USA > Ohio > Annual report of the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, 1885-1905 > Part 9
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It is a well-known fact that few societies keep files of their own printed records. The Historical Society collects and preserves these rapidly vanishing details of local history as far as possible, but the work can not be accomplished fully without the co-operation of the persons through whose hands this matter first passes.
There are in Cincinnati and vicinity many organizations of Women's Clubs conducted for the improvement and entertainment of their members. From the programs of these literary societies we see how largely the study of history enters into their plan of work; might not a portion of the time given to the classes be profitably directed to the study of local history ? Our first century as a state is not devoid of interest; the western pioneer life of early days is filled with incidents calculated to give many an afternoon of pleasure and instruction. But a work beyond this in importance could be accomplished by these societies that would be of the greatest benefit to the future historian ; as auxiliary helpers to the Historical Society, much local material for history might be gathered in the various neighborhoods, old manu- scripts, letters, journals. diaries, now hidden away in the homes of early settlers when brought to light prove the precious treasures of historical societies ; they give glimpses of the past no where else to be found, and should be saved from destruction wherever possible. Relics which peculiarly belong to a past age, school catalogues, pamphlets of all kinds, church records of marriages, baptisms, deaths, are of vast importance in genealogical work ; clippings from newspapers may be made very useful by following some plan in selection and arrange- ment. Would that the people of Cincinnati realized more fully, how in this quiet house on Eighth Street there is building up for them, by a sure, steady, healthful development, a store-house of historical informa- tion, that will be of inestimable value to the coming generations.
CATHARINE W. LORD, Librarian.
8
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
1
CONTRIBUTIONS.
SOCIETIES AND INSTITUTIONS.
Vols. Pams.
Academy of History and Antiquities, Stockholm, Sweden.
I
American Congregational Association
-
American Humanitarian League.
3
Boston, City of.
2
Boston City Hospital.
2
Boston Public Library
I
Bostonian Society.
I
Brown County Convent.
2
Bunker Hill Monument Association.
3
Canadian Institute
3
Cincinnati ---
Board of Supervisors
I
Chamber of Commerce
I
Childrens' Home.
13
City of Cincinnati.
I
Medical College of Ohio
12
Museum Association
5
Public Library.
I
Queen City Club.
1155
University of Cincinnati.
3
Young Mens' Mercantile Library Association
96
726 I
Colorado College Scientific Society
I
Cornell University.
I
Dayton Public Library
I
Essex Institute.
5
France, Société Nationale des Antiquaires de
3
Friend's Book Store
I
Iowa Historical Society.
5
Kansas Historical Society
I
Laval University
I
Louisiana Historical Society.
Lackawanna Institute of History and Science
3
Massachusetts Historical Society
2
9
Connecticut Historical Society.
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio. 9
Military Order of the Loyal Legion, U. S .-
California
25
Iowa
16
Michigan 19
Minnesota.
13
New York
35
Ohio
2
Wisconsin
IO
Milwaukee Public Library.
I
Milwaukee Public Museum.
1
Į
Minisink Valley Historical Society
I
Missouri Botanical Garden
I
Missouri Historical Society.
9
Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union
I
Nebraska Historical Society.
I
Newberry Library
New England Historic Genealogical Society.
2
Nova Scotian Institute of Science
I
Northern Indiana Historical Society
Oberlin College
16
Ohio-
Agricultural Experiment Station -
Diocese of Southern Ohio
1
State of Ohia
8
Oneida Historical Society
I
Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.
I
Planters' National Bank, Richmond, Va.
I
Presbyterian Historical Society
I
Rhode Island Historical Society.
4
Royal Society of Canada
I
Tennessee State Board of Health.
I2
Travelers' Insurance Company.
12
United States-
Agriculture, Department of.
1
American Republics, Bureau of
Coast and Geodetic Survey
2
Education, Bureau of.
3
I
Ethnology, Bureau of.
Fish Commission.
I
I
Geological Survey.
