Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-11-29

stoecuScs "AciC tne uuutcT anu SLufug
frontiermen could scarcely hope to
liye 1T was a cruel deception on
those simple-minded denizens of th Q.
crowded metropolis to carry. them
far into the interior, and compel them
to dig or die. Still, they did diq,
and many of them survived the shock
which the violent transition had pro-
dueea- Many of them, however, re-
turned to Ia belle France. The Gallo
names still recognized here, aud
found inscribed upon tombstones,
show that not few remained to
strire for fortune in the New Werld.
Btroll through the old cemetery
adjatent the town was not without
inte7est Where the old stones have
been permitted to remain, the in
soriptiens were fun Of interest to the
historian; but where they have been
displaced by new monuments their
value and interest wholly ceases
Take the family of Bureau. The in
clostre contains hut 8 single new
marble monument, having on two of
its faces the simple inscription, ''In
memory Of j. P. R. Bureau, and NJ.
&. c. Marrett, and their daughter
Mary" the reverse, ''In memory of
Samuel F. Vinton, and Romano NJ.
his wife, and their son John" Not
a date to indicate the time of demise,
or any fact of the least consequence.
You will recognize in the name of
Samuel +. Vinton that of states
mar Of no mesgre ability. In his
day and generation, he was a power
in the halls OF Congress. This omis-
sion OF dates should, by all means,
be corrected. The chief value of
monumental Inscriptions is to give
facts and dates. On one of the
tombs l noticed q date which fixes
the period OF the French arrival at
this point. .."Clodius Rsman Mena-
ger, died Jan. II, 1885, aged IS
years. A native of Normandy, in
France, he emigrated to this country,
and settled in Gallipolis, Oct. 10,
1890" Many OF the rude fore
fathers Of the hamlet" sleep here,
but / have not time TO write more on
this subject. The original proprIe.
tor Of the land had enlarged views of
town lots and squares. The squares,
as they are called, would make, in
length, six such blocks as stretch up
from Wall street. A pub
lie square of about five acres was
left in trent Of the town, which ap-
pears to have been especially appre-
priated by the cows, dogs, and hogs.
In the evening l spent here, ''all the
world, and his wife anG children
were ent in fall force to witness an
OF rope walking by some
wandering disciple of the HarloA
Brothers. l would suggest in all
to the town authorities to
inclose and beautify the Square" as
speedily as possible. An ancient
mound formerly stoed a short dis
tance back of the Square. The van
dal spirit which everywhere marks
the progress OF the age, consigned
this beautiful monument of the past
to destruction. II was cut down and
several years ago. Its con-
tents were interesting, but l cannot
now describe them. Another but
tumulLs stands in the garden
of an elderly lady, about $50 yards
from the site of the large structure.
1t is quite symmetrical, with an alti-
tude of about 10 feet. The former
was probably 20 feet in height
Had it been preserved, and the pub
lie square made to embrace it, what
an attractive feature it would be
found for the town!
This is . highly interesting region
to the archeologist. Ancient earth
works abound on every hand. On
the Virginia side, a short distance
below, on the farm Of Charles Beale,
Esq, are some interesting remains.
One which visited a day or two
since, is an ellipse, the walls rising
to the height of twelve or fifteen feet.
1t is about 245 yards in circumfer-
ence. Some others occur in the i'm
vicinity, with tumuli, &c.--
Being pressed for time, l could not
examine these interesting remains Of
an extinct semi civilization, but pro-
pose doing so st an early day. On
the hills adjacent are evidences OF
mans labor carved upon rocks, DC,
while on the lower terraces near the
ruin an ancient burial place has
been revealed. 1t is barely possible
the latter may owe Its origin to the
common red man who once occupied
the beautiful valleys.
Numerous specimens or the stone
age have been gathered from the
bread alluvial plains. Some OF them
are unusually fine. The fictilis is
coarse and rude. have seen frag-
ment of vessel which must have
had capacity to contain several gal
Ions. Some laminated pieces of cop
per have been ioUnd in mounds and
elsewhere.
1t wss reported, some years since,
that mound had been examined
near Gallipolis which contained a
regularly constructed arch. This
was erroneous. The principle of
springing the arch, and locking it
with key, was not understood by
the Mound builders. No regularly
constructed arch has been discov
cred among the monumental remains
Of the Mississippi Valley. At Yu-
catan, and throughout the home OF
the ancient Toltecas, the arch has
been found, but not further North.
HISTORICUS.
E The Supreme Court of Ohio
L Il r<f s.