Page 3
Tegwyn Lantz
Diolch yn fawr -- thank you very much -- to everyone who donated $25 or more (and received a gorgeous dragon paperweight as a gift!) during our fundraiser for the Welsh-American Heritage Museum. WSCO members who were on our bus trip September 30th to Jackson County presented a check for $1,000 to Mildred Bangert, Curator and local historian. Mildred and the Museum Board are very appreciative of the support of WSCO and our members.
Board member Tegwyn Lantz and Mildred Bangert
The Welsh-American Heritage Museum, founded in 1971, collects and preserves artifacts, records, and photographs of Welsh families from the Jackson area and is housed in the Old Welsh Congregational Church in Oak Hill. The museum strives to keep Welsh culture and traditions alive and often sponsors local programs that are announced in the Ninnau. If you have not visited the museum, you must plan a trip soon. The museum is open by appointment -- contact: Mildred Bangert, 412 East Main St, Oak Hill, Ohio, 45656, or phone (740) 682-7057. You can find more information about the museum at http://www.youseemore.com/oakhill/contentpages.asp?loc=4.
A few of the gorgeous etched glass paper-weights with a Welsh dragon design are left. For $25 you can benefit the WSCO general fund. Leave a message at (614) 470-4999 or email centralohiowelsh[at]aol[dot]com if you are interested.
Ken Evans
The September 30th Gallia / Jackson County tour was an extension of the 2005 trip and visited sites that we didn't have time for then.
We picked up the former mayor of Jackson, Tom Evans, at his home on the main street in Jackson, and he then entertained us with stories of the Welsh and local history on our way to Rio Grande.
After a few frantic moments finding someone to open the Greer Museum, we visited the Welsh exhibit on tour from Wales which shows the important contribution the Welsh have made to the USA. While there, Tegwyn Lantz presented a $1,000 WSCO check to Mildred Bangert for the Oak Hill Welsh American Heritage Museum.
After lunch at the Rio Grande Bob Evans, we headed back to Jackson, enjoying more of Tom Evans' stories on the way. We met Barbara Summer at the historic Markay Theater, now in the process of being renovated as a cultural arts center, a project of the Southern Hills Arts Council and the city of Jackson. Bill Martin spoke about his ancestors, the first white family to settle in the area. So the Martin family was there to welcome the many Welsh settlers that came later, starting in 1818.
Next stop was around the corner to visit the home of Lillian E. Jones, which is now a museum, to see the house and furnishings and learn of the contributions that she and her Welsh parents made to the community. Host was Rhonda Woolum, director.
We then had some free time to “hang out” in downtown Jackson. For those who remember the town in a different era, it was a shock to find deserted buildings and closed shops, on a Saturday afternoon especially, although some folks managed to find an ice cream shop open.
Many thanks to Tom Evans for his part in hosting this trip.
We haven't set a Sept./Oct. date yet for the next bus tour but we are aiming for the Welsh Hills and neighboring Granville, Ohio.
The first non-Indian settler in the area in 1800 was a Welshman from Western Virginia, John Jones (there's those Jones' again). In 1802, Theophilus Rees led a vanguard of Welsh families from Pennsylvania to 1800 acres in the northeast quarter of what was to become Granville Twp. And became known as The Welsh Hills. When the founders of Granville bought the remaining land of future Granville Twp. in 1804-05, the Welsh were there to greet them.
If you are connected in any way to this area, please let us know.
Contact Ken Evans, (614) 888-1135 or email MKEvans30[at]aol[dot]com.