The Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County

The Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County, also known as the Zanesville Historical Society, is an organization located in Zanesville, Ohio, in the United States, with the mission of preserving the history of the Zanesville and Muskingum County region of Ohio. It is a non-profit entity which operates several important historic sites in and around the Zanesville, Ohio, area, including the Dr. Increase Mathews House, built in 1805 by a founder of the town;[1] and the Stone Academy, erected in 1809 as a possible state capitol, which was also a meeting place for abolitionist societies,[2] and once the home of writer Elizabeth Robins, who wrote about it.[3] The Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County received a Preservation Merit Award from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office Award in 1993 for its work restoring and preserving the Stone Academy.[4]

Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County
PredecessorMuskingum County Pioneer Association
Old Settlers Association
Formation4 March 1890 (1890-03-04)
TypeNon-profit
PurposePreserving the history of the Zanesville and Muskingum County region of Ohio
Location
  • 115 Jefferson Street, Zanesville, OH 43701
ServicesMaintains historical documents and large, representative collection of Weller Pottery. Operates Dr. Increase Mathews House and Stone Academy
Websitemuskingumhistory.org

It is one of the oldest historical societies in the state, chartered March 4, 1890, as the successor organization to the Muskingum County Pioneer Association and the Old Settlers Association.[5] It was reorganized in 1924, and exhibitions were re-opened to the public in Memorial Hall.[6]

The Society maintains a vast number of historical documents.[7] Among these are the journal and papers of Dr. Mathews, a pioneer who first explored the area in 1798. The papers were presented to the Society in 1943 by a descendant.[8] The society also has the papers of Thomas Merritt (born 1759), a New Englander who was commissioned to serve in the loyalist Queen's Rangers in 1782 in the American Revolution, and who served as a Major of Canadian forces in the War of 1812.[9] The Society owns documents such as land grants or military commissions signed by George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and Abraham Lincoln.[10]

The world's "largest and most representative collection" of Weller art pottery was donated to the Society in 1958. Weller operated in Zanesville until 1948.[11]

References
  1. "Historical society to hold open house at museum site." The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, November 15, 1970, page 12. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  2. "Aboard the Underground Railroad--Putnam Historic District". www.nps.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  3. John, Angela V. (1995-01-01). Elizabeth Robins: Staging a Life, 1862-1952. Routledge. pp. 16-17, 251. ISBN 9780415061124.
  4. "Ohio Historic Preservation Society". Ohio Historical Society. 1993. Archived from the original on February 3, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  5. Schneider, Norris F., "Pioneer Society Museum is oldest house in county." The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, August 19, 1973, page 8 ff. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  6. The Zanesville Signal, May 9, 1924, reprinted in "Historical sketches" by Norris F. Schneider, The Zanesville Signal, August 27, 1954, page 4. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  7. "Possessions of society to be cataloged." The Zanesville Signal (Ohio), November 19, 1955, page 3. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  8. Schneider, Norris F. "Dr. Increase Matthews' home serves as Zanesville museum." The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, August 5, 1973, page 18. Mathews' diary was published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register in 1932. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  9. Schneider, Norris F., "Order signed by Gen. Brock owned by Historical Society." The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, August 14, 1966, page 42. The Society's collection includes 25 Merritt documents, including a commission signed by Gen. Isaac Brock. The Toronto Historical Board in the 1960s exchanged a picture of Brock for copies of the Society's documents related to Brock and Merritt. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  10. Schneider, Norris F. "Pioneer Society prepares bicentennial exhibit." The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, May 26, 1974, page 18. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  11. "Pottery to Pioneer Society." The Times Recorder, Zanesville, Ohio, August 25, 1958, page 20. Via Newspaperarchive.com (subscription). Retrieved August 26, 2008.
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