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SANDSTONE AND CHISEL: THREE HISTORIC OHlO "INDIAN" ROCK CARVINGS by James L. Murphy Professor Emeritus Ohio State University Libraries Columbus, OH 4321 0 INTRODUCTION According to Lee Jobes, his father had diers - besides Washington and Grant, considerable spare time while monitoring Theodore Roosevelt, General William T. Historic rock carvings often have in- the oil wells and began rock carving to pass Sherman, and General James B. McPher- trinsic interest as folk art, not to mention the time. Besides the lndian head near Bar- son are represented. Scattered throughout their historic significance, and are worth tlett, he also made a number of carvings the wooded park are additional smaller documenting for that reason alone. Also, in sandstone outcrops along Muskingum bas-relief carvings along the sandstone in today's politically charged climate, ar- River tributaries near Stockport. Most of ledges. These include an lndian head and chaeologists and historians are often re- these, however, were subsequently van- torso, replete with feather headdress and quired to assess the validity of "lndian dalized. For this reason, a more specific rock carvings," as it is sometimes difficult raised tomahawk, on a ledge next to an- location for the Jobes lndian Head Petro- other carving that resembles President Ru- to distinguish Historic rock carvings from glyph is not provided here. (Many years therford B. Hayes, during whose term ma- prehistoric carvings. Unfortunately, po- liticizing rock art has become a common ago there was a somewhat similar, elabo- jor reforms in United States lndian policy tactic with some Native Americans, so that rately lndian head carved by an unknown were initiated (Figure 3). it is important to document the specific na- sculptor in Silver Switch Hollow, a tributary As with the Jobes lndian Head carving, ture and history of any and all "Indian rock of the Ohio River between East Liverpool the feathered headdress alone is sufficient carvings" before they can be co-opted by and Wellsville, Columbiana Co., Ohio, but to identify the Baughman lndian as a mod- any particular group. Three such Historic it, too, was destroyed by vandals.) ern work; its location adjacent to a putative carvings are documented in this article. No one is likely to mistake the Jobes sculpture of President Hayes only under- lndian Head for prehistoric art, especially scores the point. Tool marks are not con- since it is three-dimensional, clearly signed spicuous on these carvings, although chisel THE JOBES INDIAN HEAD ROCK, and dated, and includes an lndian head- marks are plainly discernible on many of the WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHlO dress more typical of Plains lndians than other Baughman sculptures. Nearby is a par- In September, 2007, while trying to lo- those who inhabited Ohio, Its location tial sculpture of what may be intended as the cate a purported lndian rock carving in the along an abandoned road cut into the head of a bison (Fig. 4) but clear traces of village of Bartlett, Washington Co., Ohio, I small cliff is further evidence, although the metal tool-making are present on it. Again, learned from local historian Myrtie McVicar strongest evidence is the information pro- context and documented history leave no of nearby Vincent, of an Historic petroglyph vided by Lee Jobes. question about the origin of these carvings. in the form of an lndian head. She put me in contact with Lee Jobes, the son of the THE BAUGHMAN PARK THE PORTSMOUTH man who made this and other carvings, as INDIAN HEAD ROCK INDIAN HEAD ROCK well as Dana McAtee, who kindly took me to the location of the Jobes petroglyph. Baughman Park has been much in the Unquestionably the oldest of these three The carving is located on a small sand- news recently due to the auctioning of the "Indian" carvings, the Portsmouth lndian stone cliff adjacent to an abandoned road in more prominent, free-standing rock art. Head rock is also the most controversial. It Fairfield Township, Washington Co., about The story of this remarkable sculpture park is an eight ton sandstone boulder that until a mile south of Union Cemetery, and cannot has been detailed by Aaron Keims (2001). September 9, 2007, rested in the Ohio River be reached by car. Figure 1 shows the main The park is located along a ridge top opposite Portsmouth, Ohio. The boulder features of the carved head, which is three formed of resistant Massillon sandstone, was a local landmark for much of the lgth dimensional and sports afeather headdress. north of Black Run and about three miles century, and many citizens of Portsmouth The carving is about 12 inches high. The west of Frazeysburg, in Jackson Township