History Knox
Mark Sebastian Jordan authors a column each Saturday reflecting on the history of Knox County.
MOUNT VERNON — Time has come around once again for the Mound View Cemetery Walking Tour, a remarkable event where visitors get to encounter living history portrayals of figures interred in Mount Vernon’s historical burial ground.
It will take place Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m., at 307 Wooster Road. The event is free, though donations will be accepted.
Susan Kahrl, the creator of the first Mound View Cemetery historical walking tour event in 2011, has again organized the 2025 tour, “Hidden Stories of the Cemetery.”
As a retired sixth-grade teacher, a local thespian, and volunteer, Susan decided to combine her love of history and theater to start this local free community even to display the beauty and significance of Mound View Cemetery to the residents of Mount Vernon and Knox County.
Over the years the tours have highlighted the burial sites of prominent local and national political leaders, entrepreneurs, medical pioneers, and war veterans, like Columbus Delano, Lecky Harper, Dr. Jane Payne, Henry Curtis, and Dan Emmett.
“Many of the stories of the past two tours were researched and written by Mark Sebastian Jordan and appeared in his columns in Knox Pages,” Susan said. “I hope the public can attend and see some of Mark’s stories brought life by local actors in period costumes.”
Participating actors include a number of well-known local figures. For over 40 years, Cate Blair-Wilhelm has been a staple in the central Ohio acting community.
Performing primarily in Columbus until retiring from her day job, she now very happily works with MTVarts and others, here in her hometown.
She has particularly enjoyed learning about the so-called “Wild Men of Borneo,” and looks forward to sharing their story with you.
Bill Bridges was a member of the founding faculty of Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 1968 as the first Professor of Speech Communication, and initiated the on-campus drama program.
In retirement he has enjoyed portraying numerous characters onstage with MTVarts and Mount Vernon Players; now in his nineties, Bridges has regularly appeared as historical characters on the Cemetery Tours, such as Daniel Decatur Emmett, Judge Anthony Banning, and today, in light of his USAF Chaplaincy career, he is humbled to honor Jonathan Miller and other heroes of the Revolutionary War.
Larry J. Evans, who will be portraying colorful newspaper editor Lecky Harper, is an actor and director, currently living with his family in Sunbury, Ohio. He has theatre degrees from Otterbein University and UCLA and was a theatre faculty member at OSU-Mansfield for 23 years.
Starting on stage in 1963, Larry has been a part of numerous theatre productions in Columbus, Mansfield, and Mount Vernon. He is pleased to be a part of his second Cemetery Walk here in Mount Vernon.
stories of the tour, and will himself be portraying politician R.C. Kirk. (Photo by Mark Jordan.)
History Knox columnist Mark Sebastian Jordan will be portraying Harper’s political nemesis, Robert C. Kirk. Evans and Jordan, who first worked together in the theater thirty five years ago, plan on having their characters interact, a first for the cemetery tour.
We hope they won’t fully re-enact the knock-down, drag-out brawl the two real historical figures had near the courthouse in the mid-1800s!
Additionally, Jenny Bartsch, Audrey Lombardo, Moses Malone, and Karen Smith will be bringing stories to life on the tour.
The stories being told:
The Wild Men of Borneo
Stop #1: The Wild Men of Borneo (told by Cate Blair Wilhelm)
Folks have long wondered about the “Wilde Men of Borneo” (Hiram Davis and Barney Davis), brothers who were little people who toured as eccentric clowns in the Barnum and Bailey Circus, and were billed as “Twin sons of Emperor Borneo.”
How did these “Wild Men” end up in Mount Vernon? Though viewed as “strange little circus performers,” did they ultimately have the last laugh as wealthy entrepreneurs?
Revolutionary Soldier
Stop #2: Revolutionary Soldier, Jonathan Miller (told by Bill Bridges)
Why are there so many Revolutionary War veterans interred in Mount Vernon? Why do we have so many homes with architecture resembling that of Connecticut Residents around the beginning of the Revolutionary War?
Jonathan Miller will offer some insight about Knox County’s early patriots and how they ended up living here, on the frontier.
Weeping Mother Monument
Stop #3: The Weeping Mother Monument (told by Karen Smith)
This monument is one full of mystery and intrigue, as it was seemingly erected at the expense of a mother of Winfield March, Carl March, and Dana March … after their passing.
Each passed between 1894 and 1907, and very little is known about any of them. Were they lost at war? Lost to disease?
During this tumultuous time in Ohio history, it could have been any number of factors.
R.C. Kirk
Stop #4: R.C. Kirk (told by Mark Sebastian Jordan)
A perfect example of how ambition and drive can earn someone success, via business and politics, and even earn them a national position under Presidents Lincoln and Grant.
On his way up the political ladder, as he changed allegiances from the Democratic Party to support the abolitionists movement, he became publicly embroiled at odds with another Democrat, Lecky Harper, who accused Kirk of “appealing to the prejudices of ordinary people” and even sparking a colorful public rivalry that included public fist-fighting.
