his way
through for the whole distance."-
Nelson W. Evans.
"The Maysville and Zanesville
turnpike was constructed along the
general route of the old post road over
Zane's Trace passing through
Bradyville, Bentonville, West Union,
Dunkinsville, Dunbarton, Palestine,
Locust Grove and Sinking Springs."-
History Adams County, (Evans).
1"Zane's Trace commenced opposite
Maysville, came up through
Adams county to the ridge in Sun Fish
township, along which it continued
till it reached Byington; thence down
Sun Fish Creek to Big Spring;
thence up Kincaid's Fork to Lunbeck's
Hill and along that ridge in an
Zane's Trace. 319
The "Trace" was not completed within the time specified in the Congressional Act. It could hardly be expected when we consider that it covered a distance of something over two hundred miles. While the road was a mere indicator of direction and it followed the ridges where the undergrowth was scantier, yet |
|
there were many obstacles to overcome and it was not till well into the summer of 1797 that it was finished. It is said that John McIntire met with quite a severe acci- dent on the route between Zanesville and Limestone. While load- ing his gun the stock slipped off a root and the contents went through his right hand crippling it for life.
easterly direction till it passed Mr. Gaull's, in Perry township (Pike county); thence down Paint Valley to Chillicothe or Indian Old Town." - History of lower Scioto Valley. |
320 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
2This "Trace" only a bridle path as made by
Zane soon be-
gan to be used. At wet crossings
saplings known as "corduroys"
were laid. The flood of immigration from
tide water poured
through this narrow sluice and gradually
widened it. It was for
years the only thoroughfare east or
west. It was so constantly
used that at times and places it was
worn into ruts so deep that
a horse could have been buried in some
of them. Travelers soon
learned to go round these places. It is
said that before the road
was accepted Zane was required to drive
a wagon over it. We
doubt this and place it along side of
the other traditionary state-
ments that grow up around historical
events. It has been fur-
ther stated that when he attempted to go
over his "Trace" with
the wagon it could not be done.
Pack horses were driven in lines of ten
and twelve. They
were tied together so that one driver
could handle them all.
Each animal carried about 200 pounds. A
large forked limb was
obtained and was cut off just below the
fork and then each limb
was cut off about six inches from the
crotch and trimmed down to
the required dimensions to accommodate
the load to be carried
upon it. Then a flat smooth board was
strapped on the horses'
back with a sheep skin pad under it. The
art of making pack
saddles became quite a backwoods
industry.
As settlements grew up along the line of
the Trace improve-
ments were quickly made in the route and
in the condition of
the road.
The "Trace" evaded the marshy
bottom lands. Neither did
it go around the hills, for digging
would have to be done, but it
climbed the hills, often in seemingly
inaccessible places. But it
formed the nucleus of the only highway
for forty years, along
which passed the trade and commerce of
the country.
1The eastern part of this blazed trail
as has been intimated
was along the route of an old Indian
thoroughfare. Before
Zane had been employed, the white
settler and trader had passed
along this bloody path, the scene of
many hairbreadth escapes
and thrilling adventures, the memory of
which still lingers in
the traditions of the people, because
from father to son is told
2Drake's Making of Ohio Valley States.
1 History of Upper Ohio Valley.
Zane's Trace. 321 again and again, before the fireside, the achievements of the "Heroes of the Forest." "Zane's Trace" might be rightfully considered as the first declaration of the principle of "Internal Improvements." It is true Ohio was not yet a state. The National Government was still the sole power of authority. Possibly a few years later the project would have been opposed by politicians who read dire calamity in "internal improvements." |
|
The route of the "Trace" determined the location of the home of the pioneer. The settler's cabin soon evolved into the tavern and the tavern soon became the center of a cluster of houses and a town had been born. At the crossing of a stream a ferry might be maintained. The ferryman might also be the proprietor of a public house. A small stock of goods could be kept for sale and there we have the germ of another town. |
322 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The first home within the boundary of
Perry Township,
Muskingum County, was by James Brown who
came from Water-
ford, Washington County, in 1803,
built a cabin and opened
hotel where Zane's Trace crossed Big
Salt Creek.2
In 1804 Andrew Crooks opened a
wagon road along the
Trace from Zanesville to where it
crossed Jonathan's Creek 1 in
Newton Township and opened a public
house that for many
years was known as Crooks' Tavern.
In 1804 Thomas Warren following
the Trace located in
Section 13, Union Township,
Muskingum County, and opened
his house for the accommodation of the
traveling public. This
was the pioneer tavern of the township
and was known as the
"Few Tavern."
Caleb Evans the first settler in
Pickaway County, came over
the Trace from Kentucky.
The first settlement in Highland County
was about half a
mile north of Sinking Springs on Zane's
or rather Todd's Trace.4
2 "This
road, also called Old Wheeling Road, entered this township
on Section 20 and passed out near
southwest corner. Along this road first
settlements were made." - Old
Writer.
1 Tradition has it that Jonathan's Creek
was named after Jonathan
Zane, who at one time was lost, and
camped for the night at its mouth.
This is pretty much of a guess.
4 "The earliest tavern" in
Adams county was kept by James January
on Zane's Trace in the valley just to
the west of where West Union now
stands. In 1798 John Trebar opened a
public house on Lick Fork. In
1801 Mr. Wickerham was licensed for
"four dollars a year" to keep this
tavern. It was at Palestine, between
Locust Grove and Peebles. The
old brick tavern, the first of the kind
in the county (Adams) is still
standing."- History
of Adams County (Evans).
"Ellis Road was that portion of
Zane's Trace which Nathan Ellis
had improved at his own expense from his
ferry opposite Limestone, to
John Sheppard's on Ohio Brush Creek, now
known as Fristoes."- Id.
"The first public road surveyed and
established in Adams County was
the old Post Road over that portion of
Zane's Trace from opposite Lime-
stone or Maysville on the Ohio River, to
the north line of the county,
near Sinking Springs." - Id.
"Zane's Road was so 'straightened
and amended' as to lose its iden-
tity within a few years after the trace
was blazed through Adams County.
This accounts for the many conflicting
claims as to its original loca-
tion." - Id.
Zane's Trace. 323
The pioneers of Fairfield county came
first from Kentucky
and then from Virginia and Pennsylvania
by way of the
"Trace." 3
In 1798 a Mr. Graham located upon the
site of Cambridge,
Guernsey County. At this time his was
the only dwelling be-
tween Wheeling and Zanesville. He kept a
tavern and main-
tained a ferry over Will's Creek. After
two years he was suc-
ceeded by George Beymer of Somerset,
Pennsylvania.
Thomas Sarchett settled at Cambridge in
August, 1806. He
came over the Trace and it took him two
days to climb the hill
from
Wheeling Creek to the top of the hill at St. Clairsville.
He had three wagons purchased at
Baltimore.
St. Clairsville was formerly called
Newelsville because Newel
built a tavern here. It took Mr.
Sarchett from Tuesday till
Saturday night to go the forty miles
from St. Clairsville, to
Cambridge.
The patent transferring the three mile
tracts to Ebenezer
Zane was not made by President John
Adams until February
14th, 1800. But the survey of the Muskingum tract was made
by the order of Rufus Putnam in October,
1797.
Col. Zane gave this tract to his brother
Jonathan and his
son-in-law McIntire for their services
in opening 1 the "Trace."
The deed transferring the same was
signed by Ebenezer
Zane and Elizabeth Zane, his wife, on
the 19th of December,
1800, for the consideration of one
hundred dollars.
Jonathan Zane and McIntire in turn,
leased it to William
McCullough2 and Henry Crooks
for five years on condition that
3 In the spring of 1798 Captain Joseph
Hunter, a bold and enter-
prising man, with his family, emigrated
from Kentucky and settled on
Zane's Tract, upon the bank of the
prairie west of the crossings, and
about one hundred and fifty yards north
of the present turnpike road.
This was the commencement of the first
settlement in the upper Hocking
Valley."- Sanderson's
History of Fairfield County.
1The statement that Col. Zane gave the
Muskingum tract to his
brother and son-in-law because "it
was hilly," might seem to impute a
selfish motive to Col. Zane. Jonathan
Zane and McIntire both knew that
the Zanesville tract was the more
valuable, and no doubt Col. Zane knew
it also.
2 In
1798 mail was brought from Marietta to Zanesville to meet
mail on Maysville and Wheeling route.
McCulloch could hardly read,
324 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
they move their families and provide a
ferry. In the fall of 1797
they arrived and thus became the first
settlers at Zanesville.
The ferry boat at first consisted of
canoes lashed together. After
the arrival of McIntire, himself, two
years later the flat boat in
which he had moved his household goods
from Wheeling down
the Ohio and up the Muskingum, served in
that capacity.
Mrs. McCulloch was a niece of Ebenezer
Zane, while her
husband was a nephew of Col. Zane's
wife. Her father was the
celebrated Isaac Zane1 while her mother
was the daughter of a
chief of the Wyandottes.
On May 7th, 1798, was born to Mr. and
Mrs. McCulloch, a
son, who was named Noah Zane McCulloch
and who was the
first white (?) child born on the banks
of the Muskingum and
Licking Rivers.
In the autumn of 1799, McIntire came to
Zanesville. A
few Virginia families soon joined. At
the corner of Market and
Second streets. where the Pennsylvania
Depot now stands, he
built a double log cabin with a passage
between the parts. It
stood a few rods from the banks of the
river within a grove of
maple trees.
but he assorted mail for $30 a year. The
mail from Limestone and Wheel-
ing met weekly at Zanesville. Daniel Converse
was the first man to
carry the mail from Marietta to Zanesville. Mr. Converse
afterward
acted as executor of the McIntire will.
1 Isaac Zane, the youngest of the Zane
brothers, was born in 1753.
At the age of nine years he was captured
by the Wyandots and lived
with them upon the Sandusky for
seventeen years. He was afterwards
released, and in 1785 was guide and
hunter to Richard Butler, one of the
Commissioners to treat with the Indians.
For this service he was re-
warded by Congress in 1795 with a tract
of 1800 acres situated on Mad
river in Logan county. The town of
Zanesfield and the township of Zane
serve to preserve his memory.
On June 21st, 1803, he was elected as
one of the first trustees in
Jefferson township, Logan county.
He died in 1816, and is buried near
Zanesfield.
(Partially adapted from Wiseman's
Pioneers of Fairfield County).
NOTE.- An Isaac Zane represented
Frederick county, Virginia, in the
Revolutionary conventions of 1775 and 1776.--Mag.
Am. History. If
the foregoing story of the capture by
Indians is true, evidently there
were two Isaac Zanes.
Zane's Trace. 325
This humble home became the first hostelry of Zanesville and McIntire's Tavern was known from tide-water to the lakes. McIntire with his own hands cut the logs, shaped saplings into rafters1 split scantling for door and window frames. The win- dow glass was brought from Wheeling. Mrs. McIntire soon joined her husband and brought with her the side-board and "chest of drawers" still to be seen in the McIntire Children's Home. This furniture was made by her brother-in-law John Burkhart, a cabinet maker of Wheeling. Mrs. McIntire was born in Wheeling, February 22nd, 1773. She was a resolute woman, as has been indicated in recounting |
|
her marriage to John McIntire. Standing in her door one day looking over the ford at the head of big falls, she saw two In- dians, one a great tall fellow carrying bow and arrows, the other a squaw, a small woman, carrying a papoose and cooking uten- sils, struggling along with difficulty, against the current as they waded across. The sight made her angry and when the Indian came up and asked for something to eat, she used a stick upon
1 One of these rafters is now a part of the finishing wood in a room of the McIntire Childrens' Home at Zanesville. |
326 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
him and said, "Begone, you lazy
dog." With an "Ugh" he went
away. Then she gave the squaw and child
a hearty meal.
It was a fortunate day for the bachelor
John McIntire when
he married Sarah Zane. Her will power
and her high ideals
served as a balance wheel to her
husband. As a hostess her
fame was widely known and her
hospitality was dealt with a
lavish hand. In 1802 Louis Philippe, the French exile, lodged
in this humble inn, where he was much
impressed with "mine
host and hostess." When he became
King of France he often
recurred to this event and inquired of
an American traveler con-
cerning Mr. and Mrs. McIntire.2
She was charitable in every sense of the
word. Having no
children of her own, she, during her
life, adopted no less than
twelve into her family. These she
provided for and educated.
Among them was Amelia, the illegitimate
child of her husband.
After the death of Mr. McIntire she
married in 1816, Rev.
David Young, a Methodist minister. She
died in 1854, thirty-
nine years after her first husband. From
her private resources
she built the Second street and South
street Methodist churches
in Zanesville. Her portrait hangs beside
that of her husband
in the McIntire Children's Home.
A short time before her death she gave
to her faithful colored
servant, Silas Johnson, the McIntire
family Bible.
Zanesville was formally laid out by
Jonathan Zane and John
McIntire, April 28th, 1802. The town as laid out then extended
from North street east to Seventh
street.
McIntire established a ferry where the
"Y" bridge now
stands. He made a mistake in exacting a
tariff from immi-
grants and fishermen, who passed along
the stream, but upon
discovering his error he abandoned it.
But on January 23, 1802,
2 Lewis Cass, referring to this incident
in his book, says: "At Zanes-
ville the party found the comfortable
cabin of Mr. McIntire, whose name
has been preserved in the King's memory
and whose home was a favorite
place of rest and refreshment for all
travelers, who at this early period
were compelled to traverse that part of
the country. And if these pages
should chance to meet the eyes of any of
those, who, like the writer, have
passed many a pleasant hour under the
roof of this uneducated but truly
worthy and respectable man, he trusts
they will unite in this tribute to
his memory." - Wiseman's Pioneers
of Fairfield County.
Zane's Trace. 327
the Second Territorial Legislature
authorized Jonathan Zane, et
al., to erect a toll bridge where the
"Y" bridge now is.
In the first Constitutional Convention,
he was a delegate and
signed the organic laws for Ohio's
statehood. From this time
till his death he was the leading
citizen of Zanesville. As a
public benefactor that city has yet just
cause not to forget.
In the will of John McIntire, dated
March 18, 1815, pro-
vision is made that in the event of his
daughter leaving no heirs,
that his estate after the death of his
wife shall be "for the use
and support of a poor school which they
are to establish in the
town of Zanesville for the use of poor
children in said town."
In 1855 the public schools of Zanesville
had become so well
established that there were no longer
poor children, education-
ally speaking, in it. The present John
McIntire Children's
Home is now the beneficiary of the will.
The estate, which has
been judiciously administered, was worth
on May 15, 1902,
$282,347.25.
1The Zanesville Athaeneum, the only
public library in that
city, receives a large share of its
revenue from the McIntire estate.
The John McIntire Sewing School is also
supported by the
same means.
The John McIntire Children's Home is the
best monument
its founder could have. Situated on a
beautiful hill overlooking
the city, which he founded, this refuge
for poor children is a
living testimony of the beneficence of
the man who sleeps be-
neath its shadow.
In the making of Ohio, John McIntire
occupied no mediocre
position and we doubt if any other
pioneer in the state has suc-
ceeded in continuing his good offices so
long after his de-
parture. Much of the McIntire furniture
is in the Children's
Home. The old sideboard and chest of
drawers of antique pat-
tern, are of especial interest. A
sampler made by the daughter,
Amelia McIntire, and showing her
handiwork, is also there. The
pictures of John McIntire and wife hang
on the walls of the re-
ception room.
1 On June 1, 1904, the Zanesville
Athaeneum was transferred to the
Board of Education.
328 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
John and Noah Zane laid out Lancaster in 1799 and com- menced the sale of lots. They had the power of attorney and made the deeds. Ebenezer Zane himself was never in Lan- caster. Before Lancaster was laid out, travelers who passed along Zane's Trace called the spot "the place where they crossed the Hockhocking near the Standing Stone." In 1799 a postoffice was established. The mail was car- ried once a week each way. Samuel Coates, Sr., was postmaster. General Sanderson, the Fairfield County historian, then a lad, |
|
was post-boy between Chillicothe and Zanesville. There were not half a dozen cabins on the whole route. Maple street, Lancaster, is on the east line of the original Zane section. The north line is now the alley just north of the German Lutheran Church. The south line is now a part of the south line of the Mithoff farm. The west line starts at a point in the south line near the sugar-grove on the Mithoff farm, returning thence north.
"Article of agreement made and entered into by and between Eben- ezer Zane, of Ohio County, Va., and the purchasers of lots in the town |
Zane's Trace. 329
of Lancaster, county of Fairfield,
territory northwest of the Ohio River,
now for sale in lots, on the east side
of the Hockhocking River, by Eben-
ezer Zane.
Section 1. The lots to be numbered in
squares beginning with the
northwest corner of the town, and then
alternating from north to south,
and from south to north, agreeable to
the general draft of the town.
