Manasseh Cutler, Mac and Cheese Bad Boy

Manasseh Cutler was served macaroni and cheese at a state dinner hosted by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802. He did not like it and said so publicly. Cutler was a scientist, pastor, and architect of the new territory that enabled the settlement of Marietta and statehood for Ohio. He is considered a co-founder of Ohio University, chartered in 1804. The iconic oldest University building on campus is named Cutler Hall. 

Campus Martius historian Bill Reynolds alerted me to a curious protest about the mac and cheese thing. A presumably humorous petition (excerpt below) was launched by a student at OU, citing Cutler’s dislike of mac and cheese as an underreported blot on his record and issuing a call to action:

 

….Macaroni and cheese has grown to become integral to the 21st century college diet,…. and it (is therefore) wholly unacceptable for one of macaroni and cheese’s first and strongest detractors to represent one of our country’s finest institutions of higher learning. We call upon Ohio University to remove mentions of (Manasseh) Cutler in their advertisements, and to consider renaming Cutler Hall on College Green to a more appropriate name, such as “Mac-and-Cheese Hall...”

                  

Let’s examine the charge against Manasseh Cutler. First, macaroni was then used as a general term for pasta. So it’s a stretch to declare beyond a reasonable doubt that Cutler would have disliked today’s mac and cheese. He did record his dislike of a macaroni dish served by President Thomas Jefferson. His journal on February 6, 1802 states, “Dined at the President's – ... Dinner not as elegant as when we dined before. (It included)….. a pie called macaroni, which appeared to be a rich crust filled with….onions (which) tasted very strong, and not agreeable.” Another diner explained to Cutler that it was an Italian dish, and that the “onions” were really pasta noodles.

 

Despite its ancient origins, pasta was not well known in early America. Jefferson became a fan while he was ambassador to France in the 1780’s. He even procured a pasta making machine from Italy and made a detailed drawing of it. His serving of pasta to guests while President helped popularize it.

Thomas Jefferson’s pasta machine drawing and detailed instructions on it's operation

CLICK TO ENLARGE

 

Second, the student petition accused Manasseh Cutler of being “utterly uncultured” for snubbing macaroni. Hyperbole? Probably. In reality, Cutler was utterly cultured, one could say, and one of the most educated, articulate, and well-connected men of his time. Cutler graduated from Yale, taught school, practiced law, was ordained a minister, studied medicine, and conducted scientific research. Uncultured? Absolutely not.

 

Manasseh Cutler represented the Ohio Company of Associates who petitioned Congress in July, 1787, for the land purchase that led to Marietta’s settlement. One historian wrote, “Never was there a more ingenious, systematic and successful piece of lobbying than that of the Reverend Manasseh Cutler.” His influence can be seen in Ordinance of 1787 provisions which prohibited slavery, encouraged education, and granted freedom of religion. "Make the land worth having," Cutler told Congress. "Unless you do, we do not want it." 

 

Through his and others’ efforts, a new territory with truly American governance was created. The result was land for veterans, new settlers, five future states, and commitment to education – Ohio U. was the first university. 

The Ohio University petition is amusing, and allows us to recall Manasseh Cutler’s many accomplishments. The name “Cutler Hall” is truly well deserved.

 

Ohio Statehood: Spirited Debate and….Mob Violence

The path to Ohio statehood was marred by bitter politics and…..mob violence. Such were the passions inflamed by stark differences of political opinion. Civic leaders from Marietta and Washington County were in the thick of it.

Discussion of statehood began in the late 1790’s. What is now Ohio was then part of the larger Northwest Territory established in 1787, a vast expanse bounded by the Ohio River, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River. The Ohio area had grown the most and was approaching the 60,000 population level needed for statehood. 

The Original Northwest Territory created in 1787 included the area marked on this map plus all of Ohio and Michigan. In 1800 the territory was partitioned; land west of Ohio and the western half of Michigan became the Indiana Territory. The eastern Michigan area did not become part of Ohio, the state. Michigan became a separate territory before becoming a state later. Viewed at Wikipedia.com

Proponents of Ohio’s becoming a state were led by Thomas Worthington, Edward Tiffin, and other influential leaders. They believed statehood would bring good things:

• Equal status with other states. 
• More people and more money. The economic benefit would help all residents - and themselves.  
• A more responsive government and freedom from the heavy-handed rule of territorial governor Arthur St. Clair. 

