Ohio History Journal

CENTENNIAL OF MINER FAMILY.   The celebration of the Miner family, June 7, 1906, at the old homestead on Green Lawn Avenue, was an occasion well worthy of permanent note. Mrs. Mary Wharton, eighty-five years of age, youngest daughter of Isaac Miner, and the sole survivor of his children, issued an invitation to her friends and neighbors in the following form: 1806 Spero ut fidelis. 1906 MRS. MARY WHARTON REQUESTS THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY AT THE CENTENNIAL OF THE MINER FAMILY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE THE SEVENTH, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND SIX FROM TWO UNTIL SIX, GREENLAWN AVE. COLUMBUS, OHIO. The weather proved to be most favorable and the large num- ber in attendance were delightfully entertained in the historic

house and upon the spacious lawn. During the afternoon exercises were held appropri- ate to the occasion and at the conclusion refreshments were served, accompanied with pleasing music. Upon invita- tion of Mrs. Wharton, Mr. Henry C. Taylor, a life long friend of the family, deliv- ered the welcoming address, as follows: On behalf of our hostess, Mrs. Mary Wharton, I ex- tend to you all her most cor- dial welcome to her old home this afternoon. She came to this place and commenced liv-

ing in this house eighty-three (83) years ago. Since she was a (406)

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Centennial of Miller Family.           407

 

little child this has been her home, and it is probable that no

one now living in this county has lived in the same house so

many years. This residence was built by her father, Isaac Miner.

in the year 1823 under the supervision of Dr. Lincoln Goodale.

Dr. Goodale was one of the early settlers in Franklinton, and

living in this vicinity, it was more convenient for him to super-

intend the work than for Isaac Miner, who at that time lived in

what is now Madison County. It is possible that Dr. Goodale

had a larger experience in this kind of business, and in conse-

quence could render very valuable service. However it may

have been, there was good care taken, the walls are true and

strong and with proper attention will be good for centuries to

come.

The brick used in the construction of this house were made

in Chillicothe and were hauled here in wagons. Chillicothe was

at that time the most considerable town on a line running north

and south through central Ohio. The line of travel in those days

was from Chillicothe to Sandusky, through Circleville, Bloom-

field, Columbus, Delaware, Upper Sandusky to Sandusky City.

In this home Isaac Miner raised a large family, and for many

years, until the children were grown up to manhood and woman-

hood, and scattered in the world, this place was a center of activity

and interest.

Here in his boyhood days Edwin M. Stanton was a frequent

visitor, and young Stanton and John Miner were then and ever

afterwards devoted friends. Together they attended Kenyon

College, and Isaac Miner was always a stanch supporter of

Bishop Chase, the founder of that Institution. In after years,

when Mary Miner had grown to young womanhood, she was sent

to Dr. Beatty's school at Steubenville, and was placed under the

direct care of Edwin M. Stanton, then a resident of that place.

That he performed his duty in this relationship I have no doubt,

and Mrs. Wharton has told me confidentially that Stanton was a

natural born tyrant. How much discipline Mrs. Wharton re-

ceived while under his charge and how much experience

Stanton received that was valuable to him when he became Secre-

tary of War in Lincoln's cabinet I am not able to state.

Here also at a later date came another distinguished visitor,

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whose name for many years was familiar in all the homes and

settlements of our country. Isaac Miner was an ardent Whig,

and on one occasion, when Henry Clay was passing through

Columbus, he was here received and entertained. We can easily

imagine the beauty of this location and the attractiveness of this

home sixty (60) years ago. The site is upon an elevation of land

about one-quarter of a mile in length from north to south and

about five hundred feet in width. In the state of nature, these

grounds were covered with noble forest trees, and immediately

southeast of the house stood a fine sugar grove. In this fertile

valley of the Scioto, this must have in the early days appeared to

be an ideal site for a country home. The farm of Isaac Miner

was a large one well stocked with horses, cattle and hogs. It

extended long distances north and south and from the river

west, including what is now Green Lawn Cemetery.

