By Pamela Pattison Lash
The newspaper article alluded to an affair between the blacksmith’s wife and a former Sheriff of Williams County, Ohio. The reader will decide if there were any grounds for this accusation.
The Bryan Press, July 1877
Pistols for two. Wednesday Henry Walker received a letter of which this is a verbatim copy: “Mr H L Walker, Sir, I will give you 48 hours to leave this town and if you don’t you had better git your coffin, you have sneaked around my place for the last time. You can’t sneak threw Grases yard any more. Yours truly, J Gordon.”
Mr Walker dispatched a mutual friend to Gordon to ascertain the cause of the trouble. Gordon said the mutual relations between Walker and his wife warranted his putting a bullet through Walker on sight. The trouble is Gordon is next to insane with jealousy and has done just as ridiculous things with other prominent citizens. There is no foundation for his suspicions with anybody. Squire Stough has put Gordon under $500 bond to keep the peace.
First, here’s some data on the Gordon family:
James Montgomery Gordon (15 Jan 1831 New Brunswick, NJ – 8 Feb 1914 Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH @82Y 11M 21D); carriage maker; informant on death certificate: Mrs Tillie Wright
The Bryan Democrat, 13 Feb 1914, p8 obituary of James Gordon
Mary Jane Bibler (23 Oct 1827 Marion Co, OH – 11 Oct 1910 @82Y 11M 12D Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH; burial in Fountain Grove Cem, Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH) d/o Samuel and Mary “Polly”Perky Bibler; informant on death certificate: Matilda G Wright
The Bryan Democrat, 14 October 1910, p1 obituary of Mary Jane Gordon – left to mourn by husband, daughter, Mrs MG Wright, and granddaughter; member of Methodist Church for many years.
In the Republican Standard, Williams County, Ohio, 21 November 1857 (the start date for the blacksmith ad was 12 November 1857), there is an advertisement for a new blacksmith shop in Bryan:
James Gordon and John Curran of Gordon and Curran
Would respectfully announce to the citizens of Bryan that they have opened a shop and will carry on the business in all its branches at their stand off Main Street near the Depot, first door south of the Foundary of Parks and Hatswell. All work entrusted to them done with most success and dispatch.
Therefore, James Gordon set up a partnership and advertised as of 12 November 1857 which would place him in Williams County before his marriage.
Several online researchers have stated that in Jan 1858 James Montgomery Gordon married Mary Jane Bibler. I have not been able to confirm or deny this date, but the marriage is not recorded in Williams County, Ohio.
Their daughter – Matilda B Gordon (15 Dec 1859 Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH – 31 May 1950 Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH)
1860 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M653_1052; Page: 38; Image: 80; Family History Library Film: 805052.
h/h /578 Gordon, James 29 NJ blacksmith
Mary J 32 OH
Matilda B 6/12 OH
Fish, Watson 21
1870 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 175A; Image: 353; Family History Library Film: 552781
h/h 249/249 Walker, Henry L 50 PA farmer
Lydia 51 OH
Mary 17 OH
Flora 14 OH
Alice 10 OH
1870 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 175A; Image: 353; Family History Library Film: 552781
h/h 21/21 Gordon, James 39 NJ blacksmith
Mary Jane 42 OH manton maker??
Matilda 10 OH
Barbara 17 OH manton maker
In July 1877 the “pistols for two” news article was published.
The Bryan Democrat, 19 July 1877
Warren Wright formerly of this place, now of Logansport, IN, is in the city visiting numerous friends.
An online source (not dated) has this tidbit – “Warren Wright, who has been in the employ of A. W. Killet's for something over a year, took his departure last Tuesday evening for Logansport, IN, where his services have been engaged by a merchant tailoring establishment. Although Warren was comparatively a stranger in our city, having been in our midst but a short time, so to speak, he has endeared himself to a large circle of acquaintances who, by his goodness of heart and character, soon learned to become his warm personal friends. May success be with you, Warren, is the most earnest wish of the friends whom you have left behind.” [Newspaper Clipping in Cathrine Green Wright's Bible]
On 4 September 1877 Ohio v James Gordon, case #1943 is listed in the General Index of Williams Co, OH Probate records.
1 Nov 1879 Matilda Gordon married Warren Thomas Wright at Hudson, Lenawee Co, MI; Warren was born on 1 Jan 1852 in Fairfield Twp, Lycoming Co, PA; their daughter, Audrey was born on 15 Oct 1880 in Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH
1880 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1078; Family History Film: 1255078; Page: 651B; Enumeration District: 12; Image: 0164.
h/h 440/466 Gordon, James 49 NJ-NJ-NJ blacksmith
Mary J wife 52 dressmaker OH-OH-PA
1880 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1078; Family History Film: 1255078; Page: 657A; Enumeration District: 12; Image: 0175.
h/h 566/591 Wright, Warren 28 tailor PA-PA-PA
Matilda 20 wife OH-OH-OH
Matilda Gordon Wright v Warren Wright (Journal 14 p169-170 - 13 June 1887; Roll 14)
She charged her husband with being willfully absent for three years or more and guilty of gross neglect. She wanted custody of daughter Audrey and the rights to her own property in Bryan. A divorce was granted.
