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Marion, Ohio

 

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Marion, Ohio



 
 
Marion is a city in the U.S. state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 of Ohio
Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern United States U.S. state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region , Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads in North America....
 and the county seat
County seat

A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there....
 of Marion County
Marion County, Ohio

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio, United States. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 66,217. Its county seat is the city of Marion, Ohio and is List of Ohio county name etymologies for General Francis Marion, an officer in the American Revolutionary War....
. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the Capital , the largest, and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. Located near the Geographic centers of the United States, Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County, Ohio, although parts of the city also extend into Delaware County, Ohio and Fairfield County, Ohio counties....
.

The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census. According to the US Census 2007 estimate, Marion has a population of 35,686, while Ohio's Columbus–Marion–Chillicothe Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget defines United States micropolitan area and United States metropolitan area. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties ....
 has 1,982,252 people. Marion is the county's largest city and the center of the Marion Micropolitan Statistical Area
United States micropolitan area

United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999....
 (as defined by the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
 in 2003).






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Encyclopedia


Marion is a city in the U.S. state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 of Ohio
Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern United States U.S. state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region , Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads in North America....
 and the county seat
County seat

A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there....
 of Marion County
Marion County, Ohio

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio, United States. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 66,217. Its county seat is the city of Marion, Ohio and is List of Ohio county name etymologies for General Francis Marion, an officer in the American Revolutionary War....
. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the Capital , the largest, and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. Located near the Geographic centers of the United States, Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County, Ohio, although parts of the city also extend into Delaware County, Ohio and Fairfield County, Ohio counties....
.

The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census. According to the US Census 2007 estimate, Marion has a population of 35,686, while Ohio's Columbus–Marion–Chillicothe Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget defines United States micropolitan area and United States metropolitan area. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties ....
 has 1,982,252 people. Marion is the county's largest city and the center of the Marion Micropolitan Statistical Area
United States micropolitan area

United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999....
 (as defined by the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
 in 2003). It is nicknamed the World's Popcorn Capital. President
President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
 Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding

Warren Gamaliel Harding was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death from a heart attack or stroke, in 1923....
 was a native of Marion.

History

The origins of Marion can be traced back to the War of 1812
War of 1812

The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , was fought from 1812 to 1815.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S....
 when Jacob Foos, a surveyor for General Harrison's company discovered a spring at the top of a hill and established a well there, which was named "Jacob's Well". This well was located near what is now Marion Towers on Delaware Ave. The town of Marion was platted north of Jacob's Well in 1822 by Alexander Holmes and Eber Baker
Eber Baker

Eber Baker Baker and his first wife, Lydia Smith Baker, came to the vicinity of what is now Marion, buying land from Alexander Holmes, about 1821 and constructed a log home....
; Marion County was established in 1824.

Best known as the hometown and burial location of President Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding

Warren Gamaliel Harding was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death from a heart attack or stroke, in 1923....
 and First Lady Florence Harding, Marion was one of Ohio's major industrial centers until the 1970s. Products of the Marion Steam Shovel Company (later Marion Power Shovel
Marion Power Shovel

Marion Power Shovel was a Marion, Ohio based manufacturer of earth moving shovels and draglines, mainly used in construction and resource extraction....
) built the Panama Canal
Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a man-made canal which joins the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean oceans. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, it had an enormous impact on shipping between the two oceans, replacing the long and treacherous route via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South Am...
 and in the 1960s, NASA
NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the Federal government of the United States, responsible for the nation's public list of space agencies....
 contracted with Power Shovel to construct the crawler-transporters that moved the assembled Saturn V
Saturn V

The Saturn V was a multistage rocket liquid-fuel expendable launch system rocket used by NASA's Apollo program and Skylab programs from 1967 until 1973....
 rockets, used by Project Apollo
Project Apollo

The Apollo program was a human spaceflight program undertaken by NASA during the years 1961?1975 with the goal of conducting manned moon landing missions....
, to the launch pad. In 1911, 80% of the nation's steam shovel and heavy duty earth moving equipment was manufactured in Marion, Ohio.

