OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

A Part of Genealogy Express
 

Welcome to
Gallia County, Ohio
History & Genealogy

Source:
History of

GALLIA COUNTY
Containing
A Condensed History of the County;
Biographical Sketches; General Statistics;
Miscellaneous Matters, &c.
H. H. HARDESTY & CO., PUBLISHERS, CHICAGO AND TOLEDO.
1882

Gallipolis Township

I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX

For Chapters XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI & XXVII - SEE TOWNSHIPS BELOW HERE

TOWNSHIPS:
includes biographies

BIOGRAPHIES

< BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS OF HISTORY OF GALLIA COUNTY, OHIO >

Page XII -

accompanied by two officers and a retinue of servants, landing near Peter Marret's bakery, no the river bank, where a supply of provisions was obtained.  The Duke spent the night in a log house, which was located upon the property afterward owned by Francis Deletombe, now fronting on Fourth street, opposite the Gallia Academy.  The property is now in possession of his son Edward, president of the First National bank, and they intend that it shall never go out of the family.

GENERAL LAFAYETTE

visited Galipolis in 1824.  He was met at the landing by Nicholas Thevenin, an old and honored citizen of the county, who accompanied him to the Our House, on Front street, where he stopped.  Mr. Thevenin had formed the general's acquaintance while in France, and was immediately recognized and cordially greeted by the latter.

INCORPORATION OF GALLIPOLIS.

     The first act of the Legislature to incorporate Gallipolis was passed Feb. 17, 1804, which vested the corporate powers in five trustees, a president and recorder.  In 1838 the office of "president" was changed to "mayor."  Having a population exceeding five thousand inhabitants, it was, on February 10, 1865, advanced to a city of the second class, and elected a mayor and council.  In 1873 they elected as additional officers, auditor, marshall, treasurer, commissioner, civil engineer and solicitor.
     The officers elected for the incorporated village, in 1808, were J. P. R. Bureau, president; Francis Le Clercq, recorder; Thomas Rodgers, John Miller, Christopher Etienne, Joseph Devacht and C. R. Menager, trustees.  The following is a lsit of city officials in 1882; Mayor, W. W. Martindale; marshal, Thomas Guyn; auditor, John T. Hampton; city commissioner, William H. McCormick; civil engineer, William R. White; solicitor, R. E. Dunn; city clerk, John T. Hamilton (president), John J. Maxon, Samuel B. Lasley, E. Betz, W. M. Ridenour and Charles A. Clendinen.
    
The tax duplicate of the city for the year 1820 was $64,954, and the tax collected thereon was $162,43, being at the rate of one-fourth of one per cent.  Robert Worth and George House were assessors, and Alfred S. Oakes was marshal of the town and ordered to collect the taxes.  The duplicate for 1881 shows a valuation of $2,2007,003; the tax to be collected thereon is $47,766.67 and the rate twenty-three and eight-tenths mills.
     The original boundaries of the village comprised the territory of sections twenty-eight and thirty-four of town three, range fourteen, and about the year 1844, Hon. J. J. Coombs, member of the legislature from Gallia county, through action of that body, had the boundaries reduced, and they were then defined as follows:  Commencing at the northeast corner of section twenty-eight, on the bank of the Ohio river; thence west on the north line of said section twenty-eight to the northwest corner of seven acre lot number ten and the northeast corner of seven acre lot number forty-one; thence due south to the southeast corner of seven acre tract number twenty-one; thence north, about forty-seven degrees east, following the meanderings of the river, to the place of beginning.  Since that time the boundaries have been several times changed until they have assumed those as published in the accompanying map.
     The city is located in latitude 38  48' 5" north; longitude 5°  11' 39" west from Washington.  The length of the river margin from the centre of the town to Meigs county is 11,93 miles; to Lawrence county, 24.47 miles.  The direction of the long streets is north 47°  east; cross streets, north 48°  west.  The public square is 701 feet front on the river, extending back to Second street.
     The population of the city, by the census of 1880, was as follows:  First ward, 1,164; Second Ward, 1,091; Third ward, 1,270; Foruth ward, 875; total, 4,400.
     An interesting statement, taken from the records of the Ohio Company, followed by an account of the price and distribution of lots in the city, is given in the preceding pages.

THE NEWSPAPER OF GALLIA COUNTY.

