Past Inductees of the Civic Hall of Fame
The Mills Brothers
(John Jr. (1911-1936), Herbert (1912-1989), Harry (1913-1982), Donald (1915-1999), John Sr. (1885-1967))
Stephen Johnston (1812-1885) Johnston was born at Upper Piqua (Johnston’s Farm) and as a self-educated man became an attorney in 1850. He served the Miami Valley as Mayor of Piqua, Miami County Sheriff, and as an Ohio State Representative. In Piqua, Johnston organized the town’s first volunteer fire company, drafted the 1850 City Charter, created the charter for the Columbus, Piqua and Indiana Railroad, and recruited an infantry company during the Civil War. He was one of the community’s most active volunteers and promoters.
George Rundle (1847-1917) Rundle moved to Piqua in 1876 to manufacture Porter’s Pain King, a patent medicine. He took the company from a single horse drawn cart selling door-to-door to a firm with hundreds of employees and international sales. He promoted local growth as president of the Piqua National Bank and as a founding member of the Imperial Underwear Company and the Home Telephone company. He was active in social causes including the prohibition movement, first president of the YMCA, and as Miami County Treasurer.
Philip P. Gates (1894-1983) Gates moved to Piqua in 1917 to become director of music at the high school, a position he would hold for the next twenty-six years. He changed the face of the music in Piqua by reorganizing the high school marching band, creating a boys glee club, composing the Piqua High School Alma Mater, organizing and directing the Elks Band (Piqua Civic Band), and creating and directing several local church choirs. Regionally he was known for sponsoring one of the area’s first band festivals in the 1930’s.
Henry Flesh (1837-1919) Flesh was born in Germany and immigrated to Piqua by 1858. With only the coins in his pocket, he started and retired as a business owner and industrialist. Flesh was instrumental in founding the Piqua Humane Society, the Board of Trade (a predecessor of the Chamber of Commerce), the Piqua Electric Company, a local insurance company, and the Piqua-Troy Railroad. He was local bank president and president of City Council.
Airhart M. Fry (1860-1939) Fry was born in Montgomery County and came to Piqua in 1890 as an independent carpenter and contractor. During his almost five decades in Piqua, Fry changed the physical appearance of the city. He was responsible for the construction of the Brown, Benkert, and Orr-Flesh buildings on Main Street, the hospital, the YMCA, at least seven churches, and numerous industrial buildings. His skill and dedication to the building trade created a new standard for construction in the city.
John Scott Garbry (1902-1990) Garbry was born on a farm in Springcreek Township, beginning his life-long interest in agricultural management and environmental conservation. he was honored for these activities by the State of Ohio in 1963 and inducted into the Ohio Conservation Hall of Fame in 1986. Garbry's promotion of historical preservation was highlighted by his service with the Piqua Historical Museum and the creation of the Garbry Museum. His philanthropic endeavors included the donation of Garbry Big Woods to the Miami County Park District and the donation of the site of the Willowbrook Land Laboratory to the JVS.
Dominick Salvatore "Don" Gentile (1920-1951) Gentile was born in Piqua and at age twenty joined the Royal Canadian Air Force prior to America's entry into World War II. While serving with the Eagle Squadron of the Royal Air Force in England, he shot down his first Nazi aircraft. After America's entry into the war, he became commander of the 336th Squadron of the Army Air Force. He became one of the dominant flying aces in the European theater, flying 182 combat missions. He was called "Captain Courageous" by President Roosevelt and "a one man Air Force" by General Eisenhower. Gentile was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1995.
Goodrich Giles (1846-1927) Giles was born a slave on a Virginia plantation. After fighting in the Civil War, he came to Piqua. He became the community's first major African-American businessman. Starting in a tiny barn, he eventually operated several livery stables, three farms and was an original investor in the Third National Bank, and numerous rental properties. He was the first African-American to run for city council. Giles was also the driving force behind the building of the Cyrene Church (Piqua) and the Anderson-Giles Theater (Dayton).
Robert Hance, Jr. (1914-2000) Hance was born in the Piqua area and graduated from local schools. He served as Piqua City Manager for over twenty-three years. During his tenure, he molded the community’s post– World War II image as a progressive city, promoting among other items the atomic power plant and a municipal golf course. As an almost life-long musician, he played the cornet and served as the director of the Elks/Piqua Civic Band for over fifty-four years.
Robert Norris Hartzell (1896-1968) Hartzell, a friend of the Wright Brothers, established the Propeller Division of Hartzell Industries in 1917. He was instrumental in establishing another company division in 1928 to manufacture ventilating fans. In 1933, at the death of his father, Hartzell took over as president of Hartzell Industries. He established the Hartzell-Norris Trust in 1941, which is currently one of the city's major benefactors.
