USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > The Book of Marietta : being a condensed, accurate and reliable record of the important events in the history of the city of Marietta, in the State of Ohio, from the time of its earliest settlement on April 7th, 1788, to the present > Part 2
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Here is the first will recorded in Washington County: "Nuncupative Will of Charles Ransom, de- ceased. The deposition of John Bartlett and Amos Seymore, both of Capt. Heart's Company, 1st United States Regiment. The deponents say that on the 3rd day of October last past, on their march against the Indian Towns, Charles Ransom, of the same company, called on them to bear witness that if he should not return from the campaign, should die or be killed, that he gave all his personal estate, viz: clothing, pay, and all arrearages of pay and cloth- ing, to David Chapman, of said company. At the same time Chapman made his will in favor of said Ransom, and called on us to bear witness to the same." Signed John Bartlett, Amos Seymore, Fort Hamnar, 7th December, 1790.
In January, 1798, Marietta entertained King Louis Phillippe, of France, who was making a tour of the United States. Among other celebrities who have been entertained at Marietta are mentioned : General Anthony Wayne, who assembled his troops prior to his famous Indian campaign at Fort Har- mar, in 1795, William Henry Harrison, afterward President of the United States, was at Marietta for more than a year, when a lieutenant In the military Service. " Tecumseh, the great Indian warrior, view ed the settlement at "The Point," from the West Virginia hill tops in 1792. Henry Clay was the guest of Col. Levi Barber here, in 1820. Gen. La Fayette was the guest of Nathum Ward in 1825 and was given an ovation by the entire populace, young and old on his arrival. John Quincy Adams was the city's guest in 1843. Other men whose names are famous and who have visited this city, are: Thos. Ewing, Sr., Cassius M. Clay, Thomas Corwin,
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President Hays, Senator William Allen, Governor John Brough, President Garfield, Governor Hoadly, Governor Morton, of Indiana, Senator Thurman, Senator Sherman, President Mckinley, Senator Han - na and Senator Foraker. During the present year (1906) the city entertained Mrs. Nicholas Long- worth, (daughter of The President of the United States, Hon. Theodore Roosevelt), Vice President of the United States, Hon. Chas. W. Fairbanks ; Governor of Ohio, Hon. Andrew L. Harris, and nu- merous other distinguished officials of the state, all in attendance at the unveiling of the Bronze Memor- ial Tablet presented by the Ohio Company of Asso- ciates of New York, October 18th, 1906.
BIG FIRES AND DISASTERS
The Phoenix Mill was completely destroyed by fire on May 1st, 1900.
The Loebdell Rim Factory Fire occurred on De- cember 1st, 1897. The loss was over $40,000.00.
The first fire recorded of any importance was thut which consumed "Brown's Row" on the north side of Greene street, in 1804.
On September 17th, 1900, Pattin Bros. Machine Shops on the corner of Market and Harmar, West Side, were burned with a loss of over $8,000.00.
The fire which destroyed the handsome new First National Bank Building occurred on the night of December 26, 1903-just one month after the Roy- al Glass Works fire.
Another disastrous fire which caused the destruc- tion of property to the amount of nearly $30,000.00, occurred about 1:30 o'clock Sunday morning, Aug. ust 17th, 1902, when the Marietta Paint & Color Company plant was burned.
The explosion followed by fire in the Pattin Bros. & Co.'s Machine Shops on Second street, in which Douglas P. Pattin lost his life, occurred about 7 o'clock Sunday morning, October 20th, 1901.
A fire which was probably more generally looked upon as a calamity to Marietta was that which des. troyed the Royal Glass Co.'s plant, on November 26th, 1903. The weekly pay roll of this industry was about $1500.00, and it's loss was severely felt by the mercantile interests of the city.
On May 26th, 1904, at 11:30 p. m., an incendiary fire broke out in the livery stable of Fred Strecker on Third and Church streets and caused the total destruction not only of Strecker's stable, but also James Roache's machine shop, Jos. Smith's black- smith shop, two barns, and damaged the Marietta Distillery . Company's building on Greene street. Three horses were also burned in this fire one of
them being "Ohio Chimes," a stallion owned by W. E. Detlor, and valued at $2,000.00.
