Early mailman…

Left, John Haas, Goshen’s early mailman, picked mail up at streetcar
stop on E. High Ave. in Schoenbrunn and delivered to Goshen, Beidler
and Goshen Hill. Seated on right is Tom Edwards.

From Kate Swaldo of Wainwright:

Before my grandfather, John Haas, began delivering mail in the Goshen area, he had

served in the Civil War. He really wasn’t old enough, but he wanted to serve his country

and so he lied about his age so he could enlist. His two brothers also were serving in

the Civil War. While serving, all three brothers fought together in one battle and sadly,

John’s two brothers were killed.     

TUSCARAWAS ADVOCATE- June 13, 1901 – Bass Island Ready

Bass Island was formally opened last Sunday and an immense crowd of people visited the island to see the new resort and listen to music by the Great Eastern band. There were crowded cars from Dover, New Philadelphia, Dennison and Uhrichsville and large parties from the surrounding country joined the throng. The steamers were crowded and were busy all afternoon hauling passengers back and forth. The size of the crowd was a surprise to the managers and they ran out of refreshments soon after the first load of passengers arrived. Everybody speaks in glowing terms of the beauty and excellence of the place for a picnic resort. The band will play there againnext Sunday and the management will be ready for all that all.

TUSCARAWAS ADVOCATE- July 18, 1901 – Dancing Party at Bass Island

Quite a party of New Philadelphia and Dover young poeple went to Bass Island Tuesday evening, were joined by a party of Uhrichsville young people and all indulged in the pleasure of out-door dancing until a late hour. It was a jolly party that left the public square in a special car at 6:20 with well-filled baskets of dainty provisions and freezers of ice cream. After a cooling ride on the car and a charming ride on the boats down Stillwater and the river, they were ready for the dance. Snyder’s Orchestra, of Uhrichsville furnished the music and to say that all had a fine time is putting it mildly.

TUSCARAWAS ADVOCATE- July 25, 1901 – Picnickers

Miss Isabelle Fowler and quite anumber of her music pupils from New Philadelphia and the Twin Cities with well filled baskets picnicked at Bass Island Saturday. Parents and friends were given a cordial invitation to accompany this jolly crowd. Several regrets were sent Miss Fowler by telephone in disappointment of their absence. When dinner hour arrived, all sat down- about 10 in number- to a well laden table of all the good things of the season. Ice, lemonade and delicious coffee were served, to which all did ample justice. The day was fine. When going home time came, which was 5 0’clock, all said in one chime, “We have all had a lovely time.”  A Guest

OHIO DEMOCRAT & TIMES- August 1, 1901 – Presbyterian Sunday School Picnic

    Nearly 200 of the Presbyterian Sunday school, church and congregation

 “picnicked” at Bass Island last Thursday. It was a delightful day for the occasion, a little too hot pssibly for some of the who are generally housed up in the shade, but they all had a good time. The dinner, which was first served to the children was a royal feast as all Sunday school picnics are. The foot race, between William Akins and James Kaldenbaugh, was the feature of the day.

TUSCARAWAS ADVOCATE- August 8 1901 – Band Concert at Bass Island

    Reeves Military Band of Dover city will give a free concert at Bass Island, Sunday afternoon. Take your family and spend a pleasant afternoon at this cool resort.

       Dancing at Bass Island

    The party of New Philadelphia young people that spent last week in camp near the State Dam, gave a delightul dancing partpy at Bass Island last Wednesday evening. Messrs. Waring and Wyes furnished mandolin and guitar music for the dancing adn all had a fine time. In addition to the campers the following party was present: Miss Mooney and Miss Scott, of Steubenville, Miss Hardesty, of Columbus, Miss Lydia Downey, Miss SArah Yeagley, Miss Helen O’Connell and Messrs. J.A. Linn, T.P. O’Connel, A.S. Knesely and D.B. Ludwick.

TUSCARAWAS ADVOCATE- August 8, 1901 – An Exciting Time

The visitors at Bass Island last Sunday experienced an exciting five minutes about 4:45 o’clock in the afternoon. There was a big crowd at the Island and when the The Great Eastern Band started to leave many of the throng wanted to go with them. When the boats were drawn up at the landing everybody started to get on at once. The two boats were lashed together side by side, the smaller boat doing the propelling on account of disabled paddles on the larger boat. The crowd surged over the smaller boat and sought seats or a place to stand in the bow of the larger boat. The unevenly divided load forced the nose of the boat deep into the water which commenced to run into an open seam. This was not noticed until the boats had started out into the river. In a short time the water commenced to run through the floor of the boat and a minature panic occurred. Men commenced to scramble into the smaller boat and there was danger of overlaoding it. The boats were run back to the landing quickly and almost everybody got out, some of them having very wet feet. An investigation disclosed the cause of trouble and the larger boat was withdrawn from service. It was a big task for the smaller boat to haul all of the people to the Stillwater bridge but it was accomplished in a few hours and no one suffered from it. The owners of the boat that caused the excitement say that the load that was put on Sunday afternoon was the heaviest of the seaon and that if the crowd had been more evenly divided fore and aft the boat would not have been forced deep enough in the water to reach the open seam. They regret the mishap very much and have taken steps to prevent anything of the kinds ever happening again.

