Barnesville in Belmont County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Governor Wilson Shannon 1802-1877 / Barnesville’s Shannon Family
Governor Wilson Shannon (1802–1877), Ohio, first native-born governor, Wilson Shannon was born in February 1802 in the Mt. Olivet area near Barnesville. After attending Ohio University and studying law in Kentucky, he returned to Belmont County to practice and was elected county attorney in 1833. Shannon served two terms as governor of Ohio, from 1838 to 1840 and again from 1842 to 1844, resigning to accept a presidential appointment as minister to Mexico. After participating in the California Gold Rush, Shannon returned to Ohio and was elected to Congress in 1852. President Pierce then appointed him territorial governor of Kansas, an office he held until 1857. After a notable career of public service, Shannon died in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1877.
Barnesville’s Shannon Family. Four of Governor Wilson Shannon’s brothers and a nephew distinguished themselves as public servants during the nineteenth century. George Shannon III (c. 1785–1836) scouted for the Lewis and Clark Expedition and served as a Kentucky judge and senator. Thomas Shannon (c. 1787–1843) served in the War of 1812 and later in the U.S. Congress and the Ohio Senate. James Shannon (c. 1791–1832) was appointed U.S. Charge d’Affaires to the short-lived Federation of Central America in 1832. David Shannon (c. 1793–1823) served as Gen. Andrew Jackson’s private secretary and as acting territorial governor of Florida. Isaac Charles Parker (1838–1896) was appointed federal judge of the West District of Arkansas in 1875, a notoriously lawless area now part of Oklahoma. His commitment to law and order earned him legendary status as the “Hanging Judge of Fort Smith.”
Erected 2001 by The Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, Barnesville Community Foundation, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 7-7.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Industry & Commerce • War of 1812. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #14 Franklin Pierce, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1802.
Location. 39° 59.55′ N, 81° 10.608′ W. Marker is in Barnesville, Ohio, in Belmont County. Marker is at the intersection of North Chestnut Street (Ohio Route 800) and Walton Avenue, on the right when traveling south on North Chestnut Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 532 N Chestnut St, Barnesville OH 43713, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Belmont County Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); Wilson Shannon (within shouting distance of this marker); Belmont County World War I & II Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); S.S. Thomas Stone (approx. ¼ mile away); Roby Cigar Museum (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Village Bell (approx. 0.3 miles away); Watt Car and Wheel Company (approx. 0.3 miles away); Barnesville War Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Barnesville.
Also see . . .
1. Wilson Shannon. “When Shannon was only one year old, his father froze to death while hunting. After his father’s death, his older siblings helped to support the family. Several of his older brothers were lawyers, and they paid his tuition so that he could attend college. Shannon attended Ohio University from 1820 to 1822 and then attended Franklin College briefly before transferring to Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1823.He did not graduate from any of these institutions, deciding instead to study the law. He passed the Ohio bar examination in 1830 and began to practice law in St. Clairsville, Ohio.” (Submitted on July 24, 2009.)
2. Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum. Museum website homepage:
“A century ago a great architect worked with gifted craftsmen of the day from 1888 through 1893 to create this fine mansion. As visitors enter the Walton Avenue carriage entrance, they will see the splendor and elegance of fine carved oak fretwork with a winged griffin thought to prevent misfortune. To the right is the lovely dining room with the first of nine fireplaces and carved wood mantels with the original parquet oak floor. At the left are the twin parlors with moldings, mantels and doors completely finished in butternut, the fines native wood in this area. It is used again in the two front bedrooms on the second floor. ” (Submitted on July 24, 2009.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 19, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 24, 2009, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 2,242 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 24, 2009, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.