THE HISTORY AND PROSPECTS OF THE
SOCIETY.
ANNUAL ADDRESS BEFORE THE OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, FEBRUARY 23, 1887. F. C.
SESSIONS, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
SOCIETY.
THE Ohio Archaeological and Historical
Society now
closes its second year, and begins its
third. May it not
be profitable to take in retrospect a
view of what has been
done, and in prospect of what may be
done?
The Society owes its origin to the
impulse given to his-
torical study by the great American Exposition
of 1876.
No event in the century has so
stimulated the study and
the preservation of American history,
not only of prehis-
toric times and pre-American times, but
of our century.
That event called from every class the
history of its rise
and progress, and showed fully its
development.
It was there demonstrated that Ohio-the
oldest State
in the Northwest Territory, and the
first-born State of the
Union-had a history in antiquities, in
its origin, settle-
ment, progress and development unequalled
by any other
State. With a meager appropriation, the
finest historical
exhibit outside of the Smithsonian
Institution, was made
by Ohio, and under the direction and
control of the Ohio
Archaeological Society. In the
prosecution of this work
appear the names of Hon. R. B. Hayes,
Dr. N. S. Towns-
hend, General R. Brinkerhoff, Professor
M. C. Read, Pro-
fessor Charles Whittlesey, John H.
Klippert, Esq., Judge
Charles C. Baldwin; and others equally
active, are con-
spicuously prominent. Each worked
zealously in this
movement, and each hoped to see a
permanent society
founded on an established basis.
There was, however, no provision made
for such an
organization by the employment of a
suitable person to
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The History and Prospects of the Society.
333
devote his time to the work, and no one
could be found
whose occupation would permit the
necessary attention,
and the Society gradually became
inoperative.
There were, however, friends of the
movement who did
not wholly abandon hope, nor entirely
cease their efforts.
They were in constant correspondence,
and often con-
sulted "one with another"
concerning the desirability
and usefulness of such a Society.
Finally, on the evening of February 12,
1885, a number
of gentlemen met in the Secretary of
State's office to con-
sider the advisability of calling a
meeting to organize a
Society. After a full discussion of the
matter, it was
agreed to call a public meeting of all
those interested in
preserving our history. The present
Secretary of the
Society was one of the principal
promoters of the object,
and was instructed to formulate a
circular and send the
same to all who might care to encourage
the effort. The
responses to the circulars were numerous
and gratifying.
The circular embodying the objects of
the call was sent to
all the papers in Ohio. Its publication
was very general,
showing the interest taken in the
subject. It was fol-
lowed by a circular enlisting the
educational element of
the State. The circulars called
attention to the approach-
ing centennials of our organic law-the
Ordinance of
1787-and
of the first American settlement made under
its wise provisions. The suggestion
looking to a general
celebration in all the public schools on
this anniversary
day -April 7, 1888--as well as to a
grand celebration at
Marietta, and of an exposition of the
educational and in-
dustrial progress in Ohio during its
first century, to be
held in its Capital City in the autumn,
all these matters
elicited general and marked interest.
Those who are present will remember the
interesting
meetings held in this chamber on the
evenings of March
12 and
13, 1885, at which time the present Society was
organized.
The plan of the Society, briefly stated,
is to encourage
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Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.
the study and preservation of our
antiquities and our his-
tory, and to provide for the
preservation of valuable arti-
cles connected therewith. The objects of
the Society are
well expressed in the articles of
incorporation, Section 3
of which reads as follows:
"Said Society is formed for the
purpose of promoting
the knowledge of archaeology and
history, especially of
Ohio, by establishing and maintaining a
library of books,
manuscripts, maps, charts, etc.,
properly pertaining thereto;
a museum of pre-historic relics and
natural or other curi-
osities or specimens of art or nature
promotive of the ob-
jects of the Association, said library
and museum to be
open to the public on reasonable terms,
and by courses of
lectures and publication of books,
papers and documents
touching the subjects so specified, with
power to receive
and hold gifts and devices of real and
personal estate for
the benefit of such Society, and
generally to exercise all
the powers legally and properly
pertaining thereto."
The report of the Secretary for the
first year showed a
membership of 239 persons; and a museum
of over four
thousand specimens; besides many
valuable paintings,
books, papers, periodicals, etc., for
its library. During the
first year, in addition to the addresses
delivered at the
meetings of organization, there were
held in Columbus,
six meetings, at each of which excellent
papers were read.
During the same year meetings were held
at Mansfield and
Hamilton, while the Secretary delivered
a number of ad-
dresses in various parts of the State in
the interest and on
the part of the Society. You will all
remember the last
annual meeting, which was marked by an
increasing inter-
est, and by its timely addresses. The
course of lectures of
each year is arranged to open in
September or October,
and close in March or April. During this
year's course the
following addresses have been given at
regular meetings
in this city.
In November, Mr. E. O. Randall, of
Columbus, present-
ed an exhaustive paper on
"Blennerhassett," giving a full
The History and Prospects of the Society.
335
and interesting account of the island by
that name, and of
the personages and events connected
therewith.
