Ohio History Journal

HISTORICAL NEWS

Historical Organizations

AMERICAN JEWISH ARCHIVES, Cincinnati

Jacob R. Marcus, Director

The Ohio Sesquicentennial Judaica Exhibit prepared by the archives is

available for loan to institutions, synagogues, societies, and schools in Ohio

and neighboring states. The exhibit comprises thirty items: photographs,

portraits, and photostats of documents relating to the history of the Jews

in Ohio. A list of the items and information regarding the loan of the

materials may be obtained from the Director, American Jewish Archives,

Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati 20, Ohio.

ANTHONY WAYNE PARKWAY BOARD, Columbus

J. Richard Lawwill, Director

The board has recently issued A Report of Progress, 1950-1952, a sixteen-

page, illustrated brochure relating its accomplishments during the past two

years.

A marker at Fort Meigs was dedicated on May 6 by the United States

Daughters of 1812, State of Ohio, and presented by that organization to

the Fort Meigs Commission. Seven similar markers were dedicated on Flag

Day, June 14. The Anthony Wayne Parkway Board planned and coordinated

the marking program.

ASHTABULA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ashtabula

Walter Beckwith, President

The first issue of the society's quarterly bulletin has recently been pub-

lished. Mrs. John A. Talcott is the editor in chief, and Mrs. Arnold D.

Burton, the associate editor. The bulletin carries a picture of Shandy Hall

at Harpersfield, and tells the story of Colonel Alexander C. Harper, the

first settler of Ashtabula County.

CLINTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Wilmington

Robert A. Hussey, President

The Clinton County Sesquicentennial Association and the historical

society are cooperating closely in the observance of the state sesquicentennial.

The association has set up as its prime objective the acquisition of a home

or museum for the county historical society. The president of the association,

C. Clayton Terrell, and the sesquicentennial planning and advisory committee

273

274      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

headed by Emmett H. Bailey met regularly with the society from February

through May. A majority of the members of the association have recently

joined the society.

A map committee was formed to plan and publish a county map with a

descriptive pamphlet identifying Indian mounds, old building sites, and

other places of historical interest. The maps and pamphlets will be sold, and

the proceeds used to finance a major observance on the last night of the

county fair in August.

CRESTLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Crestline

Ernest G. Hesser, President

The society took a very active part in the Crestline Sesquicentennial

Home Coming, May 30 and 31. On May 30, the first day of the home coming,

Miss Janet Bailey, Ohio sesquicentennial queen, placed memorial wreaths at

the Pioneers Monument and at the grave of Rensselaer Livingston, founder

of Crestline. On the same day John Q. Shunk of Bucyrus, Ohio, formally

presented a fine old Victorian house to the society as the future home of

the Crestline Museum. The nine-room frame house, the former residence

of the late John Hoffman, located at 211 North Thoman Street, is well

adapted for museum use. A committee has been appointed to supervise

the restoration of the house, and the project is under way.

DELAWARE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Delaware

Thomas D. Graham, President

On March 23 a dinner meeting was held at the new Asbury Methodist

Church educational building with 120 members and guests present. This

was an informal meeting featuring exhibits of early Delaware County relics,

coverlets, books, tools, and so forth.

Watt P. Marchman, director of research of the Hayes Memorial Library

at Fremont, Ohio, was the speaker at the April meeting. The topic of his

address was, "The Life of Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the

United States."

ERIE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Sandusky

Paul L. Laning, Chairman

An organizational meeting for an Erie County Historical Society was

held at the Sandusky public library on Thursday evening, March 19. The

society will seek the preservation of anything of historical significance

relating to Erie County, with special emphasis on old letters and papers. It

Historical News                        275

is planned to publish an occasional bulletin and to hold quarterly meetings.

Officers elected were Paul L. Laning, chairman; Al Wakefield, vice chairman;

and Marjorie Owings, secretary-treasurer. A temporary advisory board was

set up with the following members: Mrs. E. W. Altstaetter, Mrs. Edwin

Gundlach, Kathryn Heiser, Lucille Hutson, Theodore Lauber, Dr. Norbert

Lange, Gordon Wendt, and Judge E. H. Savord.

