HISTORICAL NEWS
Historical Organizations
ALLEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lima
James A. MacDonell, President
The society now has about $134,000 in
cash and a quantity of bricks
on hand for its proposed museum
building. The estimated cost of the
structure is $150,000. The society would
like to lay the cornerstone in
Ohio's sesquicentennial year, but
definite plans have not been made.
ALLIANCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Alliance
Mrs. Fred R. Donaldson, President
A marker has been placed by the society
at the old Williamsport
Cemetery as a memorial to the United
Brethren church which was built
on the site about 1819. Names of the
early settlers buried in the old
cemetery are engraved on the back of the
stone. The collection of clothing
of different periods for the museum is a
current project of the organization.
The society participated in the
commemorative ceremonies on February 14
when the special train over the old
route of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh
Railroad from Cleveland to Wellsville
stopped at Alliance. The event
celebrated the centennial of the opening
of rail service between Lake
Erie and the Ohio River, which aided the
development of Alliance and
other towns along the route.
AMERICAN JEWISH ARCHIVES, Cincinnati
Jacob R. Marcus, Director
A special Ohio sesquicentennial exhibit
has been arranged. It consists
of photostats and photographs showing
the history of the Jew in the Ohio
Valley as far back as the 1760's. In
addition, the archives has prepared
a brochure dealing with the history of
the Jews in Ohio.
Volume II of Dr. Marcus' Early
American Jewry is scheduled for early
publication by the Jewish Publication
Society of America.
ANTHONY WAYNE PARKWAY BOARD, Columbus
J. Richard Lawwill, Director
Richard C. Knopf, historian on the staff
of the board, participated in
the examination of the remains of the
powder magazine of old Fort
Washington recently discovered in
downtown Cincinnati. A complete
181
182
Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
report of the find was published in the
January 1953 Bulletin of the
Historical and Philosophical Society
of Ohio. The article was written
by Mr. Knopf with the assistance of
Raymond S. Baby, curator of
archaeology of the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society, and
Dwight L. Smith of the Ohio State
University department of history.
The board is cooperating with the
Anthony Wayne Parkway Commission
of Indiana and the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society in
the marking of the Greene Ville Treaty
Line at junctions with major
highways. It is also working with the
Hamilton County sesquicentennial
committee in marking historic sites in
that county.
The collection of Indian War slides
prepared by the board to aid in
telling the story of the Indian Wars in
the Ohio Valley is being used
by a number of agencies. The set of
forty-four slides may be purchased from
the board.
Guy D. Hawley of Greenville was
appointed recently by Governor
Lausche as a member of the Anthony Wayne
Parkway Board to succeed
Fred D. Coppock also of Greenville, who
had resigned.
CRESTLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Crestline
Ernest G. Hesser, President
The program committee for the year
1952-53 is composed of Mrs.
F. J. Gosser, B. J. Fry, and J. L.
Morrow. They were elected at a meeting
on September 1.
The guest speaker for the January 21
meeting was Earl J. Knittle of
Ashland, Ohio. His subject,
"Antiques of This Area--How and What to
Collect," was illustrated by
antiques from his own collection.
The society is taking an active part in
planning for Crestline's Ohio
Sesquicentennial Home Coming, May 30 and
31. The president of the
society has given talks before the
Bucyrus, Mansfield, and Galion Rotary
clubs and other groups to interest them
in local sesquicentennial observances.
The annual four-page bulletin of the
society was issued on November 1.
CLINTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Wilmington
Robert A. Hussey, President
The following officers were elected at a
meeting of the society in
January: Robert A. Hussey, president; P.
M. Ellis, first vice president;
Mrs. H. N. Lazenby, second vice
president; Mrs. Fred Carroll, secretary;
Mrs. Harry Hague, Jr., treasurer; and
Ethel H. Hayes, historian.
Historical News 183
FAIRPORT HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Fairport
Harbor
George Gedeon, President
The society will sponsor a
sesquicentennial dinner launching the Fairport
Mardi Gras on Wednesday, July 1. This
will be a part of the Mardi Gras
observance of Sesquicentennial Day. Carl
Reeves is chairman of the dinner
committee.
A sesquicentennial postcard featuring
views of the old lighthouse is
also being planned by a committee
composed of Pearl Killinen and Alma
Saari.
FRANKLIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Columbus
Frank A. Livingston, President
The speaker for the January meeting of
the society was George E.
