New Reading in Perry County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Randolph Mitchell House / Reading Township, Perry County
Side A
Erected in 1828, the Randolph Mitchell House is a five-bay, Federal-style "I" house. Its facade features a doorway with an Adam-style fan and sidelights. The interior boasts a grand stairway in the foyer and fine woodwork throughout. Randolph Mitchell (1796-1847) was born in Rockingham County, Virginia. In 1819, Mitchell and his mother Sarah (1765-1844), settled in New Reading and he married Lydia Witmer (1798-1872). They had four children. A merchant, Mitchell kept an ample smokehouse and owned a tannery and real estate. He served as a justice of the peace for Reading Township. After Mitchell's death, his son-in-law, Dr. W.W. Arnold (1818-1872) maintained his practice in the home, where he and Caroline Mitchell Arnold (1825-1888) lived. Their son William Arnold (1858-1948) acquired the house, which remained in the family until 1951. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Side B
Reading Township was organized in 1807. Peter Obermeier migrated here from the Keystone State around 1802 and named the township after Reading, Pennsylvania. When established, the township was six miles square, as stipulated in the Land Ordinance of 1785, and was part of Fairfield County. In 1818, the General Assembly created Perry County-named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry-from parts of Fairfield, Muskingum, and Washington counties. In doing so, Reading Township was enlarged to its oblong shape, measuring six by eight miles. Randolph Mitchell's house was surrounded by the once-thriving village of New Reading, first called Overmyertown. It was initially populated by many families of German heritage. Obermeier-Overmyer, Mitchell, and other settlers to the area are buried in the adjacent cemetery.
Erected 2018 by Perry County Historical Society and The Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 14-64.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.
Location. 39° 48.603′ N, 82° 21.214′ W. Marker is in New Reading, Ohio, in Perry County. Marker is at the intersection of Rush Creek Road (Local Road 26) and Local Road 32, on the left when traveling east on Rush Creek Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5700 Rush Creek Road, Somerset OH 43783, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First Mass in Ohio (approx. 2.2 miles away); Jacob Miller’s Tavern (approx. 2.7 miles away); First Lutheran Synod (approx. 2.8 miles away); The Sheridan Monument / 1829 Courthouse (approx. 2.9 miles away); Nellie Sheridan Wilson (approx. 2.9 miles away); General Philip Henry Sheridan (approx. 2.9 miles away); A Seed of Catholic Education in Ohio / The Cradle of Catholicity in Ohio (approx. 3.1 miles away); Somerset (approx. 3.4 miles away).
Also see . . . Randolph Mitchell at Find A Grave. (Submitted on December 17, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 271 times since then and 50 times this year. Last updated on June 2, 2023, by Grant & Mary Ann Fish of Galloway, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 17, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.