A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY, OHIO
by K. Todd McCormick, Curator
The more than 42,000 citizens of Logan County and the thousands of tourists who visit here every year enjoy one of the most diverse counties in Ohio. Its water-carved caverns, beautiful hills and valleys, fertile farmland, man-made lake, various industries and rich history makes Logan County a valuable asset to Ohio.
The topography and geology of Logan County are unique and spectacular. Campbell Hill, located two miles east of Bellefontaine, is the highest point in Ohio at 1,549 feet above sea level. Ohio Hi-Point Career Center, a joint-vocational school, is currently at this site. The 664th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was stationed on Campbell Hill in the 1950s and 1960s. The 664th A.C.&W. monitored the skies with a radar system set up on the peak of Ohio.
Logan County also contains some of Ohio's most magnificent caverns. Ohio Caverns, located three miles east of West Liberty, are the state's largest and most colorful caverns. Over time underground rivers and dripping water formed many large and beautiful mineral deposit formations called stalactites (formations hanging from the ceiling) and stalagmites (formations built on the floor). Zane Caverns, near Zanesfield, offers other natural wonders. Rare cave pearl formations are found in these caverns. Zane Caverns are now owned by the Shawnee Remnant Band. The site includes the Shawnee & Woodland Native American Museum.
Two of Ohio's major rivers begin in Logan County. A small stream flows into the waters of Indian Lake from the east and exits the lake in the south. This small stream becomes the Great Miami River. The hills of central Logan County provide the waters for the Mad River. The Mad River flows into the Great Miami River in Dayton, Ohio, about 60 miles from where they begin. Both of these rivers and their valleys have been important to Ohio's inhabitants for housing, transportation, food and water.
Indian Lake is in the northwest corner of Logan County. It is one of the largest man-made lakes in Ohio. In 1850 the commissioners of the Miami-Erie Canal voted to build several lakes or reservoirs in west-central Ohio to feed or supply water to the canals. The Lewistown Reservoir (the original name of Indian Lake) was built between 1851-1857. It covered several thousand acres of woods, swamps and six small natural lakes, including one called Indian Lake. Consequently, many trees and islands (high ground) poked through the surface. This made fishing great but boating dangerous. Over the next several decades the lake was cleaned up by dredging it. When the lake was frozen in the winter men went out onto the ice and cut the tops of trees that were above the surface. The reservoir continued to feed the canals until 1896 when the canals ceased to be used on regular basis.
In 1898 the state of Ohio made the Lewistown Reservoir into a state park and renamed it Indian Lake. The new Indian Lake State Park became a popular vacation place. The surrounding towns of Russells Point and Lakeview, as well as some of the islands, built hotels, restaurants and marinas to accommodate all of the tourists. Fishing, boating and swimming became popular recreational activities for the lake's visitors and residents. During the winter season people went ice fishing and ice skating.
Millions of vacationers came to Indian Lake for other types of entertainment. In the mid-1920s, S. L. Wilgus and his son built a boardwalk and roller coaster in Russells Point and named the park Sandy Beach. Over the years it grew into a popular amusement park. People from all over the county, state and Midwest came to the park. The park closed in the early 1970s due to its run down condition and competition for larger amusement parks.
Many people also came to Indian Lake to listen and dance to some of the country’s most popular bands and orchestras. Musicians who played at the lake’s pavilions and dance halls included Duke Ellington, Ozzie Nelson, Les Brown and many, many more.
Logan County has a long history of people living in it. Artifacts dating from the Archaic Indians (8000 B.C.-1000 B.C.) have been found in the county. Artifacts have also been found of the prehistoric Indians who followed the Archaic. These people included the Adena (800 B.C.-300 A.D.), the Hopewell (100 B.C.-600 A.D.) and the Fort Ancient (800 A.D.-1300 A.D.). These artifacts, such as spear points, arrow points, scrapers, knives and other tools show that people have lived, or at least hunted, in Logan County for 3000 years. They may have been here even earlier. Paleo-Indians (13,000 B.C.-1000 B.C.) may have also hunted on these lands. A tooth from a mastodon, an important animal to the Paleo-Indians, was found near West Liberty.
Many historic American Indians called Logan County home. This area was in the traditional homelands of the Miami. However, they probably shared this land with other tribes as a communal hunting ground that stretched from southwestern Ohio through Kentucky to Tennessee. The Miami, Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Ottawa, Mingo, Seneca, Cherokee and many other tribes hunted on this large tract of land.
The first known villages appeared in Logan County during the 1760s and 1770s. There were anywhere from 12 to 15 Indian towns here. Most of these villages belonged to the Shawnee Nation. The Shawnees were forced by the encroachment of whites to move from their villages in southern Ohio to newer sites in Clark and Greene counties, and later into Miami, Champaign, Auglaize and Logan counties. The Shawnees built several villages along the Mad River called the Mac-A-Cheek towns. These included Moluntha's Town (near present-day West Liberty), named after the principal chief of the Maykujay sept of the Shawnee tribe, and Wapatomica (near present-day Zanesfield), the capitol of the Shawnee nation at this time. Other villages included Blue Jacket's Town (Bellefontaine), Lewis' Town (Lewistown), Old Town (near DeGraff), Stony Creek (near DeGraff), Reed's Town (east of Bellefontaine) and Pigeon Town (northwest of West Liberty).
