Classroom

After the town of Ironton constructed a railroad and began selling lots, many believed the next major step was to build a bank. Residents James Willard, James Rodgers, D. T. Woodrow, and Hiram Campbell, along with the town’s founder John Campbell, put in an initial investment of $40,300 for the bank. The charter for the Iron Bank was received in May 1851, but it did not open until July of that same year. Rodgers served as the bank’s first president while Willard worked as cashier. Rodgers resigned from his position in 1860 to protest what he felt was excessive spending, leading James Peebles to take over. A year later, the bank moved from its original location between Lawrence and Buckhorn Streets to Second and Railroad Street.

On October 5th, 1863 the Office of Comptroller of the Currency granted the Charter number 98 to the Iron Bank of Ironton. Under this charter, the bank became known as the First National Bank of Ironton. &nbsp;After Charles Horn became president of the bank in 1915,&nbsp;the First and Second National Banks of Ironton merged and relocated to the bank’s current site on Third Street. Under the presidency of Bernard Edwards, the First National Bank of Cincinnati bought the First National Bank of Ironton for $7.05 million in September 1976. In 1988, the First National Bank of Cincinnati became Star Banc Corporation, making the bank in Ironton Star Bank, N.A., Tri-State. Over the next decade, the bank merged with several others, ultimately becoming the largest banking establishment in Southeastern Ohio. In 2001, the bank became a part of the U.S. Bank National Association.

Illustration of the First National Bank Building in Ironton

The Iron Bank, co-founded by residents and the founder of Ironton, opened for business on July 11, 1851. After some changes in location and a merger, the bank operating as the First National Bank of Ironton constructed this building on Third Street. In the 1970s, the bank was purchased by the First National Bank of Cincinnati, which subsequently became the Star Banc Corporation and finally the U. S. Bank National Association.

Iron Bank 1851, First National Bank of Ironton (Now U.S. Bank)

This walking tour starts at the home of abolitionist and Ironton founder John Campbell and includes a variety of historic buildings and landmarks. The tour includes the newly-renovated Ro-Na Theatre, the former home of Nannie Kelly Wright known as "Bide-a-Wee," and the Lawrence County Historical Society and Museum where residents and visitors can learn even more about the history of this community.

John Campbell came to the Hanging Rock area just outside of the future city of Ironton in 1832 to work as a clerk. Campbell became involved with J. Riggs &amp; Co. along with Andrew Ellison. Together they constructed several iron furnaces throughout Lawrence County. In the 1840s, Campbell assisted in the construction of iron furnaces in Greenup, Kentucky and the Gallia, Madison, and Monroe Counties in Ohio. From 1845 to 1851 Campbell laid out plans for the city of Ironton. By 1851, Campbell constructed his own home at 305 N. 5th Street, which still stands today. Campbell’s pig iron industry put Ironton on the map. Ironton became the largest producer of the specific type of iron before, during, and after the Civil War. Additionally, John Campbell is known for his opposition&nbsp;to slavery and his help
in concealing runaway slaves. However, Campbell seemed to be more of a silent
partner in the Ironton network of the Underground Railroad. Several rooms in
his house were used to conceal runaway slaves, but beyond this, there is very
little to suggest further action. Still, the Ironton Register in August 1891
noted that 1,000 people showed up for Campbell’s viewing and also pointed out
that many African Americans attended his funeral to pay respects for the
kindness he displayed. 

African American James Ditcher (also spelled Dicher) utilized
Campbell’s horse stable and ox-driven furnace wagons to guide slaves to freedom
in the North. He worked as a bartender and
laborer in Ironton while earning the nickname “the Red Fox of the Underground.” Historian Keith Griffler recounts one of the Red Fox's deeds:
“Ditcher found himself in a desperate situation when he received a woman and
her baby rowed across the river in a skiff by some free African Americans from
Virginia. He recalled, 'The slave catchers were close onto them when they got
here.' Ditcher rushed to Campbell’s stable and got a horse, obtaining another
from a local minister. Riding hard, they reached Olive Furnace, where they
stayed with an African American named Harris.”[1]&nbsp; Ditcher was able to get
the young woman and her child safely on their way north. 