In the family of Isaac Miner, Mary was next to the youngest

member and she was born January 19, 1821. As a child, little

girl and young woman she had the varied experiences of pioneer

life. The lessons of self denial, work and sacrifice she learned

early and well. In her girlhood days she walked from home to

Parker's school, which stood on the present site of the Starling

Medical College on East State street in Columbus. The road at

that time was east from the house to the river, north along the

river bank to Sullivant's bridge, the one spanning the river at

Broad street, and which was afterwards bought by the National

government. We would now think that this was a long walk for

a young girl, but it seemed to be all right to Mary Miner.

Fortunately our forefathers placed a high estimate on the value

of education, and in its pursuit were not daunted by distances and

difficulties. Among the accomplishments of the scholars of those

early schools was good penmanship, and in this Mary Miner so

excelled that when attending school in Philadelphia (Pa.) in

1836 she was selected to pen the address of Daniel Webster, then

Secretary of State, requesting on behalf of the Society of Friends

the abolition of slavery. This was the first petition forwarded

to Washington urging the suppression of slavery in the District

of Columbia.

Mrs. Wharton has lived to see the circumstances and condi-

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tions of life made easier in many ways. She has witnessed with

great pleasure the development of our Country, and the growth

of our State, County and City, and she rejoices in our present

prosperity; but she is thankful that so much of her life was spent

with those men and women, good and true, whom we all honor

and revere as the pioneer settlers of Franklin County.

The trials and disappointments that have come into her life

she has borne with fortitude and cheerfulness, and now in her

serene age she spends some of her happiest hours in meditating

upon those days when this old house was new.

A brief history of the Miner family was then read:

Thomas Miner came to this country from Somersett County, Eng-

land, on the good ship Arabella, which landed at Salem, Massachusetts

on the 14th day of June, 1630.

He was the direct descendant of one Henry Miner, to whom Ed-

ward the Third, "going to make warre against the French took a pro-

gresse through Somersett, and finding the said Henry Miner having

convened his Domestical and Meniall Servants and armed them with

Battle-axes, professed himself and them to his Master's Service, did

therefore grant his Coat armorial."

The sterling qualities of Thomas Miner placed him in the position

to at once become a prominent figure in the affairs of the Colony.

He early allied himself with the men of authority and soon became

recognized in their Councils for his sound judgment. He was an

authority in dealing with the Indians and because of his peculiar ability

to deal with them was frequently employed by Governor Winthrop to

enter into an agreement with and publish court orders to the tribes.

It is said he mastered the Indian language and on occasions would

accompany a missionary as interpreter to give them the gospel in their

own language. We also find him leading the militia against the Narra-

gansett Indians, and at an age when a man's qualifications as a leader

of soldiers are not considered of much worth.

Between the years 1630 and 1640, Thomas Miner lived at Salem,

Charlestown, and Hingham, Massachusetts, but he was not satisfied to

settle down in any of those places.

Under a commission from the General Court of Massachusetts, we

find him one of the founders of what he is pleased to call "Pequitt,"

now New London, Connecticut. Finally he determined to settle perma-

nently at "Quiambaug" on lands he acquired partly by grant, because

of valuable services with the Indians. Associating himself with others,

the town of Southerton now Stonington, Connecticut was formed. There

he continued to live until he died and there he lies buried. On the

stone which marks his grave are the following words.