The accident to the Steamer Duffy, in charge of Captain Charles Lieving, with a picnic party under the auspices of the United Commercial Travelers, and bound for the head of Marietta Island, and in which three lives were lost, occurred on June 25th, 1898. The Duffy had not gone far from the wharf when a sudden wind storm arose which upset the boat, crowded with
merry makers. Those who lost their lives were: John Gerken, L. A. Bevan and Malcolm Nye. This calamity took place shortly after one o'clock Saturday afternoon.
One of the most disastrous fires in the city's his- tory occurred in May, 1858. This fire originated in a barn at the rear of the old Branch State Bank building, at that time occupied by the Bank of Ma- rietta, located about where the Dime Savings So- ciety's building now stands on Front street. It eat its way through and spreading rapidly, consum- ed everything in its pathway to Greene street, and continued its way to Second street along the north side of Greene. Among the big stores destroyed in that fire was Bosworth & Wells' big grocery, Tur- ner's Cash Store, Nye & Hutington's and A. Allen's Two photographic views of the ruins taken shortly after the fire hang upon the wall in Chas. Mc Farland's Place, on Front street.
The Tornado which passed over Marietta on the evening of June 25th, 1902, is estimated to have destroyed property to the value of over $100,000.00. With all the destruction of property, roofs blown off, entire buildings demolished, and uprooted trees and debris flying through the air to the accompani- ment of vivid flashes of lightning and terrific thun- der, only one life was lost-that of a man named Herman Sprague, who was crushed beneath a fallen chimney of a brick house in which he boarded. The storm came on about 7 o'clock on a Wednesday ev- ening, from the northwest, down over the northern end of Fairview Heights, closely hugging the ground and following an almost straight course in a south- easterly direction, until reaching Norwood when it apparently crossed the Ohio river and lost itself in the low hills of West Virginia. After crossing the Muskingum river it struck the city near the foot of Sacra Via street, thence diagnally across Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth streets, sweeping clean the top of the Mound in Mound Cemetery, touching Glendale, then up over the hill and down again on Norwood where the greatest damage to property resulted. Among the greatest losers through the damage to property were The Street Car Company, in the complete destruction of its car barns; the Ohio Valley Wagon Works, The Acme Brick Co .; The Thomas Cisler & Son Brick Com- pany; The Marietta Chair Co .; and The Marietta
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Brewing Co. Hundreds of private residences were damaged more or less seriously, some being un- roofed. Among the homes most to suffer were those of the following residents: August Keuhn, St. Clair street; Miss S. R. Warren, Second street, Charles Strecker, Charles Otto, H. V. De Rousse and E. G. Brigham, on Washington street; C. A. Ludey and S. C. Wilhelm, Third street; Mrs. Min. shall, William Horn, Ed. Meisenhelder, G. J. Lund, Mrs. R. R. Dawes, the Central Christian church and the First Presbyterian church, of Fourth street ; Mrs. E. C. Dawes, of . Wooster street; the Penrose & Mckinney double house, Win. Reader, Benj. J. Mckinney, Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Morgen, J. S. Torner and Dr. Cotton, on Fifth street; The Gerken home on . Cutler street, Dan'l and Henry Weinstock on Short street; Mrs. Lorenz, Walter Allen, Jacob Wonderly, Andy Cline, Mrs. Drear, Mrs. Schultheiss and Mrs. Lehnhard, Glendale.
FLOODS.
The early historians in touching on the floods of the Ohio river gives 1813 as the date of the first big flood after the settlement of Marietta. On this occasion it is claimed the water rose to 7 or 8 feet on Front street. Another flood which was even higher was in April, 1815. The next great flood was in 1832. When the water was at its great- est height a heavy thunder storm and high winds came up and caused much alarm. Herewith are given a record of the big floods, which, beginning with the year 1852, show the heights the water reached at Pittsburg, Wheeling and Marietta. These figures are furnished by Mr. M. K. Wendelken, of this city.