Section 2. One-fourth of the purchase
money will be required two
weeks from the date of this article. The
residue of three-fourths will be
required on or before 14th of November,
1802. To be approved by secured
notes bearing lawful interest from the
14th day of November, 1800.
Section 3. Square No. 16, including five
lots in the southeast cor-
ner of the town, was thereafter to be
held in trust, for the use of a grave-
yard, erection of a school house, a
house of worship, and such other build-
ings as may be found necessary. All of
which are to be under the direc-
tion of the trustees for the time being.
Also four lots at the intersection
of the two main streets running east and
west and north and south, known
by appellation of the Center Square, are
given for the purpose of erecting
public buildings not heretofore
specified.
Section 4. Possession will be given
immediately to purchasers com-
plying with Section 2 of this Article.
When fully complied with the said
Ebenezer Zane and his heirs, bind
themselves to make a deed to the pur-
chasers, their heirs and assigns. If the
terms be not fully complied with
the lots shall be considered forfeited
and returned again to the original
holder.
Section 5. For the convenience of the
town, one-fourth part of an
acre, lying west of lot No. 2 in the
square No. 3, including two springs,
will be, and are hereby given for the
use of its inhabitants, as the trus-
tees of the town may think proper.
Section 6. In consideration of the
advantages that arise from the
early settlements of mechanics in the
town, and the encouragement of those
who may first settle, lot No. 3 in 20th
square; lot No. 6 in 15th square;
lot No. 6 in 12th square, will be given
to the first blacksmith, the first
carpenter and the first tanner, all of
whom are to settle and continue in
the town pursuing their respective
trades for the term of four years, at
which time the aforesaid Zane binds
himself to make them a deed.
In testimony of all and singular, the
premises, the said Ebenezer
Zane by his attorneys, Noah and John
Zane, hath hereunto set his hand
and affixed his seal, this 14th day of
November, A. D. 1800.
EBENEZER ZANE.
The Chillicothe tract was located on the
east side of the
river, because the lands on the west of
the Scioto had already
been appropriated in the Virginia
Military Grant. Ebenezer Zane
deeded this tract to Humphrey
Fullerton In 1839, when Caleb
330 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Atwater wrote the first history of Ohio, Fullerton's widow was yet in possession of the land. A traveler over Zane's Trace leaves us this description of it: "We started back to Pennsylvania on horseback, as there was no getting up the river that day. * * * There was one house (Treiber's) at Lick Branch five miles from where West Union now is. * * * The next house was where Sinking Springs or Middletown now is. The next was at Chillicothe, which was just then commenced. We encamped one night on Massie's |
|
Run, say two or three miles from Paint creek, where the Trace crossed the stream. From Chillicothe to Lancaster, the Trace then went through Pickaway Plains. * * * There was a cabin three or four miles below the plains and another at their eastern edge, and one or two more between that and Lancaster. * * * Here we stayed the third night. From Lancaster we went the next day to Zanesville, passing several small beginnings. I recol- lect no improvement between Zanesville and Wheeling except one |
Zane's Trace. 331 at the mouth of Indian Wheeling Creek opposite Wheeling." -American Pioneer. This in brief is the history of the famous "Zane's Trace." The rough trail with its blazed trees has passed away. Only here and there can we with certainty locate its ancient course. But it was a factor in the making and the "winning of the west," and every city and town along its narrow route is a product of this first Ohio roadway. But back of it all stands the heroic pioneer and "Hero of the Forest," Ebenezer Zane. |
|
THE FIRST NEWSPAPER
OF THE NORTHWEST
TERRITORY.
THE EDITOR AND HIS
WIFE.
C. B. GALBREATH.
The first newspaper published northwest
of the Ohio River
was edited by William Maxwell, a
Revolutionary soldier. After
the recognition of our national
independence, he set out for
the great west to seek fortune in the
new field that called many
worthy, brave and adventurous spirits.
He crossed the Alle-
ghanies, proceeded to Pittsburg, came
down the Ohio, and took
up his abode in the little village of
Cincinnati, then numbering
about two hundred souls.
Having determined before starting west
to enter upon a
journalistic career in the new country,
he had his outfit trans-
ported over the mountains on pack horses
and shipped down from
Pittsburg on a packet boat. It consisted
of a Ramage press,
much like the one used by Dr. Franklin,
and a few cases of type.
A man could have moved the materials at
a single load in a
wheelbarrow.
Mr. Maxwell proceeded at once to set up
his office in a
log cabin at the corner of Front and
Sycamore streets. The
coming of the press had been announced
and a list of subscribers
had been secured. Now the work of
arranging copy, setting
type, and getting ready for the first
issue became the soul-ab-
sorbing occupation of the editor and his
faithful helpmate. It
is needless to say that the work in
progress at the office of the
printer was of more than ordinary
interest to the inhabitants
of the little community. After many
delays the natal day arrives.
"The printer daubs his buck-skin
roll in the ink and then daubs
it on the face of the type. The lever
creaks, and lo, born to the
light of day" is The Sentinel of
the North-Western Territory,
(332)
334 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
November 9, 1793. Momentous event! From
this humble be-
ginning what an evolution the century
has wrought!
While practically nothing has been
written about the editor,
much has been printed in regard to The
Sentinel of the North-
Western Territory. About the only good thing that has been
said of it is found in a favorable
comment by a historian, on the
happy choice of name. As Cincinnati,
then on the western fron-
tier of civilization, was the gateway to
the rich territory beyond,
it was deemed especially appropriate
that a "centinel" should stand
guard at this outpost. The same writer
speaks of the early issues
as containing "few advertisements,
no editorials, and no local
items." Another writer says that
"it had no editorial articles,
no local news, reviews, or poetry,"
and even so careful a writer
as William T. Coggeshall, an Ohio man, a
journalist by profes-
sion, and one of the best librarians
that the state ever had, in
his "Origin and Progress of
Printing, with Some Facts About
Newspapers in Europe and America,"
published in 1854, states
that the issues of The Centinel were
"irregular," that they con-
tained nothing "but meager details
of foreign news, not more
than half a dozen advertisements, no
editorials, no local news,
no opinions on country, state, or
national questions, no lessons
from history, no poetry, no wit, no
sentiment." In commenting
on the mechanical make-up of this paper
he says that there were
no rules between the columns. These
statements are so sweep-
ing and have been so widely and
frequently copied that some-
thing tangible must be offered to
warrant a dissenting opinion.
We appeal to the paper itself-to The
Centinel of the North-
Western Territory-a copy of which Mr. Coggeshall and those
who have quoted his statements certainly
never saw.
To begin with, the paper was not issued
irregularly. As
stated, the first number appeared
Saturday, November 9, 1793,
and every subsequent Saturday, for a
year at least, it was deliv-
ered to subscribers. A rapid but
somewhat careful examination
of the files does not bring to light the
omission of a single issue
within the entire period of its
publication. A facsimile of part
of the first page of the first issue,
herewith submitted, shows very
clearly that the paper had rules between
the columns. And what
is true of this is also true of every
subsequent issue.
The First Newspaper of the Northwest
Territory. 335
The Centinel was indeed a
"brief chronicler of the times."
It was a four page, three column sheet,
in small quarto form, the
type of each page occupying a space
eight and one-half by ten
and one-fourth inches. The columns were
lengthened three and
one-half inches, July 12, 1794. The motto
at the masthead,
"Open to all parties-but influenced
by none," one generous
critic assures us has never been
violated by its successors in
the states formed from the Northwest Territory. Whatever
may be true of the
"successors," it is safe to say, after a thorough
examination of the files of The
Centinel, that its editor, through
the three years of its life, did not
deviate from the motto. Oppos-
ing interests were presented through
their local champions, but
he maintained a sphinx-like silence. In
the printing of communi-
cations he was discreet and just. At the
head of the first page
of the first issue is the editor's
salutatory. He says in part:
The Printer of the Centinel of
the North-Western Territory, to the
Public :1
"Having arrived at Cincinnati, he
has applied himself to that which
has been the principal object of his
removal to this country, the Publi-
cation of a News-Paper.
"This country is in its infancy,
and the inhabitants are daily ex-
posed to an enemy who, not content with
taking away the lives of men
in the field, have swept away whole
families, and burnt their habitations.
We are well aware that the want of
regular and certain trade down the
Mississippi, deprives this country in
great measure, of money at the
present time. These are discouragements,
nevertheless I am led to
believe that the people of this country
are disposed to promote science,
and have the fullest assurance that the Press,
from its known utility,
will receive proper encouragement. And
on my part am content with
small gains, at the present, flattering
myself that from attention to busi-
ness, I shall preserve the good wishes
of those who have already counte-
nanced me in this undertaking, and
secure the friendship of subsequent
population.
"It is to be hoped that the
CENTINEL will prove of great utility to
the people of this Country, not only to
inform them of what is going on
on the east of the Atlantic in arms, and
in arts of peace - but what more
particularly concerns us, the different
transactions of the states in the
Union, and especially of our own
Territory, at so great a distance from
the seat of the general government. It
is a particular grievance, that the
people have not been acquainted with the
proceedings of the legislature
Capitalization and punctuation of
original are followed.
336 Ohio Arch. and
Hist. Society Publications.
of the Union, in which they are as much
interested, as any part of the
United States. It is expected that the
CENTINEL will in a great measure
remedy this misfortune.
*
* * * *
"The EDITOR therefore rests his success
on the merits of the publica-
tion. * * * I hope therefore, all men of
public spirit will consider the
undertaking as a proper object of
attention, and not consult merely their
own personal interests, but the interest
of the public and the coming time."
Following this is a short story from
Sterne; news from
London, dated July 15th; from Portland,
Maine, August 25th;
from New York, September 4th; from
Philadelphia, September
4th; from Fredericksburg, Va., October
3d. There are also
items of local news under date of
September 9th, 1793. They
read in part as follows:
"Many reports having been
circulated with respect to the attack made
by the savages upon a convoy of
provisions, some little time ago, between
Fort St. Clair and Fort Jefferson, the
following is an authentic account
of that affair.
"Lieut. Lowrie, of the second, and
Ensign Boyd, of the first sub-
legions, with a command of about ninety
non-commissioned officers and
privates, having under their convoy
twenty wagons loaded with grain
and commissary stores, were attacked
between daylight and sunrise, seven
miles advanced of Fort St. Clair, on the
morning of the 17th ult. These
two gallant young gentlemen, with
thirteen non-commissioned officers
and privates, bravely fell in action. *
* * The Indians killed or car-
ried off about seventy horses." * *
*
"In the twilight of Saturday
evening, the 19th ult., a party of about
forty or fifty Indians made an attack
upon White's Station, ten miles
north of this place. * * * One of the
men and two of the children
were killed. * * *
"The army are preparing to go into
winter quarters on the south-west
branch of the Miami, six miles in
advance of Fort Jefferson. The ground
of encampment is already laid off in the
form of a rhombus, three hundred
yards long, on a commanding
situation." * * *
Here is local matter, of interest not
only at the time, but
for all time. Of personal items, the visits of friends, social
events, and the like, there is a dearth,
but these matters did not
figure prominently in the everyday life
of a people engaged in
the work of subduing the wilderness.
In the early issues, as the critic
states, there were few ad-
vertisements, but later they were
comparatively numerous. In
The First Newspaper of the Northwest Territory. 337
the first number the editor uses the advertising column to extri- cate himself from a dilemma. He was so deeply interested in getting out his first paper that he lost a memorandum contain- ing a partial list of his subscribers. The notice is so quaint and original that we reproduce it: |
|
This reveals business method that would not pass muster to-day. There is no evidence, however, that the notice did not meet the exigencies of the occasion. The advertisements cover a wide range. There were re- wards for the return of lost property, stray cattle, deserters from the army and runaway apprentices. There were announce- ments of the sale of dry goods, houses and lands. One patron wishes to tell the public that he is prepared to do "blacksmith- ing and whitesmithing." The railroad time table does not appear, but in its place is a full column setting forth the advantages of rapid transit by packet boats, which made the voyage "from Cin- cinnati to Pittsburg and return in four weeks." The pioneer school master made known the fact that he was ready "to teach the young idea how to shoot," with a gentle re- minder that he reserved the right to enforce moderate discipline. 22 Vol. XIII. |
338 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
As a primitive educational
"ad." it is not without interest. Here
it is:
"THE SUBSCRIBER
INTENDS to open School on Wednesday the
16th inst. in the house lately
in possession of John Paul nearly
opposite to Dr. M'Clures, in Sycamore
sereet, where he proposes to educate
youth in reading, writing, arithmetic,
book keeping, Geometry, trigonometry,
mensuration of surfaces and sol-
ids, dialing, guaging, surveying, navigation
and algebra. No more than
thirty scholars will be admitted, and
the terms of admittance may be
known by applying to the Public's very
humble Servt.
STUART RICKY.
CINCINNATI, Dec. 4,
1795.
N. B.-None need apply but such as allow
of moderate correction
to be used in said school when necessity
requires it."
Those were strenuous times. Ample proof
of that fact is
found in the lengthy "Public
Notice" to the effect that within
a certain specified time and designated
territory, including Cin-
cinnati and vicinity, $168 would be paid
for "every scalp, having
the right ear appendant, for the first
ten Indians who shall be
killed within the time and limits
aforesaid."
But we are told that there were "no
opinions on country,
state or national questions." If this refers to the editor, the
statement is true; but it was far
from being true of the paper.
The very first issue contains an article
signed "Manlius" on the
subject of unequal taxation under the
territorial government. It
includes a sharp criticism of the
legislature, which then con-
sisted of Governor St. Clair and the
judges of the territory.
In speaking of the law imposing special
taxes on merchants
and tavern keepers, the writer says:
"It cannot be supposed that the
legislature are disposed to make this
law perpetual, and yet no limitation is
in the act; it appears to have been
calculated merely to save the landed
interests from paying taxes; and
this is not astonishing, when one of the
greatest land holders in the gov-
ernment was, and still is, one of the
legislature. Human nature is the
same in all countries, and self interest
is never taken away by any office;
man is man, and he will do what conduces
to his private emoluments,
whether he be peasant, judge or king. If
taxes are necessary under this
government * * * the people ought
to be taxed in proportion to their
property."
The First Newspaper of the Northwest
Territory. 339
In subsequent issues the territorial and
national governments
were criticised and defended, and the
opening up of the Missis-
sippi to free navigation was advocated
with vigor. No favor
was shown and even the "Father of
his country" did not escape
the pungent pens of some of the
Jeffersonian correspondents.
This pioneer journal reflects the deep
interest in matters political,
which has ever characterized the states
carved out of the North-
west Territory.
But we are told that the editor gave no
space to "poetry,
wit or sentiment." This is a serious charge that is hardly
sus-
tained by reference to the paper. The
first issue contains the
following "anecdote":
"Milton was asked by a friend,
whether he would instruct his daugh-
ters in the different languages. To
which he replied, 'No, sir; one tongue
is sufficient for a woman.'"
This, of course, is a little ancient,
but doubtless we all
should have enjoyed and appreciated it
one hundred years ago.
No. 2 has the following in the anecdote
column:
"Col. Bond, who had been one of
King Charles the First's judges,
died a day or two before Cromwell, and
it was strongly reported that
the protector was dead. 'No,' said a
gentleman who knew better, 'he has
only given bond to the devil for his
future appearance.' "
This may not be wit, but it prepared the
way for some of
the "pungent paragraphs" of
modern times.
In the first issue of The Centinel occurs
the following:
"Why should our wishes miss their
aim?
Why does our love of wealth and fame,
With jarring pursuits clash?
My friends, 'tis strange, self-love that
rules
The bulk of men, should make them fools,
Their pockets drain of cash.
The mystic cause I did explore,
My neighbors' failings counted o'er.
And blamed their want of thought.
My occupation I despised,
New schemes and calling straight
devised.
And found them all but naught.
340 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
To Cincinnati shaped my course,
With stick in hand, without a horse,
'Twas galling to my mind!
Till on the banks of Ohio's flood,
I near a chinky cabbin stood,
For selling grog designed.
Behind his bar the cheerful host,
Had sat him down, his books to post,
First took a morning dram;
Thrice the blotted leaf he turned,
The want of money still he mourned,
The license fees did damn.
The profits of a barrel told,
If paid for, but as soon as sold,
Would count him full ten pounds;
But swallowed by five hundred throats,
One-half not worth so many groats
'Twould scarcely be ten crowns.
Happy the grog man near the fort
When soldiers with their money sport,
And give it for a song.
But Oh, the cruel late campaign
Has called away this jolly train,
I hope they'll not stay long.
Thus sagely spoke the man of grog,
My rapturous soul was quite agog,
While he tipped off a glass;
Sure then I cried could I but know,
When times again would turn out so
Light should my hours pass.
Pray H y K, pray tell me when
Those jovial souls will come again,
With three months' pay, or two;
Swift as the streams of Ohio glide
I'd roll a keg to the fort side
And keep a tavern too."