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410        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.   "Here lyes the body of Lieutenant Miner, aged 83, Departed 1690." After settling at what is now Stonington, he began a Diary in 1653, which he carried on faithfully till July 26th, 1684. This diary has been handed down through successive generations remaining on the old Thomas Miner homestead property at Quiambaug in the town of Stonington, Conn., and is now in the custody of Cornelius V. Miner. Thomas Miner married Grace Palmer and had several children. One son, Clement, married Frances Filley, a widow, and had five chil- dren. One son of these, Joseph, married Elizabeth Comstock, of Lyme, Conn., and had two children, Joseph and Elizabeth. Joseph married Grace Turner and had a family of eight children. Of these, one son, Jesse married Jane Watrous of Lyme and had twelve children. He

lived in New London, Conn., and there on December 25th, 1750, was born Isaac Miner. In 1775, he married Betsey Griffin. In 1780, they moved to Pitts- field, Mass., and from there to Chenango County, New York, two or three years later. Their second child, a son named Isaac was born at New London, Conn., December 18th, 1778. He married Hannah Stowell in 1802, and in 1806 removed from Chenango County, New York to Ohio, in what was then Franklin County, but is now Madison, and about nineteen miles southwest of Columbus. Later, sometime in the year 1823, he moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he died, December 27th, 1831, aged 53 years and 9 days. He had children at follows:

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Centennial of Miner Family.               411

 

Griffin R. Miner, born January 12th, 1804.

Anna Maria Miner, born September 16th, 1806.

Emma Miner, born June 9th, 1808.

John L. Miner, born March 8th, 1810.

Henry Miner, born May 8th, 1812.

William L. Miner, born February 17th, 1817.

Mary Miner, born January 18th, 1821.

Richard Miner, born January 19th, 1832.

 

Following the reading of the family history, Hon. Thomas

E. Powell was introduced to the guests and delivered the fol-

lowing address:

It has often been said of a well known lawyer of this State, that

his idea of heaven was a place where a man could always speak and

always have an audience. I hope for your sakes as well as my own,

that my selection to-day has not been made on that theory. I am

rather inclined to believe it came because it was supposed I could not

well afford to wait for heaven, because there was a chance that I

might not be on hand when the speaking there began, and so it was

kindly suggested I should have my show now.

You have all wondered how the young lady now entertaining

us, conceived and executed the plans of this delightful centennial anni-

versary. The true solution of the problem lies in the fact that a pioneer

girl never grows old. Time may bring her more years, but they only

to add to her rich experience. Seventy-five or eighty years may possibly

change the color of her hair, but at heart, in her feelings and in her

sympathies she still remains the girl of twenty.

We all know and appreciate the work of the early settlers. We

have had in prose and poetry descriptions of the lives, character and

habits of our pioneers. Every good citizen feels a deep sense of

gratitude to those who by their toil and sacrifices prepared the way and

laid the foundations upon which have been built our splendid State

and its attractive capital city.

But in my opinion undue prominence has always been given to

the pioneer man and too little to the pioneer woman. Here as well as

everywhere else he has been doing the talking and claiming the credit

while she has been doing the real work. Whenever great sacrifices were

to be made or great privations endured: whenever the question came

in the family as to who should give up something for the benefit of

the rest, the woman always stepped to the front while the man straggled

along in the rear. But when the hardships were all past and success

and prosperity had come, the man insisted upon standing in the center

of the stage and telling how it was done, while the woman modestly and

silently stood at the side or rear.

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Many an early settler would have thrown up his work, abandoned

the field and gone back to a life of ease in the city if some good woman

had not kept her eye on him and compelled him to stay on the reserva-

tion. She was always up in the morning before him and when the first

rays of the morning sun blessed the earth she was his hope and his

inspiration, in the labors and toils of the day she was his comfort and

his joy, and in the evening she was his benediction. She could work

all day and then make herself so attractive in the evening that many

a man would walk ten or fifteen miles for the purpose of looking at

and talking to her.

Our people have assembled here to-day to learn from the life of

Mary Wharton something of the hardships endured by the generation

which had gone before. To hear the story of the tender recollections,

the kindred ties, the early affections and the touching incidents and

narratives which mingle with all she knows of this old and primitive

family abode.

