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Thursday, August 11,1938 m s? > fc r : L V t'1 Ui .*/: •"* / ? ;> *-• If West Virginia Is Host To 6SK?*>> ^ National Editorial 1 •* -, vc.1--- EDITORS ARE ROYALLY ENTERTAINED AT PARKERSBURG AND ^ INTERESTING STORY OF BLENNERHA&&ETT ISLAND WHEELING; (C0htf§03S from last week) 1180®, which have had a mighty in- Continuing the tour of the National fluence in the subsequent development Editorial Association party, from of our country; for if the conspiracy Huntington^ up the Ohio side of the'of Burr, into which he had drawn Blenriver, a stop was made at Belpre,! nerhassett, had not been detected in Ohio, where a reception committee. time and the plans they had develand a group of trained guides, from oped had not been "nipped in the bud," Parkersburg, young college girls (the spccesa of those plans would have dressed in uniforms, boarded the bus-igrea' curtailed, and might very well ses and remained with the newspaper people throughout their stay in Parkersburg. A brief stop was made at the Chan- - ° cellor Hotel, after which the party proceeded to Blennerhasset Heights, at which place the Hon. James S. Mc- „ -.4 ' Clure gave a brief talk and descripr *> tion of Blennerhasset Island, which was extremely interesting, full of history and romance. So much so, In fact, that we believe our readers will thoroughly enjoy the story. ' Btauiwhanwtt Island A beautiful and now historic island in the Ohio River will always be associated with certain events of 1806, and with the actors therein; events which marked an epoch in the history of our country, and have been, surpassed in importance by few which have transpired Binee that bright May day in have rendered impossible, the Western extension of these United States of America, and we might never have seen the marvelous growth of this Republic which from thirteen trembling yet brave and defiant colonies clinging to the Atlantic, has grown into forty-eight sovereign states, stretching far over the mountain, plain and river to the distant shores of the peaceful sea, forming now at last in the language of the Supreme Court an "indissoluble union of indestructible states." All of Virginia West of the Alleghenies was claimed by France, and it was only after the so-called "French and Indian War" that that claim was settled, but even before that (in 1749). the Governor of the Colony of Virginia, under instruction^ from England, had\jgranted to the Ohio Land able'means; he himself had bCcti cate* fife Bete* said light around him; and, to crown the it was merely to settle Western land, enchantment of the scene, a wife who'and to others he said that there would is said to be lovely beyond her sex and: be undoubtedly be war with Spain, and graced with every accomplishment that i that their destination was Mexico. He can render it irresistible, has blessed also wrote a series of essays, had them him with her love and made him the published in Marietta over the signafather of her children." - I ture "Querist" showing that it would The Blennerhassett home became ajbe advantageous for the whole Westsocial center for all this section; the ern country to be politically separated small settlement at the mouth of the from the states along the Atlantic Little Kanawha which has since grown seaboard. . .. , j v j . , into the City of Parkersburg, the Vil-j Meantime Burr had ordered some fully educated^and had studied for, and(iage cf Belpre on the Ohio side, and!boats built at Nashville and had made been admitted to, the Bar ; but, the ^ town 0f Marietta some twelve the first payment on a large tract of foundation stones remain to mark the death of.Jus elder brother bringing tojTOjie8 Up the river at the mouth of .land on the Red River, holding out'8'1* of the mansion, the old well is Blennerhassett wrote a Volume of poems; one of these entitled "The Deserted Isle" contains this beautiful and pathetic reference to what bad been her enchanting home: , Once bright with all that beauty could bestow, That peace could shed or youthful fancy know." Some ten years after Blermerhassett's island estate passed into the hands of creditors, the mansion was accidentally desroyed by fire but the Island is still a beautiful spot. Some him the family estates, he abandoned ^e Muskingum, afforded opportunities,the settlement of this land as the soie, still in use; but all else are memorthe law, and determined todevote him- j f0T (intercourse witih persons of pj object of the expedition they propos- ;"° --1 * : -- . , j, .for lajobject Ues, pathetic and tragic memories, reself to scientific study, » which he greater or less degree of culture and;ed; and an agent, on his order, re- plete with historic interest. took great delight He was a man of | refinement) an<j the Blennerhassett icruited men in the section around unusual culture, and of polished man- home was the scene of many gay and, Pittsburg, intending to embark them What was in its days of splendor a remote spot and one difficult of access ners; an excellent musician and some- p]easant gatherings. Not long after'on the Ohio River and join the Blen- is now in the very center of things, as the city, mawST sr was Lieutenant Gover-1 jjiennerhassett was recommended to'at the island where she had remained, ,Baltimore and Washington to Cincin*; riding exhibitons and horse shows avvi Isle of Man, and "hose^^ one 0f the Justices of the new coun-j when her father had continued down;nati and St. Louis crosses the Ohio I he'd. The owner exhibited his Arabwhat ambitious as a musical compos-,^ formation of Wood County, by the; nerhassett fleet at the island. In.Oc- it were. The main line of the Baltier; he married Margaret Agnew, djvjgjon Qf Harrison County in 1798,(tober, Governor Alston joined his wife,more & Ohio Railroad from New York, whose father was T r> --*-• i • • ... .. -_j , • "• • 1 nota, of the grandfather had been the British Gen-Ly^ wbich distinction he seems to have' the river, and the two, with Blenner-; River at Parkersburg only a mile eral of that name who had fallen j declined. jhassett went to Kentucky to make ar- above the island and in view of it, the American Revolutionary War. Mrs.i _ Rfime eieht vear« the idvllic rangements for the general rendet-,while a hundred yards below the rail- Blennerhassett was a cultured, beauti-,hfinn.n#iRa nf thig Irjsh p-entleman. his vous, which was to be at Ohio Falls ro«d bridge is a highway bridge over ful and fascinating woman. Such was the couple whu, u....{ul|t . s . with them ample means, came to thisic™inu. ; Meantime these military and partly I™*0' *nd No- 21 from Cleveland to This band is the pride of well trained, both in music and ing, they were an Inspiring sight. Parkersburg has thirteen gradH schools, two Junior high schools, on* Senior high and a school for colored children; also two parochial school* and a Catholic Junior college for git)t» The Senior high school is one of thf show places of the state. A magnifl* cent building with a 72-acre {ampg, it has 165,000 square feet of floor' space. It contains an auditorium witM a seating. capacity of 1,300, a cafe* teria, eighty-seven class rooms, Am library and a completely eqt^pped gymnasium, with indoor track. The party was taken to the beautl* ful estate of Col. W. H. Bickel, whetit an outdoor luncheon was served am the grounds. On this estate Col. Bickel has a half mile race track, sal amphitheater. Here harness races; . 4.. ! happiness of this Irish gentleman, his vous- . . . . matmg woman 'beautiful wife and growing family,the site of the present City of j which pass two great Federal Routes: who, brmging ^"""1. * ^Louisville. |No. 50 from Baltimore to San Franian horses, putting them through performances, the result of his own train* ing. They were a beautiful sight, all pure white. The estate comprises ov*p;' 300 acres. ' -J At 4 p.m., witih the band playing appropriate music as the busses d»> New World to seek repose and indulge j briS'conce^^ wh?€ a"fever in-; parted, the j>arty^headed for Wheeling ,na nome tnat oruiianc spread through the crea8in? water borne traffic on the,in the north pannandle. They reached for there in their love of Nature. Coming from!caine to ^ island home thai New York to Pittsburgh, they thence1 erratic genius, Aaron Burr, then tJn nrniniH**th^,'i^And and' Chi° River--now controlled and with! Oglebay park at 6 o'clock, where diajourneyed down the Ohio River, spentji*te Vkj of t^ United|whole aecdon^round channel depth regulated from1 ner was. served, provided by th» the winter of 1797-8 at Marietta, \ States*. In the spring of 1805, Burr WMyil'Pittalnwffc • to Caird--passes within a j'Wheeling Chamber of Commerce. All which had been the first permanent *erm of office as Vice President hav-: tn rfisrii-?'