Ohio History Journal

HISTORICAL NEWS

Historical Societies

 

 

ALLEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lima

James A. MacDonell, President

The meeting of the society on May 5 was addressed by John

H. Davison on the subject, "How We Came To Be Where We Are,"

a review of the conquest of the Ohio Country.

Recent issues of the Reporter have carried a record of soldiers

of the War of 1812 buried in Allen County. Persons having addi-

tional information on such soldiers are requested to communicate

with the society so as to make the record as complete and accurate

as possible:

AMERICAN JEWISH ARCHIVES, Cincinnati

Jacob R. Marcus, Director

The American Jewish Archives publishes a semiannual periodi-

cal of the same name. Rabbi Bertram W. Korn, the associate di-

rector, is preparing for publication a book on American Jewry and

the Civil War.

 

ASSOCIATED DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETIES,

Dayton

Roy G. Fitzgerald, President

Roy G. Fitzgerald was reelected president of the associated

societies at a meeting on April 26. Eugene Kennedy was named

first vice president; Howard P. Williamson, second vice president,

and Mrs. A. Luther Devers, secretary-treasurer.

 

BROWN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ripley

E. L. Campbell, President

The first annual dinner meeting of the society was held on

April 18 in the Red Oak Presbyterian Church. Dr. Miriam Urban,

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350    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

professor of European history at the University of Cincinnati, spoke

on "Recent Events in Europe."

A recently elected slate of officers was installed at this meeting.

They are E. L. Campbell, president; Mrs. John Markley, vice presi-

dent; T. W. Drake, secretary; A. J. Stivers, Sr., treasurer; and

Mrs. Calno Loudon, corresponding secretary. The new directors are

H. H. Eveslage, Mrs. John Purdy, Lawrence Downing, Mrs. Clar-

ence Klinker, M. F. Mullinnix, and H. C. Paeltz.

CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Springfield

Orton G. Rust, President

The society has initiated a movement for the establishment of

a memorial in Clark County to the five sons of Rev. Harrison and

Catherine Ryman Shull who are listed in the current issue of Who's

Who in America. A bill to create a commission to purchase a site

for a memorial was introduced in the General Assembly in January

by Senator C. I. Powell of Springfield, but the bill is still in

committee. The Shull family resided for many years near North

Hampton. One of the five sons, George Harrison Shull, is known

as the "father of hybrid corn." Aaron F., Charles A., and J. Marion

attained distinction in other fields of biology, and John W., as a

German scholar.

 

CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, Cleveland

William E. Scheele, Director

William E. Scheele has been named director of the Cleveland

Museum of Natural History to fill the vacancy left by the resigna-

tion last November of Kenneth B. Disher. Rudolph Kula is the

new head of the preparation department.

 

COSHOCTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Coshocton

Kenneth M. Westfall, President

In addition to Mr. Westfall officers for the year 1949 are Ross

K. Lawrence, vice president; Ralph Leech, secretary; and Anna

McCabe, treasurer. The board of directors is composed of one

representative from each township and eight members-at-large.

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HISTORIAL NEWS                    351

 

CRESTLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Crestline

Ernest G. Hesser, President

The Crestline Museum, sponsored by the society, was opened

to the public on March 18, 1949. The museum occupies four rooms

in the town hall which have been redecorated for museum use. The

exhibits show the development of Crestline and Crawford County

from the period of Indian habitation to the advent of the railroads.

The museum is open every Thursday.

FAIRPORT HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Fairport Harbor

Austin Headland, President

Officers of the society elected at the annual meeting March 30

are Austin Headland, president; George Henry, first vice president;

Bruce Coleman, second vice president; Mrs. Mary Whitmore, secre-

tary; B. L. Farmer, treasurer; and Mrs. Mary Zimny, trustee.

 

FIRELANDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Norwalk

Homer M. Beattie, President

Members of the museum staff have been renovating its exhibit

rooms, recataloging the items, and preparing maps of the Firelands

from the original survey. The maps will show Indian trails and

forts not shown on previous maps.

 

FORT RECOVERY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Fort Recovery

Iris Longley, President

The museum and relic room of the society was opened Sunday,

May 1. There was no formal program, but open house was main-

tained from one o'clock until eight, with tea served from two to five.