Other tribes also lived in Logan County. The Wyandot had several villages including Zane's Town (Zanesfleld) and Solomon's Town (north of Huntsville). Bokengehelas' Town (northwest of Bellefontaine) was a major village of the Delaware. The Mingo, Seneca and Cherokee also lived in villages in Logan County. McKee's Town (south of Bellefontaine) was the home Alexander McKee, a British Indian agent and trader. Most of the tribes in the county and surrounding areas went to McKee's trading post to get the goods they needed like weapons, blankets, cooking utensils and clothes.
In the fall of 1786 General Benjamin Logan led a force of U.S. soldiers and mounted Kentucky militia against the Mac-A-Cheek towns. Most of the Shawnee men were on raids against the Kentucky forts. This left only the elderly, women and children to defend the Indian homes. Logan's forces burned the towns and food supplies. They killed several of the Indians and captured many more, including Chief Moluntha. He surrendered himself and his family to Logan. The general put the Shawnee chief under the protection of guards. However, Colonel Hugh McGary broke through the guard and murdered Moluntha with a tomahawk. Logan then had McGary arrested. The death of one of their most respected chiefs angered the Shawnees, who retaliated by fighting even harder against the whites. The Shawnees eventually rebuilt many of their burnt towns on the Mad River and stayed there for another 20 to 25 years.
The Indians of the Northwest Territory (the present-day states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin) experienced two great victories over the Americans in 1790 and 1791 under the leadership of Little Turtle of the Miami and Blue Jacket of the Shawnee. However, in 1794 the Indian confederacy under Blue Jacket suffered a great defeat to the United States' army led by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in northwest Ohio. The defeat at Fallen Timbers led to the Treaty of Greenville. This treaty gave the U.S. 2/3 of Ohio. The treaty line ran through western and northern Logan County. The lands south of this line now belonged to the Americans and the land north remained in Indian hands. However, most of the Indians in Logan County continued to live south of this line for another 10 to 15 years because very few whites moved into the area.
The Treaty of Greenville was not the last treaty signed by the Indians in Logan County and the United States. A treaty signed in 1817 placed the Indians on reservations. Many of the county's Shawnees and Seneca went to live on the Lewistown Reservation in the northwestern part of the county. The U.S. created another Shawnee reservation in present-day Auglaize County. The tribes stayed on the reservations until 1832, when a third treaty forced all Ohio Indians to leave the state. Most of them moved to reservations in Kansas and Oklahoma.
The American settlement of Ohio began in the early 19th century. Isaac Zane and James McPherson first came to the area as captives of the Wyandot and Shawnees, respectively. Tarhe-the Crane, the principal chief of the Wyandot, adopted the nine-year-old Zane after Wyandot warriors captured the boy on a raid. Zane grew up in the Wyandot culture, but a prisoner exchange forced him to go back to his white home in Virginia. Zane served in the Virginia House of Burgesses (state government), but after a couple of years he decided to return to his Indian home. He came back to Logan County and married Tarhe’s daughter, Myeerah. Tarhe gave Zane his village on the Mad River and the Wyandot chief moved to Solomon's Town in the north central part of the county. The Mad River village then became known as Zane's Town. Isaac Zane became an important liaison between the Indians of Logan County and the Americans.
The Shawnees captured James McPherson when he was a young soldier in the American Army. McPherson lived with Shawnees briefly before he was turned over to the British. The British made him an agent for their Indian allies around Detroit. The British released McPherson after the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. After his release he went back to his home in Pennsylvania. McPherson came to Logan County in the early 1800s. He built a house northwest of Bellefontaine. In the following year the U.S. army built a blockhouse near the McPhersons. It became known as McPherson's Blockhouse. This blockhouse, like others in the county, was used as protection against the Indians. During the War of 1812, settlers and Indians friendly to the Americans stayed at McPherson's Blockhouse. McPherson acted as guide for General Hull when the army started north to fight the British and Indians. After the war McPherson built a trading post near the Lewistown Reservation. His stores provided the Indians with many of their needs.
Simon Kenton was another early settler in Logan County. Kenton ran away from his home in Virginia when he was sixteen because he mistakenly thought he killed a man in a fight. He made his way to the Middle Ground or the frontier of the Kentucky lands. Kenton quickly became an accomplished frontiersmen. The small forts and settlements in Kentucky depended on Kenton for food and protection. Consequently, he roamed all over central and northern Kentucky and sometimes across the Ohio River to hunt animals and to fight Indians who greatly feared and respected his abilities.
In the fall of 1778 Kenton and Alex McIntyre, another Kentucky settler, crossed into Ohio to spy on the Shawnee village of Chalagawtha (near present-day Xenia). After Kenton and McIntyre were finished spying on the Indians they stole some of the Shawnee horses. The two whites broke down the horses' corral and took several horses each before starting back to Kentucky. However, a Shawnee party tracked the white men and horses. They killed McIntyre and captured Kenton.
Since Kenton was such a feared enemy of the Shawnee it was decided that he should be taken to the center of Shawnee nation at Wapatomica (in Logan County) to be executed. The Shawnees took Kenton to many of their villages en route to Wapatomica. The Indians forced Kenton to run gauntlets at most of these towns. A gauntlet consisted of two rows of men, women and children armed with sticks, switches, clubs and other weapons. The prisoner was forced to run through the rows of people as they hit him with the weapons. Many prisoners were severely injured or even killed during a gauntlet. Kenton was made to run nine gauntlets during which he received many broken bones and injuries. As the story goes, before Kenton ran a gauntlet at one of the Mac-A-Cheek towns he fell in love with the beauty of the land. Kenton promised himself that if he escaped from the Shawnees he would return and settle on this land. Kenton fulfilled this promise some thirty years later when he bought land near Zanesfield. Eventually several influential chiefs and British officers convinced the Shawnees to sell Kenton to the British as a prisoner of war. Kenton was taken to Detroit, but within a few months he escaped and returned to Kentucky.
