Ohio History Journal

REVIEWS, NOTES AND COMMENTS

BY THE EDITOR

OHIO STATE HISTORY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

This is the title of a substantially bound, appropri-

ately illustrated and carefully indexed volume of 643

pages compiled and edited by Mrs. Annie Jopling Les-

ter, Ohio State Historian of the Daughters of the Amer-

ican Revolution.

The dedication is to Mrs. Lowell Fletcher Hobart,

State Regent of Ohio 1923-1926.

There is an opening sketch of three compact pages

giving full instructions how to become a member of the

D. A. R. including references to sources of proofs of

Revolutionary ancestry.

There is also in the introductory part of the volume

a timely contribution on, "Our Flag," by Louise Vance

Brand, National Chairman on correct use of the flag.

There is a beautiful cut in colors of the State Flag

of Ohio. There are biographical sketches of past Vice-

Presidents General from Ohio, State Regents and others

prominent in the history of the Society.

The body of the work is devoted to a history of all

of the chapters in Ohio. The sketch of each chapter

contains a list of the charter members with names and

in many instances portraits of the organizing regent

and other matters of interest in the history of the chap-

ter. Following this is a list of the members of each

chapter together with the present address and registered

(183)

184     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

lineage number, and the name and state of the Revolu-

tionary ancestor.

This makes the volume most valuable for reference

purposes. It is a distinct contribution to any Public

Library and especially valuable for Libraries devoted

primarily to the history of Ohio, as is the Library of

the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society.

Mrs. Lester and the Daughters who have contrib-

uted are to be highly congratulated on the production

of this volume.

THE OLD FREE STATE

The production of a local history of first importance

and authenticity requires, an editor personally interested

in the subject, with an ancestry identified with the re-

gion under consideration and an indefatigable industry

in research work;--an editor with the literary ability

to evaluate, arrange, and express in lucid and attractive

style the results of his research.

That these qualifications are united in an eminent

degree in Landon C. Bell, M. A. and LL. B. is attested

by his two volume work, entitled, The Old Free State,

A Contribution to the History of Lunenburg County

and Southside Virginia. Lunenburg, originally a part

of Brunswick County, began a separate existence by act

of the House of Burgesses, March 26, 1745.

The original County of Lunenburg embraced the

territory now included in Lunenburg, Halifax, Bedford,

Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Henry, Patrick,

Campbell and Franklin counties in the southern part

of Virginia.

Reviews, Notes and Comments           185

The early chapters of this work, "1607-1746;" "The

Indians;" "The Pioneers; Settlement; Development;"

are full of interest and give a very readable review of

the early history of this section.  Especially interest-

ing and valuable is the chapter on "The French and

Indian Wars," and the two following, "The Revolu-

tion," and "The War of 1812." In writing of the diffi-

culty that confronted him in the preparation of this

work, Mr. Bell makes a statement that will be fully

appreciated by others who in their respective sections

have had similar experiences. He says:

Lunenburg has shared the common fate of all peoples who

neglect their own history. What is known by everybody of one

generation is known by none of succeeding generations unless

someone takes the pains to record the facts. The gathering dust

of the passing years dims any neglected record, and is sufficient,

if it be long enough neglected, to entirely obscure and even to

destroy it. Many of the participants in the Revolutionary

struggle do not even have their names preserved to posterity,

and many exist as names only, so that present day investigators

find it difficult, if not impossible, to assign them a definite lo-

cality or to trace their descendants."

The author then tells us that few of the old original

records, muster rolls and pay rolls of the Revolution,

are in existence and that some of those still to be found

are in such a state of disintegration that it is difficult

to decipher many portions of them. In spite of these

difficulties, Mr. Bell has gathered from original sources

a surprisingly large collection of material, including

muster rolls, names of Revolutionary soldiers and, in

many instances, records of service where application

has been made for pensions. He has put these in gen-

erally available printed form that will be a boon to

many who trace their ancestry to the region included

186      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

in the scope of this work. The same is measurably true

of his contribution to "The War of 1812."

