Meigs County News For The Year 1917

These pages contain transcriptions of news items published in Meigs County newspapers. They were transcribed from microfilm copies of the originals or from the originals themselves.

Further contributions would be most welcome.





Democrat January 18, 1917
The Stanearts David Staneart and wife of Stenen, Sask, Canada, who are visiting the former's parents, A. F. Staneart and wife of Bedford township and other relatives and friends in Meigs and Athens counties, honored the Democrat with a pleasant visit Friday. The visitors will return to their Canadian home next Sunday from Athens, where they will for a few days visit Mrs. Samuel Staneart and others. Mr. Staneart is one of Canada's prosperous farmers owning two quarters of land totaling 320 acres. Miss Lena Birthissell, formerly of Hemlock Grove, Ohio but for some years past of Lentz, Oregon was married to James Baxter of Horton, Oregon, on Jan 6, 1917 at Vancouver, Washington. Her many friends have extended congratulations and wish them a happy and prosperous life. Dr. S. A. McCullough, of Chester was appointed coroner of Meigs Co. Monday afternoon by the County Commissioners to fill the unexpired term of Robert Dawson of Middleport who recently left for parts unknown. [Transcribed by Kay Williams]


Pomeroy Tribune Telegraph February 21, 1917
Deaths Died in New Mexico Mrs. Fannie BATEMAN left Friday for Albuquerque, N. N. to accompany the remains of her niece Mrs. Carl WRIGHT from that place to Huntington, W. Va. for burial. Mrs. Wright, whose maiden name was Leona UTNAHMER, and was born and raised at Syracuse, died at the former point from pneumonia, aged 38 years. She is survived by her husband who is cashier in the National bank at Albuquerque and two sons, aged 10 and 12 years, also her mother Mrs. Margaret GAW of Huntington, who has been in declining health for some time, which prevented her from being with her daughter during her illness and at the time of her death. Deceased was possessed of lovable traits of character that endeared her to all and a host of friends will drop a tear when they learn of her demise which occurred at the noon day of life. ***** At Rest Mrs. James G. MILLER of Bashan Passed Peacefully Away Monday After a Long Illness Death came to Mrs. James G. MILLER at their home near Bashan Monday evening, following a long illness from Cancer. Deceased was aged 64 years and is survived by her husband and a son, Frank F. MILLER. She is also survived by one brother, Eugene ROSS and a sister, Mrs. P. T. BUSCH of Racine. Before her marriage to Mr. MILLER she was a teacher in the public schools of the county and took first rank among the best. She was an exemplary christian lady and was possessed of a pleasing personality that endeared her to a large circle of friends and acquaintances. During her illness she was given the best medical care and the hands of loved ones ministered to her every want, but it was only to stay for awhile the dreaded disease. She was of a sweet and amiable disposition and every acquaintance became a friend. Wednesday afternoon at one o'clock sorrowing relatives and sympathetic...(the rest is missing) ***** Village Smithy Stricken Down By Bright's Disease After wasting away from the ravages of Bright's disease for the past three months, William KASPAR gave up the struggle early Tuesday morning at his home on Mechanic Street. He was about 50 years of age and up until disease laid its blighting hand on him he was a superb example of physique, and was engaged in blacksmithing and carriage repair work for many years in this city. Will KASPAR was a splendid upright citizen, a model husband and father and an active in influential lodge man, being a member of the Red Men, K. of P. and Rhein Lodge of Odd Fellows. He is survived by the wife and two children, Ada and Hetzel and one sister, Mrs. Anna BOWEN of German Avenue. The funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 p. m. at the Presbyterian church of which he was a manner. Interment will be in Beech Grove cemetery. ***** James Wolfe Dead James G. WOLFE, a resident of Minersville for many years passed away Tuesday morning at an early hour at the home of his son George F. WOLFE in Parkersburg where he was spending the winter. The cause of death was Bright's disease. Deceased was aged 69 years, 3 months, and 28 days. in 1869 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary BUCK, daughter of the late Christian BUCK of the Nease Settlement, who with three sons George, of Parkersburg; James of Pittsburgh and Weaver of Minersville survive. He was a good husband and kind father and held in the highest esteem by all. The remains arrived here today from Parkersburg and the funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Minersville J. E. church, Rev. WOODARD officiating after which the