Ohio History Journal

BOOK REVIEWS

Bibliography of Ohio Archaeology. By Richard G. Morgan

and James H. Rodabaugh. (Columbus, The Ohio State Archaeolog-

ical and Historical Society, 1947. v + 189p. Paper, $2.50.)

This bibliography is by far the best of its kind the reviewer

has seen. The number of entries will come as a surprise to those

who think of the archaeology of a state area as including a few

titles or even perhaps a hundred titles. The number of published

references available will be surprising even to those who have

specialized in Ohio Valley archaeology. Although this bibliography

includes 1,351 entries, Morgan and Rodabaugh have been careful

to exclude newspaper accounts, county and regional histories and

atlases, and the unpublished manuscript material in the Ohio State

Museum. The bibliography is then comprehensive in its inclusion

of published references available to interested individuals and ex-

cludes those difficult to obtain. It should be a boon to reference

librarians. It is an essential tool of the archaeologist.

The organization can best be described in the words of the

authors:

"References in the Bibliography are arranged alphabetically

by author and numbered in sequence. References under individual

authors are listed by year of publication. Comments and evalua-

tions have been made in cases where it was thought such annotations

would be a value to the user. Site names, locations, and cultural

designations have been given where available. A comprehensive

index has been prepared to increase the usefulness of the Bibliog-

raphy. In it items have been classified by subject and by county.

Under each subject or county heading have been placed the numbers

of references pertaining to it. Specific sites have been listed by

county and by culture where such classification has been deter-

mined. The index includes a 'Select Bibliography of Ohio Archae-

ology' which contains the main general reference works as well as

the most important site reports on the several prehistoric cultures

represented in the State."

205

206 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

The bibliography is not only unusually complete, but is un-

usually accurate and free from typographical errors. One error

in crediting an article to an author was easily spotted. Reference

362 should have been credited not to J. B. Griffin, but to John W.

Griffin. The work includes not only books and articles on Ohio or

the immediately adjacent area but also many of the important

volumes containing references to Ohio material. There are some

few absences from this latter category that other authors might have

included.

Particularly valuable are the comments and evaluations on a

large proportion of the entries. These demonstrate that the authors

are not only competent technical bibliographers but that they are

also thoroughly familiar with the subject matter of the reference

and are able to indicate the relative value and significance of the

publications in the field. These comments are brief and pithy and

are an excellent guide to the worthwhile articles.

Acknowledgement is made to the initial help given by the Work

Projects Administration and to various individuals formerly con-

nected with the department of archaeology of the Ohio historical

society. It is clear, however, that the present form and value of

the volume is the result of many additional tedious hours by the

authors.

There is an introductory chapter, "Historical Notes on Ohio

Archaeology," which is not mentioned in the preface but which con-

tains an able, laconic statement of the most important contributors

to Ohio archaeology. This should be expanded to a full-scale treat-

ment at some future date. It should also be possible to provide a

supplementary bibliography at regular intervals, say every five

years, to keep the record up-to-date.

This Bibliography of Ohio Archaeology is then of considerable

value to archaeologists, to historians of the Ohio Valley, and to

reference librarians. It is an outstanding production which does

credit to its authors and to the Ohio State Archaeological and His-

torical Society.

JAMES B. GRIFFIN, Director

Museum of Anthropology

Ann Arbor, Michigan

BOOK REVIEWS 207

The Grassland of North America: Prolegomena to Its History.

By James C. Malin. (Lawrence, Kans., the author, 1947. vii

+ 398p. $3.00.)

This is really the second volume of the author's essays on

historiography, originally planned as a single project. The first

book was more general in character; this one is built around the

broad theme of the grassland of the trans-Mississippi West, but the

author sometimes ranges rather far afield to expound his views on

historical methodology and concepts, and the relationship of science

and history. The ten chapters of Part I are headed "The Sciences

and Regionalism"; the eleven of Part II are simply called "His-

toriography."

The review of the sciences in Part I and the impressive bibliog-

raphy-"the first time such a bibliography has been compiled any-

where"-suggest that the author is doing for the scientists what

they ought to have done for themselves. Certainly only a scientist

could appraise these chapters fairly, and he would need to be well

grounded in many fields, for they deal with plant, animal, and in-

sect ecology, plant-animal relations, climatology, geology and geog-

raphy, and soil science and soil microbiology. In places, the grass-

land almost disappears from view as the author discusses the chang-

ing concepts and differing interpretations of authorities in these

fields. His presentation gives ample evidence of his industry and

the thoroughness of his research. The bibliography alone consti-

tutes a valuable contribution to the literature of science.

