Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-01-22
soCfErY In GALLIPoLIs
sixty Years Ago.
Interesting Description.

The following letter will prove Q
special interest to the old residents
. and to their descendants. 1t was ad
dressed to one of the daughters Q
the late DR.. LIE Moyne, of Washing
ton, Pa, and grand daughter of tn
late j. P. R. Bureau, one of tn
French colony that settled Gallipo
I lis. The writer's maiden name wa
Hank. The family is remembered
by many of our old citizens. Rev
W. r. Gould, deceased some year
since, was pastor of the Presbyterian
church here at the time of which th'
writer speaks. We quote:
NY father was one of the many en-
thusiastic, deluded emigrants of thai
time, who removed from the New
England States to the then far West;
who sacrificed their farms, or bust
ness as the case might be, to enjoy
the gifts of God without laboring
for them.
We hailed from Vermont, having
no destination but Ohio in general,
and God, who led us all the way, or
dered it that we should bring up at
Gallipolis, and take house next door
to your grandpa Bureaus, entire
strangers.
We suffered much from change
of climate. Our family were the pa
rents and ten children. / had con-
tracted the liver complaint, and the
doctor recommended horseback rid
ing. Mr.. Bureau had a beautiful
horse, 20 years old, and sobered
down without a fault, and your moth
er had another OF her own, splendid,
only he was high spirited for a lady,
and would run away occasionally, but
she being a practiced equestrienne,
maintained her presence of mind and
eqninimity, and. by holding tight
rein, and patting and caressing his
neck, would bring him down to an
even and measured trot or pace.
They offered me the use Of the fam
lily horse to ride, and either your
mother or aunt Romayne, would ac-
company me These recollections
are very pleasant to me. They, yonr
mother and aunt, we're older than !
was, and had enjoyed many more ad-
yantages, which made their conver-
sation interesting and profitable to
me. Your grand-father's family was
a very worthy one. They were lead
ers in polite society. Their polite
ness was not superficial, but the po-
liteness of the heart.
The town was first settled by the
French. There were courthouse
(it being a county town., and an
academy there, good and respectable
buildings, in which the worship of
God was held by turns. The Pres
byterian was the prevailing sect.
Your mother and aunt Romayne were
regular attendants. If there was
any Roman Catholic service there, l
do not remember it. Your uncle
Vslcoulon was q small boy at this
time. / would like to hear some |
thing more about him. Your aunt
Romayne married q celebrated law
yer of the place, Mr.. Vinton, and
died young. / do not know whether
she had any children or not. Your
mother was thought to have married
one of the finest of men, and all that
knew of her after they settled in
Washington was, that Charles Dam
arin, one of the clerks in your grand
fathers store, visited her and said that
she would not dance, no, not so much
as to push one foot out beyond the
other, she was so religious. l want
to hear something about Mr. Dana
rim and Mr.. Edward Naret, another
clerk in your grand fathers store.
/ should be grateful to hear some
thing of the subsequent life of your
grandfather and mother, of your
aunt and uncle Vinton, and uncle
Valcoulon. Also to know something
of Miss Josephine Devacht and
Christiana Rodgers. With these, and
many others, l became acquaint-
ed in the highest department Of the
excellent school kept in the Academy |
building, taught by our Presbyterian
pastor. This department numbered
only 20, Is young ladies in the high
er branches Of education, and the
four young men were studying the
languages and higher mathematics.
1t was here that became acquainted
with your most estimable mother and
aunt. They did not have to go to
school to learn how to behave at home,
but were taught at home how to be-
have at school. They did not judge of
character by the outward appearance,
but judged righteous judgments.
They did not set off with the refuse
of the town GALL families who were
not French, or of the F. f. VS., of
Virginia., because God in his Infinite
wisdom, saw fit to put our souls into
Vermont bodies, and with the same i
wisdom, enclosed their spirits in
French clay. This was magnanimi-
ty. There was much distinction in |
the school. The aristocratic Virgin
ians despised the Yankees. There
were three of these in the first de-
partment; four from Virginia and
quite a number of French girls, all
grown up. We knew this prejudice,
aud were ready to meet it. de- |
termined to 90 on alone until good
people accorded me their companion
ship. We were strange family in
the place, and stranger in the
school. The Yankee girls were anx-
ious to make my acquaintance, but as
an i'll odor was attached to their name,
I did not reciprocate their attention.
Yonr nnthor and amt ctond nm |