*>Vm> situation'^ew y»r<is of the very landing place' address was made by Hon. H. C. Of* English settlement West of the Ohio. in£ expired^ he having been defeated , ^ alarm at the mvster' i^ere Burr stepped ashore and whence den, prominent newspaper publish» From Marietta as a base Blennerhas- ithe year before as candidate •»" BlMnerhaMCl« emb.rk->fWestVirKi„i,. . iernor of New York, and doubtless feel BLENNERHASSET ISLAND Oglebay Park was given to Wheels irmanv'ouartiw were" hisT after "the *"rr and Blennerhassett. • There" ^»si®nd so d»««trously for them--so for-'ing by Earl Williams Oglebky, an e#i; " ^ m many quarters were his after the ^ djfference of opinion ag ^ ^ crimJ tunately for the^future of our coun-,tat)e of 750 acres, formerly called death of Hamilton in their fatal duel, he travelled Westward, with ideas in inal and treasonable nature of the de-jtr3£ , . , ,, , , , mmiinnda , ppeerrhnaappss mmworree oorr lleessss vvaagguuee , s'S® nB of Burr and Blennerhassett, yet ?uc * sPot should be preserved and f../LL „jit is to be toped that the time is not which in the course of the next year resolutions were adopted to form a f distent when the Island will pass ddeevveelloonpeedd iinnttoo aa ppllaann *whh,icchh hhoowweevveerr ^volu ntary corps for general defense.! " "Jr wnen tne isiana win pass of plunder Government Control and ownermeeting and of the probability that the corps of volunteers under the com- It was at this spot that in 1805 Aaron Burr came. He induced Harman Blennerhassett to join and finance "The Scheme" for the establishment of a Southwest Empire. . J607 when the good ships Discovery, Good-Speed and Sarah Constant dropped anchor in the Great River of Virginia, which the adventurers named "James" after the then King of England, and there founded the first permanent English speaking colony in this New World of ours. The process of pushing Westward was slow, and when Governor Spotswood and his "Knights of the Golden Horse Shoe" first breasted the summits of the Blue Ridge and gazed upon the fabr valley beyond, with mighty mountain barrier of the Alleghenies marking the ^Westward horizon, they may well have thought that that barrier would mark the limits of their civilization; they could not even dream that from the territory then claimed by their infant colony, of the Western extent of which they had absolutely 'no conception, there would ultimately be carved six great Commonwealths, integral parts of the mightiest nation upon earth; they could not visualize the mountains and the hills, the fertile valleys and the untold wealth of what is now West Virginia, which lay beyond that moun- Company five hundred thousand acres of land between the Monongahela and the Great Kanawha Rivers; included in this great area was practically the Kanawha River, at the mouth of which lies Parkersburg, the county seat of Wood County, and a mile below which mouth is Blennerhassett Island. The Ohio Land Company sent Christopher Gist to explore their land and it is probable that he was the first Englishman whose eyes rested upon this historic island. The confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers had long been the site of an Indian village or villages, an Indian burying ground had been located on Blelnnerhassctt Island itself. We are told that George Washington on his land inspection tour down the Ohio River, was attracted by the beauty of the island, and made a socalled "tomahawk entry" on it in his own right, but if this is the case, the entry was never perfected, although the entry made by Washington on the Virginia side not far below Blennerhassett Island, which embraces that broad and magnificent bottom which one hundred and seventy acres of land, comprising the Northern part of Blennerhassett Island, which was then re- *§!* PARKERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL ft n*** View of Parkersburg, West Virginia, showing the High School Building^ surrounded by a. beautiftol campus of seventy-two acres, ' tain barrier, the many streams flowing therefrom "Beautiful River," whose waters were ultimately to mingle with those of the far off Southern sea, nor cou d they visualize those bands of hardy and adventurous pioneers who were to cross that mountain barrier and with ax in one hand and rifle in the other were to conquer that vast domain for the Great Republic that was to be. At that time, in what was a primeval wilderness, there lay nestling in the broad bosom of that "Beautiful River," called from th§ Indian tongue "Ohio," the lovely island which now for a hundred and thirty years has been known as "Blennerhassett Island" --^ lying in our time at the very cross roads of some of the greatest arteries of trade and of intercommunication of this twentieth century