Record of Floods. At At At Pittsburg Wheeling Marietta
1832 Feb.
49.
1847 Dec. 1.
43.6
1852 Apr. 20.
. 31.9
48. 1
44.6
1860 Apr. 13 ..
. 26.7
43.
46.
1873 Dec. 15.
.25.6
39.8 39.4
1874 Jan. 9
.22.4
38.8 39.2
1881 Feb. 14.
.23.4
38.8 40.2
1881 June 21 ..
. 25.6
40.9
39.3
1883 Feb. 8.
.25.8
39.7
44.8
1884 Feb. 9.
,36.6
52.8
52.0
1891 Feb. 20 ..
.31.3
45.5
45.5
1898 Mch. 27
.30.
44.
48.9
1901 Apr. 23.
25.9
41.8
41.6
1902 Mch. 4.
32.4
43.3
39,2
1904. Jan. 21.
.30.2
44,2
41.7
18.
HISTORICAL
NEWSPAPERS OF MARIETTA.
Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald was the first newspaper in Marietta. The first issue ap. peared on December 18, 1801, and was pub- lished by Wyllys Silliman and Elijah Bachus. In 1805 the paper had passed into the hands of Samuel Fairlamb, of Philadelphia, who con- tinued as owner and publisher up to 1810, when he sold to Caleb Emerson, who later changed the name to that of the Western Spectator.
The Commentator and Marietta Recorder was first issued on September 16, 1807, by Durham & Gardner. It remained in existence about two years and was discontinued for lack of sufficient support.
The Western Spectator made its initial appearance on October 10th, 1810, with Caleb Emerson as editor and owner, it being the new name given to the old Gazette purchased by him that year from Samuel Fairlamb. : It is recorded that Emerson was one of the best known characters as well as one of the ablest men of his time. The Spectator was published the first year of its existence by Thomas G. Ransom for Caleb Emerson, but later issues gives the name of the publisher as "J. Israel for Caleb Emerson." It continued publication with slight irregularity up i. to April, 1813, when it was purchased by the American Friend.
The American Friend was first issued on April 24, 1813. D. Everett was the editor and it was published by T. G. Ransom for D. Everett, T. Buell and D. H. Buell. Everett was a brilliant literary scholar and a forceful writer. After his death, December 21, 1813, D. H. Buell, Esq., succeeded as editor. In April 1814, Royal Prentiss became one of the publishers in place of T. G. Ransom, the firm name being given as "T. & D. Buell and R. Prentiss." On March 16, 1816, Royal Prentiss succeeded as sole owner and publisher and remained in that capacity, and as editor, for seventeen years. On June 26, 1823, lie enlarged his paper from a four to a five column paper and also changed the name to that of
"The American Friend and Marietta Gazette." At this time also, he took into partnership G. Pren- tiss, who remained with the business until April 30, 1826. On May 11th, 1833, R. Prentiss sold to John Delafield and Edward W. Nye.
Marietta Gazette. The Marietta Gazette which as such was first issued on July 15, 1833, became the name of The American Friend and Marietta Gazette, upon its coming under the control of
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Delafield & Nye. In September, 1834, Mr. Nye retired, leaving Mr. Delafield the sole head of the paper. £ Not long after this Mr. Dela- field was succeeded as editor and publisher by Pazzi Lapham, who was a practical printer and possessed considerable ability as an editor. In August, 1835, Edward Nye again became the proprietor, remaining at the helm until April 20, 1836, when Caleb Emerson again be came the owner and editor. His publishers were L. J. and V. C. Knight. Although Mr. Emerson and son remained with the paper un. til 1841, Isaac Maxon became the editor and publisher in December, 1837, and continued as such until 1842, wlien he was succeeded by Edward Flagg, as editor. Flagg remained in that capacity until the purchase of the paper by the Marietta Intelligencer.
Marietta Intelligencer. The Intelligencer was es. tablished on August 29, 1839. It was found- ed by Beman Gates, who continued as its editor until 1856, in which year he was succeeded by Dr. T. L. Andrews. £ On June 5, 1862, Hon. Rodney M. Stimson, who is still a resident of Marietta, became the owner and editor. It was Mr. Stimson who changed the name of the paper to "The Marietta Register." About the same time he purchased the "Home News," which had been in existence about three and a half years. Mr. Stimson came from Ironton, where, from 1850 to 1862, he was the editor of the "Ironton (Ohio) Register." It may be of interest to note that Mr. Stimson was a graduate in 1847 of Marietta College. He was born in Milford, New Hampshire, October 26, 1824.
The Marietta Register was first published on Friday, June 27th, 1862, Rodney M. Stimson being editor and owner. It is claimed for the Reg- ister that it is a direct descendant from the old Ohio Gazette and Virginia Herald. In 1872 Mr. Stimson sold to E. R. Alderman & Co., J. W. Dumble being the company. In 1875 Mr. Alderman became the sole owner and editor and is remembered as one of the most just, fearless and out-spoken men' of his time in affairs touching the public welfare. In
1883 he took into the business his oldest son, A. D. Alderman, the firm name becoming E. R.
Alderman & Son. Later another son, E. S. Alderman, was included in the firm, which be- came E. R. Alderman & Sons. In 1887, "The Marietta Register Co." was Incorporated with the following officers: E. R. Alderman, presi- dent; A. D. Alderman, vice president; E. S. Alderman, sec'y. and treas .; L. A. Alderman and William Sharpe, directors.
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The Marietta Times .- The first issue of "The Times," under its present name, was on Sep- tember 24, 1864, when Walter C. Hood took up the Democratic line of succession from the first paper in the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, "The Ohio Gazette and the Territorial and Virginia Herald," which first appeared December 7, 1801. While there have been broken links in all the chains of succession "The Times" is certainly the political doscend- ent of the first paper, which advocated Jeffer- sonian principles, and has equally as good a claim as have any other to being its lineal des- cendant. There is no other paper in Ma- rietta today that has been issued so long with- out a change of name as has "The Times." In 1871 S. M. McMillen bought the paper and conducted it until 1890, since which time it has been published by Ben J. Mckinney, who, Oc- tober 20, 1898, added a Daily issue of "The Times" to the weekly issue.
The Marietta Minerva. First published by John D. and A. V. D. Joline, in October 1823, and ceased on December 3rd, 1824, by being merg- ed with The American Friend and Marietta Gazette.
The Marietta & Washington County Pilot made its first appearance on April 7th, 1826, George Dunlevy and A. V. D. Joline being the pub- lishers. In 1827 the Pilot came out as & Jackson paper. In May, 1830, appeared the last issue, the plant afterward being purchased by Jolin Brough.
The Western Republican and Marietta Advertiser was first published by John Brough (afterward Auditor and later governor of Ohio) on Jan- nary 8, 1831. After being published about two years the paper was removed to Parkers- burg and later to Lancaster.
The Home News. The history as well as the life of this paper, is short. It was first issued in May, 1859, by E. Winchester, who, in 1862, sold the plant to R. M. Stimson, who merged it with the Register.
The Marietta Democrat. Wirst issued in August, 1835, by Charles B. Flood, and was sold to Ja- cob Baughey in 1838. This paper shortly after. waid failed and the property was purchased by Daniel Radebaugh, Jr.
The Washington County Democrat was first issued ini April, 1840, Daniel Radebaugh, Jr., but con- tinued for only a short time. In 1844 it was revived by J. C. C. Carroll, who continued its publication until after the first of November of the same year, after which it ceased.
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The' Marietta Republican. This paper was first issued in 1849, by Amos Layman, a graduate of Marietta College. For nearly five years prior to this Marietta had been without a Dem. ocratic paper. About 1854 Mr. Layman sold out to Andrew McCormick, who continued the publication until 1863.
