Lydia Goss marries an Englishman from Somerset!

I return to my third great grandmother and her story.

Lydia Goss  married on 19 July 1819 in Washington County, Ohio to John Andrews Spracklin an Englishman from Somerset County, England.

John and Lydia’s Marriage Record 1819

Source:  Washington County, Ohio Marriage Records, V1-3, pg. 111, Marietta, Ohio FHL#0941958.   As you see John’s last name is spelled “Spraklin.”

There are other sources of compiled marriages indexes for Ohio that I have consulted and you might run into them:

1.  Washington County, Ohio Marriages 1789-1840 pg. 36 for Delano, pg. 37-38 Devol., pg. 56 Goss, pg. 119-120 for Scott, pg. 128 Spraklin.  Compiled by Bernice Graham & Elizabeth Cottle and sponsored by the Marietta Chapter of the DAR and the Washington Co. Historical Society, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1976.   This book is pretty widely distributed.

2.  Washington Co., Ohio Marriages 1789-1822, by Robert D. Craig.  I found a copy at the Fiske Genealogical Library in Seattle.  He spells John’s last name “Spranklin.”

3.  Ohio Marriages, Recorded in County Courts Through 1820: An Index, by Jean Nathan, Chairman, Ohio Genealogical Society, 1996.  On page 278 you will find Delano and Dillinse, pages 405-406 Goss, and Rood is on page 889.

Arminda’s Pedigree Outline

The above pedigree outline was featured in a past post.  I repeat a portion of it here specifically showing John and Lydia’s information.  This is the document that started me on my quest to learn more about this family.  It was given to me by my Aunt Miriam, my dad, Keith’s sister.  The complete full outline is featured in the post dated August 5, 2011 – see Archive list on the right of this blog.

Washington County Courthouse, Ohio

On my trip to Ohio in 2011, I stopped at the Washington County Courthouse in Marietta to look at the records.  I shared that experience in a past post.  I feature the same photo of me checking out the probate records in their special record room.

These are not original journals but copies of the originals.   They had probate, marriage and a lot more in this room.  They took me to the room and left me to do my work.  The advantage is that you have the opportunity to look at a variety of records and search out more individuals, which I did.  They had finding aid books by name that helped to locate the records.  The Washington Co. Historical Society has many original court records. So check both the courthouse and the historical Society.

I did look up John and Lydia’s marriage record and others and it was a photocopy of the original journal and also looked just like the microfilm I listed above.

Marriage records Washington Co., Ohio

So where did the actual marriage take place?  Solomon Goss her father was on the land in Fearing Twp. by 1819.  Did she marry there or did she marry in Marietta?  This would imply that they married so John could be close to his relatives the Roods?  Did she marry at her sister Elizabeth Lake’s home in the Rainbow area northwest of Marietta?  Fun to speculate?

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Harmar Cemetery, west Marietta, Ohio

Harmar Cemetery is located across the Muskingum River in the western part of Marietta.  It is a little tricky to get too.  We were coming north on Hwy 7 and exited off at Gilman, if memory serves, and then drove to Stone Street.  This sign points the way and states that due to weather and flooding the earliest stones were destroyed.

Harmar Cemetery in Marietta.

Here are two overview photographs of this old cemetery.  As I walked around this burial site I felt sad because it was not in very good shape with broken stones and large empty areas where there maybe once were tombstones.

Harmar Cemetery looking west

Harmar Cemetery overview photos

There is a publication about this cemetery:

Source:  Burials in Harmar Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio, A Bicentennial Project of the Muskingum Valley Builders 4-H Club, April 7, 1977, Washington Co. Historical Society. 

“The Table of Contents Reads: Prefatory Essay, Abbreviations & Symbols, Over-All Key Map of Harmar Cemetery, Maps of Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 7, Burials in Harmar Cemetery, Index to Additional Family Names, Civil War Memorial, Fragmentary Stones. “

Dr. Owen P. Hawley writes in the first chapter .  He describes the history of the cemeteries in the area and cites names of the burials giving information on the individuals mentioned.  He researched the Ohio Company records, history books, city records, the newspaper and more.  Mr. Hawley is the author of the Mound Cemetery book I have mentioned in past posts.

Here is the table tombstone for Noah Fearing:

Noah Fearing Tombstone

The tombstone of Henry Fearing 1798 to 1894 and more:

Henry Fearing Burial in Harmar

This is the Civil War Monument in Harmar:

Harmar Cemetery Civil War Memorial

More Fearing tombstones and monuments:

More Fearing family tombstones

This is Paul Fearing and his wife’s monument.  You will note a stack to the right.  In Ohio they pile the broken stones up into this type of stack which makes it impossible to read them for they are very heavy.

Paul Fearing”s Tombstone

William Skinner and Mary Chambers etc.

William Skinner in Harmar Cemetery

Levi Barber and Elizabeth Rouse’s tombstone

Levi Barber 1777 to 1833 and Elizabeth his wife

Here are 3 tombstones for the Humphreys family.  As you can see they are flaking and it is difficult to read them:

Flaking tombstones in Harmar – Humphreys

Here is another look at the geography of Harmar Cemetery which you can see is on a hill and highway 7 is right along the western border.  The book I mention above talked above slippage of the graves making it hard to figure out what graves belong to whom.

On this particular day we visited, it was cold, very wet and mushy so I stayed pretty close to the bottom of the hill rather than go exploring up into the higher areas.  What I saw are large areas without tombstones and that makes me wonder how many have disappeared over the years with debris covering them and more.

Find A Grave has this cemetery listed as well with 908 stones read with some more details than I list here.

Harmar Cemetery looking northwest

I have visited Mound, Oak Grove and now Harmar Cemetery looking for clues.  So I feel I have a good idea of why it is so difficult to find Solomon’s grave site.

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In search of the final resting place of Solomon Goss & Olive (Scott) Goss

Now that I have shared my findings regarding Solomon Goss’es will, I would like to share about my search for the final resting place of Solomon, Olive and David and Solomon Goss Jr’s two babies, while visiting the area of Marietta in September 2011.

Sadly, I was not successful in locating their graves.  I did give it a very good try.  Finding them with their stones would answer a lot of questions.  Here is what I did.

1.  I personally visited as many cemeteries as I could during the time I had. I noted their establishment dates like Rainbow, Harmar, Mound, Oak Grove, Berg, Rockland, and Waterford. Mound and Oak Grove are in the town of Marietta and they have monuments to the early pioneers. They also have DAR and SAR memorial plaques and flags:

Blog Posts about various cemeteries I visited:

1. Marietta and Washington County – A Dream Come True!, dated Sept. 13, 2011.  This post featured a little about Mound and Oak Grove and mentions my visits to Rainbow, Watertown, Rockland and Harmar.

http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/marietta-and-washington-county-a-dream-come-true/

2. Rainbow Cemetery was featured in the post The Lakes: Rainbow Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio, dated October 31, 2011:

http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/the-lakes-rainbow-cemetery-washington-co-ohio/

3. The Family of Daniel Goss and Lydia Ackley Goss, April 9, 2012 features Rockland Cemetery in Belpre.

http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/the-family-of-daniel-goss-and-lydia-ackley-goss/

I will present more of my photographs from my cemetery tour of Washington County in the next posts:  Mound, Oak Grove, Harmar, Berg, and Watertown.