civilization. With that island there are indissolubly associated some af the event* «f definitely fixed in his own mind was not generally understood by others, and which has been described by some as a simple plan to purchase land in man.d of Colonel Phelps, was contemthe far Southwest and develop a set- Pitting a descent upon the island, sent tlement there, (though that Burr^P^y messengers to Kentucky to inwould have given time and thought to ^orm ^er husband. Blennerhassett what he would have thought so prosaic seen^s to have gone back about the 3rd a program is most highly improbable,): November and at once wrote to and by others as a scheme to bring Colonel Phelps, soliciting an interabout a separation of the Western }vie*» which interview took place in portion of the country and the estab-'® few days, and Blennerhassett seems lishment of an independent republic,'t° bave insisted upon the innocence and by still others as a plan looking 'of their intentions, and cited a numto the conquest of the Southwest by ber of persons of distinction who he force of arms, embracing territory' stated were to join in their settlement owned both by the United Staets and scheme> *nd invited Colonel Phelps to by Spain, and establishing there an so join, which the latter declined to do. empire, of which Burr himself would Meantime, reports of the situation be emperor, with an elaborate feudal had arrived at both Washington and system, titles of nobility, etc. j Richmond, and to Chillicothe, (then J On his first journ£v down the Ohio'the capital of the infant State of ferred to as containing a total of near- in the spring of 1805,* Burr stopped Ohio,) and based upon these reports ly three hundred acres. Establishing'the island, but found Blennerhassett President Jefferson sent a confidentemporary quarters on the island for away from home. He spent the even- tial agent John Graham, to investihis family (the Blennerhassetts al- ing, however, upon the invitation of gate and discover the real situation, ready had one son) in a block house1 Mrs. Blennerhassett, who tendered to Among^others this agent then saw which had been created there during so distinguished a visitor all the hos- and talked with Blennerhassett himthe Indian Wars, Blennerhassett be-i Polity of the place, and Burr con- self, and learned from him most of gan the construction of his memorable tinued his journey down the river, hav- wbat Blennerhassett knew about mansion. j ing made a deep impression upon Mrs. t»urr s plans. Graham argued that Space "forbids the recording here of; Blennerhassett by his brilliant intel- these plans, so far as they had been the numerous details which have come' lect and his powers of conversation, thus explained, were not a full disdown to us. For that time the man-) and he was himself impressed -with closure and that there lay behind them sion was a princely one, and is said to!the desirability of securing a man of something which was objectionable have cost over fifty thousand dollars, a j Blennerhassett's position and means and would be a violation of law and vast sum for those days. The maim as an aid in whatever scheme he might treaties, and endeavored to persuade building faced the East and was two!undert«ke; so a few months after- Blennerhassett to withdraw from the stories high, described as being fifty wards he wrote Blennerhassett ex- venture, but m this he failed. Graham feet in length and thirty feet in width,'Pressing regret that he had missed then proceeded to Chillicothe, where front; on either side across were^'ni on the occasion of his visit and the Ohio Legislature was in session, with 'a spacious portico across the!suggesting that Blennerhassett was ajand as a result of legislative action, wings, one story in height and about jman who was worthy of, and deserved j Governor Tiffin ordered out the militia forty feet in length, which connected * wider field of enterprise and reward (and seized the boats and stores being the main building with buildings on than was afforded by his island home, prepared on the Muskingum, and bethe north and south, each being two This letetr was answered, and finally fore the end of November, President stories high and twenty-six by twenty {Blennerhassett admitted a willingness Jefferson issued a proclamation allegfeet. One of these side buildings was to participate in Burr's scheme. jing that unlawful and criminal enter- In his brief filed at his trial for prises were on foot in the Western treason in Richmond, Blennerhassett