Below is an interview from the Ironton Register, October 31, 1878 with the Underground
Railroad conductor John Ditcher.&nbsp; Ditcher’s exploits illustrate a working
relationship with white people during the days of the Underground Railroad.
But, more importantly, Ditcher represents the many other African Americans who
also helped runaway slaves get to their freedom.

"James Ditcher is a modest mulatto, who is gently gliding into the
twilight of 50 years of age. He came to Ironton over 25 years ago, and in that
time has passed through many romantic experiences, and always came up smiling.
It is hardly supposable, with all his hard knocks and hair-breadth escapes, he
was ever submerged in the billows of anguish. Many and many a time, when the
tide of the world seemed running against him, James's philosophical soul would
break out in titillative wrinkles all over his face. 
 
The other day, James was standing on the corner of Third and Railroad, leaning
on a pile of tile, when a Register reporter interviewed him. Notwithstanding,
only recently someone had shot at his wife as she stood in the door of her
domicile, not a cloud of sorrow dwelt on his brow. The bright sun was warming
and James never wore a more friendly smile.

Years ago, and before the war too, James Ditcher occupied a responsible
position. It was not a paying office, and not by any means a safe one. He made
no parade of it. On the other hand, he kept it a profound secret. Sometimes,
people would allude to his important official relations, but James's innocent
smile would throw them off their track. Many times, James was actually observed
in the execution of his official duties, but he would conjure up a fascinating
smile and tell an infantile tale, and oblivion would ensue. Yes, James was a
conductor on the underground railroad, and many a train he has run toward the
north star.

And this was the ‘subject of the story’ which Mr. Ditcher modestly unfolded
to the Reporter. James is not so quiet on the subject now as he was 20 years
ago. In fact, he grows somewhat thrilling and discursive when now he relates
his personal experiences. Thinking some things he said would be interesting to
print, the Reporter jotted down in substance James's narration: 
 
‘From 1855 to 1860,’ says he, ‘I was largely connected with the underground railway.
I must have taken through nearly 300 slaves in that time. The route we'd take
was to Olive Furnace, or to Squire Stewart's in Symmes Township, then over to
Noah Nooks at Berlin cross
roads, and from there to Wilkesville, in Vinton County. I would take them
from Ironton to Olive or Symmes, and then there would be another fellow who
would take them to the next station.

‘Of course, I never did this for money, and never got a cent except from
a free
slave who was trying to get away with his wife and girl. He was the scariest
fellow, and a perfect baby, too. Out near Olive, while I was trying to get
through the woods over into Symmes, the free slave said he must have something
to eat. I told him he mustn't show himself to anyone, or we would be gone up,
sure. But he said he wouldn't starve, and down the hill
he went into a coaling job. I knew we were pursued and thought that would let
the cat out of the bag. So me
and the women went on to a high point, where I climbed a maple tree to see if I
could see the free slave; and sure enough, down in the coaling
I saw him, and a lot of men around him. Soon the man made a jump, and away he
scampered, the men after him. I had told him before what direction to take, and
so I waited for him. Soon he came tearing through the woods, puffing and
blowing, and together we slipped off the hill
top down the hill
side and among the thicket. While creeping quietly through that, some man
just above us gave a yell. The free slave jumped as if he was snake bit. Both
of the women had carpet-bags, and these I took,
and told the women to follow down the hill. I could hear the slave catchers on
our tracks. Just then we came to a big tree that had fallen and lay down the
hill. Under this I scrounged the women and their carpet-sacks,
and telling them when dark came to go down into the hollow and travel in this
direction (pointing toward Symmes), I lit out. They did as they were told, and
the next morning they and the man were over on Symmes Creek, safe. They got
through all right, but I never saw them since.