The chapters on "Historiography" are a series of essays with

the emphasis on a methodology for the study of the history of social

change. The key chapter, headed "Webb and Regionalism," is a

critique of the critique of Webb's Great Plains by the Sky Top con-

ference of September 1939, which, according to Professor Malin,

never really defined and dealt with the problem of regionalism. A

quotation reveals his viewpoint: "An idealized approach to such a

problem might start with a survey of the literature of physiography,

of climatology, of physiology, of genetics, of plant ecology, of

animal ecology, of soils, of soil microbiology, of agronomy, of the

geographers' attempts at regional definition, and the question raised

by some, whether or not regionalism possesses any validity." Ob-

208 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

viously such an approach would require the cooperation of special-

ists in the respective fields, for few historians would care to under-

take such an ambitious program.

Professor Malin is strongly opposed to geographical determin-

ism, but he comes very close to it in his emphasis on environmental

factors as basic in determining social patterns. For example, Kan-

sans have had to learn that they must harmonize with their environ-

ment. Populism was "a revolt of forest-corn culture against the

grassland wheat environment." When middle Kansas turned to hard

winter wheat, culture and environment were reconciled. Appar-

ently prices, railroads, middlemen, and creditors were not at fault.

The author does not suggest an "ecological" interpretation of farmer

unrest of the 1920's and 1930's.

The book contains some stimulating ideas and in the closing

chapters presents some examples of careful statistical studies of

social change. Unfortunately, the arrangement and organization of

the essays cannot be commended. Not even the broad spaces of

the grassland can quite contain all that the author is trying to set

forth. A monotonous style that is often verbose and repetitious

adds to the reader's difficulties. The book is lithoprinted and is

bound in paper.

EUGENE H. ROSEBOOM

Professor of History

Ohio State University

Niles' Weekly Register. 19th Century News Magazine. By

Norval Neil Luxon. (Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University

Press, 1947. 337p. $5.00.)

A kind of Time magazine of the nineteenth century, Niles'

Weekly Register accomplished precisely what its name suggests-

registering, chronicling, and recording, in a surprisingly balanced,

objective manner, the fabric of history during its life time. This

newspaper was founded in 1811 by Hezekiah Niles, and through-

out the 25 years of his editorship, reflects the facets of his charac-

ter, his philosophy, and the honesty of his purpose. The Register

was simply the man Niles in print, and any examination of the

paper is therefore an examination of the man.

BOOK REVIEWS 209

This, Norval Neil Luxon has carefully and colorfully done.

Mr. Luxon, assistant to the president and professor of journalism at

Ohio State University, is the 1948 president of the American Asso-

ciation of Schools and Departments of Journalism. His work repre-

sents not only an analysis of the complete file of the Register and a

virtual biography of the editor; it is a veritable wealth of Americana

and provides sound groundwork for further research. The his-

torian and the scholar who have studied old newspaper files can

appreciate the dimensions of his task in examining 76 volumes of

the Register.

A major importance of the Register lay in its national charac-

ter, both in content and circulation. Surrounded in 1811 in Balti-

more by daily newspapers which were reporting an assemblage of

journalistic miscellany, Hezekiah Niles saw the need for a "register"

of the more important events of national and international interest

-speeches and debates in congress, laws, documents, and corre-

spondence of public officials, developments in science and agricul-

ture, subjects of import such as slavery, internal improvements,

tariffs, banks, and transportation. The Register was multipurposed:

its dedication to "The Past-The Present-For the Future" was no

hollow motto but was followed religiously throughout most of its

life. Niles felt that he was living through a period of great historic

importance, not only in this country but in the world, and he wished

to set down for future historians a true picture of the period. Toward

this end, Niles worked feverishly, diligently, and accurately for 25

years, often with financial hardship threatening ruin; yet so power-

ful was his influence that later editors were similarly inspired, but

in lesser degree.

Following Niles's death the Register lived on under the suc-

cessive direction of three other men. William Ogden Niles, eldest

son of Hezekiah, published the paper for only a brief period and

sold out to Jeremiah Hughes, who published it for over eight years.

Finally, under the mismanagement of the fourth and final editor,

George Beatty, the paper ceased publication in 1849.

Niles' Weekly Register differed markedly from other newspapers

and periodicals of the time in that it contained no advertising. In

spite of financial difficulties resulting from this policy, Niles had

210 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

little interest in advertising or sympathy for its influence, either

directly or indirectly, on a free press. A new country had something

to say and he felt impelled to say it. He believed there were many

sides to many issues and he aimed to print them, fairly and com-

pletely. Niles believed in the importance of the individual and his

right and privilege to reach his own conclusions. Journalists and

historians at this point should pay glowing tribute! Mr. Luxon

points out that Niles constantly had his hand on the pulse of the

nation: on an exchange basis he received papers from all parts

of the United States, and many nights the oil burned late in the

office of the Register. From these papers articles were digested

and reprinted, often with some comment inserted by Niles. The

periodical was choice for reprint material. It was aptly said that

Niles' Register was the mentor of the country editor.

