History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 47

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 47

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Beautiful Situation .- In the beginning of the new century, the old town finds itself the much-sought but still exclusive resort of peo- ple who want the quiet of its hills, the fishing, hunting or boating and the indescribable en- chantment of its woods and country drives. Added to these are the historic associations that linger about the site of its two old forts,

The notable February ( 1843) that found President Tyler so deeply burdened with the refusal of foreign governments to make even : the Indian traditions and prehistoric mounds,

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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

and there is a wealth of diversion for even sim- mer visitors. The location for health is per- fect, few epidemics or diseases have invaded its comfortable precincts.

Several well-known painters and poets have made it the theme of their brushes and songs, and the town and vicinity have produced also some artists of note and a number of authors mentioned later in this article.

The location of Beverly from any approach is a delightful surprise. Set in the deepest bow of the whole river, with a broadness of green fields stretching away toward the east and a rolling plain rising from the bottom to the north, the shining water, of which Judge William Fowler has sung so delightfully, run- ning like a band of shimmering silver at the base of the village streets, the rugged hills in their coats of green rising above the whole like steadfast sentinels on guard, make Beverly the gem of gems in the midst of many precious : - roundings. The original pursuits will give place to new occupations, as by the influx of travelers more and more is developed of its hidden beauties and wealth.

Oil .- According to the philosophy that nothing is lost but something is gained in its place, while some of the early sources of in- come to the town have been absorbed by the larger places nearby, chiefly Marietta and Zanesville, the capital brought to the village for investment in the oil territory lying all about will be of greater benefit eventually; a recent revival of operations at this point re- newing those begun about 20 years ago.

Where once cattle, sheep and horses grazed upon the farm and Agriculture was undisputed Goddess whose reign not the most chimerical would have ever supposed usurped, there even oil has come to be king. The tall derricks rise in many directions and men stake their claims for game after game of chance. The mitm- ber of companies drilling and the rich returns of some call still others to these fields where the resources unseen are greater than those which the forefathers saw in the earth, sun and air of this fruitful township.

Coal, Lumber and Clay .- Beverly is also

a depot for quantities of fine lumber, splendid oak for ships being taken out of its surround- ing forests only last year. Coal is also brought here from banks at different points nearby. There is within the corporation limits clay, of excellent use for brick and tile, and lime- stone. The town is lighted by natural gas and a fine electric plant. The general annual ex- penditures amount to only between $3,000 and $4,000.

Public Institutions .- By an act of the Gen- eral Assembly of Ohio, a college was estab- lished at Beverly, in February, 1843, for the purpose of co-education. This was the joint gift of John Dodge and Benjamin Dana, Mr. Dodge giving out of his estate adjoining the town of Beverly a tract of land very beauti- fully located and erecting at his personal ex- pense a fine brick building of three stories, well equipped for the day in which it was built, and for the purpose for which the College was de- signed.

Benjamin Dana left a tract of land upon which was a coal bank to supply fuel for the institution, and also some lots which were to be sold for the benefit of the institution. The learned and foreign languages and the liberal arts and sciences were to be taught here.

It was the expectation of the donors that the trustees would make their gift a nucleus for obtaining further donations as time went on, and thus add those advantages, influences and profits to the community that an institution for higher education would bring. Its succes- sive Boards of Trustees, having been at times somewhat scattered and occupied to the exclu- sion of public interests, have not after nearly three-quarters of a century obtained any gifts toward the further revenue required at this pe- riod. It has at earlier times brought a great deal of life to the town of Beverly. A schism in the Presbyterian churches of this place, which finally concluded in a law suit for prop- erty formerly occupied by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. deprived the College of its full quota of local patronage for some years, but it is now reviving.

Both Mr. Dana and Mr. Dodge were orig-

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inally of the Puritan faith of their forefathers, but later in life they could not subscribe to all the tenets of the old school profession of faith, and so became members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. For this reason, as be- ing a somewhat more liberal body, the appoint- ment of the Board of Trustees was by them vested in the synod of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church.