‘Another time, a gang of five came over - a man, his wife and
three children. I then was keeping a saloon on Lawrence St. I took the three
children and shut them up in the garret over the saloon. Several fellows came
that day looking for the runaways, but I told them I hadn't seen any. The old
man and woman was
hid in a house out on Sixth Street near Buckhorn. The slave catchers
assisted by an officer surrounded the house, and things looked pretty blue for
the runaway slaves. I had about given up, but when the officer went away to see
about a warrant, we slipped the runaways out; and by the time the slave
catchers moved up to bag their game, we had them hid safe
in the house of a rich lady of this town.’

‘Who is the rich lady?’ asked the Reporter. ‘Oh, I won't tell that,’ said
James, ‘she's a mighty good woman and was mighty glad to hide the slaves;
and they staid there until night, when they and the children were put in
charge of a barber then living here. He took them as far as the “beech woods”
two miles below town, but getting scared, abandoned them, leaving them in the
woods. I went down then and helped them on. They went through the woods all the
time, passed in sight of Buckhorn Furnace, and got safely out of this county
and were not retaken. On coming back to town, I met three or four of the slave
catchers looking for the trail. I was right on them before I knew it, and had
to walk right between them. La, but I was scared just then. They looked wicked
at me.

‘I remember once, a small gang of three came down here - one of them was a
woman with a baby. They were brought down in a skiff by some other free slaves.
The slave catchers were close onto them when they got here. My, but they
threshed and ducked the men that rowed that skiff! Things had to be done in a
hurry, and to get away with that woman and baby, too, was a big thing. I went
to John Campbell's stable and sneaked out a horse. Preacher Chester loaned me
his horse and side saddle. We started and pushed as fast as we could. Late at night
we got to Mr. Harris's, a colored man, living near Olive Furnace. There we
stayed until morning. The pursuers were close on us; they stopped for the night
two miles this side of us, at a whiskey shop, but got tight and the next
morning didn't get on the chase until we were several miles ahead. We got safe
to the Stewart settlement, and then a young fellow took charge of the gang and
helped them on to Nook's at Berlin cross
roads. On my way back, I met the fellows who were after the slaves. I knew
them - one was Mose Claybaugh, another, Captain ____, and the third was the
owner of the slaves. I was riding Mr. Campbell's horse and leading Preacher
Chester's, with the side saddle on. They asked me what I had been doing with
that horse and side saddle. I told them I had been to Gallipolis to a dance,
and had had my girl with me. They called me a d__n liar, threatened to shoot
me, and swore they would shave Chester's horse's tail. I sided away from them
and they did not disturb me.’

Several other incidents did James tell the Reporter, narrating them as if
they were occurrences of the past week. In the course of his recitals, he would
speak of the assistance and advice of certain men, but when asked who those men
were, he shook his head and smiled.

Ditcher was a very successful conductor. He never lost but two or three
slaves, and they were captured after they left him. Once, near where Flower's
store is, he parted with two slaves directing them to Bloom Switch, where they
could take the cars. They got through all right; but when on the car, were
nabbed and taken back to Kentucky. But to prevent capture, the utmost secrecy
and privation were required. They would always have to travel by night,
or slip through the woods and along the ridges, avoiding the residences, or
diggings or coaling jobs. A gang would hardly ever start out, but that the news
of their escape preceded them; and all strange slaves on the line were at once
suspected and captured, as the rewards were generally lucrative.

It made no difference what James was doing, he would drop everything when
train time came. He is a plasterer by trade, and many a time has he thrown down
his tools and left a ceiling half covered with mud or skim, to assume his more
important duties of conductor
of the ‘underground.’ You wouldn't think it to look at him, that he was a
dashing liberator; but he never shunned a post of danger. His trains departed
and arrived while the people slept securely at their homes.

Business on the ‘underground’ has ceased, but James is as youthful and
smiling as ever."

This historic home was built in 1850 for abolitionist and Ironton-founder John Campbell. Campbell used his home to assist fugitive slaves on their journey from slavery in Kentucky to freedom in the north. The 22-room home was later utilized as Baker Funeral Home and is presently home to the Lawrence County Community Action Agency. 