The feet here are somewhat lame. Imagery
is lacking.
This is hardly poetry. With our modern
vocabulary we should
call it "the army canteen." It
shows that some things do not
The First Newspaper of the Northwest
Territory. 341
change much, after all, with the flight
of time. In close prox-
imity to this effusion is an appeal in
rhyme to the local bards
to awake and "court the smiles of
Apollo." And the bards in
time responded. When Col. Robert Elliot,1
contractor for army
supplies, was killed by Indians near
Fort Hamilton, October 6,
1794, a friend wrote a tribute of some
length from which we
quote the following:2
"In star hung chambers of the
empyreal sky,
The winged ghosts in vast assembly join;
O'er time involving shades with sun
veils fly,
To illumine Elliot to his newborn clime.
Swift from his pictured hope of earthly
bliss,
From golden store and honour's luring
wreath;
Fate cast him o'er that silent dread
abyss,
Which circles time and forms the vale of
death.
The ambushed savage, stained with sacred
blood,
And taught to murder by his ruthless
sire;
With fell deceit beneath the shadowy
wood,
Emblaz'd his path with death enkindled
fire.
*
* * * *
There on the hill where savage spectres
throng,
He lay forlorn beneath the pall of
night;
The moping owl performed his funeral
song,
While pity sickened at the dismal sight.
'Til generous mourners by their tender aid,
'Mid hazy wilds where devious travelers
roam,
Through midnight gloom the bleeding
corpse conveyed,
With guardian pirty to its wonted dome.
*
* * * *
Blest be thy fate, my dear departed
friend,
May sweet repose her slumbers o'er thee
spread;
May heavenly vigils o'er thy grave roof
bend,
To guard thy peace within the clay-bound
bed.
Cheerless the hall where once glad mirth
inspired
Each welcome guest around the social
board,
Where all that liberal honour e'er
required,
Was seen approaching on thy cheery word.
* * * * *
1For brief biography and detailed
account of Col. Robert Elliot's
death, see History of Butler County,
Ohio.
2This poem is signed "by a
friend."
342 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Envy ne'er breaks the folded gates of
death,
Revenge is madness o'er a fallen foe,
But sorrowing love may pass that frozen
heath,
Where time's encumbered stream must
cease to flow.
The brightest star that's crossed
death's sable field,
That ever blazed around his shadowy
throne,
The noblest trophy that e'er man could
wield,
Is honest virtue-an imperial sun.
Those who bewail thy sad untimely fall,
Must know that fortune, power and hopes
are vain;
That they, like thee, must hear the
lordly call,
And lie entombed among the legions
slain.
The cot of penury, the golden court,
The humble statue and the pride deckt
bust,
Will soon become death's ravaging
resort,
Who chemic-like turns kingdoms into
dust.
*
* * * *
Death on his mighty, fleet-bound, bleachen
steed!
Without an offspring or a guardian sire,
Pays court to all with unmolested speed,
To gather spoils for nature's funeral
fire.
Heir to a crown, no monarch ever knew,
With coat of arms no herald ever caught,
No painter e'er his wondrous portrait
drew,
Since he ne'er sat to have the picture
wrought.
He is a traveler on life's slippery
shore,
To meet the beings of a doubtful day,
He is the porter to unbar that door,
Which hides the grandeur of the immortal
way.
His valley seems a solemn, nightly pass,
Which spreads its by-paths to this thicket
world,
But when illumined by hope's colouring
glass,
It shows a drawing room with scenery
furled.
Cease, then, each mournful sigh, dispel
the gloom,
Which hovers o'er the shadowy realms of
death,
One mighty change will burst the
slumbering tomb,
And crown the weeds of woe with joyful
wreath.
Like Elliot dead! we pass this changed
state,
Our power, our fortune and our hope must
yield,
To death the victor of Almighy fate,
Who stalks forever on his spoil-deckt
field."
The First Newspaper of the Northwest
Territory. 343
This breathes the solemn grandeur of the
new world.
Through it the spirit of the wilderness
speaks of the mysterious
trinity-life, death, eternity. True, it
reveals a writer under
the spell of Gray's Elegy, but there are
stanzas that have dis-
tinctive merit and reflect credit upon
this unknown bard. The
effusion has a genuine western flavor
and stands as our first
published "view of death,"
with occasional lines foreshadowing
the Thanatopsis.
In the summer of 1796, William Maxwell,
who had been
appointed post-master of Cincinnati,
sold The Centinel of the
North-Western Territory, to Edmund Freeman, who changed the
name to Freeman's Journal. It was
issued here till about 1800.
when it suspended publication and
followed the Territorial
Government to Chillicothe, where Mr.
Coggeshall tells us that
Mr. Freeman purchased the Gazette. Here
Mr. Coggeshall is
again in error. Freeman's Journal was
published for a time in
Chillicothe, where the editor died. In The Scioto Gazette of Oc-
tober 19th, 1801, appears a notice of S.
Freeman, administrator,
relative to the death of Edmund Freeman,
late of Chillicothe,
printer, deceased. Nathaniel Willis,
editor of The Scioto Ga-
zette, purchased the outfit of Freeman's Journal in
October,
1801.
It was therefore merged into The Scioto Gazette, which
continues under that name to the present
day.
Having described somewhat at length this
early newspaper,
it is fitting that more be said of the
editor and his wife. Of
the latter we shall speak first, because
our information in re-
gard to her remarkable career is more
complete and definite.
Nancy Robins was a typical pioneer
heroine. She was born
in Virginia, August 6th, 1760. Her parents
settled at Grave's
Creek, about twelve miles from the
present site of Wheeling, W.
Va., where she grew up to young
womanhood. Here her father
was killed and scalped by the Indians.
With her mother and a
few neighbors she made an almost miraculous
escape1 to Ft.
Henry, where the whites were closely
besieged by the savages.2
1An Indian caught her dress and was
about to strike her down
when hunters came to her rescue.
2September
1, 1777. See Lossing's Pictorial Field Book of the Rev-
olution, Vol. II, 291-283; Hildreth's Early Settlers of
Ohio; Otis's De-
fense of Fort Henry; Hunter's
Pathfinders of Jefferson County, in Ohio
Archaeological and Historical Quarterly,
Vol. VI, 131-133.
344 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. Every reader of pioneer history is familiar with the story of the conduct of the sister of Ebenezer Zane on that occasion. The defenders of the fort having exhausted their supply of powder, it became necessary to send some one to a house about sixty yards distant to bring ammunition to continue the defense. The brave women in the fort insisted that none of the men should |
|
be sacrificed in the undertaking, as the loss of one of the garrison would greatly endanger the safety of all. Miss Elizabeth Zane and Miss Nancy Robins both volunteered to go, but as the latter was molding bullets, a work in which she was skilled, it was decided that Miss Zane should make the hazardous trip. With fleet step she ran the gauntlet, and amid a storm of arrows and bullets, bore the powder into the fort. The garrison held |
The First Newspaper of the Northwest
Territory. 345
out till reinforcements arrived and
compelled the savages to
raise the siege.
Afterward Miss Robins and her mother
lived with the
Zane family.1 Miss Nancy went to
Cincinnati and there met
William Maxwell, whom she subsequently
married. She aided
him in all his work, helped to print the
newspaper, and with
her own hands, in 1796, bound the
Maxwell Code,2 the first
book printed within the limits of the
Northwest Territory. In
1799, she accompanied her husband to
Dayton, Ohio, which was
then a military post. Here she remained
until Mr. Maxwell,
assisted by some discharged soldiers
employed for that purpose,
cut a road through to Upper Alpha. This
road afterwards be-
came a part of the Dayton and Xenia
Pike. Mrs. Maxwell was
the first white woman to travel over it.
To the new log cabin in the wilderness
she came with her
husband and two children, William and
Eliza. Here the little
family grew until there were eight children.
After the death of
her husband she married John White, whom
she survived many
years. Of the second union six children
were born, one of
whom, Mrs. Elizabeth Webster, of Dayton,
Ohio, is still living
at the age of eighty-three years.
In her old age, Mrs. (Maxwell) White
moved with relatives
and friends to Sidell, Illinois, where
she died November 9th,
1868,3 at the age of one
hundred and eight years, three months
and six days. Amiability and
cheerfulness were native to her.
Through life she was blessed with good
health. To its last
hour she retained full possession of her
faculties. She was the
mother of fourteen children, whose
descendants are now living
in many states. A modest monument,
fittingly inscribed, marks
her last resting place.
1Later
Mrs. Robins became the second wife of Ebenezer Zane.
2The
"Code," bound in pioneer style, was sewed with wax ends,
tipped with bristles.
3Just seventy-five years after the
publication of the first issue of
The Centinel of the North-Western
Territory.
4Of
the first union were born William, Elias, Rachel, John, Ludlow,
Nancy, George, Eliza; of the second,
Margaret, Lemuel, Catherine, Eva-
line, Elizabeth, Anne.
346 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Of the early life of William Maxwell little is known. His father, whose name was also William, came from Scotland. Ac- cording to statements of some of his descendants, the son was born in New York, about the year 1755. He had evidently re- ceived a fair education for the times. It is not known where he learned the printer's trade. In his salutatory, published in the initial number of The Centinel, he states that he same to the western country to establish a newspaper. It is therefore fair to presume that he had learned something about his trade before leaving the East. His granddaughter is authority for the state- ment that he came west in 1788. This date is not supported by documentary evidence and it is probable that he came later. After his arrival in Cincinnati, as already stated, he married Nancy Robins who survived him more than half a century. |
|
Mr. Maxwell was the first local public printer of the North- west Territory. In 1796 he published the Maxwell Code. He was second postmaster of Cincinnati, having been appointed to that position the year previous, as the following notice in The Centinel of September 6th, 1795, explains: "W. Maxwell is appointed Post-Master at this place in lieu of A. M. Dunn, Esq., deceased. Gentlemen, and others, wishing to send letters by the Post, may leave them at the Printing-Office; where the Post-Office is now kept." In 1799, he moved to land on the Little Miami, in what is now Beaver Creek Township, Greene County, Ohio. It was then a part of Hamilton County. He was elected to the House of Representatives of the First General Assembly of Ohio, which convened in Chillicothe, March 1st, 1803. The Journal of the House shows that he was an active member and that he served on important committees with associates some of whom after- ward attained prominence in the history of the state. Among these were Kirker and Worthington. |
The First Newspaper of the Northwest Territory. 347
He favored the law providing for the erection of Greene County and was elected one of its associate judges by the Legis- lature on April 6th, 1803. On the 10th of the following month, at the house of Owen Davis, on Beaver Creek, he aided in organ- izing the first court held in the county. The building was a log structure of the pioneer type. He resigned the office of associate judge December 7th, 1803, was chosen sheriff of Greene County and served till 1807. He took an active interest in organizing the state militia and, in 1805, held the rank of major. He was a man of thrift and fairly prosperous. On his large tract of land, he devoted himself chiefly to the industry of cattle raising. |
|
William Maxwell's last days were spent on his farm. Here where his furrow broke the "stubborn glebe," where the forest bowed beneath his sturdy stroke, this modest, brave old pioneer in 1809 sank to rest. Cadmus sailing into Greece on a mission that enlightened the world, is doubtless a myth. But William Maxwell, soldier, pioneer, and printer, bending over the types and losing his subscription list in a soul-absorbing effort to bring forth The Centinel of the North-Western Territory, William Maxwell, laboring by blazing knot and tallow dip over his "code," William Maxwell bearing letters into the western wilderness, is |
348 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
a reality! From this humble beginning, what a marvel the cen- tury has wrought. Books and papers everywhere. Great jour- nals, reeling off daily issues aggregating not hundreds or thou- sands, but millions of copies. Vast hives of literary industry, where the roll of cylinder and the click of linotype echo without interruption the whole year round! And he who touched the magic spring that opened up the way for this wondrous and beneficent miracle, sleeps alone on the quiet farm his last long sleep. His grave is at the edge of the forest, on an eminence that commands a fine view of the valley of the Little Miami. |
|
Around are green meadows, waving orchards, the fragrance of flowers, and the melody of birds. A plain slab, hewn from the native rock, without a line or a letter, marks his last resting place. The patrons of the press, the lovers of books, and those who manifest a patriotic pride in the intellectual development and ascendency of the prosperous realm now embraced within the original limits of the Northwest Territory, have a duty to per- form. They should unite in raising over the dust of William Maxwell a plain shaft, appropriately inscribed, that would be to the modest worth of this pioneer editor and maker of books a fitting memorial. Ohio should lead in rendering appropriate |
The First Newspaper of the Northwest Territory. 349
tribute to him who in "the long ago," appealed for the press, and asked the pioneer fathers "not to consult merely their own personal interest, but the interest of the public and the coming time." ACKNOWLEDGMENT. The writer of the foregoing article makes grateful ac- knowledgment to Miss Etta G. McElwain, Librarian of the Xenia Public Library, and Miss Electra C. Doren, of the Dayton Public Library, for valuable information relative to the descend- ants of William Maxwell; to the Misses Mary and Rebecca Maxwell, granddaughters of William Maxwell, for assistance in collecting material; to Mrs. Jennie Sharf, granddaughter of Elizabeth Webster and great-granddaughter of Mrs. (Maxwell) White for additional data and the loan of the rare photograph from which the cut is made for this sketch; to Dr. C. E. Rice for the loan of an early Ohio manuscript from which the facsimile of the signature of William Maxwell was made. |
|
0. K.
J. WARREN KEIFER.
The above is the most used form of
expression in the Com-
mercial world, and is used in the United
States oftener, perhaps,
in conversation, than any other purely
arbitrary expression in the
English language.
It has no classic origin or derivation;
it has no linguistic,
Greek or Latin, root: it cannot be
claimed for it even the dig-
nity of an American slang birth:
nor is it an abbreviation of an
established expression or form of words
properly found in any
language. Its universally accepted
meaning is well understood,
yet not until recently has any
dictionary or lexicon given it a
place, or undertaken to tell its
significance. It is used to attest the
accuracy, genuineness, or approval of
whatever it is placed upon.
It is not usually used in composition,
or in connection with other
words, or phrases. Its meaning is so
ample and complete that it
defies misunderstanding, and requires no
qualifying words to
explain or amplify it. It is used,
literally, around the world.
Not only the business men in banks,
mercantile houses, private
business offices, insurance companies,
etc., in America, use 0. K.
to avouch the correctness of statements,
accounts, bills of all
kinds, etc., but the American and
English legations, consuls, etc.
in all countries where they are found,
especially in all parts of
the world in which ships enter and
depart, use the same 0. K.
to express their approval of all
official business documents or
papers. In all the principal and
subordinate departments of our
government, 0. K. is now in more or less
common use by offi-
cials and clerks to attest their
approval, satisfaction or the ac-
curacy of whatever they favorably pass
judgment upon. Its use
extends to wherever the English language
is used, but
more particularly in connection with
trade and commerce. It
has no synonym; nor no substitute; it
stands unique, and alone,
(35O)
O. K. 351
for its use. Its meaning is -All
Correct. Its origin came from
the mis-spelling of the two words- all
correct.
The origin of the expression - if it may
be so called - was
in the exciting Harrison political
campaign of 1840.
According to the then custom of
organizing and attending
political meetings, Whig and Democratic,
the people went in pro-
cessions, sometimes for long distances,
to the appointed places
where they were to be harangued by the
orators. Great rivalry
existed between parties to hold the
largest meeting at a given
place, and to have the greater numbers
in the processions, the
most persons on the same wagon drawn by
the most horses, and
the most flags, and banners, on which
were usually mottoes sup-
posed to be the most expressive and
catchy, especially in the mat-
ter of attracting the populace and
expressing the sentiment of the
people.
A notable Whig convention was held at
Urbana, Champaign
County, Ohio, September 15th,
1840, which General William
Henry Harrison, the candidate for
President, addressed (it is said
for two hours) and at which Hon. Moses
B. Corwin (cousin of
Thomas Corwin) of Urbana presided. In
the grove of John A.
Ward (father of the now famous sculptor,
John Q. A. Ward of
New York City) twelve tables were set,
each 300 feet long, from
which the people were fed barbecued
oxen, sheep, etc., with cider
(the popular beverage of that campaign)
and all in abundance.
Addresses were made during the day and
evening by Ex-Gov-
ernor Metcalf of Kentucky, (in a
buckskin hunting shirt, it is
said), Arthur Elliott, a Mr. Chambers,
of Louisiana, and Richard
Douglas, of Chillicothe.
An enthusiastic Whig farmer from Jackson Township,
Champaign County, rigged up a wagon,
drawn by many
horses, with a platform thereon to
accommodate his neighbor-
farmers, to join a procession and to
attend this convention. A
banner was suspended over the platform
on which Was rudely
printed the inscription: THE PEOPLE IS
OLL KORRECT.