1900 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 112.
Lynn St
h/h 319/324 Gordon, Jas 69 (Jan 1831) mar 42Y NJ-NJ-NJ carpenter
Mary J 72 (Oct 1827) wife 1/1 ch OH-OH-OH
Wright, Matilda 40 (Dec 1859) dau divorced OH-NJ-OH manager of telephone exchange
Audry 19 (Oct 1880) gr-dau single OH-OH-OH clerk for telephone exchange
On 3 Nov 1903 Audrey Wright married Carl Owen Deal in Williams Co, OH; they later divorced.
Bryan Democrat, 25 Aug 1904 p5 – M/M Carol Deal of Cincinnati, OH spent a few days with Mrs Wright. Yesterday they left for Three Rivers, MI to remain for some time with Mr Deal’s parents as he has been quite sick for some time.
1910 Pulaski, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T624_1241; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0128; Image: 895; FHL Number: 1375254.
309 Lynn St
h/h 255/256 Gordon, James 79 mar 1x mar 53Y NJ-none-none no occup
Mary Jane 72 wife mar 1x mar 52Y 4/3 ch OH-OH-OH no occup
Wright, Matilda 51 dau divorced 1/1 ch OH-NJ-OH agent at ticket office
Audrey 29 gr-dau divorced OH-PA-OH bookkeeper in bank
On 30 May 1917 Audrey Wright married Lafayette C Develin in Detroit, Wayne Co, MI
The Bryan Times, 3 Apr 1950 p1 obit of Matilda Gordon Wright
Fountain Grove Cemetery, Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH (WCGS, p71)
Wright, Matilda Gordon 1859-1950
Gordon, Mary Jane 1827-1910
Gordon, James 1831-1914
Develin, Audry Wright 1890-1942
As to the receiver of the threatening letter, here is what I have found concerning the Walker family.
Henry L Walker (c1820 PA – 7 Feb 1879 Cleveland, OH with burial in Fountain Grove Cem, Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH)
Lydia Snyder (c1819 OH - 11 Oct 1889 Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH with burial in Fountain Grove Cemetery)
On 15 Nov 1845 in New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas Co, OH, Henry S Walker married Lydia Snyder.
1850 Center, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M432_741; Page: 65B; Image: 132.
h/h 10/10 Walker, Henry L 31 PA carpenter and joiner
Lydia 31 OH
Erastus 3 OH
Putnam 1/12 OH
1860 Centre, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M653_1052; Page: 77; Image: 158; Family History Library Film: 805052.
h/h 1212/1166 Walker, Henry B 40 PA merchant
Lydia 41 OH
Mary O 7 OH
Florence 5 OH
Henry 2 OH
There is an L Henry Walker, aged 43, farmer, born in OH, who was on the draft registration for Farmer Twp, Defiance Co, OH. The age is right but the place of birth is not; however, Farmer Twp is contiguous to Center Twp so it may be the information was for this man.
1870 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 175A; Image: 353; Family History Library Film: 552781
h/h 249/249 Walker, Henry L 50 PA farmer
Lydia 51 OH
Mary 17 OH
Flora 14 OH
Alice 10 OH
According to The History of Williams County, Ohio, Weston Goodspeed, 1882, p240, Henry L or S Walker was the Sheriff of Williams County between 1872-1874.
On 15 Mar 1877 in Williams Co, OH, Mary O Walker married HW Gibson
On 7 February 1879 Henry L Walker aged 58Y 7M 11D died in Cleveland, OH; he was born in PA and was a mechanic; his death was attributed to calculus (Williams County, OH Deaths, V1 p53)
On 20 March 1879 the estate of Henry L Walker was probated (Williams County, OH Probate, case number 2104).
1880 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1078; Family History Film: 1255078; Page: 642D; Enumeration District: 12; Image: 0146.
h/h 250/272 Walker, Lydia 61 OH-VA-PA widow
Florence 24 dau OH-PA-OH milliner
Margaret 19 dau OH-PA-OH music teacher
On 26 Aug 1886 in Williams Co, OH. Alice M Walker married Joseph T Newman
On 11 October 1889 Lida Walker died in Williams Co, OH (Williams County, OH Deaths, V3 p146)
Fountain Grove Cemetery, Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH (WCGS, p41)
Walker, Henry L – no dates
Lydia B, w/o Henry – no dates
Williams Center Cem, Center Twp, Williams Co, OH (Center Twp, Williams County, OH Cemeteries, WCGS, p78)
Walker, Erastus s/o HL and L no dates
Henry s/o HL and L d 7 Feb 1862 @3Y 4M 5D
Erastus N s/o HL and L d 11 July 1852 @3Y 5M 28D
David W s/o HL and L d 2 July 1852 @1Y 11M 19D
David W small stone
Bryan Press, 25 Aug 1904 – Florence A Walker
Bryan Press, 7 Mar 1889, p3 c4 – Lydia Walker
Bryan Democrat, 7 Mar 1889 p5 – Mrs Henry L Walker – widow of Henry L Walker died at her home on South Lynn St
Bryan Press, 20 Sept 1923 - Margaret Walker Newman
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