OHIO DEMOCRAT & Times- May 30, 1901 – A FISHING PARTY

Caught Many Fish, Had a Good Time, Although They had Accidents

A jolly lot of men, disciples of “Izaak Walton” the fisherman, grabbed their lines and poles last Friday morning and left bright and early over the electric railway, the objective point being Bass Island. The party was gotten up in honor of Dr. Skinner, who was here visiting his local life Insurance agent W.A. Wagner and it consisted of Dr. Skinner, V.H. Mowls, A.V. Donahey, Dr. Heavlin, Harvey Mathias, John Kron and W.A. Wagner. On arrival at the Stillwater bridge, the steamer was in waiting and after the provisions, bait and “sich” had been transferred they went streaming down the river. Like all other parties of the same size, this fishing party had its misfortunes. Dr. Heavlin, being broad shouldered, thought he could carry the case of bait but he found that there wasn’t much gas in it and it became heavier every rod he went and the load was saddled on to Mowls’ broad shoulders. A.V. Donahey lost one of the nicest strings of fish that ever were caught. It was done carelessly too. He had caught several tubs full and had them strung on a twine which he fastened to the oar pin of the boat. In working the oar the string was cut and this biggest string you ever saw was lost, irretrievably gone. Another heart rending, body soaking accident occurred to V.H. Mowls as he was crossing on the rock just below the dam; his feet slipped and down he sat in about two feet of swiftly flowing water. The boys “threw ? hooks” into him and elevated him to an upright position and strung him on a tree to let him dry out. His was the biggest splash that the raging Tuscarawas has seen since the high water. Barring these accidents, the boys all had a glorious time. Their guest was pleased over the hospitable way he was treated and they all returned home in the evening about 7 o’clock bringing with them some over 60 slm?. (not legible.)

The Ohio Democrat and Times, May 23, 1901 – BASS ISLAND

The Name of the New Resort in the Tuscarawas River

Down the river about 200 yards from where the Stillwater empties its yellow water into the sparkling Tuscarawas there is an island of about 30 acres. On either side of the island is what is known as the state dam, which was placed there in early days to provide water for keeping the canal filled but part of the dam is washed away, enough remaining however to make deep water on both sides of the island and so void of current too that row boating is made easy.
Harry Darst formerly of Blakes Mills lives on the island and is also the pilot of the three steam boats that ply between the island and the Stillwater bridge. Mr Darst has the Falcon and Genevieve, which were used for sailing on the canal and he also has one larger steamer, new, to which he has not given a name. The new boat will carry 150, the Falcon 75 and the Genevieve is for small parties.
The Tuscarawas Electric Railroad Co. has taken a deep interest in giving to the island some facilities that will make it a resting place for families that will make it a delightful resort for picnic parties, for Sunday school outings and a place where the average, tired man can find rest and recreation. Being easily reached from Uhrichsville and Dennison from the south and by New Philadelphia and Canal Dover from the North, there is nothing to prevent it being a desirable place for Sunday outings or any other day for that matter, especially is this true when it is once known that the rough element will not be permitted in override or distress those who quietly go to spend a few hours in pleasant repose.
It was our pleasant privilege a few days ago of being one of an invited party to inspect the island and the means of reaching it. The party went from New Philadelphia and was accompanied by Supt. Akins of the Tuscarawas Street Railway. On the arrival of the car at the bridge over the Stillwater, the party embarked on the steamer Falcon, with Harry Rice as Captain. Harry Darst as pilot and Charles Shoop as Engineer. The ride down the Stillwater is through the deepest part of that stream, the banks of the river are beautiful and green at this season, but when once in the Tuscarawas the channel is swifter, while the scene is no less beautiful and inspiring. Water travel at all times is a source of exquisite pleasure and though the ride from the bridge to the island is not an extended one, yet it is pleasing.
Mr. Darst has a good lunch room at his place and he will at once build a dancing platform, will erect tables for the accomodation of picnic parties, he will also keep fishing tackle, bait and etc. for fishermen and will have bathing suits for those who desire to take a plunge in the sparkling waters of the beautiful Tuscarawas. There is a possibility that during the summer months a theatrical troupe will be engaged and that plays will be put on in the big tent which will be erected on the grounds.
It is now the intention of the Railroad Co. to open the place to the general public in about two weeks. When it is opened there will be grand hurrahs and a montrous time. The fare from New Philadelphia to the Island and return will be put at the very low price of 15. cents.
If any of our people desire to take an hour or two away from business or home, we know that the boat ride will be most delightful. Try a trip.

1823 Story from the Tuscarawas County Historical Society – Goshen Indians

During the War of 1812, the Goshen Indians were prohibited by the whites from going outside the bounds of their village under penalty of being held and treated as an enemy. An occasional stealthy infraction of this prohibition by a young Indian resulted sometimes in frightening a child or woman who was unfortunate enough to meet him.

Rev. Abraham Luckenbach was the missionary at Goshen in the fall of 1823, when the mission was broken up and the Indians removed to Canada.

The Indians were extremely loath to leave the wildwood haunts of the valley, which had become endeared to them by a long and pleasant residence. Slowly and sadly they left their homes, and traveled up the west banks of the river, accompanied by their pastor.

At New Philadelphia they crossed the Tuscarawas and continued the journey by way of Sandyville to Cleveland, where they embarked on a vessel for their new home in Canada.

Tom Lyons is said to have been the only Indian who refused to go. He lingered about for many years, the terror of children and dread of women, for he boasted of having in his possession the tongues of ninety-nine white women, and wanted another to make an even number!