Although Virginia took a prominent part in the war

with Mexico and doubtless southern Virginia filled her

quota of soldiers who served under Taylor and Scott,

this chapter seems to have been omitted from the his-

tory. There are many pages devoted to the chapters:

"The Courts: County Courts; Circuit Courts"; and "The

Early Churches." These two subjects have been thor-

oughly documented and exhaustively treated. The first

volume concludes with 191 pages devoted to "Slavery,

Secession and the Civil War." Volume 2 begins with a

continuation of the concluding chapter of volume 1, in a

chapter entitled, "Post Bellum." This deals with the

condition of the south after the war and especially the

section of which Mr. Bell writes. This is followed by a

real contribution to the history of aviation in the chap-

ter, "Dr. Boswell Invents An Airplane." It is indeed

fortunate that Mr. Bell has given a prominent and per-

manent place to the invention of Dr. Boswell, who seems

to have been approaching very close to the goal of suc-

cess before the Wright Brothers reached it.

Mr. Bell is to be congratulated that he has given so

much space in his valuable work to genealogy in the

five chapters each entitled, "Lunenburg Cousins." In

recent years the usual county History is largely a re-

vamping in the first volume of what has been written

by earlier local historians, with a second volume of paid

biographies relating chiefly to the achievements of sub-

scribers to the work and those who are able and willing

to pay for space and illustration. Even these histories

have a value and readers may be a little surprised at

Reviews, Notes and Comments       187

our statement that their chief value is in these biogra-

phies. If every subscriber who furnishes a sketch

would include in it a carefully prepared genealogy of

his ancestors, this section of the history would be of a

still greater value. Mr. Bell has written the genealogy

of families with an ancestry reaching back to the early

history of Lunenburg county. This appears to have

been largely the result of his own work and must rep-

resent years of research and no little amount of travel

and correspondence. He is to be congratulated espe-

cially on this unusual and highly commendable feature

of his history.

One of the two contributions to the appendix is en-

titled, "John Marshall: Albert J. Beveridge as a Biogra-

pher." In this Mr. Bell criticizes Beveridge, whom he

considers too partial to John Marshall and unfair to

Thomas Jefferson. In this view he is at variance with

most of those who have reviewed Beveridge's monu-

mental work, The Life of John Marshall.

In chapters from "Slavery, Secession and the Civil

War" and a contribution to the appendix entitled,

"Abraham Lincoln: The Lincoln Myth," Mr. Bell writes

as a son of the South who believes the North was wholly

wrong in its attitude, preceding, during and immediately

following the Civil War. It follows, as he believes, that

the South was right and deserved to win. Of the

civic and military leaders of the Confederacy he in-

variably speaks in terms of praise and approval. He

protests that the youth of both sections were fed upon

"error, misrepresentation and falsification," "while the

South was prostrate and endeavoring painfully to re-

build its institutions and its altars destroyed in defiance

188     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

and violation of the laws of God and man and of usages

of all civilized nations, even in war, by such vandals

and savages as Sherman, Milroy, Sheridan, Hunter and

Pope."

He writes in language almost equally uncomplimen-

tary of Abraham Lincoln whom he considers "a human

being made of a very ordinary quality of human clay

with but a small measure of the qualities of justice, con-

sistency, nobility, and greatness of such men as Wash-

ington and Robert E. Lee."

He vigorously defends the right of his native state

to secede from the Union when it chose to do so, evi-

dently believing that the National Constitutional Con-

vention failed in its effort to form "a more perfect

union."

Mr. Bell's two volumes close with a biographical

sketch of Isaac Bonaparte Bell, the author's father, who

was in his youth a Confederate soldier and for many

years after the Civil War a prominent attorney and

highly respected citizen of Lunenburg County. This

sketch appeared originally in the South Hill Enterprise.