5
10
Labor, Department of.
I
5
Rolls and Library, Bureau of.
2
I
Smithsonian Institution
I
State Department.
12
Statistics, Bureau of. :
S
Treasury Department
I
Weather Bureau.
8
·
I
National Museum
IO
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
University of Pennsylvania.
3
University of Vermont.
Western Reserve Historical Society
2
Wisconsin State Historical Society
I
I
Worcester Free Public Library.
I
Wyoming Commemorative Association
2
Yale University I
3
Yearly Meeting of Friends.
I
Yonkers' Historical and Library Association
I
INDIVIDUALS.
Anderson, Mrs. Larz.
2
Atkinson, Edward, Boston
1
Bailey, J. O
I 2
Balch, Edwin. Swift, Philadelphia
I
Barratt, Norris S., Philadelphia
I
Bassler, S. S.
I
Bellows, William H.
4
Bent, Allen H., Boston.
I
Boyden, Henry P.
I
Bradford, Mrs. T. C.
13
Brown, Avery T., New York
I
Burton, C. M., Detroit.
I
Crow. Miss Mary
I
Cudmore, P., Faribault, Minn
2
Deacon, Edward, Bridgeport, Conn
I
Ely, Miss E. A.
I
Felton, Mrs. S. M.
I
French, A. D. Weld, Boston
I
Freiburg, Julius.
1
Gano, Mrs. John A.
I
Green, Chas. R., Lyndon, Kan
2
Green, Samuel S., Worcester, Mass.
2
Guilbert, W. D., Columbus, O.
3
Hatch, William Stanley.
I
Holden, William
5 27
Hoyt, A. H., Boston,
2
Kemper, Miss Hattie
I
Loveland, Frank J.
6
Martin, Mrs. G. W.
I
Moore, Clarence B., Philadelphia
2
Munsell, W. A
I
Osler, William
3
Peaslee, John B
I
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio. II
Pendleton, Miss Mary L., Washington
3
Putnam,. Benj. W 2
Read, Robert L.
1
Scaright, James A., Uniontown, Pa.
I
Smith, Mrs. M. P. W I
Storer, Miss Elizabeth
3
Taft, Mrs. Alphonso
26
25
Tooker, William Wallace, Sag Harbor, N. Y
2
Walker, Miss Annie
2
Webb, Mrs. William F
I
Wiborg, Mrs. Frank.
1
Wilby, Chas. B
110
Winslow, William C., Boston
I
-
MEMBERS.
Anderson, Davis C.
I
Anderson, Edward L.
II
Anderson, Larz.
38
Anderson, Mrs. Louise N
62
Appleton, Miss Sarah H
2.4
6
Bliss, Eugene F.
27
19
Caldwell, John D
I
Carroll, Robert W.
I
Chatfield, Albert H
7
42
Chatfield, Mrs. Albert H
27
Clarke, Robert;
8 72
Davis, Nat'l Henchman
2
Dexter, Julius.
II
250
Ganc, John A ..
17 25
Green, Samuel A., Boston.
18
Greve, Mrs. T. L. A
19
Henderson, Edwin.
2
Huntington, Mrs. F. G.
7
Jones, Frank J
67
King, Mrs. Rufus
I
Kittredge, E. W
60
130
Langdon, Perin
2
Longworth, Mrs. Nicholas
?
Lord, Mrs. Catharine W
28
Mathews, George.
8
Neave, Miss J. C.
2 40
Vettelton, Mrs. N. G
I
Newton, John M
2
2
Perry, Mrs. Aaron F
1
1 2
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
Schmidlapp, J. G.
1
Seely, Mrs W. W
I
Storer, Bellamy
33 27
Storer, Mrs. Bellamy
Taylor, W. W
2
Warder, R. H
2
Weir, L. C.
I
The Society is indebted to Messrs. Boyden, Dexter, Warder and Wilby for many circulars, leaflets, tickets, clippings, etc., relating to the late presidential election, interesting historical matter, but not included in the list of accessions.