John Campbell House, Ironton

In 1850, a year after the founding of Ironton, local
Methodists organized what would become the Spencer Methodist Church. During
1851, over two thousand dollars were raised to build a church on land donated
by the Ohio Iron and Coal Company. The main part of the church was dedicated in
the summer of 1852. It was likely named after the presiding church elder,
Robert O. Spencer. Reverend W. C. Hand was pastor, and the church saw
exponential growth. When the congregation had finally outgrown the church, a
new one was built on Fifth and Center Streets. A “Feast of Dedication” was held
there on May 7, 1893.

The Wesley Church was founded by a group of Welsh immigrants
who had come to Ironton to mine iron ore. The Ohio Iron and Coal Company also
gave land to this group in the winter of 1852. A chapel was completed there in
August 1853. John Ellis from Cincinnati served as pastor, preaching in Welsh,
until 1859. At that point, many of the Welsh immigrants spoke English, so an
English-speaking reverend, J. P. Lacroix, took over. As the “Wesley Chapel”
grew into the “Wesley Church,” a bigger home was needed. So, the new Wesley
Church was built on Fifth and Etna streets in the late 1860s. It was in use
from 1872 until February 1913, when a fire destroyed it.

June of that same year, the two Methodist churches joined together to become
the First United Methodist Church. Wesley Church added its 380 members to the 493
of Spencer Church. To make the transition easier, all former trustees of the
churches resigned and a new election was held to choose members of the board.
Wesley’s Rev. J. W. Blair and Spencer’s Rev. B. D. Evans both preached at the
church until October, when Evans was chosen to take over. The congregation became
one of the biggest in the Ironton area.

The First United Methodist Church of Ironton was built in 1893. It was originally home to the Spencer Methodist Church, which later consolidated with the Wesley Methodist Church in 1913. The church was designed in the Victorian Gothic style and features stained glass windows, a curved chancel rail (also called an altar rail), and balcony seats from the first Spencer Church, built in 1852. Since its erection, only one addition has been made to the church: the Education Building, finished in 1967.

First United Methodist Church

After the town of Ironton constructed a railroad and began selling lots, many believed the next major step was to build a bank. Residents James Willard, James Rodgers, D. T. Woodrow, and Hiram Campbell, along with the town’s founder John Campbell, put in an initial investment of $40,300 for the bank. The charter for the Iron Bank was received in May 1851, but it did not open until July of that same year. Rodgers served as the bank’s first president while Willard worked as cashier. Rodgers resigned from his position in 1860 to protest what he felt was excessive spending, leading James Peebles to take over. A year later, the bank moved from its original location between Lawrence and Buckhorn Streets to Second and Railroad Street.

On October 5th, 1863 the Office of Comptroller of the Currency granted the Charter number 98 to the Iron Bank of Ironton. Under this charter, the bank became known as the First National Bank of Ironton. &nbsp;After Charles Horn became president of the bank in 1915,&nbsp;the First and Second National Banks of Ironton merged and relocated to the bank’s current site on Third Street. Under the presidency of Bernard Edwards, the First National Bank of Cincinnati bought the First National Bank of Ironton for $7.05 million in September 1976. In 1988, the First National Bank of Cincinnati became Star Banc Corporation, making the bank in Ironton Star Bank, N.A., Tri-State. Over the next decade, the bank merged with several others, ultimately becoming the largest banking establishment in Southeastern Ohio. In 2001, the bank became a part of the U.S. Bank National Association.

