Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-10-30
A Preacher Among the People,


THE GRAVE OF ISAAC WILLIAMS.
In company with friend l crossed
the Ohio river from Marietta to Will
Jamestown and asked to be directed to
the place where Isaac Williams was
buried. We were told to go to pas
ture field some distance above the vii
lage. On slight elevation of ground
in the midst of that field, we found
the grave, neglected, trampled by
horses and cattle, and inexpressibly
desolate.
There are two other graves on the
mound. Isaac's wife Rebecca lies be-
side him, and near her sleeps their on
ly child. Drusilla. The head stones
are all broken down and the inscrip-
tions on them almost effaced. AS If
it were natures protest against mans
neglect, a wi,A cherry tree has grown
up on the spot and its branches, bend
ing gracefully over the grave, seem
intent upon protecting the dead. AL
though it does not excuse the indiffer-
ence of those whose interests Isaac
Williams served so grandly, having
been one of natures own noblemen, it
is fitting that nature has set faithful
sentinel to guard his grave. Some
day, mayhap, the people of Ohio and
West Virginia Will discover that in
neglecting his grave they dishonor
themselves, and then, that the story of
his life may be oft repeated, it is to
be hoped they will build, in memory
of Isaac Williams, a monument SO de-
signed as to prompt every passerby to
stop and inquire, who sleeps there?"
And in no other way could their inter-
ests be better served than by exhalting
the principle and cultivating the spirit
that actuated Williams throughout his
life. Any form of virtue in the alb
stract is hard to teach. Patriotism as
a principle is noble, but to inspire the
multitudes with enthusiasm for their
country, the patriotic spirit incarnate
Is essential.
The Athenians might have resisted
the eloQuence of Demosthenes had it
not been strengthened by the example
of the Grecian phalanx on the plain of
Marathon. Invoking the spirit of '76
as incarnate in the lives of the patriots
at Lexington, Concord, Saratoga and
Yorktown, kindles the fire of patriot
ism when definition of loyalty would
fall upon dull ears and unresponsive
hearts. A learned address on justice
might be meaningless to the native
American, but while the rivers run
run and the sun shines he will live in
peace with the children of William
Penn" Precept is profitable. but ex-
ample is Indispensable Herein is the
value o. life consecrated to the ser
vice Of humanity ,and memory Of it
should be kept green in the minds of
the children Of men.
The remarkable benevolence of
Isaac Williams could be made valu-
able factor in the life of the world and
1t should not be forgotten. Born in
Chester county, Pennsylvania, on the
18th day of July, 1897, and going with
his parents while yet boy to Win
frontier town of Virginia,
his life was necessarily that of pio-
neer. Whether he served as soldier or
explorer, hunter or farmer, he was al
ways faithful to the work in hand.
In October, IT'S, he married Rebecca
Martin, and in 1887 they settled on
piece Of land which her brothers had
for her near the present
site of Williamstown. They were liv-
ng their in their little log cabin when
The members of the Ohio Company
landed near the mouth of the Mus
zingum, and began the work, the far
'eaching effects and granduer of which
mas surpassed their most fantastic |
lreams. An early frost in September,
-7S9, seriously damaged the corn crop
If the early settlers, and in conse-
luence Of this there was much suffer-
ng the following spring. There was
hen no great west laden with abun-
liant supplies for needy communities,
and had there been, the means of |
that now make such |
supplies available were not known to |
he people of that time.
Robert Fulton, then twenty-five |
years old and a mechanic by nature,
was in England trying to excel in art !
and the "Clermont" did not steam "up |
he Hudson to Albany" until 1907. |
George Stephens. only nine years old, |
was a cowherd, living near New
castle, in the north of England his
eisure time being devoted to the con-
'truction of clay engines and similar
amusements. Thus were
The modern methods of travel and
dimly foreshadowed
when the pioneers were starving In |