2.  I studied as many of the published cemetery books for Washington County, Ohio, targeting the Marietta area and the Fearing Township area. The farther back a cemetery was recorded the better.  Some of these publications  are with the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  I made an Excel spreadsheet as I studied the FHL records to keep track of my progress.  You will find that here in the form of a PDF:  SolomonGossCemSearch.  Some involved searching the newsletters of the genealogical and historical society for publications of the cemeteries in Washington County.  These publications cover established cemeteries not private ones.  I did not have time.

The Tallow Light is featured in the PDF – SolomonGossCemSearch.  It is the main publication of the Washington County Historical Society.

3. On my visit to Marietta, I visited the Washington County Public Library Genealogical and Historical Annex and searched their records, publications, maps and articles including the Jerry Devol collection. Mr. Devol has passed but he did leave his genealogical research which includes a lot of his cemetery research.  The volunteer at the annex, Lila Hill, is very knowledgeable and helpful and a member of the Washington Co. Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.  Here is their website:  http://www.washogs.org/index.html

4.  I worked with Jean Yost, President of the Sons of the American Revolution Marietta Chapter who was very helpful.  They had a listing on their website of soldiers of the American Revolution from the area and Solomon Goss was included under their “Spirit of ’76 Patriots.”  http://mariettasar.com/spirit76.htm  Of course, there is more information and names at their website and it is definitely worth studying.

5. Mr. Yost gave me the name of the current owner of Solomon’s land in Fearing Twp. We both personally visited the land and met the owner. I do not publish the owners name out of respect for his privacy but I am willing to share if you contact me or leave a comment.

The current owner of Solomon Goss’es land told me he had never found nor located any burials on his property.  I took his word.  He further stated that he had lived there all his life and his parents had been there for a good 80 years.  He mentioned that there were other burials sites on farms near him. The area is very hilly and the roads are gravel.  They are very rough, very steep and have deep ruts.  My husband was brave in our rental car and drove up a steep hill with huge ruts to the Berg Cemetery which is on top of a big hill.  We did venture up to one area east of Solomon’s land which placed us on a ridge.  Again we climbed steep hills with gravel roads to get there.  My husband knocked on a door but no one was home. The farm was filled with lots of equipment, buildings, houses, junk and overgrown grass.  It was not a good idea to explore their land because we did not have permission and that would be trespassing.  So we decided to back off.  Much to my sadness, I was told that some of the farmers had plowed over burials.

6.  I studied online versions of cemetery lists for Washington County.

a.  Find A Grave is a good place to start.  They have Rainbow, Berg, Watertown, Harmar, Mound, Oak Grove, Oak Grove, Rockland and many more. I did not visit the Stanleyville Cemetery in Fearing Township but you will find it on Find A Grave. Caution:  Online listings are not always complete so check a publication as well or search out other alternatives.

b. The Washington County Cemetery Index was very helpful:  http://wchs-ohio.org/cem_index.htm  It gives a listing of the cemeteries and townships they are in and it also has a surname index.  There are no Goss listings.

c. Cemeteries in Fearing Twp are:

• Berg Church 1st Protestant 1846,
• Berg Old
• Saint Jacobs,
• Chapman
• Cherry
• St. Jacobs
• Flanders 1874,
• Gerkin,
• August Spindler Farm/Hobby Farm (Goldsmith) 1822,
• Lynch Church 1842,
• Miller
• Minor
• Mt. Ephraim,
• St. Jacob Church,
• Stanleyville 1806,
• Zimmer Family (Tuttle Family) 1817.

As you can see I was having trouble finding establishment dates for these cemeteries. I did not find any Goss names in any of these cemeteries.

In evaluating these cemeteries in my search I had to consider the religious affiliation (Protestant, Catholic, German etc.) as well.  See my  SolomonGossCemSearch PDF listed in #2 above for more detail.

The Washington Co. Public Library Annex has Cemetery readings for all except Gerkin, Cherry, and Miller.

7.  I called several historical societies like the one in Belpre for the Rockland Cemetery to find out where the grave of Daniel Goss was located and was informed they were updating their cemetery book.  I tried the Marietta Cemetery department but struck out.

8.  I was told by the President of the Washington County Historical Society that Marietta used to be a big shipping port and the ships would come in and the disease they brought would race up the Muskingum River valley wiping out many people.  They would bury people quickly and fast back in those days.  Did Olive and David get caught in one of these epidemics?

9.  There were floods on the Ohio and Muskingum River that destroyed graves.  Harmar Cemetery suffered greatly which is one of the oldest.

Solomon died in 1825.  Olive his wife and David his son probably died earlier before 1810 so those events took place 187 years ago.  See my previous post regarding Solomon’s will and my conclusions about the deaths of Olive and David.  I have seen how quickly a cemetery can be overcome with fallen and broken stones and the elements.

10.  The town government did not keep records of the cemeteries in the early years and many were moved as progress came.

The book “Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio” by Owen Hawley is an excellent book published in 1996 by the Washington County Historical Society.  This book gives the history of the cemeteries in Marietta. I will share some of it in the post on the Mound Cemetery in following posts.

“Pioneer Cemeteries of Washington County,”  compiled by Mrs. C.R. Sloan.  ”Washington County (Ohio) Cemeteries 1789-1940,” by Mrs. Helen Hill Sloan, 1964.

Burials in Harmar Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio, Washington Co. Historical Society, April 1977

Oak Grove Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio Burials 1860-1920, by the Washington County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

11.  The area around Rainbow was once a thriving community and it is possible that Solomon, Olive and David and Solomon Goss Jr’s two babies are buried in that area of Washington County, north and west of Marietta and west of Fearing Twp.  I personally visited Rainbow Cemetery.   I have posted about that cemetery.  See number #1 above for the link to the post I wrote on Rainbow.

12.  I have researched Solomon and Olive’s children trying to see if any information would shed light on the burial of their parents.  I have asked of descendants and cousins if they have any ideas or knowledge of the burials.

13.  Early vital records in Washington County were consulted.  Marriage is more widely published and death is very difficult to find before about 1867.

14.  I consulted the newspaper clipping files of the Washington County Historical Society and all I found was the estate notice that I have published in several posts in this blog regarding the Solomon Goss estate.  Here is a listing of Marietta newspapers I found in a Tallow Light publication.  As you read this list you see that there is a gap of missing issues right in the 1825 time period when Solomon died.

