USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, Ohio, from the founding of Franklinton in 1797, through the World War period to the year 1920 > Part 44
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Not less important than the story of a city's material growth and development is its literary history, expressing as it does the mind of the community, as religion does its soul. Rugged men were the pioneer settlers of the region now known as Columbus, trained in severity of thought by the hardships of the times, and with few amusements to divert their minds from the pressing work of carving a home out of the wilderness; but there is evidence to show that the literary history of Columbus dates back to the earliest days when the first settlers of the small village on the banks of the Scioto turned after their hard day's work to the almanac or to such cherished volumes as the more educated had brought with them over the mountains in their search for a new Eldorado of the west. The flickering candle light in many a rude cabin or more pretentious home revealed not only the eager face of the schoolboy but also the earnest eyes of the seeker after intellectual enjoyment poring over the pages of some treasured volume or printed sheet. For with the first settlers came that valuable adjunct of civilization, the printing press, and as early as 1812, when clearings were being made for the first State building, the Freeman's Chronicle was being issned from the press of James B. Gardiner, at Franklinton, now the West Side; while the progenitor of the Ohio State Journal, the Western Intelligencer, had been founded the year previons at Worthington, ten miles north, by Colonel James Kilbourne. Copies of the Freeman's Chronicle are so rare that not a library in the city or State has a file of them.
John Kilbourne was the anthor and compiler of the first book published in Columbus. It was called the Ohio Gazetteer and first came out in 1816, going by reason of the extent and variety of its information into a tenth edition in 1826. It gave information about places, roads, routes of travel and proved a useful handbook for the shifting population of the day. Samuel Barr printed a "Farmer's Almanac" in 1822. Another work produced yearly for a time, beginning about 1827, was the "Columbus Magazine and Single Alma- nac." Cornelius Thomas, who used to say that his occupation was "bisecting and rifting wood," published in 1827 a brochure called "The Columbus Elucidator," as he himself stated in the Ohio State Journal of May 10, 1827, "to explain matters and things, to open the eyes or minds of men, to reform the government and laws-political sermons with poetry to suit the prose." He advertised it for sale at McCoy's store and at "Captain Howton's near the Mound, price 123 cents." To encourage buying, he declared that "first rate men speak well of me and my pamphlet, but absurd boys and biased adult varlets, ete., try their best to make fun of both."
In 1837 announcement was made of the early publication of John W. Campbell's bio- graphical sketches of Ohio pioneers then deceased. The book, which was issued as promised, was an interesting contribution to Ohio literature. In the same year Isaac N. Whiting published the "Ohio Gazettecr and Travelers' Guide," a book of 550 duodecimo pages, nearly twice the size of Kilbourne's similar work. A little earlier than this William Lusk published "The Ohio Register and Western Calendar."
As an evidence of growing gentility, it is interesting to note that one of the books published while Columbus was yet a borough bore the significant title "The Young Lady's and Gentleman's Explanatory Monitor." Social amenities were evidently looking up for the author, Rufus W. Adams, undertook to give advice as to dress, deportment, morals, etc., and the book, which was recommended by Jacob Lindley, of the college at Athens, proved its usefulness by going into a fifth edition. There also appeared a little later a collection of popular songs under the title, "The American Songster."
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In 1842 two books of minor importance from the pens of Columbus residents appeared. They were "Political Economy" by Thomas Chalmers and "Claims of the Country on American Females," by Margaret Coxe, the latter of whom was also the author of several other works designed for the perusal of her sex.
It was in April, 1842, that a most distinguished writer eame to Columbus, in the per- son of Charles Dickens, even then a figure of wide renown in the world of books. But he came unheralded and he left unrecognized, as far as the chronicles of the times inform us. In his "American Notes" he wrote:
We reached Columbus shortly after seven o'clock, and stayed there to refresh that day and night; having excellent apartments in a large unfinished hotel eatled the Neil House, which were richly fitted with the polished wood of the black walnut and opened on a hand- some portico and stone verandah, like rooms in some Italian mansion. The town is clean and pretty and, of course, is going to be much larger. It is the seat of the state legislature of Ohio and lays claim in consequence to some consideration and importance.