The Red Cross Drug Store building was completed&nbsp;by Dr. Hoffman's&nbsp;uncle, Leonard J. Hoffman, in 1898. Dr. Hoffman's father first operated an incandescent light supply company there before Emil Arnold opened the Red Cross Drug Store, which Dr. Hoffman managed. When Dr. Hoffman left for medical school in Cincinnati, Henry (Blue) Winters took over the pharmacy1.&nbsp; Besides the drug store, the building has been home to multiple businesses.&nbsp;The drug store basement had a Rathskeller. Beside the building was the New York Restaurant, operated by Gus and Nick Canavis, later known as the Busy Bee Restaurant. The Home Telephone Company occupied the two floors over the drug store until 1936. The Vanity Beauty Shoppe, Allyn Jewelers, and The Smart Shop have all occupied the property at one time1.&nbsp;

The Red Cross Drug Store was once operated by Dr. Charles Anthony "Carl" Hoffman from Ironton, OH. After working at the pharmacy for many years, Dr. Hoffman became a urologist and opened a clinic in Huntington, WV. In 1972, he was elected as the president of the American Medical Association. Dr. Hoffman's papers and medical library are housed at the Marshall University Special Collections in Huntington, WV at Accessions 1974/01.0094 and 1977/06.0189. 

Red Cross Drug Store

The Norfolk and Western Railway, originally called the City Point Railroad, connected Petersburg, Virginia with City Point (now Hopewell), Virginia. It and other railways companies combined in 1870 to become the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio Railroad. In 1881, the company acquired the Scioto Valley Railroad in Ohio and changed its name to the Norfolk and Western Railroad. The railway stayed busy trying to keep up with large amounts of coal and other products, such as grain and automotive parts, that were shipped out from Ohio and West Virginia.

From 1906 to 1907, a new depot for the Norfolk and Western Railway Company was built in Ironton, Ohio. It was designed in the classical revival style by Edward G. Frye of Virginia. Both passenger and freight trains carrying charcoal iron, and later steel, passed through the depot until it shut down in 1969. On September 13, 1978, the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The depot building was used as a restaurant for the first time in the 1980s, appropriately named “The Depot.” After it came Manzetti’s, an Italian restaurant. The building, owned by the city of Ironton and leased to the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, was leased out again to a business-owner in 2007. Austyn’s restaurant, based on a similar eatery in Marietta, Ohio, opened in 2008 after renovations. While federal grant funds paid for the work on the outside, the restaurant’s owner Phi Chen paid for the indoor work, like refinishing the original hardwood floors and adding new furniture. Austyn’s closed in January 2011, but a new restaurant, also called the Depot, has filled its place since July 2014.

The Ironton Train Depot, completed in 1907, was used by the Norfolk and Western Railway Company for both passenger and freight trains until it closed in 1969. Almost a decade later, the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Since then, the 5,000-square foot building has housed a number of restaurants, including its current tenant, “The Depot.”

The Ironton Train Depot

Joseph “Gene” Eugene Unger worked at a variety of jobs, such as postman and milkman, before becoming a shoe salesman. His association with shoes seems to have started when he got a job in the Selby Shoe Factory in the 1920s. In 1935, he started fitting shoes at Neekamp’s Shoe Store. Two years later, Unger ran his own shoe department at Gabler’s Department Store, a fact his family would not uncover until years after his death. When the United States joined World War II, Unger did his part for the effort by enlisting in 1942. He was discharged in 1944 after a bout with double pneumonia. When he returned home to Ironton, Unger decided to combine his interest in medicine with his experience selling shoes by opening his own shoe store.

Unger’s Shoes opened February 18, 1946, around the corner from its present location. Two weeks later, Unger moved his shop to where it remains today. (Some sources list the building as being built in the 1930s, while others claim it was the first building constructed in Ironton after WWII.) Unger bought the building in the 1970s and expanded it in 1985. Still, Unger kept some touches of the store’s history intact, such as the original cash register and original logo.

Gene Unger died in 1995, but his children kept the family business alive, remodeling and restoring the shop that same year. In 2009, Unger’s Shoes was added to the National Register of Historic Places (not only is the building home to a successful family business, but it is also one of the few buildings in the Art Moderne architectural style in Appalachia). One year later, Gene’s son Joe, who runs the store, found old documents referencing Gene’s start at Gabler’s Department Store. There were tax forms, business cards, and letters that all affirmed that Unger’s Shoes’ roots went back further than the family thought.

Today, Unger’s Shoes still offers “shoes of distinction individually styled for you” as Gene’s slogan from his Gabler days says.

