LANCASTER − Many people may not know who Scipio Smith was. But that will no doubt change as the Fairfield County Heritage Association commissioned a statue of the Allen Chapel founder to stand downtown.
Smith founded the church in 1825 and later opened a shop where he made tools and other items from copper. He was the first African-American to open a business in the city. That business was near where the Ohio Glass Museum now stands at 124 W. Main St. That is also close to where the statue will go. The statue will be bronze and stand more than 7 feet tall.
Heritage association marketing director Michael Johnson came up with the idea of honoring Smith when the church congregation unveiled a historical sign for the church in February.
“I kind of said it in jest, to be honest with you,” he said. “And after the event a few people came up to me said, ‘I think we could probably pull that off.’ That’s where it started and the idea went from there.”
The heritage association commissioned Alan Cottrill to make the $96,000 statue. Cottrill is a Zanesville native who made Ohio State’s Jesse Owens and Woody Hayes statues. He also made a Thomas Edison statue that’s in Washington D.C.
“He is so excited about the statue,” Johnson said. “He loves underdog stories. But he has also never sculpted someone with a wooden leg. He’s so excited to do that and to show that kind of skill.”
Johnson said the timeframe depends upon when the heritage association can raise the money. It had around $20,000 as of mid-November in private donations.
Smith was born in 1796 in Virginia as a slave. Johnson said the slaveholder was Benjamin Smith, who did not believe in slavery but was given slaves to him by his family. Scipio Smith was freed on May 29, 1821, in Ohio. That date is now celebrated as Scipio Smith Day in Lancaster. A portion of Walnut Street from High Street to Elmwood Cemetery has a secondary name of Scipio Smith Street.
Current Allen Chapel pastor Evan Saunders said the statue is big for the city and the church.
“I think it’s a great step in recognition of what African-Americans have done in this community,” he said. “I think it’s a major thing.”
Saunders said he didn’t know if any of Smith’s descendants are still in Lancaster. He also said the honor Smith will get proves that everyone has a story.
“That fact that this guy laid dormant for so many years, and Michael with the heritage foundation for what they’ve done to uncover this, I think it’s only the beginning,” Saunders said. “Not only with the African-Americans for what they’ve done, but also many others.”
For example, he said he would like for Johnson to research a Jewish synagogue that was once in Lancaster.
“The richness of the community, it’s pretty deep,” Saunders said. “I pray that this is only the beginning to raise awareness of what the people in this community have done in taking care of Lancaster and moving it forward.”
The Fairfield County Foundation is running Scipio Smith Statue Fund to raise money for the work. Donations can be submitted to www.fairfieldcountyfoundation.org.
Donors can also write a check and drop it off at the heritage foundation office at 105 E. Wheeling St.
jbarron@gannett.com
740-681-4340
Twitter: @JeffDBarron
