Anna in Shelby County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
John W. Carey
Founder of Anna, Ohio
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 7, 2010
1. John W. Carey Marker
John W. Carey was born in 1805 in West Virginia [sic - Virginia] and came to Shelby County with his parents, Cephas and Jane Williamson Carey. Around 1833, J.W. Carey bought a thousand acres in Dinsmore Township, west of the present railroad in what is now the village of Anna.
J.W. Carey was a contractor by trade, having built the Montgomery County Courthouse in Dayton, Ohio, in 1845. In 1856, he helped build the Dayton and Michigan Railroad that was to run through Anna. He was instrumental in building the railroad station here and established a post office in the station. He named it Carey's Station, but later changed it to Anna in honor of his daughter. It was Carey who saw the need for the railroad in order to bring lasting prosperity to Anna.
The village of Anna, consisting of 16 lots east of the railroad, was platted by Carey in 1858. It was surveyed and recorded by John L. and Fletcher Thirkield, owners of that land. The town was incorporated on September 3, 1878.
In Sidney, he built the Shelby County Jail, Carey's Hall on the corner of Poplar Street and Ohio Avenue, and contracted to build part of the old Big Four Railroad bridge.
Carey died in 1877 at 72 years of age. He is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Sidney, Ohio, in an unmarked grave in the Thirkield plot.
Erected
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1802.
Location. 40° 23.701′ N, 84° 10.564′ W. Marker is in Anna, Ohio, in Shelby County. Marker is on Main Street (Ohio Route 119), on the left when traveling west. Marker is at the flagpole immediately west of the Anna Village Hall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 209 W Main Street, Anna OH 45302, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lois Lenski (approx. ¼ mile away); The Site of the St. Jacob Lutheran Church and Cemetery (approx. 1.6 miles away); Wenger One Room School (approx. 2.8 miles away); Rumley (approx. 3.8 miles away); Village of Rumley (approx. 3.8 miles away); Collins Cemetery (approx. 4.2 miles away); Korn Field Airport (approx. 5 miles away); Shelby House (approx. 5.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Anna.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 7, 2010
2. John W. Carey Marker
Looking east, with Anna Village Hall in background.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., March 7, 2010
3. Anna Village Hall
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2019. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,191 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 18, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
