Description: This color photograph is a close-up of the cornerstone of the historic First Presbyterian Church in West Union, Ohio, ca. 1965-1970. The text reads: “First Presbyterian Church / organized 1800 / erected 1810.” Possibly made of granite, the cornerstone contrasts sharply with the warm-toned stone wall that encases it. The congregation was organized circa 1800 on Thomas Kirker's land on Eagle Creek, about three miles from West Union. Kirker, Ohio's second governor, was influential in organizing the congregation and raising funds for the building’s construction. Stonemason Thomas Metcalfe, Kentucky governor from 1828-1832, was awarded the contract to build the walls for $250; total construction cost was $500. Before the American Civil War, the First Presbyterian Church's ministers and congregation played an active role in the abolitionist movement, including assisting fugitive slaves. During the Civil War, the church also briefly served as a barracks for the Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a regiment of recruits from Adams County and eastern Brown County. The church was added to National Register of Historic Places in 1976. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06961
Subjects: Church buildings--Ohio; Historic buildings--Ohio; Cornerstones; National Register of Historic Places; West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio)
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio)
 

Description: This is the photograph of the monument marking the grave of Thomas Kirker (1760-1837), the second governor of Ohio. The gray stone monument has a carved inscription. Born in County Tyrone, Ireland, he immigrated with his family to this country when he was about 18. After living in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, he moved with his wife, Sarah, to Ohio in 1793 and eventually settled in Liberty Township in Adams County. Kirker became an influential figure in the Northwest Territory. Governor Arthur St. Clair appointed him to be a justice of the peace in 1797. Over the next several years, Kirker, a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, actively campaigned for Ohio statehood, to the consternation of St. Clair, a Federalist Party member. Kirker represented Adams County at Ohio's first Constitutional Convention in 1802 and also as a member of the General Assembly (1803-1815, 1816-1817, and 1821-1825). He was speaker of the Ohio Senate for seven terms between 1804 and 1815 and as Speaker of the Ohio House from 1816 to 1817. In 1807, he became governor of Ohio after Governor Edward Tiffin resigned to take a seat in the U.S. Senate. Kirker was defeated in the next election, but the winner, Return J. Meigs, was disqualified because he had not lived in Ohio the required numbers of years to become governor. Instead, Kirker remained as acting governor for the duration of the 1807-1808 term. As governor, Kirker dealt with Ohio citizens' concerns about American Indian threats in western Ohio. He sent Thomas Worthington and Duncan McArthur to Fort Greene Ville in late 1807 to investigate, but the two men found no evidence to support the settlers' concerns. Because of Worthington's and McArthur's report, military conflict with the American Indians did not materialize during Kirker's administration. In 1808, Kirker ran against fellow Democratic-Republicans Thomas Worthington and Samuel Huntington for the governorship. Both Kirker and Worthington held similar political beliefs, arguing that the state legislature was supreme in creating law, while Huntington believed that ultimate authority to determine constitutionality of law rested with the Ohio Supreme Court. Kirker and Worthington split the vote among those sharing their view, allowing Huntington to gain the majority and become the state's next governor. Kirker returned to the state legislature, where he continued to represent Adams County until he retired from public service. He died on his Adams County farm in 1837. He was buried in the Kirker Cemetery, sometimes known as the Kirker Family Cemetery, in Adams County. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06960
Subjects: Adams County (Ohio); Legislators; Politicians; Governors--Ohio; Tombstones (sepulchral monuments);
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio)
 

Description: The Bicentennial barn-painting program was an inexpensive, grassroots marketing campaign that painted the official logo of the Ohio Bicentennial on a highly visible historic barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties. Over 2,000 farmers and landowners submitted their barn descriptions to the committee for consideration. Beginning in 1998, artist Scott Hagan spent five years painting the logos, tailored to every barn's unique character. Typically, the barn owners hosted a celebration at the completion of their barn painting. This photograph is an exterior view of Barn # 45, located at 6620 SR 136 in West Union, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08629
Subjects: Centennial celebrations; Ohio History--State and Local Government; Barns; Ohio Bicentennial, 2003
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of Robert E. Satterfield (1920-2006) and Martha Jane (Sininger) Satterfield (1924-2003), of Adams County, Ohio, ca. 1941-1945. The couple, who lived in West Union, Ohio, had four daughters: Margaret, Mary, Kathy, and Caroline. Satterfield served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Following the war, he worked for Texaco and was also elected as Adams County Engineer, a position he held for 22 years. The Satterfield family was involved with the Democratic Party and frequented Democratic events such as Governor DiSalle’s birthday party. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS1464AV_B02F13_01
Subjects: United States Navy; World War II; Military Ohio; Soldiers--Ohio;
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio);
 