Mr. Dickens was traveling by stage coach from Cincinnati to Sandusky, and left the following morning by special conveyance as there was no stage that day.
Law books by the Swans (Gustavus S. and Joseph R.) began to appear in this period, and a work of scientific import, "Lectures on the Globe," by George Brewster, appeared. "Volumes of the War," by Thomas Prescott appeared in 1851. Dr. I. G. Jones published in 1853 a work on "The Theory and Practice of Medicine." Wm. T. Martin brought out in 1858 his "History of Franklin County," and the following year Wm. T. Coggeshall pub- lished "The Cincinnati Riots of 1836 and 1841." These riots were caused by the publiea- tion there of an anti-slavery paper. In 1860 appeared Mr. Coggeshall's best known book, "Poets and Poetry of the West." It was published here by Follett, Foster & Co., the most notable of early Columbus publishers. From the same house in 1859 came Judge Simeon Nash's "Morality and the State" and Joshua Giddings' "Exiles in Florida"; in 1860, 'The Poems of Two Friends," by W. D. Howells and John James Piatt, and "A Familiar Forensic View of Man and Law." by Judge R. B. Warden. A "Life of Douglas" and a "Life of Lincoln," the latter by Wm. D. Howells, and a "Life of Alfred Kelley." by Gustavus Swan, also came from this press in 1860. A few of the other publications of this house, as show- ing its importance, may be mentioned here: "A Buckeye Abroad," by Samuel Sullivan Cox (1851) ; "Debates of Lincoln and Douglas"; "A Story of Life in Chili," edited by Mr. Howells: a translation of Gantier's "Romance of a Mummy," done by a Marietta lady: "Adela, the Octoroon," by II. L. Hosmer; "Life and Character in the South and West," by W. T. Coggeshall; "Eric, or Little by Little," an English story for boys.
It is around Mr. Howells that the chief literary traditions of Columbus center, for he was the first to go from this city to achieve high distinction in the world of letters. He was connected with the Ohio State Journal as a writer for the greater part of the period 1858-61. He wrote six poems in 1860 which were accepted for publication in the Atlantic Monthly. The first of them, published in the February number, being so short and sig- nificant that it is reproduced :
THE POET'S FRIENDS.
The robin sings in the elm; The cattle stand beneath, Sedate and grave, with great brown eyes And fragrant meadow breath.
They listen to the flattered bird, The wisc-looking stupid things, And they never understand a word Of all the robin sings.
Mr. Howells, in his "Reminiscences," says that his writings met with kindness, if not honor, in Columbus. So, in the poem, he may not have used the robin to typify himself and the cattle to represent his Columbus neighbors. According to tradition, Mr. Howells received for this poem $25, which he put in bank and then, needing some money, had to ask his friend, James M. Comly, "Jim, when you put money in the bank, how do you get it out again?"
John James Piatt, co-author of the "Poems of Two Friends." was also a printer and writer on the Ohio State Journal. Unlike Mr. Howells, who went into fiction, he clung to poetry and later, while in Washington and in Ireland as United States Consul, wrote and
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published much. He died in 1917. His wife, Sarah M. B. Piatt, is also a writer of attractive verse.
Among the other familiar names of this period is that of Hon. S. S. Cox, who came from Zanesville in 1853 to be the editor of the Ohio Statesman and who gained a peculiar distinetion by writing for the Statesman of May 19, 1853, his beautiful sketch, "A Great Old Sunset." This was both praised and ridieuled, for it was a new thing in editorial expressions. One of the politieal editors of the time - and they were nearly all suel - parodied it in "A Great Old Henset," and the initials of Mr. Cox's name were immediately amplified into "Sun Set." The niekname stuek, and Mr. Cox came to be very fond of it in later years when he was congressman and diplomat and writer of other books.
John H. Klippart in 1860 published an exhaustive treatise on "The Wheat Plant," which went through three large editions and in 1862 another on "Theory and Practice of Farm Drainage." In 1865 appeared the "Lineoln Memorial," by Wm. T. Coggeshall.
In 1864 appeared William S. Sullivant's "Jeones Museorum," a seientific work on which he had labored for more than twenty years, much of the time having the assistance of that other Columbus seientist, Leo Lesquereux. Mr. Sullivant was a son of the founder of Frank- linton and had previously published an exhaustive study of the flora of eentral Ohio. In addition to his collaboration with Mr. Sullivant in his work on mosses, Mr. Lesquereux was constantly employed by the National Geographieal Society and numerous State surveys in the study of and report upon speeimens sent to him from the field. Both of these men were scientists far beyond the appreciation of their neighbors, and they had more fame abroad than at home.
A contemporary of Sullivant and Lesquereux was Dr. Theodore G. Wormley, professor of chemistry first at Capital University and later at Starling Medical College, where he served about twenty-three years. In 1867, during the latter service he published his work, "The Miero-Chemistry of Poisons," the greatest work of the kind up to that time produeed. His accomplished wife made not only the drawings, but also the steel engravings for the book.
Of purveyors of books Columbus had some even in the earliest days. Baek in 1818 Samuel Barr & Co. sold books off the same shelves that held groceries, boots, drugs, hard- ware, and farmers' implements. The first regular bookstore here was opened by I. N. Whiting in 1829, but his belief in the culture of the community was shaken, the year follow- ing, when he was obliged to add a stoek of hardware. One could get along without books in those days, but hardware was a necessity to pioneer endeavor. Besides dealing in books, Mr. Whiting was a publisher and his name is found in the imprint of many of the early books. He continued in the business many years. F. W. Derby appeared here in the book business in 1843 and J. H. Riley in 1844. Burr, Randall & Long began business in 1850, the firm afterward becoming Randall & Aston (Isaae C.) The last-named eon- tinued in the book business after the death of his partner. George W. Gleason and George H. Twiss were book dealers in the 70's. Henry C. MeClelland died in 1918 after sixty years as elerk or proprietor, and the business he started is now carried on under the name of MeCelland & Co., by F. W. Flowers, long Mr. MeClelland's partner. Arthur H. Smythe was another veteran in the business, his Neil House store having long been one of the land- marks. His wide knowledge of books as well as his diseriminating mind eaused him to be greatly missed by Columbus booklovers when he retired from business in 1919.
In 1821 the apprentiees of the town established a library solely for their own use. Two years later the borough boasted a eireulating library, and in 1835 the Columbus Reading Room and Institute was established. Reading rooms and lyeeums succeeded one another until 1853, when the Columbus Atheneum eame into existence, occupying rooms in the Court House and contributing to the intellectual growth of the eity by bringing within its gates sueh nationally famous men as Horace Mann, Bayard Taylor, Thomas Ewing, Wendell Phillips, Donald Mitehell, Ralph Waldo Emerson and P. T. Barnum. It is recorded that considerable exception was taken to the appearance of the eireus man on such a high class leeture platform, but the commentary is also written that his was one of the few financially successful leetures of the course. The lecture course was eventually discontinued, but the library remained in service until 1871 when all its books were turned over to the City Library then established by the City Council. The State Library, founded in 1816 by Ohio's first executive, Governor Worthington, was a strong factor in the literary life of growing Colum- bus, giving special aid to the student, writer and research worker, and furnishing standard
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and authoritative information in all branches of literary endeavor. By all these means a literary standard had been formed and a certain measure of culture acquired, flowering forth into a multiplicity of publications, many of which have already been referred to.