FAIRPORT HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Fairport Harbor

George Gedeon, President

The annual election of officers held on March 27 resulted in the election

of the following: George Gedeon, president; George Henry, first vice

president; Lillian Luthanen Robinson, second vice president; Mary M.

Whitmore, secretary; and Elma Converse, treasurer. Helen Kovach and Pearl

Killinen were elected trustees for three-year terms.

The village of Fairport Harbor acquired title to its historic old lighthouse

by deed from the federal government in May of this year. This has been

a major objective of the society for a number of years. The society's Marine

Museum, maintained in the keeper's house which adjoins the light, is open

to the public on Sundays and legal holidays from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

from May 30 through Labor Day.

FRANKLIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Columbus

Frank A. Livingston, President

The April issue of the bulletin of the society inaugurated a genealogical

section which is under the supervision of Frank A. Livingston, who was

named recently as the director of genealogy. Mr. Livingston is the last

president of the defunct Columbus Genealogical Society and has long been

interested in genealogical research.

The Lucas Sullivant Memorial and the Franklinton Memorial Marker

were rededicated with appropriate ceremonies at the Convent of the Good

Shepherd, West Broad and Sandusky streets, on April 30, 1953, which

marked the sesquicentennial of the formation of Franklin County. The

society, together with the Columbus Metropolitan Sesquicentennial Com-

mission and the West Side Board of Trade, sponsored a Sesquicentennial

Pageant Parade on Sunday, May 3, which was viewed by an estimated

150,000.

Work is progressing on a tour guide of Franklin County, a sesquicentennial

project to be completed in June, and on the October annual, which will

be devoted to agriculture in Franklin County. The Alfred Kelley House of

276      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

Columbus, Ohio: The Home of a Pioneer Statesman, by Abbott L. Cummings

was published April 30 as a special sesquicentennial project. This at-

tractive 52-page book is available from the society for $2.50.

The society conducted a tour of historic homes and sites in Worthington

on Saturday afternoon, May 23. The tour was followed by a supper at the

Worthington Presbyterian Church and a showing of three moving pictures

on the history of Ohio.

GEAUGA COUNTY HISTORICAL AND MEMORIAL SOCIETY, Burton

B. J. Shanower, President

Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Beales became curators of the historical museum on

April 1, 1953. They succeeded Ina Taylor, who had been curator of the

museum since its establishment in 1938. Mrs. Taylor was honored by her

friends at a reception in the Burton Congregational Church, Sunday after-

noon, April 26, when she was presented a purse by President Shanower

in behalf of the society. Mrs. Taylor, who was eighty-two at the time of

her retirement, has returned to her farm home north of Burton.

The society sponsored an art show at the museum barn, June 13-14. The

history of Geauga County, which has been a project of the society for the

past several years, is being published by the Stoneman Press of Columbus.

It will be available this fall.

GNADENHUTTEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Gnadenhutten

James F. Gross, President

The society recently voted to accept an offer of the Ohio State Archae-

ological and Historical Society for the use of a stone building on the

east corner of the original Indian village in Gnadenhutten founded 180

years ago. A museum with relics to the late 18th century will be established.

The Rev. Allen Zimmerman, treasurer of the society, is seeking relics and

antiques related to the history of Gnadenhutten. A committee composed of

J. W. Rennackar, Walter Begland, and Paul Schreiner recently made a trip

to Columbus to confer with officials of the state society.

Membership dues of $1.00 will now enroll an entire family instead of an

individual member.

GREAT LAKES HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Cleveland

Donna L. Root, Executive Secretary

The annual business and program meeting was held on May 8. Dinner

was served to sixty members at 6:30. The dinner was followed by a

business session and the showing of fifty color slides of early Great Lakes

Historical News                         277

ships made from the original drawings of Eric Heyl of Buffalo. Mr. Heyl

accompanied the slides with a talk on the histories of the ships based on

knowledge derived from his extensive research for the sketches.

John W. Braidwood of the Wedgwood Company, Toronto, flew to

Cleveland for the meeting bringing two samples of the Wedgwood plates

in the Historic Ships of the Great Lakes series, sponsored by the Great Lakes

Historical Society. These ten-inch plates are modern in design and sea

green in color, with carefully executed drawings of the Griffon and the

Niagara made by Rowley Murphy of Toronto, a pioneer member of the

society and a contributor to Inland Seas, the society's quarterly journal. The

plates cost $3.25 each and are the first of the series. Orders may be placed

through the society.

Clarence S. Metcalf, vice president of the society and curator of the new

Wakefield Museum of the society at Vermilion reported progress in the

preparation of the museum for the opening, July 1. The museum is being

established in the homestead of the Wakefield family, which has been

presented to the society by the Wakefield Foundation of Vermilion. One

room will be devoted to records and trophies in honor of Commodore

Wakefield, a pioneer in lake yachting. An alcove will be dedicated to the

memory of Alva Bradley, the first and only president of the society, who

died recently.

GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Xenia

W. A. Hammond, President

The society was reorganized at a meeting Tuesday evening, March 17.

W. A. Hammond was elected president, Vaughn P. Lewis was reelected

vice president, and Mrs. William Hagenbuch was elected secretary-treasurer,

subject to her acceptance. Florence Swan, who had been secretary of the

society since its organization in 1929, declined the nomination for re-

election.

A current project of the society is repair work on the Galloway cabin, in

the rear of the county museum.

In April this year the Greene County Museum Association, which has been

inactive for a number of years, took steps toward dissolution and the

transfer of its museum collections to the historical society.

HANCOCK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Findlay

W. Albert Hogle, President

The entire slate of officers of the society was reelected for another term

at a meeting on April 11. They are as follows: W. Albert Hogle, president;

278      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

Tennyson Guyer, vice president; William D. Humphrey, secretary; Chester

Pendleton, treasurer.

A program for participation in the observance of the state sesquicentennial

is being developed. A display of historical articles during the Hancock

County fair was approved by the society. The meeting was addressed by

Representative Jackson E. Betts.

President Hogle made a ten-day trip to Washington and New York City

to continue his research on General William Hull.

HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF OHIO, Cincinnati

Virginius C. Hall, Director

The society announces the publication of A Buckeye Titan, a biography of

John H. James of Urbana, a prominent Newchurchman and one of the

founders of Urbana University. The authors, William E. Smith and Ophia D.

Smith, who are well-known writers on historical subjects, produced the

work under an Ohioana Library grant. It is based largely on the family

papers of John H. James, which extend from 1813 to 1870.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MOUNT PLEASANT, Mount Pleasant

J. C. Wilson, President

Officers for the current calendar year are J. C. Wilson, president; Elisabeth

Lupton, Lewis Thompson, and Leland Thomas, vice presidents; Adeline

Bainbridge, secretary; Ruthana Lupton, treasurer. Directors for a three-year

term, 1953-55, are Roy Call, W. J. Schuster, and Charles Wilson.

A community-wide sesquicentennial committee has been organized. A

tentative date of dedication of the Yearly Meeting House has been set for

Sunday, September 27. A historical pageant is scheduled for October 23.

A committee was appointed to investigate the cost of publishing an annual

report or informative booklet.

KNOX COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Mount Vernon

James Beam, President

Anna E. Cromley was elected vice president of the society at a meeting

on April 28, 1953.

The president of the society is chairman of the county sesquicentennial

committee and members will participate actively in the celebration.

LAKE COUNTY CHAPTER, WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Mentor

Mrs. William Ahlstrom, President

The following officers were reelected on April 18 for one-year terms:

president, Mrs. William M. Ahlstrom; first vice president, D. R. Rice;

Historical News                        279

second vice president, C. R. Kimball; treasurer, William Wyman. Elected

to the board of trustees for three-year terms were Mrs. Newton Bailey,

G. E. Bartholomew, R. V. D. Booth, Mrs. H. R. Collacott, Mrs. Robert

Collacott, L. H. Norton, J. A. Easton, and Mrs. Logan Monroe.