The museum is located in the public library at Fort Site Park

and houses a fine collection of Indian and pioneer relics. Of

special value is a collection of sandal-shaped gorgets, said to be

the largest in the world. The museum is open on Sunday and

holiday afternoons from one to six.

 

FRANKLIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Columbus

Charles A. Jones, President

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The society recently acquired the records and funds of the

Franklin County Pioneer Association which became defunct in 1935.

The presentation was made by Edward D. Howard, the last secretary

of the pioneer association.

Dr. Jonathan Forman spoke at the April meeting of the society

on the epidemic of Asiatic cholera in Columbus in 1833.

A feature of the May Bulletin is a picture and story of West-

crest, the home built in Truro Township by David Taylor in

1842-43.

 

GEAUGA COUNTY HISTORICAL AND MEMORIAL SOCIETY, Burton

B. J. Shanower, President

A woman's auxiliary composed of representatives from each

township was organized early in April with Mrs. E. P. Derthick as

general chairman. The purpose of the group is to raise funds for

maintaining the work of the society. One method determined upon

was the selling of hand-made articles at the society's headquarters.

GRANVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Granville

Willis A. Chamberlin, President

Present officers of the society are Dr. Willis A. Chamberlin,

president; Prof. Richard Howe, vice president; Louis Reeder, treas-

urer; Miss Blanche Horton, recording secretary; Dr. Clarence S.

Gee, annalist; Arthur Jones, Donald Young, and E. Clark Morrow,

directors.

A revised constitution submitted by a special committee was

adopted by unanimous vote.

 

GREENFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Greenfield

Dean T. Waddell, General Chairman

A society was incorporated to sponsor the Greenfield sesqui-

centennial to be observed September 2, 3, 4, and 5. The articles of

incorporation were signed by Dean T. Waddell, Prof. F. R. Harris,

Glen Shrock, and Frank DePoy. An administrative committee to

plan different features of the sesquicentennial is composed of Dean

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HISTORIAL NEWS                    353

 

T. Waddell, general chairman, and George M. Waddell, Mayor J.

Wesley Kelley, Leroy J. Bergen, Mrs. Sarah Duncan, and Mrs.

Dorothy Anderson Lynch, vice chairmen. The society will be per-

manently organized after the sesquicentennial.

HAYES MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, Fremont

Watt P. Marchman, Director of Research

A project of indexing the seventeen manuscript volumes of

abstracted letters received by President Rutherford B. Hayes be-

tween March 5, 1877, and March 4, 1881, will be completed by

fall. These volumes, kept by the president's secretaries, give date

of receipt, author, abstract of contents, and department to which

the letter was referred.

The director of the Hayes Memorial Library served as a mem-

ber of the committee for planning the seventy-fifth anniversary

celebration of the founding of the Birchard Library, Fremont and

Sandusky County public library. The library was founded as the

result of a bequest of $50,000 by Sardis Birchard, uncle of Presi-

dent Hayes, and was first opened on June 2, 1874, in Birchard's

Hall but moved to the building (since enlarged) which it now occu-

pies on the site of the old Fort Stephenson. After his uncle's death

President Hayes, as president of the library board of trustees, per-

sonally supervised the financial arrangements and the selection of

the five thousand volumes of the original library.

The library and museum is planning an exhibition illustrating

the history of Fremont and Sandusky County in connection with the

one hundredth anniversary of the changing of the name of "Lower

Sandusky" to Fremont. The celebration will be held in conjunction

with the annual Croghan Day celebration on August 2, 1949. The

petition for the change of name was presented to the judge of the

Sandusky County Court of Common Pleas by Rutherford B. Hayes,

then a young attorney representing the businessmen of the city.

In March and April the Hayes Memorial Library and Museum

offered an exhibition of fashion designs of the nineteenth century,

including local agents' catalogs of eastern clothiers. This exhibit

was followed in May by a display of numerous steel and wood

engravings of portraits of Rutherford B. Hayes.