Waters, and commanding the arrest stated that in joining Burr, he had injof persons engaged in them, though contemplation the purchase of land|not specifically mentioning the names and commercial development, as well of Burr or anyone else, as a "military adventure" directed. When the President's proclamation against Spain; that he conceived that reached Wood County, immediate the United States was on the verge of plans to arrest Burr and Blennevhaswar with Spain arising from conflict- sett, were made. Hearing of this ining claims in the Southwest, and he tention, Blennerhassett hastily left the was thus willing and glad to join it; island on December 10th and Colonel an enterprise looking to the subjuga-; Phelps arriving thereafter, left some tion of the Spanish Dominion. It is of his m^n on the island, and himself possible (though doubtful) that this went over and hoping to intercept may have been all that Blennerhassett Blennerhassett at the mouth of the had in mind, but it certainly was not Great Kanawha River, but in this he all that Burr had in mind. It seems failed and upon his return found that reasonably certain that he was look- some of his men had entered the wine ing to the personal aggrandizement cellars and as a result there had enand elevation of himself (to a throne sued a scene of the greatest disorder possibly) even though that might have and riot. House and furniture had been at the expense of his country, been seriously injured, shrubbery had which he then thought had treated been trampled and destroyed. While him badly. | the Commander was justly indignant The following August, (1806), Burr, at the conduct of his men, he could not this time accompanied by his fascinat- : repair the damage done, but he co-oping and brilliant daughter Theodosia, era ted with Mrs. Blennerhassett in enwife of Governor Alston, of South abling her to get off a few days later Carolina, visited the island a second to join her husband in the South. time, and Burr then seems to havej There is not space here to do more exercised all the power of his imagin- than to refer to the subsequent arrest ation, expressed in his persuasive elo- of Burr and Blennerhassett in the quence, upon the more simple mind of South, their indictment for treason Blennerhassett. As William Wirt in against the United States, their fahis speech in defense of Blennerhas-1 mous trial in Richmond before Chief sett described this event: !Justice Marshall, and their acquittal "A stranger presents himself; intro-jfor lack of evidence of the necessary duced to their civilities by the high ("overt act." / , rank he had lately held in his country,! Blennerhassett returned to his home he found his way to their hearts by \ within one year after leaving it; ne the dignity and eloquence of his de-found a scene of desolation, much of meanor the light and beauty of his his property had been seized and sold conversation, and the seductive and for debt, much had been stolen, his fascinating power of his address." j house had been looted, and in despair As a result of these talks with Burr, he went to Mississippi where he unraising cotton, ship. High School Band--85 Pieces One thing which will stand out in the recollections of the trip was the Parkersburg High School Band, 85 pieces, all dressed up in-red and white. Waddington Farm, worth about $2,- 000,000. It contains all facilities fit physical recreation, including swimming, golf, tennis, riding, picnicking* vacation cabins and an athletic fieldL After a night spent in Wheeling htt* tels, the party left the next morning for Morgantown, where the West Vir* ginia University is located; (Continued next week) BOAT splendlA' to this day is Ttnowft as IftehHerhassetiifbr his'library, into the Bottom' was perfected, and that land j laboratory and study; the 'other was, Blennerhassett was completey trans- dertook to engage to the time of his death, and was specifically mentioned in his will. The first claim of entry to Blennercontinued to be^ owned J)y ^Vashington jused for servant quarters. The house formed; he lost interest in the quiet but as a result of the embargo placed A ' J -"1- J 'was furnished in the best way pos-jand tranquility which had previously'on cotton by Great Britain in 1812, sible at that time, the furnishings be-j delighted him; lost interest in his; his venture failed and his whole promg brought from Philadelphia and the books and scientific researches; he perty there was sold for barely suffihassett Island, which was followed