Unger’s Shoes, which sells orthopedic shoes, is the oldest shoe store in the Ironton area. Gene Unger began selling shoes by leasing the shoe department at Gambler’s Department Store from 1937 to 1942. After coming home from World War II, he opened his own shop in 1946 in an Art Moderne-style building, a rarity in Appalachia. Unger died in 1995, but his family continues to run Unger’s Shoes, which now boasts two board-certified staff members who can deal with prescriptions from physicians.

Unger's Shoes

The Ro-Na Theater opened in 1949, coming in at a cost
of $300,000. It was operated by Ro-Na Theatre, Inc. with Mrs. Ron Sexton as the
president, James Richardson the vice president and manager, and James Kellogg
as secretary and treasurer. The theater was rather luxurious for its time with
air-conditioning, 1,000 cushioned seats, and carpeted aisles. Next-door was the
Ro-Na Grill, and upstairs and downstairs were two lounges. The theater was
decorated in the art-deco style featuring glass block columnns&nbsp;and neon lighting.
Most notably, the lobby had murals with historical scenes from the Tri-State’s
history.

The Ro-Na Theater remained dormant after closing in
1973 until its owners, the Hampton family, donated the theater to the city in February
2008. By July, volunteer efforts to clean up the building had begun. One year
later, the roof was replaced. The
Ro-Na Restoration Committee continues to work on renovations today. When
completed, the Ro-Na will boast an expanded stage, a professional kitchen, and
more rehearsal and office space. The goal is for the Ro-Na Cultural Center to
bring new performers and tourism to the area.

The Ro-Na Theater had its grand opening in 1949 with the film “Once More My Darling.” The art-deco style theater was one of the finest in Ohio, with extras such as air-conditioning and lounges. It closed in 1978 and collected dust until it was given to the city in 2008. Since then, renovations have replaced the roof, repaired the marquee, and restored other original features. Today, the Ro-Na Cultural Center hosts events such as “Dr. DeKay’s House of Screams” as a part of continuing fundraising efforts.

Ro-Na Theater

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Nannie Kelly Wright was born Nannie Honschell on September 8, 1856 in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Her father, Commodore Honschell, was a steamboat captain along the Ohio River. On October 8th, 1879, Nannie married Lindsey Kelly, a Republican member of the Ohio Senate. The couple built a home on the corner of Fourth and Olive streets in Ironton, but mostly lived in hotels near Columbus during his term as senator.&nbsp;Lindsey Kelly’s family was in charge of the Center Iron Furnace in Lawrence County, Ohio. Such furnaces melted iron down so that it could be made into weapons, utensils, stoves, and other products. Business was doing poorly when Nannie decided to take matters into her own hands. In 1896 (or 1899 by some accounts), she used her own money to buy the furnace and the thousands of acres that went along with it for $19,500. She renovated the furnace as well as the homes provided for workers. Nannie was in-tune with the needs of her workers, paying for new schools, physicians, and other amenities for the community. She was also keenly aware of changing times: When the Spanish-American War started in 1898, Nannie ramped up production to meet the increased demand for iron. She became the only female ironmaster in the United States and one of the richest women of her time.Also in 1898, Nannie Kelly took her first trip around the world. She invested in more furnaces and other local enterprises and splurged on items from her world travels, like handcrafted marble and wood fireplace mantles from Italy. During one of her world tours, she was presented to King Edward VII of England. Living such an extraordinary life made Nannie a subject of great local interest. Newspapers in Ironton and nearby Huntington wrote about her travels, her guests, and her lavish parties. One paper even reported that she cashed a $100,000-dollar check in the Second National Bank. It was said that she was extravagant enough to build a private bowling alley behind her summer house yet down-to-earth enough to dress as a man and work in her own mines when needed. (Nannie never confirmed either of these claims. In fact, she vehemently denied the latter). In 1903, Lindsey Kelly died from pneumonia. Only a year later, his and Nannie’s only child, Lindsey Kelly, Jr. (born in 1883) died from heart trouble. Nannie began to travel more and work less, ultimately selling her furnaces in 1906. In 1908, Nannie married Daniel Gregory Wright of Philadelphia. They divorced in 1919, a year after purchasing the Bide-a-Wee home built by Edward James Bird, Sr. and his wife. After the stock market crash of 1929, Nannie lost much of her wealth. She was able to live comfortably until her death by selling off her jewels a few at a time. Nannie Kelly Wright died at the age of ninety in the Marting Hotel of Ironton on September or December 12, 1946 (sources conflict). She was buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Lawrence County, Ohio.&nbsp;The Bide-a-Wee home now belongs to Judge Richard Walton, whose grandparents bought it in 1945.</div></div>