The city is also a rail center for CSX
CSX Transportation

CSX Transportation is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the CSX Corporation. It is one of the three Class I railroads serving most of the East Coast, the other two being the Norfolk Southern Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway....
, and Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Railway

The Norfolk Southern Railway is a major Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada....
, linking all four points on the compass. Marion is the nation's leader in corn and popcorn produced foods. Whirlpool Corporation of Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor, Michigan

Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County, Michigan in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 11,182 at the 2000 United States Census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles, Michigan-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 is the largest employer in the city operating the largest clothes dryer manufacturing facility in the world.

Marion is also the birthplace and childhood home of Norman Mattoon Thomas, four-time candidate for President of the United States
President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
 under the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America

The Socialist Party of America was a Democratic socialism political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of America which had split from the main organization in 1899....
 ticket and co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union

The American Civil Liberties Union consists of two separate non-profit organizations: the ACLU Foundation, a 501 organization which focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501 organization which focuses on legislative lobbying....
 (ACLU). Elsie Janis
Elsie Janis

Elsie Janis was an United States singer, songwriter, actress, and screenwriter. Entertaining the troops during World War I immortalized her as "the sweetheart of the AEF" ....
, the stage name for Elsie Beerbower, musical theatre star and "Sweethert of the American Expeditionary Forces" (AEF) during World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 was a native of Marion County. The Isaly family of Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield, Ohio

Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately 80 miles southwest of Cleveland, Ohio and 66 miles northeast of Columbus, Ohio....
 - inventors of the Klondike bar
Klondike bar

"Klondike" is a brand name for a dessert generally consisting of a vanilla ice cream square coated with a thin layer of chocolate-flavored coating....
 - chose Marion as the second Isaly's
Isaly's

Isaly?s was a chain of family-owned dairies and restaurants started in Mansfield, Ohio , Ohio with locations throughout the American Midwest from the early 1900s until the 1970s....
 Dairy facility.

In 1938, local tap dance instructor Marilyn Meseke
Marilyn Meseke

Marilyn Meseke has the distinction of being twice crowned Miss Ohio and Miss America in 1938.Meseke was christened Mary Ellen Spurrier in 1917, near Lima, Ohio....
, was crowned Miss America
Miss America

The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands....
 1938 - the first year that talent was considered part of the annual competition. Meseke's trophy and pageant memorabilia is housed at the Marion County Historical Society
Marion County Historical Society

The Marion County Historical Society is located in Marion, Ohio. In addition to operating Heritage Hall, a comprehensive museum dedicated to the preservation of Marion County Ohio history, the Society also operates the Rinker-Howser Resource Center, Linn School House and Seiter Cabin sites....
.

Mary Ellen Withrow
Mary Ellen Withrow

Mary Ellen Hinamon Withrow was the 40th Treasurer of the United States from March 1 1994 to January 20, 2001 under President Bill Clinton....
 (nee Hinamon), Treasurer of the United States
Treasurer of the United States

The Treasurer of the United States is the only position within the United States Department of the Treasury older than the Department itself. It should not be confused with the far more powerful United States Cabinet level position of Secretary of the Treasury....
 from 1994 until 2001 is a Marion County native. Withrow is the only person in the history of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 to have held the governmental position of Treasurer on the Local (Marion County Ohio Treasurer), State (Treasurer of the State of Ohio) and Federal levels of Government.

Marion Cemetery also has the dubious honor of being home to the Merchant family grave marker, known in paranormal circles for its unintended movements. The marker consists of a large grey granite pedestal capped by a two-ton granite sphere four feet in diameter. The sphere moves on its base several inches every year, as measured by the distance traveled by the unpolished spot on what was originally where the sphere's bottom was mated to the pedestal. While the movement of the sphere is thought to be facilitated by freeze-thaw cycles, earth tremors, or trapped air or water under the base, there has been no conclusive explanation for patterns that the sphere seems to follow. The movements of the sphere have been documented by numerous news outlets and it has been featured in Ripley's Believe it or Not (September 29, 1927).