Arthur St. Clair had been a respected patriot and a distinguished Revolutionary War veteran. In 1787 he was President of the Continental Congress and was appointed Governor of the new Territory. Judge Jacob Burnet described St. Clair as “a man of superior talents, of extensive information, and of great uprightness of purpose….” But he became imperious and inflexible in his governing. He demeaned his territorial residents as “A multitude of indigent and ignorant people (who are) ill-qualified to form a constitution and government for themselves…” St. Clair was out of touch with the changing attitudes in the territory. 

Major General Arthur St. Clair. Portrait by Charles Wilson Peale c 1783. Viewed at Wikipedia.org

Statehood opponents, including people at Marietta, said: not so fast. They realized becoming a state was inevitable. But not now. Statehood would mean higher taxes - with little benefit. Besides, Federalists, the party of most anti-state opponents, were in the minority. Locals would therefore have little influence and be overlooked. Better to wait. 

Local opposition became quite animated in 1801. There were a series of township meetings where statehood was “fully discussed and strongly opposed.” An “anti-state” meeting was held in Marietta on June 18, 1801, chaired by Gilbert Devol and Joseph Barker. Barker gave a spirited address in opposition to becoming a state now. This resolution was passed:

RESOLVED, That in our opinion it would be highly impolitic and very injurious to the inhabitants of this territory to enter into a State government at this time. Therefore, we, in behalf of our constituents, do request that you would use your best endeavors to prevent and steadily oppose the adoption of any measures that may be taken for the purpose.

Conflict about statehood boiled over when the territorial legislature met in Chillicothe in November, 1801. Two legislative acts ignited controversy. First was passage of a resolution, originally proposed by Governor St. Clair, which would divide the territory so that Ohio east of the Scioto River would be a separate state. The population mix would give Federalists, and Marietta, more influence. It would delay statehood because the population was below the minimum 60,000 needed. And, possibly, Marietta could even be the capital. Washington County representatives William Rufus Putnam (son of Rufus Putnam) and Ephraim Cutler were in full agreement with the concept. 

Statehouse at Chillicothe image. From ohiomemory.org - Ohio Guide Collection.

Territorial legislature meetings were held here. At least one observer at the time did not give the building a high rating: “The house (of representatives) occupied the large room on the ground floor, a very uncomfortable, badly lighted, roughly finished room, with a fireplace at each end…..the fires failed to heat the large room in the winter.”

This proposal aroused vehement opposition from statehood supporters, including Edward Tiffin, Thomas Worthington, Nathaniel Massie, and others. They lodged a formal written protest. A petition to the U. S. Congress was urgently circulated in Chillicothe and surrounding counties.

The Second legislative action was moving the territorial capital to Cincinnati from Chillicothe. This further enraged Statehood proponents, and Chillicothe residents in particular. There was talk of protests - even violence.

Thomas Worthington, Chillicothe political leader and wealthy landowner, and lawyer Michael Baldwin were political allies promoting statehood. Baldwin, though considered a brilliant lawyer, had a darker side: He led an “obnoxious,” “boisterous” group who were prone to civil disobedience.  Baldwin planned to lead his rabble to forcibly enter Governor St. Clair’s boarding house and drag him out to see himself burned in effigy -  as an insult and to intimidate him. This group headed out to the Governor’s boarding house on December 23, 1801. 

Thomas Worthington Governor’s Portrait

Viewed at ohiomemory.org

Worthington was passionate about statehood. He sought the limelight, leading efforts to forge a new state with exciting growth opportunities. He was a quintessential land speculator from Virginia, buying and selling land, often acquired from land grants sold by other Revolutionary War veterans. He had moved to the fledgling settlement at Chillicothe in 1798. Worthington became actively involved in business and politics of the area. In 1800, he was listed as owning 18,273 acres in the Virginia Military District located in south central Ohio. 

Thomas Worthington was deeply religious. He was also pragmatic and had developed, even in his late 20’s, a keen political sensibility. He was alarmed to learn of Baldwin’s plan. He knew that violence was wrong - and counterproductive. It would harm the statehood effort and could even damage his own reputation. He had to act quickly. Worthington intercepted Baldwin and forcibly convinced him to stand down, threatening even to shoot him if he laid a hand on Governor St. Clair.

The next night on Christmas Eve Baldwin’s mob had mobilized again. They had been incensed upon hearing of William Rufus Putnam’s toast at a dinner that evening: “May the Scioto (River) lap the borders of two great and flourishing states” - a reference to St. Clair’s plan to split the state. Baldwin’s group forcibly entered a boarding house where Governor St. Clair and several legislators - including Putnam and Cutler - were staying. 