Minabelle Abbott Hutchins (1909-1981) Hutchins began her career in 1930 in Cincinnati. By 1935, she had won the role of Mary Southern in one of the nation's first radio soap operas. Hutchins moved to Piqua in 1946 and became one of the Miami Valley's first radio stars on "Your Best Bet" from 1951 until 1976. Hutchins other activities included promotion of the local Girl Scout program, encouraging environmental awareness through bird watching, worked with the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Fine Arts Foundation and various school committees.
Colonel John Johnston (1775-1861) Johnston served as the federal Indian Agent in Piqua from 1811 through 1829. he was instrumental in organizing the Peace Council of Piqua that kept the Native American tribes in the Ohio country neutral during the War of 1812. He served as an Ohio Canal Commissioner (1825-1836) and promoted Piqua as a canal port and toll office. Johnston also served as the first President of the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, a member of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, and a founder of Piqua's St. James Episcopal Church.
Armin Jacob "A.J." Kaiser (1895-1984) Kaiser was a member of the Young Men's Christian Association for over fifty years, serving as youth director from 1925 through 1940, and as the general secretary from 1940 through 1960. His work with the youth in Piqua was known throughout the state and culminated with his promotion and leadership of the YMCA's Camp Wakonda program. During the Second World War, Kaiser aided servicemen around the world with his constant stream of letters on hometown events. He worked various post-War veterans programs, as well as serving Piqua as a local historian and civic promoter.
Helen L. Louis (1899-1984) Louis was born in Piqua and joined staff of the Schmidlapp Free School Library in 1921. She became library director in 1946 serving through 1966. She began a number of innovative programs including providing circulating audio-visual materials to the public (one of the first five libraries in the state to provide this service), provided books for the hospital, and for the homebound. Louis was instrumental in creating new methods for adult learning in the city.
William Moore McCulloch (1901-1980) McCulloch moved to Piqua in 1928 and began a law practice with George Berry. He was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1932 and served as House Minority Leader and later Speaker of the House. He was the first House member to be elected three consecutive terms as speaker (1939-1943). He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1947 and served in that capacity until 1971. McCulloch is best known for his sponsorship and promotion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Kenneth McMaken (1911-1987) McMaken was born in Piqua and had a long record of community service. As president of the Piqua Council of Churches, he was one of the founders of the Bassett Street Mission and he promoted interracial discussions among the city’s churches. He was co-founder and long time member of the Piqua Elks/Piqua Civic Band. His service to local youth is exemplified in over forty years as a local Boy Scout leader.
Mills Brothers
John Jr. (1911-1936); Herbert (1912-1989);Harry (1913-1982); Donald (1915-1999); John Sr. (1885-1967)
The original Mills Brothers were born in Piqua and began singing at local church gatherings. They began their professional careers with the local Greenamyer Orchestra as Four Boys and a Guitar. In 1925, they were featured on WLW-Radio in Cincinnati and cut a record two years later. After the death of John Jr., the father of the Mills Brothers, John Sr. joined the act. The Mills Brothers recorded over 1,200 songs, including such international hits as Tiger Rag, Paper Doll, Yellow Bird, Lazy River and Cab Driver.
Raymond S. Mote (1892-1942)
Lucy B. Patterson (1871-1930) Patterson was born near Piqua and was one of very few women in the 1890's to receive a bachelor's degree and continue on with graduate work in literature at Columbia University. She was an English teacher for 35 years and took charge of upper level High School English classes in 1906. In 1919, she was the founding president of the Piqua Young Woman's Christian Association, serving eight years in that position during the 1920's. She was also one of the founders of the local Story Teller's League.
William H. Pitsenbarger (1944 - 1966) Pitsenbarger was born in Piqua and graduated from Piqua High School in 1962. He joined the Air Force and was sent to Vietnam in 1965 as a para-rescue specialist. On his day off, Pitsenbarger went on a rescue mission to evacuate wounded American soldiers. He was able to aid in the evacuation of nine men before the helicopter came under fire. He voluntarily stayed behind to help wounded and as a result was killed by enemy small arms fire. Pitsenbarger was the first enlisted man in U.S. history to receive the Air Force Cross.
John Allen Rayner (1864-1929) Rayner was born on a farm in northern Miami County. By occupation he was a farmer and a plumber, but his hobby was local history. He collected local artifacts and patiently researched the history of Piqua and the surrounding area. In 1917, he published The First Century of Piqua which has become the single most important history every written about Piqua. His collection of prehistoric artifacts comprises the largest of its type in the city.
Jacob Godfrey Schmidlapp (1849-1919) Schmidlapp was born in Piqua, one of six children who lived above the family grocery store. He was forced to quit school to help support his large family. By the 1870's he moved to Cincinnati where, through hard work and dedication, he helped found the Union Savings Bank. He continued to support his home town with donations that built the first public library, a monument to Piqua's only Navy Admiral, support for the first hospital, local scholarships and relief to victims of the 1913 flood.