According to the recollections of some,
who pretend to re-
member, the inscription was: THE FARMERS
IS OLL KOR-
RECT.
352
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The material part, however, is the last
two words, and their
mis-spelling.
Democratic newspapers seized on the bad
spelling of this in-
scription and displayed it as an
evidence of the ignorance of the
Whigs and the supporters of General
Harrison. Samuel Medary
of Columbus, Ohio, famous then for his
zeal in publishing cam-
paign-democratic literature, and in
assaults on the Whigs, made
much use in his paper of this farmer's
illiteracy. Democratic
orators carried this banner-motto around
on hand bills and ex-
hibited it to their shouting hearers,
much to the disgust and cha-
grin of the Whigs.
One Daniel Leffel, a typical early-time
tavern-keeper, an
unusually, even for that time,
enthusiastic Whig and supporter
of Harrison, the proprietor of the Sugar
Grove tavern, located
just west of Springfield, Ohio, on the
National Road, thought it
best to ward off the odium heaped on his
party by the rustic
farmers illiteracy by accepting the
situation and making the most
of it. So, before the campaign ended, he
caused the letters O. K.
to be painted immediately over a front
door of his Sugar Grove
tavern, in large capital letters, and
thence forth gave it out, that
they meant that his tavern was "Oll
Korrect."
This is, with little doubt, the first
place these two letters-
O. K. - were used with the artificial
meaning they now so uni-
versally possess. From this use, with
this meaning, at first lit-
tle by little locally, matters were O.
K.-ed, until now millions use
the expression without doubt as to its
meaning, or question as to
the propriety of its use, or without
inquiry or knowledge of its
origin.
Dan Leffel built better than he knew -
so the Jackson
Township farmer. 0. K. has come to
stay.
Whatever of local differences there may
be as to the details
of the farmer's banner-inscription, or
as to the great Urbana-
Harrison convention, there is a
concurrence as to the mis-spelling
of the words -all correct, and
that they were, on the banner,
spelled "Oll Korrect."
The Sugar Grove House (thus inscribed)
was used as a way-
side tavern - a stopping place for
movers using the National
Road as a throat to pass to the great
west -some "cheer" was
O. K. 353
dispensed there to local and other patrons - stories of gambling, etc., etc., have been told as a part of the entertainment furnished - for about forty years, and only ceased when the mover and cattle-driver ceased to move, or drive, by ordinary road, as in the good old times. Dan Leffel is dead, and some question whether his life and character were such as to secure for him an 0. K. for the better world. However, this may be, his use of the letters 0. K. will go on so long as the English language is written. |
|
The House (shown above) a few years ago, with the pictur- esque land around it, passed to the ownership of the Ohio State Masonic Home. The stately buildings of this Home, where practical, fraternal charity is now dispensed, overtowered the old tavern. It was spared until 1901, then torn down to further clear and beautify the Masonic Home grounds. The originally in- scribed letters "0. K." remained above the door about sixty 23 Vol. XIII. |
354 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
years and until the brick upon which they were painted were re- moved and scattered by the destroyer. Atttempts have been made to otherwise account for the origin of 0. K. as so generally used, on suppositions, and theories, and probabilities, but only the foregoing has any real founda- tion. O. K. is found in the Century Dictionary where it is said: "The origin is obscure; usually said to have been originally used by Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the U. S., as an abbre- viation of All Correct spelled (whether through ignorance or hu- morously) Oll Korrect: but this is doubtless an invention." Another speculation there refers the use to "Old Keokuk," an Indian Chief, who is said to have signed treaties with the initials, "O. K." These suggestions as to a definition are all inventions, born of a desire to find a plausible origin for the much used expression. |
|
MARCUS A. HANNA.
CHARLES DICK. [Address delivered by United States Senator Pick in the Ohio House of Representatives at the Memorial Services held April 20, 1904, in honor of Senator Hanna.] Marcus A. Hanna was born September 24, 1837, in New Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio, and died in Washington, |
|
February 5, 1904, in the discharge of his duties as Senator from his native State. Standing in the presence of this splendid representation of the citizen- ship of Ohio; impressed with the deep significance of this occasion, I am also reminded of the importance of events that go to make up the history of our commonwealth, and the character of the people who have maintained her standing in the front rank of the States which constitute our glorious and im- perishable Union. In the light of these recollections, crowned with gar- |
lands of achievement and duty well performed, stand the towering personalities of those sterling types of American manhood whose accomplishments during the last century have made the history of Ohio identical with that of the nation itself. It is by no accident that Ohio has furnished so many distin- guished sons to the nation, including presidents, statesmen, mili- tary chieftains, lawyers, educators, authors, artists, inventors, scientists and captains of industry. The case is found largely in the circumstances of her birth and development, and in the character of her early settlers. (355) |
356 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
If, as has been said, God sifted the
whole world to find men
worthy the high calling of founding a
new nation, as truly may
it be said that all the original States
of the Federal Union con-
tributed to the making of Ohio, the
first State of the nineteenth
century, the first new State formed out
of national territory.
Here converged nearly all the early
lines of continental travel.
Here came the Puritan and the Cavalier,
the Scotch-Irish, and
those of pure Teutonic and Gallic blood;
Lutheran, Presbyter-
ian, Catholic and Quaker. Connecticut
bounded the State on
the north, and Massachusetts, New Jersey
and Virginia on the
south. New York, Pennsylvania and other
States furnished
generous contributions to her
population.
Of the new States which preceded her
into the Union after
the Revolution, Vermont was the
offspring of New York and
New Hampshire, Kentucky of Virginia, and
Tennessee of North
Carolina. Ohio was the first State to
which the entire Union
contributed, the first national
territory raised to statehood. All
of the original States gave from their
best citizenship to build up
the first State carved out of the
Northwest Territory. Massa-
chusetts founded the first settlement at
Marietta, Connecticut
peopled the Western Reserve, a New
Jersey colony laid the be-
ginnings of Cincinnati, much of the best
blood of the States was
filtered through New York from New
England, Pennsylvania
was a liberal contributor, and Virginia
reserved a large tract to
which came many of her Revolutionary
soldiers and their de-
scendants. The abolition of slavery drew
to Ohio some of the
best blood of the far South. Here,
therefore, came all nationali-
ties and all creeds, and they found not
tolerance merely but equal-
ity in the sight of the law. The early
use of federal troops to
repress Indian uprisings in the State
accustomed her citizens to
the exercise of national authority. This
Indian warfare held
captive in Ohio for a time the
determined rush of Western mi-
gration. Thus time was given these
diverse elements to coalesce
into one harmonious whole, and to form a
type of stalwart, in-
tensely patriotic Americans.
Ohio is the neck of the hour-glass through
which passed
nearly all the streams of early
migrations following the star of
e mpire. All early railroads joining the
East and the West
Marcus A. Hanna. 357
crossed her boundaries and her
territory. These circumstances
also wielded a powerful and beneficent
influence on the new com-
monwealth. We were debtors to all
the States east of the Alle-
ghanies, a debt Ohio has fully paid by
sending out a million of
her own sons in all directions. They
have proved worthy of her,
and have given her added fame in all
quarters of our country.
Pioneers are the sturdiest, the most
enterprising and most
daring. By such people was Ohio settled.
Of such stock and
under such surroundings was Senator
Hanna born. He was a
type of that mixture of elements so
characteristic of his State.
In him commingled many diverse strains
of ancestry.
His ancestors were pioneers. They were
among the more
hardy and venturesome spirits of the
older settlements who fol-
lowed the frontier as it receded
westward. In his family is to
be found Scotch-Irish, Cavalier and
Puritan, Presbyterian and
Quaker stock. While his parents were
residents of Ohio, they
traced their descent to Virginia and
Connecticut. He thus com-
bined the best blood of North and South.
His entire life, how-
ever, belonged to his native State. His
public school training,
his brief college days, his years in
business and in the public
service were spent in Ohio or in full
view of the people of his
native State. He was in every sense a
true son of Ohio, and
ranks with the noblest of the glorious
company who have been
proud to call her Mother.
It was not Mr. Hanna's fortune to be
born in poverty, nor
did affluence in early years hinder his
growth and development.
He belonged to the great middle class of
fairly well-to-do Ameri-
cans, who are richest perhaps in their
descent from long lines
of sturdy, intelligent, God-fearing
ancestors.
The father was a country physician, who
left a good prac-
tice in eastern Ohio and moved farther
west, to Cleveland, then
a town of fair promise, and engaged in
merchandising because
of the wider field it offered for
achieving success. In his father's
store the future Senator received his
first training in business.
The beginnings were small but
prosperous. He spent a year in
the Western Reserve College, with what
benefit to himself he de-
clared he never felt certain, though he
doubtless builded more
wisely than he knew. He served a brief
enlistment in the Union
358 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
armies. The years which immediately
followed were years of
commercial upbuilding and expansion. His
training was in the
problems which confront the man of large
affairs.
Thus he spent nearly a lifetime in
business and with scarcely
a thought for other matters. By his hard
common sense he won
the confidence of his associates and was
a leader among them.
He had the tremendous personal force of
an aggressive mental-
ity. He was as stalwart in mind as he
was in body. His
strength lay largely in the directness
of his methods. He was a
masterful man, possessing at all times
definite aims in life. He
saw with a clear eye, and was able by
force of intellect and char-
acter to make other men think as he did.
He was a man who ac-
complished results, a leader who led.
His business methods were
conservative. He was never a speculator,
except as all business
is a venture. He was constructive, but
not a promoter.
He developed great executive ability and
built up large busi-
ness enterprises which survive him. He
selected his lieutenants,
apportioned the work, directed in a
general way without burden-
ing his mind with details, and looked
with confidence for results.
He did not have the patience for
infinite detail, but the greater
power of conceiving and executing great
undertakings. His suc-
cess was the result of long years of
preparation. He commanded
success because he deserved it.
He was a man of great heart and a most
liberal benefactor.
Growing wealth developed in him the
kindlier and more humane
side. He gave freely and cheerfully, but
modestly and without
parade. His charity was discriminating.
He will be most missed by the numerous
charities in his
home city to which he was a generous
contributor. Churches
and hospitals without regard to creed
enjoyed his aid, and to the
practical Christianity of the Salvation
Army he was more than
generous.
His relations with large bodies of
working men as employer
sometimes led to differences which
promised to result in the
clash of industrial strife. The militant
spirit was always strong
within him and the prospect of a contest
usually inviting, but he
soon saw the great economic waste in
strikes and lockouts. He
discovered they were unnecessary. By
frank and honest deal-
Marcus A. Hanna. 359
ings with each other, by mutual
understandings, by fair conces-
sions honorably lived up to, he dwelt on
terms of harmony with
his employes. He trusted them and they
trusted him and by
neither was that confidence betrayed. He
was devoted and loyal
to the interests of those who worked for
him and that devotion
and that loyalty were nobly repaid. He
learned that labor could
be trusted, that its engagements were
sacredly observed. In one
of his late public speeches before a
large body of working men,
many of them his own laborers, he
declared that if he had ever
injured anyone in his employ he would
resign his seat in the Sen-
ate. That statement to this day has gone
unchallenged. He
stood in the way of business
consolidations which would have
added to his wealth for fear they would
injure men who had
grown gray in his service. In times of
great business depres-
sion and industrial unrest the men who
worked for him stood
by their posts, because they knew Mr.
Hanna was always fair
and generous with them and was paying as
fair wages as the
business justified.
The social instincts were strong in Mr.
Hanna. He de-
lighted in the company of his friends,
in entertaining them around
his own table. Their number was legion
and they represented
all the varied interests of human life.
In the social circle he
was most affable and genial, a most
companionable man. In all
the relations of home life he was most
lovable. He was always
interested in public matters and enjoyed
the friendship of many
public men long before he became a
figure in national politics.
He was a friend of Sherman and took an
active interest in his
campaigns. He was a friend of Garfield
and gave him generous
assistance. The political relation,
however, which most beautified
his life was his devotion to McKinley.
Their friendship was of
long standing and the tie between them
strengthened with the
years. Each was great enough to
recognize the greatness of the
other. Both were masterful men, both
were leaders, but their
processes and their methods were
entirely different. Hanna was
the strong, forceful elder brother, but
he yielded to and was
influenced largely by the gentle
strength and tactful guidance or
the other. The blow of McKinley's death
fell on him with
crushing force.
360 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Mr. Hanna spent a full complement of
years in business
pursuits. He was the architect of his
own fortune and achieved
success because he earned it. At a time
when most men who
have engaged in manufacturing or
commerce think to retire he
entered upon his real life work. It was
in the years devoted to
business, however, that his talent
developed, his great executive
capacity.
His daily life was wholesome and clean,
his pleasures were
simple, his tastes natural. He was a
most useful man to his
community, but his mettle was yet
untried. At three score years
it remained to be demonstrated that Mr.
Hanna was a born
leader of men, a political general of
great skill, an orator and
statesman of high rank.
With the shrewdness and insight born of
long experience
and success in business and his intimate
acquaintance with condi-
tions in the commercial world, he
foresaw the possible promotion
of McKinley and seized the opportune
time to push his can-
didacy for the Presidency. With the same far-seeing vision
which marked his judgment in business
affairs, he predicted
the elevation of his chosen leader.
Politics became for a time
the passion of his life; his devotion
was unselfish and un-
wavering. He laid his plans far in
advance and organized his
forces with consummate skill. No detail
was too minute to be
overlooked. He won a signal victory
against political leaders
tried on many hard-fought battlefields.
The victory he won in
the preconvention campaign of 1896 was
so complete that it
obscured the magnitude of the struggle.
Success was so over-
whelming that one was tempted to forget
there had been a
struggle. No man who participated
therein, however, could
make that mistake.
A political campaign followed which
alarmed the country
and made business interests anxious.
More money was offered
him for the purpose of waging the
contest than could be used.
The statement of his expenditures,
however, could safely have
been disclosed to the whole world.
That campaign was essentially a campaign
of education. His
motto was, "Thousands for education
and organization, not one
dollar for corruption." He brought into politics the straight-
Marcus A. Hanna. 361
forward, open methods of the upright,
God-fearing American
business man. If this was an innovation
in American politics,
it was to the great advantage of
politics and the country. He
believed that a political campaign
should be managed like any
other reputable business undertaking. He
was honest, sincere
and frank and won the confidence of the
country. He was loyal
to the interests of the party workers
who helped him win vic-
tories and their devotion to him was
unfaltering. If he mar-
ried business to politics it was because
he brought to politics
the same honesty, directness, and
straightforwardness essential
to business success. This country need
never fear commercial-
ism in politics as long as commercialism
stands for Senator
Hanna's methods and practices. Business
men had been in poli-
tics before, but the advent of this
business man with his frank,
open methods came as a surprise and
something of a shock to
many party workers. He was a captain of
industry who com-
manded his lieutenants. He was
accustomed to say to this man,
"Go," and he went; to another
man, "Come," and he came.
He managed campaigns the same way, and
the innova-
tion was not at first entirely
acceptable. The ways of political
managers had been looked upon as devious
and secret; their
comings and goings subterranean and
nocturnal. He brought
daylight into dark places, conducted his
first national campaign as
he planned and carried on industrial
undertakings. The stock-
holders always had access to the books.
This is a commercial
era, and if he brought business methods
into politics, who will
say it has not been to the great
advantage of politics?
In the national campaign of 1896 he came
under the fierce
glare of public opinion, and was
immediately seized upon as a
fitting target for unmeasured abuse and
vilification. He was un-
known to the general public, which is
only too eager to believe
evil of any public man. The cartoonist
and the paragrapher
exhausted their resources in holding him
up to public contempt
These poisoned arrows could not pierce
his armor. No man
enjoys abuse, and Mr. Hanna suffered
because he was not under-
stood; but he went his way serene, calm,
cheerful, and undis-
turbed. Kindlier feelings and a more
generous appreciation suc-
362
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ceeded to distrust and malignity.
Vituperation and abuse re-
coiled from him. He outlived all
calumny, and it was his good
fortune to live to see the shafts of
malice blunted and turned
back on his assailers. For eight years a
strong searchlight of
infinite inquiry was focused upon him,
but nothing mean or
small was ever disclosed. The honesty of
his life and the purity
of his motives were admitted even by
those who differed with
him politically. His life was an open
book, every page as clean
as the first.
The only political office Mr. Hanna ever
held, except mem-
bership in the school board of the city
of his adoption, was a
seat in the United States Senate.
President McKinley offered
Mr. Hanna a place in his cabinet; this
he declined. He was
appointed by Governor Bushnell to fill
the vacancy caused by
Senator Sherman's appointment as
Secretary of State, and was
endorsed by the state convention of his
party for election to the
seat. He was still serving his first
full term and had been
elected to another when his life was
closed. The contrast be-
tween the circumstances attending his
two elections marks the
progress of popular knowledge of the
man. In both campaigns
he was endorsed by the state convention
of his party, the nearest
approach perhaps to election to the
Senate by direct vote of the
people. At the first election the margin
of party success was
narrow, but apparently entirely
sufficient, until faction raised its
poisoned head within his own party.