That night the venerable, though disliked, Governor Arthur St. Clair was in his room, writing. There were so many issues that swirled in his mind. He was startled by a “violent noise” below. What could that be, he thought, not dreaming that his personal safety was at risk. Immediately he went downstairs to find a crowd shouting and jostling in the hallway. Many more were milling around outside. St. Clair was shocked to see mob leader Michael Baldwin strike Michigan¹ representative Jonathan Schieffelin who promptly drew a dirk (a long handled knife) then grabbed two pistols and threatened to shoot the intruders. Schieffelin had become a target because of his outspoken support of relocating the capital to Cincinnati from Chillicothe. Sight of the pistols quieted the crowd. It also helped that Statehood leader Thomas Worthington was again present and defended Governor St. Clair.

St. Clair’s political instincts kicked in as the adrenaline faded. Don’t overreact, he thought, and don’t show any sign of being intimidated by the mob. He then circulated among those present, “calm and collected,” as Ephraim Cutler recalled, yet firm in telling them to disperse. He called for law enforcement. A deputy sheriff and magistrate appeared on the scene. The mob gradually faded away. Despite law enforcement’s first hand witness of the violence, mob participants never suffered any legal consequences.

Marietta area pioneer Ephraim Cutler, elected to the Territorial legislature in 1801, witnessed the violence. Cutler was the son of Manasseh Cutler, the ordained minister, medical doctor, educator, and scientist, who had provided valuable guidance in creating the Northwest Territory. Ephraim had farmed in Connecticut and held some civic offices. By the mid-1790’s, though, he was feeling unsettled. He had suffered losses in two different businesses. Future prospects in Connecticut seemed limited. His mind kept drifting to the land of opportunity in Ohio, which his father had extolled and where his younger brother had lived for a while. Ephraim’s wife Leah was in poor health. Moving to a warmer client was recommended for her, so they moved to Marietta in 1795. 

Ephraim Cutler portrait, from Wikipedia.org.

The legislative session in November, 1801 was Ephraim Cutler’s  first - and the Territorial legislature’s last. It was an intimidating yet beneficial learning experience for him. “We (Mr. Putnam and I) were the youngest members of the House….My inexperience led me to tremble at the responsibilities of the position, but the benefit of associating with…such men as Governor St. Clair, Judges Burnet and Sibley, and others….., was very great.” He roomed in Gregg’s house, where the mob violence took place. His memoirs did not mention any violence directed at him, though he was surely one of the targets because of his support for state-delaying measures. 

A letter to Cutler from Dudley Woodbridge at Marietta gives additional perspective to the violent protests. “We met yesterday and had a meeting to consult on the proper steps to be taken to…..confront the doings” of those favoring statehood. Woodbridge also added in dismay, “We hear that mobs are around you….this, however, I cannot think is true. The present reminds me of Shays (Rebellion) and those times.” 

Cutler noted in his memoirs, “the bill (to split the state and delay statehood) passed the legislature, but was of no avail; it rather caused those desirous of coming into a state to be more vigorous in their efforts.” For better or worse, Ohio was on the path to statehood. On April 30, 1802, Congress passed “An Act to enable the people (of Ohio) to form a constitution and state government and for the admission of such State into the Union…..” 

Thomas Worthington had carried out his lobbying mission to Congress for statehood successfully. Randall and Ryan in History of Ohio: “In acknowledgment of his service he was received at his home with rejoicings and celebrations. Chillicothe was illuminated in his honor and bonfires burned brightly in expression of joy….” Those authors opined that despite further protests of opponents, “(their) efforts….to stem the tide of statehood were petty and partisan.”  

Athough opponents’ efforts failed, their concerns about taxation were validated. Historian Samuel Hildreth stated in his biography of Joseph Barker (mentioned above as a vocal opponent), “the apprehensions of the evil results (of statehood) to the Ohio Company settlers, were soon realized, as the taxes for support of the new government fell heavily on them….” 

The initial property tax structure was oppressive for rural areas because it was based mostly on acreage not value. If that system were in place today, an acre of rocky hillside would be taxed at a similar rate as an acre of prime real estate at an interstate highway interchange. The current fairer ad valorem (tax based on market value) tax system in Ohio was adopted in 1825. It was championed by the same remarkable, unassuming Ephraim Cutler who 24 years earlier had “trembled at the responsibilities” of being a legislator but was not swayed by the mob violence in Chillicothe. 