What marvelous changes have occurred since Mary Wharton has

lived on this place. We have all read the story of Alladin and his

wonderful lamp. How by the work of magic in a single night palaces

arose and were filled with all the works of luxury and art. But Mary

Wharton has witnessed even greater changes than these. When she

first looked out from this house toward the East she saw a struggling

village of a few hundred people living lives of simplicity, industry and

economy, but when she looks in the same direction to-day, she sees a

splendid city with its great buildings and palatial houses filled with all

the objects of luxury and wealth and nearly two hundred thousand

people all of whom are indebted to her and her kind for having prepared

the way and made it possible for them to secure the advantages and

enjoy the fortunes that surround them to-day.

It seems as if God loved the pioneer and He was always calling

the best men and women into that field. He found Adam and Eve in

the Garden living lives of ease and idleness and falling into tempta-

tions and sin, so He turned them out and sent them as pioneers into

the wilderness of the world. He started them with the smallest ward-

robe any bridal couple ever had, for the purpose of emphasizing the

great truth that the less a young couple have at the beginning the more

they will be sure to accumulate in the end. But in a short time by their

joint labors and toils they created for themselves a larger and better

garden. Then He found Abram and said unto him. "Get thee out of

thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house unto a

land which I shall show thee. And I shall make of thee a great nation

and I will bless thee and make thy name great: and thou shalt be a

blessing."

Under this command Abram left the land of Ur of the Chaldees

and went over and settled in Canaan and made it the land of promise

and prepared it for the coming of God's chosen race. Then He found

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Centennial of Miner Family.                 413

 

that good woman Rebekah living in far off Mesopotamia and when

the messenger came she turned her back upon family and friends and

without a protest started on that long and memorable journey which

ended by her becoming the wife of Isaac and the mother of the chil-

dren of Israel whose seed in time became as the sands of the sea in

multitude. And so the list might be long continued of the good men

and women who were especially selected and called into this field, and

whose labors were divinely blest and whose names and works are pre-

served in both sacred and profane history.

So we are here to-day to manifest our affectionate veneration

for another pioneer woman who during her long life shrank from no

danger, shunned no hardship in order that the coming generation might

have better advantages than her own, and who at the same time met

all the demands that society and friends made upon her and in her

own house cultivated every social and domestic virtue.

And when Mary Wharton leaves these scenes to make her last

and final visit, into what a goodly company of pioneers will she be re-

ceived, and in comparison with their great ages she will be the youngest

and baby pioneer of them all and as such will receive favor and con-

sideration and will receive their united blessings as here to-day she has

ours.

In response to Mrs. Wharton's invitation, a number of in-

teresting letters were received from old and intimate friends,

full of reminiscence and good will, and from among them the

following were read to the pleasure and interest of all present:

 

 

LETTER FROM COL. E. L. TAYLOR.

You could not possibly have thought of anything more appropriate

than your proposed assembling of old friends on such an occasion as

you have in view. It is a pleasing thought to all your friends that

you should remember and propose to celebrate the 100th anniversary of

your father's coming to this county. His arrival proved to be an im-

portant event, as by his character and worth he exercised a wide and

salutary influence upon the young community into which he came, and

it must be exceedingly gratifying to you that his good influence is still

being widely felt after the passing of a hundred years.

It is a long time since I first visited your hospitable home, it was

either in 1860 or '61. I have met many good people at your home since

that time. Many of their faces I will miss if I am able to be present

in response to your invitation. Among the young ladies, whom I well

remember, who made your home and the neighborhood attractive were

Sarah Stimmel, now Mrs. Horton and her sister Lida Stimmel now Mrs.

W. T. Reese. There was in your household at that time your niece,

Miss Emma Kirby, whose gracious manners and deep blue eyes I have

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not forgotten. She has long since been laid to rest. Among others

whom I remember to have met at your home was "Uncle Joe" Renick;

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Campbell, the genial and kind-hearted Sam Stimmel

and his equally genial brother John; also that sterling, unpretentious

man, George W. Huffman, who if now living would be about your own

age. And there was your worthy and much respected brother William,

who was your nearest neighbor and whose comparatively early death

was a marked loss to the community. All of these have passed away

and I think that there can be but few now living who were your fre-

quent guests and visitors now nearly a half century ago.

