Cultural Influences of Chillicothe and Ross County

Cultural Influences of Chillicothe and Ross County. . , (Marker 1, Native Americans) During the course of Chillicothe’s history many diverse groups have come to inhabit the area with the earliest being the Native American as early as the late 1600's. During the American Revolution, the Shawnees fought alongside the British. Shawnees believed that England would prevent the colonies from invading their land even more. Under one of their most famous leaders, Tecumseh, the Shawnee were fierce warriors. When the Shawnees divided themselves into many clans, their main chief could only come from one clan. The name of that clan was “Chillicothe.” When a village was called Chillicothe, it meant that it was home to the principal chief. Chillicothe was also the name of Ohio’s first capital, but the modern day city was not the sight of a former Shawnee town. , (Marker 2, French) In 1753 French and Canadian troops seized the Ohio Valley. They promoted the Native Americans as allies of France. Many railroads in the Chillicothe area were built by French immigrants. The first European settlement in Ohio was in the drainage area of the Muskingum River and was primarily along the Scioto River. , (Marker 3, Irish) The Irish population in Chillicothe was small before 1836; however, with the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal around that time, the Irish immigrant population grew substantially. In 1837, Reverend Father Henry D. Juncker organized the Irish Catholic families in Chillicothe and formed St. Mary’s Catholic Church. In 1849, the congregation moved to St. Peter’s Church; however, the majority of the congregation spoke German. Therefore, the Irish members left and re-established St. Mary’s Church. , (Marker 4, Germans) In the 1830's a substantial migration of Germans occurred in the United States. In 1837, a private military unit known as the German Grenadiers Guard was formed, that was part of a German movement to develop their own churches, schools, and publications. Several churches were formed including the German Evangelical Church in Chillicothe. German was spoken in several churches until World War I. German was taught in schools until it vanished after World War I. , (Marker 5, African Americans) Many African Americans came to Chillicothe as former slaves or as free people of color. African Americans aided in taming the wilderness. African Americans were barbers, teachers, whitewashers, bricklayers, plasterers, and ministers. African Americans began to organize their churches and prepare for the education of their children. , (Marker 6, Dedication) This monument was placed in Yoctangee Park in Chillicothe, Ohio to celebrate the many diverse cultures that played a vital role in creating the wonderful history of Chillicothe. This is being dedicated in 2003 during the celebration of the Bicentennial of the State of Ohio by the Ohio Bicentennial Youth Committee.