MS-28 Leonard Hill Local History Collection

Introduction

The local history collection of Leonard hill includes a variety of 19th century events and topics related to Piqua area history. The original materials cover 1838-1904. The collection was donated to Wright State University Archives in November, 1975, by historian Leonard Hill.

Linear feet of shelf space occupied: .21
Approximate number of items: 49

The letter of gift imposes no restrictions to literary or publishing rights on materials in the collection.

Biographical Sketch

Leonard Uzal Hill was born in January of 1885 in Spring Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, the son of Willis and Alice Hill. He farmed until age 62, when he devoted more of his time to his fascination with local history. His first major research project culminated in a book about the War of 1812 hero, Colonel John Johnston, who is the grandfather of John H. Patterson, founder of the National Cash Register Company. He has since published a history of Miami County and the Piqua Presbyterian Church. In 1970, he compiled and published a reproductive scrapbook of his many studies and newspaper articles originally printed between 1948 and 1970, concerning Miami County history. This volume is entitled Local and Regional History.

Scope and Content Note

The Leonard Hill Local History Collection, 1838-1971, consists of a variety of primary and secondary sources related to several topics in Piqua are history. The documents include feature articles, newsletters, brochures, two diaries, and a log book. The materials are gathered typically by locations and events arranged alphabetically according to these general headings.

Of primary interest are the original diaries and log book. The farmer’s diary of John B. Miller provides a wealth of information about a mid-19th century farm community, although the script is difficult to decipher at times. Mr. Miller faithfully recorded four types of information for each year, 1836-1843: (1) an accounting of winter meat purchased for the coming year; (2) a list of deaths, burials, marriages, etc., throughout the year; (3) the amount of grains raised and sold; and (4) single-line entries of daily events, describing weather, work, family health, purchases, and visits. As indicated, the diary does not elaborate on or evaluate his activities, but the volume of data for this concentrated period of time allows much room for expansion by the researcher. The precision of the diary’s method, for example, each yearly account begins with winter meat and ends with the last day of the period, and most monthly accounts are confined to one page, which enables the reader to easily place events in a useful context and adequately compensate for the small gaps. Four months are missing, those of January 1836, January-February 1841, and December 1843.

The 1862 Union soldier’s diary recounts two months following the battle at Richmond, Kentucky in which he had been captured, paroled and returned to Union custody, north of Columbus, Ohio. He struggled to overcome the paroled soldier stigma, which appeared to inhibit his reacceptance into active service. This document is very readable and also provides insights into regional army administration and 25-year old Major General Lew Wallace. Secondary materials in Folder 5 provide interpretative accounts of this and related Civil War campaigns in the Ohio area, which can readily assist the reader in placing this soldier’s story into a broad context.

The Miami and Erie Canal Log Book was mandated by the State of Ohio, Office Board of Public Works, which required each boat captain to record labor, location, distance dredged each day, and time lost for repairs or delay. This document records the work of James R. Spencer, “Foreman”, between July 1, 1879 and September, 1904, in the form of one-line entries on destinations, materials hauled, and construction and repair of the canal locks. Entries are made consistently throughout the period, despite a notable gap between July, 1882 and November, 1886, and several minor lapses not exceeding four months. As an adjunct to the log book, is a photograph of State boat, Frank J. McCollock of Bellfountaine, 1891-1894, with unidentified employees aboard. Also see feature article on the canal days in Folder 8, referenced in the Container Listing.

The collection includes some local tracts on personalities, events, and landmarks of Allen, Clark, Montgomery, and Miami Counties. The Container Listing notes topics of significance to facilitate their use. For instance, a small collection of articles, pamphlets, and poetry reports on the locations and characteristics of remaining Ohio covered bridges.

Container Listing