Around 1799 Kenton moved from Kentucky to the Springfield, Ohio area. He then moved to Urbana about 1810 and finally moved near Zanesfield around 1815. He lived there there until his death in 1836. His family buried the body on his farm, but in 1865 the body was removed from the farm's grave and reburied in Urbana, where it remains today.
Other American settlement in present-day Logan County began around 1806. The state officially formed the boundaries of the county in 1817 and named it after General Benjamin Logan. Many of the towns founded by these early settlers were on or near the sites of the old Indian villages because of their ideal location to water and good farm land. Some of these towns included Bellefontaine on the site of Blue Jacket's Town, West Liberty near where Moluntha's Town stood, Zanesfield at Zane's Town, and Lewistown at the same place as the village of the Shawnee chief Captain Lewis.
The southern, southeastern and central regions of Logan County were settled first by Americans. The villages of West Liberty, Zanesfield and Bellefontaine were officially laid out around 1820. The rest of the county followed soon after, except in the northwest corner. This area remained part of the Lewistown Reservation until 1832. Very few Americans moved there after the Indians left because the land was too swampy to farm or build homes. Settlement in this area did not begin in earnest until after the reservoir was built and much of the swampy land was covered with the lake. The population rose greatly after the state established Indian Lake State Park in 1898 and better roads and railroads reached the region from other places in the county starting in the early 20th century.
Logan County continued to grow throughout the 19th century. Most of the people in the county farmed the land. Those who did not farm worked in the county's other businesses like flour mills, lumber mills, carriage makers, schools, banks and taverns, to name a few.
The summer of 1837 forever changed Logan County, especially Bellefontaine. In July of that year the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad Company completed the first railroad in Bellefontaine. This marked the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship between the railroad and Logan County. Over the next hundred plus years Bellefontaine and several other county villages became more and more dependent on the railroad, while the railroad companies increasingly used Bellefontaine and these villages as integral points on their lines.
Bellefontaine benefited from the rapid growth of railroads in the United States after the Civil War. Several companies built or used the growing number of tracks in the area. Trains from the West carried raw materials and food products to the East, while trains from the East transported finished goods westward. The South and North shared a similar relationship. From all directions freight trains stopped in Logan County to load up its contributions to the American economy and food supply.
Bellefontaine truly became a major railroad town in the 1890s when the Big Four Railroad Company (Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, & St. Louis) made it one of their main terminals. Bellefontaine served many important functions as a terminal. The Big Four changed both crews and engines in Bellefontaine. Consequently, many railroad workers lived in Bellefontaine or stayed in the boarding houses and hotels that specifically catered to them. The influx of these transitory workers and their many needs greatly enhanced the economy of the town. Although improved steam engines and newer diesel engines lessened the need to change engines, Bellefontaine continued to be a stop for trains to shift crews. Bellefontaine also became a major service and repair center for the Big Four. The company built its largest roundhouse between New York and St. Louis in Bellefontaine. The roundhouse was used as a place for workers to repair and change engines. The roundhouse and surrounding area included a coal dock, car shops, communication stations (telegraph and later telephone), and the division headquarters of the Big Four.
By 1904, one in four people employed in Logan County worked for the railroad. A similar ratio worked for the boarding houses, restaurants, stores and other related businesses that served the railroad and its crews. Thus it would be hard to exaggerate the importance of the railroad to the economy and livelihood of this county. The dominance as an employer and economic source continued through the 1950s with the New York Central system, formerly the Big Four, as the largest railroad company in Bellefontaine.
The railroad brought more than just jobs to Logan County-it brought people. Hundreds of men came to Bellefontaine to work at the roundhouse and other jobs dealing with the railroad. Many of these men and their families settled in the area. This increased the county's population greatly.
Thousands of the other people came through Bellefontaine and the county on numerous passenger trains. Several interurban railroads, which connected major cities in Ohio and the Midwest, also brought people to the area. However, these electric powered trains could not keep up with the competition from the automobile. The last interurban passenger train came through Bellefontaine in November of 1937. The New York Central's passenger trains held out longer with limited runs up until 1971. But ultimately the car, air travel and the federally supported AMTRAK passenger train proved to be too much competition for the New York Central Railway.
The railroad changed the society and culture of Logan County. Trains brought people from all over the U.S. into the county. It also brought news from the state, country and world. Many people from the county gathered at the various train depots to see all of the passengers and to hear the news.
Bellefontaine reached its peak as a railroad town in the 1940s and 1950s. However, its days as a railroad town would slowly come to an end. The arrival of the more efficient diesel engines in the late 1950s and early 1960s lessened the importance of the roundhouse. This new type of engine, the emergence of newer means of personal travel and semi-truck freight transport greatly decreased railroad traffic through Bellefontaine. The roundhouse closed its doors in 1980 and on May 18,1983, Conrail, the latest in a long line of railroad companies, moved its terminal from Bellefontaine to Crestview, Ohio. This ended crew changes in Bellefontaine and its importance as a railroad town.
Logan County played an important part in another kind of railroad. The Underground Railroad had several stations in the county in 1830s - 1850s. The Underground Railroad was a covert and illegal system for slaves to escape the South by hiding in the homes and farms of Northern people who wanted to help them get out of slavery. The following are some of the people of Logan County who participated in the Underground Railroad.
