Ghost Stories: Celebrating the Fourth, Part I
Lead Summary
By
Steve Roush-
Ladies and gentlemen, since we’ve spent some time as of late visiting the year of our Lord 1874, let’s take a few moments to observe the Fourth of July with Mother Thompson, Sarah McDowell, the Rev. Dr. William Jasper McSurely, John Calvin Van Pelt, the local temperance crusaders and others around Highland County.
On that day 142 years ago, several hundred men, women and children descended upon the Hillsboro fairgrounds for observances, music and a picnic. The local newspaper reported that they “were all present on the ground at an early hour, all sober and happy,” adding how the “ladies of the Temperance Association had made very complete arrangements for music and speaking, and everything went off in a satisfactory manner” and was “a very pleasant affair.”
Now, Highland County Fourth of July celebrations back in the 1800s were not always very pleasant affairs – at least for some folks.
Back in 1859, it was reported that July 4 in Hillsboro was to be ushered in by the ringing of the bells at sunrise, however, “the patriotic ardor of ‘Young America’ could not wait for the slow advance of that inveterate ‘old fogy,’ Father Time, and accordingly soon after midnight the good citizens were startled from their slumbers by a simultaneous peal from the bells aforesaid, accompanied with the inspiring music of the drum and fife, the firing of guns, pistols, (fire)crackers, etc., the whole making an uproar delightful to the boys, but extremely provoking to the devotees of the drowsy god, whose cozy morning naps were disturbed by the early demonstration.”
And then there was the 1879 Independence Day shindig in Lynchburg where it was reported afterward, “Lynchburg had a Fourth of July celebration, and we have been expecting a report from it, but it has failed to arrive. If all accounts are true, the Lynchburg whisky had a bad effect on the boys, as we heard of several broken heads.”
I can just picture Mother Thompson shaking her head in disgust as she read that July 10, 1879 newspaper report … but we digress.
Let’s get back to the very pleasant affair of 1874.
At 11 a.m., a meeting of “sober and happy” people was organized in Floral Hall by Gen. Joseph Jefferson McDowell (the husband of Sarah McDowell, the temperance crusader who we profiled earlier this year), along with the chairman and vice presidents representing each township. These were P.N. Wickerham, ’Squire G.W. Martin, Jonah Cadwallader, Henry Wilkin, E.P. Johnson, David Workman, John Haigh, Jacob Sayler, A.J. Wright, William H. Griffith, D.M. Barrett, John Hiatt, R.W. Duckwall, Thomas Higgins, John Funk and Jonah Britton (the father of Marion Britton, who was a major player of the Brown/Britton Ghost Stories series I penned a couple of years ago), and Secretary H.S. Doggett.
OK, OK, I probably shouldn’t identify Mr. McDowell as simply the husband of Sarah “Sally” McDowell. Joseph McDowell was born Nov. 13, 1800 in Burke (now McDowell) County, North Carolina, the son of Joseph “Quaker Meadows” McDowell (1756-1801) and Margaret Moffett McDowell (1763-1815). “Quaker Meadows” McDowell, an American Patriot, was a planter, soldier and statesman. His son, Joseph Jefferson McDowell, was a U.S. congressman as he was elected to serve Ohio’s 7th District in the House of Representatives from 1843-47. He also served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives in 1832, and was a member of the Ohio Senate the following year. I’m sure we’ll delve deeper into Congressman McDowell and his family’s lives at another time, but let’s slip back into the Fourth of July services at the fairgrounds in Hillsboro.
After music by the band and singing by the ladies and gentlemen, a prayer was offered up by the Rev. Emile Felix Grand-Girard.
Now, for background, the Rev. Grand-Girard was born in 1816 in Hericourt, France, the son of Frederic George Grand-Girard (1782-1842) and Marie Catherine Schelamer Grand-Girard (1787-1863). Afterward, during the persecution on the revocation of the edict of Nantes, he fled with his parents to Switzerland. At the age of 18, he, with his parents, came to America and settled in Highland County – including a sister, Emilie Louise Grand-Girard, who also was at the 1874 July 4 observances. On that note, let’s return to the service.
After the Rev. Grand-Girard’s prayer, the chairman, Congressman McDowell, addressed the crowd. His remarks were very patriotic in character, referring in glowing terms to the men of the old Continental Congress. In a few words, he traced the fall of the republics of the past, and showed that they fell, not on the account of their enemies, but from their own corruptions. He warned those in attendance to be on their guard, and to fight corruption and vice on every hand, if we wished to preserve our liberties. “His words, associated with his venerable appearance and lifelong character of honest patriotism, carried double force and made a lasting impression on his hearers,” it was written.
The “Women’s Declaration of Independence” was then read by Miss Emilie Louise Grand-Girard, and was listened to with “rapt attention” by the audience. This document recites the tyranny of King Alcohol, and declares woman’s independence of his sway.