Credit is given among the pamphlets for many single newspaper gifts.
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Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
MISCELLANEOUS CONTRIBUTIONS.
Anderson. Larz. I commission.
Appleton, Miss Sarah H. Various photographs, portraits and views.
Boyden, Henry P. Specimen of a true dollar in silver.
Bradford, Mrs. T. C. Old tin case used for holding candles.
Burnet, Robert. Manuscript and letters.
Dexter, Julius. Manuscripts and lithograph portraits of candidates for presi- dent.
Fosdick, Charles R. 2 commissions.
Gano, John A. Engraved portrait of Sir John Franklin.
Hooker, James J. $1oo bank note, Confederate States of America.
Kemper, Miss Hattie. Letters, papers and surgeon's chest used during the war of ISI2.
McCall, Mrs. William. View of the old elm on Boston Common, photo- graphed on a veneer of the tree ; old New England warming pan, candle- stick and snuffers and collection of photographs.
McDonald, Alex. Photographs of Portrait Exhibition, Cincinnati, 1896.
Root, Azariah S. Oberlin College calendar, 1896, with views of the College buildings.
Storer, Bellamy. 14 portraits (photographs and engravings) of prominent people, 3 photographs of California big trees, pictures of Young Ladies' Institutes at Steubenville and Mt. Auburn, Ohio, and a curious engraving of the library at Leyden University.
Taft, Mrs. Alphonso. Photograph of Judge Taft.
Wald, Gustavus H. I badge.
Wilby, Charles B. Banner used by Hamilton county lawyers in the Sound Money parade, October 31, IS96.
Young Men's Mercantile Library Association. 100 photographs in the ex- peditions of the U. S. Geographical and Geological Surveys, 1871-73.
Five bookcases have been donated to the house-three from Miss Sarah H. Appleton and one each from Mrs. James R. Murdoch and Mrs. Clifford Wright.
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Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 7, 1896.
GENERAL FUND.
Receipts.
1895, Dec. 2. Balance $ 38 06
Dues of 1895.
10 00
Dues of 1896.
S60 00
Dues of 1897.
20 00
Sales by The Robert Clarke Company . .
25 00
Miss Jane C. Neave, for binding
25 00
Street R. R. Co. dividends.
5 00
Street R .. R. Co. scrip sold
65 86
6 shares St. R. R. Co, stock sold to B. F ..
300 00
2 shares St. R. R. Co. stock sold to L.M.F.
100 00
Income from Endowment Fund ..
615 00
Income from Life Membership Fund.
196 24
Call loans
1050 00
3310 16
Expenditures.
1896.
Water
30 70
Street and alley assessments
114 72
Librarian
510 00
Janitor
265 00
Cleaning
14 92
Gas
II 30
Postage and expressage
I8 60
Fuel
58 10
Printing.
56 00
Binding
23 15
Books
33 25
Stationery
13 25
Repairs
45 32
Insurance
112 50
Sundries
2 SI
Transfer to Building Fund
783 43
8 shares Street R. R. Co. stock bought ..
400 00
Street R. R. Co. scrip bought
59 50
Call loans paid
750 00
1896, Dec. 7. Balance
7 61
3310 16
IS95, Dec. 2. The General Fund had cash balance $38.06, held three shares Street R. R. Co. stock, and owed call loans $500. To-day the General Fund has cash balance $7.61, holds three shares Street R. R. Co. stock, and owes call loans $Soo, showing a net loss of $330.45 for the year, as compared with the situation, December 2, 1895.
15
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
ENDOWMENT FUND.
Receipts.
1896. Building Fund, interest on $9,300. $ 465 00
Building Fund, interest on $3.000 150 00 615 00
Expenditures.
