Constitution News - 1886 July

From The Marietta Weekly Leader, Tuesday, July 20, 1886:

• Mrs. Robert Dole is very low at this writing with malaria fever.
• Miss Fannie Cone spent several days last week with Miss Emaline McClure of East Dunham.
• Miss Winnie Zearing of Harmar spent Saturday and Sunday with Miss Nora Zearing.
• Mrs. Bailey of Coolville spent several days last week with Mrs. George Bailey.
• Mrs. Hudson Curtis of Cincinnati is visiting at Mrs. H. L. Hart's at this writing.

From The Marietta Weekly Leader, Tuesday, July 27, 1886:

• The farmers of this vicinity are busy cutting hay and making preparations for threshing.
• Mr. Dave Tice of Jericho spent several days last week with his brother Ernest, of this place.
• Mr. Harry Dotson, of Elba, accompanied by Miss Carrie Finch of Harmar, spent Sunday with the Misses Reynolds.
• Mr. Hal Thorniley of Baptist Valley and Miss Sarah Middleswart of Lower Newport visited relatives at this place, Saturday and Sunday.
• Miss Mary Blue of Hocking was the guest of her sister, Mrs. Hiram Deming, Sunday.
• Mr. Sam Rinehart and wife spent Sunday with Mrs. Samuel Dye.
• Quite a jolly crowd from this place attended the Hocking social which met at Mrs. John Baker’s, Saturday evening.  They all report a splendid time while there and also on their way home.
• Mrs. Frank Worster and little children of Harmar, are visiting at Mrs. Boreman’s.
• Mr. Harry Zearing is visiting his uncle, Mr. Jim Hanna, near Barlow.
• Mrs. Andrew Hazelrigg, of Williamstown, is visiting her mother, Mrs. William Scott.
• Miss Lula McClure of Briggs was the guest of Mrs. George Bailey last week.
• The musical entertainment which met at Deming’s school house Tuesday evening was well attended.
• Miss Willia Cotton of Marietta was the guest of Miss Martha Blackington, last week.
• Mrs. Robert Dole, whom we mentioned last week as being very low with malarial fever, we are glad to say is getting better at this writing.
• Miss Frank Skipton of Tunnel was visiting at this place Sunday.
• Mr. Ernest Tice and wife spent a few days last week with friends at Little Hocking.
• There is a number of cases of whooping cough in our midst.
• Remember that Rev. Charles Harte, of Logan, Ohio, preaches at this place Sunday morning and evening.  Mr. Harte is a fine preacher and nothing pleases him better than to have a good congregation to preach to.
• Mr. Perley Perdew of Tunnel was at this place Wednesday.
• Misses Linnie Worster and Emma Davis of Harmar are visiting friends at this place.
• Mrs. Nancy Bailey of Coolville was the guest of Mrs. William Scott last week.
• Blackberries are still plentiful and the busy fingers are numerous.
• Mrs. Emma Reynolds, who has been confined at the house for the past four months with rheumatism, is some better and is able to go around a little while at a time.

The Goddard Home in Dunham Township

"Mr. Goddard has the finest house in the township."

The George Rodney Goddard Farm, Dunham Township, History of Washington County, Ohio, by H. Z. Williams (1881)

The Marietta Register, November 18, 1875:

Last Saturday was the day published for "Dunham Circle" to be held at Mrs. George Goddard's, who lives on Little Hocking on a farm formerly owned by Davis Hollister. A general invitation had been given to attend the circle, but in addition a special invitation was given to all the mechanics (and their ladies) who had been employed in building Mr. Goddard's new house. And in addition to the circle, there was to be a dedication of the "new house." We concluded to go and see for ourselves, not expecting to see Belpre out-done. Upon our arrival we found all the available hitching posts taken up. Carriages, buggies, wagons, expresses, buckboards and horses, which made one think of the commissary train of General Sherman's army.

Mr. Goddard has the finest house in the township. It is built after the modern style, being nearly square, 31x41, with a good tin roof. Rooms large and commodious. Two good chimneys with enameled mantles; folding doors to the parlor and sitting room. These two rooms had a very fine finish of plaster Paris moulding. In the centre of the double room I have just described was a table holding the "Mechanic's Cake," bouquets and evergreens. One hundred and fifty persons were present, and all wanted to be "mechanics." In the dining room we found Carmi Smith and Shelt Dunbar; what office they held we don't know - but one thing we do know, there were the most cakes.

At this time a new organ arrived. Miss Tilton and Misses Scott of Warren gave us music. Much transpired we cannot mention. collections $20, and Dunham ahead. May Mrs. Goddard's numerous friends never grow less.

Note: Hapgood Goddard and Rebecca Wood Goddard, both children of New Hampshire ministers, arrived in Washington County, Ohio, in 1814, and lived on Blennerhassett Island for a year. In 1817 the family moved to Wesley Township, where George Rodney Goddard was born in 1827. George moved to Dunham Township about 1859. He acquired his own farm of about 600 acres and specialized in raising short-horned cattle. In 1867 he married Esther J. Smith, daughter of Carmi and Sarah Bishop Smith. George and Esther Smith Goddard were the parents of Loring Hapgood Goddard (1869-1944), Selvan Carmi Goddard (1876-1900), and Harford Bishop Goddard (1878-1935). George Goddard died in 1912, and Esther died in 1915. They are buried in the Hopkins Cemetery, Dunham Township.