The Methodist church shown above was dedicated in 1877. Situated at the corner of Fifth and Juliana streets, it replaced a former Methodist Church that burned in 1873. It may have been bell-ringing from the tower shown above that “annoyed” one of the writers below. Today the site of the former church is a parking lot for Trinity Episcopal Church. Formerly, Dudley’s Florist and Miller’s Furniture occupied the site. (Photo Provided)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following historical excerpts contain descriptive language that would be understood today to be offensive and would not be printed.

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A little fresh

A young man from Ritchie County got beastly drunk last night and was promptly put in the county cooler until he could sober up. This morning he was taken before Judge Conley and fined $10, which he refused to pay, saying that he had a right to get drunk in this city if he wanted to. At last he offered to pay $7.50, but he swore he would not pay ten. Chief Beckwith at once took possession of the fresh young man’s gold watch, and the f.y.m. started out in search of three lawyers to help him secure his rights. The young man is too fresh for this frosty weather.

The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

March 18, 1887

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A man was arrested yesterday afternoon by Capt. Dils for using profane language on lower Market street. He was told by his friends that if he did not keep quiet he would be arrested by the police and when he got on his horse to go home, he gave a yell and said he did not care for all the “d—n policemen” in town. The Chief heard the remark, and gently “hossed” him off of his “hoss” and escorted him into the presence of Judge Snodgrass, who fined him $4.50 for his loud and bad talk.

The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

May 25, 1889

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A sleep walker’s adventure

A young man living in the East End is addicted to somnambulism and in the next house, to which he lives, resides a worthy couple who have a pretty plump daughter. It so happened, strange to say, that the young man’s latest sleepwalking mania took him to his neighbor’s house, into the back door, on into the young ladies room and up to her bed (she had retired for the night) where he lay down at her feet. The young lady woke up and screamed, which brought her parents to the scene. In the excitement the young man came to his right mind, realized his predicament and precipitately fled. The next day the father went before ‘Squire Stapleton, and swore out a warrant for the young man’s arrest. The paper was served by Constable Beckwith and the offender was brought to the ‘Squires office. Before the case came to trial, however, the matter was compromised, the young man protesting his innocence so earnestly and proving that he often walked in his sleep, and so the affair was dropped. There is no doubt of the young man’s innocence, and the occurrence was an unfortunate one.

Excerpt from The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

June 4, 1889

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A prominent gentleman said yesterday: “I notice that you frequently have something to say about nuisances, why don’t you try to have the ringing of church bells suppressed? Some of the churches have no bells and they get along quite as well as those that are ringing their bells all the time. People have clocks and watches and nobody is governed by the ringing of the church bell. It is an awful nuisance to people living near these churches.”

The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

July 1, 1891

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.