Highland County Historical Society to enshrine five more in Hall of Fame

By Steve Roush
HCP columnist

NOTE: This is Part 1 of a series leading up to the Highland County Historical Society inducting five more members into its Hall of Fame on Aug. 16.

Ladies and gentlemen, many years ago, the Highland County Historical Society created the Highland County Hall of Fame to recognize, honor and celebrate those who have made invaluable contributions to the county and/or the world beyond. By honoring and recognizing these individuals, the Hall of Fame serves to stimulate interest in – and appreciation for – the value of the history of this county and its citizens.

Further, the Hall reinforces to our youths that they can, and should, strive for excellence in any endeavor they undertake.

In August, the Highland County Historical Society will induct five more members into its hallowed Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include Brad D. Nelson, Ph.D., Dinah Phillips, Leslie Ramsey, Dr. Robert T. “Rob” Sharp and the late Paul Turner.

The ceremony will be held at the First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m., with a reception and social hour immediately following at the Highland House Museum. The Highland County Historical Society cordially invites the public to attend and honor this outstanding group.

Before we delve into profiling each of those to be honored in the coming weeks, let’s take a brief look at each inductee:

• Brad D. Nelson, Ph.D.: Dr. Brad Nelson is from Hillsboro, Ohio, and is an active-duty Air Force officer assigned to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Dr. Nelson is active in his church and community, serves as a mentor and Big Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, is a board member of the community-based nonprofit organization Arm & Arm Inc. in Arlington, Virginia, and was recognized as a 2023 Marquis Who’s Who in America biographical listee and a November 2023 Marquis Who’s Who in America Top Military featured listee. He is a member of the National Contract Management Association and is certified in several professional disciplines.

His favorite Old Testament scripture is: “The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). Dr. Nelson calls the St. Louis, Missouri, area home.

Nelson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2000 as a signal support systems specialist and earned a commission after completing Army Officer Candidate School in 2003. He earned a master’s degree in human resources from Webster University in 2004.

After joining the Army Reserve in 2006, he completed an MBA in human resources from Warren National University in 2008 and was deployed to Iraq in 2009.
Nelson earned a Ph.D. in public safety from Capella University in 2018 and entered the U.S. Air Force as a major in 2019 in the contracting career field. He was deployed to Afghanistan with the Air Force in 2020.

Among his numerous awards and achievements, Nelson’s work and leadership during his time stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base were instrumental in building and delivering the next generation of Air Force One aircraft.

• Dinah Phillips: After a half-century in leadership roles with the Highland County Democratic Party, Dinah announced her retirement from an active role as head of the party in May of this year.

She was elected president of the Highland County Democratic Women’s Club in 1976 and served continuously until 1999, when she was elected chair of the Highland County Democratic Party, succeeding Zelma Furnish. Dinah also was elected chair of the Southern Ohio County Chairs Association, which consists of 16 southern Ohio counties, and served in that capacity for 20 years.

During that tenure, she met former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore; former first lady and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; former President Joe Biden; former first lady Rosalynn Carter; and current U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

• Leslie Ramsey: Leslie is widely recognized for her community service and contributions through the media. She is a native Highland Countian and is well known for her broadcasting career at WSRW.
Originally hired by WSRW in 1967, she has worked in all phases of radio, including on-air broadcasting, writing, commercial production and sales. Perhaps Leslie is best known for WSRW’s “Community Bulletin Board.” Much of Hillsboro and the surrounding area scheduled their day around the former 7:30-8 a.m. program on WSRW. She most recently assisted Greenfield station WVNU 97.5 FM in the same early-morning time slot from a studio in Hillsboro.

Among her many services to the community, Leslie has served two terms as a trustee on the Highland County Historical Society Board of Trustees, where she also served as board secretary. She has selflessly volunteered for countless society events and has often been enlisted to emcee local programs and ceremonies.

• Dr. Robert T. “Rob” Sharp: Rob Sharp is a lifelong Ohio resident. He received his A.B. in zoology and his M.A. in aquatic ecology from Miami University. He then served in the U.S. Air Force for five years as a KC-135 instructor/evaluator navigator with the 17th Bomb Wing of Strategic Air Command and is a Vietnam veteran.

He left the Air Force to attend The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, received his D.V.M. degree in 1979 and practiced veterinary medicine in Hillsboro at Hillsboro Veterinary Hospital until retiring on Dec. 28, 2023, after more than 40 years in practice.

The clinic is a family affair. Rob’s son, fellow veterinarian Dr. Reid Sharp, has been practicing veterinary medicine for more than a decade, and Reid’s wife, Maddie, is also part of the practice. Sharp’s daughter, Amy Sharp-Schneider, joined the group in 2007, and veterinary technician Melissa Shelling has been with the practice nearly 46 years. Dr. Sharp is also an author.

• Paul Edward Turner (1931-2019): The late Paul Turner was born in New Vienna, Ohio, the son of the late Clara Bell (Rollins) Turner and Samuel Turner.

After graduating from New Vienna High School, Paul enlisted in the U.S. Navy and proudly served for 26 years, retiring as a Master Chief. He then returned home to manage the lands he loved in the Gist Settlement.

The Gist Settlement, located in Penn Township near New Vienna in Highland County, was established in the 1800s. Through the terms of his will, British absentee landowner Samuel Gist (c. 1723-1815) freed his 350 Virginia slaves and provided funds for their relocation, the purchase of land and homes, and the establishment of schools and churches.

Gist’s executors acquired more than 2,000 acres of land in Ohio, including two large tracts in Scott and Eagle townships in Brown County in 1819. In 1831 and 1835, an agent of the Gist estate purchased 207 acres in Fairfield Township (now Penn Township), Highland County, and divided the acreage into 31 lots. 

The Gist Settlement in Highland County was the last to be purchased and settled.

In 1857, the Ohio Legislature granted the Highland County Court of Common Pleas control over the freedmen’s trust monies.

Paul Turner paid $29,000 in back taxes to preserve 150 acres of Gist Settlement land.

For more information on the society or the upcoming Hall of Fame ceremony, please call (937) 393-3392 or email hchistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

Steve Roush is president of the Highland County Historical Society and has served as chairman and vice chairman of the HCHS Board of Trustees. He is also a board member of the Highland District Hospital Foundation, a vice president of an international media company, and a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached at roush_steve@msn.com.