up, East by wagon to Pittsburgh, and j became fired with the desire for mil-jcient to satisfy his creditors. He reseems to have been made in 1/74 by | hence down the Ohio River by boat.! jtary glory and for acquiring some^ moved to New York and attempted to In addition to the spacious lawns and great position and title in an empire practice law, but did not succeed; lie plantings of shrubbery, there were'jn the Southwest which Burr's imag- undertook later to engage in business about one hundred acres of farm land ^nation painted for him, and the bril- in Canada, and again failed; he went under cultivation. j iiant Theodosia, furthering her fath- back to Ireland to prosecute a rever- Blennerhassett's new home was soon er's desire for adventure, completely sionary claim for some property, but converted into an island paraclisg Jwon her way into the heart of Mar- found himself barred by the Statute Colonel P. Devoll, who sold to one Elijah Backus, but, as was often the case in those days, there were conflicting claims owing to imperfect description and location of entries, and in 1784 the island was actually surveyed pursuant to land warrant issued in 1870, and in 1786 Patrick Henry, then Governor of Virginia, signed a patent to the island to one Alexander Nelson. When the island was subsequently bought by Blennerhassett from Backus these conflicting claims were settled by legal proceeding. Harman Blennerhassett was born in England in 1767 of a family which The famous William Wirt, who was'garet Blennerhassett •of Limitations. He finally died on the one of the attorneys for the defense I in September, 1806, Burr and Blen-'island of Guernsey in 1831. In '42 a£ the trial in Richmond, thus des-; nerhassett visited Marietta and there Mrs. Blennerhassett visited the United cribed Blennerhassett's situation: . gave orders for the construction of States to seek relief from the Govern- "A shrubbery, which Shenstone boats sufficient to transport down the ment for the damage done by the milmight have envied, blooms around river some five hundred men, withjitia to their property; her cause in him; music that might have charmed provisions and supplies. Burr then Congress was championed by Henry Calypso and her nymphs, is his; an-continued his journey down the river,'Clay, but worn with toil and mortifiextensive library spreads its t/easures Blennerhassett meanwhile spending cation and tbe privations of poverty, before hini; a philosophical apparatus his time- in superintending prepar- she died before action 6n her claim taken. SAME SNAPSHOT GUIL PICTURE DAYIndoors ... Outdoors ., • wash day . . . Birthday . . . family history it being made young friend of NOT long ago a mine married. He is a camera * -- ® ~ * " " * « « « « * " u " , « j / u u v & u p u i c a i a p p a r a t u s n i s t i m e - i n s u p e r i n t e n d i n g p r e p a r - s n e d i e d for many generations had lived in Ire-.offers to him all the mysteri^ and ations for the departure of the ex- was takei ted. His family WMOMaf conaider-] secretaofna ture ipeace^tranquility'pedition, and in securing young men? During fan, like the rest of us, and he told me: "My family history is going to be kept in pictures. I plan to take at least one roll of pictures a weekmany more whenever possible. Whenever we do anything--move to a new bouse--go on a week-end trip --plant flowers--celebrate a birthday or an anniversary--add a new member--whatever it Is, the story will be told in pictures." His plans go further than that, tna His picture record is to be kept in handy, useful form. "There will be a pew picture book for every yeari" he told me. "I plan to have the best shots enlarged, knd mount the others contact size. Everything goes into the book, where we'll always be able to find it and recall-- from our own snapshots--what we did in past days." There, now, is an idea for all of uk. In every family, things happen each day that we would like to remember. We buy new furniture plant gardens, build a trellis for roses, put new screens on the back porch, take vacation trips. Children -are born, grow up, change year by year. We change, too. And a true day - by - day picture-history of all onr everyday activities, as well as activities not - so - everyday, would : gzeatly enrich our memories in later Let'# make a mental note--make tach family picture-book treasured aa roll by. it a household ritual, and abide it. "A picture a day keeps the family history up to date. And a complete picture-book each year keeps it Li ,"T