Henry Pickrell built a house on County Road 28 north of Pickrelltown. The house had four secret hiding places behind the walls and one in the cellar. Pickrell's house served as the next stop for slaves coming from another site in Champaign County or from West Liberty. The route from West Liberty did not have a pilot (someone who guided the slaves from one site to another). Instead the slaves followed a path marked by nicks in trees that told them which way to go. Most escaping slaves that Pickrell and his son, a pilot, helped went from the Pickrell home to another stop in Rushsylvania.
William Stephenson used his home just east of Rushsylvania as a stop on the Underground Railroad. This house had a secret door to a basement underneath the front of the house. Slaves also hid in an upstairs room, underneath a rock bridge on the property, and in a cave in the farm's rock quarry. Slaves went from Stephenson's home to stops in Kenton, Sandusky or Northwood.
Isaac Patterson operated a station in a cave near Northwood. Many times runaways stayed here for several days or even weeks until the authorities quit looking for them. Slaves had to use the password "Boston" to get in the cave. The next stop for the railroad was in Kenton. Many times students from the nearby Geneva College guided the runaways to Kenton.
James Torrence also lived in Northwood. He shipped grain and feathers north to Sandusky. Sometimes he hid runaways in his wagons to help them get farther north.
Joseph Aiken of Northwood sheltered slaves in his house and his brother William acted as a pilot.
There were several other people in Logan County who took active roles on the Underground Railroad, including the Piatts of West Liberty. However, there were probably other people in Logan County who took part in the Underground Railroad that we do not know about. Since it was a secret system there are only a few written records about its activities. Historians can only study the system by using oral histories passed down from generation to generation. Yet there is no doubt that Logan County played an important role in helping many slaves escape to Canada.
Logan County sent its share of soldiers to fight for the Union during the Civil War. Several volunteer companies were formed by men in the county.
Logan County had many important industries besides the railroad in the late 19th and the 20th century. The A.J. Miller Company began in 1853 by making horse carriages and then started making cars in the early part of this century. However, they could not compete with the larger car makers so they specialized in hearses and ambulances. Over the years the Miller hearses became known and used throughout the world. They moved from Bellefontaine in 1960 and combined with the Meteor Company in Piqua, Ohio. The company then became known as Miller-Meteor.
Many other industries made Logan County their home. Some of these included Westinghouse, Rockwell International, Merchants Industries and Superfoods Inc. Two of the more recent employers in the area are the Transportation Research Center (TRC) and Honda of America. TRC was built near East Liberty in 1966. It is one of the world's largest test centers for all forms of transportation. Honda bought TRC in the mid-1980s. Honda of America built a large plant between Bellefontaine and Marysville in Union County in 1979. Over the last twenty years the main plant and its numerous supply and satellite companies have become one of the area's largest employers.
Despite all of these different industries and businesses in Logan County over the years, agriculture still remains as a principal part of the county’s economy and culture.
Logan County has many unique sites. These include two special streets in Bellefontaine. The first concrete street in America was built in Bellefontaine in 1891. George Bartholomew of the Portland Cement Co. in Marl City, 8 miles northeast of Bellefontaine, experimented with a new process of making concrete. Bartholomew's new process produced a concrete that withstood the wear and tear of horse and carriages, and remained fairly cheap to make. In 1891 the city of Bellefontaine permitted Bartholomew to pave a small section of a street around the Courthouse. Within two years Bartholomew’s concrete was used to pave all of the streets surrounding the Court Square. Court Street is still paved with Bartholomew's concrete. The city closed Court Street in 1991 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of America's first concrete street, but reopened it in 1998 for limited traffic.
Another unique street is found in Bellefontaine. McKinley Street just west of downtown is considered the shortest street in America. It is only about 20 feet long.
Logan County has several historic houses. Two of the more magnificent homes are the Piatt Castles in the Mac-A-Cheek Valley near West Liberty. In 1864 General Abram Sanders Piatt built Castle Mac-A-Cheek in the architectural style of a Norman-French Chateau. The home took seven years to build. All the materials used for the house came from the Piatt property except for the glass and slate roof.
The home contains much of its original furnishings including some that belonged to General Piatt's ancestors who first came to America in the late 17th century. The castle also has a collection of American Indian artifacts, Piatt family military weapons, books, paintings and much more.
General Piatt served as an officer in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. He used his own money to clothe his men when the government could not. He was also a farmer, poet, collector of books, and a social and political leader of Logan County.
Colonel Donn Piatt, Abram's brother, built Castle Mac-O-Chee on the family land in the 1860s and 1870s. The house began as a modest Swiss chalet when Piatt had it built during the Civil War, but in 1870s he expanded into a Flemish Chateau by wrapping the house with limestone. Like the older Piatt home, Castle Mac-O-Chee was extravagantly decorated with fine art and wood work.
Colonel Piatt served in the Civil War. He was also a renowned poet, diplomat, editor and social critic. He hosted numerous parties at Castle Mac-O-Chee with many famous and influential guests in attendance. Both castles are now opened to the public for tours.