Churches and Religious Revivals of the early period were conducted first by Rev. Mr. Story, who held services near the great elm tree close by what is now the Baltimore & Ohio station. A powerful awakening was later held by Rev. Mr. Lindley in the first colonial church on the old stage road in the south part of Bever- ly, then the Presbyterian and afterward the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. When this congregation moved to the brick church up town, the old river church was occupied b . the followers of Alexander Campbell. It was quite an interesting building, with high pews, the flour rising toward the back of the church, and the high pulpit between the two front en- trance-ways having semi-circular stairs leading up to the desk. Externally, the building was colonial, yellow with white trimmings. The Disciples during the latter part of the last cen- tury purchased, and moved to, the very fine audience room formerly built and used by the Baptists on Main street.

After the separation of the Presbyterian element of the town from the Cumberland Pres- byterian Church, a new and quite artistic Pres- byterian Church was erected on Fourth street about 1895, to which various friends contri- buted stained glass windows. Mrs. McIntosh gave the lot upon which this church was built.

Mr. Dodge donated the land for all the other churches in Beverly, regardless of de- nomination, as they each came to be organized.

In 1856 Rev. J. H. Barker came as a mis- sionary to Beverly and started the Baptist Church with 15 members.

The Methodists had services in Waterford township from the first quarter of 1800, but did not have a church in Beverly until 1837. Since then services have been hell uninterrupt- edly at the corner of Sixth and Center streets with many able men in the pulpit.

Each of the churches named has had its so- cieties for social and charitable purposes.

The Episcopalians have had special ser- vices at homes in the neighborhood, and the Roman Catholics a lecturer now and then at the Opera House.

Fraternal Orders .- Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 37, Free & Accepted Masons, was estab- lished on the 28th of September, 1816. The first meeting was held at the residence of John Dodge, Esq., and the officers elected were: Ebenezer Bowen, master; Eli Cogswell, S. W .; Obadiah Scott, J. W .; William Riply, sec- retary; William Rand, treasurer; William White, S. D .; Elias Woodsorf, J. D .; John Dodge and Andrew Story, stewards; Samuel Andrews, tyler. St. John's Day of 1817 was celebrated with all the rites of the order. The lodge, beside being one of the earliest in Ohio, contained in it the best men of this region, and still maintains its high character.

In 1879 a fine brick and stone building was erected for the use of Mount Moriah Lodge. The present membership is about 80. Many more have been initiated here, however.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was founded March, 1847, being Beverly Lodge, No. 84. The first officers were: Sam- uel Thompson, noble grand; Robert Ramsey, vice grand ; C. L. Bowen, secretary ; W. V. N. Wheeler, treasurer. They have for their use today one of the best assembly halls in town. In the building built by them is also an opera house of quite considerable seating capacity.

A remarkable series of meetings was con- ducted in Beverly about the midsummer of 18441, by a Universalist minister and editor The Grangers have a society in Beverly which had several years ago about 75 mem- I bers. then residing in Zanesville-Rev. G. T. Flan- ders-which resulted in the organization of a Universalist Church to which many of the Physicians. The physicians of the early most intelligent families of the vicinity united. days were Drs. McIntosh. Farley, Baker and

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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

Pardee. Of a little later period Dr. Bowen was identified with medical work many years, as was Dr. Israel Stone Dodge, who, however, soon located in Cincinnati and practiced there over 40 years.

Drs. Gilbert Campbell, Berkly and Rey- nolds were well known about 1849. Dr. Ram- sey practiced, and died here at the time of a fever epidemic. Dr. James Little was a suc- cessful physician and took an active part in educational affairs.

Dr. P. Kelley has had from 1850 until re- cently a constant patronage in his profession.

Dr. Joseph Parker continued in practice · here until he lost his health and died. Later came Dr. Frank Clark, and after him Dr. Ken- non.

Dr. John Reynolds succeeded his father in 1865, but later moved to Oregon.

Dr. Culver resided here and practiced some years, as also did Dr. Chas. MI. Ilumston, of Kentucky. Dr. John Patterson Dodge was in partnership with him two years, later going to California .- he was appointed brigade sur- geon in the Spanish-American War from Ohio.

Dr. Adair has practiced several years in Beverly, as has also Dr. Funk from Northern Ohio.

Dr. Arthur Bowen practiced in Waterford up to 1880, when he moved to Columbus.

Dr. Wallace Seely, who was born here, be- came an oculist of reputation in Cincinnati.

Dr. A. S. Clark has had a large practice here for years. Dr. Theodore Hayward is now practicing in the vicinity of Beverly and Waterford.

Dr. Henry Clark was a well-known dertist. Dr. Howe, who afterward moved to Mexico. was likewise a successful dentist. Also Dr. -

Connor of Cumberland. Dr. Hartnell is at present the leading practitioner in this branch.

school appears on a preceding page of this his- tory. The superintendents have been : John Tarbell. Z. G. Bundy, Mr. Smith, T. C. Ryan, Jefferson lleston, and Frank Wagner. Dr. Little and Dr. Glines, as school directors for some years, took a marked interest in the methods of instruction:

Industries .- Industries now operating in Beverly and the vicinity are two flouring mills, two sawmills, a wagon shop, three black- smith's horseshoeing shops, and a veneering and box factory on the Waterford side, most of those engaged living in Beverly. A fine woolen factory, flouring mill, planing mill and iron foundry were destroyed by fire within a few years, greatly injuring the prosperity of the town.

Merchants .- The leading merchants en- gaged in business are: Warren W. Palmer, who has been very successful and has an at- tractive store. The leading bakery is owned by Mr. Smith, who succeeded Mr. Meller, who is now connected with the dry goods house of Mr. Palmer. William Maygucken, who is a G. A. R. man, is very popular both personally and in trade, being engaged in a dry goods and grocery house. William Morris has the leading clothing house and chinaware store ; he is a merchant of experience and has an ex- tensive acquaintance through the country about here. Charles Langenberg has a fine grocery trade, and also buys in various lines for ship- ping. Miss Minnie Mathews has kept a grocery and woolen store for some years very profitably. Oliver Tucker has been in the mercantile business longer than any one now in business in Beverly. Rufus Tucker, brother of O. Tucker, is associated with him in the same building but has a separate hardware store. Hart & Flowers also combine hardware with other lines. Louis C. Robinson has been for some years in the carriage and agricultural implement business but is now engaged in manufacturing carriages in Coshocton. Mr. Fowler, one of the carly citizens of Beverly. has had a store and tinware trade combined with that of undertaking, which he recently son was also formerly in the agricultural im-

Schools .- The public schools of Beverly were inaugurated in 1854, the amount paid all the teachers that year being $380. The first school building cost $3,000. This has been superseded by a very much more convenient and modern one, built during the last decade : conveyed by sale to Mr. Schob. W. P. Robin- at a cost of about $20,000. . 1 view of this

MAJ. JOHN PATTERSON DODGE.

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plement business. Pomeroy Brothers have a large lumber. hardware and shipping business in which they are very successful. Mr. Dye's novelty store is a convenient home for many lines of goods at bargains. The leading drug store of the town is owned by W. R. Parker; there is combined with this quite an extensive general store for books, china, glass and ob- jects of art of a character much better than is common in a town of this size. Dr. Funk has also a handsome drug store. Miss Rey- nolds for many years has been the leading milliner; Mrs. Jackson more recently went into the same trade and has been popular in her work. Mr. Mitchell has a large nursery for fruit and other trees.

Horses .- There have been some very fine horses raised and owned in the vicinity of Beverly. The region is as conducive to suc- cess in this direction as the blue grass country of Kentucky, this part of the valley having spe- cial advantages. The Humston and MeIntosh faim has large stables near town.

Mr. Shaw three miles below has usually a number of horses for persons from abroad. There is a race track and some stables near town connected with the Tri-County Fair Grounds. The Dana farm and others have fine flocks of sheep.

Park .- Beverly has a beautiful park of sev- eral acres given to the town by the founder, John Dodge, Esq .. and planted by his grand- daughter; also a small park or open green that was Mrs. Dodge's gift, near the boat landing or lock.

Banking .- Waterford township. particu- larly that part around Beverly, having long been the wealthiest township in the country. has made Beverly quite a financial center. Aside from having regular houses in business, there was always a large trade in wool, lum- ber, agricultural products and live stock and from other products brought to this point.

As there was great necessity for a bank, a meeting was held at Union Hall in Septem- ler, 1863, after the "National Banking Act" made the founding of a bank likely to be a success. The directors for the First National Bank of Beverly were: George Bowen. Pat-

terson O. Dodge, E. S. McIntosh, H. C. Fish, J. B. Bane. Charles Bowen and C. M. Devol. George Bowen was made president and Will- iam McIntosh, cashier. The capital was $150,- 000.