     In 1818, a movement set on foot for the establishment of a newspaper at Gallipolis, resulted in the founding of the Gallia Gazette, of which Joshua Cushing was managing editor.  Those who aided in this object were Edward W. Tupper, Jacob Kittredge, John P. R. Bureau, Robert Worth, Nathaniel Gates, John Sanns, C. R. Menager, N. L. Cushing, George House, Luther and Calvin Shepard, Thomas Rodgers, Francis Le Clercq, J. W. Devacht, Lewis Newsom, C. Etienne, Samuel F. Vinton and Rene Carel, all of whom are now dead.
     The paper was first issued in November, 1818, and from that time to the present, under different names, it has been a weekly visitor to its subscribers, with but few interruptions.  The office was first located upon the lower side of the public square, on the lot now occupied by the brick house of Franklin Carel.  The first press was home-made, built under the superintendence of Joshua Cushing, and the frame, wood.  With slight alterations and improvements, it was kept in the office and used up to 1833.  The first patent lever press was brought into use in 1839, which was used until one of Wells' cylinder presses was brought to take its place.  The first issue was small, and printed upon the very inferior paper of that day, brown and rough, but its improvement in size and mechanical execution has kept pace with the advancement of the country, until it is now one of the largest country papers in Southern Ohio.
     In 1825 its publication was continued as the Gallia Free Press, by Joseph Tingley, who died the same year, when it was taken by James Harper senior, and published until 1831, when J. J. Coombs became proprietor, and its name was changed to the Gallia Phoenix.  In 1832, it was enlarged and improved, H. Maxon being associated in its publication, and the name was changed to the Gallipolis Journal.  In 1834 William Casey Jones purchased the office and changed the name to the Buckeye and Journal.  In 1835 J. J. Coombs again took charge of it, and gave it the old name of Gallipolis Journal, by which it has since been known.
     The same year, Alexander Vance succeeded to the management, and continued its publication until 1838, when William Nash purchased a half interest in the office, and in 1839 purchased the other half.  James Harper, junior, afterwards securing an interest, Nash & Harper became the publishers; then James Harper, junior, followed by R. L. Stewart; he by William Nash, then Nash & Harper; then by William Nash, who is the present publisher and proprietor.
     The second paper established was the Gallia Mirror, the publication of which was commenced in the spring of 1845, by C. W. Hoy, and continued about one year.
     The third paper was the Gallia Courier, established in 1850 by Alexander Vance and J. Q. Gibson, and its publication was continued about four years, by A. Vance and E. T. Shepard.
     The fourth paper was the Gallipolis Dispatch, commenced in 1857 by Benjamin R. Harrison, who was succeeded in a few months by J. L. Waller; he by G. D. Hebard, then H. M. Onderdonk, then Alexander Vance, followed by William H. Morehead, by whose death the publication ceased in 1868.
     The fifth paper was the Gallipolis Bulletin, established in 1867, by John L. Vance, and it has been published regularly ever since.  With the exception of a few months it has been under the control of its founder, and still continues so.  It is also one of the largest weeklies in Southern Ohio.
     The sixth paper, called The Locomotive, was established in 1871, by George D. Hebard, who, after a time, changed it to the Gallipolis Ledger.  He was succeeded by James E. Hebard, and he by J. D. & S. H. Olmsted, who changed it to the Gallia Tribune, under which name it is now being published.
     The last paper established and yet being published, is the Gallipolis District News, a monthly paper in the interest of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  The first issue was dated January, 1882.  Revs. Z. W. Fagan and C. F. Creighton are the editors.
     In 1856, Anselm G. Holcomb established a paper in the village of Vinton, called the Gallia Republican, and continued its publication a little over a year, when it was suspended.

THE GALLIA ACADEMY.

     The institution of learning is among the oldest in the State, at which not only nearly all the older residents of Gallipolis and Gallia county received their education, but many who afterwards became men of great prominence throughout the country, here took the first steps in learning which led them on to fame.  The following statement of its organization and history compiled from the secretary's records, will therefore be read with exceeding interest:
     At a meeting of a number of the citizens of Gallipolis and vicinity, on Tuesday, February 8th, 1810, for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of erecting a building in Gallipolis, to be appropriated to the instruction of the youth, and such other purposed as may be deemed of public utility, Robert Safford was chosen chairman and Nathaniel Gates clerk.  A series of resolutions was passed at this meeting, the substance of which was as follows:
     That the movement was expedient and proper; that a subscription should be raised for shares at ten dollars each; that the building when erected should be devoted to academical and other useful purposes for the benefit of the proprietors; and that as soon as one hundred and twenty shares were subscribed, a meeting of subscribers should be called to fix upon a plan of structure and its location, and to elect trustees, form by-laws, and for other necessary matters; that all votes for the election of officers and the appropriation of moneys be by shares, each shareholder being entitled to one vote for each sare up to ten shares; twelve shares entitled to eleven votes, fifteen shares to twelve votes, and every two shares above that number one vote.  That every shareholder may vote by him self or by proxy; that subscribers shall be suffered to make payments in materials suitable for the building - in carpenters' and joiners' work, beef, cattle, pork, hemp, flour and salt - excepting $1.50 to each share, which shall be paid in money; and that Edward W. Tupper, Thomas Rodgers and Francis Le Clercq be a committee to open subscriptions and circulate the same, and give notice of a meeting of subscribers so soon as one hundred and twenty shares should be taken.
     Among the principal subscribers to this stock was C. R. Menager, fifty-five shares, $400 in county orders, and $150 in glass and nails; J. G. Devacht, five shares in carpenter and joiner work; Edward W. Tupper ten shares in cash or lime and plastering, at the trustees' option; Luther Shepard, five in brick and mason work; Calvin Shepard, five in brick and mason work; Elnathan Barlow, two in blacksmith work; Francis  Le Clercq, one in cash; Phineas Matthews, two in pork; Lewis Newsom,

See Page XIII -

< BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS OF HISTORY OF GALLIA COUNTY, OHIO >

 

CLICK HERE to RETURN to
GALLIA COUNTY, OHIO
CLICK HERE to RETURN to
OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
FREE GENEALOGY RESEARCH is My MISSION
GENEALOGY EXPRESS
This Webpage has been created by Sharon Wick exclusively for Genealogy Express  ©2008
Submitters retain all copyrights