Marietta Newspapers and the years.

15.  I tried to find Obadiah Scott Jr’s resting place. He was Olive Scott Goss’es brother.  He is said to have been buried in the Waterford Cemetery/Round Bottom.  So we visited that cemetery but did not find any tombstone showing his burial. A Tallow Light publication did list him in the Waterford Landing Cemetery (Waterford Cemetery) on pg. 48 third from the bottom “Scott, Obadiah died 30 Nov. 1827 in 57th y.”

16.  I did find a listing for Wine Rood and Anne Andrews Rood and the Rood family in the Mound Cemetery in Marietta.  The Mound Cemetery book mentioned in #10 above has some good information about them.  Unfortunately when I visited the Mound Cemetery and searched out were they were buried I found no tombstones and that verifies what the Mound Cemetery book states. They are buried left of Rufus Putnam’s tombstone monument in the back north corner. Anne Andrews Rood is the sister of Elizabeth “Betty” Andrews Spracklin. I will talk about what I know about the Rood family in a future post.

In summary, I was traveling in an unfamiliar area with little time, so I had to target specific cemeteries and records.  I  feel that if the descendants of Solomon and Olive were to do more searching, it would require cultivating friendly connections to seek out further possibilities.  I did meet a lot of people while visiting Marietta and hopefully these contacts will remember me and something might turn up.

So Solomon, Olive, David and the two babies of Solomon Goss Jr. remain missing and I continue to dig into other records to learn about more them.

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The Will of Solomon Goss 1810!

Solomon and Olive (Scott)  Goss had Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Solomon Goss (Jr.), Daniel, Levi, Lydia and David.  I have posted about each of these individuals in past posts.

I have just begun with sharing about Lydia and her life and plan to do more.

It is time now to show the relationship of Solomon Goss to his children.

In 1810 Solomon Goss wrote his will and it was on file at the Washington County Courthouse for years.  What I share with you below is a transcription obtained by Flora Montanye Osborn sometime in the 1940′s.

Transcribed Version

I verified this transcription with the will in the court clerks version:

Source:  Probate Record, 1789-1855 Probate Court, Washington Co., Ohio, Index V A #FHL#946211 Under “G,” Will Record Vol. 4 pg. 132 and 133 FH#946211.  I did had a bit of trouble finding it in these films so do take your time it is there.  I also looked at the copy in the Washington County Courthouse books when visiting in there in 2011.

Solomon Goss Will pg 1

Solomon Goss Will pg 2

In the name of God, Amen; I Solomon Goss, of the Town of Fearing Co. of Washington and State of Ohio, Although laybouring at present under some indisposition of body, yet being of sound and disposing mind and memory and understanding through the mercey of God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following.

First and principally I resign my soul with the utmost humility into the hands of Almighty God my Creator, humbly hopeing for a blessed immorality through the merits and mediation of my Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ and my body I desire may be decently buried at the expense and discretion of my Executor. And as for such temporal Estate as the Lord in his great goodness and mercy hath instructed me to be Steward of, I give devise and dispose thereof as follows, I give and bequeath to my son Solomon Goss, my messuage of tenements wherein and wheron I now dwell with the appurtenances with all the privileges in any way or manor their unto belonging Sittuate in said Town of Fearing which is Lot No. — Allso all my personally property which I own or am in Lawful possession to the said Solomon with the exception of two cows. I give and bequeath to my sons, Noah, Daniel and Levi one hundred acres of land each and to my three daughters Elizabeth Lake, Mary and Lydia Goss fifty acres of land each, which land thus bequeathed to my three sons and three daughfters lyeth in what is called the Milletary tract of land in Range 14 Twp. 6th N. East Corner of Section 2nd to be equally divided among them in joint of Quallity & according to quantity. I do also give and bequeath to my two daughters Mary and Lydia Goss one cow each, being the two cows above reserved which will be left in the hands of my Executor. The one to Mary in three months after my deceas the one to Lydia in three months after she arrives to the years of eighteen if they then demand them, or any time thereafter. An I do hereby will and appoint that my Executor shall pay all cost and charge that he shall be put to in the Execution of this Will and I do hereby revoke all other Wills by me formerly made, and declair this only to be my last Will and Testament and appoint my son Solomon Goss Executor there of in Witness whereof I the said Solomon Goss have to the first side of this sheet of this my will set my hand to this last side being the second my hand and seal, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and ten Twenty sixth day of March.

Solomon Goss (SEAL)

Signed, Sealed, Published and declared by the said Testator Solomon Goss as, and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testator.

Robert Baird
Thomas Stanley
Lucy Stanley

Flora stopped at this point but I found more in the court clerk book and I transcribed it as best I could:

The State of Ohio – Common pleas April 1828

Washington Co., PA — This judgment of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Solomon Goss late of Fearing in this County deceased was presented in court for probate. Whereupon Percy Blake the late Lucy Stanley being sworn deposed and said that she and Thomas Stanley and Robert Baud, with the latter now deceased, subscribed their names as witnesses to the said will in the presence and at the request of the testor who at that time was of sound mind. And ____Warner being also sworn he and the said Percy Blake both deposed and said that the name of Thomas Stanley subscribed as a witness to said will is the proper hand writing of the said Thomas Stanley now deceased, they having frequently seen him write, and being acquainted with his hand writing and therefore the said will and probate thereof are approved and ordered to be recorded. An on the motion of Solomon Gofs the Executor the said will named, ____granted him he having taken the oath that required by Law and together with George Dunlevy & Elisha Allen his Securities ____and acknowledge their bond in the penalty of four hundred dollars conditioned as the law ditates and the Court appoint ____Scanna, Doirt Ward and Asak Perkins to appraise the personal property belong into the said decedents Estate agreebly to Law. Geo. Dunlevy, Clerk.

In this will, Solomon clearly names his children: Solomon as executor, Noah, Levi, Daniel, Elizabeth, Mary and Lydia.

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There are several points that I wish to express regarding this will.

1)  Solomon makes no mention or provision for his wife Olive (Scott) Goss.  There is no mention of my “loving wife, I bequeath to her.”

2) On all the deeds written by Solomon Goss selling the land in Knox County, Ohio to his children, you will not find the statement for release of dower by Olive at the bottom of these 1815 deeds.

3)  Why does he name his children and their relationship to him in the deeds?  Most deeds do not have that type of wording.

 I submit. that Olive (Scott) Goss did not die on 4 July 1825 like so many publications and sources indicate, but she died prior to Solomon’s will being written.  The will was dated March 26, 1810. He is said to have died on 1 July 1825.  The July 4th date was probably Solomon’s burial date not Olive’s death date.  Unfortunately the graves have been lost to time so I was unable through extensive research to verify this information on my visit to Washington County, Ohio in August/September 2011.

