Bootlegger Liquor and Moonshiners

Introduction to Bootleggers and Moonshiners From Various Newspaper Clippings about Lawrence County, Ohio, and The Surrounding Areas

Researched and copyrighted by Martha J. Martin-Kounse

The Appalachians have always had strong roots in making, selling, and bootleg spirits. This series was taken from various newspaper articles around the Tri-State area of Southern Ohio.  Most of the following stories happened in Southern Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, and West Virginia, with the focus being on the area of Lawrence County, Ohio, and the surrounding counties.

We start with the laws in the state of Ohio in 1852, but the laws were constantly being updated and ended with the Era of Prohibition. I hope you enjoy reading this story about how the revenues and bootleggers constantly try to outsmart each other. At the end of this article will be linked to various stories, sorted by the year of those stories.Portage Sentinel 23 Feb. 1852, page 2

The following petition was read in the House of Representatives on the 12th inst.

To the Honorable Senate of Ohio:
The undersigned would ask of your honorable body that, in the event of the passage of the Maine Liquor Law, an appropriation be made for the purchase of pomatum and bears; grease, to be distributed amongst that portion of our fellow citizens who have become bald headed in consequence of carrying a brick in their hats; and also that the boars’ oil to be the pure, unadulterated article, and not that hogs lard article preparation manufactured in Porkoplis, and which has become great lore. And we would further ask of your honorable body, that three commissioners be appointed to ascertain and report to your honorable body, whether those old suckers who are marked and warranted to contain forty gallons (half-moon brand) do really hold more than thirty-nine gallons, for which your petitioner will never pray.

This petition is not like some others, signed by females of fourteen years and upwards, and also females of uncertain age, but is a humble prayer.

One of the Sovereigns
Portage Sentinel 23 Feb. 1852, page 2

At a meeting of the citizens of Ironton to consider the East Ironton Liquor Traffic, held at the Court House Friday evening, the 23d inst., F. Golden, Esq., was appointed Chairman and R. M. Stimson, Secretary.

Rev. J. H. Creighton submitted the following preamble and resolutions, which after some remarks by several persons present, were unanimously adopted:

Whereas, this community has justly sustained a great name for sobriety and morality at home and abroad, therefore:

• Resolved, 1.  On our borders is situated a vile nuisance community called the “East Ironton Liquor Traffic.”  That said traffic is increasing in extent and deadly fruits.  That the frequent arrivals of whisky barrels, the ingress, and the egress of jugs and bottles in the hands of the lowest class of unfortunate tipplers give unmistakable evidence of its extent.

• Resolved, 2.  That the late terrible death of Owen Hoy, one of our citizens, (reported to be of a quiet and peaceable disposition, and when not victimized by the liquor dealer, of industrious habits) was the fruit of the East Ironton Liquor Traffic.

• Resolved, 3.  That we are not willing to let this melancholy event pass without expressing unmixed indignation at the traffic that produced it.

• Resolved, 4.  That we hereby notify the said traffickers to desist from their murderous business immediately, and should they not comply with this reasonable request of a disgraced and indignant community, they may expect to meet every lawful opposition we can bring to bear on their traffic.

On motion of the Rev. Dan. Young, a committee of three was appointed to seek evidence in the melancholy case of Owen Hoy, also with reference to the  Traffic generally at East Ironton, and to call a meeting of the citizens at a such future time as they might be ready to report, &c., &c.

Rev. Dan. Young, Dr. J. Morris, and W. W. Johnson, Esq., were appointed said committee, to which John P. Merrill was afterward added.

Voted that the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Ironton papers, and adjourned.

F. Golden, Chairman; R. M. Stimson, Sec’y.

COPYRIGHT……AND DISCLAIMER The people in these articles were taken from newspapers of that period.  As to their guilt, or innocence, we do not know unless the conclusion was apparent.  No court records were obtained for this research.

• 1853 – Guyandotte, [West] Virginia
• 1871 – Illegal crime of selling liquor
• 1874 – 1896 Stories about moonshiners and more
• 1903 – Mr. Stamper Moonshiner Elliott County, KY
• 1904 – Murder of a Moonshiner Huntington, WV
• 1907 – Whiskey Leads to Murder Jackson County, Ohio
• 1911 – Copper Still Found in Gladys, Kentucky
• 1915 – Bootlegger Convicted at Waverly, Ohio
• 1916 – Distillery Found in State Pent. from Scioto County, Ohio Inmate
• 1920 – Notorious WV Moonshiner Caught
• 1921 – Moonshine Liquor Plant Seized in Scioto County, Ohio
• 1921 – Minnie Still Tossed Out of Car in New Boston, Ohio
• 1921 – N&W Train Demolishes Copper Still
• 1921 – Two Moonshine Arrests
• 1921 – Wife Turns in Husband for Making Moonshine
• 1921 – Seventy-Five Gallon of Mash Found near Bradrick, Ohio
• 1921 – Five Men Shot After Whisky Trial in Proctorville, Ohio
• 1921 – Whitman Accused of Copper Still in Portsmouth, Ohio
• 1921 – Lowdenback Raid for Moonshine in Portsmouth, Ohio
• 1921 – Valentine Home Raid for Making Liquor Wheelersburg, Ohio
• 1921 – John Miller was Charged for Selling Liquor
• 1922 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1923 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1924 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1925 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1926 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1927 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1928 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1929 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1930 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1931 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1932 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1933 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1935 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1936 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1937 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1938 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1940 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1951 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1953 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH
• 1959 – Moonshine Stories covering KY, WV, and OH