Founders and Famous Families of Cincinnati - by Wendy Hart Beckman (Paperback)

About the Book

Uncover the stories behind how Cincinnati gave the world so much more!

Book Synopsis

Welcome to Cincinnati, and meet the families who built it!

When gazing at the city's impressive skyline, we too often forget the notable individuals who built these grand and glittering buildings, as well as the nearby museums, parks and neighborhoods we also treasure. Reflected in the character, reputation and even design of our city, the legacy of the early settlers continues on today. Through their efforts, almost always imbued with a civic entrepreneurial spirit, they stamped their mark on our burgeoning regional reputation, while also allowing current leaders to bolster and broaden our national reputation. From its very beginnings, Cincinnati offered an enticing combination of personable welcome and worldly sophistication. At one point, Cincinnati had more native-born residents than any other American city, a testament to the values that attracted and retained its citizens. In Founders and Famous Families of Cincinnati, author Wendy Hart Beckman brings to life the founding families' histories, sharing these intertwined and fascinating tales with readers near and far. A charming history of lives lived large -- truly the Who's Who (as well as the When and Where) of Cincinnati -- that when considered together, made the Queen City the great place to live and work that it is today.

Review Quotes

"Have you been to Losantiville? No? Think again. You may live there, for this was Cincinnati's first name. And it is just one of many fascinating details unveiled in Wendy Beckman's new book Founders and Famous Families of Cincinnati. The names may be familiar but the facts are often fresh in this depiction of the Queen City's past. Beckman not only shows us Cincinnati's significance to the nation from the start, both culturally and economically, but she deepens our understanding of the individuals who shaped the city's uniqueness and spurred its success. The struggles, the risks, the sacrifices, the wealth, the crises, the excitement. It's all there. Did you know that Cincinnati's 1813 volunteer fire department was the first in the nation, that 8,000 Cincinnatians perished in the 1849 cholera epidemic, and that 150 furniture factories once thrived in the town? It's a good read for all of us who love Cincinnati and always want to know more."
--Ann Hagedorn, author of "Wild Ride, Beyond the River," and more.

About the Author

WENDY HART BECKMAN is an award-winning freelance writer and editor Founders and Famous Families: Cincinnati is her seventh work of nonfiction. She has also published more than 300 articles in print and online publications, and has received a baker's dozen of awards for her writing, editing, and desktop publishing. Wendy's bachelor's degrees are in geology and natural science/technical communications from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and the University of Cincinnati, respectively. She also has a master's degree in English from UC with a graduate certificate in professional writing. She has taught English, business writing, and scientific and technical writing at the University of Cincinnati and cultural diversity at Miami University. She frequently offers workshops, from a few hours in length to weekend-long retreats, for writers who wish to get published. Besides writing, Wendy's passion lies in singing. For 10 years she was a member of the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus, the oldest continuous choral tradition in the Western hemisphere. When she's not engaged in writing or singing, she can be found with one of her paintball teams, working on behalf of the nonprofit that she co-founded, Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband and three sons.