During the campaign there
were no open evidences of the treachery
that was working under
cover. After the election the
conspirators threw off the mask.
It was a base plot against the will of
the people regularly ex-
pressed. Men high in the confidence of
the party and enjoying
honors at its hands joined to defeat the
expressed will of the
people. There was no scheme too
desperate to be resorted to.
The intensity and bitterness of that
struggle no one can appre-
ciate who was not a part of it. It
required an uprising of the
people in their majesty and wrath to
register the verdict which
they had instructed at the polls. By
resolutions and delegations
and informally appointed committees they
assailed those who were
dallying with dishonor or were listening
to golden-tongued temp-
Marcus A. Hanna. 363
ters. The people spoke and in no
uncertain terms. They did
not speak in vain; Senator Hanna was
elected by a majority
of one vote and the State was spared the
misfortune and worse
of violated instructions and tainted
honor. Six years later he
was a candidate for re-election. The
state convention again
declared him the nominee of his party.
The difference between
his two elections to the United States
Senate indicates his six
years' growth in public regard. In that
time he had become the
unquestioned leader and idol of his
party. He was the most
sought for man on the stump for several
campaigns. His meet-
ings were thronged by enthusiastic
followers. They were never
larger or more enthusiastic than in his
last campaign. The re-
sult was an overwhelming personal
triumph; he was returned
to the United States Senate by the
largest majority ever given in
this body. You witnessed that triumph
and know how gratify-
ing it was to him.
It is given to few men who have been
reviled and perse-
cuted as he was to enjoy such a complete
reversal of sentiment
and to close their days in the full
sunlight of public confidence
and esteem. Public sentiment seemed to
desire to make atone-
ment for its early injustice and so
lavished upon him an appro-
bation and affection which few Americans
have enjoyed to so
great a degree. All misunderstanding had
passed away. His
honesty and sincerity and purity of
motives were recognized of
all men. He had conquered all
misconception, and the years to
come promised happiness without alloy,
for he had won the uni-
versal regard and esteem of his
fellow-men.
When Senator Hanna first entered the
Capitol at Washing-
ton the atmosphere had not been cleared
of suspicion, but his un-
assuming manner, his frankness and
geniality soon dissipated all
distrust and won the respect and cordial
friendship of his col-
leagues, which in many cases ripened
into deep affection. Some
of his warmest friends were on the other
side the wall of party
politics. He won his way to commanding
influence there by the
soundness of his judgment and the
confidence he inspired.
He was willing to do hard work. The
large part he took
in helping to frame the schedules of the
Dingley tariff law is
364
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
known to but comparatively few. He
rarely took part in de-
bate, but when he did, he spoke with a
full knowledge of his sub-
ject and with a force and earnestness
which carried conviction.
His greatest legislative achievement was
in changing a hos-
tile majority against the Panama route
for an isthmian canal
into a decisive majority in its favor.
The country was com-
mitted to another plan; the claims of
another route had been
written into party platforms, and he was
told that his efforts
would be futile. When he entered upon
this contest few mem-
bers of Congress agreed with him. He
made a study of the
subject with all his energy and gave it
patient, painstaking ex-
amination. Having convinced himself, he
started out to con-
vince the Congress and the country. He
made the contest with
all the zeal and energy of his strong
nature. When he spoke, it
was the successful business man of large
affairs who addressed
his hearers upon a purely business
proposition. His speech in
the Senate of the United States was a
most convincing presenta-
tion of the advantages of the Panama
route. The country, as
well as Congress, when the final
judgment was reached, was con-
verted to his views and no one longer
seriously questions the
soundness of that position. The canal
will be built at Panama
and will be his greatest monument. No
more signal personal
and legislative triumph has ever been
won in the Congress of the
United States.
His courage never showed to greater
advantage than in his
efforts to uphold an American merchant
marine. Largely owing
to his efforts a shipping bill passed
the Senate but has never
succeeded in the House of
Representatives. Despite strong pre-
judice against the measure he was
unfailing in his support. He
believed the opposition was largely due
to misunderstanding. He
was challenged to advocate the measure
in the last campaign in
Ohio. The challenge was boldly accepted.
He presented his
views fearlessly. The result vindicated
his judgment and his
courage. The people do desire our
flag restored to the seas.
Senator Hanna was not merely a scholar;
he was more
than that; he was a thinker who did not
permit others to think
for him, and he put his best thoughts in
his daily life. True he
held no diploma from college or academy,
but he was graduated
Marcus A. Hanna. 365
from the greater university of
experience, whose lessons and
teachings supplement all other
education.
Senator Hanna had no training in the art
of public speak-
ing. He never undertook an extended
address until after he
reached three score years. He was not an
orator in the sense
that polished paragraph and stately
language makes an orator,
and he never prepared a set speech. When
first he attempted
to speak in public he spoke haltingly
and hesitatingly, but prac-
tice gave him power. He developed
amazingly in the faculty of
apt and forceful expression. Much
speaking gave him ease and
self-confidence. He developed the power
that was within hint
and became a convincing speaker. He
believed what he said
and said it in a way that carried
conviction. When he spoke it
was from a full heart and a mind richly
stored with his subject.
He talked the speech of common,
every-day life, the vernacular
of the plain people; and he talked to
them, not over them. He
had the gift of homely phrase, and these
phrases often crystal-
lized into campaign cries. He used
language to express thought
not to conceal it; speech was given him
not to hide truth, but
to proclaim it. Few public speakers have
been more popular,
have drawn larger audiences, or moved
them more profoundly.
So we may say that if oratory is the
power of carrying conviction
to the hearts of one's hearers and
giving them a message which
will endure, then Senator Hanna was an
orator of no mean rank.
It has been given to no other American
to win as great fame
as he did in the diverse fields of
business and politics, or to make
for himself so lasting a name in such a
brief space of time. But
Senator Hanna was not satisfied; his
greatest ambition lay in
another direction, and he will probably
be remembered longest
for the work he did in bringing labor
and capital to a better un-
derstanding of each other. The greatest
good he did was what
he accomplished and tried to accomplish
to solve the great in-
dustrial problem. His greatest service
there lay in making labor
and capital better acquainted. He was
the great peacemaker.
In this field there is no one to take
his place, no one so high as
he in the confidence of interests which
oppose each other because
they do not understand each other. He
had accomplished much
in this direction and was arranging to
devote his energies and
366 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
time to this magnificent object. No man
was better qualified for
the task than he, for he had been a
large employer of labor and
had been most successful in maintaining
friendly relations with
his own employes. His first efforts
toward conciliation were
looked at with suspicion; men on both
sides feared he had some
ulterior end in view, that he sought
some political advantage, but
the sincerity of his motives could not
long be doubted and his
unselfish aim was soon understood by
all. He was as honest and
frank in this field of activity as in
everything else he undertook.
He realized the folly of industrial
warfare, and felt there was no
more reason why labor and capital should
quarrel than that the
sacredness of the family tie should be
broken by domestic quar-
rels. He helped to organize the Civic
Federation, and was one
of its leading spirits and most active
and valuable members.
The immense good he accomplished in
reconciling labor differ-
ences is a story that has not yet been
told. When it is fully
known, Senator Hanna will be recognized
even more than now
as one of the greatest benefactors of
his time. He was succeed-
ing because he was frank and fair,
because he was bringing
labor and capital into more intimate
relations and enabling them
to understand each other. He was a man
of wealth himself,
but he never lost sympathy with labor.
His interest in all his
fellow-men was genuine and sincere. No
missionary ever went
forth with higher ideals for the service
of mankind or with a
truer love for his suffering brother
than actuated Senator Hanna
in his crusade for a better
understanding between those interests
which should go arm in arm with each
other and which would
not be in conflict if they understood
each other.
It is given to few men to complete the
tasks set before them.
Man's plans are not often God's plans.
Lincoln saw the end of
armed strife, but it was riot given his
sublime patience to solve
the trying problems which followed. He
had not yet drunk the
cup of bitterness to the dregs. McKinley
saw the end of armed
opposition to our national authority at
the close of another war,
but was taken away, leaving many vital
problems unsolved.
Mr. Hanna did much; few men did so much
in such a brief
term, but his greatest task lay before
him. Business success
and political preferment became to him
means to an end. He
Marcus A. Hanna. 367
felt the necessity of saner methods for
settling disputes between
labor and capital. He devoted himself to
the cause of industrial
peace and social justice. To this great
end he had consecrated
the rest of his life, and had arranged
his business affairs so that
they need no longer engage his
attention. He repeatedly de-
clared he would rather settle the labor
problem than be President.
He had no secret longings for other
political honors. He
was not a candidate for the Presidential
nomination. He was
great enough to put aside any such
ambition and was never
greater than in resisting the flattery
of those who would have
made him a national standard bearer. He
refused to promise
the use of his name in connection with
it. The public will know
but little of the great pressure brought
to bear upon him to ac-
cept this crown, nor did he, like
Caesar, refuse each time with
less and less insistance. He was firm to
the last, because he felt
he was following the path in which his
duty lay. He had given
his word he would not be a candidate,
and with the fidelity which
distinguished his life he kept the
faith. This, however, did not
discourage the support of his friends
nor dampen the enthusiasm
which existed for him in all parts of
the country. No Ameri-
can citizen ever yet, however, resisted
the call of his party to be
its candidate for President. Had he
lived and taken his seat
in the next National Convention of his
party at the head of the
delegation from his own State, who can
tell where the unbounded
enthusiasm of his hosts of friends and
admirers and the demands
of the hour would have carried that
body?
No man ever grew so rapidly in influence
and power, and
no man who entered politics so late in
life ever rose so high.
Success and high station in politics as
a rule come only to those
who have served an apprenticeship in
lower places.
He sprang full panoplied and equipped
into the arena of
national activity. We seek for
comparisons, but none can be
made, because no man achieved so great
success who was in pub-
lic life so short a time as he was. No
other man who wrought
in the double field of industry and
politics ever achieved so great
a success in both. He applied the
straightforward, honest
methods of upright business dealings to
affairs of party and of
State. The country was surprised,
doubted, and then applauded.
368 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
He revolutionized politics by putting it
on a business basis. He
interested business in politics to the
distinct advantage of the
latter.
He was distinctly the product of his day
and generation, a
typical American of the latter part of
the nineteenth century.
He was constructive in politics and in
legislation as he was in
business. He was interested in building
up instead of tearing
down.
Mr. Hanna's response to his physicians'
appeal to help them,
made in his last illness, was
characteristic of the man, "I'll do
the best I can." He always did the
best he could, always con-
tended with all his might. He was the
sturdy fighter who
waged war not merely to win but to
overwhelm his antagonist.
While he did not seek such conflicts, he
did not avoid them.
Once involved, the martial spirit in him
rose to battle pitch. He
fought in the open, gave hard blows, and
took them manfully.
He fought to conquer and to conquer
overwhelmingly, but
truce declared and peace effected, he
harbored no resentment
and punished no enemies. He not merely
forgave-he forgot.
True, he was not satisfied with a narrow
margin of victory; it
must be decisive. Even when success was
absolutely assured,
he did not relax his efforts in the
least. This feeling was mis-
understood and led to misconception, and
was the great source
of the excess of caricature from which
he suffered. He needed
only to be thoroughly known to be
vindicated of all charges.
Measure him from whatever point you
choose, his sturdy
honesty shines pre-eminent. The arts of
the demagogue he
scorned. He hated all shams and
artifice. He had no secret,
dark-chamber method of achieving
results. He did not win by
intrigue. He worked in the open; his
methods might at any
time have been laid bare to the gaze of
the world. There was
no secret in his handling of men. He was
honest, frank, sin-
cere, sympathetic, friendly. He was
direct in his methods and
masterful in his dealings. His
friendships were not confined
within the narrow circle of party
politics, for he gained the ad-
miration and respect of those who would
not agree with him.
His honesty and sincerity no one could
doubt.
Marcus A. Hanna. 369
If he was devoted to any cause it was on
account of its right-
eousness and justice, as he viewed it.
He never concealed per-
sonal and selfish aims under the guise
of advocating public meas-
ures. He was frank and open in his
relations to all legislation.
He did not look to the shifting
weather-vane of public opinion to
find direction to guide his steps. What
seemed right to him he
did. He never lacked the courage of his
convictions. He was
modest and unassuming; he never sought
applause and never
carried himself to be seen of men. He
won no victories on the
field of battle, he did not fill the
seat of highest authority, but he
was a pillar of the State.
He was to a marked degree a well-balanced
man, a man
sane in all the relations of life. It
follows that he was hopeful
and optimistic. Cheerfulness and good
nature were the very
essence of his being. He bore with him
at all times the atmos-
phere of love and sunshine. He was
square, brave, and true, a
great, tender-hearted, manly man. No one
was ever deceived
by his bluffness of speech when the
beaming eye and kindly smile
belied the sense of his words. The
catholicity of his interests
and sympathies was as boundless as his
charities. He had some
faults that are common to most men, but
he possessed virtues
so rare as to challenge recognition and
admiration. He was at
all times a man of deep and abiding
convictions of mind and
heart.
The enthusiasm and devotion he awakened
are only possi-
ble to strong men. As he was loyal to
others, so were his friends
loyal to him. Those who knew him best
loved him most. The
Old Guard was not more faithful to
Napoleon than Senator
Hanna's friends to him.
No man who made so brief a passage
across the theater of
our national life ever left a stronger
impress on his day and
age in every walk of life in which he
took an interest. It is too
soon to determine his rightful place in
the Valhalla of our national
heroes, but it is certain that the
impartial biographer will record
him a great party leader, a statesman of
high rank, a patriot of
purest loyalty.
24 Vol. XIII.
370 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
That I can not be mistaken in my
estimate of this man is
proven by some expressions of regard and
affection spoken by his
colleagues in the Senate.
Senator Platt, of Connecticut, said: * *
* "when Marcus
A. Hanna died all the people mourned
with a grief that was
deep and unfeigned. Something in his
life and character had
endeared him to all classes. What that
something was it is diffi-
cult to say, but we know it was given to
but few men in this
world to inspire such respect and
affection as did our deceased
comrade and brother."
Senator Cullom, of Illinois, said:
"In the death of Senator
Hanna one of the most remarkable men of
our country has
passed away. He had an extraordinary
career, a career that
challenged the admiration of the people
without regard to sec-
tion or partisanship."
Senator Fairbanks, of Indiana, said:
"Marcus A. Hanna
was one of the foremost Americans, one
of the most eminent
members of this great forum. He achieved
place and power
through no mere caprice of accident. He
forged his way to the
point of vantage occupied when he laid
down his responsibilities
by the strength of his own genius and by
virtue of arduous deeds
done."
Senator Elkins, of West Virginia, said:
* * * "he be-
came, next to the President himself, the
dominating force in party
affairs, and after the death of his
lamented friend unquestion-
ably the most popular man in our
business and national life."
Senator Depew, of New York, said: * * *
"Hanna, the
party organizer, the party leader, the
president-maker, the sena-
tor and the statesman."
Senator Daniel, of Virginia, said:
"He was at the time of
his death the most conspicuous and most
influential of the public
men in the service of the country."
Senator Kearns, of Utah, said: "His
life is the ideal for
which the youth of our country should
strive. In his intercourse
with men he was all that stands for
sterling manhood, and he sur-
rounded his home with a halo of purity
and love."
Senator Blackburn, of Kentucky, said:
"It is not more than
just to say of him that at the end of
his six or seven years of
Marcus A. Hanna. 371
public service he held in greater
measure than any living Ameri-
can statesman, the confidence of all
classes. He was a man of
sufficient power and force to have made
and left his impress upon
any senate that this country has ever
known."
Day upon day he grew in intellect, vigor
and political
strength, until he was the recognized
leader of his party and a
great senator. In reaching this eminence
he never crawled an
inch; he went there as the eagle goes to
the mountain top. Dig-
nified but not ostentatious; frank, but
not blunt; reserved, but
not austere; patient and laborious he
conquered all conditions,
surmounted all obstacles, and survived
all vicissitudes. Each
day added to the charm of his manner,
the force of his eloquence,
the completeness of his logic, and his
grasp upon public affairs.
He became the wonder of his colleagues,
while he attracted the
admiration of his countrymen.
As a citizen Mr. Hanna was in sympathy
with all influences
which tend to good citizenship. While he
was keenly alive to
merit the commendation of his
fellow-citizens, his duty to the
state was the dominating thought of his mind. He was sincere
and courageous, and avoided the use of
political art to secure
his advancement. He walked among his
people an able, modest,
forceful man, worthy the confidence of
his fellowmen. His fidelity
and honesty of purpose will ever invite
the attention of the student
of his marvelous career.
Mr. Hanna was imbued with the genius of
our institutions.
