My guest appearance and interview on The Paranormal View live radio/podcast show...

Here is a link to last weekend's podcast of my guest appearance on The Paranormal View live radio/podcast show!

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/theparanormalview/episodes/2018-09-24T18_12_10-07_00

Camp Chase and the Lady in Gray

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The REAL Nancy Drew!

The Crosswick Monster!

 “Crosswick Monster”
Waynesville on the banks of the Miami River in Warren County was settled before 1800 by members of the Society of Friends – who were known for their sobriety, honesty, reliability and truthfulness. The following newspaper story has been of interest for almost a century.
Although this is an old-settled neighborhood, and the primitive snakes, in the main, have long since disappeared, except the black, garter, rattlesnake, we are once in a while greeted by the report of some monster of this uncanny tribe.
For several years it has been reported that the track of one above town, of unusual size, had on different occasions been seen in the dust, where it crossed the pike. This new report, however, made the timid fearful, and is so well authenticated that the more incredulous of the big snake stories, are forced to lend an attentive ear.
About one mile north of this place is a little village called Crosswicks – where resides John Lynch who has two boys aged respectively, 13 and 11 years. These boys were at a small creek fishing yesterday.
After sitting on the bank for a short time they heard quite a stir among some old reeds, grass and brush from behind them, and on looking around, they saw a huge monster approaching them rapidly. They screamed and started to run, and the snake, or whatever it might be – for they never saw anything like it before – came close up to the older one, and suddenly throwing out two long arms, or forelegs, seized the boy in its slimy embrace, simultaneously producing two more legs, about four feet long, from … its body, and dragged the boy some 100 yards down the creek to a large sycamore, 26 feet in diameter at the base, hollow, and with a large opening in one side.  Through this aperture the monster attempted to enter with the boy.
Three men – a short distance above where the boys were fishing – hearing their screams and seeing the creature yanking one off, hurried to rescue the child. They reached the tree soon after the snake, who failing to drag the boy into its den, became alarmed, unfastened its fangs and dropped the more than half-dead child to the earth.
Dr L. C. Lukens of Waynesville was summoned to attend him.
In the afternoon about 60 men armed with clubs, dogs, axes, etc., gathered around the sycamore tree to destroy its fearful tenant. They began chopping, when the formidable snake leaped from the aperture, threw out its fore and hind legs, erected itself about 12 to 14 feet, and with the velocity of a race horse, crossed the creek and ran up a small hill, climbed over a fence breaking it down, and continued north a mile until reaching a hole in a large hill under a heavy ledge of rocks.
Some of the men and dogs were so terrified at the beast’s first appearance that they only thought of getting out of the way. But the braver portion followed the frightful thing.
It will be watched for and killed if possible. It is described as being 30 to 40 feet long, 12 to 14 feet tall when erect, 16 inches in diameter, and legs 4 feet long.  It is covered with scales like a lizard’s, of black and white color with large yellow spots. Its head about 16 inches wide, with a long forked tongue, and the mouth inside deep red. The hind legs appeared to be used to give an erect position, its propelling power in its tale.
The forgoing is vouched for by the persons whose names are given above (note left out for brevity, but available in the original) and many more can be given if necessary.

This is a story about a boy named Sue. (Or, in this case Pearl.)

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  Zane Grey was born Pearl Zane Grey in Zanesville, Ohio; a city founded by his great grandfather Ebenezer Zane. There are different stories as to why Zane was given a female name, and while growing up, it caused him much embarrassment and countless fistfights. But just like the Johnny Cash song, he “grew up quick and he grew up mean”. Pearl hated school, was a poor student, and never graduated from high school.

  At an early age Zane was intrigued by history, and developed a love of writing, although his father wanted him to be a dentist.  At that time in rural Ohio was so free of regulation Grey could practice dentistry without a license, and he wrote in his spare time.

Maj. Gen Ambrose E. Burnside VS Clement L. Vallandigham

Click to enlarge.. After Burnside's troops arrested Vallandighham and roughly hauled him to Cincinnati to stand trial in a military court he was asked to enter a plea for the charges against him. Vallandigham said: 'This is a military tribunal. I do not recognize this court's authority to try me!"

Another interesting aspect of this story is Clement Vallandigham's accidental death at the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, Ohio.
  John Zimkus historian at the Warren County Historical Society and author of Historical Footnotes of Lebanon, Ohio wrote a colorful account how Vallandigham died. While representing a defendant in a murder case, Vallandigham enacted his view of what occured at the crime scene. He attempted to prove the murdered man actually shot himself while pulling a pistol out of his pants pocket. Thinking that a pistol he was using as a prop was unloaded, Vallandigham pointed it at himself and pulled the trigger. The gun went off, and Vallandigham was mortally wounded.
Clement Laird Vallandigham was buried at Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio.

Paul Lawrence Dunbar

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  Paul Laurence Dunbar was an American poet, novelist, and playwright born in Dayton, Ohio in 1872. Dunbar began to write stories and verse when still a child. He was the only African-American student at Dayton’s Central High School and became president the literary society, edited the school newspaper, and member of the debate club. Dunbar was also a classmate and lifelong friend of Orville Wright. Dunbar often helped Orville with literature assignments, while Orville helped Dunbar through math classes.

  During the years the Wrights were involved in the publishing business, Dunbar edited the Wright’s newspapers, and with their help, went on to publish a book of poetry called Oak and Ivy that received national attention.

  In later years, Dunbar went on to write novels and lyrics for In Dahomey the first musical comedy written and performed entirely by African Americans. It was produced on Broadway and successfully toured England and the United States for four years.

  Tragically, in 1900 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, then often fatal, and was advised by his doctors to drink whisky to alleviate his symptoms. Depression and declining health drove him to dependence on alcohol, and further damaged his health. He died alone and penniless in Dayton on February 6^th, 1906.

  Upon hearing the sad news, the Wrights stepped in to pay for the funeral and make the arrangements for his final resting place. Orville and Wilbur wanted Dunbar to be buried in the same section as Wright family plot but was politely told that Woodlawn Cemetery didn’t allow ‘the colored’ to be buried next to white folks.

  At the time, congress and the ‘monument builders’ of Washington had appropriated funds and had grand plans to build a great monument and tomb for the Wright family, a place of honor befitting the founders of modern aviation.  

  Orville and Wilbur told Woodlawn officials that if that if Dunbar couldn’t be interred in their section, they would move the family plot to Washington, DC. Woodlawn quickly relented when faced with the prospect of losing their celebrities.

   Today, there is no grand mausoleum and monument to the Wrights at Woodlawn. The Wrights’ family plot is hard to find because it is marked only with a modest headstone flanked with short flag poles and small markers on the ground for each member of the Wright family, and nearby; the final resting place of Paul Lawrence Dunbar.