3)  Solomon makes no mention of David, his youngest son or any provisions for him in the will? I did not find a deed for the land in Knox County with David’s name.

I also submit that David the youngest son died before 1810 as well.

Solomon Gosses’ will was probated in 1828 but the only piece of paper from that estate is the court clerk copy of the will itself.  There are no inventories, final accounts, heirs-at-law or other documents.  This is a photograph of the index page on the microfilm showing that at the very bottom they list only one document for Solomon Goss in contrast to the listing given above for another individual.

Probate Index, Washington Co., Ohio

Executor Notice!

This Executor Notice was in the newspaper clipping files of the Washington Co. Historical Society and is the only other evidence that a process was done regarding Solomon’s estate.  I did not find an obituary notice in these clipping files.  I did not take time to study the newspapers which I believe are rather thin in editions  for the 1825 -1828 time period.

A Serious Situation:  Again, the original will of Solomon Goss is missing from the files in the Washington County Historical Society.  Someone removed in back in 1992 leaving a note with initials that was useless.  This was before the books were transferred to the society.  So don’t blame them.  I was there and witnessed in September of 2011 when the President of the Washington County Historical Society tried to find the will for me.  He was very upset when he was unable to do so.  I was also very disappointed for I had traveled many miles to see this original will.

If you know where the  original will is please return it to the historical society so that others like myself can enjoy it in the future.

In this will Solomon Goss acknowledges his children:  Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Solomon, Daniel, Levi, and last Lydia.  If you are a descendant of Solomon Goss and Olive (Scott) Goss please leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you.

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NOTE:  Some of the abstracted published books on the wills and estates of Washington County are incorrect regarding Solomon Gosses’ estate. They confuse the father with the son of the same name.  So please be careful.  Here is an example.

Abstracts of Wills & Administrations of Estates of Washington Co., Ohio Compiled by Genevieve, Mary Potts 390 Oak St. Columbus, Ohio – no date, Fiske Lib. 7/2002 Binder for Washington Co.

Goss, Solomon – of Fearing Township. Will made 3/26/1810, probated April 1828. Children, Noah, Daniel, Elvi (Levi), Solomon, Mary, Lydia and Elizabeth (Lake). 4, 132. NOTE: His wife, Mary was the daughter of Gilbert Deval, Jr. and his wife Mary (Coburn) Deval. See “Genealogy and History of Hugh and Wm. Mason and Allied Familes by mary Eliza Mason. 

It was Solomon Goss the son that married Mary Deval/Devol, better known as Polly.

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What Happened to David Goss?

My trip to Ontario and Quebec came to a close and I was busy getting caught up with that project. It was a big challenge. 

 

Sunset on the Ohio River 2011

 

It is time to resume posting about the children of Solomon Goss and Olive Scott Goss.  I left off with Daniel Goss and after him comes Levi and Lydia with David being the youngest child. 

David is a puzzle.  Sigh!

David and Daniel have been confused in abstracted published works. I have posted about Daniel Goss in these two posts:

Daniel Goss a Man of Conviction, Belpre, Ohio! Dated March 26, 2012 http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/daniel-goss-a-man-of-onviction-belpre-ohio/

and The Family of Daniel Goss and Lydia (Ackley) Goss dated April 9, 2012:  http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/the-family-of-daniel-goss-and-lydia-ackley-goss/

David would have been the youngest son of Solomon Goss and Olive (Scott) Goss.  David Goss was born 15 January 1799 in Washington County, Ohio.  

There is no formal birth record on this child. I have tried to find it in the Washington County records.  It may be found in church records if they exist.  The problem is figuring out exactly where his father was living at the time.

Elizabeth Goss the older sister married Andrew Lake on May 17, 1798 in Washington County, Ohio so this means that Solomon Goss had migrated and settled there by that time.

David must have died early 1810 or before 1810 because he is not mentioned in his father Solomon Goss’ will which is dated the 26th day of March 1810. 

There are no deeds prepared by Solomon Goss the father with the name David written in them.  This is regarding the land in Knox County that Solomon Goss deeded to his children in 1815.

In past posts I have shown that the other siblings Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Daniel did have deeds by Solomon the father very clearly stating the child and their relationship to him except for Solomon Goss (Jr.) who inherited the land in Fearing Twp., Washington Co., Ohio. Levi and Lydia received land as well.  I will discuss the will and the land holdings of Solomon Goss in future posts.   

The census for Ohio is all but destroyed for the earlier years so it makes it difficult to even get a statistic for Solomon’s family.  Tax lists are wonderful sources but they only give detail about the owner and their property unless you get lucky and a note is written in the margins. 

According to the book:  State Census Records by Ann S. Lainhart Ohio did not have any state census.  She writes:

“Ohio did not take any state censuses, but starting in 1803 a census of eligible voters (Quadrennial Enumerations) was taken every four years as required by the first Ohio Constitution.  At that time the only eligible voters in Ohio were free white males age 21 and older…They list the head of household and either the number or names of other eligible voters in the household.  There was also an earlier 1800 territorial census which preceded statehood and listed the names of eligible voters under the names of the heads of households in which they lived…

Unfortunately, few of Ohio’s quadrennial enumerations have been found…The records that do exist are not housed in one archive.  Most are distributed among the Ohio “Network of American History Research Centers” created in 1970.”

Solomon Goss in the early years of Washington County as found on Ancestry under census.

• 1800 U.S. Census – No results for Solomon Goss in Ohio
• 1800 Tax List for Washington County – Solomon Goss in Marietta Twp.
• 1803 State or Colonial Census for Washington County, Solomon Goss in Adams Twp.
• 1809 Tax List for Washington County, Solomon Goss, Fearing Twp.
• 1810 U.S. Census is transcribed at this link but it gives no details.

 http://www.usgwcensus.org/cenfiles/oh/washington/1810/index/index01.txt

This link is to Family Search had their index of Ohio Tax Records:  https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1473259

At this point, I have not looked at the actual tax lists and or territorial census for Washington County in 1800.  Remember Washington County was much bigger back then.  I am reconsidering that choice.

Again I turn to Flora Montanye Osborn as the only source for this child’s existence. She must have had a bible or learned of these births through her family connections.  Her father was Levi Goss a brother and I will discuss him in future posts and also more about Flora and her manuscripts and articles.

When I visited Marietta this past year in August and September of 2011 one of my goals was to try to figure out where David, Olive and Solomon Goss the father are all buried.  I will devote several posts to this topic; so far I have not been able to find them? 

So I am very frustrated regarding David and his fate. 

The President of the Washington County Historical Society told me that Marietta had been a shipping port at one time and the ships would dock and bring disease that would make its way up the Muskingum River without mercy.  Did David get caught in one of these outbursts? Did Olive Scott Goss, his mother?

What happened to David Goss? 

If you know or have any information on Dave please contact me.  See the About page for contact information, or leave a comment.

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Daniel Goss a Man of Conviction, Belpre, Ohio!

Belpre Water Towers

Daniel Goss was another son of Solomon Goss and Olive (Scott) Goss. He migrated to Belpre, Ohio to live.  Belpre is about 14 miles south of Marietta.  You follow the highway as it curves south along the Ohio river.  Belpre is tucked in along the north edge of the river as it turns west and then curves south.      

Daniel is often confused with a possible younger brother David Goss. Daniel was 10 years older than his younger brother.   

Daniel was born 23 September 1790.  The census indicates that he was born in Virginia, which is very interesting. 

West Virginia was not established till June 20, 1863 when it seceded from Virginia during the Civil War long after the death of Solomon Goss, the father.  One of the goals I have had is to track Solomon Goss and determine the route he took to get to Ohio from Eastern Pennsylvania. If Daniel was born in Virginia, this means that a search of Virginia records is in order.  I have done some research into deeds in Williamstown, West Virginia looking for his brother-in-law John Andrews Spracklin.  I didn’t have much luck. This is another item for the ToDo list. 

Daniel died 18 November 1868 in Belpre, Washington Co., Ohio according to his tombstone (see below).  He is not listed in the death records at the courthouse, which is very curious? He is buried in Rockland Cemetery, Belpre, Washington Co., Ohio.

Daniel Goss 1890 to 1868

It reads:  Daniel Goss, Born Sept 23, 1790, Died Nov. 18, 1868, Ae 75 yrs, 1 mos. and 25 days. There is more wording on the tombstone and so far it escapes me what is written there?  

The publication I consulted didn’t give any more detail about what was written on the tombstone.  (Click the photo and it will open to a bigger picture but don’t forget to click the back button to return to this post.)

Source:  Rockland Cemetery Inscriptions, Belpre Twp., Washington Co., Ohio FHL#977.198 V3r, pg. 92, 1982, by the Washington County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. 

FindAGrave has a listing for this cemetery but no Daniel nor Lydia is mentioned. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSln=McCualsky&GSiman=1&GScnty=2123&CRid=42977&pt=Rockland%20Cemetery& 

The USGenweb Archives Ohio has more information and photographs and no Daniel or Lydia Goss:   http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/washington/photos1-index.html

I was so happy to find his tombstone and view it.  There was no stone for his wife Lydia and actually no stones close around him.  It is possible she is there but not identified? 

The Belpre Historical Society is updating the cemetery transcriptions and trying to make it easier to find the stones.  I called them before I went to Ohio and they were very helpful.  They gave me the section and lot number so I could find him easily. Rockland is not a small cemetery. 

Belpre Historical Society, Belpre, OH

Rockland Cemetery is south of Hwy 32/7 and best reached via Hwy 618 or the James A. Rhodes Appalachian Hwy/Washington Blvd.  The cross street is Victor St. 

On July 1, 1815 Daniel Goss applies for a license for the purpose of manufacturing or making leather.  A bond is made for $300.00.  This was signed by Daniel Goss.  Followed by a James Whitney and Wm. Skinner as securities. This document was in the Special Collections at the Marietta College.  It is several pages and very fragile.

License to Make Leather!

Daniel acquires land in a deed on  2 October 1815 from his father Solomon Goss for the land in Knox Co., Ohio.  In this deed Solomon refers to Daniel as his “third son of the Town of Bell-Pree.”  There are two pages for this deed.  Here only one page is featured.

Daniel Goss was very active in Belpre. 

pg. 506 Belpre Twp. – Prior to 1815 Daniel Goss, a native of New England, settled near Miles mill. Thos. Burt Hibbard owned the place in 1858 and in 1875 according to maps of those dates. He (Daniel) had a tan-yard. He was a leader in the Methodist Church, and helped organize its first society.”

pg. 519: Belpre Twp. – During the fall and winter of 1820-21 a soc. was organized (Meth Episcopal), there being the first class books thirteen names, as follows: Daniel GOSS and his wife Lydia, Samuel Hooper, Clarissa Ackley, William P. Howe, A. Gridley, Eliz. Howe, Leroy Gridley, Susan Oaks, Susan O’Brien, Chester and Caroline Gridley and Louis Bradford. Daniel Goss, who was one of the most energetic of the early Methodists, was appointed class leader. Among his papers there were found the old subscription paper for the building of the church: – in this list Daniel gave $40.00 in a long list and Solomon Goss gave $2.00.

A log church was built near the forks of the Little Hocking north of Centre Belpre (or Porterfield), of which church there is now (1881) no vestige. The quarterage paid in 1821 and 22 was twelve dollars and 13 1/4 cents, and was subscribed in the following sums: Daniel Goss, cash $2.50 etc.

The Cedarville Church – By the year 1832 the Methodists in Belpre decided to build a house of worship at Cedarville, on the Ohio. Daniel Goss and Daniel Ellenwood were among the first trustees and members of the building committee.

Source:  1788-1881 History of Washington County, Ohio with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, published by H.O. Williams & Bros in 1881 and reprinted in 1976.  Sponsored by the Washington Co. Historical Society. Please note that there are several history books on Washington Co., Ohio and it can get confusing.  Porterville and Cedarville do not show on current maps having become part of Belpre.   Historic Map Works has a great Belpre Township map for 1875.  You can find Cedarville on the Ohio just as it turns west and across from Blennerhassett’s Island.  Further west by the “Belpre Middle Settlment” is the name T. Hibbard.  This was the former land own by Daniel Goss. Apparently the use of Porterville was gone by 1875 and it was known as Centre Belpre. 

Daniel appears in another history that covers Belpre:

pg. 112: The Temperance Reform – Daniel Goss, Perley and Wm. P. Howe, Geo. Dana Sen. and O.R. Loring…prompt in this work. It was the custom in earlier years when neighbors gathered for a “Raising Bee’ to lubricate them freely with whiskey, but the sentiment of the Christian men in Belpre was so far advanced that when the frame of the Methodist Meeting House in Rockland was raised in 1832, no ardent spirits were provided. This is said to have been the first frame so raised in Washington County…”

 http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/The-American-Temperance-Society.html

pg. 121: Chapter XII, Slavery and the Underground Railroad: “There were in Belpre — people gloried in the name of “Abolitionists’ though it was given to them by both Whigs and Loco Focos, as a term of reproach. Among these were Capt. John and Mr. Jonathan Stone, Perley Howe, Daniel GOSS, Joseph Smith, T. B. Hibbard and others in different parts of the town.”

Underground Railroad in Belpre, OH

More on the underground railroad in Southeastern Ohio http://henryburke1010.tripod.com/id60.html

I can’t help myself but Wikipedia gives this explanation for the term Loco Focos:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locofocos 

Pages 183-185 – Methodist Churches – there were occasional services held by itinerating Methodist ministers from Virginia in various homes in the township but the commencement of this part of the history was in 1820 when a class of thirteen members was organized with Daniel GOSS as leader. Of this number two soon withdrew and two were expelled leaving nine. About this time a log meeting house was erected near the Little Hocking about one mile north of Porterfield Station, and in the vicinity of the home of Daniel Goss. All traces of this building have disappeared….