Since your invitation reached me my memory has reverted to

the time and occurrences of the past with which you were connected.

Among other things I recall an important social event which took place

at John Stimmel's "new house" soon after he came to occupy it. In

addition to his friends and neighbors he had invited quite a number of

young people from the city and so a jolly party was made up. It is

my best recollection that you were there. The young people danced in

the large dining room, which had been cleared for that purpose, and

old "Tall Hight" and his band furnished the music. After having tired

of the ordinary dances which were fashionable at that time there was

a demand for "Money Musk". Uncle Joe Renick was a very famous

leader in that dance and the young people vigorously besought him to

lead them in Money Musk. He had many objections but none of them

were allowed to prevail and as a last resort he fell back on the fact that

the boots he was wearing were not suitable for the dance. This was ob-

viated by one of the other gentlemen present doffing his own boots and

placing them upon Uncle Joe's feet. Thereupon Uncle Joe went into the

dancing room, furnished out with his borrowed boots, formed the

dancers into line and compelled them to dance Money Musk until they

were more than fully satisfied with it. Those were merry days when

old and young were able to mix together and enjoy life and social inter-

course. I am afraid this spirit and social habit has largely passed away,

and that nothing so desirable has been substituted therefor.

Your kind invitation has also brought to mind the "Miner Spring".

I have frequently of late years, particularly when passing along Greenlawn

Ave., made inquiry of persons with me as to the Miner Spring, and I

have seldom found one who had any knowledge of it, or who had ever

heard of it, and yet this spring was well-known throughout all this

region and very much visited by the citizens of Columbus and surround-

ing country on acount of the excellency of its water. It was a common

sight to see a score or more of buggies and carriages at the spring

on a summer evening the occupants having come to drink the water, and

many of them to carry it away in large jugs for use at home. That

famous spring is now forgotten except by a few of the older residents.

It was a famous place for picnics forty or fifty years ago and the white

oak grove which stood on the ridge immediately west of the spring

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Centennial of Miner Family.                 415   afforded the most desirable place for such outings. When I pass Green- lawn Ave. I am always pleased to observe that the stately white oaks under whose shade I danced with other young people are still standing, or were standing when I last observed them.   LETTER FROM LIDA ROSE M'CABE.* SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. MY VERY DEAR, OLD YOUNG FRIEND: What memories the centennial of the old homestead recalls to yours devotedly! I need not tell you how I should love to be with the last of its reigning Queens on this natal June day. What pleasure to per- sonally add my poor mite to the homage and loving good will that will

be brought from far and near, to put "like proud pied April, a spirit of youth into everything" crown- ing that lovely green knoll so rich in memories of when 'Queen Mary' (as that royal old cavalier of cheery souvenir, General Walcutt was wont to call you), made things hum on both sides of the raging Scioto! Alas! in lieu of the seven hundred miles that have for years separated us at intervals, some seven thousand miles will lie between us on that 'day of days.' The destiny that shapes our ends is piloting me towards "Seward's ice-box" as Alaska was dubbed in  early  days  of  Government purchase. Not

to the beaten coast line of tourist travel, but to Cape Nome thence a hundred miles interior. Tent life on Ophir Creek in the heart of gold sluicing is among the experiences promised, and of which I hope to tell you in some future heart to heart talk. But from that rude, bleak world, your thoughtful, loving summons to the old homestead celebration recalls to me that long, long ago when first I climbed the hill to find royal welcome at the gate swung open wide by sunny, faithful "Hat." Don't you remember, I was but "A Little Maid from School"- a heap more insipid and unsophisticated than the Gilbert-Sullivan bunch! How I bristled with ambition- dreams alas of which there is naught to-day but shadows! I was chasing data for a letter to the Cincinnati Commercial on old Columbus--Columbus the cradle of men and women of national renown. * Miss Lida Rose McCabe, Author of "Don't you Remember," "American Girl at College," which was translated into several foreign languages, "The Occupations and Compensations of Women," and "What Women Can Earn."