BLUE JACKET is one of the most controversial yet important figures in American Indian history. He established a town on the present-day site of Bellefontaine around 1788. His importance comes from his role as a Shawnee warrior, the principal chief of the Maykujay sept of the Shawnee tribe, and eventually the Shawnees' head war chief. Settlers in Kentucky feared Blue Jacket as a leader of raids against their weak forts and their boats on the Ohio River. Blue Jacket, as war chief of the Shawnees, along with Little Turtle, the principal chief of the Miamis, led a confederacy of the Northwest Indians against the Americans in 1790 and 1791. The confederacy destroyed General Josiah Harmar's American army in the summer of 1790. The two chiefs then led the confederacy to the greatest Indian victory ever against an American force, when they massacred General Arthur St. Clair's army in November of 1791. The Indians killed 632 Americans and wounded hundreds more. Of the 920 Americans who took part in the battle only 24 came out of it without any injuries. At the same time only 66 Indians were killed and 9 wounded. This victory far exceeds the number of Americans killed at the more infamous defeat of General George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. Unfortunately, for Blue Jacket and the Indian confederacy the Americans soundly defeated them at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. This time Blue Jacket led the confederacy by himself because Little Turtle did not believe the Indians could defeat the Americans under General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The American victory forced the Indians to sign the Treaty of Greenville giving the U.S. 2/3 of Ohio. Blue Jacket signed the treaty and abided by it for the most part. Soon after the treaty Blue Jacket moved from his town in Bellefontaine to a new town along the Maumee River.
The controversy surrounding Blue Jacket stems from his birth. Some historians believe a Shawnee hunting party captured Marmaduke Van Swearingen in western Virginia in 1771. The Shawnees took the seventeen year-old white boy to their village in southern Ohio. They made him run a gauntlet and then adopted him into their tribe. They renamed the boy Wehyehpihehrsehnwah or Blue Jacket. Blue Jacket quickly adapted to his new lifestyle and became an excellent hunter and warrior. By the time he was 31 years-old he was named the principal chief of the Maykujay Shawnees and in 1790 became the tribe's war chief. He then led the Indian confederacy to two great triumphs before being defeated at Fallen Timbers.
Other historians and genealogists believe Blue Jacket was a full-blooded Shawnee. Their research shows that Marmaduke Van Swearingen would have been too young to be the Blue Jacket who led the Indian confederacy and was the war chief of the Shawnees. There is also controversy over the date of his death, and whether or not he ever gave his support to Tecumseh's confederation before the War of 1812. Both sides of the argument have research that supports their claims. However, the most important thing to remember about Blue Jacket is not whether he was a white man adopted by Shawnees or full-blooded Indian, but that he was a great warrior and leader of the Ohio Indians from about 1770 until his death sometime between 1813 and 1824.
TARHE or THE CRANE was the principal chief of the Wyandot tribe. He lived in Logan County at his town on the present-day site of Zanesfield and later at Solomon's Town north of Huntsville, before he moved further north. The Wyandots, other northwest tribes, and whites respected Tarhe. The Wyandot were considered the “Grandfathers” of all of the tribes in this area because of the length of time that they had been around central Ohio. Consequently, Tarhe's position as the head of the Wyandot put him in a powerful position. Tarhe bitterly opposed Tecumseh's confederation. His opposition caused many other Indians to also oppose Tecumseh. Tarhe went as far as to join the Americans in the War of 1812 to fight the British and Tecumseh's Indians. Tarhe's importance to Logan County also comes from his role as Isaac Zane's adopted father.
ISAAC ZANE see A Brief History in Logan Co., Ohio
JAMES McPHERSON see A Brief History of Logan Co.,Ohio
SIMON KENTON see A Brief History of Logan Co., Ohio
THE PIATT FAMILY has played an important role in Logan County history, society and culture. Benjamin and Elizabeth Barnett Piatt came to Logan County in the 1820s. They built a 17 room log mansion in the Mac-A-Cheek Valley near West Liberty. Other settlers followed and built homes in the valley. Piatt was a federal judge. Mrs. Piatt took an active role in the Underground Raffroad and even used the family property as a station. As a federal judge Mr. Piatt was legally bound to uphold the Fugitive Slave Act and oppose his wife's activities. Thus Mrs. Piatt only hid the runaways when her husband was away from the homestead. The Piatts two youngest sons, Abram Sanders and Donn, built Castles Mac-A-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee, respectively. They continue to affect Logan County history, culture and economy through the thousands of people that tour the castles. (see A Brief History of Logan Co., Ohio p. 10-11)
PHEBE SHARP and her husband Job, settled in Logan County around 1801. The Sharp family became one of the most influential families in the area's, society and politics. Phebe Sharp influenced the Logan County in another way. She was the county's first doctor. She rode her horse around the area helping those that were sick and injured.
JUDGE WILLIAM LAWRENCE (1819-1899) moved to Bellefontaine in 1841 to practice law. Over the next sixty years he became an influential figure in local, state, national and international laws and politics. Throughout his career Lawrence held many different positions, including, school teacher, newspaper reporter, medical student, lawyer, judge, army colonel, wool grower, state legislator, U.S. Representative, vice-president of the American Red Cross, Comptroller of the U.S. Treasury, author, mentor and much more.
Lawrence argued several major land cases in his career as a lawyer. Most of these dealt with reclaiming land from the railroad companies. Lawrence served on the Ohio Supreme Court and in both the Ohio House of Representatives, and Senate. He championed the interests of farmers and wool growers. He established the Bellefontaine National Bank and authored Ohio's Free Banking Law of 1851. President Rutherford B. Hayes named Lawrence the First Comptroller of the United States Treasury, which put him second only to the Secretary of the Treasury. He wrote Decisions of the First Comptroller. This book was later used by the Japanese to help form their treasury department. Judge Lawrence also helped Clara Barton get President James Garfield's support for the American Red Cross. Lawrence then served as the organization's first vice president. Mr. Lawrence also served in the U.S. Congress. He initiated a bill that made the Attorney General's an executive office and helped create the Justice Department. Lawrence may be best known as the author of the brief that spelled out the Crimes for Impeachment against President Andrew Johnson in 1868. Judge Lawrence's intelligence, hard work and many accomplishments not only make him important in Logan County history, but also in American history.
