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How and why an island in Lake Erie became a POW camp for Confederate
officers is the topic for Roy Nichols’ program to the Big Walnut
Area Historical Society at 7:30, Tuesday, November 12, in the Myers
Inn Museum Meeting Room. The program is free and open to the public.
Johnson’s Island is a 300 acre island in Ottawa county in Sandusky
Bay near Marblehead. It is about 300 acres and almost a mile long
and ½ mile wide. Known as Bull’s |
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| Island after an early owner,
E. W. Bull., it was sold to L. B. Johnson in 1852.
According to the Duff Papers in Ashland Library,
the government leased 40 acres for Confederate Prisoners of War in
1861.
Nichols graduated from Ashland High School and got his B.A. from
Gordon College in Massachusetts in 1967 and a M.A.T from Oberlin
College in 1968. He taught history and American government in
Midview High School in Grafton, Ohio, while he attended law classes
and earned his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall Law School in
1972.
From 1972-75 Roy served as the Assistant Counsel for Ohio Secretary
of State (in Elections division). From 1975 to 1979 he was Chief of
the Corporations Division for Ohio Secretary of State. From
1979-1983 he served as Chief of Legal Services Division of Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (Legislative Liasion for
DRC). From 1983-2007 he was in private law practice but taught
classes at Columbus State and other local colleges.
Upon retirement he formed Nicholsworth Presentations and gives
historical talks on a variety of subjects, is a Professional
Storyteller and plays Santa. He is a member of Vaudvillities cast
member (3 shows per year); Hanby House volunteer; Church choir;
Silvertones Chorus; enjoys karaoke and ballroom dancing; Forever
Young Theater Group (once per year); Gillie Payers (3 plays per
year); Underground Railroad Study Group.
Roy is active in Faith Covenant Church, Blendon Senior Center,
Westerville Senior Center, Gillie Rec Center, Storytellers of
Central Ohio, 2 Civil War Round Table Groups; Ohio History
Connection; Hanby House in Westerville; Delaware County Historical
Society and the Griswold Center in Worthington.
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