¹ The original Northwest Territory was partitioned in 1800 to create the Indiana Territory. The residual Ohio portion included the eastern half of Michigan, thought that part was not included when Ohio actually became a state.

George Washington and the Ohio River Valley

The George Washington we know was an accomplished person in so many ways - surveyor, military and civic leader in Virginia, Commander-in-Chief in the Revolutionary War, and first President of the United States. He was also an astute businessman who owned large amounts of land, including tracts in the Ohio River valley, some within 20 miles of Marietta. His lifelong primary interest and passion was the land: surveying, farming, investment, and development.

Below are two advertisements to lease or sell the Ohio River tracts. 

The first, published in 1784, sought to lease the land. There were three Ohio River tracts with a total of 10,000 acres located below the Little Kanawha River. One of those is still referred to locally as “Washington Bottom.”

Image from Marietta College Special Collections. Click here for a more detailed view: 

https://cdm16824.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16824coll7/id/659/rec/1

The lease advertisement offered an incentive for the lessee to build a home and farm the land. He offered three different - and unusual by today’s standards - lease terms: ten years with no renewal, ten years with renewals of ten years “for ever,” and 999 years. The lessor could specify the acreage to be leased. There was an elaborate rent schedule; the amounts varied by term. The mode of payment included a "Spanish Milled Dollar of the present coin and either gold and silver in that proportion." Payment could also be in the form of barter items such a "staple commodity....if the parties....can agree upon a medium value for it." 

George Washington or whoever wrote the ad was skilled at marketing verbiage, delivered with just the right combination of practical facts and hyperbole. His description of the land: “....the whole of (the land) is River low grounds, of the first quality...a great deal of it may be converted to the finest mowing ground imaginable, and uncommonly profitable for flock(s).”

The second advertisement is dated February 1, 1796; he was still President at the time. This ad had two sections: 

The first part was to lease parts of the Mount Vernon Estate and was the lead headline on the ad: 

TO BE LET, and Possession Given in Autumn.

The farms appertaining to the Mount Vernon Estate, in Virginia; four in number; adjoining the Mansion house farm. Leases will be given for the term of fourteen years to real farmers of goodreputation and none others need apply. 

Punctuation was exactly as it appeared in the ad, including italics. Note that the words “real” and “good” are not italicized, apparently for emphasis. He plainly wanted only good neighbors on farms adjoining his mansion farm.  

Image from Marietta College Special Collections. More a more detailed view, click here

https://marietta.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16824coll7/id/910/

The second part of the ad, “FOR SALE; the following Lands, viz.,” listed for sale the four Ohio River tracts, plus others. The tract listed as “SECOND” was “3 or 4 miles” below the Little Kanawha River, and “about 12 or 15 miles below “Mariette (sic).” The ad invites potential purchasers to “examine them critically,” presumably for full disclosure. He also includes some beneficial attributes:

• “...they may be considered as the cream of the country in which they lye (sic), being the richest interval lands on the two rivers......(and) are unquestionably among the most valuable on the Western waters...” 
• “That all of (the tracts) are patented in my name, many years’ ago...and, that the titles to them are indisputable.” This was a true benefit. Land at that time often had uncertain titled ownership. A “Patent” (similar to a deed documenting ownership of land acquired by grant or claim) was the most reliable evidence of ownership. 
• The land had been surveyed, and inquirers could see the survey reports.

Terms for the purchase: one fourth of the price up front “when the bargains are concluded,” and balance paid as a mortgage loan over 5 years “with interest, annually, and punctually paid.”

Most of these lands were never sold and ended up in his estate. A few deals fell through for lack of payment. George Washington died in 1799; his estate listed 52,195 acres of land in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Kentucky, and the Ohio Valley.  

Some background helps understand George Washington’s interest in land and land development. George Washington was educated mostly through home schooling - and life experience -  at a very young age. He did not have a formal school education; much of what he learned was from acquaintance with woodsmen and plantation foremen. 

His father died when George was eleven years old, and he became the ward of his half-brother Lawrence Washington. He likely helped his mother manage Ferry Farm where they lived. By his early teens, George Washington had learned tobacco farming, surveying, and raising farm stock. 

Lawrence’s marriage to Anne Fairfax of the well-to-do Fairfax family opened valuable contacts for young George. He accompanied George William Fairfax on a surveying party into western Virginia at age 16. The following year through the sponsorship of Lord William Fairfax he gained an appointment as the official surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. Biography.com noted, “This experience (as a surveyor) made him resourceful and toughened his body and mind. It also piqued his interest in western land holdings, an interest that endured throughout his life with speculative land purchases and a belief that the future of the nation lay in colonizing the West.”

Washington eventually became a wealthy man, partly from his marriage to Martha Custis, but also from land that he acquired and managed throughout his life. His half-brother Lawrence died of tuberculosis in 1752. George inherited one of Virginia’s most prominent estates, the Washington family lands which became Mount Vernon. He was 20 years old. Land holdings at Mount Vernon eventually grew to about  8,000 acres.

He made his first land purchase in 1752, 1459 acres along Bullskin Creek in Frederick County, Virginia. Over the next 50 years, he continued scouting for and buying or claiming land.  A major land opportunity for Washington was the availability of “bounty land” for military service in the French and Indian War. A 1754 proclamation issued by Virginia Governor Dinwiddie offered land as an inducement to enlist. Washington himself had served in that conflict (some say his actions actually started the war) as commander of a Virginia militia regiment. 

The war ended in 1763, but a royal proclamation prohibiting the grants west of the Appalachian mountains stalled the land grant process. Washington began a nearly 20 year campaign to have the grants issued for those who had served under him - and for himself. He began quietly scouting out potential land tracts with Colonel William Crawford , a surveyor friend of his, saying in a letter to Crawford:

I can never look upon the proclamation in any other light (but this I say between ourselves) than as a temporary expedient to quiet the minds of the Indians.....(The proclamation must be rescinded), of course, in a few years....Any person who neglects hunting out good lands, and in some measure marking and distinguishing them as his own, in order to keep others from settling it will never regain it. 

He encouraged Crawford to begin secretly exploring the land and making claims. He even gave Crawford a cover story if his actions came under suspicion: “All of this can be carried on by silent management.....under the guise of hunting game...” As opportunities were uncovered, Washington directed Crawford to “...advise me of it....and I will have the land surveyed to keep others off and leave the rest to time and my own assiduity.” The two men continued to collaborate until Crawford’s death* in 1782.

Finally, in 1769, Washington obtained approval to identify lands for granting. He conducted an exploratory trip in 1770 down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to the Kanahwa River. For more on this expedition from another blog post, click here: “George Washington Was Here.” 

Fortunately, Washington documented this Ohio River trip in a journal. It is fascinating reading. His observations were astute and practical. He pointed out potential sites for mills (mills powered by water were an essential power source for early settlements), farming, grazing, and other activities. 

They passed the Marietta on October 26 and 27, 1770, as noted in these journal excerpts - spelling and punctuation as in the journal:

“Friday 26th......we Incampd just above the mouth of a creek (Little Muskingum River)and just above an island (Buckley Island).

Saturday 27...we came to the mouth of the Muskingham...This river is abt 150 yards wide at the Mouth; a gentle stream runs out of it, and is navigable a great way into the Country for Canoes.” Washington knew that the Muskingum River was a substantial waterway, apparently from Indian contacts. 

Washington was constantly vigilant for land grants as they were offered by the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the letter below he asks for more details about an upcoming land grant and requests that eligible veterans be given sufficient opportunity to attend the meeting and benefit from the distribution of land. He also sought to buy or trade with veterans to acquire land for himself. Here is the wording of the letter to surveyor John West who was involved with the land grant issuance, with the image of the original letter below: 

    

                                                                                    Mount Vernon Sept.12.1773 

Dear Sir: By two letters just come to hand from Col. Stephen and Capt. Hog, I conclude you are returned. These letters appear to have come by you, and refer to a copy of the Resolves entered into at Winchester, which I should be obliged to you for the perusal of; and to know what method you have adopted to give the absentees notice of your meeting on the Kanawha the 20th of October as the time, to those who live at a distance & are to get notice of it yet…to prepare, if they had any other business upon hand to engage them. The reason of my desire to be informed in this matter is on Muse’s account, who I would wish to be early advised of the meeting since he rely upon [it] for the conduct of his part. I should be glad also to know whether you propose to attend the division of the land yourself, and as near as you can guess, the time you will set off.

                                                                   I am D Sir

                                                                                    Your Most Obed. Serv.