Roudebush, former superintendent of the
Columbus public schools, who
presented an illustrated talk,
"Passing of the Little Red Schoolhouse." The
February meeting featured "The
Staging of Early Melodrama in Columbus,"
a lecture by Dr. John H. McDowell,
director of theater at Ohio State Uni-
versity. An added attraction was the
first showing of the Oral M. Heffner
Theater Collection, which includes over
700 rare photographs of early
actors and actresses who visited
Columbus years ago.
GEAUGA COUNTY HISTORICAL AND MEMORIAL
SOCIETY, Burton
B. J. Shanower, President
The directors of the society recently
authorized the purchase of a district
school building to be rebuilt on the
museum grounds with other typical
buildings of the past. The school will
be dedicated at the annual home
coming at the museum, the tentative date
for which has been set for
October 10-11.
HANCOCK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Findlay
W. Albert Hogle, President
President Hogle is continuing his study
of General William Hull, who
marched through Hancock County on his
way to Detroit in 1812. He
plans a third trip to Washington and New
York in search of data for the
study.
HAYES MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM,
Fremont
Watt P. Marchman, Director
William Andrews, janitor and night
watchman at the memorial, died
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Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
of a heart attack on January 26, while
on duty. He is survived by his
widow, a son, and five daughters.
A special exhibition on the out-going
president, Mr. Truman, and the
in-coming president, Mr. Eisenhower, was
shown from November through
January.
The papers of Rutherford B. Hayes are
included in the National Historical
Publications Commission's selection of
manuscript collections recommended
for publication. The list includes the
papers of 110 prominent Americans.
The director attended the opening of the
Ohio Sesquicentennial Exhibit
at the Library of Congress on January 8
as a special guest of the library.
He and Erwin C. Zepp, director of the
Ohio State Archaeological and
Historical Society, also a special
guest, appeared with Senator Robert A.
Taft, Dr. Carl F. Wittke, and others in
a photograph published in the
Library of Congress Information
Bulletin.
The director is a member of the Sandusky
County Sesquicentennial
Celebration Committee.
HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF
OHIO, Cincinnati
Virginius C. Hall, Director
The Buckeye Birthday Exhibition of this
society will open for members
and guests at the Taft Museum on Friday,
April 17. Thereafter it will
continue open to the public through May
31.
The director is a member of several
committees preparing programs for
the Ohio sesquicentennial observance in
Hamilton County. Alice P. Hook,
librarian, is on the speakers bureau in
connection with the celebration.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN
OHIO, Toledo
Randolph C. Downes, Executive
Director
The society has engaged the director to
give full time from February 1
to September 1, 1953, to the writing of
a textbook for the eighth grade
of the Toledo public schools. The text
is to be entitled An Introduction
to American Democracy and will approach
United States history through
the part of Lucas County in it. This is
to be one of Lucas County's con-
tributions to the commemoration of
Ohio's 150th anniversary.
LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elyria
Mrs. James B. Thomas, President
The president, Mrs. Thomas, has recently
been named chairman of the
Ohioana Library Committee for Lorain
County.
Historical News 185
MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Youngstown
Howard C. Aley, President
The annual meeting of the society on
January 21 marked the seventy-
ninth year of the society's existence.
Officers elected at the meeting are
as follows: president, Howard C. Aley;
first vice president, Mrs. Henry A.
Butler; second vice president, Joseph G.
Butler III; third vice president,
Randall H. Anderson; recording secretary,
Mrs. Ernest A. Goodman;
corresponding secretary, Ada M. Rogers;
treasurer, James L. Wick, Jr.;
assistant treasurer, Joseph G. Butler
III.
The society sponsored a display during
March in commemoration of
the sesquicentennial of Ohio at the
Butler Art Institute. The project was
under the direction of Paul L.
Hendricks, curator of the institute.
The issue of the Mahoning Valley
Historical Society News for March
1953 inaugurated a new quarterly
publication of the society. The four-page
bulletin also launched a membership
drive which is to continue throughout
1953. The society has two types of
memberships, annual memberships with
dues of $1.00 and sustaining memberships
of $10.00.
PORTAGE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ravenna
Mrs. J. R. Turner, Executive
Secretary
Officers elected at the January meeting
of the society are M. Herbert
Heighton, president; Paul H. Krueger,
vice president; Mrs. J. R. Turner,
executive secretary; Earl Willford,
treasurer; Iva Seymour, recording secre-
tary; J. B. Holm, historian; and Cyrus
Plough, curator.