Geography

Marion is located at (40.586579, -83.126404).

The city is located about 50 miles (80 km) north of Ohio's
Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern United States U.S. state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region , Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads in North America....
 capital city, Columbus
Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the Capital , the largest, and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. Located near the Geographic centers of the United States, Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County, Ohio, although parts of the city also extend into Delaware County, Ohio and Fairfield County, Ohio counties....
, due north along U.S. Highway 23. Marion occupies most of Marion Township
Marion Township, Marion County, Ohio

Marion Township is one of the fifteen civil township of Marion County, Ohio, Ohio, United States. The United States Census, 2000 found 44,908 people in the township, 9,590 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township....
, which is located just outside of the city limits.

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the city has a total area of 11.4 square mile
Square mile

The square mile is an Imperial system and US customary system of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared....
s (29.5 km˛), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.4 km˛) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km˛) of it (0.35%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
 of 2000, there were 35,318 people, 13,551 households, and 8,821 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 3,111.6 people per square mile (1,201.4/km˛). There were 14,713 housing units at an average density of 1,296.8/sq mi (500.5/km˛). The racial makeup of the city was 90.40% White, 7.01% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.

There were 13,551 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,124, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $31,126 versus $22,211 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 for the city was $16,247. About 10.9% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Culture


Annual events and fairs

Marion is home to the Marion Popcorn Festival
Marion Popcorn Festival

The Marion Popcorn Festival is held every year in downtown Marion, Ohio, USA. The festival was established in 1981 and is held annually during the first weekend after Labor Day in September....
, an annual event that is held in downtown Marion in September, the weekend following Labor Day. The is held every year in Marion during the first week of July. is a children's festival that is held each year in Lincoln Park. The Regional Dog and Pony Show is a regional event that is held annually in Marion. One of the fair's founding members Doug Mitchem was instrumental in the development of the programs.

Media

Marion is served in print by The Marion Star, the city's only daily newspaper
Newspaper

A newspaper is a publication containing news, information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. General-interest newspapers often feature articles on Politics, crime, business, art/entertainment, society and sports....
. Online, the city is served by .

Among Marion's notable radio stations are WMRN
WMRN-FM

WMRN-FM is a country music radio station in Marion, Ohio, currently owned by Clear Channel Communications....
 (94.3FM) country music station, WMRN
WMRN (AM)

WMRN is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Marion, Ohio, USA, the station serves the Mid-Ohio area. The station is currently owned by Citicasters Licenses, L.P....
 (1490AM) news/talk (clear channel), WOSB
WOSU-FM

WOSU-FM is a National Public Radio news and classical music radio station based in Columbus, Ohio. It is owned by Ohio State University. The station has multiple repeaters throughout the United States state of Ohio, making the station a multiple transmitter station....
 (91.1FM) NPR News and classical music station, WYNT
WYNT

WYNT is an adult contemporary station formerly located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio now located with its studios in Marion, Ohio and its transmitter and city of license moved to Caledonia, Ohio....
 (95.9FM) adult contemporary station, and (97.5FM) community radio.

The local television station is Channel 39, which is primarily Christian programing. In 2008, a new television station, (Time Warner Channel 3), was launched to cover area news, events, sports, and local programming.

Sports

Marion, Ohio is home to the Marion Mayhem, an Arena football
Arena football

Arena football is a sport based upon American football. It is played indoors on a smaller field than American football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
 team in the Continental Indoor Football League, that play at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Marion)

The Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 3,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Marion, Ohio. It was built in 1950. It is home to the Marion Mayhem arena football team....
. Marion previously had a professional ice hockey
Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team sport played on ice. It is a fast paced and physical sport. Ice hockey is most popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural reliable seasonal ice cover such as Canada, the northern United States, Scandinavia and Russia, though with the advent of indoor artificial ice r...
 team, the Marion Barons
Marion Barons

The Marion Barons were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League during the 1953?54 season. The Barons were based in Marion, Ohio, played at Veterans Memorial Coliseum , and were a farm team of the Cleveland Barons ....
, who played in the International Hockey League during the 1953-54 season. In the High School Scene, Marion has been home to numerous individual and team state championships. In the early 1980's, Tina Kniseley was a roller figure-skating national champion and Scott Duncan was a WUSA National Champion in wrestling.

