Constitution School

Students at the one-room Constitution School posed for a photograph at the door to the building in 1908-09. Their teacher was Miss Allie Deming, daughter of Wallace and Martha Wood Deming and a lifelong resident of Constitution. She was educated in the class of the renowned John D. Phillips in Harmar before embarking on her teaching career. In 1907, Miss Allie moved in with her sister, Lottie Blue, whose home was just a short walk from Constitution School. She was a charter member of the Constitution Methodist Church and taught the Always Ready Sunday School Class. Miss Allie’s death came from a sudden heart attack at the age of 64, when one morning she went out to feed her chickens and was later found lying next to the chicken coop.

Row 1: Edith Perdew Ramp (1899-1973), Mabel Reid (1903-1983), Mabel Ritchie Meredith (1902-1977), Edith Pitts Murrey (1900-1986), Lyda Morgan Palmer (1899-1970), Carrie Ritchie Sprague (1898-1958).

Row 2: Lester Cochran (1900-1989), Leslie Ritchie (1900-1976), Glen Oesterle (1900-1963), Chancy Waterman (1901-1921), Arthur Olmstead (1902-1947), Lois Olmstead Nicks (1900-1985), Ivy Olmstead Eaton (1899-1926), Gertrude Roberts Cumblidge (1903-1982), Mary Reid Coffman (1899-1973).

Row 3: William Farley (1895-1965), William Parks (1895-1956), Lawrence Cochran (1898-1963), Edgar Morgan (1896-1973), Drusie Chalfant Crimmel (1894-1988).

Row 4: Raymond Robinson (1897-1922), Clarence Roberts (1897-1982), unidentified, Edith Oesterle Wagner (1891-1951), Bertha Hall Lineberger (1897-1982).

Row 5: Lawrence Berry (1893-1909), Clinton Oesterle (1894-1948), Raymond Pitts (1893-1978), unidentified.

Row 6: Hugh Roberts (1895-1958), teacher Allie Deming (1870-1934).

The schoolhouse stood not far from the Methodist Church on what is now Constitution Lane (Warren Township 702), just off Veto Road (Washington County 3).

Rufus Butler Sage - Writer, Adventurer, and Warren Township Teacher

"I keep in a splendid large brick school house 

situated on the bank of the beautiful Ohio, and can see the 

steamboats passing and repassing most any time if a mind to look."

Following a harrowing journey from his home in Connecticut, Rufus B. Sage arrived in Marietta, Ohio, on November 18, 1836, about seven o’clock in the evening. He was welcomed to town by his sister Jerusha, who was married to Marietta’s Baptist minister, Hiram Gear. Within two days, Rufus had accepted a position as a schoolteacher in Warren Township, along the Ohio River between Marietta and Belpre. His pay was $16 per month, and in a letter to his mother written December 11, 1836, Rufus expressed his happiness with the job: “I keep in a splendid large brick schoolhouse, situated on the bank of the beautiful Ohio, and can see the steamboats passing and repassing most any time if a mind to look.”

Rufus B. Sage

From Rufus B. Sage, His Letters and Papers, 1836-1847, Vol. 1

Ed. by LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Haven (1956)

According to H. Z. Williams’ History of Washington County, Ohio (1881), the brick schoolhouse at Constitution had been built about ten years earlier on the “upper part of Seth Bailey’s farm.” It also served as a meeting place and house of worship until the first church was built along the river road in 1837. Although the situation provided Rufus with a promising start to a teaching career, he soon learned that the job did not come without its challenges. In a letter to his mother written a few years later, November 8, 1839, he recalled his work as a teacher in Warren Township:

The building in which I taught, served the double purpose of school house and church. It was a choice place for ideas to expand and shoot forth, as there were plenty of holes in the fabric, that the tender faculty might not be too much compressed, or the lungs suffer for want of fresh air. A chimney was erected at one end of the building, with a huge fire-place in which might be placed a half cord of wood without much trouble; but the greatest inconvenience connected with a fire built in it, on a cold day was, that as fast as one could warm himself on one side, he would nearly freeze on the other; and it was very harassing to me to hear the continued yelp of "please to let me go to the fire," from a dozzen voices at once, all day long.

As all the children could not be permitted to be at the fire constantly, on account of room, complaint was made to the parents, that the teacher would keep them away from the fire till they nearly froze. The almost unanimous conclusion of the sympathizing parents was that I was too hard-hearted to have the management of children; the precious little creatures – they were not going to send them to school to freeze to death. At length, many solicited the directors, that the school should be discontinued, and such an arrangement was effected, after one month’s duration. I returned to Marietta much depressed in spirits, and nearly determined never again to act in the capacity of teacher of a common school. 

Rufus’ next position in Marietta was with the local newspaper, the Marietta Gazette, where he worked until about 1838. In 1840, he embarked on an adventure in the west, exploring the region of the Rocky Mountains and beyond. A few years later he returned to Ohio and became involved in political campaigns and newspaper editing. He soon decided that the letters and notes from his western journey should be shared in a book and traveled back to Connecticut to work on the project. In 1846, Scenes in the Rocky Mountains, and in Oregon, California, New Mexico, Texas, and the Grand Prairies, was published by Carey & Hart of Philadelphia.