carved their names or initials on it. The ear- soft Dunkard sandstone is heavily eroded of Muskingum County. liest published reference to it is Squier and and covered with moss and lichens, and the The statues and other carvings at Baugh- Davis' 1848 brief account, though as Coe carving is only moderately well preserved, man Park were the work of Brice Baughman (2008: 3) notes, those authors probably due largely to its heavy relief. More shallow (1 875-1954), whose father Noah Baughman never actually saw the rock. The earliest ac- carvings would by this time undoubtedly opened a sandstone quarry in 1898. Brice count of any substance occurs in the Ports- have been obliterated by weathering. began carving the larger statues in 1898, be- mouth Inquirer of September 26, 1851: Figure 2, taken at a slightly different ginning with William McKinley and continuing "The river is now within three inches of angle, shows the initials L.J. carved im- until 1972, his last effort being the Harding the lndian Head. This mark is the outline of mediately to the left of the head and well statue. (At the recent auction, the McKinley a human head engraved upon a large rock above it is the year 1928. Proximity of statue brought $8500 while Harding's soared now but a few feet from shore. It is said to names, dates, initials, or other carvings to $35,000 and one of Grant to $36,000.) Af- have been cut by the lndians many years do not prove contemporaneity, but in this ter operating a funeral home along with the ago when the river was some two or three case there is reliable oral tradition. Accord- Baughman farm for many years, the elderly feet lower than at present. We do not know ing to Lee Jobes, his father, "Lon" Jobes Baughman moved from the farm to nearby upon what authority the lndians have this (1889-1968) made this and other carvings Dresden. After his death in 1954, the land credit, but think it more likely that the pio- while monitoring oil well drilling in the area. passed through several hands, eventually neers cut it for a low water mark." The 1920 census lists Alonzo B. Jones as being purchased by the Longaberger Co. in A few years later, the Portsmouth Daily a stationary engineer in Wesley Township, 1997, which sold it in February of this year to Tribune (September 5, 1854) reported that Washington Co., while his brother Frank Kevin and Heather Morehouse. "Old river men say that the river is at a J. Jobes was an oil lease boss in Palmer The most dramatic sculptures are the lower stage at Cincinnati than it has been Township. By 1930 Frank was an oil field dozen or so large free-standing statues since 1831. The brief article continued: foreman but "Lon" had taken up farming. of various 1gth century politicians and sol- "Just opposite Portsmouth there is a water mark called the "lndian Head," from was suggested again in 1914 but nothing on using the term "pecked" to describe the its being supposed to have been cut by was done. The rock remained underwater, method of manufacture used on the Ports- the lndians many years ago. It represents except for a brief exposure in 1920, when mouth head, as it obscures his important the rude outlines of a human face, and is a dam downstream was damaged and the (and I would say, incontrovertible) conclu- cut upon the eastern side of a large rock water level lowered. At this point, with a mo- sion that a half-inch wide metal tool was embedded in the water just above Mr. Col- tor boat and considerable ingenuity, broth- used, such as a narrow chisel or perhaps a lings' Tannery. This mark is now more ex- ers Henry T. and Arthur Bannon managed screwdriver. In this case, while oral and writ- posed than since 1849 [i.e., 18391 as will to take a photograph of the carving. Sub- ten tradition is somewhat ambiguous, physi- be seen from the following which we copy sequently, over the ensuing eighty-some cal examination of the carving is conclusive: from the "log" at the U.S. Hotel." years, even the precise location of the rock none of the marks on the rock are American "1839 Nov. 10 Mouth 10% inches out of was forgotten. Finally, in 2002, historian and Indian. This scientific conclusion could not watec.." preservationist Steve Shaffer, rediscovered have been reached if the Portsmouth lndian Other data is given for 1846, 1848, 1849, the rock after several seasons of leading a Head had not been salvaged through the 1851, and 1854, when "mouth just on the scuba diving team in search of it. effot-Laof Steve Shaffer and his associates water-line - therefore lower than since According to Dr. Robert F. Maslowski, re- - at tha~rown expense - making it all the 1839." This information was included in tired archaeologist with the U.S.

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