When completed, c.1860, the Wood County courthouse shown above, had a very tall steeple. Struck by lightning in 1873, the steeple was replaced with a dome. With a booming grow rate and industry, the courthouse was deemed too small after just 39 years. The “funnel” shaped object seen to the right of the courthouse tower is actually a Third Street streetlight. Our current courthouse was completed in 1901. (Photo Provided)

Old Court Room Will Be But A Memory In A Short Time; Judge Jackson Bids Adieu to an Old Friend

The remarks of Judge James Monroe Jackson, who has occupied the bench at the old court house with so much ability for so many years, when he discharged the Criminal Court jury this morning were appropriate and were listened to with deep interest by those present.

In discharging the jury Judge Jackson said that it was perhaps the last time the Court or the jury would sit in the old Court room where justice had been dispersed for so many years, as it soon would be a memory of the past.

He parted from the old court room with regret in some respects on account of the many pleasant associations that surround it, and partly on account of the great and stirring scenes that had been enacted within its walls, which are familiar to all our people.

Excerpt from The Parkersburg Semi-Weekly Sentinel

June 20, 1899

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Into The Past Has Drifted the Old Court House – Its Days of Usefulness Over

The first blow that was the beginning of the end of the old court house was struck at an early hour Friday morning July 7 [1899], by Hubert Dickel’s gang of roofers.

Thirty-nine years ago from that day, the building was under course of construction.

George Niswander and Patrick Doyle had a hand in the building of the old house – the former remodeling the first spire ever put up and the latter carrying the slate used in the roof.

Excerpt from The Parkersburg Gazette

July 29, 1899

[Something to ponder: Razing of the court house shown above began July 7, 1899. The cornerstone of the present courthouse was placed October 5, 1899, just three months later!]

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Shoes In A Brick Wall

John Merrick, the veteran bricklayer, and by the way one of the best in town, helped to construct the old court house. One Saturday evening during the progress of the work some of the boys invited him out to have a [good] time. He had just purchased a new pair of shoes, and, as he did not desire to carry them around he hid them, and seven dollars in paper money in the wall of the court house, bricking them up out of sight. On Monday morning when he went around to get his shoes and money, he had forgotten the exact spot that he had hidden them and soon gave up the search, as the other men had begun work and were laying brick all along the walls.

The incident was forgotten until the old court house was being torn down last week, when a pair of ancient shoes, in a fair state of preservation, fell out of the wall and were picked up by a workman. There was considerable curiosity as to how they got into the wall and the matter was talked about. Someone conversant with the affair explained that they were put there by Merrick 40 years ago, and Merrick himself corroborates the story himself. The money was not found.

The Parkersburg Semi-Weekly Sentinel

Aug. 1, 1899

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To follow: Constructing the current courthouse.

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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.