Bankers as well as business men found time in the early days for dalliance with the pen. Of these George W. Manypenny wrote of "Our Indian Wards"; a valuable history of Ireland was published by Michael McAllister; and Francis Sessions was the author of several books of travel. About this time, too, a biographical sketch of Professor Espy and two books of verse came from the pen of Mrs. L. M. Morehead; Col. S. K. Donovan, then living in Columbus, published a Christmas story, and a romance entitled "Nellie Harland," was written by Elmer Vance.
The early newspaper writers were men of distinctively literary tastes, exemplified in Howells, Piatt, and William D. Gallagher, the latter of whom was related through his mother to Alice and Phoebe Cary. Mr. Gallagher was the son of an Irish patriot implicated in the rebellion of 1798 and made his way to Columbus on a flatboat. Associated with the Ohio State Journal in an editorial capacity, it is especially interesting at this particular time to learn why he severed his connection with it. He opposed the publication of the laws in the German language and the teaching of any foreign language in the public schools, and finding his views injurious to the interests of the paper he chose to resign, in the words of Dr. Venable, rather than suppress his honest opinions. He was the publisher of three books and died in 1894.
One of the interesting incidents in the literary life of Columbus was the publication in 1870 of an edition of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. It was an unauthorized reprint of the Quaritch edition, made solely in admiration of the beauty of Fitzgerald's translation, and with no desire of pecuniary reward. It was, in fact, the first edition of Omar to be published in this country and the small number issued, between 75 and a hundred, was soon exhausted. It is thought that no more than half a dozen remain now in the possession of Columbus residents. The late Col. Watson was chiefly responsible, with a group of congenial young friends, for the publication of the little volume, which was printed by Nevins & Myers.
In the course of her history Columbus has produced writers in all branches of literature - history, fiction, poetry, the sciences, religion, travel, adventure, education, ethics - in fact, there is no branch untouched, and many have been illuminated by the sons and daughters of Ohio's capital. A. B. Laurens, a printer, wrote a lit- tle book of delicious poems, called "Bubbles"; Arnold H. Isler, an editor, "Wild Thoughts in Rhyme' ; P. V. N. Myers, an educator, "Life and Nature Under the Tropics" and "Remains of Lost Empires": Henry B. Carrington, a lawyer, "Battles of the American Revolution" and a "Patriotic Reader"; Rev. Dr. D. A. Randall, "The Handwriting of God in Egypt, Sinai and the Holy Land" and "The Tabernacle"; Samuel H. Church, "Horatio Plodgers" and later his "Oliver Cromwell"; Judge George C. Benham, "A Year of Wreck"; Colonel Edward L. Taylor, lawyer, historical monographs on Indian life: General John Beatty, banker, "The Citizen Soldier" and "The Belle of Beckett's Lane": Hon. E. O. Randall, editor of the Historical Quarterly, numerous books on the Mound Builders and Indians and co-author with Daniel J. Ryan of a monumental history of Ohio; Hon. Daniel J. Ryan, "The Civil War Literature of Ohio," "Masters of Men" and other books; David K. Watson, a history of American coinage and a two-volume work on the Constitution; F. F. D. Albery, "Michael Ryan"; Al G. Field, "Watch Yourself Go By"; Francis C. Sessions, "On the Wing Through Europe," and other books of travel; William G. Benham, a standard work on palmistry; Charles B. Galbreath, "Song Writers of Ohio" and other literary mono- graphs and poems; Francis B. Pearson, "Reveries of a Schoolmaster" and "The Reconstructed School"; Frank V. Irish, "Orthography and Orthoepy" and "American and British Authors."
The local medical profession from the days when Dr. I. G. Jones wrote "The Theory and Practice of Medicine," probably the first technical work of an Ohio physician, to the present time, has been well represented by a long list of authors of books as well as editors and contributors to medical journals. Besides his scientific works, Dr. D. Tod Gilliam has written two novels, "The Rose Croix" and The Righting of Richard Devereux." Dr. Frank Warner has been a prolific contributor to medical and surgical journals, and Dr. Andre Crotti in 1918 published a work giving the results of years of study of the "Thyroid and Thymus Glands."