Mr. Bell is a member of the Columbus Bar, a schol-

arly gentleman and a patriotic citizen. His views on

the Civil War period may be read with entire equanimity

and without a trace of bitterness by those who entertain

diametrically opposite opinions. If the Confederate

States of America were in existence today with the con-

stitution adopted by the seceding states in 1861, it would

doubtless now be unsatisfactory to many Virginians,

who, failing to have it changed, would probably fall

back on their "sovereign rights" and secede from the

Party Politics in Ohio, 1840-1850        189

Confederacy. It is even conceivable that the author of

The Old Free State might be one of their number.

Following are brief extracts from reviews of this

work:

In our judgment, among the most remarkable contributions

that have been made to the history of the counties is the recently

published History of Lunenburg by Mr. Landon C. Bell, a native

of that county, and sprung from one of its oldest and most

distinguished families. His work is more than the history of

one county; it is more even that the history of one region. It

is also a history of some of the most significant aspects of the

past of the State as a whole. Throughout the narrative there is

the background of a large canvas. How wide is that background

may be shown by the enumeration of the contents, which are, in

outline, as follows: "The aborigines; the pioneers; the subse-

quent inhabitants of the region; its social, political, legislative

and judicial history; its churches and vestries; the French and

Indian wars; the War of the Revolution; the wars of 1812-1815

and of 1861-65; the period of Reconstruction; and finally, our

own era. * * *" In addition a voluminous list of genealogies

adds much to the value of the book; and not less interesting is

the description given of Dr. Boswell's experiment with the aero-

plane.--Dr. Philip Alexander Bruce, in William and Mary Quar-

terly.

It is unique in being the first and only comprehensive account

of the great region of the State south of the James River known

as "the Southside," including not only the county which gives

its name to the book, but in briefer measure those other counties

into which it came subsequently to be developed. It is a region

that has been the home of great men and the theatre of great

events, and it remains the habitation of a civilization as charac-

teristic of Virginia's past as any section within its borders.

Here developed and has continued a popular organization, eco-

nomic, social, and religious, which has persisted and flourished

longer perhaps than in most other sections of the Commonwealth.

Until comparatively recent years no railroads had penetrated its

broad expanses; no close contacts wrought by the mechanical

devices of a new age had broken the integrity of its ancient cus-

toms and manners and its old descent; and here still linger the

grace of life and the adherence to old creeds and ancient princi-

ples which adorned Virginia in her best days.--Mr. Armistead

C. Gordon, in Virginia Law Review.

190       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

The history of Lunenburg County which this important work

presents is distinctly a pioneer effort. Not even, it appears, has

there ever been issued so much as a handbook, or pamphlet re-

specting the County. Now Mr. Bell comes nobly to the rescue

in these two splendid volumes. In carefully digested chapters he

presents the history of Lunenburg from the times when the In-

dians were the sole inhabitants to the present time, when not an

Indian is to be seen. Its early white settlers, its political, social

and religious institutions, its part in the American Revolution,

in the War of 1812, and in the War for Southern Independence,

its agricultural industries, and its more prominent families--all

receive an adequate and extensive treatment. But this is not all.

Not content with the local history of Lunenburg, the author has

deemed it proper to give us some excellent chapters on Slavery,

Secession and the Civil War, considering them as essential to

proper understanding of the motives, views, and acts of the

Lunenburgers during that epoch of strife. The authentic history

is given for the first time in any printed work of how Lunenburg

earned the sobriquet of the "Free State."--Dr. Lyon G. Tyler,

in Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine.

In the first chapter is given a brief sketch of the early history

of Virginia and the genesis of the various Southside counties.

Then follows an account of the Indians inhabiting that part of

the country with many interesting details from contemporary

writers. The third chapter describes the creation of Lunenburg

and its subdivisions, followed by chapters on the French and

Indian Wars, the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Courts, the

early Churches, then four very valuable chapters on Slavery, Se-

cession, and the Civil War.

The second volume begins with a history of the Reconstruc-

tion period in Lunenburg, followed by others on Dr. Boswell's

Invention of an Airplane, and another on the lawmakers. Under

the general title Lunenburg Cousins, there are five chapters

treating of the genealogy of the County families. Chapter IX,

of Vol. II, has genealogical data comprising abstracts of the

marriage bonds and ministers' returns of marriages.--Dr. William

G. Stanard, in Virginia Historical Magazine.

A notable thing about Mr. Bell's book is his citation of au-

thority for the statements it contains; and the variety and num-

ber of such citations show the wide range of the author's studies.