The chief activity of the society still
centers around the renovation of
the property given for use as a museum
and place of assembly. Meanwhile,
the society holds monthly meetings in
the various townships of the county.
Merrible Myres was reappointed
membership chairman. The organization
now has 875 members.
SCIOTO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Portsmouth
Franklin E. Smith, President
Additional repairs on the society's
building have been made recently
under the direction of Ralph Marting,
chairman of the building committee.
The collection of objects of historical
interest is supervised by Mrs.
Harry W. Miller. Mrs. William L. Fannin
was appointed membership
chairman in November 1952.
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Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
SHAKER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Shaker
Heights
Caroline B. Piercy, Secretary
A round table was held on January 18 at
the Shaker Heights Public
Library with Howard Luce as moderator.
The panel was as follows: "Early
Warrensville," Caroline Piercy;
"North Union Shakers," Rev. John Schott;
"Shaker Music and Dance,"
Miriam Cramer Andorn; "Shaker Songs,"
Mrs. Erickson; "The Van Sweringen
Brothers," Virginia Hampton; "Shaker
Heights of Tomorrow," Mayor Barkley
of Shaker Heights. There were
three hundred in attendance.
The society is sponsoring an exhibit of
Constanine Kermes's paintings
of Shakers at the Shaker Heights
Galleries on March 1. Five miniature
Shaker scenes made by Caroline Piercy
are being exhibited in local schools
and libraries.
All officers of the society were
reelected for another year at a meeting
on January 28, except that L. M. Van
Fossan was elected treasurer
succeeding Howard Luce.
A map of Shaker holdings and a
corresponding modern map of Shaker
Heights have recently been published by
the society with the aid of
Howard Luce, the Rev. John Schott, and
the Shaker Savings Association.
SHELBY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Sidney
George 0. Harshbarger, Secretary
L. U. Hill and Maud Carey are writing a
series of articles on local
history which is being published in the Sidney
Daily News.
SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF PIONEER
RIVERMEN, Marietta
Frederick Way, Jr., President
True magazine, through its editor, Ken W. Purdy, is
presenting an
original oil painting of the former
Pittsburgh-Cincinnati packet, the
Betsy Ann, to the River Museum at Marietta. A color reproduction
of
the painting, which is the work of Dean
Cornwell, appeared on the cover
of the February 1953 issue of True.
"Luxury Liner of the
Mississippi," by Frederick Way, Jr., a factual story
of the growth of the Greene Line
Steamers, Inc., of Cincinnati, was
published in the February number of Ships
and the Sea.
STARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Canton
Donald K. Merwin, President
The annual dinner meeting of the society
held at the American Legion
Historical News 187
Hall in Canton was attended by 114
members and guests. Ernest J. Wessen
of Mansfield spoke on "150 Years of
Ohio Authors," and brought out
many interesting facts about Stark
County writers.
SUMMIT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Akron
Carl H. Pockrandt, President
Dean Albert I. Spanton of Akron gave a
talk, "Impressions from a Trip
to England," at the January meeting
of the society. Three color films,
"Oddities of Ohio,"
"Ohio, the Beautiful," and "Ohio Year Book," were
presented at the February meeting.
Karl H. Grismer's Akron and Summit
County, which was published last
year by the society, received the annual
award of the Mead Sales Company
of Dayton for outstanding physical
characteristics.
UNION COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Marysville
Clarence A. Hooper, President
Clarence A. Hooper was elected president
of the society in place of
W. H. Snodgrass, who resigned. Mrs.
William Coleman was named vice
president to succeed Mr. Hooper when he
became president. Trustees are
Guy Robinson, Peter Fisher, Todd Hooper,
Elizabeth Bonham, Ethel Helser,
Bruce Cahill, and Mrs. Richard
Langstaff.
The society is cooperating with the
Union County Sesquicentennial
Committee under the chairmanship of
Frieda Edwards in preparation for
the county's celebration of the state
sesquicentennial. While the society's
part has not been fully determined, one
of its contributions will be the
purchase of an Ohio state flag for use
during the observance.
WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL
SOCIETY, Lebanon
William Mason Phillips, President
The annual reorganization meeting of the
society was held on December 29
at the Golden Lamb. Officers elected at
that time for one-year terms are as
follows: William Mason Phillips,
president; Laura Cunningham, vice
president; Mary Lincoln, secretary; Lena
Iorns, treasurer; and Mrs. Gardner
H. Townsley, historian.
The programs this year, which are
emphasizing state and local history,
are being arranged by a committee
composed of Mrs. Lawrence J. Gray,
chairman, Mr. Gray, and Mrs. Phillips.
The annual banquet will be held
on April 20 at the Golden Lamb.
The portrait of Lucy Cowan painted by
Marcus Mote in 1850, which
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Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
was acquired by the society through the
will of the late Fred Brant, was
lent to the Ohio State Museum for an
Ohio paintings exhibition.
The society has begun the issuance of a
one-page bulletin, Warren County
Historicalog, edited by the historian, Mrs. Townsley.
WELLSVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Wellsville
Edgar Davidson, President
Two significant events of February 14
climaxed the efforts of members
of the historical society, the Carnegie
Library Board, the Chamber of
Commerce, and others. The first was the
arrival of the "History Special"
train in commemoration of the centennial
of the arrival in Wellsville
of the first train over the Cleveland
and Pittsburgh Railroad. Ceremonies
of one hundred years ago were reenacted
when Governor Frank J. Lausche
and Hugh Wells of Cleveland drove a
golden spike at the railroad yard.
The second event was the opening and
dedication of the new river
museum in the former Henry Aten mansion.
A good collection of exhibits
had been installed, outstanding among
which were several models of river
boats. Edwin Pugh, vice president of the
society and general chairman
for the celebration, Arlene Scotton, and
Donald Newbold were the most
active members of the society in the
preparations for the opening.
WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Cleveland
Russell H. Anderson, Director
Jacob D. Cox, a trustee of the society
for thirty-six years, died on
February 16, 1953.
Herman L. Vail has presented the society
a collection of Americana from
his personal library.
As a part of the society's
sesquicentennial activities the women's advisory
council has sponsored a series of
meetings devoted to Ohio history. Dean
Carl F. Wittke and Walter Havighurst
presented the first two lectures
on early Ohio. In March, Frank Siedel
introduced the Standard Oil
Company film on Ohio, and on May 8
Harlan Hatcher will address a dinner
meeting, at which time honor will be
paid to a number of persons who
have written on Ohio history.
During the remainder of the year some of
the older companies and in-
stitutions of Cleveland will present
exhibits showing their part in the
industrial growth of the state.
Recent exhibits included a toy shop of
yesterday; a costume exhibit of
gowns worn by wives of the presidents,
featuring those from Ohio, pre-
Historical News 189
sented by Mrs. Howard Bissell of
Peninsula, Ohio; and a photographic
display in which the Photographic
Society of Cleveland, the Women's
Photographic Society, and the Camera
Guild cooperated. Prints showing
Ohio scenes were shown during February.
On each Sunday afternoon
during the month selected colored slides
were shown by the camera dubs
and a demonstration of the microfilming
of documents was given. Prizes
were awarded in a competition limited to
junior and senior high school
students.
WOMEN'S CENTENNIAL ASSOCIATION, Marietta
Mrs. Arthur T. Henderson, President
Officers for the year 1952-53 are as
follows: Mrs. Arthur T. Henderson,
Jr., president; Etta Collins, first vice
president; Gertrude P. Strahl, second
vice president; Mrs. E. A. Flemming,
recording secretary; Mrs. Harry T.
Smith, corresponding secretary; Mrs.
Carl C. Combs, treasurer; and Freda
Schimmel, auditor.
About Historians
Louis Filler of the history department
at Antioch College had an article,
"Movements to Abolish the Death
Penalty in the United States," in the
Annals of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science for
November 1952.
Marvin Becker, a member of the history
faculty of Baldwin-Wallace
College since September 1952, published
two articles last year: "Benefit of
Counsel in Criminal Cases in Coke,"
in the Miami Law Review for June
1952; and "The Florentine
Revolution of 1343," in the Arkansas Academy
of Arts and Sciences for April 1952.
David Lindsey also published two
articles during the past year: "George
W. Norris at Baldwin University,"
in the Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus,
Spring 1952, and "George Canning
and Jefferson's Embargo," in Tyler's
Quarterly for October 1952.
Robert Kreider became assistant
professor of history at Bluffton College
on the first of September.