In the seventies the Harpers brought out a "Study of Ancient Civilizations" by Pro-
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fessor John Short, of the Ohio State University, and ever since the University has been largely represented in the literary productions of the day. Most prominent in this body of work is that of the late Dr. Edward Orton, whose work and writings in geology were and are of inestimable value. His son, Professor Edward Orton, jr., the first manufacturer in the United States of ferrosilicon and director of the first school founded in this country for instruction in the technology of clay, glass and cement industries, has written much of Ohio clay working industries. Professor Wilbur Henry Siebert's historical studies are of interest and worth, also the text-books of the late Professor Rhodes and those of Pro- fessor Joseph Villiers Denny, Benjamin Bowen, James E. Hagerty, Frank Pierrepont Graves, Josiah R. Smith, also a musical critic of distinction. George Wells Knight, Dr. Sidney Norton, Joseph A. Leighton, Henry Weber, Warren K. Morehead, William MePher- son, Charles Plumb, Ludwig Lewissohn, and Dr. W. O. Thompson, the versatile president of the big educational institution, have added luster to the name of the University by their varied and valuable contributions to literature. In the faculty, too, are found poets - Joseph Russell Taylor, whose verse finds its way into all the best magazines; also Professor William Lucius Graves, a poet as well as a man of marked literary tastes. To these may be added the names of Professor James Chalmers, who published theses on Macaulay and his essays, and Professor Alfred Welsh, who through his study of "The Development of English Language and Literature" won an almost world-wide reputation. A variety of textbooks attest the fertility of Prof. Welsh's pen. These are only a few of the University men who have contributed to the output of Columbus literature.
One of the first and best histories of Columbus was that of W. T. Martin in 1858, a reference book of value to all later historians, An excellent history was published in 1873 by Jacob H. Studer, who also the same year issued his book on the "Birds of North America," which held its place as an accepted ornithology through the long period until Oliver Davie, naturalist and poet, published his "Nests and Eggs of North American Birds," illustrated by Theodore Jasper, since translated into several foreign languages. In 1892 Captain Alfred E. Lee published a very voluminous history of Columbus, a source of varied in- formation and extremely valuable to later historians. Another interesting work of Captain Lee was "European Days and Ways," written as a result of his German consulship. The official State historian, Henry Howe, whose "Historical Collections of Ohio" was bought by the State and published in many editions, wrote widely on history and travel. The late W. A. Taylor, veteran newspaper man, also published much history and biography. also verse of high quality.
Among the later newspaper men who carried out the traditions of Howells and Piatt by their contributions to literature may be mentioned the late Col. E. S. Wilson editor of the Ohio State Journal, the author of several books, among them "Consular Im- pressions of Porto Rico" and "The Poetry of Eating"; Osman Castle Hooper, for many years editorial writer on the Dispatch, now editor of its Sunday literary page and professor of journalism at Ohio State, who has two charming books of verse to his credit, "The Joy of Things" and "The Shepherd Wind"; Scannell O'Neill, associate editor of the Catholic Columbian, a book of appealing verse and many monographs and compilations; Webster Hunt- ington, formerly a Columbus editor, who writes verse and fiction also; Robert O. Ryder of the Ohio State Journal, author of the clever little book, "The Young Lady Across the Way." Among other makers of timely literature may be mentioned Hon. James Boyle, at one time political correspondent and for several years consul to Liverpool, who has written books on Socialism and Syndiealism; Claude Meeker, former consul to Bradford, England, a mono- graph on "Charlotte and Emily Bronte's Haworth"; Howard Thompson, Paris representative of the Associated press, Herbert Brooks, Howard Conard, and many others.