1896. Income paid to General Fund. 615 00 615 00
1896, Dec. 7. The fund consists of
Loan to Building Fund, five per cent. . 9300 00
Loan to Building Fund, five per cent. . 3000 00 12300 00
IS95, Dec. 2. The fund was 12300 00
LIFE MEMBERSHIP FUND.
Receipts.
1895, Dec. 2. Balance. $ 14 95
1896, Jan. 13.
Miss Alice Neave.
100 00
Street R. R. Co. dividends 176 24
Ludlow bonds, interest. 20 00
311 19
Expenditures.
IS96. Jan. 13. Street R. R. Co., 2 shares bought
100 00
Income paid to General Fund 196 24
Dec. 7. Balance cash to invest
14 95
311 19
IS96, Dec. 7. The fund consists of
Ludlow bonds, five per cent, cost. 400 00
71 shares Street R. R. Co. stock, cost.
3717 50
Uninvested cash 14 95
4132 45
IS95, Dec. 2. The fund was
4032 45
Gain
100 00
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio. .17
ELIZABETH HAVEN APPLETON FUND,
Receipts.
1895, Dec. 2. Balance, principal $ 27 03
Balance, income. 107 82
C. H. & D. R. R. Co. interest 135 00
Street R. R. Co. dividends
32 50
302 35
Expenditures.
1896, Books bought.
260 98
Dec. 7. Balance cash income.
14 34
Balance cash principal.
27 03
302 35
186, Dec. 7. The fund consists of
$3,000 C. HI. & D. R. R. 472 per cent bonds, cost ..
2882 50
13 shares Street R. R. Co. stock, cost.
677 50
Uninvested cash
27 03
35$7 03
IS95, Dec. 2. The fund was.
3587 03
The gain in the Building Fund is $ 469 41
The gain in the Life Membership Fund 100 00
Total gain. 569 41
Deducting loss in General Fund. 33º 45
Leaves $ 238 96 as the net gain of the Society in financial strength during the year. .
JULIUS DEXTER,
Treasurer.
CINCINNATI, December 7, 1896.
18
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
MEMBERSHIP.
1895, Dec. 2. Corporate.
Life. .. .. 26
Corresponding 10
Honorary 4- 13S
Died, Corporate 3
Died, Life
I
Resigned, Corporate 7
Dropped, Corporate 1
Transferred, Corporate
16
I22
Elected, Corporate II
Transferred, Life I- 12
IS96, Dec. 7. Divided: 134
.
Corporate.
94
Life ..
26
.Corresponding. IO
Honorary 4- 13
19
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
CORPORATE MEMBERS.
Davis C. Anderson,
Edward L. Anderson,
Joseph L. Anderson,
Larz Anderson, William P. Anderson, Mrs. John W. Bailey,
Miss Phoebe Baker,
Howard C. Hollister,
Samuel P. Bishop,
D. H. J. Holmes, Mrs. A. J. Howe,
Mrs. C. M. Hulbert,
Samuel F. Hunt,
Robert W. Carroll,
William L. Hunt,
Mrs. Frederick G. Huntington,
M. E. Ingalls,
Edmund W. Kittredge,
Perin Langdon,
Miss Annie Laws,
Mrs. F. H. Lawson,
Mrs. Robert F. Leaman,
Mrs. James LeBoutillier, Sr.,
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth,
Mrs. Catharine W. Lord,
Alexander McDonald, Mrs. O. A. McLaughlin,
George Mathews,
Griffin. T. Miller,
Robert Mitchell,
John A. Murphy,
P. V. N. Myers, Alexander C. Neave, Nettelton Neff,
Peter Rudolph Neff,
Richard Neff,
Mrs. N. G. Nettelton, John M. Newton,
.
Charles P. Davis, Miss Mary Dexter,
Mrs. Charles T. Dickson, Ernest F. Du Brul, .