He is oddly buried only 20 feet from his lifelong political rival Lecky Harper.
stories of the tour, and will himself be portraying politician R.C. Kirk. (Photo by Mark Jordan.)
Lecky Harper
Stop #5: Lecky Harper (told by Larry J. Evans)
A local newspaper man (operating the Mount Vernon Democratic Banner from 1853 until 1895), Harper was not afraid to use his influence at the paper to call out other politicians when they were in opposition to his stance. One particular rivalry arose between Mr. Harper and R. C. Kirk, who made his home in Mount Vernon, and according to Mr. Harper “would rather take up issues important to the common man as Senator, than to argue logically about the real issues at hand.”
Oddly the two rivals are buried closely here in Moundview Cemetery.
Sarah Vance
Stop #6: Sarah Vance, wife of Col. Joseph Vance (told by Jenny Bartsch)
Married to Colonel Joseph Vance, Sarah watched as her illustrious husband had operated his law firm, and opened an Inn on the square in Mount Vernon in the late 1850’s which was a popular lodging place for stagecoach passengers, and became a popular place for food, drink, and discourse.
Mr. Vance had always taken an interest in public affairs, and was very outspoken in support of President Lincoln, and the defense of keeping the Union together.
In fact, he left his law practice and hotel operations aside to fight for the 96th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Western Theater of the war.
He became an important leader, achieving the rank of Colonel before being mortally wounded during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana. His wife was not notified until months after his passing … leaving locals to continue to see if he had survived, was taken captive, or was just unable to respond.
Moses Malone
Stop #7: Samuel Lane (told by Moses Malone)
Samuel Lane is one of the more colorful characters born in the Mound View Cemetery as no one is certain of his occupation, upbringing or even his true age!
By his own definition, and some brief records that indicate his existence, Lane was a former slave, earning his role as a valet to General Mercer, during the American Revolutionary War.
Mercer passed in 1777 and it is the years following that Lane seems to fall into a period of questionable roles and careers — perpetuated by his penchant for elaborate story-telling, when he finally arrives as a barber in Mount Vernon, Ohio, moving from Virginia.
He carred the moniker of “Judge,” and professed to be 80 or 90 years old, and the census takers of this period weren’t particularly reliable.
Lane was by all accounts a very charismatic character, giving a speech in support of Presidential candidate Henry Clay on Public Square in the 1840s.
Lane held many residences around Mount Vernon, and even took a much younger wife, and according to rumor fathered a child with her at the ripe old age of upwards of 90, or 110 years old.
Fidelia Punches
Stop #8: Fidelia Punches, the wife of Frank Hanger (told by Audrey Lombardo)
Scandal, and a surprising unfortunate demise are not unique to the modern day, as one was the case of Frank Hanger, a Mount Vernon resident who came to Knox County seeking happiness after the passing of his first wife, and began with M. Fidelia S. Punches, who is interred here with her husband.
Frank and Fidelia had another chance at happiness, with children and a good job, but here Fidelia tells the story of how happiness was lost again when Frank was sadly attacked during a prisoner escape, while he was working as a guard at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield in 1932.
Tour attendees will meet in the parking lot generously provided by Round Hill Dairy, 300 Wooster Road, where tour co-sponsors Madcap Living History will be providing musical entertainment with the male vocal group The Chapeaux, directed by Amy Stoner.
Additional tour co-sponsors include MTVarts, Mount Vernon Players, Town and Country Garden Club, Psi Iota Xi, Elixir Presents, Divelbiss, Joe Frazee, Sara Mankins, and Brian Ball.
Groups will be assembled every ten to fifteen minutes to ride over to the cemetery by tractor, but attendees must then walk from grave site to grave site, which will cover a large portion of the cemetery, from the top of the hill to the potter’s field near the bottom.
The terrain covered may include rough and/or uneven ground. Because of the distances involved, and the terrain, the tour isn’t advised for the handicapped.
The event is expected to proceed rain or shine. In the rare event of severe weather, the event would be rescheduled. Groups will depart from 1 to 3 p.m., and the actual trek through the cemetery will take well over an hour.
“I am pleased and proud that the stories I have presented in the History Knox weekly column have sprung to life in several of these presentations,” Jordan said. “Those of us who participated last time, in 2023, have just about recovered, so it’s good to do it again.
“Last time, I can’t remember whether the temperature or the number of times we repeated each story was the higher number, but it was a memorable event. I’m particularly proud that this year, for the first time, we have a story that will take us into Mound View Cemetery’s Potters’ Field, the area where the poorest of the poor were buried.
“Earlier this year, I discovered the remarkable story of ‘Judge’ Lane, an amazing member of Mount Vernon’s black community, who was rumored to be ancient by the time he died.
“Once he rises again, maybe we can ask him if he was really 200 years old!”
For further information, contact Susan Kahrl at 740-501-4892.