‘Trial’ of Johnny Clem remembered

Oct. 14, 1989: 128 years after Johnny Clem became famous during the Civil War and 52 years after his death, John Lincoln Clem was put on trial. It was held to determine if his exploits during the war were accurate, since there was (and still is) some debate on the subject.

Although Johnny’s story does have a few “missing pieces” in a time when record-keeping was haphazard, we must remember that he was a 10-year-old boy bravely standing alongside men, either as drummer boy, messenger or fellow soldier. As a teacher at John Clem Elementary, I related to students what Johnny had done during those courageous times and his dedication to his country throughout his life.

Author and Civil War buff Greg Pavelko had become intrigued with Johnny and found his military timeline puzzling. Most particularly the time Johnny supposedly served at the Battle of Shiloh, when it appeared he couldn’t have been there. He also had questions about the circumstances surrounding the shooting of a Confederate colonel at Chickamauga. Pavelko wrote an article entitled “Where Were You Johnny Shiloh?” in which he stated that Johnny had knowingly falsified his military record to appear more heroic.

Community members such as B. Kevin Bennett of the Blue and Gray Central Ohio Civil War Roundtable read the article. They saw this as an opportunity to honor Clem, so the idea evolved from a roundtable meeting with Pavelko to conduct a mock trial. Bennett had no trouble drumming up community involvement. Dr. Dean Jauchius, a Franklin University professor and author, presented Johnny’s defense.

Excitement grew as Clem Elementary, local civic leaders, judges, lawyers, Roundtable members, the LC Historical Society, re-enactors and other citizens joined in.

At Clem Elementary, I was thrilled to get the students, teachers and parents involved in activities taking place the week leading up to the trial. We also had the important task of selecting a young man to represent Johnny and a girl to portray his sister Lizzie.

Fifth-graders in my social studies classes were instructed to write essays explaining why they felt Johnny was an important hero. The top essay winners who proudly depicted Johnny and Lizzie at the trial were James Galbraith and Hila Hayes.

That October night, our beautiful courthouse was overflowing with people listening to deliberation, many dressed in Civil War era attire. In the end the jury unanimously found Johnny not guilty (of course), and the audience cheered in agreement and voted likewise.

As for some inconsistent details of his life? It has been quoted that when the legend becomes the fact, go with the legend.

Linda Leffel is a Newark native, a retired teacher, and is the immediate past-president of the Licking County Historical Society.

This week’s question

The E.T. Rugg Company was located in Newark until 1973; what did they produce?