The Citizens' Bank was organized in 1875- E. S. Melntosh was president and C. W. Reynolds, cashier. The bank is conducted at the corner of Fifth and Ferry streets, in the same building as the Anterican House. There was a post office established in Beverly in 1838, John Keyhoe being the first postmaster.

Prominent Persons .- Among the persons who have been identified with the history of Beverly, and who became eminent were Hon. John Sherman ; Thomas Ewing, whose family lived close by Beverly : and C. A. Dodge. The last named, who was in the United States Senate and was afterward minister to Spain. lived here in his youth. as did for a time John Sherman.

Stephen Powers, who was a war corre- spondent and went with General Sherman on the "March to the Sea." resided on the old Powers farm near Beverly. Mr. Baker, one of the early editors, became minister to Cen- tral America in Cleveland's administration. The Fawcett family at one period lived here : one of its members. Mrs. Fawcett, is one of the singers of Ohio, having published a volume of poems.

Rev. Oliphant Patterson, whose family came from Virginia to Beverly or Waterford township, was an eminent divine and theologi- cal writer, having been in active service in the Presbyterian denomination for over 50 years, dying at Oxford, Ohio, about 1870.

Miss Virginia V. Dodge, of Beverly, has written quite extensively upon art and upon Spanish-American subjects, also a number of poems. As a critic in certain lines of art, she was made a member of the first board of judges where women have ever been appointed at the Columbian Exposition, also later at other international expositions.

Mr. Craig, a landscape artist living in Colo- rado, was born near Beverly. Mr. Rhinchardt. an artist of much talent, spent some time here, as did also Lily Martin.

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IIISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

There have been quite a number of minor inventors. Phinehas Yates had some good ideas upon aerial navigation, but his machine for flying was not perfected. George Hahn patented some inventions.

The lawyers who practiced longest in Bev- erly were Samuel B. Robinson and J. C. Pres- ton, now mayor of Beverly. Both these gen- tlemen held the office of prosecuting attorney of Washington County. Will Ellsworth Fowl- er of Beverly became judge in Clay County, Missouri, and has been recently nominated for Congress; he wrote a number of poems about Beverly and the environs.

Charles Fowler, cousin of Judge Fowler, also of Beverly, is colonel and president of the Kentucky Military Institute and has writ- ten text books in mathematics.

Dr. James Little and son, Dr. Jenison Lit- tle, prosecuted their studies in astronomy and higher mathematics, as well as in medicine, with marked success. The untimely death of Dr. Jenison Little only prevented the comple- tion of what astronomers regarded as a valuable work. Dr. Little was the possessor of a very fine telescope with which they made their ob- servations.

Prof. E. S. Cox, formerly of Beverly Col- lege, is a special instructor in "English usage" and is arranging a work upon this subject.

Col. E. S. McIntosh, a prominent citizen, kept a diary that was of local value.

Beverly in the Wars and Reforms .- As Washington County furnished a larger per cent. of soldiers for the Civil War than any county except Hamilton, it is not strange that the spirit of patriotism ran high in the vicinity of Beverly, inhabited, as it was, by the descendants of a fighting and heroic stock. There was not a man left in town or about at times during the war to attend to necessary work. Those who were unable to go, by rea- son of health or too young, and a few from political opposition, were all left to stand guard when the famous raider from the Confederate side, Morgan, swept across the valley. Women buried their treasures and hid their horses and children.

There was a Union meeting called at the first outbreak, and committees appointed to en- roll men for enlistment and provide for their wants. The resolutions adopted by the "Union League" are truly thrilling, and they stood nobly by the work until the last soldier re- turned.

One of the resolutions shows the spirit of sacrifice that animated the people :

Resolved. That we heartily wish Godspeed to our father, and husbands, our sons and brothers, who go to the front to defend the Union. That we will do all in our power to sustain them in the heat of battle and in illness.

A Soldiers' Aid Society was loyally kept up all during the Civil War and sent quantities of supplies to the camps and hospitals.

The G. A. R. Post of Beverly is named for the first soldier who was killed, Capt. Dick Cheatham. The Post roster contains the names of many brave men and officers. Dr. Lindner, a surgeon with General Crook, still resides in Beverly. He had also seen service in Europe. Gen. Hiram Devol also lived in Waterford until within a few years.