The book begins with the arrival of the ships at Jamestown, and

ends with a wealth of genealogical data hardly to be found else-

Reviews, Notes and Comments             191

where in so well-ordered an arrangement.--Dr. Rosewell Page,

in The Researcher.

The most sensational chapter of the "Old Free State" is that

in which Mr. Bell breaks a lance battling the "Lincoln Myth."

The Lincoln of poetic idealism is roughly handled. Perhaps the

attack is too vigorous. Abraham Lincoln was undoubtedly a

man of many sides. That he made many errors and even

egregious blunders cannot be denied. That he was a paragon of

all virtues certainly cannot be affirmed. That he was a colossal

figure, that the good in him vastly overbalanced the evil, that he

was a true friend of the South despite his hatred of both slavery

and secession, we believe.--Dr. W. H. T. Squires, in The Nor-

folk Ledger-Dispatch.

In his discussion of the great issues of slavery and Virginia

politics, and of what he calls the Lincoln Myth, Mr. Bell gives

evidence that though he may have shifted his residence to Ohio

he is still thinking as a Southerner.--Mr. Harry Stilwell Ed-

wards, in The Atlanta Journal and The Asheville Citizen.

Mr. Bell, fortunately, is not willing to content himself with

the simple recital of Lunenburg's history. He fares somewhat

afield to write extraordinarily interesting and convincing discus-

sions of Virginia's attitude toward slavery and secession. Bot-

toming his conclusions upon unusually thorough knowledge of

Virginia's history and upon a searching study of the utterances

of Virginia statesman, he writes a chapter to the state's history

which is deserving of careful reading by every Southerner who

would understand the origins of the War between the States. His

views will not receive the absolute approval of all. The present

reviewer finds himself in sharp disagreement with some of Mr.

Bell's opinions. But Mr. Bell has placed Virginia's position in

the best light and supports every contention with deep and pene-

trating scholarship.--Mr. D. Hiden Ramsey, in The Asheville

Times.

As a history of a comparatively small section of the country,

Mr. Bell's work is most unusual in volume and detail. Whatever

he has touched of the past he has vitalized into new being. The

larger history, of which the history of the county is a part, has

been introduced to give the necessary background. For what he

has done for Lunenburg, "The Old Free State," the residents

of that locality ought to canonize him; if they take pride in

the past, he has rendered them an incalculable service. As for

192       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

the rest, it can only be said that Mr. Bell has clearly and vig-

orously written from the southern viewpoint. He has said some

things that will be unpalatable to northern readers, especially in

his discussion of Lincoln and the leaders of the northern armies.

But the time has come, doubtless, when we can all listen with

equanimity to a voice from the South that is so sincere and truly

patriotic as that of Mr. Bell. What is true will withstand all

assault, and what is fiction we do not need.--Dr. Osman C.

Hooper, in The Columbus Dispatch.

THE ROUSH FAMILY IN AMERICA

This is the subject of a most interesting contribution

to genealogy and history by Reverend Lester LeRoy

Roush, a citizen of Ohio, a Methodist minister in Ports-

mouth, Ohio, and a life member of the Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society. A beautiful

frontispiece to this ample volume of 713 pages is the

coat of arms of the "Rausch" family in colors. This

is the original spelling of the name of the family in

Germany. Chapter one of the book discusses in an in-

teresting way the history of the family under the topics,

"Whence They Came," "Why They Came," "When

They Came," and "Where They Came." Under the

first of these captions the author says:

Whence They Came

Our Research has revealed some variation of opinion as to

the place from which our early ancestors came. While tradition

usually has a strong element of truth it may also have an ele-

ment of error; but he who will take the necessary steps to pursue

cautiously his way in untrodden paths can find the place where

truth and error meet. The writer can speak with the authority

of one who has observed these precautions.

