A tavern and inn, for which Noble Landon (1783-1866) obtained a
liquor license in 1835, formerly occupied the
southeast corner of High and Main streets. In 1837 Landon and
William Yantis laid out the town of New Albany in
50-by-l00-foot lots, with Landon's lots lying on the east side and
Yantis' on the west side of High Street. Landon
was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, lived as a young man in St.
Albans, Vermont, and migrated to Licking County,
Ohio, in 1810. He was the first clerk and first Justice of the Peace
in St. Albans Township and first postmaster in
Johnstown and later in New Albany. In addition to contributions as a
builder-developer, Landon gave to the village
lore the story of a remarkable conversion. Long known as a heavy
drinker, he suddenly ordered kegs of whiskey he
owned to be carried into the street and broken. He then attended
church regularly.
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From Frederick County, Maryland, of
German descent, William Yantis was a War of 1812
veteran of the Battle of North Point, where British General Ross was
killed and William's neighbor Francis Scott Key
wrote the "Star Spangled Banner." Arriving in Fairfield County,
Ohio, in 1815, he married Elizabeth Schissler of
Washington County, Maryland, and had nine children. In 1819 he
bought Plain Township land that he settled and
farmed. In 1837 he and Noble Landon platted New Albany Village, to
which he appended an addition in 1850.
Among his possessions were a trunk of books, saddle and harness-making
tools and surgical instruments. On
September 23, 1883, The Westerville Review reported, "... he was an
eccentric man, who claimed some knowledge
of medicine. Good hearted, to one who was a friend he would give up
most everything he possessed, but with one
he disliked he would have nothing to do...."
NEW ALBANY-PLAIN TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY
THE HEISCHMAN FAMILY AND NEW ALBANY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
2003