The Fearing family, of which Gen. Ben Fearing of the Civil War was a member, lived in Beverly from its early settlement. Captain Grubb and other war veterans reside in Bev- erly.

During the Spanish-American War, Lieut. Carroll Devol, formerly here, was connected with the Quarter-master's Department. Dr. John Patterson Dodge, of Beverly, was made, by President Mckinley, brigade surgeon with the rank of major. Milton Nixon, a teacher of Beverly, served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Clifford Wistell who was a volunteer from Beverly in this war, died at Camp Alger from fever. Joseph Null was in the service in the Philippines.

The spirit under which the Northwest Ter- ritory Constitution was conceived made most of its settlers strongly Anti-Slavery. Several families lived at Beverly who used to help slaves escape to Canada on all occasions pos- sible.

In the temperance cause several ladies from

CAPT. JOHN DODGE.

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

335

the most prominent families took part in the original "Ohio Crusade," and a society for the furtherance of this needed work has long ex- isted, but neither this nor the Prohibitionists in town have succeeded in abolishing the liquor traffic, as public or general opinion supports it still.

THE DODGE FAMILY.

The Dodges of Washington County are Iineally descended from Pierre Dodge (or Douge ), who came from Normandy, France, to England in the army of William the Con- queror, and whose descendants were settled in Cheshire and Kent counties, England, and came to Massachusetts in 1629. The direct ancestor of the Dodges of Beverly was John Bathurst Dodge, to whom was given a coat of arms and crest ( recorded in College of Arms, London,) for valiant service in the wars of Edward I. In America there have been mem- bers of the family conspicuous in military and civil life since the first colonization of Mas- . sachusetts.

Capt. John Dodge, a portrait of whom ap- pears on a preceding page, engraved from a drawing that was prepared for this purpose. was the head of that branch of the family which has the distinction of helping to estab- lish civilization in the Northwest Territory and Ohio. He was an officer from Beverly, Mas- sachusetts, who had entered the Revolution- ary War at an early age and served until its close. He joined the Ohio Company of Asso- ciates with the others of his name when it was organized in Boston in 1787.

Following the commission Captain Dodge held in the Continental Army, he had executed an undertaking which had a very important bearing upon the ability of these Northwest Territory colonists to arrive in Marietta the year they did, and for this he received a vote of thanks on his return to Congress.

In order that the treaty might be effected for the safe removal of the Ohio Company to the Northwest Territory. it was necessary that someone take the long and hazardous journey intd the Ohio Valley, to confer with and es- cort the various chiefs of the tribes owning its

lands, to Philadelphia, where Congress was then sitting and where the final arrangements were to be made for the ceding of a tract of country. That Captain Dodge was the officer delegated to this mission speaks in itself of the great confidence reposed in him and of his unusual qualifications. Having been bred to the profession of arms from the time he was a lad, and having accompanied several military and surveying expeditions to distant parts of the new country, he had acquired a knowledge of Indian customs and languages that made him able to approach, and succeed in his mis- sion with them at this perilous time. when to pass into the wilderness of the Ohio and Mus- kingum valleys, where an almost incessant bor- der warfare raged for rights of possession, was a deed of daring in itself. Captain Dodge was a firm believer in the power of God to protect him, and though, like Eleazar in battle, he "clave unto his sword," he also knew the arts of peace, and the annals of the historical soci- eties recording this mission show it to have been accomplished without one act of blood- shed.

He had a most intelligent, enduring and fleet horse called "Dart," as accustomed to the crackle of forest trails, mountain roads, tor- rents and frontier fare as was his master. (11 this horse he returned to Boston from Philadel- phia after his trip of thousands of miles over the Alleghanies and back. When Captain Dodge again set out for the Ohio country with the colonists he was accompanied by his young wife and child. John Dodge, who afterward became the founder of Beverly, Ohio.

While out on this preliminary expedition Captain Dodge made camp one night in the Muskingum Valley, beyond Fort Harmar about 25 miles, near the mouth of what was afterward called Wolf Creek, and found a beautiful fall of water that would afford at that time quite a strong power. Ile thereupon located the place with a view to its future use- fulness. Upon the advent of the Ohio Com- pany at Marietta, Captain Dodge showed this to a relative and a brother officer-Maj. Haf- . field White and Col. Robert Oliver.

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History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 47

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490