Ohio History Journal

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474 Ohio

474        Ohio. Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

would be to detract from the estimate in which the work might be held.

The Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society cannot, of course, agree

to sanction such vagaries.

Respectfully,

R. W. MCFARLAND.

 

 

 

 

ITINERARY OF THE SECRETARY.

On August 18th, Secretary Randall made a trip to Chillicothe and

procuring conveyance drove out some seven miles to the location of

the "Harness Mounds," where Prof. W. C. Mills, Curator of the So-

ciety's Museum, was conducting his explorations. The Secretary spent

the day at the mounds, and while there was fortunate to see the discov-

ery of a grave and its opening by the explorers under the direction of

Prof. Mills and his assistant, Mr. A. B. Coover. Portions of a human

skeleton were exhumed and some fine copper ear-rings and other orna-

ments were taken from the gave. Prof. Mills was unusually successful

in his finds during the summer explorations. He explored completely

the largest of the Harness Mounds which had been opened at previous

periods, respectively, by Squier and Davis, Prof. F. W. Putnam and

Prof. Warren K. Moorehead. Prof. Mills had under his direction an

excellent force of eight or ten men. Prof. Mills will prepare and publish

in due time in the Quarterly a detailed statement of his explorations for

the past summer.

*     *      *

On Friday, August 25th, the Secretary journeyed to Piqua, where

he was met by Judge E. L. Hoskins of the Probate Court of Shelby county,

Mr. H. R. McVey, Superintendent of the Shelby schools, and Mr. A. J.

Hess, President of the Sidney Board of Education. In company with

these gentlemen a trolly car was taken to the historic residence of John

Johnson, who for many years was the government agent for the Ohio

Indians during their residence on the Ohio Reservation. Near this John-

son residence was the old stockade fort known as "Pickawillany," pic-

turesquely located on the banks of the Great Miami River. The party

also visited the monument close by, erected by the Daughters of the

American Revolution, to commemorate the spot of the last battle of

"The French and Indian War." It is a splendid granite rock, upon which

is this inscription:

 

"Erected 1898 by the Piqua Chapter of the Daughters of

the American Revolution in Memory of the Last Battle of the

French and Indian War, Fought near This Spot 1763."