                                                                                            G Washington

Viewed at raabcollection.com, https://www.raabcollection.com/george-washington-autograph/george-washington-signed-sold-washington-seeks-justice-veterans-war-who

Washington was ultimately not as successful as he had hoped with the Ohio Valley land. Attempts to lease or sell it were mostly unsuccessful. Yet he remained fervent in his belief of the future potential of the Ohio River region. Author Christopher Coleman captured Washington’s fervor for western expansion, including a quote from Henry Cabot Lodge:

He had been the protagonist of western expansion long before he dreamed of independence. When the latter had been won “the thought that engaged his mind most was of the best means to give room for expansion, and to open up the unconquered  continent to  the forerunners of a mighty army of settlers. For this purpose all his projects for roads,  canals, and surveys  were formed and forced into public notice. He looked beyond the limits of the Atlantic colonies. His vision went far over the  barriers of the Alleghanies; and where others saw thirteen infant  States backed by the wilderness, he beheld the germs of a great empire.”

He supported the efforts of Rufus Putnam and others to settle the Ohio Country and expand the United States westward. About the settlement at Marietta in 1788, Washington said: 

No colony in America was ever settled under such favorable auspices as that which has just commenced at the Muskingum (River). ... If I was a young man, just preparing to begin the world, or if advanced in life and had a family to make provision for, I know of no country where I should rather fix my habitation...

*Colonel William Crawford was brutally tortured and killed in 1782. He was captured after leading a failed expedition against Wyandot and Delaware Indians near Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Delaware chief Captain Pipe helped defeat the “Crawford Expedition” and was present at Crawford’s torture and death. Pipe later became more cordial in dealings with white settlers, including those at Marietta. He was often present at Fort Harmar and was reportedly a dinner guest in Rufus Putnam’s home. Putnam, who knew of Pipe’s connection to the Crawford execution, remained wary of Captain Pipe.

Sources:

Abbott, W. W., “The Young George Washington and His Papers,” February 11, 1999, at Washingtonpapers.org. 

Cleland, Hugh, George Washington in the Ohio Valley, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1955, viewed at archive.org. 

Coleman, Christopher, “George Washington and the West,” Indiana Magazine of History, Vol 28, No 3, September, 1932

DiSarno, Nicole, George Washington University, “The Kanawha Tracts,” mount Vernon.org

“George Washington,” Wikipedia.org

George Washington Estate, Enclosure: Schedule of Property July 9, 1799, viewed at:

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/06-04-02-0404-0002

Gardner, Andrew G., “How Washington Made His Millions,” CW Journal, Winter 2013, viewed at 

Hart, Lorna, “Washington in the Ohio Valley,” Pomeroy OH Daily Sentinel, October 28, 2020. 

National Archives, Founders Online, “From George Washington to Samuel Lewis 1 February 1784,” viewed at https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-01-02-0066

Redmond, Edward, Senior Reference Librarian, Geography and Map Division, “Washington as Land Speculator, “ George Washington Papers Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, viewed at loc.gov. 

“William Crawford (soldier),” Wikipedia.

A New Territory Begins: July 1788

Walking through the woods on July day recently sparked a reminder of Marietta’s earliest days as a new settlement in 1788. Our two English Sheepdogs Sophie, Tess, and I ambled down a trail near our home. It was a sunny and mild Sunday in July - a welcome break from the typical heat and humidity.

Sunlight filtered through the trees. We stepped into a cathedral of total shade at the waterfall under a canopy of towering maple, oak, and sycamore trees. It was quiet. Only the gentle patter of the waterfall and the wheezy buzz of a seasonal cicada were audible. Later that same day, the dogs explored the edge of a bluff above the creek. Suddenly there was an explosion of flapping wings and squawking as a flock of turkeys launched themselves down the valley. 

The towering trees, turkeys, and the quiet reminded me of Marietta’s earliest period 230 years ago in July of 1788. The tall trees hid the sun needed to grow crops needed for food. Turkeys were a welcome source of food, but large flocks also damaged crops. It was quiet then: there were just a few dozen people around. Only sounds of nature, people talking, and hand tools would have been heard.

Yet it was a busy July of 1788 in the new settlement at Marietta. A year had passed since the passage of the landmark Ordinance of 1787 which created the first United States territory beyond the original thirteen states. Now it was time to bring that new territory to life.

Summary of Ordinance of 1787 from Reddit.com viewed at

https://www.reddit.com/r/Infographics/comments/3pgdiy/the_northwest_ordinance_of_1787

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

July 4 featured a community celebration with fireworks. On July 9, the Territorial Governor, Arthur St. Clair, arrived at Marietta. Major Ebenezer Denny’s journal records the event: “The arrival of the Governor of the Territory was announced by the discharge of thirteen rounds from a six pounder (cannon). The garrison (at Fort Harmar) turned out, and troops received him with presented arms.” 