interment will be made in the Gilmore cemetery. ***** Mason County Woman Dies in Columbus Mrs. Hanna POTTS, wife of Harry POTTS of West Columbia, died Friday at the home of Marion PHILIPS in Columbus, at the age of 85 years. The cause of her death was due to the infirmities of old age. The remains arrived at West Columbia Saturday and the funeral services were held Sunday at 2 o'clock in the church at that place. ***** Former Meigs County Woman Passed Away Sunday At Her Home at Belleville Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, Rev. BECKETT, of Bellville, conducted the funeral services for Mrs. Anna ANDERSON, who died Sunday from uremic poisoning at the family home at Belleville, W. Va. She is survived by her husband Thomas K. ANDERSON, three children Rita K., Raymond T. and Rufus O. Anderson, and also her parents Mr. and Mrs. Christopher MILLS of Reedsville, O., two sisters, Mrs. Dora DANIELS, living at Mohler, Oregon; and Miss Alice MILLS, of Reedsville; and the following brothers: Arthur MILLS, Reedsville; James and Leonard Mills, of Akron, O. Mrs. Anderson was well known in the community in which she resided, and her loss will be keenly felt. She was a member of the Belleville M. E. church and an energetic worker in church affairs. ***** Sunday Noon Franklin SMITH, aged 84 years, died at his home in Cheshire from the effects of old age Sunday at 12 o'clock. The funeral services were held Monday at the residence at 1:30, standard time and interment was made in the Gravel Hill cemetery at that place. ***** Young Boy Died Yesterday Ernest, the 8-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward SNYDER of Silver Run, died Monday afternoon from typhoid fever. The funeral service was held today at 2 o'clock at that place, and burial was made in Gravel Hill cemetery at Cheshire. ***** Remains Brought to Mason The remains of Mrs. Elisabeth COMPSON, aged about 70 years, who died in Columbus Wednesday, arrived here at noon Friday on the Hocking Valley, and were taken to Mason City for burial in Adamsville cemetery. Mrs. COMPSON was a former resident of Clifton, but moved to Columbus when the KING, GILBERT, and WARNER mill was moved away from Middleport. She is survived by six children, George, Edward, Noah, Mrs. Jos. WILLIAMS and Mrs. Katie HYSELL of Columbus and John of Clifton. ***** Leitweilers Lose Their Babe Little Eva Elisabeth, one month old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John LEITWEILER, was snatched from their fond embrace early Thursday morning by pneumonia. The little form was laid away Friday afternoon at Beech Grove cemetery. ***** Aged Millwood Lady Dead Mrs. James FUGATE, 94, Daughter of Revolutionary Soldier, Passed Away February 14th at Millwood. After a long and useful life of 94 years Mrs. James FUGATE yielded to the inevitable Wednesday of last week at the home of her daughter Mrs. Henry REED at Millwood, W. Va. and her spirit took its flight to another world. Mrs. FUGATE and her sister Mrs. Eda ZERCKLE (sic) of Middleport, widow of the late John ZERKLE of Mason City, who was 100 years old when he died, have the distinction of being the only two real daughters of soldiers of the American Revolutionary war that were living in this part of the country, and Mrs. FUGATE was several years older than Mrs. ZERKLE, who is in her 88th year. Mrs. FUGATE had lived practically all her life in Jackson County, W. Va. and had made her home with her daughter Mrs. Henry REED of Millwood,for several years. Mr. REED is the well known diver, whose reputation for salvaging sunken steamboats is known from the source to the mouth of the Ohio river and also on the lower Mississippi. Mrs. Fugate's father was Jeremiah SARGENT. The funeral services were held at 10:30 a. m. Friday and burial was made in Cottageville cemetery. [Transcribed by Kaye Fick]


Pomeroy, Ohio Democrat May 24, 1917
Lucetta Bradfield, daughter of Rev. Matthew and Elizabeth Howell was born Nov. 11, 1836 near Dowington, Ohio, departed this life May 16, 1917 at the home of her daughter Mrs. Zella Harding at the age of 81 years, 5 months and 28 days. She was converted and joined the M. E. Church at Harrisonville, in what is known as the Anderson Revival on December 5, 1853 at the age of 17, of which she remained a faithful member until the time of her death. On Oct . 5, 1854 she was married to Joseph Bradfield, who died May 10, 1909. To this union were born four daughters, Mrs. Mollie Yarrington, Bellflower, Ill.; Miss Loretta Bradfield, deceased; Mrs. Zella Harding, Kyger, Ohio; Mrs. Myrtle Chase, Harrisonville, Ohio. Three daughters, five Grandchildren and six Great-grandchildren remain to mourn the death of a devoted Mother and Grandmother besides hosts of relatives and friends. She lived and served her friends, her neighbors and her master and in her last days while failing in health her hope of heaven grew brighter every day. She had no more dread of death than of passing from one room to another. Made all arrangements for her funeral, selected her text and songs to be used. How Glorious is the death of the righteous. Funeral services were held at Harrisonville in charge of her pastor Rev. Eichinger. Interment in Wells Cemetery by Rawlings & Sons. [Transcribed by Connie Schumaker]