Mrs. Thomas J. Emery,
Mrs. E. H. Ernst,
Charles Fleischmann, Arthur L. Fogg, B. W. Foley,
Mrs. Frederick Forchheimer, John A. Gano, Edward Goepper, Herman Goepper, W. Augustus Goodman, A. T. Goshorn,
Mrs. T. L. A. Greve, William S. Groesbeck, J. V. Guthrie, Edwin J. Henderson,
Mrs. A. Howard Hinkle,
Thornton M. Hinkle,
Robert B. Bowler,
Robert W. Burnet,
Joseph T. Carew,
Mrs. Albert H. Chatfield,
Robert Clarke, Edward Colston, W. C. Compton,
P. S. Conner,
B. S. Cunningham,
Mrs. Mary T. W. Curwen,
Miss M. E. Dandridge,
20
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
Mrs. Aaron F. Perry, Mrs. Thomas Phillips,
William W. Taylor, Albert B. Voorheis,
Reuben H. Warder,
L. C. Weir,
Frederick G. Roelker,
E. P. Wilson,
J .. G. Schmidlapp,
O. J. Wilson,
W. W. Seely,
Mrs. O. J. Wilson,
Mrs. W. W. Seely,
Edward Worthington,
Stewart Shillito,
William Worthington,
John L. Stettinius,
Mrs. D. Thew Wright,
Bellamy Storer,
Drausin Wulsin,
Charles P. Taft,
Lucien Wulsin.
LIFE MEMBERS.
Mrs. Louise N. Anderson, Eugene F. Bliss,
Albert H. Chatfield,
Nathaniel Henchman Davis,
William Henry Davis,
Miss Alice Dexter,
Julius Dexter,
Miss Clara B. Fletcher, M. F. Force, Mrs. M. F. Force,
Erasmus Gest,
Mrs. William Gibson, L. B. Harrison,
E. O. Hurd,
Frank J. Jones, Mrs. Frank J. Jones, H. B. Morehead, Miss Alice Neave, Miss J. C. Neave,
Mrs. Lydia A. Potter, Harley T. Procter, Mrs. Bellamy Storer, Peter G. Thomson, Henry H. Vail, Harry F. Woods, William Woods.
CORRESPONDING MEMBERS.
Cesario F. Duro, Samuel A. Green, E. G. Hayes, William McK. Heath, A. H. Hoyt,
J. A. McAllister,
J. Thomas Scharf, Benjamin F. Stevenson, Philip T. Tyson, Horatio Wood.
H. A. Rattermann, T. A. Reamy,
£
3
21
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
HONORARY MEMBERS.
John D. Caldwell, Reuben T. Durrett,
Benjamin Harrison, W. H. Venable.
Four members died during the year : Charles C. Murdock, Miss Augusta L. Harbeson, W. W. Scarborough, corporate members; and Miss Sarah H. Appleton, a life member.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio
FOR 1897
CINCINNATI THE ROBERT CLARKE COMPANY
1897
OFFICERS FOR 1897-8.
EUGENE F. BLISS, PRESIDENT.
FRANK J. JONES, VICE-PRESIDENT,
NATL. HENCHMAN DAVIS, VICE-PRESIDENT.
ROBERT CLARKE, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. JULIUS DEXTER, TREASURER AND RECORDING SECRETARY. MRS. CATHARINE W. LORD, LIBRARIAN.
F. H. ALMS. MRS. LOUISE N. ANDERSON, ALBERT H. CHATFIELD, CURATORS.
JOHN A. GANO, MRS. T. L. A. GREVE,
The meetings of the Society are held in its building, 107 West Eighth Street, at half past two in the afternoon of the first Saturday of each month from October to May.
The library is a free public library, open to visitors daily, except Sunday from ten o'clock until one.
.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio
FOR 1897.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
CINCINNATI, December 6, 1897.
The Librarian respectfully submits the following report for the year ending with this date. The accessions to the Library have been :
Bound volumes. 662
Pamphlets, 3,096 Maps, 24
The Library now contains 14,395 bound volumes and 58,272 pamphlets. Of the books added, 578 were gifts, and 84 volumes and I pamphlet were purchased from the income of the Elizabeth Haven Appleton Fund. Contributions have been received from 159 different sources. 79 societies and institutions have contributed, and 80 indi- viduals, of whom 28 were members.