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HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF OHIO, Cincinnati

Virginius C. Hall, Director-Librarian

The April Bulletin of the society, consisting of seventy-two

pages, contains articles by Mrs. Ophia D. Smith, Virginius C. Hall,

David Mead, E. N. Clopper, Walter B. Hendrickson, Rosamond

Reed Wulsin, John A. Diehl, and Marie Dickore. Lee Shepard is

the editor.

In addition to various speaking engagements by the director,

Mrs. Alice P. Hook, assistant librarian, recently addressed the Three

Arts Club and the women's group of the Westwood Y. M. C. A.

 

HUDSON LIBRARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Hudson

Raymond Mickel, President

Chairmen of the standing committees of the society for 1949

are as follows: Committee on arrangements, Mrs. W. D. Shilts;

books and bookmobile, Mrs. Myron Taylor; finance, R. J. Izant;

house committee, F. G. Oviatt; lecture committee, M. D. Harbaugh;

legislation, H. K. Bell; museum committee, Mrs. John Donahey;

nominating committee, E. G. Phillips; and publicity and member-

ship, Burton Schellenbach.

 

LAWRENCE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ironton

Mrs. M. B. Edmundson, President

Preparation for the Ironton centennial to be observed in Oc-

tober this year is one of the major current projects of the society.

The officers are John Rist, Mrs. M. B. Edmundson, Glenn Handley,

Sara Keaton, Mrs. W. T. Moore, E. E. Meyers, Art Dickens, and

Mrs. Carl Moulton.

 

LICKING COUNTY ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Newark

Charles R. Jones, President

The March meeting of the society featured an address by John

Montgomery on the iron industry in Licking County. Among the

first industries in the county was Mary Ann Furnace, an iron foun-

dry operated by David Moore near Rocky Fork.

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HISTORIAL NEWS                    355

 

LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elyria

Mrs. James B. Thomas, President

The society celebrated the 132d anniversary of the founding of

Elyria on March 17 by a costume party and exhibition of antiques

dating from the early days of the community. Among the outstand-

ing exhibits were century-old bonnets, shawls, pewter grog cups,

books, scrapbooks, newspapers, and other items. A silver punch

ladle brought to Elyria by Gardner Hayward in 1865 is nearly two

hundred years old.

Membership in the society has grown from one member in

April 1948 to nearly ninety as reported at the annual meeting on

April 11. Officers elected at that time are Mrs. James B. Thomas,

president; Robert S. Fletcher of Oberlin, first vice president; Mrs.

Cloyd Gull, second vice president; Mrs. Milton Wilcox, secretary;

Mrs. Frank S. Horan, corresponding secretary, and Max Podley,

treasurer.

PRESIDENT JAMES A. GARFIELD HOME, Mentor

Frederic M. Wood, Sr., Executive-Secretary and Director

Officers for 1949 are Miss Ethel Ostrander, president; Mrs.

William A. Ahlstrom, first vice president; Robert D. Soules, treas-

urer, and Frederic M. Wood, Sr., executive-secretary and director.

The most recent publication of the organization is a sixteen-

page booklet titled Lawnfield: Home of President James A. Garfield,

published last year.

 

SALEM HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Salem

Roy W. Harris, President

The society's meetings in recent months have been addressed by

guest speakers on subjects of local historical interest. Members of

the society have been collecting historical objects for a museum

opened June 7 in a room in the city building granted the society

for this purpose.

Prof. W. H. Mathews and Mrs. Roy W. Harris have addressed

a number of meetings in the vicinity of Salem on subjects relating

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356    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

to its history. Mrs. Harris is compiling a history of Salem for the

Ohioana Library.

STARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Canton

Paul B. Belden, President

The February issue of American Heritage, quarterly publica-

tion of the American Association for State and Local History, de-

voted nearly two pages to an account of "The Stark County Story,"

weekly broadcasts sponsored by the society. The program, which

began in May 1947, will be continued throughout 1949.

