Description: Portrait of Caleb Atwater (1778-1867) of Circleville, who was one of the first Ohio historians and forest conservationists. Atwater was also a large proponent of state-funded education and pushed the state government of Ohio to pursue it through the sale of public land versus a property tax. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03930
Subjects: Circleville (Ohio); Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Cultural Ohio--Education; Ohio--Politics and government
Places: Circleville (Ohio); Pickaway County (Ohio)
 

Description: Taken by photographer Ihna Thayer Frary in 1924, this photograph shows the Congregational Church in Atwater, Ohio. Built in 1841, the structure features Federal and Greek Revival architectural elements. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and continues operation today as a non-denominational church. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1873, Ihna Thayer Frary was a prominent American art and architecture scholar, whose primary interest was the architectural heritage of the region of northeastern Ohio known as the Western Reserve. In addition to serving as publicity and membership secretary of the Cleveland Museum of Art, he was a professor of Ohio and American architecture at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Western Reserve University’s School of Architecture. Over the course of his career, Frary was a design consultant for private clients and designed furniture, and was an active member of several prominent arts councils in the Cleveland area. In 1963, Frary and his two sons donated his entire photographic collection to the Ohio Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection). The Ihna Thayer Frary Collection consists of 4,000 5 x 7 photographs of private residences, churches, taverns, and public buildings, as well as select rural buildings, bridges, archaeological sites, and public monuments. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P112_B54A_2045_01
Subjects: Frary, I. T. (Ihna Thayer); Photography--Ohio; Western Reserve; Architecture--Ohio; Churches;
Places: Atwater (Ohio); Portage County (Ohio)
 

Description: Taken by photographer Ihna Thayer Frary in 1926, this photograph shows the doorway to an unidentified house located south of Atwater, Ohio. The doorway has a post and lintel frame and semicircular transom window. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1873, Ihna Thayer Frary was a prominent American art and architecture scholar, whose primary interest was the architectural heritage of the region of northeastern Ohio known as the Western Reserve. In addition to serving as publicity and membership secretary of the Cleveland Museum of Art, he was a professor of Ohio and American architecture at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Western Reserve University’s School of Architecture. Over the course of his career, Frary was a design consultant for private clients and designed furniture, and was an active member of several prominent arts councils in the Cleveland area. In 1963, Frary and his two sons donated his entire photographic collection to the Ohio Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection). The Ihna Thayer Frary Collection consists of 4,000 5 x 7 photographs of private residences, churches, taverns, and public buildings, as well as select rural buildings, bridges, archaeological sites, and public monuments. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P112_B54B_2623_01
Subjects: Frary, I. T. (Ihna Thayer); Photography--Ohio; Western Reserve; Domestic architecture; Doors & doorways
Places: Atwater (Ohio); Portage County (Ohio)
 

Description: This portrait of John Henry Grate, former Commander in Chief and Commander of State of the Grand Army of the Republic, was taken on June 11, 1947, when Grate was 101 years old. At the time he died on June 7, 1949, Grate was the last surviving Union veteran in Portage County, Ohio. Born in Edinburg Township, Ohio, in 1845, Grate enlisted in Company F of the Ohio 6th Cavalry Regiment on October 4, 1863. He was mustered out on June 27, 1865, and returned to Portage County where he worked as a buggy maker and farmer. He was an active member in the G.A.R. throughout his life, and served as Commander of the Ohio Department of the organization as well as National Commander from 1946-1947. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SC398_01
Subjects: Grand Army of the Republic; United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865; Veterans; Military Ohio;
Places: Atwater (Ohio); Portage County (Ohio);
 

Description: Nathan Guilford (1804-1859) was a strong proponent for publicly-funded education in the state of Ohio. When Caleb Atwater successfully lobbied the legislature and Governor Allen Trimble to establish a commission to study the feasibility of creating common schools in Ohio, Guilford supported the effort and was a member of the commission. The two men differed on the means of raising money to support the school systems, however, with Atwater advocating selling government land and Guilford supporting a property tax. Guilford served two years as the first superintendent of the Cincinnati school district. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03971
Subjects: Education--Ohio; Cincinnati Public Schools; Educators
Places: Cincinnati (Ohio); Hamilton County (Ohio)