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416        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

"Go to Mary Wharton," said the venerable Joseph Sullivant, rich in

wisdom and years and honors. Mary Wharton has lived more lives than

half the population. She grew up with the town. She is a walking store

house of information. She has forgot more than half these new women

ever knew."

"And where does she live?" I ventured to ask. "Across the river

on Green Lawn Avenue which she gave to the city. Green Lawn

Cemetery was once a part of her father's farm. She lives in the old

Miner homestead which her father built, and where she was born."

Then in his graphic, interesting way, he told me stories of the

early days when the Miner's broad acres of waving corn flanked both

sides of the Scioto for miles and miles, and Mary Miner was the

beauty, wit and belle of old Franklinton and new Columbus.

The only real world to me then was the world of dreams.

I was so excited at prospect of meeting a real live personage out

of what seemed to my girlish fancy, the age of chivalry, romance, that

I could not sleep the night preceding the day set for my visit to the

old homestead, when I should behold in the flesh this wonderful Mary

Wharton for whose smile sued Edward Stanton, Secretary of War in

Lincoln's Cabinet, John Breslin, Treasurer of State of Ohio, and a

kindred galaxy of old beaux!

That was the first of how many subsequent pilgrimages?   They

must have outnumbered the perennial bloomers in the old garden-

the grapes clustering round the double decked porches.

How many autumn and winter hours we toasted our Trilbys at

the crackling hearth while you conjured memories of "far off happier

days! not a little of which is incorporated in "Don't You Remember?"

Again and again we went over the old post road in stage coach

to and from the Young Ladies' Academy in Philadelphia or danced at

the inaugural ball at the opening of the State House.

Indeed so vital to me grew the life, rather lives, you have lived, that

my hat took the tilt of an 1830 Godey, while my vocabulary was that

of the Loco focos.

Your life has always been one of encouragement and good cheer. In

the obstacles you have met and overcome in your long, long life of use-

fulness you have been an unfailing source of inspiration in times and

places of which you little suspected.

Well, here's to you and yours, from across the Continent and the

shores of Bering Sea!

May you live to celebrate your own Centennial under the century

roof tree! May I live to tell the story is my loving wish and devout

prayer.

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Centennial of Miner Family.           417   The intellectual program of the day was most fittingly closed by the presentation of a delightful bit of poetry composed in memory of the event by Miss Rebekah Sullivant:*

This wine pray take For friendship's sake. 'Tis said to make Old mem'ries start. Though thy keen wit Hath not a bit Of need of it To make it dart.   But then perchance, It may enhance The merry dance Of thy blue eyes. From earliest days We've heard thy praise, And now we raise Our strain likewise.

From many lips Of pranks and quips Of winks and tips We've had the tale. Come, drink our toast, Let not the ghost Of sadness boast Its presence pale.

To every part Of thy dear heart, May it impart Affection's glow. Through coming years May smiles, sans tears, And hopes, sans fears, Thy path bestrow.

The early history of Franklin County is enriched and pre- served by celebrations of this character, and it is commendable in those descendants of the pioneers, who have the opportunity to thus honor their ancestors, and leave a public record for posterity. In the natural and inevitable changes and vicissitudes of life, the continuance of a family for one hundred years in one locality will not become a common event, and when such a per- manence of residence occurs it merits recognition and observance. * Miss Rebekah Sullivant is the daughter of Joseph Sullivant, and granddaughter of Lucas Sullivant, founder of Franklinton in the year 1797. Vol. XV-27.

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