The government of the new territory was officially installed on July 15. Governor St. Clair was conveyed from Fort Harmar to the “Bowery” (a long covered area erected near the Muskingum River) on the east side on a barge with “Congress” written on one of the oars. He was greeted by General Rufus Putnam and two of the three territorial judges, Samuel H. Parsons and James Mitchell Varnum. Putnam gave brief welcoming remarks. Secretary Winthrop Sargent read the commissions of the governor, judges, and secretary. St. Clair gave an address. 

Major General Arthur St. Clair, first Governor of "The Territory North and West of the Ohio River"

From Wikipedia

St Clair made several points that caught my attention:

• He praised the character of territorial leaders, mentioning their concern for religion, morality, love of liberty, willingness to sacrifice, respect for the rights of mankind. This went beyond mere rhetoric; it truly reflected the attitudes of the leaders.
• He observed that the legislative function of the new territorial government was only a temporary one: There was no elected legislature at this early stage. The Governor and Judges formed a legislative council to enact laws and could only enact laws adopted by other states. He gave assurance that acting in the best interests of the residents under this technically undemocratic system was "...a very important part of our duty, and will be attended to with the greatest care." He further pointed out that Congress could annul territorial laws which it believed were not lawful or suitable.
• Despite hardships in the new settlements, he encouraged patience and perseverance, along with a keeping a vision of a successful future.
• He devoted a significant part of his comments to the relationship with Indians: "Cultivate a good understanding with the natives...., treat them on all occasions with kindness, and the strictest regard for justice, run not into their customs and habits, prevent....reproach." Such conduct, he argued, would make them less hostile and more open to a peaceful existence.

Summary and Map of the Northwest Territory - from

https://historyplex.com/northwest-ordinance-of1787-purpose-summary-significance

The map shows states which eventually were formed from the territory lands

CLICK  ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

General Putnam gave a brief response and "three cheers closed the ceremonies of the day." The citizens of Marietta issued a written response to St. Clair's speech. A committee including Ebenezer Sproat, John May, and Paul Fearing delivered that response to Governor St. Clair on July 17.

Governor St. Clair had been engaged in governing since his appointment in late 1787. His primary focus was arranging for a treaty negotiation with Indian tribes in the Ohio country. Congress had tasked him with this daunting assignment shortly after his appointment. On the very same day of his inauguration, he had corresponded with Secretary of War Henry Knox, regarding an Indian skirmish at the Falls of the Muskingum River where treaty negotiations were to be held. Click on link to learn more about the Treaty of Fort Harmar.

The Governor and Judges issued their first Territorial law on July 25, 1788,  "A Law for regulating and establishing a militia of the United States northwest of the river Ohio.... "  A few weeks later, Washington County, Ohio was created. In September, the “Court of Quarter Sessions” - what we refer to as common pleas court today - was convened with much fanfare. There was a procession from the Point to a room in the northwest blockhouse at the Campus Martius fortified enclosure led by Sheriff Colonel Ebenezer Sproat riding on horseback with saber drawn. Appointed judges Rufus Putnam and Benjamin Tupper were seated on the bench. Reverend Manasseh Cutler, visiting the settlement, offered a prayer. Colonel Sproat intoned these words: "Oh yes! A court is open for the administration of evenhanded justice , to the poor and the rich, to the guilty and innocent, without respect of persons; none to be punished without trial by their peers, and then in pursuance of the laws and evidence in the case."

The bold experiment in territorial government that would be the base for state formation and nation building in the United States was well underway in late 1788 - in Marietta, Ohio.

Further notes about Arthur St. Clair:

• He served in the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and U. S. Army after the war, eventually achieving the rank of Major General. But he experienced two setbacks. One was a controversial retreat from Fort Ticonderoga which led to his court martial; he was exonerated. The other was a humiliating defeat by Indians in western Ohio in November, 1791.