Of educational literature Columbus has produced an immense and valuable body. Her educators are earnest men who write extensively on subjects of vital import to the work in which they are engaged, many of them being editors, translators, essayists, historians. Some of these have already been referred to in the productive work of the Ohio State University faculty, and among others who have distinguished themselves along this line may be men- tioned O. T. Corson, former State School Commissioner, Dr. J. A. Shawan, former superin- tendent of Columbus public schools, Dr. F. W. Howard, Secretary-General of the Catholic Educational Association, editor of its publications and author of various articles on educa- tional subjects.
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A figure that must always loom large in the literary history of Columbus is that of the late Dr. Washington Gladden, Congregationalist minister, who passed away in July, 1918, after a long life, in the eonrse of which he wrote a large number of books, many of which had international eireulation, as well as his essays, poetry and magazine articles, chiefly religious and ethical in character. Other minister writers were Rev. Franeis Marsten, whose graceful verse appeared in the Century; Dr. Edward D. Morris, anthor of books on theology, Rev. Carl S. Patton, Rev. C. H. L. Schuette, and many more. Rev. Francis A. Gaffney, O. P., is the author of a book of poems, and Rev. T. L. Crowley, O. P., pastor of St. Patrick's church, has published two books, one of travel and the other of poetry and is the writer of much graceful verse.
Other Columbus writers who have produced one or more books are: Captain Alexis Cope, Major Henry M. Neil, Col. W. L. Curry, Harry Parker Ward, Bennett J. Loomis, T. T. Frankenburg, C. E. Sherman, Edmund N. Hatcher, Charles Kinney, Frederick Tibbetts, A. Livingstone Stage, Olin Ross, M. B. Earnhart. John W. Wilson, the late Daniel MeAlister, Stokeley S. Fisher, Alonzo Bodell, J. M. Washburn, and William C. Mills.
Columbus has produced a full qnota of women writers to whom she early accorded snb- stantial recognition and encouragement. Among them a recent writer mentioned Mrs. Caro- line Parsons, who published literary criticism and fiction, and Mrs. Alfred Kelley who wrote well on art. Mrs. Lillie Gill Derby is also known for her art eritieism. One of the daughters of Columbus to attain conspicuous sneeess is Lida Rose MeCabe, whose first book, "Don't You Remember?" was reminiscent of the capital's early days, and who in the midst of an active newspaper life in New York City has found time for the writing of other books and magazine articles. It is interesting to note that a schoolmate of Miss MeCabe, Mrs. Penlope Smythe Perrill, achieved considerable suecess as a newspaper writer and dramatie critie. Mrs. Elizabeth Hopley wrote a monograph on "Women in Ohio History"; Mrs. Stella Breyfogle MeDonald is a fietion writer; Ada and Eleanor Skinner have published sev- eral books for children; Miss Mary Marget MaeEachen, while resident in Columbus, wrote a "Child's Life of Washington," and has also to her eredit a "Child's Life of Mary, Queen of Seots" and of "Abraham Lincoln." Florence Gilmore, author of "A Romanee of Old Jerusalem," "Dr. Dupont," and other books, besides being a elever essayist and maga- zine writer; Maude Florenee Bellar, author of "Santa Clans Castle"; Teresa Beatrice O'Hare, "Songs at Twilight" and other verse; Harriet B. Bradbury, 'Civilization - and Women"; Helen Moriarty a book of poems, magazine verse and short stories; Mary C. Thur- man, "Sketches in Ebony and Gold"; Emma Stahler Smith, "Sweet Home Stories for Chil- dren." These are some of the women writers and their works which contribute to the literary fame of Columbus. In addition Lillian Cole-Bethel has written a standard brochure on par- liamentary law; Julia E. S. Neil on genealogy; Essie Collins Matthews on old slave days. A Columbus woman who, though not a writer of books, has contributed largely to the literary life of the city by means of her excellent critical reviews of books and publications, is Miss Rowena Hewitt Landon. Mrs. Henry L. Gilbert and Mrs. Philip D. Wilson have achieved distinction as translators.
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