His love of country was largely
developed; his love of her in-
stitutions was still more so. He
believed our form of govern-
ment met the needs of mankind, and was
permanent in its ability
to develop human capabilities; that the
principle degree was the
foundation of genuine liberty; that it
was the acme of human
governmental intelligence.
He worshiped law and the Author of law.
Mr. Hanna had
unbounded faith in the people; he sought
their education that
they might be better able to comprehend
the duties of citizenship
and to more fully understand the
responsibilities which it im-
posed upon them. His aim was their
education in honesty,
fidelity, self-respect, courage,
devotion and patriotism, that
thereby they would not only be able to
detect the unwholesome
372 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
theories of the sophist, but the more
dangerous methods of the
demagogue, and courageously thwart their
purposes.
Yesterday was the anniversary of the
battle of Lexington
and Concord; on that day the embattled
farmers first fired the
shot heard round the world, which marked
the beginning of an
armed conflict that was not to cease
until a new state had been
recognized among the family of nations-a
state devoted to
liberty and the rights of man. To-day we
commemorate one
who traced his descent from a brave
soldier of that war, and
who was himself in every fiber a patriot
and a lover of his coun-
try, for Senator Hanna was an intensely
patriotic American.
He believed that Lexington and Bunker
Hill were as heroic as
Thermopylae; that Yorktown had greater
influence upon the
progress of the world than Waterloo;
that Sedan was far less
significant than Gettysburg; that Magna
Charta was not greater
than the Declaration of Independence;
that Washington and
Lincoln and Garfield and Grant and
McKinley were incom-
parably greater benefactors of the human
race than Alexander
and Caesar and Napoleon.
He believed that the soldiers who
followed Washington and
Grant fought in causes holier than the
Crusades and for principles
as lasting as truth. He believed that
the American flag stands
to-day for the grandest story of
progress in the history of the
world and for the greatest recorded
triumphs of civilization, for
the highest intelligence and the
loftiest purposes, for boundless
opportunities, for the broadest liberty,
personal, religious and
political, for freedom, for justice, for
education, for progress,
for right and for righteousness; in
short, that it stands for the
best government among men.
He believed that in the record for past
success rested the
assurance of the future progress of his
country, and that Lin-
coln at Gettysburg delivered an eternal
prophecy when he de-
clared that "this Nation, conceived
in liberty and dedicated to
the proposition that all men are created
equal, and that govern-
ment of the people, by the people and
for the people shall not
perish from the earth."
My friends, these walls had scarcely
ceased to echo the ap-
plause which greeted Senator Hanna's
triumphant re-election to
Marcus A. Hanna.
373
the United States Senate, when there
followed days of declining
health and illness which did not at
first alarm, but soon awakened
fear of the final outcome. When he was
stricken the people
watched through saddened days and nights
for news from his
bedside, where hope and despair
alternated in quick succession.
In a conflict with disease which brought
out the courage and
determination and hopefulness of the
patient, Senator Hanna
met an adversary he could not conquer.
At last the end came.
His mighty heart ceased to beat.
Millions were in tears; a
Nation mourned.
The President and Cabinet, Ambassadors,
judges of the
Supreme Court, Senators, Congressmen,
generals, admirals, gov-
ernors of States, legislators, State
officials, municipal officers and
captains of industry attended his
funeral services. Manufacture
in his native State paused; commerce and
transportation stood
still; the busy hum of machinery and
industry was hushed, the
miner laid down his tools, labor in all
callings ceased its work,
and all men bowed their heads in
memory of the man whose loss
they mourned. The State had lost its
first citizen, his party its
acknowledged leader, the country a
patriot and statesman.
And so he passed away in the fullness of
his influence and
his powers, in the full possession of
his splendid faculties, in the
midst of a public career which gave
promise of even larger use-
fulness, secure also in the knowledge
that he was known and
honored by his country; that all
misunderstanding and miscon-
ception had passed away; looked up to by
one vast set of in-
terests as its shield and by another as
its sincere friend and true
adviser.
We know not why our friend was taken
away.
God's ways are not our ways.
His death made a vacancy which will
remain unfilled.
He left the example of his life-a rich
heritage.
The enduring love of his countrymen
crowns his memory.
In closing I place this wreath from a
dear friend upon his
resting place:
As when some stately vessel sails away
Full-rigged and masted for the wind and
tide
374 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Beyond the curving confines of the day,
Where cloud walls rise, and unseen
perils hide;
And when in silhouetted majesty
She stands, full many statures of a man,
Is seen her greatness and her symmetry--
Her wondrous adaptation for the plan;
Till she has crossed the bar of human
sight,
Where blend the boundaries of sea and
sky;
When all other craft seems small, and
blight
Of insignificance aggrieves the eye.
So passed Mark Hanna to another world;
So sailed his spirit, mighty, staunch
and true;
Well-built and ready, with each sail
unfurled,
And with a world's best wishes for his
crew.
With freight of kindly deeds, beyond a
price;
Of patience and unselfish simple good;
Of charity, and willing sacrifice;
Of love that made for common
brotherhood.
Would we could hear the greeting and
acclaim
Upon the other shore! From dome to dome
Will ring the welcome to his honored
name:
So loved by all: "Mark Hanna,
Welcome Home!"
NINETEENTH ANNUAL
MEETING OF THE OHIO STATE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
JUNE 3, 1904.
The Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the
Ohio State Achaeo-
logical and Historical Society was held
in Page Hall, Ohio State
University, Columbus, Ohio, at 2: 30 P.
M., June 3, 1904. The
following members were present:
Judge J. H. Anderson, Columbus; Prof. M.
R. Andrews,
Marietta; Mr. George F. Bareis, Canal
Winchester; Gen. R.
Brinkerhoff, Mansfield; Hon. M. D.
Follett, Marietta; Hon. M.
S. Greenough, Cleveland; Col. John W.
Harper, Cincinnati; Mrs.
George Hopper, Columbus; Mr. W. H.
Hunter, Chillicothe; Rev.
I. F. King, Columbus; Rev. N. B. C.
Love, Deshler; Prof. J. P.
McLean, Franklin; Mr. F. H. McDonough,
Delaware; Prof C.
L. Martzolff, New Lexington; Prof. Wm.
C. Mills, Columbus;
Prof. B. F. Prince, Springfield; Prof.
E. O. Randall, Columbus;
Dr. J. C. Reeve, Dayton; Hon. S. S.
Rickly, Columbus; Mr. E.
F. Wood, Columbus.
Letters of regret because of inability
to attend the meeting
were received from trustees, Prof. G. F.
Wright, Oberlin; Rev.
H. A. Thompson, Dayton; and Hon. Rush R.
Sloane, Sandusky.
The meeting was called to order by the
President, Gen. R.
Brinkerhoff. The secretary being called
upon for the minutes
of the last annual meeting held June 5,
1903,
simply referred to
the minutes of that meeting as published
in Vol. 12, pp. 187 to
218, inclusive. The secretary then made
his annual report, which
was as follows:
REPORT OF SECRETARY RANDALL.
Publications.
In September, 1903, the society
issued the Centennial Vol-
ume, containing the speeches and
proceedings at Chillicothe,
Wednesday and Thursday, May 20 and 21, 1903.
Fifteen hun-
dred copies of this book were issued.
Twenty copies were furn
(375)
376 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ished to each member of the Centennial
Commission - 18 ir
number; six copies each to the trustees
of the Ohio State Arch
aeological and Historical Society who
were not members of the
Executive Committee; two copies each to
the speakers at the
Centennial; one copy each to the members
of the Local Centen-
nial Committee at Chillicothe; one copy
each to the members of
the Ohio State Archaeological and
Historical Society; and one
copy each to the members of the 75th and
76th general assem-
blies. Several additional copies were
given to prominent state
officials, leading newspapers, and
parties who seemed entitled
to a copy. Very few copies have been
sold. There now remain
on hand about 200 copies.
The total expense of the proceedings at
Chillicothe, includ-
ing the publication of the Centennial
School Syllabus, was $6,-
449.12, and the expense of the
publication of the Centennial
Volume amounted in toto to $2,866.09,
including the cost of
plates for future issues, making a total
expenditure in connection
with the Centennial of $9,315.21. As the
appropriation of the
75th General Assembly for the purpose in
question was $10,000,
that left a balance of $684.79 still to
the credit of the society,
which may be used for additional issues
of the Centennial Volume.
The society is indirectly responsible
for the issue of a work
on Clark's Conquest of the Illinois
Country, written by Consul
Wilshire Butterfield, which appeared
about February first. This
is a book of 850 pages, published by Mr.
Fred J. Heer, printer,
under the auspices of the Ohio State
Archaeological and Histori-
cal Society, but with the understanding
that the society is not re-
sponsible for the expense of the issue.
The society does not con-
trol its sale or distribution. That is
directed solely by Mr. Heer.
In December, 1903, the society
issued in book form Volume
12 of
its annual publications, comprising the four quarterlies,
viz.: those for January, April, July and
October of that year.
There have also been published thus far
in 1904 the Quarterlies
for January and April, which speak for
themselves. These Quar-
terlies have had an unusually wide
circulation owing to the fact
that the appropriation by the
legislature (76th) last April gave
us a sufficient amount for our annual
publications to permit us
to send these Quarterlies as each one is
issued to the leading
Annual Report. 377
newspapers of the state. The secretary
made out a list of 350
leading Ohio papers, including all the
counties, and to those
papers copies of the April Quarterly
were sent with a circular
letter asking the papers to make such
notice as they desired, and
stating that if the publication met
their approval, the Quarterlies
would probably be sent them hereafter.
Meeting of the Executive Commitee.
Since the annual meeting of the society
on June 5, 1903, the
Executive Committee met--June 30, in the
rooms of the soci-
ety, Page Hall, O. S. U.; September 3,
1903, at the office of the
secretary in the Judiciary Building;
November 17, 1903, there
was held in the society's rooms, Page
Hall, a special meeting of
the entire Board of Trustees; December
11, 1903, the Executive
Committee held a meeting in the
Reference Room of the Colum-
bus Public Library; February 29, 1904,
in the Columbus Public
Library there was held a meeting of the
Executive Committee.
The meetings of the Executive Commiteee
the past year have been
more irregular and infrequent than usual
because there was
really no necessity for other meetings.
After the legislature was
in session there was little for the
society to do but bide its time
awaiting the result of the appropriation
bills. The proceedings
of these several meetings of the
Executive Committee as noted
above, will be found in the editorial
department of the January
and April Quarterlies, the reports there
stating who was pres-
ent, and relating the matters considered
and the actions taken.
Permanent Building Project.
Nothing new is to be said concerning the
building project,
except that it was discussed in the
meeting of the entire board
held on November 17, 1903, and then
referred to the Executive
Committee, which duly considered the
matter in its meeting Feb-
ruary 29, 1904, then deciding
it would not be wise at that time
to press the matter before the
legislature, but defer it until a later
and more promising date. The secretary
wishes to add that he
held consultations upon this subject
with President Thompson,
of the Ohio State University, Governor
Herrick, and Chairman
378 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Crafts, of the House Finance Committee,
and Chairman Harris,
of the Senate Finance Committee, as well
as many individual
members of both Finance Committees. The
general opinion was
that it would be useless to ask for an
appropriation for this pur-
pose, and the usual advice was that it
would be unwise to press
the matter, because as it would fail, a
failure now might militate
against a later and stronger effort. The
legislature the past
winter was overwhelmed with demands for
money by every de-
partment of the state, and the society
did well to ask nothing more
than what was really required for the
continuation of its work.
The only feasible project at present,
was the proposition to ask
for an appropriation to erect a building
on the University grounds,
and as the University was asking for
much larger sums than
usual, it was thought that what we might
request would be more
or less charged to the University, and
therefore we would suffer
in being associated with their
appropriations.
Serpent Mound.
At the Executive Committee meeting
September 3, 1903,
the secretary was authorized to renew
the contract with Mr.
Daniel Wallace as custodian of Serpent
Mound for two years
from September 1, 1903, on the terms
of the previous contracts
with him. That contract the secretary
duly made. He was also
directed to terminate on October 1, 1903, the privilege
hitherto
existing of permitting Mr. George W.
Seaman, of West Union,
to have right of way from his land east
of the park through
the same to the pike running north and
southwest of Serpent
Mound Park. The secretary had carried
out the direction of the
trustees, and their decision in this
respect had been enforced.
The gate leading from Mr. Seaman's
property into the Park is
permanently closed, and Mr. Seaman has
since made an outlet
from his farm around the Park to the
highway without encroach-
ing upon the property of the society.
Reports from Mr. Wallace
are made every month, and everything
seems to be in excellent
condition at that point.
Annual Report. 379
Fort Ancient.
The Committee on Fort Ancient will make
such report as
they desire. Mr. Warren Cowan, the
custodian, visited the sec-
retary April 6th and made an extended
report of the situation at
that time, which resort was perfectly
satisfactory.
Work of the Secretary.
On December 29, in accordance with the
permission of the
Executive Committee, the secretary
attended, as the representa-
tive of the Ohio State Archaeological
and Historical Society, the
nineteenth annual meeting of the
American Historical Associa
tion, held at New Orleans, from December
29, 1903,
to and in-
cluding January 1, 1904. It was an
event of the most intense
interest to the secretary and well worth
his attendance, not only
personally as a member of the national
association, but as the
representative of our state society. The
question is being infor-
mally considered of establishing a
department or branch of the
American Historical Association, to
consist of the State His-
torical Societies. Such department may
be created at the next
annual meeting of the association to be
held in Chicago, and in
this movement the secretary in behalf of
the society, is taking
much interest and carrying on some
correspondence.
During the convening of the State
Legislature from January
4 to April 25 (1904), the
secretary was obliged to devote much
time in looking after the interests of
the society. The demands
made upon the assembly were unusually
excessive by the differ-
ent departments, and greater vigilance
than ever was needed to
secure what was asked for by the
society. The secretary ap-
peared several times before meetings of
the Finance Com-
mittees of the House and Senate and had
innumerable confer-
ences with either members of the Finance
Committees or with
leading members of the House and Senate.
There were many
new members who were unacquainted with
the workings or even
existence of our society who had to be
informed and made con-
versant with our objects and achievements. The result of the
secretary's efforts appears in the final
result of the appropriations,
as noted elsewhere in this report.
380 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The correspondence of the secretary has
rapidly increased
the last year or two, and has now
reached almost burdensome
proportions. The Quarterly has reached
an enviable standing
in the field of historical literature,
and has become well known
throughout the state and to historical
students all over the coun-
try. The editor is in daily receipt of
letters from various stu-
dents, scholars and writers in regard to
it, and valuable articles
are being received sufficient to furnish
material for four or five
times the space allotted to the
Quarterly.
St. Louis Exposition.
It will be recalled that the 75th
general assembly in its appro-
priation bill May 12, 1902, gave the
society the sum of $2,500 for
the purpose of making an exhibit at the
St. Louis Exposition.
That money is now being expended, and as
all know the Exposi-
tion is in full operation. Prof. W. C.
Mills, our curator, pre-
pared the exhibit and transported it to
St. Louis where it is now
on exhibition. Curator Mills will make
full report of this mat-
ter, which report will appear elsewhere
in this publication.
Death of Members of the Society.
Since the last annual meeting of the
Society, the Great Reaper
has taken an unusually large number from
our membership.
General George B. Wright, trustee and
life member, died in Co-
lumbus September 11, 1903; Hon. A. R.
McIntire, trustee and life
member, died September 21, 1903, near Jewelsburg, Colorado;
Hon. Wm. T. McClintick, life member,
died at Chillicothe, Octo-
ber 28, 1903; Hon. Harwood R. Pool, life
member, died in New
York December 13, 1903; Mr. Augustus
Newton Whiting, life
member, died at Columbus, December 22, 1903; Governor Charles
Foster, life member, died at
Springfield, January 9, 1904; Gover-
nor Asa S. Bushnell, life member, died
at Columbus, Ohio, Jan-
uary 15, 1904; Senator Marcus A. Hanna,
life member, died at
Washington, D. C., February 15, 1904. Memorial notices have
already appeared in the society's
quarterly of General Wright,
Mr. McIntire, Mr. McClintick and
Governor Bushnell. Fitting
notices of the other deceased members
will appear in later num-
bers.
Annual Report. 381
Additional Life Members.
Since the last annual meeting there have
been received into
life membership of the society the
following persons: Mr. Vause
Harness of Chillicothe, Mrs. Jesse M.
Davis of Columbus, Mr.
Osman C. Hooper of Columbus, The Shaker
Society of Union
Village, Ohio, The Library of Boston
Atheneum, Boston, Mass.,
Miss Lucy Elliot Keeler, Fremont, Mr. B.
F. Smith, Nevada,
Ohio, Mr. Lewis P. Schaus, Newark, Mr.
Walter C. Metz, New-
ark, and Major Harry P. Ward, Columbus.