Education

Marion City Schools
Marion City School District

Marion City School District is a public school district serving students in the city of Marion, Ohio, Ohio, United States. The school district enrolls 5,154 students as of the 2007-2008 academic year....
 enroll 4,992 students in public primary
Primary education

A primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as Primary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth of Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ....
 and secondary
Secondary education

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education is generally the final stage of compulsory education....
 schools. The district administers 8 public schools including six elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

In addition to the city schools, there are also 4 other public school districts including: Elgin, Pleasant, River Valley, and Ridgedale. A private school, Marion Catholic, can also be found in Marion.

Marion is home to two institutions of higher learning. The Ohio State University
Ohio State University, Marion Campus

The Ohio State University at Marion, Ohio Campus in Marion County, Ohio is a coeducational public university founded in 1957. Its campus is situated in Marion, Ohio located north of Columbus, Ohio....
 has a regional campus at Marion, and , a community college that shares the Marion Campus with OSU.

Notable natives

  • Eber Baker
    Eber Baker

    Eber Baker Baker and his first wife, Lydia Smith Baker, came to the vicinity of what is now Marion, buying land from Alexander Holmes, about 1821 and constructed a log home....
    , founder of Marion
  • John Dean
    John Dean

    John Wesley Dean III was White House Counsel to United States of America President Richard Nixon from July 1970 until April 1973. As White House Counsel, he became deeply involved in events leading up to the Watergate burglaries and the subsequent Watergate scandal cover up, even referred to as "master manipulator of the cover up" by the Fed...
    , Nixon Administration official and Watergate personality
  • Warren G. Harding
    Warren G. Harding

    Warren Gamaliel Harding was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death from a heart attack or stroke, in 1923....
    , 29th President of the United States
    President of the United States

    The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
     and publisher of The Marion Star
  • Edward Huber
    Edward Huber

    Edward Huber was an American inventor and industrialist.Edward established his role in the modernization of American agriculture when he invented a ?revolving hay rake? in the mid 1800?s that allowed one man to do in three hours what three men could do in a day....
    , industrialist and inventor of the gasoline powered tractor.
  • Aubrey Huff
    Aubrey Huff

    Aubrey Lewis Huff is a Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles....
    , Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball

    Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between them since 1903 ....
     player for the Baltimore Orioles
    Baltimore Orioles

    The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball based in Baltimore. They are a member of the American League East of Major League Baseball's American League....
    .
  • Elsie Janis
    Elsie Janis

    Elsie Janis was an United States singer, songwriter, actress, and screenwriter. Entertaining the troops during World War I immortalized her as "the sweetheart of the AEF" ....
     (born Elsie Beerbower), comedian, broadway star, "Sweetheart of the AEF".
  • Florence Kling DeWolfe Harding, wife of Warren G. Harding, First Lady 1921-1923.
  • O.J. McDuffie, former NFL player for the Miami Dolphins
    Miami Dolphins

    . The Miami Dolphins are the professional American football team based in the Miami, Florida South Florida metropolitan area. They play home games at Dolphin Stadium, in the suburb of Miami Gardens, Florida....
    , and NCAA football Penn State University. M.S.-Taft in Marion, H.S.-Gates Mills Hawken (Cleveland)
  • Marilyn Meseke
    Marilyn Meseke

    Marilyn Meseke has the distinction of being twice crowned Miss Ohio and Miss America in 1938.Meseke was christened Mary Ellen Spurrier in 1917, near Lima, Ohio....
    , Miss America
    Miss America