Although generally considered a newspaper, the Register was

actually a news magazine. Knowing its reference value to contem-

poraries as well as to future historians, Niles printed the Register

on medium octavo (no larger than the average book), which was a

convenient size for use as well as binding. The Register became

virtually a handbook for presidents and politicians; the several con-

temporary presidents admittedly relied on it, and serious politicians

subscribed for it almost 100 per cent. An average circulation of

4,000 in the limited United States of 1811-49 would indicate a rather

select group of subscribers; however, Niles's thinking and philosophy

reached an even greater audience through local editors and leading

citizens.

This study of the Register files, 1811-49, provides excellent

source material both for history and journalism students. In spite

of the very academic nature of such a study, the book is not exces-

sively academic in its treatment. The reader may feel, however,

in Mr. Luxon's study, that the Register looms over-large-not be-

cause the paper was not in itself exemplary but because no specific

comparison is made with other contemporary newspapers. Mr.

Luxon makes a hasty reference to the scores of other papers of the

time which were, for the most part, scissor-wielding, opinionated,

and partisan. They obviously lacked the originality and high mo-

tives of Niles; but, for the purpose of perspective, the reader would

BOOK REVIEWS 211

be interested to know how other papers treated certain important

events and controversial issues of the period.

The historian, the scholar, and the journalist will come away

with renewed and heightened respect for the Register; the lay reader

will feel he has been given a helpful and interesting background for

understanding and appreciating the problems and the stature of a

vitally important mass medium-the press.

ROBERT C. WHEELER

Newspaper Librarian

Ohio State Archaeological and

Historical Society

Grass Roots History. By Theodore C. Blegen. (Minneapolis,

University of Minnesota Press, 1947. x + ²⁶⁶p. $3.00.)

Dean Blegen, the distinguished Minnesota scholar, teaches by

both precept and example. In Grass Roots History he asks Amer-

ican historians to explore more thoroughly "our culture to its roots

in terms of the common life," and prints fifteen articles and speeches

of his own which are contributions toward that objective. Six of

these are in the field of his specialty, Norwegian immigrant culture.

The rest deal with aspects of Minnesota social history, among them

travel, medicine, science, newspaper advertising, and early political

observers.

The author's central principle is that the "pivot of history is

not the uncommon, but the usual, and the true makers of history are

'the people, yes.' This is the essence of grass roots history." This

thesis he enforces in an introductory chapter entitled "Inverted

Provincialism," in which he criticizes the artists, scholars, and writ-

ers of the past who cultivated the faraway and the foreign because

they did not understand the near-at-hand and the native, and be-

cause they mistakenly considered themselves urbane and cosmopoli-

tan. The blanket indictment is a little extreme considering the

welcome which nineteenth-century Americans gave to regionalists

like Edward Eggleston, indigenous artists like Winslow Homer, and

innumerable educators who broke with European tradition. More-

over, one ought to remember that those who were provincial snobs

(it is a little difficult to identify them from Dean Blegen's data, but

212 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

212 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

presumably they were "foreign thinkers" like Charles Eliot Norton)

were born too early to benefit by the work of the new school of

folk historians. The fact that, in the past, as the author points out,

"the novelist often has done a better job than the historian" is one

reason why the Nortons were not better educated.

But this is a minor objection to an inspiring book. The Ohioan

should be particularly attentive to Mr. Blegen's suggestions about

new fields to exploit and conquer in regional history. In spite of

the great contributions of writers like Harlan Hatcher, Walter

Havighurst, Carl Wittke, and Francis P. Weisenburger, the history

of Ohio culture is still, for the most part, unwritten. We need cul-

tural studies (some of them are now under way) of Ohio communi-

ties, counties, and regions; of the history of libraries, lyceums,

newspapers, and theaters; of our industries and commercial ven-

tures; of racial groups, immigration, education, and religion. The

life, past and present, of a state so crucial in the history of the

development of the nation offers the richest possible field for studies

in cultural history. Why should scholars in Ohio yearn for the

resources of Eastern libraries when the materials for vital history

are available in their own state?

It takes only imagination to realize what can be done with the

immense stores of newspaper files, manuscripts, documents, and local

imprints now owned by the libraries and historical societies of the

state of Ohio.

WILLIAM CHARVAT

Professor of English

Ohio State University

The Lincolns in Virginia. By John W. Wayland. (Staunton,

Va., the author, 1946. ²⁹⁹p. $6.00.)

The author of a History of Rockingham, Virginia presents, in a

detailed manner, a commendable effort to perpetuate the memory of

the Lincolns in Virginia. In seventeen chapters the author chron-

icles, in a detailed and laborious manner, the names, possessions,

and deeds of the descendants of "Virginia John" Lincoln from Rock-

ingham County, Virginia, through Kentucky, and into Ohio. Ade-

quate attention is devoted to Abraham and Thomas Lincoln, the