JHM Museum announces Mary Harris winners

Johnson-Humerickhouse sign.
Johnson-Humerickhouse sign.

The Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum recently announced the 2021 winners of The Mary Harris Prizes for nonfiction writing.

The goal of the competition, sponsored by Coshocton native Scott Butler, is to encourage the study and better understanding of Coshocton’s frontier history. It’s open to people of any age who reside or work in Coshocton County, including students whose permanent home is in Coshocton County. The essays are judged double-blind by Butler and an out-of-state panel of individuals.

This year’s first place winner was Jack Walker III with his essay “A Living Document.” Walker describes the importance of avoiding personal bias when it comes to writing nonfiction and explores the need to accept that revisions and objectivity are needed when it comes to writing nonfiction. He focuses on his journey of researching his family’s genealogy through an objective lens.

Second place was split between three entrants, Robbie Khel’s “The Bug,” Martha Richardson’s “John Chapman: Pleasure or Profit?” and Jennifer Wilkes’ “Pike Township, Coshocton County: A History.”

Kehl wrote an essay detailing a string of fires in Roscoe in 1912, where he describes the history of several fires that plagued the town. Richardson wrote about John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, and brings to question the motivations behind his actions. Wilkes wrote about the story of the southwest corner of Coshocton County from the frontier and its wildlife, the first settlers and the growth of the township.

Four essays received honorable mentions, including Annalissa Hankinson with “The Delaware Tribe of Coshocton County”; Dana M. Kittner, with “Human Trafficking in North American: A firsthand account by John Leith”; Verlyn Miller, with “Religious History of the Delaware and Moravians”; and Christine Sycks, with “Where Paths of Others Lead.”

For information: 740-622-8710; jhmuseum@jhmuseum.org.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: JHM Museum announces Marry Harris winners