96 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
so on. Professor Siebert is a careful
and painstaking student and has
exercised discriminating judgment as to
what is necessary for the proper
educidation of his subject. He gives
under each chapter the list of
authorities which he has consulted or
which may be further examined
by those who desire more exhaustive
study of the various topics. The
book is accompanied by an excellent
appendix giving a chronological
outline of the historical events
incident to the development of the state,
beginning with the land grant of King
James in 1609 and leading through
to the last event of importance in 1904
when the new school code was
enacted by the legislature. There is
also a complete text of the ordi-
nance of 1787 and the enabling act of
1802, constitution of 1851, etc.
The book is thoroughly indexed and will
be of incalculable interest not
only to the historical and economic
student of Ohio but particularly to
teachers. It comprises one of the series
of handbooks of American gov-
ernment; 308 pages with map of Ohio
giving counties, railroads, etc.
Macmillan Company. 75 cents.
THE QUEST OF JOHN CHAPMAN.
John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed
was an eccentric and
unique character who first appeared on
the Ohio River about 1790 in a
boat filled with appleseeds. His plan
was to go in advance of the settlers
planting orchards through the wilderness.
This strange and philantropic
vocation he followed for some 25 or 30
years. His earlier career is
shrouded in mystery but is made romantic
with the tradition that he was
early disappointed in love. He was a
character of much ability in some
directions and exercised in his peculiar
way a serviceable influence upon
the forest pioneers among whom he
wandered.
Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis, the eloquent
pastor of Plymouth Church
has chosen John Chapman as the hero of a
fascinating and beautiful
narrative entitled "The Quest of
John Chapman." Says Mr. Hillis in his
preface: "Save Col. Clark, he
(Chapman) is the most striking man of
of the generation that crossed the
Alleghanies." Sir Walter Scott thought
it a matter of moment to his countrymen
that some one should preserve
the story of that old man who went
through the cemeteries rechiseling
the names of dead heroes. But this
scarred old hero of our republic is
a thousand times more fascinating than
Old Mortality or the heroes of
the Nibelungen Lied." Mr. Hillis
with a vivid and artistic imagination
and in the most felicitious and charming
English initiates his narrative
in the Town of Redham, New England, at
the time of the departure of
Mannasseh Cutler and his party for their
journey to the Ohio wilder-
ness. John Chapman is the son of the
village minister and has given his
heart to Dorothy, a daughter of Col.
Durand. The latter is a prowd,
high-spirited, influential gentleman who
objects to the alliance of his daugh-
ter with John. Col. Durand and Dorothy
are members of the Ohio Com-
Editorialana. 97
pany. Subsequently John Chapman seeks in
adventurous wanderings
through the western country, the home of
his plighted love. There is,
of course, a rival, fascinating and
chivalrous, but unworthy. Mr. Hillis
has with rare gifts of pen portrayal
pictured the simple but perilous life
of the New England pioneers who sought
their fortunes and amid the
Indian inhabited fastnesses beyond the
Alleghanies. It is a beautiful
story, pure, idyllic, poetic and through
the entire volume runs a delicate
vein of moral and elevating sentiment
such as renders the story at once
a prose poem and an eloquent sermon.
Amidst the flood of trashy and
demoralizing novels of the day Mr.
Hillis' "Quest of John Chapman" is
like a draft of sparkling and refreshing
water from some mountain spring.
It should be read by every lover of a
thrilling story told in the choicest
language. It is published by Macmillan
& Company, New York.
FIRST OHIO BATTLE IN 1812 WAR.
The Van Wert Bulletin of October
1, 1904, is responsible for the
following:
The first trial of arms in Ohio, in the
war of 1812, was a skirmish
on Marblehead peninsula between Indians
in the employ of the British
and early white settlers in the Ottawa
County firelands. The whites
were principally from Trumbull and Ashtabula counties. Among them
was Joshua R. Giddings, then aged
sixteen years, and who later stirred
the halls of Congress as one of Ohio's
senators.
The skirmish resulted in the flight of
the whites across Sandusky
Bay. After going but a short distance,
however, they met a relief party
from their former homes bound for their
own new settlement. The entire
party returned, and succeeded in
dispersing the erstwhile successful in-
vaders. But it was only after a terrible
conflict, and after many whites.
lost their lives, that the redskins were
forced to retreat.
A number of years after this memorable
conflict the survivors of
the battle met on the spot where the
conflict took place. It was agreed
that they should meet at stated periods,
but the few who assembled in
later years dwindled until finally in
1864, but one was left. That person
was Joshua R. Giddings, and, visiting
the scene of the conflict for the
last time, as fate destined it to be the
last, he erected a monument to the
memory of the hundred brave men who
fought the skirmish and resisted
the siege which was Ohio's debut in the
war of 1812.
A short time after the placing of this
little stone, and in the same
year, 1864, Giddings died. The monument
was placed by Giddings at
Meadowbrook, a beautiful spot near
Sandusky Bay, and but a short dis-
tance from Johnson's Island, another
place which became a location of
history as the federal prison for
southern prisoners captured in the War
of the Rebellion.
Vol. XIV-7.