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From: "Maggie Stewart, OH Archives" <>
Subject: Fw: Tid-Bits -- part 71 B
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 22:57:37 -0400

----- Original Message -----
From: "Darlene & Kathi kelley" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:36 PM



Contributed for use in
USGenWeb Archives
by Darlene E Kelley
Feb 26, 2006

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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

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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."

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Tid Bits continued in part 72.

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