    The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands....
     1938; Miss Ohio
    Miss Ohio

    The Miss Ohio Pageant selects the representative for the U.S. state of Ohio in the Miss America pageant. The pageant is held annually, during the "Miss Ohio Festival" week, at the historic 1,600 seat Ohio Theatre in Mansfield, Ohio....
     1931 and 1938.
  • Gerry Mulligan
    Gerry Mulligan

    Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an United States jazz saxophonist, composer and arrangement.Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophone in jazz history - playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz - he was also a notable arranger, working with Claude Thornhill, Miles Davis,...
    , jazz artist also known as "Juru".
  • Taya Parker
    Taya Parker

    Taya Parker is an United States model, actor, and singer. She appeared on the cover of the January 2008 issue of Penthouse magazine and was featured as the Pet of the Month....
    , international model and performer, seen on "Rock of Love".
  • Carrie Phillips, mistress of Warren G. Harding, and the only woman to blackmail a major American political party successfully.
  • Jim Thorpe
    Jim Thorpe

    Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe was an United States athlete. Considered one of the most versatile athletes in modern sports, he won Olympic Games gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon, played American football at the collegiate and professional levels, and also played professional baseball and basketball....
    , Olympian and Oorang Indians
    Oorang Indians

    The Oorang Indians were a traveling team in the National Football League from LaRue, Ohio . LaRue is the smallest town ever to have been the home of an NFL franchise....
     player. Oorang played in LaRue.
  • Norman Thomas
    Norman Thomas

    Norman Mattoon Thomas was a leading United States socialism, pacifism, and six-time President of the United States candidate for the Socialist Party of America....
    , six time Socialist presidential candidate and one of the founders of the National Civil Liberties Bureau
    National Civil Liberties Bureau

    The National Civil Liberties Bureau was an United States civil rights organization which changed its name to the American Civil Liberties Union ....
     (the precursor of the American Civil Liberties Union
    American Civil Liberties Union

    The American Civil Liberties Union consists of two separate non-profit organizations: the ACLU Foundation, a 501 organization which focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501 organization which focuses on legislative lobbying....
    ).
  • Mary Ellen Withrow
    Mary Ellen Withrow

    Mary Ellen Hinamon Withrow was the 40th Treasurer of the United States from March 1 1994 to January 20, 2001 under President Bill Clinton....
    , 40th Treasurer of the United States
    Treasurer of the United States

    The Treasurer of the United States is the only position within the United States Department of the Treasury older than the Department itself. It should not be confused with the far more powerful United States Cabinet level position of Secretary of the Treasury....
    , 1994-2001.
  • Some of the following are better known than others, and randomly ordered, but seem noteworthy*
  • John Courtright, former Div. I pitcher at Duke
    Duke

    A duke is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy or a dukedom. The title comes from the Latin language Dux Bellorum, which had the sense of "military commander" and was employed by both the Germanic peoples themselves and by the Ancient Rome authors covering them to r...
     and first professional pitcher to face Michael Jordan in the minor leagues, pitched in one Major League game May 6, 1995 for the Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds

    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the National League Central of the National League....
    . Currently a major sports agent with SFX
    SFX

    SFX may refer to:* Special effect, illusions used in film, television and entertainment* Sound effect, artificially created or enhanced sounds...
     in Illinois. H.S.-Harding
  • Andrew Palmer Todd, former NCAA Soccer Div. I player at Northwestern University
    Northwestern University

    Northwestern University is a non-sectarian private university research university located in Evanston, Illinois and downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States....
     and Professional Soccer Player, Concert Pianist and Winner of the Artist International Piano Award,debuted in New York at Carnegie Hall. H.S.-Harding
  • Casey Matteson, former NCAA Baseball Div. I pitcher-1994 NCAA Tournament appearance at Wright State University
    Wright State University

