OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 71B ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 February 26, 2006 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio by Darlene E Kelley Tid-Bits -- part 71 B Notes by S Kelly +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-Bits - Part 71B. Formation of Washington County, in Ohio. The ancient works at Marietta, which, although not more remarkable than others in the State, and not as extensive as some, are more generally known as been so frequently described and alluded to by travellers. These works is on a elevated plain, above the present bank of the Muskingum, on the east side, and about a half a mile from its junction with the Ohio. They consist of walls and mounds of earth, in direct lines, and are square and circular forms. The largest square fort, by some called the town, contains forty acres, encompassed by a wall of earth from six to ten feet high, and from twenty-five to thirty-six feet in breadth at the base. On each side are three openings, at equal distances, resembling twelve gayeways. The entrances at the middle are the largest, particularly on the side next to the Muskingum. From this outlet is a covert way, formed of two parallel walls of earth, 231 feet distant from each other, measuring from center to center. The walls at the most elevated part, on te inside, are twenty-one feet in height. This forms a passage of about 360 feet in length, leading by a gradual descent to the low grounds, where, at the time of its construction, it probably reach the river. Its walls commence at sixty feet from the ramparts of the fort, and increase in elevation as the way descends towards the river; and the bottom is crowned in the center, in the manner of a well-funded turnpike road. Within the walls of the fort, at the northwest corner, is an oblong elevated square, 188 feet long, 132 feet broad, and 9 feet high; level on the summit, and nearly perpendicular at the sides. At the center of each of the sides, the earth is projected, forming gradual ascents to the top, equally regular, and about six feet in width. Near the south wall is another elevated square, 150 feet by 120, and eight feet high, simular to the other, excepting that instead of an ascent to go up on the side next to the wall, there is a hollow way ten feet wide, leading twenty feet towards the center, and then rising with a gradual slope to the top. At the southeast corner is a third elevated square, 108 by 54 feet, with ascents at the ends, but not so high nor perfect as the two others. A little to the southwest of the center of the fort is a circular mound, about thirty feet in diameter and five feet high, near which are four small excavations at equal distances, and opposite which other. At the southwest corner of the fort is a semi-circular parapet, crowned with a mound, which guards the opening in the wall. Towards the southeast is a smaller fort, containing twenty acres, with a gateway in the center of each side and at each corner. These gateways are defended by circular mounds. On the outside of the smaller fort is a mound in the form of a sugar loaf, of a magnitude and height which strikes the beholder with astonishment. Its base is a regular circle, 115 feet in diameter; its perpendicular altitude is thirty feet. It is surrounded by a ditch four feet deep and fifteen feet wide, and defended by a parapet four feet high, through which is a gateway towards the fort twenty feet wide. The early settlers at Marietta establshed a graveyard abound their now famed mound; also another at Harmer. It is one of the most interesting spots of the kind in the country. Here lay the remains of many of the emiment characters who laid the foundations of the commonweath. Here lies General Rufus Putman, who died May 24, 1824; Return Jonathan Meigs, who died at Marietta March 22, 1825; Rev. Daniel Story, who died Dec 30, 1804; Capt. Nathaniel Saltonstall, his wife and two children; Col. Jesse Hilderbrand, who died April 18, 1863 in the service at Alton. Ill.; Commodore Abraham Whipple; Dr. Samuel Hildreth; Dudley Woodbridge; Maj. Anselm Tupper; Lydia Mc Kawen; Ruth Clark; Dudley Tyler; Stanton Prentiss; John Green; Gen. Benjamin Tupper; and many more distinguished people. Marietta has suffered from three epdemics in 1807, 1822 and 1823. Within these three years,-- Dr. Hildreth sent to the medical journal in communication -- " the town has been uniformally healthy." The sickness in 1807 was principally intermittant and remittent fevers. These diseases were prevalent up and down te Ohio river for hundreds of miles, and more malignant and fatal at various points than at Marietta -- notably so at Galipololis. The spring of the year had been a very wet one and all throughout the summer there were two or three rainy days for every fair day. The low grounds were covered in many places with stagnant water, and crops were in some localities, entirely ruined by the excess moisture. The elements of the disease was in existance in July when the fever made its appearance, and in the following month there were scarcely a family residing in the bottom lands which was not afflicted by it. The disease carried off a considerable number of the people at Marietta and Washington County, but the number of deaths after all was not large compared to the number who were sick with the fever. The epidemic of 1822 exceeded that of 1807, and was simular in nature but proceeded from an exactly opposite condition of the weather. It had been very dry and hot, and very little rain and when it did rain, there was lightening. Lightening the great purifier of the atmosphere along with strong clearing wind from the north or northwest which usually came during the season, did not happen. Hot winds blew almost constantly from the south. The Ohio and Muskingum were reduced by the drought, so that "they were mere brooks as compared with their usual size." The water was covered with a foul scum, and a green mold gathered upon the rank grass which grew along the shores and down into the beds of the streams. Dr. Hildreth's opinion was that " the fever had its origin from the sandbars and beaches of the Ohio river laid bare by the great drought." Some people thought that the disease was imported by the almost constantly blowing south wind. The fever varied from the mildest intermittant types,up to the genuine yellow fever. Ague, cholera morbus and dysentery were also prevalent. At one time, within a single square mile containing a population of twelve hundred souls, four hundred were sick with some form of the disease. Dr, Hildreth had about six hundred cases to care for between the 1st of July and the close of November. The fever was most widely disseminated in September, havng first appeared upon the " plain " or higher ground in June. In July most of the cases were in Harmar, and in August became more troublesome at the " Point. " The proportion of deaths was about one to every sixteen of the persons affected. The people became much alarmed as the season advanced and deaths became more numerous. On September 15th a public meeting was held at which the commitees were appointed to visit the sick, and supply them whatever necessities they would be lacking. Then on the 18th another meeting was held. The reports of the committes showed that over a hundred was sick at Marietta. Resolutions were adopted to set forth the rules that the distressed situation called for the most exertions that each one needed to encourage each other in visiting and helping the sick. Rev. S.P. Robbins agreed on a day of fasting and prayer on the Saturday of Sept. 21st, to be held at the Congregational Church. It was not until however, the hard frosts came in November that the epidemic was stopped. No less than ninty five died in Marietta township during June, through October 1822 and were buried in the Mound cemetery. The sickness of 1823 seemed to be a new breaking out of that of 1822, but, unlike the epidemic of that year, was not confined to the water courses of their immediate vicinity. R.M. Stimson, a newspaper writer, in reveiwing the subject stated " the weather was pleasant, with every prospect of a salubrious summer. " But how sad the disappontment was when the sickness broke out in June and prevaded nearly all parts of the west. The country was deluged with rain in June and July, with very little thunder and lightening and no heavy winds. Every spot that could hold water was filled with it. Field of wheat and corn were ruined and grass rotted, the lowlands exhaled noxious vapors, so anyone passing were obliged to put their hands to their noses and hasten through some disgusting areas. In ploughing in rich bottom lands, instead of the pleasant odars that usually arise from fresh plowed land, a sickly smell would be sent forth. The rains ceased in August, but the systems of the people had become charged with miasma. The disease was more malignamt and fatal in the country than in town, especially in rich bottoms, where weed grew in many places to the enormous height of fifteen to eighteen feet. In spite of draw back on the corn in the early part of the summer, the crop heavy from its luxuraint growth and almost without cultivation, otherwise famine would have followed, for their were not enough well persons enough to care of te sick, let alone to cultivate their farms. The whole number of persons interred in the Mound cemetery during July, through October was one hundred and forty one." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits continued in part 72.