Der Marietta Demokrat. This was the first Ger- man newspaper established in Marietta and was started by William Lorey in 1856, who in 1865 sold out to Mueller & Schultz and was soon after suspended. It was later revived again by Mr. Lorey but only survived for about a year and a half longer.
Der Beobachter. This paper was started in 1861 by Joseph Wildt and Frederick Neuberger. Ow. ing to a lack of sufficient support it only lasted about nine months. An effort was made to revive it by E. Schmidt but without success.
Der Patriot was published by Rev. Constantine Ar- nold, the first number appearing in 1867, the publisher securing the use of the plant of Der Beobachter. Only twenty-two numbers were issued.
Marietta Zeitung. The first number of the Zeitung was issued in October, 1868, by Mr. Winches- ter, being assisted by Mr. Frederick Newberger, of the defunct "Beobachter." It was next sold to Jacob Mueller, who afterwards sold to Frederick Knapp.
The Marietta Leader. The Leader was first issued by Frank A. Crippen and Will S. Knox, on February 23, 1881. About a year later it was sold to T. F. Davis, and in 1890 The Leader Publishing Co. was incorporated, publishing a semi-weekly until 1894, when a tri-weekly was started and the following year The Marietta Daily Leader, with weekly editions. The edi- tor and owner of the new daily was the late George M. Cooke. Mr. Cooke sold in July, 1900, to H. V. Speelman, J. W. Crooks, T. J. Mercer, C. C. Middleswart, John Kaiser and others. Middleswait was the president of the company, and J. W. Williams, manager. In October, 1904, Mr. Middleswart resigned and was succeeded as president by Mr. John Kaiser, who continued to fill that office up to the time of the consolidation of the Leader with The Marietta Register on Sept. 10, 1906.
The Daily Journal. This paper was originally es- tablished by J. I. Goldsmith, Bain E. Blair and T. J. Mercer, as a weekly paper and was known as the "Labor Journal." It was first published July 4th, 1901. On January 6th, the . following year, "The Daily Journal" was launched as an evening paper. This step was
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the outcome of the printers strike of December 1901. The original incorporators of the com- pany back of the daily were: S. E. Blair, Louis Sharpe, M. L. Purkey, Joseph Jones, Harry Hill, A. E. Stewart and Frank Ackerman. On September 24, 1906, the paper was purchased by a stock company and will hereafter be conducted as a Democratic organ. The offi- vers of the new company are: Dr. O. A. Lam- beit, Pres .; H. B. Coen, Vice Pres .; O. P. Hyde, Sec'y. and Treas .; Sam E. Blair, Gen'l. Mgr .; T. J. Mercer. Editor.
The College Olio Was first issued in newspaper form. The initial number on file at the College Library, bears date of Saturday, November 2. 1872. The temporary editors were Dudley Woodbridge, Theodore N. Woodruff, H. D). Shrewsbury, Charles A. Reed, Ezra B. Chase
and Sidney Ridgway. In March, 1873, the same names are given as the regular staff, with the additional names of W. S. Patton and Frank McCormick. The publication is issued by the Psi Gamma and Alpha Cappa societies of the College and now appears monthly in pamphlet form, from the press of The Register-Leader Co. The present staff is published by tho Olio: Clas. D. Brokenshire, editor in chief ; Ruby Wilder, Associate Editor; Willis E. Byers, business manager; G. E. Wieser, circulation manager; Francis E. Bickley, athletics; Elmer H. Rood, Exchange; J. F. Miller, Wil-
liam F. Bonar, local editors.
The Register-Leader. On September 1906, 10tlı, the controlling interest in "The Marietta Regis- ter" was purchased by the owners of "The Marietta Leader," and the two papers were consolidated, the name given the new publica. tion being "The Register-Leader," now publish- ed by The Register-Leader Company which was soon after incorporated with the follow. ing officers: W. H. H. Jett, pres .; W. E. Sykes, vice-pres. ; J, Harry McClure, secretary- treasurer, and John Kaiser, manager.
