The Great Black Swamp OHIO

OHIO The Great Black Swamp least not entirely. He was a primary one being dried and ground pharmacist, and reportedly a good blackberry root. This may seem an unusual by Joe Terry one. ingredient, but The Herbalist by Joseph By the time the young man arrived in E. Meyer states “This shrub is rich in the mid-1880’s, he found there was tannin and is therefore a good astringent already a druggist or two in business. The and tonic, long a favorite home remedy earliest recorded was W.H. Spayde, in for diarrhea.” 1881. By 1885, the first recorded year of The fact that Mr. Harter applied for a There are regions in the United States his presence in town, Mr. Harter is in trade mark meant that he had high hopes that were named for what they were. competition with Simon Wolf. Shortly for his Black Swamp Blackberry. He first Yellowstone, the Smokey Mountains, the after that Mr. Wolf moved to Fremont to started advertising the same year he Great Salt Lake are all accurately practice his profession. received the trade mark, 1893. This he did descriptive terms. For us here in His name was Helon Gepman Harter, n several local papers. “Better than Gold” Northwest Ohio it was “The Great Black a native of New York State born on proclaimed these little paid Swamp”. This miasmatic film of mud and October 30, 1858 in the town of Columbia. announcements, “for the cure of diarrhea, water covered many of this area’s counties, Little is known of his early life, especially colic, cramp, cholera, cholera and small patches still remain. It was an what attracted him to a town like Helena. infantum…and all summer complaints.” unhealthy locale, haven for mosquitoes There must have been something, as he and disease that even the local Indians lived there over 15 years. The popularity gradually increased to avoided whenever possible. He quickly established a brisk trade, the point that Mr. Harter outgrew both his Ailments in this area were numerous and just as speedily learned to recognize store and the small town he had adopted. and often deadly. Intestinal problems were oft asked for remedies. He began In an effort to increase his enterprise both among the disorders, and they too could concocting and marketing his own, the in size and recognition, he moved it to be lethal, especially to the very young and most popular being a preparation for Toledo, Ohio in 1900. He also involved a very old. Even when not fatal, the intestinal complaints. This one in few people in it, so as to have more capital. symptoms were uncomfortable, causing particular soared to a high popularity The firm was now H.G. Harter and many a trip to the outhouse. Enter our among its users. In a day and age when Company, with their new location at 629 hero. one’s face and name on the label were the Main Street, though a few years down the He was relatively young; only in his standard, Mr. Harter chose something road the business relocated to 609 S. St mid-twenties. He arrived in the town of much bigger, and at least locally, more Clair. It was here the firm was to remain Helena, Ohio. The town is still there, recognizable. until the end. situated on Route 6 between Bowling The name was distinctive enough that The enterprise continued to grow, until Green and Fremont. Helena was a growing the United States Patent Office granted it it expanded beyond its limited financial community, in no small part due to the trade mark #23149. The name chosen was capacity. On August 12, 1911 the state recent discoveries of gas and oil in the “Black Swamp” of course. The concoction ratified articles of incorporation for The area. He didn’t come for that reason, at consisted of a mixture of herbs, the H.G. Harter Company. The firm still Mr. Harter remained the head of his company throughout his life. He fell into declining health in the 1930’s, a victim of diabetes. He lapsed into a coma in September of 1937, and passed away on the twenty third. Up until the time of his death he had lived above the factory on St Clair Street. Helon had only one son, Herold M. Harter. He, in turn, had two; Helon G. Harter II and Herold M. Harter Jr. These boys took over their grandfather’s business, but only manufactured “Black Swamp for a year. By 1939, the firm disappears Even locally, Black Swamp bottles are Blackberry”, but in addition was selling from the city directories. It is difficult to somewhat rare. I have two, and several other “Black Swamp” products, such as guess what happened, but part of it may area collectors have some as well, but I liver pills, syrup, ointment, and have been the looming of World War II. have seen no more for sale. None are sarsaparilla. They also introduced a ranch Likely due to the war was the fact that the embossed with a town, so distinguishing food, for cattle, and later still a hog tonic. firm wasn’t officially dissolved until those from Helena and those from Toledo As time went on they continued to add to October 15, 1946. is an impossible task unless the label is their repertoire. Crewso Poultry Powders, still on the bottle. Challenge Headache Tablets, Noxit Quinine Laxative Tablets and The Renzlo Treatment for Dyspepsia and Nerves were Joe Terry is a staff writer for the all available from the Harter Company. Whittlemark, Findlay (Ohio) As the years went by, people grew less Antique Botttle Club’s newsletter. He familiar with the benefits of blackberry. can be reached at PO Box 243, To the general public, blackberries were Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. for pies and jam, not medicine. To this end, the name was changed to Black Swamp Bowel Remedy, an interesting moniker, as the use of the word “bowel” on a bottle is rare indeed..

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