USA > Ohio > History of Ohio; the rise and progress of an American state, Volume Three > Part 13
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
Cincinnati then ranked first in importance and size. In 1805 it consisted of fifty-three log cabins, one hundred and nine frame buildings, six brick and four stone houses. In 1810 its population had in- creased to 2,320. In the northern part of the State, Cleveland was the principal point, although it was still a small settlement, having at this time but three hundred inhabitants. Steubenville was the principal town in southeastern Ohio at this period. Marietta and Chillicothe both maintained their importance in every respect. The scarcity of towns and their slow growth is due principally to the fact that the greater portion of the population of the State was devoted to agriculture, and lived upon the farms beyond the reach and influences of the thickly settled towns.
GOVERNOR DUNCAN McARTHUR From a painting by T. W. Hoffman, after Thomas Sully in the Capitol at Columbus.
Born in Dutchess County, New York, January 14, 1772; served in the General Harmar campaign, 1790; served in the House of Representatives in 1805; served in the War of 1812 and made brigadier general; elected to the Thirteenth and Eighteenth Congresses; was Governor 1831-1832; died at Chillicothe, April 28, 1840.
188
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
'The bric blanc furmat Was operated in 1808 in Ma- honka ЯИНТЯДОМ ИАЗИИА ЯОЙЯЯГОД mined in 1810 in
asmodT Tofts asmfloH .W .T vd ghifnisq s mord .2udmuloO ts lotiqsoff ai vilna greatest factors in i
phien of betools ; Istonog weibsgrid obsm bris si8 6Gswantimued to
O ISIO but comparatively fe edd in Ohio. These were Lan- - benville in 1805; St. Clairsvill la 1808, and Hamilton and Leb were quite a number of others on legal existence. Cincinnati and a dozen other places wer
ubnd first in importance and wwwwwwed of fifty-three log cabin framé buildings, six brick and la adro its population had In the northern part of the State principal point, although it v having at this time but thr Steubenville was the princip Olio at this period. Mariet IN maintained their importanie The scarcity of towns and ther mipally to the fact that the population of the State wi demtel Wam, and lived upon the farms fuifluences of the thickly settle! tosta.
.
169
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
The purchase of Louisiana by the United States in 1803 was one of the most beneficial events to Ohio that happened in the first era of her history. It opened an unrestricted and valuable territory to her commerce that she had never wholly enjoyed. As a result of this purchase, more than a million square miles of territory were added to the United States, a new market, free and uncontrolled, was furnished to the people of Ohio. The Mississippi River became an open channel of trade that brought the richest returns by increasing the wealth and traffic of the State.
Ohio in its earliest stage was purely an agricultural State. The greatest difficulty confronted was lack of transportation, and it necessarily checked an increase of prosperity. While the population grew, times were hard. The nearest market was New Orleans and it took six months to make a round trip on flatboats and keel-boats. The Ohio River was the only outlet of the new State to the market. The result was that the value of a cargo was eaten up in its transportation. This can be readily seen when we find that corn and oats brought but eight or ten cents a bushel, wheat from thirty to forty cents, and beef and pork sold at a dollar and a half a hundred pounds. The market was distinctively domestic, and while Ohio was a fertile garden it produced no profit to the farmer. Agriculture furnished an independent livelihood but it was not the path to ease or competency.
This stagnant condition of agricultural commerce was remedied in a remarkable degree by the incor- poration and organization in 1803 of "The Miami Exporting Company." Its primary purpose was to
170
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
reduce the difficulty and expense of transportation to New Orleans, although its charter also contained banking powers. The effect of its operation was immediate and of great benefit to Ohio farmers. This improvement was brought about by the introduction by this company of sail barges carrying from fifty to one hundred tons and under the best conditions making two round trips to New Orleans yearly. The first effect of this transportation was to reduce the cost of freight to five or six dollars per hundred pounds. The expense of operating these barges was no more than that of keel-boats, but the cargoes were greatly in- creased and the freight cost proportionately decreased. This mode of navigating, due to combined capital, established an epoch in the commerce on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and did much to promote the com- mercial and agricultural interests of the State. Trade; under these conditions received an impetus that trebled in 1809-10 the exports of Ohio.