Appropriations.
At the meeting of the entire board of
trustees on November
17, 1903, the trustees approved the
request for the following ap-
propriations from the 76th general
assembly:
Requested for 1904-
Current expenses
........................................ $2,700 00
Field work, Fort Ancient and Serpent
Mound............. 2,000 00
Publications .................... ........................ 2,800
00
$7,500 00
Requested for 1905-
Current
expenses ........................................
$2,700 00
Field work, Fort Ancient and Serpent
Mound ............. 2,000 00
Publications
............................................ 2,800 00
$7,500 00
Total
asked (1904-5)
..............................$15,000
00
These amounts were presented by the
secretary to the finance
committee of the house and the items
requested for 1904 were
duly incorporated in the first
appropriation bill and the items for
1905 in the second appropriation bill. Hon. Isaac E.
Huffman
of Oxford, Butler county, introduced a
resolution in the House
calling for an appropriation of $7,500
to reprint the volume of the
Ohio Centennial proceedings for the
purpose of supplying each
member of the 76th general assembly with
100 copies. This res-
olution passed the House unanimously,
went to the Senate, and
was there referred to the Senate finance
committee. Hon. D. E.
Yost, of Woodsfield, Monroe county,
introduced a resolution call-
382 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ing for the appropriation of $15,000 for the
reprinting of twenty
complete sets of the society's annuals
for each member of the 76th
general assembly. This resolution also,
without opposition,
passed the House, and went to the
Senate, and was also referred
to the Senate finance committee, which
after due deliberation and
conference with the secretary, approved
the appropriation for the
centennial volume, but reduced the
appropriation for the republi-
cation of the annual series to one-half,
making it $7,500 for ten
complete sets for each member. In that
shape then the items
finally passed both branches of the
legislature and became a law.
Governor Herrick, who is the first
Governor to exercise the right
of veto, found however that the
aggregate appropriations made
by the legislature for all purposes was
in excess of the expected
resources of the state treasury for the
next two years, and there-
fore found it necessary to veto items in
the appropriation bills to
the extent of some $500,000. Feeling
that the State Archaelogical
and Historical Society ought to stand
its share of the trimming,
he cut out the item in the first bill
calling for $7,500 for the re-
printing of the centennial volume,
leaving all the items asked by
the society intact, and also the item of
$7,500 asked by the legisla-
ture for the purpose of giving ten sets
each to the members of the
legislature. So that the aggregate
appropriations from the 76th
general assembly for the society are
$22,500.
In all this matter the secretary wishes
to give expression of
his appreciation for the friendliness
and courteous assistance of
Governor Herrick, State Auditor W. D.
Guilbert, Hon. Wm. H.
Crafts, Chairman of the Finance
Committee of the House, and
Hon. W. S. Harris, Chairman of the
Finance Committee of the
Senate.
Governor's Appointments.
On March 25, 1904, Governor Herrick
appointed the Hon.
M. S. Greenough, of Cleveland, Ohio,
trustee of the society, to
serve for three years, until February, 1907, to succeed
the Hon.
R. E. Hills, of Delaware, whose time
expired at that date. The
Governor also appointed as trustee for
the same time Prof. Mar-
tin R. Andrews, of Marietta, to succeed
himself, he having been
appointed by Governor Nash on November
17, 1903, to fill out the
vacancy caused by the death of General
Geo. B. Wright.
Annual Report. 383
REPORT OF CURATOR MILLS.
During the past year the field work
consisted of examining
the village site which surrounded the Gartner Mound, which lat-
ter was explored in 1902. A complete account of these explora-
tions is found in the society's
quarterly for April, 1904, and will
be published in volume 13. The latter
part of the season of 1903
was spent in exhuming the large Harness
mound not far from
Chillicothe. The mound had heretofore
been examined by Squire
and Davis, Prof. Putnam, of Harvard, and
others. About one-
third of the exploration has been
completed, and upwards of 70
cremated skeletons were removed with
many artifacts of copper,
shell, pearl and bone, including a fine
piece of bone and several
gorgets made of human jaws. The success
thus far in the ex-
ploration of this mound warrants a
further and complete exam-
ination, which it is hoped the society
may continue in the near
future.
During the past winter a large part of
our labor has been
expended in preparing the archaeological
exhibit of our society
for the World's Fair at St. Louis. The
specimens selected were
shipped March 19th (1904) and arrived in
St. Louis on the 25th.
The curator personally superintended the
unloading and install-
ing of the exhibit which was ready for
the inspection of visitors
on the 30th of April. This exhibit with
that of Egypt were the
only exhibits ready in the department of
anthropology upon the
opening day of the exhibition. The
exhibit at St. Louis is con-
fined mostly to the society's field
explorations showing the actual
work done in the field. The exhibit
comprises 13 floor cases and
2 wall cases. The exhibit also contains
drawings of Ft. Ancient
and Serpent Mound and enlarged
photographs of the same. Also
photographs illustrating the field work
as carried on by the so-
ciety at different locations.
During the past year many valuable
specimens have been
added to the museum, while the field
work has brought to us sev-
eral thousand specimens. We wish to acknowledge
donations of
rare, valuable and interesting
archaeological specimens of various
kinds from Mr. Geo. F. Bareis, of Canal
Winchester, Mr. G. N.
VanHorn, of Findlay, and Mr. Geo. F.
Crawford, of Columbus,
384 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
the latter presenting the society with a
number of prehistoric
specimens from the city of Oaxaca,
Mexico. Mr. Wm. Stout,
of Sciotoville, placed us in possession
of an interesting collection
of agricultural implements made of
compact ferruginous sand-
stone peculiar to that locality. A
number of historic specimens
have been added to the museum during the
year. Prof. J. P.
MacLean, of Franklin, presented us with
many articles of apparel
and domestic life and labor from the
Shaker Society. A com-
plete list of these is given in the
January quarterly (1904) of the
society publications. Mr. A. K.
Overturf, of 289 Seventh St.,
Columbus, has placed in the museum a
very fine specimen of
Sioux Indian saddle. Other contributions
are acknowledged
from Mr. Diltz, of Thornville, Mr. Almer
Hegler, of Washing-
ton C. H., and Mr. Davies of 40 W. Tenth
Ave., Columbus, Ohio.
Mr. Davies, the inventor of the pilot,
has presented the society
with a small railroad engine, which is a
masterpiece of mechani-
cal work, being produced about 1868 and
representing an outlay
of some $5,000. Mr. Davies presented the
society a year ago
with a model of the first pilot made for
an engine, and from which
all pilots used on the engines of to-day
are patterned.
Particular attention is called to the
growth the past year of
our library. The present number of books
catalogued is 2,230,
in addition to which we have 511 bound volumes and more than
500 pamphlets uncatalogued, besides
several hundred duplicate
bound volumes which we use for purposes
of exchange. At the
present time we exchange publications
with 143 historical and
scientific societies. Prof. J. F.
MacLean has presented many
valuable publications by and concerning
the Shakers. Prof. Ran-
dall, the secretary, has been
instrumental in our procuring a num-
ber of rare and important works
concerning the Indians of Ohio.
Mr. Fred Heer has contributed many
valuable volumes. A com-
plete list of these contributions will
in due time be published in the
Quarterly. In conclusion the curator
wishes to thank the offi-
cers and trustees for the interest they
have taken in the arch-
aeological department of the society and
especially in the museum
and library.
Annual Report. 385
REPORT OF THE TREASURER.
The report of the treasurer, Mr. S. S. Rickly, was
presented
by Mr. E. F. Wood, assistant treasurer, and was as
follows:
RECEIPTS.
Balance on hand February 1, 1903 ........................... $939 70
Life membership dues
....................................... 175
00
Active membership dues
..................................... 96
00
Subscriptions
................................................ 12 00
Interest ..............................
..................... 103 00
Books sold ................................ ........ 145 00
From State Treasurer -
Current
expenses
.................................... .... 2,999 52
Field work, Ft. Ancient and Serpent Mound
.............. 2,425 99
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
........................... 248 76
Ohio Centennial Celebration (in part)
.................... 3.252 46
Publications
.................. ........ ..
.............. 2,000 00
Reprinting Vols. 1-10 (balance) . ......................... 1,000 00
Total
receipts
.....................................$13,398 98
DISBURSEMENTS.
Ohio Centennial Celebration (in part)
........................ $3,252 46
Publications
........................
........................ 2,030 65
Reprinting Vols. 1-10 (balance)
............................. 1,000
00
Care of Ft. Ancient
........................................ 454
01
Field work ................................................ 752 97
Fire insurance ............................................... 99 00
Postage
.................. ................................. 136 17
Express and drayage
....................................... 136
29
Expenses of committee and trustees
......................... 529
17
Salaries ofofficers (3) ....................................... 1,800 00
Office expenses
............................................. 100 00
Louisiana Exposition ........................................ 248
76
Care of Serpent M
ound ........... .......................... 619 01
M useum and Library ....................................... 665 60
Job printing ................................................. 42 25
Sundry expenses
............................................. 53
17
To permanent fund
.......................................... 424
70
Balance on hand
February 1, 1904 ........................... 1,005 90
Total disbursements ...................................$13,398 98
The permanent fund now amounts to $3,770.00.
25 Vol. XI..
386 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ELECTION OF TRUSTEES.
Following the reports of the officers
was held the election of
the five trustees for the ensuing three
years. The secretary an-
nounced that those whose time matured at
this annual meeting
were:
General R. Brinkerhoff, Mansfield; Hon. M. D. Follett,
Marietta; Hon. D. J. Ryan, Columbus;
Rev. H. A. Thompson,
Dayton; Mr. Wm. H. Hunter, Chillicothe.
Upon motion, which
was seconded and carried, the secretary
cast the ballot of the
society for the same gentlemen for
re-election to serve as trustees
for the ensuing three years, ending with
the annual meeting in
the year 1907. The board of trustees therefore now stands:
ELECTED BY THE SOCIETY.
Term expires in 1905.
Prof.
G. Fred W right
..................................Oberlin.
Col. James Kilbourne
................................Columbus.
Prof. J. P. MacLean
..................................Franklin.
Prof. C. L. Martzolff
.......................... New Lexington.
Judge J. H. Anderson
................................Columbus.
Term expires in 1906.
J. Warren Keifer
................................... Springfield.
Bishop B. W. Arnett
...............................Wilberforce.
Hon. S. S. Rickly
...................................Columbus.
Mr. G. F. Bareis
.............................Canal W
inchester.
Hon.
Rush R. Sloane
.................................Sandusky.
Term expires in 1907.
General R. Brinkerhoff
............................... Mansfield.
H on.
M . D. Follett ................................. . M arietta.
Hon. D. J. Ryan
.................................... Columbus.
Rev.
H. A. Thompson .................................. Dayton.
Mr. W. H.
Hunter................................Chillicothe.
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
Prof. B. F. Prince ............................ Springfield, 1905.
Prof. E. O. Randall
.............................Columbus, 1905.
Rev. N. B. C. Love
.............................Deshler, 1906.
Col. J.
W . Harper
............................ Cincinnati, 1906.
Hon. M. S. Greenough
..........................Cleveland, 1907.
Prof.
M. R. Andrews ...........................Marietta, 1907.
Annual Report. 387
GRADED WAY IN PIKE COUNTY.
Prof. MacLean called attention to the
fact that at the last
annual meeting the trustees voted to
have the executive com-
mittee appoint a committee of five to
investigate the nature of
the work known as the Graded Way in Pike
county. He would
like to hear a report on that matter.
Mr. Bareis reported that
the matter was considered, but it was
found that such an investi-
gation would cost more than the
executive committee felt should
be expended for that purpose, as the
resolution calling for the
committee stipulated that it should
consist of a geologist, an
archaeologist and a topographical
engineer of repute. After
some discussion it was voted that an
investigation should be
made at the instance of the executive
committee at an expense
not to exceed fifty dollars.
ROYALIST REFUGEES.
Prof. MacLean called the attention of
the meeting to the
article by Col. E. L. Taylor in the last
July Quarterly upon the
subject of the Refugees to and from
Canada. He stated that
this article on the American Loyalists
treated upon an exceed-
ingly interesting and important subject
greatly neglected by his-
torical writers. He thought that the
society should request Col.
Taylor to prepare an extended paper on
the subject of the Revolu-
tionary Patriots throughout the country.
The speaker was re-
minded that the purposes of the Ohio
State Archaeological and
Historical Society were confined to the
study of subjects pertinent
exclusively or practically so to Ohio.
To which it was replied
that Col. Taylor might confine himself
to Ohio in this matter and
Ohio archives could thus be gathered on
this subject, as had
been done in many of the other states.
REMARKS OF HON. M. S. GREENOUGH.
The Hon. M. S. Greenough, the new
trustee appointed by
the Governor was called upon by
president Brinkerhoff to ad-
dress the members of the society. Mr.
Greenough fittingly ex-
pressed his pleasure upon being
appointed a trustee of the society,
388
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
and upon the opportunity it afforded him
of making the acquaint-
ance of the gentlemen who are interested
in the archaeology and
history of our great state. He
facetiously remarked that he as-
sumed the office with the feeling that
it would be his main duty
to keep still and thus conceal from his
fellow members how little
he knew about Ohio archaeology, but he
feared that they had
already discovered the deception.
However, he was willing to
learn and should be glad to be of
service in furthering the pur-
poses of the society, especially in
extending its interests in the
northern part of the state.
REMARKS OF DR. J. C. REEVE.
Dr. J. C. Reeve, upon being called upon,
said he had been a
resident of the state of Ohio for many
years, having come to the
Buckeye State in the year 1832. He spoke
interestingly of the
wonderful changes which have taken place
in Ohio since that
date, particularly in some of the cities
such as Cleveland, Colum-
bus and Dayton. He could easily remember
Columbus as it was
in the year 1846, when he went from it
to Cleveland in a stage
coach, leaving Columbus in the morning,
riding all day and all
night, and all the next day before
reaching his destination. In
the near future time he would take
pleasure in preparing for the
society some of his personal
reminiscences of the early days
when railroads were almost unknown and
the telegraph and tele-
phone were not regarded as possible.
BOOK PLATE FROM MRS. RATH MERRILL.
The secretary read a letter from Mrs.
Rath Merrill asking
the society to accept a vellum autograph
proof copy of the Ohio
Memorial Alcove Gift Plate, for the
library of the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society.
Also a key and a copy
of the plates now in Manila in use in
the books of the Ohio
alcove of the library of that city in
the far Philippine Islands.
The vellum plate was handsomely framed,
and a vote of thanks
was given Mrs. Rath Merrill for the
courtesy of her gift.
Prof. MacLean presented to the society a
genuine beaver
hat worn by one of the Shakers at the
Sabbath Day League
Annual Report. 389
Cumberland in the early times when those
broad-brimmed felt
hats were the custom.
There being no further business before
the meeting of the
society, it adjourned.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TRUSTEES.
Following the annual meeting of the
society was held the
annual meeting of the trustees of whom
there were present:
Judge J. H. Anderson, Geo. F. Bareis,
Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, Hon.
M. D. Follett, Hon. M. S. Greenough,
Col. John W. Harper, W.
H. Hunter, Rev. N. B. C. Love, Prof. J.
P. MacLean, Prof. C.
L. Martzolff, Prof. B. F. Prince, Prof.
E. O. Randall, Hon. S.
S. Rickly.
Prof. Randall acted as temporary
secretary and Mr. Geo.
F. Bareis as temporary chairman. The
election of the various
officers of the society for the ensuing
year was then held. The
result is as follows: Gen. R.
Brinkerhoff, president; Mr. Geo.
F. Bareis, 1st vice-president; Prof. G.
F. Wright, 2d vice-presi-
dent; Mr. E. O. Randall, secretary and
editor; Hon. S. S. Rickly,
treasurer; Mr. Edwin F. Wood, assistant
treasurer; Prof. W. C.
Mills, curator and librarian. The
following were selected as
members of the executive committee,
including the officers of the
society who are ex-officio members. Mr.
Geo. F. Bareis, Gen.
R. Brinkerhoff, Hon. M. S. Greenough,
Col. J. W. Harper, Prof.
C. L. Martzolff, Prof. B. F. Prince,
Prof. E. O. Randall, Hon. D.
J. Ryan, and Prof. G. F. Wright.
General Brinkerhoff acknowledged the
compliment of being
re-elected president, expressing his
unflagging interest in the
society, and his desire to be more
zealous in its behalf the com-
ing year than ever before. While the
years of his life were roll-
ing by, he felt as young and vigorous as
ever, and hoped to be
of no less service to the society in the
future than he had been
in the past. He would like to bring to
the thoughtful attention
of the trustees of the society the
suggestion that our state society
ought to be brought into closer touch
with the county historical
societies existing throughout the state.