The Leader October 4, 1917
SCRAP OF HISTORY From the Interesting and Eventful Life of T.H. Gold of Bedford By invitation the editor of The Leader was a guest Sunday of the venerable Mr. and Mrs. T.H. Gold of Bedford. The occasion was the periodical home-coming of the Gold children and their families. Those present beside the family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Gold and their daughter Mrs. George Wallace who lives with them, were Mr. and Mrs. Fremont Gold and their foster daughter, Helen Gold; Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Gold; W.E. Rumsey, West Virginia Inspector of Nurseries; Mrs. and Mrs. Winfield Gold, and their children, Roy, Lena, Leon, Raymond and Frances; E.J. Ruttencutter, wife and son Paul; Homer Gold and wife and Marjorie and Thomas; Mrs. Jacob Cuckler, the only surviving sister of Col Brooks, Arthur Gold, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Gold was absent by reason of being away in West Virginia inspecting orchards. The children brought baskets well filled for the intended out-door pincic dinner, but it was too cold, it was thought, for serving out of doors, so it was served from a table in the dining room. That was certainly a great dinner, and consisted of piles of chicken, ham, beef roast, salads, pickles, honey, baked beans, dressing, cherry pie, various kinds of cake, coffee, and as the sale bills say, "other things too tedious to mention". And with it all such a hospitable, gracious feeling. Dinner over the boys took a survey of the farm where the elder Gold had, for ten years engaged in the nursery business, and where the Gold Brothers of Mason City got their start in the nursery business. Here the brothers lived under the tutelage of their father until 17 years ago when they moved to Mason City to go into the business on an extended scale. The editor's first knowledge of Tom Gold came through honest George Amos of Dexter, himself a nurseryman, who swore by all that Tom Gold said and did. That was away back in the '60s. Mr. and Mrs. Gold live on a high hill in Bedford, some sand and a whole lot of red clay. Theirs is a very comfortable and conveniently arranged cottage and is provided with nearly all the conveniencies of a modern country home. This, in brief, is the simple story of our visit to the home of an old, tried, generous, most hospitable and always dependable friend. To us, T.H. Gold is a most interesting figure. Six months before T.H. Gold was born his father, Aaron Gould, was drowned in the Ohio river near East Liverpool. The subject of our sketch is related to Jay Gould and the other Goulds of New York City, but this has never made him vain, nor did we ever hear him refer to it. In recent years the u was dropped from the name for convenience. He was born in Middletown township, Columbiana county, O., Sept. 4, 1837. Shortly after his father's death, his mother and his only sister, 18 months his senior, moved to East Carmel, 14 miles from East Liverpool. At the tender age of five and a half years Eliza was bound out to a family who gave the little one the most considerate, the most loving care. The wife could not have been more devoted to one of her own, and the sister grew into womanhood with the best of care. It was different with the subject of our sketch. At four years of age he, too, was bound out to a man who was a tyrant. He was well to do but wanting in humane feeling. He had a son who was a school teacher, as much lacking in feeling as the father, as may be seen from the following incident. One morning after a night's hard snow storm, the porch of the residence was found piled high with smow. The teacher's son, a stalwart young man, ordered the boy, Gold, eight years of age, to remove the smow. The boy went to work with a will but he found it a hard task. While he was at work shoveling the snow, the teacher son appeared upon the scene and scolded the eight year old for not having cleared the porch of snow. The boy replied that he was working as hard as he could, when the stalwart teacheer seized a bludgeon and struck young Gold a blow on the head rendering him unconscious for four hours. In the afternoon of that day Jonas Farr, an uncle of Gold, stopped at the school house and inquired if Master Gold was at school. He wasn't. The next day Mr. Farr called and asked if the boy was in attendance. He was. He asked to see the boy and when Master Gold appeared, clad in the cut-off