The annual dinner of the society, held Wednesday evening, April 18,

at the Old Tavern in Unionville, honored Ohio's sesquicentennial. Tables

were attractively decorated with cardinals, red carnations, and buckeyes.

Place cards, shaped like a Lake County map, featured the sesquicentennial

seal. The speaker of the evening was Ernest J. Wessen of Mansfield, who

spoke on "Forgotten Ohio Authors."

William Wyman and Mrs. William Ahlstrom are respectively president

and vice president of the Lake County Sesquicentennial Committee. One

project of this committee has been a commemorative plate showing the

Mathews House in Painesville (built by Jonathan Goldsmith in 1829), the

lighthouse at Fairport Harbor, and the Mormon Temple at Kirtland.

LOGAN COUNTY ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Bellefontaine

Elmer O. Heath, President

Officers for the current fiscal year, which ends in March 1954, are

Elmer O. Heath, president; Herman Hostetler, vice president; Guy W.

Furbay, secretary; and Guy Inskeep, treasurer.

Herman C. Marmon, teacher in Bellefontaine High School, has given

several historical addresses in schools and for various organizations in

observance of the Ohio sesquicentennial in Logan County.

Secretary Guy W. Furbay, a member of the Logan County Ministerial

Association and also of the Logan County Sesquicentennial Committee,

acted as chairman of a committee of seven ministers who arranged a

religious celebration in the First Methodist Church, Bellefontaine, on

March 1, 1953.

LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elyria

Mrs. James B. Thomas, President

The annual dinner of the society was held at the Oberlin Inn. Tristram

Coffin of Denison University and secretary of the Ohio Folklore Society

spoke on "The Cowboy Myth in American Folklore."

Officers elected at the annual meeting the second Monday in April are

as follows: Mrs. James B. Thomas, president; Victor D. Lytle, first vice

president; Robert S. Fletcher, second vice president; Carrie Hanks, secretary;

Mrs. Frank Horan, corresponding secretary; and Curtis Haines, treasurer.

Frank Phelps of Elyria talked on "Birds and Their Historical Aspect,"

280      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

at the May meeting. The June, July, and September meetings are held in

the townships. No meeting is scheduled in August.

OHIO ACADEMY OF MEDICAL HISTORY, Columbus

Howard Dittrick, President

The Ohio Academy of Medical History served as host to the American

Association of the History of Medicine during its annual meeting at the

Ohio State Museum on April 10-12. Seventy-seven delegates from fifteen

states, the District of Columbia, and Ontario, Canada, were in attendance.

The joint sessions, with the exception of the annual dinner of the asso-

ciation, were held in the auditorium at the Ohio State Museum.

During the course of the sessions of the academy, Dr. Linden F. Edwards,

the retiring president, presented honorary life-membership certificates to

Dr. Frederick C. Waite of Dover, New Hampshire, and to Dr. Edward C.

Mills of Columbus, for distinguished professional service.

At the annual business meeting of the academy Howard Dittrick, M. D.,

Cleveland, was elected president; and David A. Tucker, Jr., M. D., Cin-

cinnati, was elected vice president. John O. Marsh, curator of history of

the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, was reelected secre-

tary and treasurer.

OHIO SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION, Columbus

Harvey S. Firestone, Chairman

Plans are being made for a sesquicentennial pageant, "The 17th Star,"

to be presented at the Ohio State Fair Grounds, August 27-September 7.

The script for the pageant is being written by Paul Green, noted play-

wright. W. Hayes Yeager of Columbus is the general manager and Helen

Tieken Geraghty of Chicago is the director.

OHIO STATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Columbus

Erwin C. Zepp, Director

The sixty-eighth annual meeting of the society was held on Friday,

April 10. The society and its affiliate the Ohio Academy of Medical History

were hosts to the twenty-sixth annual meeting of the American Association

of the History of Medicine at the museum, April 10-12. William H.

Hildreth of Ohio State University was the speaker at a joint session on

Friday afternoon, April 10. At the society's business meeting William M.

Summer of Marietta was elected to the board of trustees to fill the vacancy

Historical News                      281

caused by the death of Verner E. Metcalf. The annual dinner of the society

at the Ohio Union featured an address by Walter Havighurst of Miami

University, noted Ohio author.

The Library of Congress Ohio Sesquicentennial Exhibition and a com-

plementary exhibition of manuscripts relating to the Middle West sponsored

by the society were formally opened on Sunday afternoon, May 3, in con-

junction with the annual meeting of the National Society of Autograph

Collectors, which was held in Columbus, May 3-5.

SHAKER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Shaker Heights

Mrs. Harry D. Piercy, Secretary

A cobbler's shop and a children's room have been added to the society's

collection of miniature Shaker rooms.

Two books by the secretary, Caroline Piercy, are scheduled for pub-

lication this summer, Victoria Enters a Doll Museum and Not By Bread

Alone.

STARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Canton

Donald K. Merwin, President

As a part of its sesquicentennial program the Stark County Historical

Society has ordered and received for sale sixty dozen McKinley Monument

commemorative plates from the Kettlesprings Kilns, Alliance, Ohio. The

design and conventional border on the plates are in blue on a white back-

ground. The names of the McKinley High School, McKinley Law School,

McKinley Post No. 25, G. A. R., and McKinley Lodge F. & A. M., are

worked into the border design. On the back of the plate there is a brief

biography of William McKinley. The sale is sponsored by the historical

society and Betsy Ross Tent No. 22, Daughters of Union Veterans of the

Civil War. Proceeds are divided between the two organizations. The plates

sell for $1.25, and can be ordered from the office of the Stark County

Historical Society, Box 483, Canton, Ohio.

SUMMIT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Akron

Carl H. Pockrandt, President

Monthly programs during the spring months featured a program of color

pictures of a trip to Spain and Portugal by Willard P. Seiberling in March,

a program of music by Mark Houser's concert band in April, and a talk

on "Firsts in Akron" by Secretary Robert E. Mohler in May.

282      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lebanon

William Mason Phillips, President

The society is continuing its project of erecting historical markers. In

observance of the sesquicentennial, special emphasis is being placed on

the annual pilgrimage to Warren County homes. Eight homes have been

included in this year's tour.

WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Cleveland

Russell H. Anderson, Director

Bessie H. Kelsey, assistant librarian since 1946, suffered a heart attack

and died Wednesday, April 29.

The following officers and trustees were elected at the annual meeting

of the board of trustees: president, Laurence H. Norton; vice president,

Herman L. Vail; secretary, Russell H. Anderson; treasurer, Henry S.

Sherman; trustees, George W. Bierce, Frederick C. Crawford, Hiram

Garretson, Elton Hoyt II, Gilbert W. Humphrey, James N. Sherwin, and

Frank E. Taplin.

A sesquicentennial dinner, the fourth in a series of special events, was

held at the University Club on May 8 with an attendance of 452. Harlan H.

Hatcher, president of the University of Michigan, delivered an address on

"The Buckeye Country" and President Norton presented citations of merit

to Dr. Hatcher, Walter Havighurst, Grace Goulder Izant, Caroline Piercy,

Frank Siedel, Carl F. Wittke, the Ohio Bell Telephone Company, and the

Standard Oil Company of Ohio, for their work in promoting the understand-

ing of Ohio history, and to Mrs. William G. Mather, representing the

Ohio Roadside Council, for that organization's work in facilitating historical

study through travel.

About Historians

Marvin Becker of Baldwin-Wallace College received a Fulbright scholar-

ship for study in Florence, Italy, for the coming academic year. Dr. Becker's

interest is in the representative principle of government in medieval

Florence.

The history department at Bluffton College is planning increased activity

in acquiring materials for its archives of Mennonite history and local

history. The collection of microfilms on Swiss Mennonite history has been

begun. Some publication in this field is being contemplated.