The subject of education in the new State received the most assiduous attention contemporary with its creation. This is evidenced by the educational compacts early entered into between Ohio and the Federal Govern- ment. They formed the basis of a trust that for more than a century has formed the fund from which the common schools of the State are supported. When the organization of Ohio was authorized by the act of Apri 30, 1802, Congress provided therein "that the section number sixteen, in every township, and where such sec. tions had been sold, granted, or disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, and most contiguous to the same, shal. be granted to such township for the use of schools.'
:
the
171
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
This proposition was accepted by the Constitutional Convention, but with this important condition: "Pro- vided, the following addition to, and modification of, the said propositions shall be agreed to by the Congress of the United States, namely: that, in addition to the first propositions securing the said section number sixteen, in every township within certain tracts, to the inhabitants thereof, for the use of schools, a like donation equal to the one-thirty-sixth part of the amount of the lands in the United States Military Tract, shall be made for the support of schools in that tract; and that the like provision shall be made for the support of schools in the Virginia Reservation, so far as the unlocated lands in that tract will supply the provision aforesaid, after the warrants issued from said State have been satisfied; and, also, that a donation of the same kind, or such provision as Congress shall deem expedient, shall be made to the inhabitants. of the Connecticut Reserve; that of all the lands which may hereafter be purchased of the Indian tribes, by the United States, and lying within the State of Ohio, the one-thirty-sixth part shall be given, as aforesaid, for the support of public schools; that all lands before mentioned, to be appropriated by the United States, for the support of schools, shall be vested in the Legis- lature of said State, in trust for said purpose."
Congress, by act of March 3, 1803, assented, enacting (section I,) that the tracts therein described were appropriated for the use of schools in the State, and shall, together with all the tracts of land heretofore appropriated for that purpose, be vested in the Legis- ature of the State, in trust, for the use aforesaid, and
172
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
for no other use, intent, or purpose whatever." The same section proceeds to grant eighteen quarter townships, or one-thirty-sixth of the lands in the United States Military District, "for the use of schools within the same"; secondly, fourteen quarter townships, also situated in the United States Military District, "for the use of schools in that tract commonly called the Connecticut Reserve"; thirdly, "so much of the Virginia Military Reservation, to be selected by the Ohio Legislature from unlocated lands therein, as would amount to one-thirty-sixth of the whole tract"; and, fourthly (which is the last clause of the first section), "one-thirty-sixth part of all the lands of the United States lying in the State of Ohio, to which the Indian title is not extinguished, which may here- after be purchased of the Indian tribes by the United States, which thirty-sixth part shall consist of section sixteen, in each township, if the same shall be surveyed in townships of six miles square; and shall, if the lands be surveyed in a different manner, be designated by lots." The second section declared, "that the several appropriations for schools, made by the preceding section," were "in conformity to, and in consideration of, the conditions agreed on by the State of Ohio by the ordinance [Constitution] of the Convention of the State, bearing date the 29th day of November, 1802."
This legislation produced a munificent land foun- dation for the maintenance of common schools, amount- ing to approximately 704,000 acres. As Ohio was the first State which came into possession of lands for educational purposes, she had no precedent for
est
10 stan
the
Th
spe
au th fa
arı pre ar
PIO land
inte
stit
and
per
stat dat rel
SC
0
P
to
173
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
experience or management. Consequently there was much waste and maladministration relating to the school lands, in the early history of the State. At first these lands were leased and much scandal and loss to the State resulted therefrom. In 1827 they were authorized to be sold and the money was turned into the Treasury. The State in turn borrowed these funds paying six per cent. interest for their use.
The Constitution of 1851 provided that the funds arising from the sale of school lands should be "forever preserved inviolate and undiminished and the income arising therefrom should be faithfully applied to the specific objects of the original grants or appropriations." The result is that the State has borrowed all the proceeds that have arisen from the sale of school lands, and that debt constitutes what is known as the "irreducible State debt" on which the State pays six per cent. annually to the school fund. This annual interest yielded an income to the common schools in 1910 of $253,965.66.
Thus, through the wisdom of the pioneer legislators and the generosity of the Federal Government, a perpetual and unfailing source-fund was created for the common schools of Ohio. At the time there was no system of public education established, notwith- standing that it was especially enjoined in the Con- stitution. But the idea was in the minds of the statesmen of that period, and they laid such a foun- dation for the structure, that future generations may well rise up and testify to their prudence and foresight.