During the past year the Society has received an unusually large number of manuscripts, if under this term be classed all written documents. Accompanying these manuscripts were often books and pamphlets, acknowledgment of which is made in another part of this report. A brief mention will be made of each of these gifts.
Mrs. Roberts Bartholow, of Philadelphia, has given the papers of her aunt, Miss Susan Walker, sister of Judge Timothy Walker. Miss Walker in 1862 was busy among the "contrabands " of Port Royal and adjacent places. The journal which she kept during her voyage thither and while residing in South Carolina is included in this gift, as are also many notes of introduction, letters from friends at home, and from fellow-workers in her own neighborhood. Four years later Miss Walker was in Washington, active in an Industrial School for the in- struction of liberated slaves. Her journal at this period, 1865-66, is
4
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
exceedingly interesting, giving account of her daily labors and per- plexities. There are also her official reports and many drafts of letters which throw still more light upon what she was doing. A few other letters occur here, among them two from S. P. Chase and one from Charles Sumner. Both in the South and in Washington, Miss Walker made a little collection of Slave Songs and of tales related to her by the freedmen, of their former lives, the latter, unfortunately, not quite complete. All these papers are made over to the Society, interesting in themselves and as giving vivid glimpses of the changes wrought by our Civil War ..
From his estate have been received the papers of the Rev. James F. Chalfant, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, for a time pastor of Trinity Church in this city. The great bulk of these papers is composed of sermons and notes in preparation of sermons. There are, however, deeds, 1819-48 ; his commission from the Governor of Ohio as Chaplain, 1846; one page of his private register of marriages, 1856 ; orations and addresses delivered before Masonic Bodies, Edu- cational Institutions and Church Conferences ; a few documents about Longview Asylum, not quite complimentary to the management of that institution at the time, 1880-88, though Mr. Chalfant was for several years a member of the Board of Directors.
Miss Mary Findlay has contributed a large number of clippings from newspapers, several pamphlets, some of which are old and valu- able, and the documents to be more exactly described. Signature of William H. Seward to a note inviting the Hon. John A. Bingham to dinner, December 12, 1866. A letter from the Rev. F. A. Ross, July 25, 1878, describing the revival in the First Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, 1828, and a list, reported by the Session, of those there- upon admitted to that church, "Fifteen on Certificate, Eight on Knowledge of Good Standing as Occasional Communicants, Three hundred & thirty three on Examination." In the following Sep- tember three others were admitted on certificate and sixteen on exam- ination. An account of the controversy between this church and the Cincinnati College about 1840. A copy of a request from the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society for the use of the First Presbyterian Church, dated June 4, 1836, and signed by Gamaliel Bailey, James G. Birney, and seven others. This request having been refused, there follows a protest from five members of the church, July 4, 1836. Copy of an entertaining correspondence between the choir and the trustees of the said church about music, the choir saying that "our musical force has become insufficient to fill so large a church," and Dr. Wilson, " beg-
.
. :
5
Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
ging you to consider that it is not necessary for you to fill the church, but only to lead the worship, so that the worshippers with you may fill it."
