History & Hauntings
in Northern Appalachia and the Western Reserve
Research and writing by Author/Historian Ashley Armstrong
Top Stories
In the only case of capital punishment by hanging in Trumbull County, I explore the details surrounding the tragic murder of 16-year-old Maria Buel.
In 1867, William Holcomb died squirrel hunting when his gun discharged. However, suspicions of the relationship between his wife and best friend James Sawyer sent James to trial for murder!
Early Mecca Settler and Schoolteacher, Noble Mason
2026-05-13 17:56
Early Mecca settler, Noble Mason, was the first schoolteacher in West Mecca
Early Settlers of Mecca Twp., Part 5: The Smith Family & Smith Cemetery
2026-05-09 17:43
A very large, multigenerational family group of Smiths came to West Mecca from Connecticut sometime in the 1830s.
Early Settlers of Mecca Twp., Part 4: Masons, Bentons, Browns
2026-04-27 20:09
More accounts of the trials and tragedies of the first settlers who came to the west side of Mosquito Creek in Mecca Twp.
Early Settlers of Mecca Twp., Part 3: First Postmaster and Mail Carriers, Phillips, St. John, Knapp, and the Buttles, First Settlers of West Mecca
2026-04-10 19:19
First postmaster and mail carriers of Mecca Twp., along with the first settlers on the west side of Mosquito Creek
Early Settlers of Mecca Twp., Part 2: Taylors, Chaffees, First Death, and First Physicians
2026-03-26 18:36
Stories of some of Mecca Twp.'s first settlers, its first death–a little girl, first physicians–one a fierce female who was a force to be reckoned with
Early Settlers of Mecca Twp., Part I: Dawson, Rose, Rowe, and Pettis families & South Mecca Cemetery
2026-03-17 18:20
The lives of the first settlers to come to Mecca were full of uncertainty and hardship
Early Mecca Settler and Wounded Veteran: William Johnson
2026-02-27 17:47
Early Mecca, OH Settler William Johnson barely survived the Civil War and experienced much sorrow in his life.
Early Mecca Settler: Alanson McCullour
2026-02-18 16:32
After the mysterious disappearance of his father in Canada, Alanson McCullour came to Mecca, OH, where his house still stands to this day
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