    Wright State University is a public university in Ohio, United States The university uses Dayton, Ohio as its postal address , but the campus is actually completely within the city limits of Fairborn, Ohio....
    , former minor league pitcher in Richmond. Ind and rare one-time 3-sport NAIA college coach at Urbana (OH) University. H.S.-Pleasant
  • Toby Harrah
    Toby Harrah

    Colbert Dale Harrah was a professional baseball player who played with the Texas Rangers both before and after their 1971 franchise shift before later being traded to the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees....
    , former Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball

    Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between them since 1903 ....
     Player, 4-time All Star, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians,etc., Assistant Coach with the MLB Detroit Tigers.
  • Chris Wallace, former NCAA Baseball Div. I player at Wright State University. and minor league pitcher with the New York Yankees
    New York Yankees

    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball based in the Borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of the American League East of Major League Baseball's American League....
    . H.S.-Harding
  • Brian Agler
    Brian Agler

    Brian Agler is a basketball coach, currently the head coach of WNBA's Seattle Storm. He has been the head coach of two other professional women's teams, and won two professional titles as coach....
    , former [NCAA Women's Basketball]] Div. I Head Coach at Kansas State University
    Kansas State University

    Kansas State University, officially named Kansas State University of Agriculture and Applied Science but commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, Kansas, in the United States....
    , etc., former Head Coach of the Columbus Quest ABL
    ABL

    ABL is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* A Beautiful Lie, 30 Seconds to Mars's second studio album* Abl gene, an oncogene associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia...
     and current WNBA Head Coach for the Seattle Storm
    Seattle Storm

    The Seattle Storm is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently led by Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson and University of Connecticut star Sue Bird....
      H.S.-Elgin
  • Larry Barnett
    Larry Barnett

    Lawrence Robert Barnett is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1969 to 1999 before becoming the major leagues' supervisor of umpires in 2000-2001....
    , Longtime Umpire 1969-1999 Major League Baseball, Worked infamous Game 3 of 1975 World Series and 1996 Jeffrey Maier American League Championship Series.
  • Jerry Layne
    Jerry Layne

    Jerry Blake Layne is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League between 1989 and 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000....
    , Longtime Umpire 1989-current Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball

    Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between them since 1903 ....
    .
  • Tenille Whiteside, former NCAA Softball Div. I player at Cleveland State University
    Cleveland State University

    Cleveland State University is a public university located in Cleveland, Ohio. The current President is Michael Schwartz, who was previously president emeritus and a professor at Kent State University....
     and Professional Softball Player in the WPSL
    WPSL

    WPSL may refer to:* Women's Premier Soccer League* WPSL , a radio station licensed to Port St. Lucie, Florida, United States* National Pro Fastpitch, formerly known as the Women's Pro Softball League...
     for the Carolina Diamonds. H.S.-Pleasant
  • Ed McCants former NCAA Men's Basketball Div. I for at UW-Milwaukee, Horizon League
    Horizon League

    The Horizon League is a ten school, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I list of college athletic conferences, whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
     Player of the Year, appeared in 2005 NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16". Currently in the NBA Developmental League. H.S.- Marion Catholic
  • Ryan Todd Computer Animator, Hollywood, California, Worked in 1996 [Boss Film Studios} movie Multiplicity starring Michael Keaton
    Michael Keaton

    'Michael John Douglas' , better known by the stage name 'Michael Keaton', is an American actor, known for his early comedic roles in films such as Night Shift , Beetlejuice, and his portrayal of Batman in the two Tim Burton-directed films of the series, as well as lead roles in the late 1990s and 2000s including Jackie Brown, ...
    . H.S.-Pleasant
  • Justin Niedermier Professional Motorcycle Racer. 2002-2005. Now lives in Las Vegas, NV


External links

  • * - pictures of notable monuments, including the Merchant Family Marker
  • - News, Sports, Weather, & More for Marion, Ohio
  • - A historical site devoted to the odd, bloody, creepy and otherworldly stories from around town.