WILLIAM H. WEST (1824-1911) came to Bellefontaine in 1850 to study law under William Lawrence. He eventually became Lawrence's partner. Over the next several decades he rivaled his mentor as an influential person in local, state, and national politics and law. West was one of the founders of Ohio's Republican Party 1854. He and several other prominent men in Bellefontaine, including Lawrence, quickly turned Bellefontaine into a Republican stronghold. West and William Hubbard bought The Logan County Gazette and turned it into The Logan County Republican. This was one of the first, if not the first, pro-Republican newspaper in Ohio. West served in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1857 and 1861 and in the Ohio Senate in 1863. From 1865-1867 he served as the Attorney General of Ohio. In 1871 West was elected to the state Supreme Court. While on the Supreme Court he lost his eyesight, but it did not stop him from fulfilling his duties. The Republicans nominated West as their candidate for Governor in 1877. West took a controversial stance in a major railroad strike that cost him the election, yet he remained a highly respected man. West was best known for his speaking ability. It was this ability and his lack of sight that gave him the nickname "Blind Man Eloquent." West gave the nomination speech for William Blaine at the 1884 Republican National Convention. This speech is considered by many political scientists and historians as one of the finest political speeches in American history. It was understood within the Republican Party that if Blaine had won the presidential election he would have named West the U.S. Attorney General. Judge West, like Judge Lawrence, profoundly affected Logan County history, Ohio history and United States history through his great abilities as a jurist, a politician and a speaker.
DR. EDWARD KNIGHT (1824-1883) was born in London, England but lived much of his life in Logan County. He wrote for many of the most popular magazines of his time including Harpers, Atlantic Monthly, and Scientific American. Knight studied law under the famous Salmon P. Chase and specialized in patent law, originating the officers system of classifying artifacts. Dr. Knight also studied medicine and served as a surgeon during the Civil War. He also represented the U.S. in numerous international expositions. His activities in France led him to be decorated by the French Government with the Legion of Honor. Dr. Knight owned three farms in Logan County where he was a pioneer in fruit tree grafting, plant hybridization, and the use of chemical fertilizers. Despite these many great achievements, Dr. Knight biggest claim to fame occurred after his death. An autopsy discovered that Knight had one of the largest brains in medical history. Knight's brain weighed 1,814 grams compared to the average human brain that weighs 1,350.
WARREN S. CUSHMAN (1845-1936) was a prominent Logan County artist. Cushman's work hung in the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. His portrait of President Rutherford B. Hayes is in the U.S. Capitol. Cushman was born in Woodstock, Champaign County, Ohio. He served as the regimental bugler in the 134th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Cushman also worked at several area resorts such as Springs Hotel, Silver Lake, and Orchard Island. However, Cushman is best known for his artwork. His collection included over 1,000 paintings and numerous sculptures. His Spanish Dancing Girls was exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and later sold for more than $10,000. He taught art and music in Springfield, Ohio from 1883-1890. Dr. Earl Sloan was a patron of Cushman. Sloan commissioned Cushman to paint portraits including his own. Cushman also supervised some of the interior decoration of Sloan's home in New Bern, North Carolina.
DR. EARL SLOAN (1848-1923), a native of Zanesfield, Ohio, left a legacy of generosity to the citizens of Logan County. Dr. Sloan made his fortune with a family recipe for horse liniment that people discovered was also good for human aches and pains. Through brilliant use of marketing, Dr. Sloan made his liniment a household staple. He focused his advertising in the evening papers, for women did the majority of purchasing and he believed they did not have time to read the morning edition. Logan County benefited from Dr. Sloan's fortune. He established a library in Zanesfield in 1914. Legend has it that he was refused the loan of a book as a child because he was too poor and he was determined to establish a place where all children would have easy access to books. Dr. Sloan also established a foundation that still provides equipment for the Bellefontaine City Schools and the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
KIN HUBBARD (1868-1930) was a cartoonist, artist and humorist. He was born in Bellefontaine in 1868. His father was the editor of The Weekly Examiner. Hubbard worked briefly at the Examiner, but then went on several trips to the South, where he worked as a silhouette artist at circuses and county fairs. He returned to Bellefontaine and created a group of entertainers known as "Grand Bellefontaine Operatic Minstrels." Hubbard moved around Ohio and Indiana for several years while holding down various jobs. Finally he settled down in Indianapolis and worked first for the Indianapolis Sun and then the Indianapolis News. While at the News Hubbard created the cartoon Abe Martin. Hubbard used an imaginary Indiana farmer named Abe Martin to state witty and sometimes satiric observations of life and people. Over 3,000 newspapers carried Abe Martin making both the cartoon character and its creator famous. One of Hubbard's best friends was another popular humorist named Will Rogers. Hubbard’s son, Tom, is the longtime owner and editor of The Bellefontaine Examiner newspaper.
LARENCE E. RAUSENBERGER (1887-1980) was one of Logan County’s most distinguished native sons. Born on his family’s farm in DeGraff, the young Rausenberger became very interested in machines and how they worked. As a young man, he restored a steam operated traction machine used to pull a thrasher through the fields. He also reconditioned a gasoline engine that he hooked up to the farm’s well to pump the water so he would not have to pump it by hand. However, it was as an adult that Rausenberger’s superior knowledge of engines impacted the world. Rausenberger developed several airplane engines that made aviation, still in its infancy, safer and more efficient. He built many of his engines at his workshop in Bellefontaine. Some of Rausenberger's engines included the “A-1”, the “B-Series” and the “S/N-2.” Rausenberger went all over the world to demonstrate, promote and sell his innovative airplane engines.
