“The community was shocked and grieved to hear of the death, by drowning, on the Fourth, last Wednesday, of Edward Z Julian, more familiarly known as Ed Julian.’ The particulars as we glean them are as follows: Young Julian accompanied by John Edwards, one of his associates, took an express, and leaving the city at 11 o’clock AM, proceeded to MIller’s gove, where the congregation of the Church of St. Mary’s, with Pabst’s band were picnicking. They remained here until about half past two o’clock, when Edwards proposed going over the river to King’s grove, where the congregation of the Holy Redeemer were spending the Fourth.”
“Before they started they drank a glass of iced lemonade, lit their cigars, and started across the bottoms under a scorching sun for the river. Arriving at the Ohio they found no skiff and Edwards proposed swimming the river, something he says he had often done before. The twain then constructed a raft of two logs upon which to place their clothes to keep them dry, and Julian, who was the poorer swimmer of the two told Edwards he must push the raft before him. Edwards and Julian then took a log each and started across. Edwards was in advance, and the two kept up conversation until near the middle of the river when Edwards took the cramp in one of his legs; he took his leg out of the water, and resting it on the log working with it and talking to Julian, without response.”
“When the cramp left him he turned and looked back to see why his companion had not answered him, to find that he was gone, and the log upon which Julian was swimming floating down with the current. He went on and soon reached the Kentucky shore repeating the story of Julian’s drowning, but it was too late. The water had closed over him forever. Every effort has been made thus far to find the body to no effect. It is supposed the under current of Tygart creek has carried the body some distance from where he went down. The water where it is believed he went down, is over 30 feet deep.”
“Ed Julian is the son of BR Julian1, living on Sixth street, and was born May 4, 1858, in Lancaster, Ohio. He was a universal favorite, and a musical prodigy. There was no musical instrument that he could not perform on. He often gave exhibitions of his wonderful musical genius in local entertainment. We have seen him play a stringed instrument, while a wind instrument held to his mouth by an assistant, made sweet sounds a the same time. He was passionately fond of music, and was a genial, sociable young man. He was about to take the agency for a large music house in Columbus, having received a postal card the evening before his death which he was to answer on the morning on the 5th, and close the trade, having sent on letters of recommendation that were satisfactory to the firm, one of which was written at his request by the writer of this article. The death of Julian is sincerely regretted by his many friends and acquaintances, while his loss in musical circles will be seriously felt.”2
“The body of Edward Z. Julian, the particulars of whose drowning on the Fourth, we published last week, was found last Saturday afternoon, near the water works, floating down the river. The body was satisfactorily identified at the inquest, a cousin of the deceased being thoroughly convinced by a number of marks given by Mrs. Julian3. The stature, color of hair, and general description were such as to leave no doubt in the minds of his relatives as to the identity, although the wildest and most contradictory rumors have been set afloat that it was not young Julian’s body. In conversation with Mrs. Julian yesterday, she expressed considerable feeling at the loss of her son whose untimely death is to be greatly deplored.”4
- Butler R. Julian
- Sad Fate of “Ed” Julian. (1877, July 7). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.
- Malinda Bussart Julian
- E.Z. Julian’s Body Recovered. (1877, July 14). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.