The society is planning to publish under the title, The Stark

County Story: Cities, Towns and Villages of Stark County, the first

seventy-six scripts which have been broadcast over WHBC and

WHBC-FM on the Good Neighbor Hour. E. T. Heald, secretary-

treasurer of the society, has done the research, written the scripts,

served as narrator, and is now editing the manuscripts for publica-

tion. The book will have some 150 illustrations including pictures

of all churches in the county organized during the period covered

by the scripts, that is, prior to 1874. It is planned to print one

thousand copies which are scheduled to be off the press by October

1. A second volume of scripts is contemplated for the future.

SUMMIT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Akron

Carl H. Pockrandt, President

The March meeting of the society presented Earl R. Hoover

whose subject was "Judge Roy Bean--The Law West of the Pecos."

At the April meeting Charles A. Pfahl showed a color motion pic-

ture film, "Scenic Glories of the Far West," which was made during

his trip through the region.

UPPER OHIO VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Wheeling, W. Va.

Virginia Ebeling, President

The purpose of this society is to promote historical research

throughout the upper Ohio Valley in adjacent counties of West

Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The society issues a bulletin

which is sent to the members prior to each of the five meetings

during the year. The annual meeting for reports and election of

officers is held in January.

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HISTORIAL NEWS                    357

 

The present officers are Miss Virginia Ebeling, president; W.

M. Westwood, vice president; John A. Moore, secretary-treasurer;

and Arthur Stricklin, J. H. Essington, Austin Prager, Mrs. Cath-

erine H. Smith, Percy Hornbrook, Sam Shaw, James A. Sigafoose,

and Delf Norona, directors.

 

 

WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lebanon

Gardner Townsley, President

The third annual historical pilgrimage sponsored by the so-

ciety was an event of June 25-26. Twenty houses were included

in the tour.

Members of the society have contributed to the American An-

tiques Journal for June 1949 which is a special Warren County

issue.

 

WELLSVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Wellsville

Edgar Davidson, President

The society completed its first year in April with a member-

ship of about one hundred. There are nineteen life members.

Three officers were reelected for the second year: Edgar Davidson,

president; C. W. Arnold, vice president; and Clarence Nickels,

curator. Miss Thelma Baum was elected secretary-treasurer. Chair-

man of the publication committee for the coming year is Edwin

Pugh.

The society is one of the sponsors of the celebration of the

155th anniversary of the founding of Wellsville. The president

served as temporary chairman at the first meeting of the Anni-

versary Celebration Committee in April.

The purchase of a home for use as a museum and community

house is being considered. Recent acquisitions of historical mate-

rials include a lamp which hung in the blockhouse at Yellow

Creek, hand-made ice skates, a History of Bethel Church, 1821-1921,

manuscript deeds, journals, and letters.

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WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Cleveland

Russell H. Anderson, Director

The society recently opened an exhibition showing shoulder

capes of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and spring

millinery from a hat collection given by Mrs. Fred R. White and

Harold T. Clark.

 

WYANDOT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Upper Sandusky

Harry E. Kinley, Secretary

Current activities of the society include issuing pamphlets,

erecting large signboards advertising the museum, and sponsoring a

movement to have the Indian mill made a state memorial.

A genealogical section has been started with the cooperation

of the state historical society and a number of family histories and

old photographs have been filed. The custodian, Doris Smith, has

been repairing Bibles and other old books which are to be cata-

loged.

Among recent acquisitions of the society are a fine old melo-

deon and a double and a single-seated sleigh for the pioneer vehicle

collection at the fair grounds.

About Historians

Dr. C. W. Steele of Cedarville College will continue on leave

of absence during the summer session.

Donald R. Edington and Frederick Carlson of the regular

faculty will teach the history courses offered during the summer

session, June 12 to August 19.

 

Dr. Freeland K. Abbott, assistant professor of history at Miami

University, has resigned to accept a position at Tufts College in

September.

Dr. O. J. Fredriksen, associate professor of history, has been

granted a leave of absence for two years to serve as a government

official in Germany. He is an authority on Russian history and

language.

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HISTORIAL NEWS                    359

 

The chairman of the history department, Dr. William E. Smith,

will lecture at the University of California during the summer

session.

 

The introduction of a course in American culture the next

term has been announced by Dr. A. P. Rosselot, chairman of the

department of history at Otterbein College.

 

Elbert B. Smith has been appointed to the department of his-

tory at Youngstown College for the term beginning September 1949.

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