About April 1st, 1832 work was commenced on the proposed meeting house and the 9th of June following, the third quarterly meeting was held in the building. The work was greatly facilitated by the memorable flood of 1832 on which the lumber was floated by Daniel Ellenwood from the mill on Little Hocking. This is memorable as being the first building in Belpre Twp. that was raised without liquor and at which there was neither accident nor want of help. In 1842, Daniel Goss was leader of Class No. 2 which met in the church.”

Source:  A History of Belpre, Washington Co., by C.E. Dickinson D.D., Ohio, Globe Printing & Binding Co., 1920. This book is online at the Internet Archive. 

In still another history book:  History of Marietta and Washington Co., Ohio

pg. 390 – Barlow Methodist Episcopal Church…

pg. 391: The Barlow Methodist Episcopal Church. The site of the present (1902) church was selected and deeded by Jesse Lawton and John M. Proctor to John Houghland, Luman Richards, David Ormiston, Daniel Goss, and Jacob Bridges, trustees (1836).”

Source:  History of Marietta and Washington Co., Ohio and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by Martin R. Andrews, M.A., Biographical Publishing Co., 1902.

I was unable to locate an estate file for Daniel but I did find a deed. This deed was dated July 10, 1867 and recorded a year later July 13, 1868.  It is in FHL#935960 Vol. 68 pg. 343 of Washington Co., deeds.  Daniel Goss, Gilbert O’Neal, Samuel Barkley, Thomas McFarland and Jesse Pride are the Grantors and they are selling land to Grantee John Edswick for $5.00, in Cedarville, Ohio.  This is a quit claim deed. The men listed as Grantors are the Trustees of the ME Church. The description is very detailed regarding the land being sold. It is interesting that this was recorded just months before Daniel’s death. 

Daniel was listed as an heir in the estate file of his sister Mary Goss.  See the post on this blog dated:  December 18, 2011 “Mary Follows Her Brother Solomon Goss to Iowa!” 

Daniel Goss was apparently a man of conviction and faith.  In the next post Daniel’s marriage to Lydia Ackley will be discussed.

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Notes:  I was surprised to find the sign (see above) regarding the Underground Railroad in Southeastern Ohio outside the Belpre Historical Society.  Later we were returning to Columbus to fly home, my husband and I drove up Hwy 77 and turned west on Hwy 70 and we stopped in Zanesville. 

We went to the Pioneer & Historical Society of Muskingum County, Ohio and learned about the town being divided in half on the issue of slavery and that if was very dangerous to assist runaway slaves.  In the house was a hiding place for the runaway slaves under the floor.  It looked very small and cramped.  If you click the link to this society you will find another name mentioned.  Does the name Rufus Putnam mean anything to you?

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A Little about Mary “Polly” Coburn Devol Goss!

Mary or rather Polly was the wife of Solomon Goss (Jr.).  She was a member of the Devol family who were rather prominent in the Washington County, Ohio area.

I promised to share a little of what I know of the Devol family.  My curiosity of course was always with Solomon and Olive (Scott) Goss and any leads on them.  However, I was also a little curious about where Polly came from.  On my trip to Ohio in August and September of 2011, I finally found the link for Polly to her parents.  I feel much better now!

Apparently I was not the only one that was confused with all the Polly Devol’s that I was finding.  A Robert McCargar wrote a letter on May 18, 1970 to a Mr. Devol in which he is discussing the identity of different Polly Devols.  Unfortunately the letter from Mr. Devol is not included in the correspondence of this file.

“There must be a least two Mary Coburn (Polly) Devols.  Polly #1, as described by you was born but the date is unknown m. Gilbert Devol. Jr. on March 25, 1790 and d. ca. 1802.  She had ten children. 

Polly #2…was born July 5, 1795, according to records in my family.  The Old Northwest Genealogical Quarterly, Vol. IV., p. 86 says that a Rev. David Young married Solomon Goss, Jr. and Polly Devol., Nov. 19, 1812.  Two independently written histories of the Goss family say that Mary Coburn Devol married Solomon Goss Jr. on that same date.  One of these historians says she died April 1865.  This Mary Coburn (Polly) Devol is certainly distinct from the one you describe.  She had eleven children, among them, one named Gilbert Devol Goss. (Polly #2 was my great, great, great-grandmother.) ”  Mr. McCargar was living in Ann Arbor at the time. 

Source:  Goss Family and other files:  FHL#940938 Items 4-5.

The Washington County Public Library in Marietta has an Annex for the genealogical and family history located down the street from the main library to the south.  It is on the corner.  See the links to the right for Ohio.

The Main Library in Marietta, but not the genealogy annex

Mr. Jerry Devol, who passed in the late 1990′s, was quite the researcher having documented many of the cemeteries and the families in the area.  All his work is still housed at the library genealogical annex.  The Washington County Genealogical Society is also located there along with their holdings.  It is a really great archive.

The Marietta Library Annex and Me!

They had in their possession a book titled Rhode Island Genealogical Register, Jan. 1983, Tiverton Wills.

Devol. Jonathan, of Ti, gentleman.  Will dated 6 Aug 1782, proved 2 Sep 1782, pg: 321-322. Mentions: Wife Mary Devol., Sons Gilbert Devol, Silas Devol presumable dec., Stephen Devol., Daniel Devol, Benjamin Devol, & Jonathan Devol Jr. The unnamed heirs of my son Silas Devol. Witn. Charles Hull, Philip Briggs, Thos. Howland.  Note:  The Gilbert Devol mentioned is Sr. I believe?

They also had a big book titled “Devol Early Settlers in Rhode Island (1639) and in Ohio (1788)” with the coat of arms on the front cover.  This book was researched and compiled by Jerry Barker Devol (same as the man mentioned above in the letter) and printed and published by Herbert Gordon Devol.  There are also file folders containing information about the families in the area. I tried Worldcat to search for this book and see where it might be housed and was surprised to see that there is another copy in the Marietta College Library but nothing else was suggested.  The Family History Library had Jerry Barker Devol titles but not this book exact book.  So you will have to call or contact the annex.  The volunteer who does a lot of the research for those who inquire is very eager to be of service.

The Devol Book – it’s very detailed!