Swiss Tradition

A tradition comes from the Highland County, Ohio, branch

of our family that we are of Swiss descent and of the early

Reviews, Notes and Comments             193

Moravian faith. This we account for in the following manner:

In the days of severe religious persecution in the Rhine regions

there was an interchange of residence from parts of the Palati-

nate to certain parts of Switzerland, so that not a small number

of families from this section of Germany had at one time a very

close contact with the Swiss people, and when the reverse con-

ditions later prevailed in Switzerland these families returned to

the Rhine Valley and many of the Swiss people in like manner

took up their abode over in Germany.

The Dutch Tradition

The tradition that our early ancestors were a Dutch people

is not well founded and warrants no argument here. Sufficient

it is to say that this error may have had its origin from the fact

that they sailed from Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the sailing

ports for practically all of the early German emigrants. We are

largely indebted here to Professor Rupp's valuable collection,

Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch and French

Immigrants. which lists the country from which they came, the

port from which they sailed and the vessel on which they came.

This original list of signatures was made according to the re-

quirement of the laws at that time, and even tho they contain

only the names of men over sixteen years of age, they have

been of much value to us. In each and every case where the

names of Roush (Rausch) appears they are listed among the

sailors from the Palatinate. Both from tradition and from some

old written accounts we know they came from, or from near,

Darmstadt, a small division of the Palatinate on the Rhine

River.

Of German Origin

The Palatinate was not the country in which the family

originated. It is quite evident that the origin of the clan was

in Middle Germany.

Why They Came

The author next proceeds to tell us why they came

to America.

The reason for their coming requires a longer and more

detailed consideration; it is a problem more intricate and com-

plex, yet not impossible of solution. Here again tradition ap-

pears on the scene, as it always must in a family history, and

from this source we learn that they came partly because of re-

Vol. XXXVIII--13

194       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

ligious persecution. It is necessary for us to either disprove or

to establish this theory. The beginning of the great German

immigration is practically parallel with the beginning of the

eighteenth century. The Carolinas, New York, Virginia, but

mostly Pennsylvania, supplied homes for them. From Kuhn's

German and Swiss Settlements, pp. 1-30; 62ff, we learn that

the chief causes for these German home-loving people severing

their home ties and coming in such large numbers to the untried

wilderness of a new country, subject to various European powers,

were religious persecutions, devastating wars, political oppression

and social unrest. One of the strong characteristics of the Ger-

man, which he gets both by nature and training, is that he is a

great lover of home and homeland. This characteristic made him

the better American. It was fortunate, indeed, for the American

nation that so large a number of this home-loving people found

permanent abode in this new country, destined to become, and,

the more so by them, the greatest Land of Liberty in the realm

of man.

The Place to Which They Came

We next learn that they were influenced as were

many other settlers to choose as their homes in the land

of freedom the state of Pennsylvania, where under the

gentle rule of William Penn and the Quakers all men

were assured civil and religious liberty. The author

has well stated why they came to Pennsylvania and

afterward migrated to Virginia:

We turn now to our third consideration--the place to which

they came. For many members of the family there is need to

explain why we came from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,

instead of from Pennsylvania as is commonly stated. The earliest

German emigrants, as might naturally be supposed, came to New

York. But dissatisfaction soon arose there because of the com-

plex land laws, and because of the profiteers, who were glad to

allow these immigrants to take up their lands, ignorant of some of

the details concerning the land titles. Thus they found themselves

financially embarrassed, and oftentimes deprived of their lands for

which they had paid either in full or in part.

This word soon went back to the Fatherland with the advice

that their friends come to Pennsylvania, to which the majority

of these New York settlers themselves later came.

Reviews, Notes and Comments            195

By reason of William Penn's policies Pennsylvania had come

to be looked upon as a place of religious liberty--so much cher-

ished by our early family--a place of refuge for the politically

oppressed. Hence those distressed in heart and conscience, as

well as those seeking good financial investments, sought Penn-

sylvania as their American home. Thus came to this land of

refuge between 1727 and 1776 more than 30,000 home-seekers.