The Queen Anne-style house called Bide-a-Wee (meaning “stay a while” in Ireland) was built by Edward James Bird, Sr. Bird passed away before construction was complete, and his widow sold it to Edwin Bixby, president of the First National Bank of Ironton. After his death, Bixby’s widow sold it to Nannie Kelly Wright, the only female ironmaster in the U.S. and one of the richest women of her time. Today, Judge Richard Walton and his family own Bide-a-Wee. 

Bide-A-Wee (Once the Home of Nannie Kelly Wright)

George Noah Gray was born February 10th, 1838 in
Pennsylvania. He first came to Lawrence County, Ohio in 1857 as a teacher, but
he soon went back to Pennsylvania to finish college. After the Civil War
started, Gray came back to Ohio to teach for a short time before enlisting in
the Union army in 1861. He was wounded in the Battle of Shiloh, but he returned
to duty months later as a part of the navy. Gray was discharged in 1863 after a
particularly grueling campaign. Once back in Ohio, he joined the National Guard
and was commissioned colonel of his regiment. After the war, he moved to
Ironton, Ohio and became an ironmaster in charge of the Hecla and Vesuvius
furnaces, which melted iron ore so that it could be molded into bars and
transported.

On July 5th, 1878, Colonel Gray and his wife
Eliza (nee
Elizabeth Ann Humphreys) bought an Italian Villa-style house that had been
built by Elizabeth Ferguson and her husband in 1870. Before moving in, the
Grays added to the back of the house and constructed a tower. More renovations occurred
over the years, including repairs after an 1882 attic fire, another addition in
1891, and the construction of a veranda in 1892. The Gray family stayed in the
house for almost 100 years. Upon the death of Emma Gray and her husband,
attorney Earle Stewart, their daughter Ann and son-in-law M. B. Edmundson moved
in. They sold the house in 1977. Eleven years later, the Lawrence County
Historical Society acquired the property and began turning it into a museum.
Restorations on the house were completed in 2000.

One of the exhibits in the museum
focuses on a notable guest of the Gray house: Eliza’s grandfather Reverend John
Rankin. Rankin was a Presbyterian minister and abolitionist in Ripley, Ohio. After
growing up in Tennessee and attending Washington College in Virginia, Rankin
came to Kentucky to form an anti-slavery society. His actions were not well-received,
so he moved to Ripley and began work as a conductor on the Underground
Railroad. Rankin helped as many as two thousand runaway slaves during his life
and was featured in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book Uncle Tom’s Cabin. He also established the Ohio Anti-Slavery
Society in 1835. After his wife’s passing, Rankin moved from Kansas to the Gray
house where he died March 18, 1886.

The Lawrence County Historical Society and Museum is located in a house built by Elizabeth Ferguson and her husband in 1870. The Italian Villa-style house features iron cresting, a double-leafed paneled door, and a tower with portholes. From 1878 to 1977, the house was owned by the Gray family whose notable members included Colonel George N. Gray, a Union soldier and ironmaster, and abolitionist John Rankin. The Museum includes exhibits on both men as well as Nannie Kelly Wright, the only female ironmaster in the U.S., and other pieces of local history.

Walking Tour of Ironton Ohio Local History

Iron Bank 1851, First National Bank of Ironton (Now U.S. Bank)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources