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Last week, I was fortunate to have taken a trip to Myrtle Beach with my family. The weather was perfect, the sun was hot and the ocean was warm. It was a nice trip, and I really appreciated the time to spend with my family. It's those memories that one will cherish into the future. Something happened on vacation this year that hasn't happened to me in quite some time. I actually was able to read a book from start to finish on the beach. One would think that with four children this is an almost impossible feat, but my children are just old enough that they are starting to entertain themselves and that leaves my wife and I with a few extra minutes to relax.
My parents, sister, brother-in-law and my nephew were all there to help entertain my children as well, and that was a big help, too.
For many years I have curated a collection of books about the places I have visited. Usually these are small books of short stories having to do with legends, ghost stories or tales of the past from those particular regions. That is probably why it came so easily to me to write my own book about our local history called "Historic Tales of the Upper Ohio Valley" following that same format. The book I was able to start and finish on the beach was a collection just like mine, this one dealing with ghosts and legends of the Grand Strand at Myrtle Beach.
These little stories are what I like to call historical vignettes or gems that are interesting short stories. One can also find these little stories in our local history books as well. I thought that for this column, in celebration of my rare feat, it would be worth examining a few short stories from our region.
At the Hancock County Historical Museum in New Cumberland, there is an intriguing object on display in the second-floor exhibit space. This object is a rustic container, a flask or keg of sorts that is made completely of wood. It has a wooden stopper and wooden handle with no metal parts. When I was volunteering there many years ago, I somehow identified this object as being a powder keg possibly from Hancock County's earliest gun powder factory.
Jack Welch in his 1963 book, "History of Hancock County," wrote, "In 1795 a man named Nesselroad established a small gunpowder factory in Hancock County near the present site of Pughtown, (New Manchester.) Since Indians were still a menace to the settlers and since many of them depended upon hunting for their meat, the demand for gunpowder was always great. Nesselroad's factory was a slow operating business. He had to grind the saltpetre, charcoal and Sulphur between two flat rocks entirely by hand. The price was an expensive -- $1 per pound. The factory was abandoned in 1801."
Could this object be a powder keg from Nesselroad's factory? It is going to take a more skilled expert than I to positively identify this relic from the past.
Something I can positively identify is the cannon currently on display at the First Federal Land office as part of Historic Fort Steuben. The cannon has a very interesting history, having last fired in anger during Morgan's raid in 1863 during the Civil War. In those days Steubenville had its own militia or home guard called the Steubenville Grays.
Surprisingly, into the late 19th century, Steubenville still had its own militia. Really, this militia was a part of the Second Regiment of the Ohio National Guard, but its members were organized locally with local soldiers and officers and were described in the history books as Steubenville's Military.
Three companies were in existence around 1879-80. Company A was known as the Baron Guards, under Capt. E. Zimmerman; Company B, known as the Herman Guards, under Capt. Floto; and Company C known as the McCook Guards under Capt. A. Riley. The second regiment composed of "500 to 600 rank-and-file, and commands a first-class band, resident at Athens." To house the Steubenville companies, the city had its own armory, which was dedicated in September of 1877, completely furnished and supplied by the city.
Within the armory were glass cases for the company to store its weapons. Company A, in 1880, had a roster of 72 men ready to defend Steubenville, and Ohio, if need be. I am sure the old cannon was well known by these brave soldiers.
Where was this cannon made? Certainly locally. There are a few suspects but likely it was made at the Means Foundry. This enterprise was located in downtown Steubenville at the eastern end of North Street. State Route 7 cuts right where the foundry was. The business was probably the first of its kind in Steubenville when it was begun in 1816 by Arthur Phillips and Robert Carroll. It was later purchased by James Means and eventually by his sons, James and John.
This foundry was capable of casting large items and assembling steam engines, including a great engine that was used by the Steubenville water works in the 1880s. Certainly this foundry was one of the most well-known in the city. There are still some street drains and grates on the city streets that were made at this foundry if one knows where to look.
Certainly, there is much history around in our area. From the early gunpowder factories and foundries, to our local soldiers who defended our homes in times of need, there is much to learn. So be sure to sit back and relax, maybe at home or on a sandy beach, and dig into these historical gems waiting to be rediscovered.
(Zuros is the Hancock County administrator)