In December, Professor B. A. Hinsdale,
of Cleveland,
presented an excellent paper before the
Society on the sub-
ject "The First Circumnavigation of
the Earth."
In January, General E. B. Finley, of
Bucyrus, read an in-
teresting paper on "The
Drift," and in February, George
G. Washburn, Esq., of Elyria, delivered
an exceedingly in-
structive address before the Society on
"Mountains, Vol-
canoes and Earthquakes."
Reviewing the subjects presented before
the Society, it
may be asked, what part these scientific
lectures bear to
a Society whose name and object implies
a study of Arch-
aeology and History. To this it may be
answered that in
the organization of the Society, serious
consideration was
given to the proposal to adopt a
scientific title. To this it
was objected that the name would be
needlessly length-
ened and that the same object could be
secured by devot-
ing a portion of each year's course to
scientific subjects.
With this understanding the present name
was adopted,
which, I venture to suggest, is now
rather cumbersome,
and might be abbreviated by calling the
Society simply
"The Ohio Historical Society,"
this name embodies all
that the present name implies, and is
much more easily
remembered.
Stopping only to mention this point,
allow me to express
some views on the future work of the
Society.
The Secretary's report shows that to
date 290 persons
have joined the Society; of this number
five have died,
leaving 285 names on the roll. It is
safe to assume that
this number can not only be maintained,
but, in event of
certain conditions I will mention later,
materially in-
creased. The experience of all societies
of this class shows
a slow growth in their earlier stages.
But, in every case,
the growth, where nurtured, has been
constant.
The chief aim of all historical
societies is to preserve
history, not only in written records,
but in printed forms
336
Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.
available to all; and also
preserve all articles illustrating
history. This leads me to speak of our
publication.
When the Society was organized, a
regular publication
in some form was determined upon. Just
what form it
should take was left to the future to
decide. During the
last year the Secretary made diligent
inquiry among all
similar organizations concerning their
publications and
their experience in their issue. The
result showed the
most satisfactory to be one issued at
regular intervals dur-
ing the year-say quarterly or monthly.
Such an issue
not only records the transactions of the
Society, as would
an annual, but it admits of special
departments, such as
"Notes and Queries,"
"Original Communications," "Re-
prints of old Documents," and such
articles as may be
offered to, and accepted by the Board of
Editors. Thus it
becomes a medium coming at intervals
sufficiently often
and regular to enlist the interest of
all who receive it and
of many who see it. The expenses of such
a publication
are but little, or no more than an
annual volume; and it is
the experience of all who have tried
both forms that it is
more useful and more preferable than any
other form of
publication.
Aside from the preservation and
dissemination of knowl-
edge by means of printed matter, the
object of the Society
is to preserve articles illustrative of
history. This implies
the founding of a museum of antiquities.
This, to the eye,
is as instructive as the printed page,
and, like all objects
of illustration, is a matter of great
and important interest.
The report of the Secretary shows a
museum already
established of several thousand
specimens, and the cor-
respondence shows a desire on the part
of Ohio people
everywhere to contribute to such a
museum, if they can be
assured of a safe receptacle for their
donations and a ju-
dicious use of them for the public good.
Investigation
has shown that Ohio is the richest field
in America inma-
terial for such a museum. For the lack
of one, enough
has already left the State for other
museums to have formed
The History and Prospects of the
Society. 337
one of the finest collections in
America. Enough is yet
remaining to still keep the position of
Ohio first, if it is
gathered and safely stored. It therefore
behooves us to
consider this part of our work carefully
and direct our
energies to the accomplishment of this
result. A few years
of judicious effort will place in our
Capital City one of
the finest museums of historic articles
in America. This
would be not only an ornament and an
attraction of un-
equalled merit, but an institution
educational and beneficial
in character.
The question of preserving in such a
museum our rich
archaeological and historical collection
is not only feasible,
but we have daily assurances that such
an institution will
in time be the custodian of all such
collections, whose
owners will eventually desire to see
them in such a place.
Here also could be gathered and stored
casts of our noted
earthworks, for which Ohio is so famous,
and I am pleased
to state that to devise some method for
their preservation,
is now the work of a committee appointed
at our last
annual meeting, and who will report its
progress at this
session.
When the Society was organized, the
question of a cele-
bration in the common schools,
commemorative of the set-
tlement of Ohio, was suggested.
Professor John B. Peaslee,
then Superintendent of the Cincinnati
public schools, sug-
gested a plan somewhat similar to
"Arbor Day" celebra-
tions, as they are known. The suggestion
was timely, and
at the request of the Society, Prof.
Peaslee agreed to pre-
pare a pamphlet collection of prose and
poetical selections
suitable for such a celebration. It is
expected to have this
pamphlet ready early next winter, and to
introduce it
into our schools, especially country
schools, during the
coming winter's session. The preparation
necessary for
such a celebration and its performance,
will do a vast
amount of good by inciting in the minds
of the youth a
desire for good and wholesome, as well
as enticing read-
ing. The Secretary has already performed
a large amount
338
Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.
of work among the teachers and schools
of Ohio, and
reports a gratifying interest in these
matters.
