author
James McBride
1788–1859
A self-taught pioneer scholar, civic leader, and early historian of Ohio, he helped shape Butler County while preserving some of the region’s earliest stories and antiquities.
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 one of the most influential early figures in Butler County, Ohio. He is remembered not only as Hamilton’s first mayor, but also as a state representative, canal advocate, and an energetic local historian with wide-ranging interests.
Though not formally trained as a scholar, he built a reputation as an antiquarian and observer of Native American earthworks in the Mississippi Valley. His sketches and research were valued by early writers on the region, and his work helped preserve historical material that might otherwise have been lost.
He was also closely connected with Miami University, serving in leadership roles there while continuing his civic work. His writing and collecting made him an important record-keeper of early Ohio life, and he remains a notable example of the learned, public-minded citizen of the American frontier.