pants of his teacher and other ill-fitting cast-off clothes of the family, he lifted the boy into his sleigh and that was the last seen of his cruel master and equally unfeeling son. At East Carmel young Gold got a month's schooling. At the age of 17 he got two month's schooling. From 8 to 12 he drifted from place to place working for food and clothing. At 12 he was working in a brickyard. In 1850, at the age of 13, he was stricken with sciatic rheumatism, the result possibly of working in the mud at the brick yard. He suffered pain indescribable. His right leg was worst affected, and he saw that priceless member of his body shrivel and become practically useless. Then it was that Dr. Kay, a noted physician, told the struggling boy that he would never again be able to walk. O what a heart-breaking announcement! A sentence of death would hardly have been more crushing to the spirit of this worthy boy. For five long and discouraging years this unfortunate boy had to walk with crutch and cane. Meantime his mother had married Isaac Weeden, the father of the musical Win Weeden who sang his way into the good graces of people all over Meigs county. April l, 1855, Master Gold left East Liverpool, with his mother and stepfather on a boat for Middleport. From there they went to a house which stood on the road leading east from the Miles Cook place and near the residence of David Sansbury. It was here that young Gold made a most heartening discovery. He put his foot to the floor and it didn't pain him. He could work his toes without pain. Gladdened by this discovery, he touched his foot again to the floor, and with more pressure. Again and again he repeated the pleasing experiment, and with growing confidence. Was it real, or was it only a happy dream from which he was soon to be awakened? As the days passed he put more pressure on the wasted limb, then some of the weight of his body, then the full weight, and then what a mighty revelation, he walked! It was not the walk of a boy who had rollicked all his life, to be sure, but it was a walk all the same and was prophetic of self-helpfullness for the future. What visions of self-reliance broke into this boy's mind only Tom Gold will ever know. In the spring of '55 George V. Lasher appeared at the Weeden home in search of a boy to hoe corn. Could Tom hoe corn? He would try. Yes, this boy with the wasted right limb, who had so shortly before seen unable even to touch his foot to the floor, was WILLING TO TRY. What a courageous spirit! He went to the field determined to hoe corn all day or drop limp in his tracks. How he did suffer, and how he stuck to the job until nightfall. O how tired he was and how his limb did pain him through the night. Next morning, bright and early he was on the job. With the hoe handle upon which to lean for help he got through that day, and the next. And for those three days George V. Lasher's father paid Tom Gold $2.25, when the pay for the strongest man would have been only $1.50. From that day to this Tom Gold has had the warmest feeling for George Lasher and his father. While living here an incident occurred which, while serious to the subject of our sketch, has always had to him a humorous side. David Stansbury, who Mr. Gold says was one of the best men he ever met, wanted a hand to help mow with a scythe in thge meadow. Could Tom Gold mow? He would try. Mr. Stansbury told Tom Gold that another hand would be present to mow. Stansbury broke the information confidentially that the hand aforesaid had the reputation of soldering on the job, and he would like to have young Gold crowd him a little to get a good day's work out of him. Next morning Tom Gold was in the meadow bright and early, with his scythe in perfect condition. It was then that the hand appeared, climbed over the fence, whet his scythe, gave a look at the meadow and then took the lead to split it in the middle. Tom followed. The hand never stopped. Faster and faster he went, and Tom exerting every muscle to catch up. Catch him he couldn't. He couldn't keep in speaking distance. Reaching the farther side, that hand whet his scythe and was backswathing his way back long before the struggling Tom had gotten across. Tom whetted his scythe and was desperately trying to make a good finish. It was no go. That hand was a bear cat, beside whom Tom was a helpless novice. At 10 o'clock, when young Tom Gold was doing anything but crowding his companion, so wet with sweat that there wasn't a dry thread on him, he chanced to look back and there lay David Stansbury bursting his sides in the cut grass with laughter. Mr. Gold didn't tell us so but we have a suspicion tha Mr. Gold now thinks he had been coached to push one of the best mowers in Rutland township. If so, it was a naughty trick on the part of David Stansbury but Mr. Gold enjoys it to this day all the same.


