Let's Trip Back to 1971.
Today we are looking back at the 1971 issue of The Tallow Light. There are a number of interesting articles concerning churches schools and cemeteries in the county. An article that particularly interested me was titled “Marietta in 1842”. The article written in 1917 as a recollection of earlier times in the city and is a nice walk around description of the main streets in Marietta.
The following is the portion of the article describing 2nd Street. Please forgive the oddities in formatting. The PDF editor was baffled by the faded 1970’s typeface and got creative with the conversions.
Marietta in 1842.
In February and March, 1917 there appeared a series of newspaper articles on titled “From Out The Past.” They were signed S.M.M. (Sara M. McGirr) and described the Marietta of seventy—five years earlier, 1842. They were preserved in a scrapbook by Miss Lillian Weeks. Excerpts therefrom:
Second Street. To stand at the south corner of Second and Putnam and look at the paved thoroughfares in all directions, one can hardly realize that in 1842 the people of Marietta had no more idea of paved streets of brick and asphalt than of streets paved with gold.
On this corner stood the female seminary taught by Lionel Thuney (Tenney) and, his assistants.
On the east corner stood the frame building which enclosed the log jail with three feet thick walls. The upper story was used for a court room.
Below Putnam was all vacant lots nearly to the Ohio.
When we look across Putnam we remember that Doctor Samuel Hildreth built and lived in the three—story brick. He was noted for being genial to children and always praised them for their bravery.
On the west corner of Putnam stood the residence of Naham Ward, Along the pavement to the house a great many flowers were seen. Great sycamores stood on the street along the only sidewalk paving in Marietta.
Above Putnam on the right hand side, stood the house of Noah Wilson; farther along the residence and office of James (William) Whittlesey (lawyer) . Above this the home of Grand-father Skinner and. wife, the parents of Nahum Ward’s wife. On the opposite side was the gable—roofed office of Nahum Ward. Above grandfather Skinner’s three maiden ladies owned a home and lived alone, Robert Crawford and family lived in the next house.
Across the street stood a little chapel used by the Episcopal church to hold services and sometimes as a school room. Above this a house with a window in the end toward the street reaching nearly to the roof with diamond shaped panes of glass, called a rectory at the time.
Across the street again we come to the Hendric, where lived the parents of Mrs. Edward Nye. On the north corner of Scammel and Second there stood an odd house the lower story of rough stones, no mortar, the upper of frame ascended by high steps on Scammel and in front of it the town pump.
On the left hand side of Second stood the cottage of Mr. Gabudeau, a Frenchman. Next, above him, Aunt Lydia, a colored woman.
Just here vou could see the little Methodist church, the first of that denomination in Marietta. This was a very long frame with double doors with latches, and two large windows. The siding was put on with hand— wrought nails. Every part of the building was made by hand. One aisle ran through the middle, the men sitting on one side and the women on the other. A large stove in the aisle warmed the building. Foot stoves were used by those who could afford them. The pulpit was very high, surrounded by an altar, at the corner of which stood a book case which might have held fifty books . The house lighted by tallow candles set in sockets at intervals on the walls. The candles had to be snuffed a number of times during the service by the sexton. They had a fashion of "running down. Tnen Woe! to the bonnets under them. Ladies bonnets were scoop shaped and hid the face e. Not a flower or bow was allowed on them. People seen were the families of James Dunn, Daniel Protsman, Robert Crawford, Elisha Pratt, Nathaniel Clark, Junia Jennings, Jonathan Jennings, Leonard Reckard, John Cartwright, John
Stephenson, Samuel Geren, James (William) Whittlesey, Abraham Daniels, Joseph Kelley, Wylis Ha11, Widow Wood, Aunt Lydia and others.
Above the church there was an old orchard owned by Miss Wood and near it the hone of Joseph Kelly and family. Mr. Kelly was taken by the Indians when seven years of age and returned to hig widowed mother at eleven through the intervention of Gov. Meigs and an exchange of prisoners.
Above Mr. Kelly I s stood the little Methodist parsonage, afterward moved to upper Fourth Street.
There were no other houses on that side to what was call “Liberty Hill”.
On the east side there were no houses from the one at Scammel up to Wooster, except the old academy removed from Front Street. From Wooster to the hill, east side, there seemed always to be a pond, summer and winter , from the rains coming from the hills. The boys skated there in winter.
Where the “ Franks" residence now stands (1917) There stood a small frame house called the "Adams house” where religious services were sometimes held. From the little parsonage on the left to “Liberty Hill" was swampy .
Across Washington we came to the location of “Campus Martius” where there was a great square fort for the protection of the pioneers from the Indians .
No houses were above this except a tannery in 1842
I am thinking that some nice Saturday soon I will mosey up 2nd Street with this article and see what still remains from this article. I am also thinking that a great Tallow Light article could be written about the evolution of the businesses and homes on the streets of the various towns in Washington County. Maybe this would be a good winter project for you.