CLARENCE WISSLER (1887-1954) was another pioneer in aviation who happened to hail from Logan County. Wissler designed and built airplanes. Wissler built three of his planes on the second floor of what is now the Stage Department Store in Bellefontaine. Wissler’s knowledge in mathematics and aeronautics allowed him to develop very effective planes. Other plane manufactures, including the military and the Cessna Company consulted with Wissler on the design of their planes.
EDWARD D. JONES (1893-1982) founded the world renown Edward D. Jones & Co. investment firm. He graduated from Bellefontaine High School in 1913. Jones lived most of his teenage years in Bellefontaine and played quarterback on his high school’s football team. Jones then went on to graduate from New York University.
After graduation Jones went to work as a securities salesman for N. W. Halsy & Company in New York. Jones immediately became very good at his job. The company went through several mergers and eventually sent Jones back to Ohio to sell securities and investment deals. Once again Jones was quite successful. In 1920, Jones switched firms and began working for Blair & Company based in St. Louis. Although Jones continued to be effective at his job, a disagreement over his proceeds for a sale forced Jones to leave Blair & Company.
Instead of finding another firm to work for, Edward D. Jones founded his own company and based it in St. Louis. Edward D. Jones & Company quickly became one of St. Louis’ most respected investment firms, primarily due to its founder’s skills as an investor, salesman and manager. Jones’ ability to invest money led to other endeavors, including running his in-laws brewery in St. Louis and sitting on scores of company’s boards of trustees throughout the country.
Edward D. Jones believed the most important part of his company was the salesman. Thus he treated his salesmen very well. He paid them better than most other firms by giving them a larger percentage of commissions. Jones also believed that his firm should be devoted to taking care of the investment needs of rural areas. Thus his salesmen traveled to small towns throughout the Midwest selling securities and investing their clients’ money.
Edward D. Jones, Jr. (Ted) followed in his father’s footsteps as a successful investor and salesman. He also shared many of his fathers ideas on the importance of the company’s salesman and the company’s need to serve rural areas. In 1957, Ted Jones changed the organization of Edward D. Jones & Company by opening a branch office in Mexico, Missouri. He believed the company would better serve its clients and sales people by having one-person branch offices in different towns rather than having its salespeople continually travel around to towns. The branch system became very successful for Edward D. Jones & Company. In 1998, the firm had 4,276 branch offices in the United States, 170 in Canada and 38 in the United Kingdom.
Edward D. Jones & Company remains one of the most respected and successful investment firms in the world. Its founder is yet another famous and influential person who called Logan County home.
NORMAN VINCENT PEALE (1898-1993) was a minister, author, psychologist, radio personality and speaker. Peale combined psychiatric and Christian ideals into his message of “positive thinking.” Peale moved to Bellefontaine in 1913 when his father became the minister of the First Methodist Church. He graduated from Bellefontaine High School. Peale touched millions of people with his teachings. He helped all kinds of people, from the poor to Presidents of the United States. Peale's main theme was "Do the best you can with what you have and you'll go far." His books The Art of Living, You Can Win and The Power of Positive Thinking, just to name a few, all stressed that if you approached life with a good attitude and had faith, then everything would be OK. Peale and his wife founded Guideposts in 1945. This magazine shared stories and articles that showed the power of positive thinking in the actual lives of people. It is the most popular religious magazine of all time. The success of Guideposts and his many books and the popularity of his sermons and speeches all show the impact he has had on American religion and thought.
THE MILLS BROTHERS are one of the most successful singing groups of all time. The Mills Brothers, makers of over 2,500 records and nearly 50 million dollars in records sold, called Bellefontaine home for many years. The group became world renowned entertainers with their distinctive harmonic sound in songs like Paper Doll, Glow-Worm and Cab Driver.
Born in Piqua, Ohio between 1910 and 1915, John C., Herbert, Harry and Donald Mills began singing as young boys in their father's barbershop, on street corners, in churches, at county fairs and in many other venues. Their first big break came in 1925, when they performed on WLW radio in Cincinnati. They signed a contract with CBS radio in New York in 1929. Within a few years they became the first African-American singers to have their own nationally broadcast radio show. Over the next half-century the Mills Brothers recorded numerous chart-topping singles. They performed with Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and many other musical greats. The group held concerts on every continent and performed for such distinguished listeners as King George and Queen Mary of England. They even appeared in several movies in the 1930s. Tragically, John C. died of pneumonia in 1936 but the boys father, John H., replaced him in the group. The Mills Brothers unique singing style crossed generation lines throughout their career. Early on, the brothers developed an ability to imitate musical instruments such as trombones, trumpet, and tubas with only their voices. Many of their performances were done without any instruments. The groups ability to harmonize paved the way for future African-American groups like the Platters, Temptations, and even more recent groups like Boyz II Men. The music of the Mills Brothers can still be heard with John and Donald Mills of the Mills Brothers. Don, the only surviving brother, and his son continue to entertain fans with their singing. The Mills Brothers’ legacy continues in Logan County, with some of their relatives still residing in the area. The city of Bellefontaine plans to name an amphitheater at Southview Park after this famous singing group.