The Herald of Marietta. First published in Novem- ber, 1904, as an independent Sunday morning paper, by A. T. Williamson and J. T. Hovey, the latter being editor and manager. January 1st, 1905, it was changed to a semi-weekly and on March Ist of that same year was launched as a Democratic daily paper. It was discon. tinued in May, 1905.
The Yankee Trader. This was the name of a pa- per established about 1897, by Chas. E. Fuller, as a monthly paper. It was afterwards is- sued in magazine form. During the year of the centennial (1888) C. A. Perkins purchased
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the business, ran it a month or two and sold out to A. L. Ryder, who continued the pub- lication until it was burned out in 1889. It was revived by Charles Taylor, but was soon after discontinued along in the fall of 1889.
HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST THE ANCIENT EARTHWORKS AT MARIETTA.
It is over one hundred and eighteen years ago since the landing of the Pioneers of the Ohio Com- pany at "The Point"-three generations and more. It is, therefore, only from historical records that a description of the Ancient Earthworks as they orig. inally appeared, can be given. In brief these works consisted of two enclosures or irregular squares, sur rounded by earthen walls or ramparts, and lying between Putnam and Montgomery streets and east of Third street. These walls were from six to ten feet high and from twenty-five to thirty-five feet broad at the base. Through the walls were cut openings, supposed to have been gateways. Lead- ing from about the center of the largest of these great enclosures which was about forty acres in ex- tent, was an immense road bordered on either side with high walls, and descending in a perfect grade to the Muskingum river. At the lower end, near the river the walls rose to a height of twenty-one feet on the inner sides, while they measured about eight or ten feet in height outside. While these old works and banks of earth have disappeared the grade of that ancient road still partly remains and is known as Sacra Via, a namne given to it in the early days.
Within the large enclosure or square above des cribed were four elevated squares, two of which have been partly preserved. The largest of the two remaining is named "Quadranaou," and is located between Third and Fourth streets, and on the north side of Warren street, which is a continuation of Sacra Via. The other of these squares or eleva- tions is called "Capitolium," and is located upon the northwest corner of Washington and Fifth streets. East of "Capitolium" there was another and smaller square which was known as "St. Cecilia" in the early days, but this has disappeared.
The second of the enclosures spoken of was about twenty acres in size. Wooster street about divides this area which lies above or east of Fourth street. Of the enclosing walls of this square nothing re. mains.
THE MOUND CEMETERY.
Of the whole group of Ancient works found 'at Marietta by
the Pioneers about all that really exists in anything like its original state is the
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Mound in Mound Cemetery. The Mound is thirty feet high and is one hundred and fifteen feet in diameter at its base. It is surrounded by a ditch about fifteen feet wide and four feet deep, outside of which is a wall about four feet high and twenty feet in breadth. At one time there were fragmen- tary walls of slight elevation west and south of the mound.
It is claimed that years ago this inound was part- ly excavated from the top and at a depth of about fif- teen feet a skeleton was found, lying in a horizontal
Mound Cemetery
position. The remains were laid back and the earth returned to its place and no further effort was made at discovery, however, for fear of defacing the an- tique monument.
Mound Cemetery within which today stands the Ancient Mound was originally named Marie Antion- ette Square but gradually the name Mound Square was adopted. This square in 1811 was "reserved to the town of Marietta *
* free of rent for ninety-nine years, renewable forever."
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Among some of those whose names are famous in history, heroes of the revolution, soldiers of the war of 1812, who rest in the shadow of this venerable mound are: Colonel Robert Taylor-General Joseph Buell-Major Ezra Putnam-General Rufus Putnam -Ephraim Foster-Andrew McAllister- Griffin Greene-Rev. Daniel Story-Colonel Ebenezer Sproat-Commodore Abraham Whipple-General Benjamin Tupper-Major Anselm Tupper-Lieuten- ant Robert Lincoln-Major Alexander Hill-Captain Saltanstall-Nanthaniel Dodge-Governor Return J. Meigs, Jr .- Colonial Ichabod Nye-Captain Stanton Prentiss-John Green-Captain Josiah Monroe --- Colonel Stacey --- Captain Rogers. The last two graves are unknown.
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