I should also, I think, refer to the
contemplated Educa-
tional Exposition in connection with the
annual meeting
of the National Teachers' Association of
the United
States, which meets in July next. Ohio
is, as she properly
should, taking a leading part in this
enterprise. Ohio is
the first State in our Union to profit
by the ordinance of
May 20th, 1785, giving to the cause of
education one-
thirty-sixth of the public land for the
support of common
schools. Under the direction of our
energetic State Su-
perintendent of Instruction, Mr. LeRoy
D. Brown, the best
exhibits of Ohio's educational progress
will be shown. I
venture to suggest that a large part of
the work done in
this Exposition can be advantageously
used in our Centen-
nial Exposition in 1888, and when this
material has done
its work there, it can be secured for
our State Museum.
Our Society should at all times endeavor
diligently to
instill into the minds of the youth of
our State correct
knowledge of what has transpired in our past,
that they
may not only be the more intelligently
ready to act during
the present, but be well prepared
for the future.
It is proper to allude here to the
growing interest in our
approaching centennial. The interest in
these events is
national and the reasons therefor are
apparent to every
student of our history. It is so well
expressed in an article
prepared by our Secretary, that a
quotation therefrom
will be, I think, sufficient. The
Secretary says: "The
year 1888 marks the end of the first
century since what is
now Ohio was first permanently settled
by Americans.
This settlement was made at what is now
Marietta, Ohio,
and the celebration of this important
event is one which we
can loyally support. The settlement was
the result of
momentous questions, and, in itself, was
one of the most
important in America. It was the
outgrowth of a desire
by American people, first, to sell the
public domain to
actual settlers; second, to assure to
everyone the rights of
The History and Prospects of the Society. 339
persons, property and speech; third, to
give to every in-
habitant an opportunity to derive and to
enjoy the benefits
of an education, furnished by the
people; fourth, that
slavery, then in the ascendency in
America, should not
exist.
"A settlement made under such
auspices could not but
attract the best elements not only of
the older States, but
also from other countries. As a result
Ohio of to-day con-
tains a greater diversity of
nationalities and a greater
variety of industries than any State in
the Union."
It is proposed to commemorate the
Centennial at Mari-
etta by a celebration that will properly
represent the
respect held now by us of the pioneers
who laid the foun-
dation of our present prosperity and our
present position.
A provisional program of exercises is
already announced,
and I am glad to see so many of
Marietta's people repre-
sented in our Society, and present at
our meetings. They,
through their committees, will report
matters in detail,
and more fully inform us of their work
and of their
anticipations.
"It is proposed," also, says
the Secretary, in the same
article, "to gather at the end of
the first century the out-
growth of a civilization planted under the
foregoing men-
tioned causes, and note the results. It
is a fitting time to
celebrate the principles under which our
State was organ-
ized. Ohio is the first state in the
Union created out of
territory belonging to the Union; hence
Ohio is the first-
born of the Union-the oldest child-the
first to be formed
by all the other States, and it is
proper that she should
show her gratitude by inviting all, and
particularly the
thirteen original States, to visit her
and note the results
of their action.
"The 67th General
Assembly of Ohio passed an act
authorizing an Ohio Centennial
Exposition at the close of
the first century since its soil was
settled by Americans.
The resolution providing for such an
exposition states that
'The one hundredth anniversary of the
settlement of the
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Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.
State, now among the foremost in rank
and importance in
the Union, shall be celebrated in the
year 1888, by the
holding at the Capital of the State, of
an Exposition de-
monstrating the material and educational
progress of the
State during its first century.'
"The proposed Exposition will be
held in the early
autumn of 1888, in the Capital of the
State, on grounds
belonging to the State, and controlled
by the State Board
of Agriculture. The Exposition will
continue not less
than four weeks, and its character will
bear prominently
in view the historical, the
illustrative, the progressive
and the educational features of the
products of Ohio's
first century. At this time, all Ohio
people, wherever they
may be, will be invited to visit the
Buckeye State, and
join with all her people and all her
friends in her grand
Exposition."
The opportunity to acquire a large
amount of material
for our museum, at the close of the
Exposition, should
not be lost. The experience of all
Expositions has shown
that a large amount of historical
material accumulates at
such times, and that it is usually given
to that Society
which is best prepared to receive and
care for it.
Thus it will be seen that only
well-directed, persistent
effort is necessary to establish such a
society as is contem-
plated in our articles of incorporation:
a society that will
be not only an ornament and an
attraction, but will be one
of marked usefulness and influence for
all time to come.
Practically, the way to do this is to
secure and maintain
an active membership numerically
sufficient to meet cur-
rent expenses, and to found an endowment
fund sufficiently
large to cover all general expenses. The
way seems to be
open; in truth the opportunity was never
so good as now;
and we trust such as are now connected
with the Associa-
tion will not only continue steadfastly
therein, but will in-
duce others to unite with us in this our
commendable work.
I now declare the Second Annual Meeting
of this Society
open.