WALTER ALSTON (1911-1984) managed the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1954-1976. He won 2040 games, seven National League Pennants, and four World Series Championships. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. Prior to managing the Dodgers, Alston played in the minor leagues and briefly in the majors. During some of these years playing in the minors Alston also taught industrial arts and general science at Washington Local High School in Lewistown, Logan County, Ohio. Alston taught and coached basketball at Washington Local from 1941-1950. The gymnasium at Indian Lake High School was renamed the Walter E. Alston Gym in honor of this great baseball manager.
ROGER CLOUD (1909-1988) was one of Ohio’s most successful state legislators during the second half of the 20th century. He was also a native of DeGraff.
Cloud was born on his family’s farm near DeGraff in 1909. He graduated from DeGraff High School in 1926 as the class valedictorian. In the same year, Cloud’s brother was killed in a gasoline explosion. Roger farmed, worked in a factory, and played semi-pro baseball to make money for his family. He married Llewellyn DeWeese in 1934. The couple purchased a farm in Pleasant Township near DeGraff in the 1960s.
Cloud’s first position as a public servant began as a member of the DeGraff School Board for 4 years in the late 1930s. In 1940 Cloud was elected as Logan County Commissioner. He held this position for 8 years. Cloud successfully ran for the Ohio House of Representatives in 1948. He served in the House for 8 consecutive years. Through the years, Cloud became known as the “Gentleman from Logan County”, a nickname that showed the respect he had from his fellow representatives, other state legislators and the people of Ohio.
During his career as a representative, Cloud was elected as the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives a record 5 times. He also was honored with many awards and praises from the state and his colleagues.
Governor James Rhodes appointed Cloud Auditor of the State in 1965 to fill an unexpired term. Cloud was then elected Auditor in 1966 which he served for 4 more years. In 1970 Cloud won the Republican nomination for governor. However, he lost in the election, the first time he lost an election during his career. Cloud then retired from politics. He died in Columbus on April 20, 1988. Roger Cloud remains one of the most liked and respected politicians in Ohio’s history. He is a man DeGraff and Logan County can be proud to call their own.
ALLAN W. ECKERT, a resident of Bellefontaine, is a multi-award winning author and seven time Pultizer Prize nominee. He has written nearly 40 books on a wide variety of topics. He is probably best known for his Winning of America series that includes The Frontiersmen, Wilderness Empire, The Conquerors, The Wilderness War, Gateway to Empire and Twilight of Empire. This series details the American settlement of the Ohio Valley and the Old Northwest Territory and the conflicts it caused with the Indians living on these lands.
Eckert has written other books dealing with time period and area. A Sorrow in Our Heart is a biography of the great Shawnee warrior and statesman, Tecumseh. Eckert also wrote the outdoor drama Tecumseh! that is performed every summer in Chillicothe, Ohio. That Dark and Bloody River is a history of the role the Ohio River played in the settlement of the Ohio Valley. All of these books are written in a historical narrative form. Eckert researches extensively for his books, but instead of writing in a dry manner, Eckert includes words, thoughts and conversations found in the diaries and personal papers of the people he is writing about. This style makes Eckert's books interesting reading without sacrificing history.
Eckert's interests and talents are not limited to historical narratives. He has written several children's stories dealing with nature and science fiction. He is also an expert on many facets of natural history and science. His latest book is The World of Opals. As with his historical narratives, Eckert does extensive research on the subjects he writes about.
Allan W. Eckert has done as much as anyone to promote the importance of the history and the people of the Ohio Valley, the Old Northwest Territory, and the effect they have had on American and world history.
LOGAN COUNTY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
1. Concrete Street
2. Shortest Street
3. Highest Point
4. Ohio Caverns
5. Zane Caverns/ Shawnee & Woodland Native American Museum
6. Piatt Castles
7. Marmon Valley Farms
8. Mad River Mountain Ski Resort
9. Indian Lake State Park
10. Marie's Candies
11. LOGAN COUNTY MUSEUM is located in a 1906 neoclassical mansion built by local lumber baron William Orr. The museum also has an attached building that houses hundreds of artifacts in themed exhibit rooms that help to tell the story of Logan County and its people. These rooms include American Indian artifacts, toys, military items, and much more. Museum located at 521 E. Columbus Ave. Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311. Hours May-October Wed., Fri.-Sat. 1-4:00. November-April Fri. & Sat. 1-4:00. Admission-Donation
INDIAN VILLAGES AND WAR OF 1812 BLOCKHOUSES
MUCHINIPPI VILLAGE (SENECA)
SENECA COUNCIL HOUSE
LEWIS'TOWN (SHAWNEE)
SHAWNEE COUNCIL HOUSE
OLD TOWN (SHAWNEE)
VANCE BLOCK HOUSE
BOKENGEHELAS VILLAGE (WYANDOT)
CURRY BLOCK HOUSE
SOLOMON'S TOWN (SHAWNEE,DELWARE & WYANDOT)
MANARY BLOCK HOUSE
MCPHERSON BLOCKHOUSE
ZANE'S BLOCKHOUSES (THREE)
PIGEON TOWN (SHAWNEE)
READ'S TOWN (SHAWNEE)
BLUEJACKET'S TOWN (SHAWNEE)
McKEE'S TOWN SHAWNEE)
MOLUNTHA'S TOWN (SHAWNEE)
MACKACHACK TOWN (SHAWNEE)
WAPATOMICA TOWN (SHAWNEE)
ZANE'S TOWN (WYANDOT)
MINGO VILLAGE (MINGO)
DARBY VILLAGES (SHAWNEE)
STONY CREEK VILLAGE (SHAWNEE)
WAPAKONETA TOWN (SHAWNEE)