A cover page of report analyzing St. Clair's humiliating defeat by Indians

From Wikipedia. CLICK TO ENLARGE

• His oldest daughter Louisa drew superlatives from locals when he and the children lived in Marietta. She was described in The St. Clair Papers as full of life, expert equestrian - dashing around Campus Martius in full gallop, rapid skater, elegant in appearance, capable hunter, skilled with a rifle which she could load and fire as well as any backwoodsman, yet refined in manners and well educated.
• St. Clair changed the name of Losantiville, Ohio, to Cincinnati - in recognition of the Society of the Cincinnati, a group formed to preserve the ideals and fellowship of Continental Army officers after the Revolutionary War
• St. Clair acquired wealth but lost much of it as a result of military service in the Revolutionary War. He regained wealth later in life but suffered financial loss when a loan he co-signed defaulted. He died in poverty in 1818 at his home near Greensburg, PA.
• He was a Federalist whose preference for a strong national government and elitist leadership left him at odds with the grassroots conservatism prevalent in the new territory. He opposed Ohio statehood. Instead he espoused dividing the Ohio land into two sections with the Scioto River as a north-south dividing line - regions that he thought could generate a Federalist majority.

Sources: All of these were viewed on line unless noted.

Denny, Ebenezer, Military Journal of Ebenezer Denny, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, J. J. Lippincott and Company, 1859

Hildreth, Samuel, Pioneer History: Being an Account of the First Examinations of the Ohio Valley and the Early Settlement of the Northwest Territory, Cincinnati, H. W. Derby & Co., 1848

The St. Clair Papers Volumes I and II, William Henry Smith editor, Cincinnati, Robert Clarke and Co., 1882, page 107, viewed at archive.org

Wikipedia, "Arthur St. Clair."

Williams, H. Z. et al, History of Washington County with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Cleveland, H. Z. Williams and Bro., 1888

Milligan, Fred,  Ohio’s Founding Fathers, New York, iUniverse, Inc., 2003

Pages 81-94 (viewed in paperback edition)

1964 Flood in Marietta

My future wife Suzanne and I launched a canoe near the Red Cross office on Scammel Street. The river level was that high in March of 1964; water covered the downtown. The canoe was an old birchbark canoe - could have belonged to Rufus Putnam - probably not fit for flood water exploration. But we were young and decided to suspend the use of common sense for this outing.

It was exciting on the open water drifting past flooded buildings, traffic lights, and vehicles. It was also eerily quiet. The first stop was the Monument to the Start Westward in Muskingum Park. I was a photo bug and editor of the Marietta High School yearbook that year. The quest was to capture the monument, which included a boat, as if it were afloat. Clever, huh? Click, click. Done.



Next we cruised down front street and took more pictures. Water lapped at the Post Office steps. The river had crested and was starting to fall. We discovered the hydrological effect of this when we passed Butler Street. A strong current of receding water pushed us alarmingly to the right toward the buildings. Quick! - Row hard, real hard! Whew, past the intersection, the current subsided.

We reached Greene Street and hit more strong current. In a panic, we realized (duh: blinding flash of the obvious) that we were near open water with no immediate shelter from the current. The canoe lurched to the right as we tried to turn the corner to head east on Greene. Adrenaline surged - how can we escape this angry river. A long unscheduled trip downriver seemed quite likely. But at the right time we neared a parking meter. I grabbed that meter head and managed to swing the canoe around enough so that we could get away from the current. We dodged behind some buildings and breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of the trip was boring by comparison.

The flood was the highest in some time. It flooded my parents jewelry store on Putnam Street, Baker & Baker Jewelers. I saw first hand the elaborate system which many downtown businesses had for coping with periodic "high water," the term locals use for floods. In the store, all of the display cases could be wheeled out. Wall shelving was unbolted from the walls and removed. Walls and floor were smooth concrete - easier to clean up when the water receded. No basement to contend with - it was filled in. The store was a three story building. Upper floors were used to store the inventory, displays and shelving. An electric lift moved the larger stuff up to the third floor. Dad hired a couple of strong (that left me out) high school kids for the heavy lifting. There were also family and friends who helped.

These photos show the street, the electric lift, and interior on the 3rd floor


Volunteers include my brother Joe's buddies Bill LaBarre, Jim Lallathin, and an unidentified person pretending to be busy.


Left photo is exterior view, on right is view from inside of third floor. Worker is Dave(?) Wilcoxen, then from Belpre.

Many local businesses had similar systems to allow for quick removal of inventory and fixtures. Prior to flood control reservoir systems, implemented mid-20th century, serious flooding was a frequent occurance. Floods created havoc even in Marietta's early days. Thomas Walcutt records a flood episode in his journal in February, 1790: On February 17, he observed that "the rivers continue to rise exceedingly fast." The next day water rose so quickly that "before we could get our breakfast done,the water rose so fast that the floor was afloat and we stood in water up to our buckles..."

Life is definitely disrupted with flooding, but people recover and move on - stiff upper lip and all that. Such is is life along the rivers.