Mary Coburn “Polly” is listed on page 127  under Gilbert Jr., here are some highlights:

• III.  Mary Coburn “Polly”
• b. Marietta, Washington County, North West Territory, 5 Jul 1795
• d. Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, __5 Jul 1795.
• m. Solomon Goss, Jr., Harmar, Ohio 19 Nov. 1812, by Rev. David Young, Vol. 4, page 86
• b.  Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (?), 5 May 1788.
• d. Oskaloosa, Iowa, 2 Nov. 1864
• Son of Solomon, Sr. and Olive (Scott) Goss.
• Resident Fearing Township, Washington County, Ohio, 1830

On page 65 Polly’s father and mother are listed – Gilbert Devol and Mary Coburn:

• V. Gilbert, Jr. 10c
• b. Tiverton, Rhode Island, ______1766
• d. Point Harmar, Marietta, Ohio, 25 Apr 1812. Ref.: Western Spectator, Marietta, Ohio
• Buried Harmar Cemetery
• m. 1. Mary “Polly” Coburn, Washington County, North West Territory, 25 Mar 1790, by Benjamin Tupper.
• b. Sturbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts, __ ___ 1770
• d.
• Daughter of Major Asa and Mary (McClure) Coburn.
• m. 2 Rachel Peek, Washington County, Ohio, 14 Jul 1803, by Rev. Nehemiah Davis,
• b. Connecticut 1786
• d.
• Rachel m. 2 Oliver Shute, Washington County, Ohio, 6 Oct 1821, by Rev. John McMahon
• b. New  Jersey, 1786.
• d.

The Devol book goes onto describe more about the life and activities of Gilbert Devol, Jr. with sources.  He was a blacksmith in Point Harmar (west of Marietta) and some of his work has survived.

Polly’s siblings are and I believe these were the children of Mary Coburn from the same book:

Harriet Devol b. about 1795, d. about 1826, m. George Dunlevy 8 July 1812, b. 1776 in Virginia and died 28 Dec 1836, Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio.  He remarried to a Mrs. Eliza (Buell)  Buell, 20 April 1826.  Eliza was born 22 August 1798 and d in Indiana 26 March 1885.  She was the daughter of Timothy and Sarah “Sally (DeWitt) Buell.  Widow of Salmon D. (DeWitt) Buell. Both are buried in Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio, Range 64, Lot 1.

 Clarissa Devol b. about 1791, Farmer’s Castle, Belpre, Northwest Territory m. Joseph Cook (III) 29 November 1812, born 20 July 1785 Long Plain, (Bristol Co.)  Massachusetts, d. 3 August 1823, Belpre, Washington Co., Ohio. Joseph was the son of Captain Joseph Jr. and Elizabeth (Barker) Cook.  Residence Wood County, Virginia then Belpre 1813.  Kept a tavern “Cook House.” They are buried in (Riverview) Cemetery, Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Mary “Polly” Coburn Devol – our subject in past posts and wife of Solomon Goss (Jr.).

Lucy b. 18 Dec 1797, Marietta, d. 17 January 1867, Danbury Twp., Ottawa Co., Ohio m. Isaac Rice 25 November 1816,  b. 7 May 1792, Brattleboro, Windham Co., Vermont and died 14 April 1845 Danbury Twp., Ottawa Co., Ohio.

Gilbert Devol III b. 25 March 1800, Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio and died 24 July 1871, Lancaster, Fairfield Co., Ohio  m. Cynthia Goodwin 25 Mary 1823, she was born 6 April 1803 in Canada and died 8 June 1870 in Lancaster, Fairfield Co., Ohio. They had one child Sophia S. Devol who died after 1897 in Belpre, Washington Co., Ohio?

With his second wife Rachel he had

Harrison Devol b. about 1804 in Washington Co., Ohio and died 29 May 1873 Staunton Twp., Miami Co., Ohio m. Jane Orr 11 June 1835,  b. about 1806 in Pennsylvania and died 6 January 1870 in Staunton Twp., Miami Co., Ohio

Benjamin Franklin Devol b. about 1809 Point Harmar, Washington Co., Ohio and died after 1870, Prairie Creek Twp., Vigo Co., Indiana, m. Sarah C. Turnham 16 December 1841, she was born before 1823 in Spencer Co., Kentucky and died about 1868 in Vigo Co., Indiana.  They had two children Athelinda b. before 1813 m. Myhew Rollins.  Austin Devol b. Feb 1813 and died after 1840, m. Elizabeth Blue 28 November 1838.

The book Abstracts of Wills and Administration of Estates of Washington Co., by Genevieve Mary Potts about 1946 is at the FHL in book and microfilm form, here is the book form FHL#977.198 P28p and I have run into it in other archives. This book is a good start to located estates for families and the Devols, Goss and many others are listed.  Be careful mistakes have been made in the transcribing so check the actual record in the probates of the county.

Contacting the Washington County Library Local History and Genealogy Annex is at this link.

http://www.wcplib.lib.oh.us/locations.htm#hist

Don’t forget the Marietta College’s Special Collections and Digital Collection – Manuscripts and Documents of the Ohio Company in particular for land records regarding the families in the area.  The archivist I interacted with when I visited was very nice and very helpful.   http://digicoll.marietta.edu/oca/

The Washington County Historical Society is also very good and if you are doing any research in the area you need to contact them as well.  They have a lot of the old records from the courthouse.

Regarding the cemeteries in Washington County, Ohio.  I will write a post or two about this topic as regards to my visit there in 2011 with sources and photographs.  Mr. Devol mentions Harmar one of the oldest but it is right on the Muskingum River and has been flooded.  The other is another old cemetery the Mound.

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Marietta and Washington County – A Dream Come True!

For years I have wanted to visit Marietta and do genealogical research in Washington County, Ohio.  I have been studying Solomon Goss for years and this was a major goal of mine.  I visited the area on my recent trip from Friday September 2 to Wednesday September 7th, 2011.  It was a very busy visit.

I picked up my hubby at the Columbus airport on September 1st, 2011 and we drove back to Mount Vernon and the Apple Valley Resort condo for one more night.  Checking out the next day we drove down to Gambier and took a quite visit to the Oak Grove Cemetery there looking for more Kellers.

Heading south we drove down Hwy to Hwy 229 to Hwy 31, 586 and 146 where we came out in Zanesville. It was an interesting scenic drive over country roads that went through beautiful farmlands.  From Zanesville we got onto Interstate 70 and headed east to Interstate 77 to go south to Marietta.  We stopped at a Denny’s for some lunch and discovered a very different Denny’s.  This one was a vintage Denny’s.  The waitress said there were about 80 built but only around 40 left operating.  This one had an Art Deco appearance.  It was really easy to get to Marietta from Zanesville and took about 1.5 hours maybe less.  Know that I know the way I see that it was pretty easy.

Washington County Historical Society

We arrived in Marietta in time to visit the Washington County Historical Society which is located north of the city in a sort of group of official looking brick buildings.  There was highway work going on so it was a little confusing to find the entrance.  I spent the first part of my visit getting signed up for their membership and studying their cemetery listings.

The sad part was when the President Ken Finkel tried to find the original will of Solomon Goss.  It was missing!!!!!