Two members of the Bluffton College
history faculty have published
books during the past year. Delbert
Gratz is the author of History of Bernese
Anabaptism published by the Mennonite Historical Society,
Scottdale, Penn-
190
Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
sylvania; and Paul Shelly, of Religious
Education and Mennonite Piety
Among the Mennonites of Southeastern
Pennsylvania, 1870-1943, issued
by the Mennonite Publication Office,
Newton, Kansas.
The department of history at Bowling
Green State University in co-
operation with other social studies
departments of the university sponsored
an institute, "Looking at
Ohio," on March 26, in commemoration of the
Ohio sesquicentennial. The schedule of
speakers and subjects was as follows:
Professor Wilfred E. Binkley, "A
Revaluation of McKinley"; Judge Paul A.
Alexander, "Ohio's Work in Domestic
Relations and Juvenile Courts";
Richard C. Knopf, "Anthony Wayne in
Northwest Ohio"; Maurice New-
berger, "Activities of the Ohio
Bureau of Juvenile Research"; Professor
H. F. Raup, "Names on the Map of
Ohio"; W. J. Loufman, "Growth
of the Ohio Oil Industry"; and
Nancy Johnston, "Ohio Prehistory."
Stanton Ling Davis, chairman of the
history department at Case Institute
of Technology, is conducting a European
study tour this summer which
carries six semester hours graduate or
undergraduate credit. It is open to
students from other institutions and to
teachers for in-service training credit.
The department of history at Central
State College, under the chairmanship
of Wilhelmena S. Robinson, presented a
chapel program on October 29,
"A Review of Political
Campaigns," and another on November 5, "A
Review of the Election Returns."
Vernell M. Oliver, associate professor
of history, delivered a paper at the
annual meeting of the Association for
the Study of Negro Life and History
at Detroit, Michigan. The paper,
"Russian Radicals and the Civil War,"
will appear in the Journal of Negro
History for Spring 1953.
William P. Robinson, professor of
political science, has completed his
Ph.D. dissertation, Judicial
Limitations.
Carl G. Klopfenstein, chairman of the
department of history at Heidelberg
College, is on leave of absence for the
second semester of the academic
year, 1952-53.
Richard G. Salomon, professor of church
history, Bexley Hall Divinity
School, Kenyon College, is the author of
an article, "Mother Church--
Daughter Church--Sister Church: The
Relations of the Protestant Episcopal
Historical News 191
Church and the Church of England in the
19th Century," published in the
Historical Magazine of the Protestant
Episcopal Church for December 1952.
Alfred D. Low, associate professor of
history and political science at
Marietta College, has been granted a
leave of absence for the second semester
of the current school year. During this
period he will serve in the capacity
of visiting lecturer in political
science at New York State College for
Teachers, Albany, New York. He will be
engaged also in graduate in-
struction.
Frederick B. Artz, chairman of the
department of history at Oberlin
College, is the author of Mind of the
Middle Ages, A.D. 200-1500, An
Historical Survey, published by Alfred A. Knopf, January 1953.
Paul A. Varg, associate professor in the
history department at Ohio
State University, is the author of a
book, Open Door Diplomat: The Life of
William Woodville Rockhill, published last year by the University of
Illinois Press, and of an article,
"William Woodville Rockhill and the Open
Door Notes," in the Journal of
Modern History for December 1952.
James M. Smith had an article, "The
Aurora and the Alien and Sedition
Laws. Part I: The Editorship of Benjamin
Franklin Bache," in the
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography, January 1953.
Frederick D. Kershner, Jr., professor of
history at Ohio University, read
a paper, "George Chaffey,
International Engineer," at the annual meeting
of the Pacific Coast Branch of the
American Historical Association held at
Vancouver, British Columbia.
John F. Cady, who served for a year as
visiting professor in the Southeast
Asia Institute at Cornell University,
resumed his duties at Ohio University
on February 1, 1953.
Phillip Shriver, assistant professor of
history at Kent State University,
is the director of a special
sesquicentennial program in Ohio history, which
is being offered by the university from
July 13 to August 1. The program
surveys the history of the state from
earliest times to the present in a
comprehensive schedule of lectures,
discussions, films, interviews, and travel
to historically significant localities.
Three credit hours in history (or five,
if a paper is submitted) may be earned
by graduate and undergraduate
students. Noncredit participants are
also welcomed.