The Leader October 11, 1917
We missed the parentage of the Golds a little last week. Arthur is a son of Fremont Gold. However a small thing like that makes little difference in a family that has nearly everything in common. The bear cat mower we mentioned last week was Gard Neer. There are people living out in that neighborhood who might want to know. Mr. Gold had never seen him, so far as he remembers, until Gen. Garfield spoke in Pomeroy some 25 or 30 years afterward, when he recognized Neer and they had quite an interesting chat. The house in which Weeden lived, and the step-son Gold, belonged to Ben Stout who afterward moved to Middleport. From Rutland the Weedens moved to the Welker neighborhood in Bedford township, where for three years young Gold Worked making barrels for Isaac, Mike and William Welker. While there he worked four harvests in succession for Squire Smith, the father of ex-commissioner Billy Smith who served Meigs county faithfully some years ago. From there Mr. Gold went to work for William Gill on Kingsbury creek, and while there, he got acquainted with his future wife. He met her one evening at a literary society in the Beal school house in the Gold district, a rosy-cheeked girl with hair as black as the feathers of a raven. Young Gold was much smitten with the charms of his bride to be and the feeling seemed to be fully reciprocated for the worthy suitor made a bid for her company. It was accepted and he took her to her home not far away. She, too, was an orphan, and was doing domestic work for the munificent sum of 50 cents a week. On Nov. 2 of the next year, 1861, Amelia Barr and Thomas H. Gold were united in marriage at the home of William Beal, Rev. Thomas E. Peden, of blessed memory, tying the nuptial knot. They went to housekeeping near the spot where now stands the gas well. On our way to the Gold home we had pointed out to us the site of the log house in which Fremont Gold was born, which stood near the present gas well. It was a small one room 16 by 18 cabin with puncheon floor and stick chimney, and had one 6-pane window of 6 lights, a typical cabin of that early day. From this cabin Mr. and Mrs. Gold moved into another cabin on the John Ashworth place, thence, Oct. 2, 1865, into a cooper shop some thirty feet north of the present Gold cottage. Here Alfred Gold was born Oct. 22. The other children, Winfield and Mrs. Wallace, were born in a log house which stood just south of the Gold cottage. In 1860, while working in a cooper shop in East Fairfield, Columbiana county, Pa., Mr. Gold cast his first vote for president Lincoln. Ten apple barrels was a day's work. On this day, however, Mr. Gold, spurred on by his desire to vote for Lincoln, finished his 10 barrels by noon and then rode three miles on horseback to the polling place, which was in the private residence of Mahlon Underwood, brother of Dr. Underwood, who later moved to Danville, Salem township, and was the father of our esteemed correspondent at that place. For six years Mr. Gold served Meigs county as one of its most faithful and economical infirmary directors. He held all the township offices of Bedford, from Justice of the Peace on down. As Justice he won for himself the title of peace maker. He brought many would-be litigants into peaceful relations and saved the bitterness and expense of a suit at law. In all the relations of life, Tom Gold has been noted for his unswerving honesty of purpose. Thoroughly trained in the school of adversity, he has always had a most sympathetic feeling for his fellow man. He knew how to be charitable and considerate. He employed no smart practices at the expense of his neighbor. He made money, and a plenty to keep him and his faithful helpmate in comfortable circumstances as long as they shall live; but he made it by hard and honest work. For all he got there was a fair exchange. No man can sting him or his children by saying, "Yes, I know Tom Gold has a plenty of this world's goods, but how did he get it?". Unafraid he can look the whole world square in the face. But the crowning glory in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Gold is their splendid family. Into what splendid men the three Gold sons--Fremont, Alfred and Winfield, have grown. And the daughter, Mrs. Wallace, is on a par with the sons. How justly proud are the parents of their children, and how grandly proud those children are of their father and mother. What a reciprocal comfort they are to each other. And not a jar, not a discordant note among them all. They live for the happiness, the glorification of each other. Think of two brothers in partnership, conducting a great business, and no stipulations but such as are suggested by the promptings of fairness to guide them! Everything in common, each to buy what and as much as he pleased on a common account and no questions asked. And what is true of the sons is true of the daughters-in-law. They are indeed members of the family, honored and loved, and not a ripple of dissention anywhere. The combined families furnish a beautiful example of what can be done when selfishness is barred. No, we are not overdrawing the picture. All are modestly and honorably working out their destiny and have chosen the course which brings them the greatest measure of happiness. Despite the hardships of his early life, the elder Gold has much, very much to be thankful for. And he is thankful. The waywardness of no child has given him sleepless nights. In the days of their yourth and since the children have honored their father and mother; and now when life's descending sun is slowly going to its last setting, there exists among parents and children the soothing consciousness of family responsibilities faithfully observed. For this extraordinarily happy relation between parents and children The Leader heartily congratulates them.

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