Someone had taken it back in 1991 and left a note with initials.  Mr. Finkel was very unhappy and tried another document that was also missing.  The rest were okay for I searched for them on the following Tuesday when I visited again.

I had traveled a long way to see this will of Solomon Goss’s and this was very disappointing to me.  Taking a document like this makes it so that those who are descendants will never get to see it.  I can just imagine that it is now lost forever.

I checked the courthouse later in the week and they didn’t have it.  A lot of original documents were given to the Historical Society and they are taking very good care.  This was not their fault.  I felt bad that I upset Mr. Finkel really cares about the records of Washington County.  I do too.

PLEASE DON”T TAKE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS!

There is a Mound Cemetery in Marietta that is very old.  They have a monument to the Revolutionary war soldiers.  They also have a Pioneer Monument to the lost graves of those buried in the area.  I have been trying to figure out where Solomon Goss, Olive (Scott) Goss, their son David and two of Solomon Goss (Jr’s.) babies might be buried.  Many tombstones are lost, flooding has taken its toll in 1913 and again in 1937?  There are readings of the many cemeteries in Washington County at the Historical Society and the Library but these are the larger cemeteries not the family ones on private land that may exist now or are gone totally.

Mound Cemetery Entrance

We had dinner at the Lafayette Hotel in the downtown area of Marietta.  It is located on the Ohio River and there is a little park there to view the river and see the sternwheeler boats tied up.  It was very lovely inside the hotel.  The dining room looked like it had been a theatre at one time and apparently they do occasionally hold events.  I did not book us into it because their website worried me with the broken links.  My husband was told they were updating it?  We stayed at the Comfort Inn on the other side of Interstate 77th.  It was okay but not the best Comfort Inn that I have stayed at.

Lafayette Hotel in Marietta

The Ohio River at Marietta

The next day we went to the Washington County Genealogical Society which has its collection in the library annex at the Washington County Public Library Local History and Genealogy Annex which is a completely different building than the main Library and situated a block south on the corner.  Again I looked at cemetery records, family history files, and more.  They had microfilm to access as well.  It was a very nice library.  I joined the Washington County Genealogical Society for $8.00.

Washington County Library Local History & Genealogy Annex

The next cemetery was Oak Grove which also had a Section 19 where they had moved many of the old pioneers to that area of the cemetery from the old locations in Marietta.  From the book about Mound Cemetery (very good book) I figured out that there were probably about 3-4 cemeteries that had disappeared because of removal to other cemeteries in Marietta.  I will talk more about this and the cemeteries of Washington County in a future post. Oak Grove Cemetery is on a hill with one lane roads that wind around.  It is a very hilly and scary cemetery because of these narrow roads, so be careful.

Oak Grove Section 19 Pioneer Monument

My husband said the man from the Marietta Cemetery Department called and left a message saying he didn’t find any Goss in Marietta.  So he did search.  The question is whether he did all cemeteries in Marietta or just Oak Grove.  I will let you know when I figure that out.

We also visited the Campus Martius Museum.  There is a three floor museum in the building and out buildings including the original Ohio Land Office that Rufus Putnam worked out of.  Also his home has been rebuilt inside the museum and you are taken on a tour of it.  It was so hot I had to leave because I started to get a little shaky.  Rufus and I are fast friends for I have seen the location of his home in North Brookfield.  I shall do a tribute post to this man, he knew my family and was quite a player in the history of the southeastern Ohio.   The name of the museum is pronounced like Marcius without the “t,” and is a Latin word.  We did not have time for the Ohio River Museum which would have been very interesting.

I have to admit I am confused.  I have seen documents coming from Campus Martius regarding genealogical research but apparently that has changed.  I tried to find out on my visit just what the status was for researching at this museum but I did not make much progress.  I was told it was not a research library but maybe you can visit by making an appointment.

The weather in Ohio had been fine till I picked up my hubby at the Columbus Airport on Thursday September 1st.  It had turned hot and muggy.  They did not get hit with Hurricane Irene but they were just about to get hit with heavy rain from Tropical Storm Lee. The Washington County Fair was taking place while we were there so we visited on Saturday in hot, muggy weather to see the hynotist at 6 pm.  It was a fun performance but I decided we needed to eat in a cool restaurant and they had an Applebee’s near our hotel.  It worked.  We would be missing the Sternwheeler Festival coming up in the next week.

On Sunday, September 4th we toured Washington County and visited several cemeteries:  Rainbow, Watertown, Rockland and Harmar.  I will discuss my findings in future posts.  I was looking for Goss, Scott and Lake burials and I wanted to see the general state of condition of the cemetery and get a feel for the distances.  We stopped in Belpre where the Historical Society is located but they were closed for the weekend.  I did call them before I headed to Ohio and they were very helpful in locating a grave in the Rockland Cemetery.  They are redoing the cemetery publications.

Belpre Historical Society

Sunday we ate at Austyn’s which was very fancy and located in the heart of Marietta.  Later was the Buckley House on our last night which was even more fancy.  I had salmon with peach sauce and it was delicious.  The Buckley House is an old Victorian home that used to be a B&B so it is a little unusual for a restaurant.  The theme is black and white with touches of red.  A really happy end for a last night in Marietta.

Tuesday I revisited the Washington County Historical Society and dug into the court documents for Solomon Goss, Obadiah Scott and Wine Rood.  They have indexes and finding aids.  I used white gloves to look a the original records.  Mr. Ken Finkel the President helped me try to find Obadiah Scott’s burial but it was not happening in published records.  He should be in the Waterford Cemetery.  He also helped with trying to locate a deed regarding Solomon Goss.

After the historical society we headed to the Marietta College in the rain.  My goal was the Special Collections.  I was greeted by Linda the archivist and she helped me to further dig for clues and answers.  I highly recommend a visit to this College which is in the heart of Marietta.  Linda is wonderful and friendly and very helpful.  They have a lot of information about the Ohio Company and Rufus Putnam on their digital website.  Very good.

Marietta College Special Collections

On Wednesday our last day, I visited the Washington County Courthouse probate office, recorders office and clerk of the courts.  It was a wonderful visit.  In fact, all my visits to courthouses in Ohio have been very enjoyable and the staff have been helpful and friendly.

Washington County Courthouse records

My time was up and we headed back to Columbus via Interstate 77 north and then west on 70.  We stopped in Zanesville and visited the Pioneer & Historical Society (Muskingum County) there and took a tour.  Did you know Zanesville was on the Muskingum River and did you know it was four towns before becoming one? Rufus Putnam and family were big in the history of the area?  Oh, it was also like Marietta part of the Underground Railroad.

Ah yes, Solomon Goss’s land.  Where is it?  That is for another post in the future.  It is on private land so I cannot reveal too much.  I would like to point out that a cousin gave me information years ago and it is wrong!  So be careful.

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