Ohio History Journal


THE RICHLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

THE RICHLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

 

The Richland County Historical Society was organized in

1898, and has accomplished much during the five years of its

exisitence. A public meeting is held in June of each year. The

first annual meeting was held in June, 1899, and was addressed

by local speakers. The meeting of June, 1900, was addressed by

the Hon. Rush R. Sloane, president of the Firelands Historical

Society, and others. At this meeting the late Hon. John Sher-

man gave a talk to his old neighbors. This was Mr. Sherman's

last appearance at a public meeting. He died four months later.

At the annual meeting of 1901, the Hon. E. O. Randall, secre-

tary of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society, was the

principal speaker, who delivered an address upon "Tecumseh,"

and Mrs. Ida Eckert Lawrence read her poem, "Launching the

Ship." The meeting closed with a banquet. The annual meet-

ing of 1902, was addressed by Judge A. W. Patrick, of New

Philadelphia, and the Rev. E. J. Craft, of Massillon, and Miss

Sade E. Baughman gave an original poem on the life and char-

acter of the pioneers. The guests were entertained at the hotel

Southern. At the meeting in June, 1903, Mrs. Marion Douglass

presented a paper on the "American Soldier."

Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, president of the Ohio Archaeological

and Historical Society, is also president of the Richland county

society; the Hon. M. B. Bushnell is vice-president; Hon. W. S.

Cappeller is treasurer and Mr. A. J. Baughman is secretary. Mr.

Baughman has published several historical works.  He is a

newspaper man, and has just completed in the Mansfield News

an historical serial of fifty chapters.

Within the past year the society secured photographs of

1,194 of the early settlers of the county. These pictures were

taken by a local photographer in 1876, as an advertising scheme

for the Centennial year. He offered to take a picture free for

every person who had attained the age of 60 years and had been

a resident of the county 50 years. The Historical Society pur-

chased the collection, which is, perhaps, the only one of the kind

in the state. The youngest person represented, if still living, is

now eighty-seven years old.  (90)