When his teenage nephew once dismissed Marion as “boring,” his uncle, author Josh Simpkins, quickly disagreed.
“No, Marion is full of fascinating stories!” Simpkins recalled telling his nephew in 2008. He had just returned home after six years in Europe, and his nephew couldn’t understand how he still found Marion interesting.
Ghost Stories Captured in Haunted Marion, Ohio
That conversation sparked an exploration that eventually led to Haunted Marion, Ohio, a book in Arcadia Publishing’s Haunted America series.
“I’ve always been a sucker for ghost stories and unsolved mysteries and true-crime stories,” Simpkins said. “So I started asking friends and family to recount the stories they knew. Marion did not disappoint.”
Among the tales he collected: a statue in Marion Cemetery with glowing eyes, the legend of “Headless Haddie” haunting Camp Owen, and stories of a church in Richland Township that reportedly flickered its lights as teenagers approached in the 1970s.
“I love those stories,” he said. “They’re straight-up legends but rooted in real Marion landmarks.”
For true-crime accounts, Simpkins dove into archives at the Marion Public Library. One of his favorites is the 1879 murder of businessman John Aronholt, whose daughter Nettie was considered the prime suspect until she died by suicide days later. The case remains unsolved.
“At first I was just making notes, collecting old newspaper clippings, talking to people,” Simpkins said. “After a while, I realized I had a lot of material and maybe other people would like to see it. That’s when I started kicking around the idea of launching the Spooky Marion website.”
Deep Marion Roots
Simpkins grew up on Silver Street in Marion’s west end, surrounded by relatives and a tradition of storytelling.
“No matter what the occasion, everyone swapped stories and tried to one-up the others,” Simpkins said.
After graduating from Marion Harding and earning a bachelor’s degree in English literature from The Ohio State University, he moved to Germany in 2000 to be with his future wife, Sabine, whom he met at a Marion party. The couple married in 2003 and returned to Marion in 2007, but when Simpkins couldn’t find a teaching job, they moved back overseas.
Spooky Marion Blog Led to Haunted Marion Book
“It broke my heart,” Simpkins said. “Once we were settled back in Germany, I launched the Spooky Marion website, mostly as a way to ease my homesickness.”
In 2010, Arcadia Publishing invited him to expand his work into a book. Haunted Marion, Ohio was published the following year.
“At this point, the book has been out for almost fifteen years,” he said. “I’ve gathered a lot more stories in the meantime. I’d love to put out an updated edition someday.”
Simpkins Today
Today, Simpkins lives in Germany with Sabine and their two daughters, Helen and Luisa, but he still updates the website when he can.
“I used to think I would eventually run out of material, but I don’t worry about that anymore,” he said.
And though life abroad has treated him well, Simpkins said Marion remains in his heart.
“It is home to me, and it always will be.”
Book Signing
Simpkins will share some of the highlights of the book with the public on Wed., Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Marion Public Library.
MarionMade! is a program of Marion Technical College.
