Ghost Walk will tell story of five in cemetery

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A Ghost Walk featuring actors portraying five individuals of varying fame buried in the Hillsboro Cemetery will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28.

The walk is free to the public and starts at the cemetery chapel. It is being sponsored by the Highland County Historical Society and Southern Ohio Genealogical Society.

The first ghost visitors will meet will be Carrie Lee Pinnelle Morris (1900-1963), who the societies say was an exotic dancer. Avery Applegate, a retired Hillsboro art teacher, will tell Pinnelle’s story.

Next on the walk will be a presentation on the life of Charles Collins (1832-1904), a Hillsboro attorney, world traveler and author, as portrayed by Dennis Kirk.

The life of John C. Brown (1851-1888), who had the misfortune of being fatally shot while sitting in front of the Parker Hotel in Hillsboro, will be told by Ghost Walk regular Steve Roush.

Tales about the life and times of Lt. Col. William Oliver Collins (1809-1880), who was an attorney and commander of the 11th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, will be told by another regular Ghost Walk presenter, Robert Brown. Fort Collins, Colo. is named for William Oliver Collins and Casper, Wyo. is named for his son, Caspar Collins.

Mel Haines, another regular ghost and a retired educator from Kettering, will present the life story of Isaac Sams (1788 to 1878). Sams helped improve the Hillsboro community and was an advocate for education. According to the societies, Hillsboro has continued to benefit from his efforts for the past 180 years.

Jean Wallis, a member of both societies, said the ghost walks were started several years ago when she was president of the genealogical society. She said the historical society took the walks over a few years ago and this year the boards of both societies decided to hold the annual event jointly.

“The reason we have a ghost walk is to get people acquainted with all the people buried in the Hillsboro Cemetery,” Wallis said. “It has a governor, and Hugh Fullerton, who uncovered the Black Sox Scandal in 1919, and several other well-known people buried there. It shows people what the county has to offer and gets them acquainted with both societies, too.”

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.

Annual event planned for Aug. 28 in Hillsboro

By Jeff Gilliland

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