Cecil M. Sims (1891-1978) Sims was born in Brasil, Ohio and moved to Piqua in 1919 to become the new High School principal. He later served as the superintendent of schools and executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. Sims served as the president of the Library Board, Piqua Chautauqua, Ohio High School Athletic Association, Ohio Teachers Association, and charter member of the State Board of Education. Sims spent his life as a teacher, administrator, author, musician, coach and civic leader.
George P. Wertz (1899 - 1969) Wertz came to Piqua as a biology teacher and basketball/football coach in September of 1925. His record as a football coach from 1925 through 1950 was won 165, lost 63 and tied 21. His 1929 team won the city's first undisputed MVL championship. He served until 1968 as the Piqua Athletic Director. His outstanding accomplishments and dedication as a teacher and as a coach were recognized when Roosevelt Field was renamed Wertz Field in his honor.
Belle
C. Buchanan Evans (1854-19__) Evans was born
and graduated from high school in Piqua. She served as
the first female physician in Piqua in the 1880's, an era
when medicine was almost completely dominated by men.
She received her medical degree from Pulte Medical College
in 1883 as a homoeopathic physician. She began
practice in Piqua in 1883, specializing in the diseases of
women and children. She set up a dispensary on the
public square for the care of those in need. Dr. Evans
returned to Cincinnati to receive a second degree from the
Women's Medical College in 1894.
Francis Meilly Orr (1854-1910)
Orr was born in Lima, Ohio and moved to Piqua with her
husband William P. Orr in 1884. She was the first
woman ever elected to public office in Pqua. Orr
served on the Piqua Board of Education and promoted the
first one story cottage style school in the Miami Valley
(Favorite Hill School) as a fire safety measure. She
was also one of the founders of Ladies Aid Society (a
predecessor of the United Way) and served as the president
of the Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs in 1899.
Lucius Cohen Cron
(1836-1926)
Cron was born in a log cabin in Piqua and at age eighteen
was apprenticed to a local cabinet maker. He became a
"drummer boy" for the 110th Ohio Regiment, making
his own inlaid wooden drum. Cron founded a furniture
company in 1868, which became one of the largest of its kind
in the Miami Valley. Cron served as Mayor of both
Huntersville (Shawnee) (1867-1891) and Piqua
(1906-1909). He was also one of the founders of the
Democratic Publishing Company, President of the Third
Building & Loan and the Piqua Natural Gas and Oil
Company.
Alfred Willard French
Sr. (1862-1925) French was born in Connecticut and graduated from M.I.T. in 1889. After graduation, he stayed at the college for several years to teach mathematics. In 1889, he patented an improved cake trimming machine for use in the linseed oil industry. The next year he founded the French Oil Mill Machinery Company in Piqua. He almost single handedly moved the new company from a tiny firm operating out of a former barn to one of the community's largest industries. French received over fifty different patents before his life was cut short by a tragic automobile accident.
Charles Butterfield Upton
(1884-1979) Upton was born in Piqua and joined the French Oil Mill Machinery Company in 1905 as an office clerk. He rose through the ranks to general manager and finally to chairman of the board. Upton helped write the original 1929 city charter and served as one of the first city commissioners. He served as chairman of the board of the Piqua National Bank and as the first chairman of Dettmer Hospital. Upton was one of the chief promoters for the creation of a state historical park at the Johnston Farm site.
Robert M. Davis
(1923-1990) He grew up in Troy, but moved to Piqua and joined the staff of the Citizens National Bank, an institution he would serve for thirty-four years retiring as the Chairman of the Board. As a banker, he actively promoted the economic growth of Piqua and Miami County by encouraging and supporting the creation of new and innovative local industries. As a community leader he was a driving force in the expansion of the YMCA, the Piqua Memorial Hospital, the United Fund, and the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce.
Samuel Knoop Statler
(1844-1917) Statler was born in Washington Township the son and grandson of pioneer
Miami County farmers. He served as the chief superintendent of the Mercer Gas Company and helped construct the first natural gas line to Piqua and Miami County to light local homes and businesses. He was a director of the Citizens National Bank and one of the co-builders of the Plaza Hotel on the square. Statler was also one of the county’s most active and innovative farmers.
Laura C. "Lola" Hill
(1888-1981)
Hill was born in Piqua, the daughter of Judge Walter D. Jones. She began her newspaper career in 1914 with the Piqua Leader-Dispatch. She wrote all of her reports in longhand without the benefit of a desk, only a tall stool against a counter. She was one of the community’s earliest female reporters, in an almost exclusively male world. She served as the society editor for the Piqua Daily Call from 1926 until 1964. She wrote a regular column,
Piquaisms, which ran for over forty-six years.
Richard E. Hunt (1919-2002)
Hunt was born in Troy, Ohio and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. In 1947, he was one of the organizers of the first radio station in Piqua and Miami County under the call letters
WPTW-AM. In the 1950’s, Hunt added several Michigan radio stations to his growing media empire. Hunt partnered with several local citizens in 1965 to establish Piqua’s and the area’s first cable
television company, Valley Antenna Systems. In 1984 he created the Miami County Foundation to provide support for county citizens.
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