As the July 4, 1874 service in Hillsboro continues, let’s pause for now and we’ll continue next week.
In the meantime, Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
Steve Roush is a vice president of an international media company and a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached by email at roush_steve@msn.com.
On that day 142 years ago, several hundred men, women and children descended upon the Hillsboro fairgrounds for observances, music and a picnic. The local newspaper reported that they “were all present on the ground at an early hour, all sober and happy,” adding how the “ladies of the Temperance Association had made very complete arrangements for music and speaking, and everything went off in a satisfactory manner” and was “a very pleasant affair.”
Now, Highland County Fourth of July celebrations back in the 1800s were not always very pleasant affairs – at least for some folks.
Back in 1859, it was reported that July 4 in Hillsboro was to be ushered in by the ringing of the bells at sunrise, however, “the patriotic ardor of ‘Young America’ could not wait for the slow advance of that inveterate ‘old fogy,’ Father Time, and accordingly soon after midnight the good citizens were startled from their slumbers by a simultaneous peal from the bells aforesaid, accompanied with the inspiring music of the drum and fife, the firing of guns, pistols, (fire)crackers, etc., the whole making an uproar delightful to the boys, but extremely provoking to the devotees of the drowsy god, whose cozy morning naps were disturbed by the early demonstration.”
And then there was the 1879 Independence Day shindig in Lynchburg where it was reported afterward, “Lynchburg had a Fourth of July celebration, and we have been expecting a report from it, but it has failed to arrive. If all accounts are true, the Lynchburg whisky had a bad effect on the boys, as we heard of several broken heads.”
I can just picture Mother Thompson shaking her head in disgust as she read that July 10, 1879 newspaper report … but we digress.
Let’s get back to the very pleasant affair of 1874.
At 11 a.m., a meeting of “sober and happy” people was organized in Floral Hall by Gen. Joseph Jefferson McDowell (the husband of Sarah McDowell, the temperance crusader who we profiled earlier this year), along with the chairman and vice presidents representing each township. These were P.N. Wickerham, ’Squire G.W. Martin, Jonah Cadwallader, Henry Wilkin, E.P. Johnson, David Workman, John Haigh, Jacob Sayler, A.J. Wright, William H. Griffith, D.M. Barrett, John Hiatt, R.W. Duckwall, Thomas Higgins, John Funk and Jonah Britton (the father of Marion Britton, who was a major player of the Brown/Britton Ghost Stories series I penned a couple of years ago), and Secretary H.S. Doggett.
OK, OK, I probably shouldn’t identify Mr. McDowell as simply the husband of Sarah “Sally” McDowell. Joseph McDowell was born Nov. 13, 1800 in Burke (now McDowell) County, North Carolina, the son of Joseph “Quaker Meadows” McDowell (1756-1801) and Margaret Moffett McDowell (1763-1815). “Quaker Meadows” McDowell, an American Patriot, was a planter, soldier and statesman. His son, Joseph Jefferson McDowell, was a U.S. congressman as he was elected to serve Ohio’s 7th District in the House of Representatives from 1843-47. He also served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives in 1832, and was a member of the Ohio Senate the following year. I’m sure we’ll delve deeper into Congressman McDowell and his family’s lives at another time, but let’s slip back into the Fourth of July services at the fairgrounds in Hillsboro.
After music by the band and singing by the ladies and gentlemen, a prayer was offered up by the Rev. Emile Felix Grand-Girard.
Now, for background, the Rev. Grand-Girard was born in 1816 in Hericourt, France, the son of Frederic George Grand-Girard (1782-1842) and Marie Catherine Schelamer Grand-Girard (1787-1863). Afterward, during the persecution on the revocation of the edict of Nantes, he fled with his parents to Switzerland. At the age of 18, he, with his parents, came to America and settled in Highland County – including a sister, Emilie Louise Grand-Girard, who also was at the 1874 July 4 observances. On that note, let’s return to the service.
After the Rev. Grand-Girard’s prayer, the chairman, Congressman McDowell, addressed the crowd. His remarks were very patriotic in character, referring in glowing terms to the men of the old Continental Congress. In a few words, he traced the fall of the republics of the past, and showed that they fell, not on the account of their enemies, but from their own corruptions. He warned those in attendance to be on their guard, and to fight corruption and vice on every hand, if we wished to preserve our liberties. “His words, associated with his venerable appearance and lifelong character of honest patriotism, carried double force and made a lasting impression on his hearers,” it was written.
The “Women’s Declaration of Independence” was then read by Miss Emilie Louise Grand-Girard, and was listened to with “rapt attention” by the audience. This document recites the tyranny of King Alcohol, and declares woman’s independence of his sway.
As the July 4, 1874 service in Hillsboro continues, let’s pause for now and we’ll continue next week.
In the meantime, Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
Steve Roush is a vice president of an international media company and a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached by email at roush_steve@msn.com.