Higher education secured a substantial start by the establishment of the Ohio University at Athens in
174
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
1804, and the Miami University at Oxford in 1809. The former had been originally chartered by the Territorial Legislature but there is no evidence of any organization under the act of 1802, so its legal origin may be dated from its second charter, February 18, 1804. Two townships of land were given as an en- dowment by its act of incorporation. Ohio University may be noted as the first college in the United States founded upon a land endowment, and also of being the first college established in Ohio. Miami University was established by an act of the General Assembly February 17, 1809. A complete township of land in the Symmes Purchase was an original grant by the government "for the purpose of establishing an acad- emy and other public schools and seminaries of learning." This grant was located, afterwards outside of, but contiguous to, the Symmes Purchase, and it became the endowment of the Miami University.
There being no system of common schools yet established, during this period-from 1803 to 1810- the only means of popular education was through schools maintained by private means. The Con- stitution of 1802 provided for the establishment of academies by corporations of individuals. In many places these were started, and they furnished the only means of education at that period. They were productive of great good and many of the ablest men of the succeeding generation looked back to these modest founts of learning with pride and affection. These institutions, more than any one cause, are responsible for the movement towards common schools, which a decade after took tangible form.
175
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
These academies and private schools, sometimes incorporated as "Literary Societies," were numerous over the State for the times and conditions. During the first seven years of statehood the Legislature granted charters to the following: the Erie Literary Society, in Trumbull county (then constituting all of the Connecticut Reserve), the Granville Alexan- drian Society, the Cincinnati University, the Worth- ington Academy, the Chillicothe Academy, the New Lisbon Academy, the Steubenville Academy and the Gallia Academy at Gallipolis. From this list it can be seen that the sentiment for public education in Ohio was strong even in its early days, and the inabil- ity of the State in its first period to furnish schools for its youth did not prevent private enterprise from doing so.
Secondary only to the educational progress was the early and increasing development of the newspaper press. Commencing in the days of territorial govern- ment at Cincinnati, then on the western frontier of American civilization, the Ohio newspaper continued its growth, until in 1810 we find a creditable and wide- spread list throughout the State. As an essential and influential factor of a people's history, the origin and growth of the press of that time forms a useful and instructive study.
The first newspaper published in the Northwest Territory was edited by William Maxwell. This was The Centinel of the North-Western Territory, the first number of which appeared November 9, 1793. It was a four page three column sheet, in small quarto form, the type of each page occupying a space eight
176
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
and one-half by ten and one-fourth inches. The motto at the head of the paper was, "Open to all parties- but influenced by none," and it can be truthfully said that during its existence this dedication was faithfully adhered to. In the summer of 1796, William Maxwell, who had been appointed post-master at Cincinnati sold The Centinel of the North-Western Territory to Edmund Freeman who changed the name to Freeman's Journal. In 1800 it was moved to Chillicothe, the new capital of the Territory. Freeman's Journal was published for a time in Chillicothe, where the editor died. In The Scioto Gazette of October 19, 1801, appears a notice by S. Freeman, administrator, relative to the death of Edmund Freeman, printer, late of Chillicothe, deceased. Nathaniel Willis, editor of The Scioto Gazette, purchased the outfit of Freeman's Journal in October, 1801. It was therefore merged into The Scioto Gazette, which continues under that name to the present day, and may be regarded as the con- tinuation of the first newspaper established in the old Northwest.
The second paper of the Northwestern Territory was The Western Spy and Hamilton Gazette. Its first issue bears date of May 28, 1799. It was edited and published in Cincinnati by Joseph Carpenter, who came west from Massachusetts. In the summer of 1806, the name of the paper was changed to Western Spy and Miami Gazette. It was later changed to The Whig. After continuing about one year, it was changed to The Advertiser, and suspended soon afterward. In September, 1810, Mr. Carpenter brought forth the new Western Spy, which continued under that name
CENTINEL of the North-IV'estern' TERRITOR
Open to all parties-bie teflereveut by non
( Vol. 1. )
SATURDAY, Nemfry, 1993.
The Printer of the CENTINEL of un po of g. Fr undolor the us-
North-Western TERATORE In the Public.
FTAWING arrived at Cincariati, Ne ha, ap À pied hunfelf to chat which Has been the principal object of his removal to this vou .;. try the Publication of a New P.p.r.