These came mostly to Philadelphia, Germantown and the sur-

rounding region.

It is evident that with this rapid influx land in this region was

rapidly taken, and the population soon became so dense that they

had to look farther beyond the horizon for more room and bet-

ter farms. The regions beyond the mountains must next have

consideration. Discoveries, settlements, and exploration hereto-

fore had been confined mostly to the coast line.  Density of

population in the European countries had been a strong contri-

buting cause for the American immigration. Unless new lands

were opened the Atlantic coast plain was doomed to the same

objections.

Because of the rapid settling up of eastern Penn-

sylvania, the Roush family, in the pioneer spirit, turned

their eyes to the west and found ample room and at-

tractive lands in the primeval forests of Virginia, in

the valley of "the beautiful Shenandoah."

When They Came to America

Rev. Roush then gives us the result of his research

in attempting to determine when they came to this coun-

try. He tells us that his quest has been fairly satisfac-

tory but admits that much light may yet be thrown upon

the date of the arrival of his ancestors in this country.

We quote again from what he has to say on this subject:

We have come now to our last question, When did they

come? Our answer to this question will be highly satisfactory

to all but the most exacting. Our research has been as thorough

as we are able to make it at this time. The author is still hope-

ful that something yet hidden will come to light that will enable

some future writer to fix with definiteness the exact date, but

196      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

until something further is revealed the reader must content him-

self with our present findings.

We are then told that Rupp, the historian, states that

four immigrants by the name of Rausch came from the

Palatinate to America in the years 1736-1738. The

author adds:

That a relationship existed between these immigrants seems

almost certain. It is the opinion of the writer that it must not

have been more distant than cousins. Some, at least, surely

were brothers. The truth of this, however, is a problem for

future students of this family.

A Worthy Family

The record of the family is a very honorable and

patriotic one. From the coming to America of its first

representatives, its members have been interested in

education and zealous in their religious affiliations.

Their patriotism has been conspicuously manifest

throughout the entire history of the United States. They

participated in the Dunmore War and representatives

were present in the battle of Point Pleasant. In the

Revolutionary War which soon followed they promptly

took up arms in the service of the patriot cause. The

portrait of George Roush, who was born in 1761, is given

along with the statement that he was one of nine broth-

ers who fought in the Revolutionary War. Other rep-

resentatives of the family were in the American army

from the outbreak of the Revolution to the surrender of

Cornwallis at Yorktown.    A goodly number of them

volunteered under the leadership of the preacher patriot,

John Peter Muhlenberg, who organized the Eighth Vir-

ginia Regiment in the Valley of the Shenandoah. Muh-

lenberg, one of the picturesque characters of the Revolu-

Reviews, Notes and Comments      197

tion, commanded a brigade of infantry at the battle of

Yorktown.

The Roushes were also numerously represented in the

War of 1812. The index to the work contains the names

of thirty-nine Roushes who served in the Civil War,

while twenty-five of this famous family are listed as

serving in the World War.

The genealogy of this family, covering the entire

period of our national existence, is also a fruitful source

of American history--of the triumphs of peace as well

as achievements in war. The genealogical sketches are

very complete and include extended notices of many

members of the family. The work is published by the

Shenandoah Publishing House, of Strasburg, Virginia.

It is appropriate that this beautifully and substantially

wrought book should be printed in the Valley of the

Shenandoah from which members of this family have

gone to all parts of the United States to build homes and

become worthy, substantial, and devoted citizens.

CHARLES A. JONES

Charles A. Jones was born at Deer Park, Maryland,

February 25, 1885; was educated in the West Virginia

Wesleyan University and the Ohio Wesleyan Univer-

sity at Delaware, Ohio, graduating from the latter in

1907 with honors in economics and government and the

degree of A. B.; served on the staff of the Delaware

Gazette from 1907 to 1914; was secretary of the Ohio

Tax Commission, 1915 and 1916; in publicity work,

1917 to 1918; in 1919 and 1920 was in China on the