Many of them were
flourishing and could be of great
assistance to us, and we could
390
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
be of assistance to them. Some of them
were weak and in-
effective and help from us might lift
them to better things. He
spoke particularly of the Richland
county Historical Society and
the Crawford County Historical Society.
He thought the secre-
tary ought to get into communication
with all these various
societies and carry on an interchange of
ideas and plans of work
and purposes. This idea was heartily
approved by several of
the trustees, particularly Colonel
Harper, who spoke of the His-
torical and Philosophical Society of
Cincinnati. Prof. Prince
spoke in favor of the Historical Society
of Clark County, which
he said had been in existence some six
or seven years and is
about to go into quarters in the new
County Building. The
society has now a fine collection. Rev.
Mr. Love also commented
at some length upon the two societies
existing in the northern
part of the state, one being the
Monumental Pioneer Society of
the Maumee and another the Maumee
Memorial Association.
During the past year this latter society
has bought a por-
tion of Fort Meigs. Mr. Love concluded his remarks by
moving the following resolution.
"Resolved that the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society is
in hearty sympathy with
the county and local societies of the
State and asks for their co-
operation, and that the secretary of the
State Society be author-
ized and requested to communicate with
the several local societies
to this effect." This motion was
heartily approved and adopted.
The secretary in a few earnest words
exhorted the trustees to
exert themselves in the matter of
securing new life members for
the society. There are 21 trustees, said
he, and if each trustee
secured but five members during the year
that would mean more
than 100 new members to our society.
Certainly every trustee
could easily secure among his friends or
acquaintances of those
interested in historical work that
contingent of recruits.
Prof. Martzolff thought one of the most
influential avenues
of work for the society was through the
teachers and children
of the public schools. He had unbounded
faith in the children,
and believed that through the boys and
girls in the high schools
especially great interest could be
acquired in the history of our
great state. The teachers are becoming
more and more acquaint-
ed with the work of our society,
especially through the publica-
Annual Report. 391
tions of the society which are being
distributed among the various
school libraries of the state. Still
much more could be accom-
plished along this line particularly in
advice and suggestions to
the members of the legislature who have
our publications at their
disposal. He also thought that the
trustees ought to do mission-
ary work in the way of visiting the
smaller towns and delivering
addresses to the literary societies and
the school children telling
them about our society and the work it
is doing.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.
A meeting of the executive committee was
held immediately
following the adjournment of the annual
meeting of the board of
trustees. Those present were: Messrs. G.
F. Bareis, R. Brink-
erhoff, John W. Harper, W. H. Hunter, C.
L. Martzolff, B. F.
Prince, E. O. Randall, S. S. Rickly, and
Messers. W. C. Mills
and E. F. Wood.
The meeting was very brief, the
proceedings being confined
exclusively to mere routine business.
AUGUSTUS NEWTON WHITING.
FRANK THEODORE COLE. Mr. Whiting was of the Massachusetts family of that name, his grandfather's home being in Westford, near Lowell. Only two children of this grandfather, William |
|
Whiting, had families. These were Augustus Whiting who married a daughter of Judge Gustavus Swan, of Columbus, 0., and lived in New York City, and Isaac Newton Whiting, who was a book-seller and publisher in Co- lumbus for many years. He married Septem- ber 7, 1835, Orrel, daughter of Col. James Kilbourne, of Worthington, O. Their only child was Augustus Newton Whiting, born September 30, 1836, died December 22, 1903. He married May 11, 1864, Ellen H., daughter |
of Ezra and Harriet (Hart) Gilbert, of Worthington. Mr. Whiting was prepared for college first at the academy in Cheshire, Conn., and later at the school in Burlington, N. J., of which Bishop George W. Doane was head. Among his papers is a curious old certificate, as follows: "This is to certify that A. Newton Whiting of the IV Form has taken the first honor in his class for the winter term, 1854-55; that he has satisfactorily sustained his examinations; and that his conduct mark has averaged ten. GEO. W. DOANE, President. Burlington College, May 23, 1855." He entered Kenyon College, at Gambier, O., where he grad- uated in 1860. While in college he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. After leaving college he entered into partnership in Cleve- land, 0., with his cousin, Levi Buttles, in the oil business, under the firm name of Buttles & Whiting, owning their own refinery and continuing in business some three years, when he returned to Columbus. (392) |
Augustus Newton Whiting. 393
In 1864 he entered into the oil business
in Columbus with
P. Rhoades, under the firm name of P.
Rhoades & Co. This
firm continued in business until they
sold to the Standard Oil
Company, having for some years been
under a working agree-
ment with the trust. During the period
of this working agree-
ment Mr. Whiting withdrew from the
business, at some sacrifice,
because of his unwillingness to profit
by the methods employed
by the trust.
Mr. Whiting was devoted to the Episcopal
Church, spend-
ing freely of his time and strength in
its interests. He was a
vestryman of Trinity Church, junior
warden and chairman of the
Finance Committee for many years. He
succeeded his father
as Treasurer of the Diocese of Southern
Ohio, the two between
them
holding the office for forty-three and a half years.
He was a member of the Diocesan
Missionary Committee, and a
delegate to the General Convention which
met in San Francisco,
Cal., in 1901. But his chief work was in the founding of mission
churches and the cherishing of them
until they became self-sus-
taining organizations.
Mr. and Mrs. Whiting took charge of the
North Mission of
Trinity Church on May 23, 1869, the
school being then located
in a small frame building on the rear of
the lot corner of High
and Naghten streets. Between that date
and Easter, 1870, the
school nearly doubled and outgrew its
quarters. Lots on the
corner of Russell and Kerr streets were
bought and a chapel
erected, the name, Church of the Good
Shepherd, adopted and
the church opened on October 8, 1871.
He could not sit down in quiet. When a
number of colored
men desired his aid and guidance in the
formation of an Epis-
copal Church for colored people he with
his wife responded to
the call, and a school was started at
the corner of Naghten
street and Cleveland avenue, which in
due time grew into the
present St. Philip's Church on Lexington
avenue. Mr. Whiting
was
the treasurer of this enterprise from the beginning and the
chief counsellor and helper, and here he
spent twelve years of
faithful labor.
394 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The rector of Trinity Church, the Rev.
J. W. Atwood, in
a memorial sermon on January 3, 1904, said:
"He loved his church and its
services. He was always in his place
there and it was his home. He did not
care to be conspicuous. What
he most sought after was to be useful He
wanted the work done and
did not care for any personal
recognition of his own share in it. I think
what made his service of most value was
this fact.
"So it came about that he was ready
to respond to every demand
made upon his time. His colleagues in
the vestry know, as chairman
of the Finance Committee, he did not
spare himself in the work of
developing our resources to meet the
expansion of our work.
"His works will still follow him in
the noble bequests that will
eventually come to this parish and to
other missionary endeavors for the
betterment of mankind.
"No one knows better than his
rector the faithfulness of this
man in all his varied relations to the
church. Faithfulness was the
keynote to all his character. If we
define the faithful man according
to the definition implied in the text,
then Mr. Whiting was a man of
the fullest faith. He had faith in God,
faith in his Savior, faith in his
Church, faith in his fellow-men.
* * * "In spite of an almost
over-conscientious habit of weigh-
ing things, he yet believed in progress
and gave his hearty sympathy
and support to new undertakings that he
thought would develop the
church's work. But there was no
constitutional timidity which made
him hesitate at any time to stand forth
in the expression of any belief
or line of right conduct. What he
believed was God's law of righteous-
ness he followed. There could be no
following another here. He was
firm and insistent, though never
forgetting the law of charity. Possibly
because he was more gentle than
aggressive, he sometimes reached and
influenced men different in character
from himself, who would not have
been shaken from their stubbornness by
more aggressive men."
Mr. Whiting had the careful habit of
keeping all the various
accounts of which he was trustee or
treasurer up to date, and
he never went to bed at night until they
balanced.
Children were denied to him, and he
provided for the future
disposition of his property after his
wife's use of it, with the
objects in mind to which he had devoted
so much of his life.
EDITORIALANA. |
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EXHIBIT AT ST. LOUIS. Few exhibits in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis attract more interest than that of the Ohio State Archaeological and His- torical Society, excellently located in the Anthropological Building. The Society is certainly to be congratulated upon the success of its exhibit and the commendations it has received from archaeological students and scholars who visit it and give it patient attention. There is no presenta- tion of the remains of the Mound Builders and pre-historic men at the Ex- position more complete or admirably displayed, and leading archaeologists from all parts of the world who have seen it pay high compliment to Mr. Mills, the curator, for the work he has done and the skillful and artistic manner in which he has arranged the exhibit. We quote from one of the St. Louis papers of late date a readable interview by the re- porter with Professor Mills. It is as follows:
PREHISTORIC SCULPTURE. "Now that," declared William C. Mills, "is a great work of art." Since George Williamson held the same opinion, and since the one gentle- man is a leading archaeologist of Ohio and the other of a similar position in Louisiana, the matter is worth pondering. "That," is a small clay effigy which rests serenely upon its back, the principal treasure in the large archaeological or anthropological collection of Ohio in the Anthropology building. It was dug out of an Ohio mound and was modeled by some mound-builder countless centuries ago. The image is about 8 inches long, dirty brown in color, speckled with black spots. The arms parallel the body, the legs are extremely conven- tional, while the attitude would be very uncomfortable if attempted, being that of a man trying to rest his weight upon shoulder blades, the groin and heels, with the head, held up stiffly from the ground. The features are grotesque and the expression at the lips approaches an absurd grin. You remark that, whatever of scientific interest the relic may pos- sess, it does not appeal to you as a work of art. "But, undoubtedly it is," declared Mr. Mills, with some heat. "It should rank with the finest sculpture to be found in the Palace of Fine Arts. Representing the art endeavor of a prehistoric people, it is as much art, and more so than the grotesqueries of medieval times. To the people who made it, it was so wonderful that they doubtless worshiped it. 395 |
396 Ohio
Arch. and His. Society Publications.
"It is a faithful picure, too-a
picture carrying with it many sugges-
tions of the antiquity of the human
race, and a constant reminder of the
strange people who lived on this
continent before even the American
Indian."
Under the spell of such argument one
becomes more and more at-
tracted by the effigy's grinning
countenance. You lean over the case
and look upon it until the inane
features are so impressed upon you that
they continue to stare you in the face
long after leaving. The fact is that
this most extraordinary phiz so pursues
you that likely enough it will be-
come a decorative incident in your
dreams.
A stay in these archaeological precincts
introduces one to countless
stone arrowheads, axes, spears, awls,
beads, shell ornaments, bones and
bone implements, and potteries. What use
or instructive value has it
all to the average citizen, whose
capacities are exhausted with affairs of
the day? Messrs. Mills and Williamson
both seem to regard such a
query as proper to a kind of
antediluvian intelligence, akin to the stone
age, but they answered exhaustively.
"You have heard," began Mr.
Mills, "that the 'proper study of
mankind is man?'"
"Certainly," you reply,
"but I contest the proposition. I hold that
the proper study of mankind is
woman."
"You do indicate one tremendous
enigma," put in Mr. Williamson,
"possibly of considerable study.
But, then, seriously, our old relics, dug
up at much expense of time and money,
really are worth something to
the casual visitor who may stray in
here. They are suggestive of many
ideas concerning the development of the
human race from the primitive
state, and, in the simple fact of their
crudeness, these old tools aid toward
forming conceptions of life and
progress. To see them enriches the mind."
"Yes, yes," you reply,
"but does not practically everybody realize
anyhow that at one time there was a stone
age and primitive peoples?"
"Vaguely, perhaps," continued
Mr. Mills, "but is it not worth while
to know things just for the pleasure of
knowing them. You might as
well say that knowing of George
Washington is no use because he's a long
time dead. It becomes at least mightily
interesting when, at prehistoric
times, intercourse is proved between
Ohio and the Atlantic Coast, Ohio
and the copper mines of Michigan,
between Louisiana and Missouri and
between Ohio and Louisiana and Missouri
and the advanced race which
populated and left such amazing
architectural remains in Mexico.
"All of this and much more is told
by this collection made by the
Ohio Historical Society. These copper
articles did not come out of Ohio;
these shells are from the seacoast. And
these bones; they are of a domes-
ticated dog, and by the bones of this
dog, we trace a movement from the
North and Northeast toward the South and
Southeast. So we begin to
follow a people and learn something of
their habits and character who
lived long before written records became
a fact."
The expression, "Indian corn,"
has gone into the books as descrip-
Editorialana. 397
tive of the cereal native to the
American Continent. But one of the most
interesting of the displays brought here
by Mr. Mills clearly proves that
these mound builders, a race very
different from the Indian, grew this
corn before the Indian drove them South.
"It had been a question," said
the Ohio man, "whether the mound
builders were agriculturists. Now, see
these charred remains of grain.
They were dug from an old village site
adjacent to one of the principal
Ohio mounds.
"Exploration of this site
discovered that its original people lived as
clans, each family or clan residing in a
distinct portion of the village.
Each year they prepared a storehouse,
which was nothing more than a
hole in the ground, lined at the bottom
with stones and straw. Here
they placed their grain, their winter
food supply, in the fall. Evidently
fire must have gotten into the pit where
we found the burned grain. The
pit must then have been abandoned. The
grain then smoldered until the
blaze finally went out. The hole was
covered up and remained undis-
turbed until we came along with our
spades-goodness only knows how
many years after.
"They probably dug a new storehouse
or food pit every year, for
the indications are that in the spring
the hole was used for refuse. We
even find the bones of infants in them,
which would tend to prove that
these primitive parents did not attach
consequences enough to the dead
child to accord it a formal burial. With
these human remains are many
skeletons of the dogs I mentioned, and
of the bones of wild animals, which
probably had been killed and eaten
during the winter months.
"In that connection, the bones of
the Virginia deer are most numer-
ous, which shows that they had means of
killing the animal and had the
good taste which loves a venison
steak."
ANNUAL MEETING OHIO STATE SOCIETY S. A.
R.
On April 19, date of the anniversary of
the battle of Lexington, the
Ohio Society of the Sons of the American
Revolution held its annual
meeting at the Great Southern Hotel,
Columbus. There was a goodly
representation of membership from
various parts of the state. At the
formal meeting in the afternoon, the
annual address was delivered by
the retiring President, Col. James
Kilbourne, and reports were heard from
the various officers. The report of Col.
W. L. Curry, Registrar of the
Society, showed a total membership in
the Ohio Society of 707, being an
increase of forty-two during the past
year, while the deaths in the Society
were twelve. The officers elected for
the ensuing year were as follow:
President, Isaac F. Mack, Sandusky,
Vice-President, Wm. H. Hunter,
Chillicothe. Secretary William A.
Taylor, Columbus. Registrar, Wil-
liam L. Curry, Columbus. Treasurer,
Stimpson G. Bar Toledo. His-
Editorialana. 295
THE MEMOIRS OF RUFUS PUTNAM.
Compiled and annotated by Miss Rowena
Buell, Marietta, Ohio.
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston and
New York.
This is a work of rare historical value,
and one which every
student of history, and particularly of
Ohio history, will covet and
consult with great satisfaction. It
consists mainly of the official papers
and correspondence connected with the
life and deeds of General Rufus
Putnam, who was the leader in the little
band of pilgrims who came
from New England, and in the later
Mayflower sailed down the Ohio
and landed, on that memorable 9th of
April, 1788, at the present site
of Marietta. Next to the settlement of
Plymouth by the passengers
of the first Mayflower, this second
voyage was fraught with greatest
results to American history. The
"Adventure," as the Mayflower was
first called, was to the great northwest
empire what that little ship,
which landed upon the bleak shores of
Cape Cod, in December, 1620,
was to the American colonies of the
new-born American republic.
The material comprising this book is
historical, and admirably ar-
ranged and edited by Miss Buell. The
first part is autobiographical,
giving the family history and descent of
Rufus Putnam, beginning with
his first American ancestor, John
Putnam, who came to Salem in
1634. The second part covers General
Putnam's military and public ser-
vices until 1804. General Putnam was a
distinguished participant in the
Revolutionary War, enjoying the personal
friendship and esteem of
Washington; he was an engineer of
superior attainment and superin-
tended all the defenses of New York in
1776, and aided in construct-
ing the fortifications at West Point.
The War of the Revolution over,
he began the second period of his
career, perhaps more distinguished,
certainly more romantic and not less
courageous, by his services in direct-
ing the first settlement in the
Northwest Territory.
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, and
President Perry, of Marietta
College, contribute introductory pages
to this volume, which is pub-
lished under the auspices of The Society
of Colonial Dames of America
in the State of Ohio.
It is a volume which should be in every
Ohio library, and which
will be of value to all students of
early American history, and particularly
of the foundation and development of the
Northwest Territory and the
state of Ohio. Miss Buell has
contributed a most valuable volume to Ohio
literature.
THE VANISHED EMPIRE.
"The Vanished Empire," by
Waldo H. Dunn; published by The
Robert Clark Co., Cincinnati.