Benjamin F. Harbeson, Esq., has given to the Society many documents coming to him from the estate of his grand-uncle, Davis B. Lawler. There is a book of plats of Lawler property in several parts of Cincinnati, among which is to be found the lot on which our own building . stands. The will of Matthew Lawler, father of Davis B. Lawler, made in 1831, two weeks before his death, with many papers relating to its execution, among the latter, several letters of Judge Timothy Walker, and an "opinion " of Charles Hammond. Then follows the will of Davis B. Lawler, 1866, of which Matthew L. Harbeson, father of the donor, became executor, and documents aris- ing from a contest over the codicils of this will, and many other papers relating to its execution. A short sketch of Mr. Davis B. Lawler's life may be found in a pamphlet by Dr. Bartholow, a pamphlet of which the Society had already a copy. One of the journals, mentioned by Dr. Bartholow as "kept with remarkable neatness and precision," is in this collection. The first half-dozen pages of this journal give an account of the journey from Cincinnati to New York at the end of May, 1840. First, Mr. Lawler went by steamboat to Wheeling "in something less than 49 hours;" then with friends he "chartered a stage for $110 to Frederick Town, Md." "After dinner went to Washing- ton, Pa., to sleep-log cabins and hard cider barrels in abundance, and the people all alive for old Tip." He had three days and a half of stage coach travel, and after passing the night at Frederick Town he took the cars the next morning for Baltimore, where he arrived at 3:30 p. m. (sixty-two miles) .. He remarks of this railroad that "this is perhaps the crookedest and worst railroad in the United States or any- where else." . He went from Baltimore to Philadelphia by steamboat and railroad, "the boats both on the Chesapeake and Delaware being first rate, and the railroad and cars across Delaware also excellent." Thus with pretty constant travel he used a week between Cincinnati and Philadelphia.
The Follett Papers have been recently given us by Mr. Joseph Wilby and Mr. Wm. G. Hosea, as executors of Mrs. George Thornton, lately of Clifton. Mrs. Thornton was a daughter of Mr. Follett, and after his death was the holder of his papers. In this collection are more than two hundred letters, forty of which are copies of letters written by Mr. Follett himself. Owing to this circumstance we have in many cases both the letter and its answer. There are also a few
L
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Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.
other documents. Oran Follett was born September 4, 1798, in Gosham, Ontario County, New York. When still quite young he was apprenticed with James D. Bemis, a printer in Canandaigua, to learn the art of printing. "One of the incidents of this period of his youthful experience was a runaway and enlistment in the navy and serving in the American fleet on Lake Ontario until the close of the war, when, being honorably discharged, he returned to his printing engagement." In 182t he married and settled in Batavia, New York, where he founded "The Spirit of the Times," a newspaper yet in - ex- istence. Two years later he was elected to the legislature of New York, and among his papers are his Certificate of Election and a few "Tickets." Later in his life he published in the New York Tribune an account of the meeting of the Assembly of 1824, in reply to a communication from a fellow member, Mr. Bronson, and a letter of Thurlow Weed. These letters and communications are among these papers. After residing several years in Buffalo, still in the publishing business, he removed to Sandusky, in our State, in 1834, where he took an active part in many public and private undertakings. In 1854, with four associates, he bought the Ohio State Journal, published in Columbus, with which he was connected for three years. After the end of the Civil War he gradually retired from business, living quietly in Sandusky, where he died October 14, 1894, at the advanced age of 96. From 1834, then, for longer than thirty years he was a prominent man in Ohio. The letters in this collection give abundant proof of this. With few exceptions they are political, but some of them relate to banking in the "wild-cat" days of banking, and we have the "Vance Controversy," in regard to the affairs of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, a collection of a dozen letters, more instructive as illustrating private character than as relating to public business. There are two accounts of the Battle of New Orleans, written in 1828 and 1855, respectively, probably published in the newspapers in which Mr. Follett was interested at those dates. The wealth of the collection, however, is the political letters. Here are six letters from Fillmore, one from Lincoln, and two from Hayes, Presidents of the United States. There are two letters from Seward, 1848; one from Sherman on business, 1850; three from Greeley, 1867; one from McLean, 1846; from David Tod, 1864; from Lyman Trumbull, 1872 ; two from Thurlow Weed, 1832, 1881; five from Ewing, 1841-54; eleven from Benjamin F. Wade, 1854-69; eight from Elisha Whittlesey, 1846-68 : seventeen from J. R. Giddings, 1843-47; eleven from Salmon P. Chase, 1854-62; twenty-four from Thomas Corwin, 1842-58. This
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