author
James McBride
1788–1859
A leading early Ohio chronicler, he preserved stories of frontier settlers while also taking a serious interest in archaeology and local history. His work helped shape how Butler County and the Miami Valley were remembered.
1 Audiobook
Symmes's Theory of Concentric Spheres Demonstrating that the Earth is hollow, habitable within, and widely open about the poles
by James McBride, John Cleves Symmes
About the author
Born in 1788, he became an important public figure in Butler County, Ohio, where he served in civic and state roles and was closely connected with the early growth of Hamilton and Miami University.
He is best remembered as a pioneer author and antiquarian. He gathered biographical sketches of early settlers and wrote about the region's past, helping preserve local memories that might otherwise have been lost. He also studied Native American earthworks and contributed drawings and observations used in early works on the Mississippi Valley.
He died in 1859, but his writing remained influential after his death, including the posthumous publication of Pioneer Biography, a work still associated with the early history of Butler County.