This country is in its infants, and the anh bitants are Jaily expofea to an cheny who Dot content with taking away the lives of men ils the field Have fweprawdy whoh families, and birk thuir habitations. Je wellaware tilar ih want of areg ler ard e-t iin trade down the WHI hippi, deprive, discos try in great meapre, of iancy at the pr full time Til ar dicaragements, never b kfia led to believe the people of this comary are UNjaofed to pr Mote fejonce and hice th fint a dance that the d'ap from its known Mil will receive more .
---- --- >
diwa personal Tel . r=11, but the public alad
The MONK. CALAIS
A POCtmonk orghe order of ft. Frinds
Mi consent, Nomin cares la Ing his Virus.
-
The retail to 01 1/2any bc ;
C
..
1.
0
Bo dilere fir t).
cinnati. In 1800 it was moved to Chillicothe. It was edited by William Maxwell and published at Cin- This was the first newspaper in the Northwest Territory.
NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY"
FACSIMILE OF THE "CENTINEL OF THE
170
THE RISE AND PROGRE
АНТ ХО ЈНИІТИНО” АНТ ТО, АЛІМІКРАЯ and one-half УяотІяянтиянтаawHTnotes. The man at theviofinsT taswdtion[ sii ri fsqsqawon fard Gilt absor and parti but ifi? is bodaiduq bas llowxsM msilli Wayd batiks awfully .odtooiffido of bovom asw fi 0081 al .itsanto That during its existence this dedication was faiths adhered to. In the summer of 1796, William Max who had been appointed post-master at Cincin sold The Centimel of the Nomb-Western Territor Edmund Freeman who changel the name to Freem
Journal. In 1800: it way ved To Chillicothe
new capital of the Terril Derman's Journal
published for i Gce Chim, where the ed October 19,
died In. The Sad
olaistrator, rel
appear & notas ly in the devil
Wwwwan, printer, lat
Chilbondde Mok Nurkamel Willis, editor of Sciolo Gerill, prorchalod the outfit of Freeman's Jo In October, 180). It was therefore merged into Seimo Gautir, which continues under that nam the pron: duy, and may be regarded as the tinuation of the first newspaper established in
The second paper of the Northwestern Terrin was The Western Sty and Hamilion Gazette. Its F Pe bears date of May 38, 1799. It was edited puhnf in Cincinnati by Joseph Carpenter, wow !tvo Massachusetts, In the summer Wo wowwww of the paper was changed to Wes War Getett. It was later changed to af continuing about one year, it was chan Or Memur, and suspended soon afterward. Seperder, 3510, MI. Carpenter brought forth now Warum Spy, which continued under that nan
THE
CENTINEL of the North-Western' TERRITORY;
Open to all parties-but influenced by nonc.
( Vol. I. )
SATURDAY, November 9, 1793.
( Num. [. )
The Printer of the CENTINEL of the North-Western TERRITORY, to the Public.
FTAVING arrived at Cincinnati, he has ap- 1 plied himfelf to chat which has been the principal object of uis re noval to this coun- try, the Publication of a News-Paper.
"This country is in its infancy, and the inha- birants are daily expofed to an enemy who, not content with taking away the lives of men in the field, have fwept away wholefamilies, and barac their habitations. Weare well aware that the want of a regular and certain trade down the Mifi lippi, deprives this country in a great meafare, of money .at the prefent time. There are difcouragements, neverthelefs I am led to believe the people of this country are ". UMpofed to promote fcience, and have the fullett affurance that the Prefs fromits knowu utility will receive proper encouragement. And on my part am content wien finall gains, at the prefent, flattering myfelf that from at-
men of public fpirit will consider the un- dercaking ax a proper object of attention, and dot confult merely their own perfonal inte- rell, but the interest of the public and the coming time.
-
The M.ONK. CADAIS.
A POOR monk of the order of St. Francis came into the room to beg fomething for his convent, Noman cares to have his virtues the fport of contingencies- or one man may be generous, av.another man is puitfint~/ ... hon, quo ad banc -- or be"as it may-for there is no regular realoping upon the cobs. and flows of our humours ; they may depend upon the fame caufes, for ought Iknow, which in- flaence the tides thewifeives- would oft be no difcredit to us fuppore it was fo ; I'm fure at least for myfelf, that in many a cafe I fhould be more highly fatihfied, to have it faid by
The reft of his outline may be given in a few drokes ; Que might pat it into the bands of any one to defigu, far 'twas neither elegant nor otherwife, but as character and expret- fion made it fo: it was a thin, fpare form, fomething above the common fize, if it loft not the distinction by a bend forwards in the figure-but it was the attitude of eutreaty : and as it now fands prefented to iny imagi- nation, it gained more than it loft byir.
