Ask any Ohioans to name five famous Buckeyes and they could probably quickly come up with Neil Armstrong, Orville and Wilbur Wright, John Glenn, and Thomas Edison. They also might be able to name a few of the eight Ohioans who have occupied the White House. The better informed might also list shooting expert Annie Oakley, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Tecumseh, the Native American warrior who never surrendered. In fact, Ohio has such an abundance of famous people and history makers that it’s nearly impossible not to know something about some of them; their accomplishments and quirks have been chronicled and passed down through generations until they’ve become almost legendary.
But Ohio is a large state with a long history and plenty of fascinating people who have been overlooked over the years. We wanted to find some unforgettable Ohioans who accomplished something—good or bad. To do so, we had to dig into our research a little deeper, visit more sources, and travel more back roads, but the project was worth it. You may have studied some of these people in school, heard about their legends, flown in their airplanes, read their books, and sang their songs without ever realizing their Ohio connection.
We chose them based on our own interests—and simply what we consider fascinating stories. To us, the story is everything, more important than race, gender, occupation, or anything else. So we went with the best stories we could find—we went with the entertainment. Our only criteria: the subjects had to live in Ohio for a significant time, or be attached to the state in a special way—whether artistically, professionally, culturally, or otherwise. And, finally, more important, any person included in our book must be dead.
Unforgettable Ohioans profiles the lives of an eclectic group of men and women from diverse backgrounds. Some grew up in rural areas; others came from cities. Some were formally educated; most of them were self-taught. A few were quite young when they experienced success; some did not excel until they were elderly. Several were prominent throughout their lives. One was so elusive that he is considered a frontier legend. The majority of them spent most of their time in Ohio. They were national—or in a few cases international—history makers. Their eras range from the late eighteenth century until well into the twentieth.
Not all of these people were “good guys.” One of the most unapologetic traitors of World War II grew up in Ohio and—even more surprisingly—returned to live here after being imprisoned for treason. Not all of our subjects accomplished all of their goals. The commander behind one of the worst dirigible disasters in U.S. aviation history was a young Ohioan who died much too early while pursuing his vision. The composer of several famous songs died in his early thirties, before he could write more hits.
But all of these unforgettable people have one thing in common: their stories contain elements of wonder. At some point, you’ll be amazed at their accomplishments, or determination, or just plain audacity. And you’ll say, “I never knew he came from Ohio” or “I’ve heard of her, but I never knew she did that.”
We hope that after you read their stories, these people will be as unforgettable to you as they have become to us.