Donald R. Edington resigned from the history department at Cedarville

College the first of June.

Historical News                        283

Paul Knaplund of the University of Wisconsin delivered two Charles

Phelps Taft lectures this year at the University of Cincinnati.

C. William Vogel has been promoted from associate professor to pro-

fessor of history; Oscar E. Anderson has been promoted from assistant

professor to associate professor of history.

Wilfred J. Steiner, associate professor and head of the department of

history at the University of Dayton, has been granted a Fulbright scholar-

ship for study at the University of Rome during the coming academic year.

He has been granted a leave of absence from the university for the year.

He will do research in the Vatican archives to obtain material on the

relations of Francis I of France and Pope Clement in preparation for his

doctoral dissertation.

Raymond D. Cahall, chairman of the history department at Kenyon

College, retired this year after teaching thirty-eight years at Kenyon. He

was named professor of history, emeritus, and was awarded a degree of

doctor of humane letters at the Kenyon commencement in June. Hoyt Landon

Warner has been appointed to the chairmanship of the department, while a

new appointee is Charles R. Ritcheson. Dr. Ritcheson comes to Kenyon

from the Oklahoma College for Women.

The Agricultural History Society has recently announced the establish-

ment of two annual awards, known as the Everett Eugene Edwards Memorial

Awards, which are to be given to the authors of the two best articles

which are published in Agricultural History each year. Prizes of fifty dollars

will be awarded, one to an author who is working toward a degree, and

the other to a more advanced scholar. Information concerning the awards

may be obtained from Wayne D. Rasmussen, Acting Secretary-Treasurer

of the Agricultural History Society, Room 3906, South Agriculture Build-

ing, United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Washington 25, D. C.

In September 1953, Dwight L. Smith of Ohio State University will

become assistant professor in the department of history at Miami University.

Mrs. James Carson is resigning to go with her husband to do graduate work

at Syracuse University the next two years.

William E. Smith, chairman of the department at Miami, and his wife,

Ophia D. Smith, are the authors of A Buckeye Titan, a biography of

John H. James, published by the Historical and Philosophical Society

of Ohio.

284      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

A. T. Volwiler, chairman of the department of history at Ohio University,

was the speaker at Marshall College on March 7 at the annual banquet and

initiation exercises of Phi Alpha Theta, honorary history fraternity. Faculty

and student delegates from other institutions were guests.

John F. Cady, professor of history, read a paper, "Post-war Political

Problems in Southeastern Asia," on March 20 at the meeting in Columbus

of the social science section of the Ohio College Association.

Lowell Ragatz of Ohio State University has been named chairman of

the American Historical Association's Herbert Baxter Adams Prize Com-

mittee for 1953. Dr. Ragatz delivered five lectures on current world problems

the week of March 15 at Findlay College. During the summer he will

teach at the Whittier College Summer School and also participate in the

International Relations Institute in Southern California.

James M. Smith is the author of two recent articles, "The Case of John

Daly Burk and His New York Time Piece," which appeared in the

Journalism Quarterly, Winter 1953, and "The Aurora and the Alien and

Sedition Laws. Part II: The Editorship of William Duane," in the Penn-

sylvania Magazine of History and Biography for April 1953. Dr. Smith has

been awarded a grant-in-aid for 1953-54 by the Social Science Research

Council to continue his study of the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions

and other opposition to the alien and sedition acts.

E. C. Murdock, chairman of the department of social sciences at Rio

Grande College, has been appointed assistant dean of the college, effective

in September this year.

John Hall Stewart, professor of history at Western Reserve University,

has been given a leave of absence from the university for the winter

session. He will return to Ireland to continue his researches on Ireland and

the French Revolution under a grant from the American Philosophical

Society.

The history profession in Ohio has suffered an irreparable loss in the

death of David Lattimer of the history department of Denison University,

whose death occurred on April 23 as the result of injuries sustained in an

automobile accident on Monday evening, April 20.