Back in his hometown of Cromwell, Rufus realized how much he had missed his family. He also fell in love and married Marietta Miller in 1847. Rufus settled down on a farm, where he and Marietta raised five children. He remained in Connecticut until his death in 1893.

The correspondence and other papers of Rufus B. Sage are held in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Source: Rufus B. Sage, His Letters and Papers, 1836-1847, Vol. 1, Ed. by LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Haven (1956)

Long Ago in Dunham

 "No furniture factory of today could furnish such seats and desks as were installed in the Veto school house."

On the river bank at Constitution stood a stone house, the home of William P. Cutler, congressman, farmer and prominent in the management of the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad, and who rehabilitated the abandoned railroad between Marietta and Big Run and extended the same to Palos. Across the road from the Cutler residence William D. Bailey lived and conducted a general store. Passing over the river hill, the next cleared farm was Isaac Bigford's [Bickford].

The next farm, the ownership of which is remembered, was the Sylvester Ellenwood place. Adjoining the Ellenwood land was Davis Hollister's neat place. Hollister was an excellent teacher and adopted methods far in advance of schools generally in 1850. Mr. Hollister moved to his farm adjoining that of Col. T. W. Moore at Moore's Junction. The Hollisters came from Connecticut with the Chappells, crossing the Allegheny mountains in wagons and on horseback. The Delano, Needham, Tilton, Gorhams, Cole and Curtis families probably came before or soon after.

The Swan saw mill was on the next farm. Next was Thomas Delano's home, occupied many years by his sons, Amos and Lewis. The house appears the same as it did sixty years ago. Near the cemetery lived Albert G. Hollister, his descendants still occupy the home place. Asahel Hollister owned the farm opposite the present school house and was succeeded by his son, Judson. Abisha Cole lived below the school and next above the "Rathbone Place."

Still going west we come to the Needham farms, Jasper and Stephen. Across Hocking stood a log school house where on Sundays congregated the Universalists for church and Sunday school. This was known as "Forks of Hocking," the two branches of that stream uniting there.

 It is probably a mile to the next farm house, John Ellenwood's. It may be that Benjamin Ellenwood lived there at the same time, but he moved to Peoria, Illinois, going by covered wagon the entire distance. This was previous to the building of railroads in Southern Ohio and there were none in Illinois and probably none in Indiana.

Between Ellenwood's and the next cleared farm was quite a distance in woods until Big Run was crossed by a Ford. An iron bridge now spans the stream. Here, to the right and a distance from the road, lived Joline Hopkins, a Connecticut Yankee. Between Hopkins' farm and Veto was but one house, that of John Tilton, also from an Eastern state. Tilton sold his farm to a Mr. Andrews. The Andrews family resides there now.

Veto is at the road crossing. Here stood a log school house, a nice one. The logs were large, well hewn and nicely fitted. The door was supplied with an iron handle and latch, not a wooden one with a latch string. It was an up-to-date building and was standing some twelve years ago, but was soon after taken away. 

No furniture factory of today could furnish such seats and desks as were installed in the Veto school house. The seats were of slabs, flat side up, supported by wooden logs. on three sides of the room were sloping shelves attached to the walls. These were for the "big scholars" who took writing lessons. The pens were of goose quills, made by the "master." On either side of the aisle were slab benches without backs. Our feet could not reach the floor and the little ones were tortured during school hours. We had fine times during the noon intermissions. The larger boys played base ball, two old cats and bull pen. The younger ones had hop, skip and jump, roly ball, den and marbles. The girls had their own amusements, less boisterous than those of the boys. 

The last day of a school term was a red letter day. In the afternoon a spelling school took the place of study and recitations. The teacher would appoint two captains who would "choose up," each alternately calling the name of a speller. The pupils were ranged in two rows and the fun began. There were good spellers in the schools in early times. . .

Returning to Veto and starting North we come to the Daniel Shaw farm. Mr. Shaw, a Scotchman, owned a large tract of land, the farming of which employed many hands. This furnished employment for many upon their arrival in this country. Being industrious and frugal, in a few years the Scotch would buy land and make themselves homes.

Where the road crosses Little Hocking stood Shaw's saw mill. This mill was built by Elihu Clarke previous to 1825. The race has become the channel of the stream and the old channel has become obliterated.

To the right of the road and adjoining the Shaw farm was the Joseph Tilton farm. The original Tilton home is now standing where it was built, probably a hundred years ago and is used for storage. On the west side of the road and beyond the Tilton residence stood a log tenant house where Neil Shaw's house now stands. From the bridge we ascend the hill to the Miller Clarke farm; next comes the John Clarke place upon which stands the original house, built nearly one hundred years since.

This brings us to Barlow Township and the time for adjournment.

E. B. C.
Sunday Morning Observer, April 29, 1917