#1: Jonathan Harper, 1817-1818

Jonathan Harper was a ship captain from Philadelphia before he became a prominent politician and then Ohio’s first State Librarian. He served as one of Governor Thomas Worthington’s lieutenants and then as State Librarian, which were both political appointments. As a State Librarian, Harper organized the library in rooms located in Ohio’s first state office building and created a record of the 509 books purchased by Worthington to establish a State Library. Harper began the first accession register on December 25, 1817. He was also responsible for researching and drafting laws for the Legislature. Harper was paid two dollars per day while the Legislature was in session. His life and career were fraught with scandal and tragedy. In 1819, Harper was involved in a dramatic legal case involving a Bank of America branch located in Ohio, which led to his arrest and eventual dismissal of charges. In 1822, Harper mistook his father in-law for a deer, fatally shot him, and returned to working on a ship after the accident. Harper survived a hurricane in 1850 while serving as a clerk on the Saranuk steamboat on the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. At least three crew members were killed and several others were severely injured.