Description: Photograph of Robert E. Satterfield (1920-2006) and Martha Jane (Sininger) Satterfield (1924-2003), of Adams County, Ohio, ca. 1941-1945. The couple, who lived in West Union, Ohio, had four daughters: Margaret, Mary, Kathy, and Caroline. Satterfield served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Following the war, he worked for Texaco and was also elected as Adams County Engineer, a position he held for 22 years. The Satterfield family was involved with the Democratic Party and frequented Democratic events such as Governor DiSalle’s birthday party. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS1464AV_B02F13_02
Subjects: United States Navy; World War II; Military Ohio; Soldiers--Ohio;
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio);
 

Description: Portrait of Robert E. Satterfield in his Navy uniform, ca. 1941-1945. Satterfield and his wife, Martha Jane (Sininger) Satterfield, of West Union, Ohio, had four daughters: Margaret, Mary, Kathy, and Caroline. Satterfield served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Following the war, he worked for Texaco and was also elected as Adams County Engineer, a position he held for 22 years. The Satterfield family was involved with the Democratic Party and frequented Democratic events such as Governor DiSalle’s birthday party. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS1464AV_B02F12_01
Subjects: United States Navy; World War II; Military Ohio; Soldiers--Ohio;
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio);
 

Description: Photograph of John Welch, (1805-1891) of Ohio. Born in Ohio, 1805. Grandfather-in-law of Emmett Tompkins. Member of Ohio state legislature; U.S. Representative from Ohio 12th District, 1851-53; justice of Ohio state supreme court, 1865-78. Died in 1891. Interment at West Union Street Cemetery. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05990
Subjects: Ohio History--Presidents and Politics; Legislators--United States; United States. Congress. House;
 

Description: This photograph shows a map of downtown Cincinnati of an area bounded by Liberty Street on the north side, Main Street on the east side, Third Street on the south side and Union Terminal on the west side. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B04F03_28_01
Subjects: Cincinnati (Ohio)--Maps--Facsimiles
Places: Cincinnati (Ohio); Hamilton County (Ohio)
 

Description: In the years following World War II, technology and labor-saving machines greatly helped the life of the farmer, but sometimes there is no substitute for a farmer's hands. An Ohio farmer is pictured using his hands to inspect birdsfoot trefoil (a flowering plant used in agriculture for grazing livestock) for insects. Photographed by Joe Munroe, 1948. Munroe's career began in 1939 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He served in the Air Force during World War II and then joined Cincinnati-based Farm Quarterly magazine. Though raised in Detroit, agriculture became an important subject of Joe's photographs. He moved to California in 1955 and free-lanced, taking magazine assignments and selling his own work. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P400_B27_001
Subjects: Joe Munroe; Farm life; Farming;
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio)
 

Description: This image shows the front and side facades of the Adams County Courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1911 by architect T.S. Murray and is the fourth Adams County courthouse since the county was formed in 1797. The Greek Revival building underwent renovations during the 1970s which added a front portico as well as an addition along the north side of the building. The addition included space for a new courtroom, jail, and county offices which significantly increased the size of the original building. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV101_B01F01_007
Subjects: Courthouses--Ohio; porticoes; clock towers; pediments; pilasters
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio); 110 W. Main St.
 

Description: This image shows the front and side facades of the Adams County Courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1911 by architect T.S. Murray and is the fourth Adams County courthouse since the county was formed in 1797. The Greek Revival building underwent renovations during the 1970s which added a front portico as well as an addition along the north side of the building. The addition included space for a new courtroom, jail, and county offices which significantly increased the size of the original building. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV101_B01F01_006
Subjects: Courthouses--Ohio; porticoes; clock towers; pediments; pilasters
Places: West Union (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio); 110 W. Main St.
 

Description: Caption on reverse reads: "Code - C 1; Class. - Rivers, etc.; Ident. - Ohio River; Location - At Manchester; This photo must be returned to Ohio Writers' Project 78 E. Chestnut St., Columbus, Ohio." Manchester is located approximately 74 miles upstream of Cincinnati, Ohio. Originally called Massie's Station, it was the first permanent white settlement within the Virginia Military District, built along the Ohio River in 1790 and was built near the "Three Islands." Native Americans used these islands to attack settlers traveling down the Ohio River. Nathanial Massie offered nineteen men property if they would settle in the town. He used the settlement as a base for his survey work in the district. In 1791, Massie's Station became known as Manchester, Ohio. Massie named the community after Manchester, England. It was the fourth permanent settlement established in the Northwest Territory. By 1791, residents had completely encircled the community with a stockade to provide protection from Native Americans. Manchester served as the county seat for Adams County from 1797 to 1803, when residents moved local government to West Union. Located on the Ohio River across from the slaveholding state of Kentucky, Manchester proved an important community along the Underground Railroad. The larger of the two remaining islands is called Manchester, and the smaller is called Tow Head. They are now part of the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuges under the supervision of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Ohio River is the largest tributary of the Mississippi River and is about 981 miles long. It begins at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in Point State Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It forms the border between Ohio and West Virginia, as well as Ohio and Kentucky, Indiana and Kentucky and Illinois and Kentucky. It joins the Mississippi near Cairo, Illinois. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B10F01_001_001
Subjects: Ohio River
Places: Manchester Township (Ohio); Adams County (Ohio)