When he had euter'd the room three pac- es, he flood filll ; and laying his left hand ap - on his breaft, (a ficader white flat with which he journey'd being in his right )- when Thad got clofe up to him, he introduc. ed himfelt' with the little ftery of the wants of hi, convent, and the poverty of his order -and dil it with fo Gimple a grace -- and fuch an air of deprecation was there in the whole call of his look and figure-I was be'witched not to have been ftruck with it -
-& better reafon was, I had predetermin- ed not to give him a fingle fous ..
++'Tis very truer Gaid I, replying cat dowards with /fe ves. with whis.
.
It.
8
177
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
to January 9, 1819, when it appears as the Western Spy and Cincinnati General Advertiser. On April 29, 1820, it united with the Literary Cadet and became the Western Spy and Literary Cadet. The name was again changed January 1, 1823, to The National Republican and Ohio Political Register. Subsequently it became, January 3, 1830, the National Republican and Cincin- nati Daily Mercantile Advertiser. The name was further modified July 11, 1833, to the Cincinnati Republican and Commercial Register.
The third paper published in the Northwest Terri- tory was The Scioto Gazette, first issued in Chillicothe, April 25, 1800. There is a tradition of a Scioto Gazette printed at an earlier date, but it seems to be tradition only. If such a paper was published, it suspended and began anew on the date here given. As we have seen, it absorbed the Freeman's Journal in 1801. It was first published by Nathaniel Willis, who was born in Boston, February 7, 1755, was a member of the Boston Tea Party, and, at one time an apprentice under Benjamin Franklin. He was also the grandfather of the poet, N. P. Willis. He was editor until 1807, when he retired to his farm, where he died April 1, 1831. The Scioto Gazette, in August, 1815, absorbed the Fredonian and continued as The Scioto Gazette and Fredonian Chronicle. In March, 1821, the Gazette united with the Supporter, under the name of The Supporter and Scioto Gazette. With volume 101, num- ber I, April 28, 1900, it resumed its natal name, The Scioto Gazette.
In 1801, Wyllys Silliman and Elijah Backus bought printers' materials in Philadelphia and, on December 7,
178
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
of that year, published in Marietta the first issue of the Ohio Gazette and the Territorial and Virginia Herald. This was the fourth paper published in the Northwest Territory. In 1805 the name was changed to Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald. In 1810 the paper failed and was sold by the sheriff. In October of the same year the Western Spectator took its place. This in time was sold to the proprietor of the American Friend, first issued April 24, 1813. Ten years later the name was changed to American Friend and Marietta Gazette. In 1842 the paper was merged into The Intelligencer. In 1862 it was sold to R. M. Stimson who changed the name to Marietta Register.
These papers were all started under the government of the Northwest Territory and they had much to do in their localities in fixing the politics of the time, and in bringing about statehood.
The year 1810 found Ohio well supplied with news- papers. They were published at nine different towns in the State and furnished the population, which was mostly in the southern and eastern portions, with a weekly compilation of foreign, national and State news. At this period there were sixteen newspapers in Ohio. In addition to The Scioto Gazette, The Sup- porter, the Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald and The Whig, of which mention has already been made, there were twelve others. At Chillicothe were The Fredo- nian, founded by R. D. Richardson, and The Independent Republican by Peter Parcels; at St Clairsville was the Impartial Expositor. Liberty Hall, at first called Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Mercury, established by Rev. John W. Browne, December 4, 1804, and The
179
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
Advertiser, which suspended after a short life, were both published at Cincinnati. The Western Star at Lebanon edited by John McLean, and The Western Herald at Steubenville by Lowry and Miller, were both established in 1806. The Commentator of Mar- ietta was founded by Dunham and Gardner in 1807, and The Ohio Patriot by William D. Lepper in 1808 at New Lisbon. The Ohio Centinel, of Dayton, was established by Isaac G. Burnett in 1810. And in the same year at Zanesville was first published the Muskingum Express by J. H. Putnam and Co., and the Muskingum Messenger by White and Sawyer.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.