No Sense Stirring Him Up Without Pie: True Accounts of the Hoedag of Grand Lake

I. Genesis of a Legend: The Pie-Pilfering Proto-Hoedag (1926)

Our saga begins not with a roar, but with a whisper—a whisper of missing pies. The setting: the hallowed (and apparently not entirely secure) clubhouse of the Hunters, Traders, and Trappers (H.T. & T.), a social organization in St. Marys, Ohio. While a modern account (The Evening Leader, Oct. 3, 2023, Brent Melton) mentions a reported 1912 origin for the Hoedag, this claim is unsubstantiated by the contemporary reports from the 1920s and 30s. Those reports, centered on the pronouncements of Fred “Midge” Longsworth, place the creature’s initial activities around 1923. Initially identified in newspaper reports as “Midget,” Longsworth was later more commonly referred to as “Midge,” including in his obituary. We’ll use “Midge” for consistency.

May 14, 1926 — The Evening Leader:

“The hoedag is out again,” says Fred Longsworth, otherwise known as Midge, bringing back to memory the mysterious animal which the Hunters, Traders and Trappers association hunted last year at Lake St. Marys.” (The Evening Leader, May 14, 1926, p. 7).

The phrasing is crucial. The Hoedag is “out again,” clearly implying prior activity. Midge even recalled specific, albeit failed, attempts at capture from that time: “We would have got him last year if Jim Townsend and Frank Shelly had played square. We put some pie out on the porch step as a lure for him. Jim and Frank took the pie down to the ‘pest house’ and ate it. Of course we couldn’t catch that hoedag then.” (The Evening Leader, May 14, 1926, p. 7). The “Hunters, Traders and Trappers association” (H.T. & T.) is already linked to “hunting” the creature, suggesting an existing, though undocumented, oral tradition, likely within the confines of the H.T. & T. itself. The year, according to Midge’s later accounts, was approximately 1923.

The mastermind, or at least the chief spokesperson, behind this emerging legend was Midge Longsworth. He was, as his 1951 obituary in The Lima News would later put it, a man who “possessed a remarkable talent for originality” (July 17, 1951, p.2). According to Midge, and he would know, he was deeply involved with the Hunters, Traders, and Trappers. The H.T.&T. club’s activities were frequently noted in the local paper. The return of their president, Gust Wehrman, to St. Marys on November 9, 1926, was cause for celebration after an absence of “eighteen months”: “All’s well once more and rejoicing runs high in the circles of the H. T. & T… Gust Wehrman… is back now to stay.” The paper noted, “Gust has been at Delaware or somewhere, but he is back now to stay. And the H.T. & T. will meet soon and Gust intends talking. And how!” (The Evening Leader, Nov 9, 1926, p.1). A few days later, on November 12, 1926, “Twenty-one members of the H.T. & T. club assembled… at the John I. Young cottage” for a welcome back party (The Evening Leader, Nov 12, 1926, p. 6). Soon after, on February 12, 1927, The Evening Leader (p.6) announced the formation of a new “East Side” chapter, holding its constitution meeting on February 19, 1927, on East Spring Street:

“NEW H. T. & T. CLUB A new organization, known as the East Side Hunters, Traders, and Trappers has just been perfected… This club will consist of some of the old members of the original H. H. and T. who are in good standing and some new material. Charles Holtzhauer has been elected president, John Morris secretary and treasurer and ‘Midget’ Longsworth, Chef.” (The Evening Leader, Feb 12, 1927, p. 6).

This seemingly minor detail – Midge’s appointment as “Chef” – takes on added significance given the Hoedag’s later association with missing food, particularly pies, from H.T. & T. gatherings. Midge had a reputation for originality. Some credited it with his cooking. Others, with the monster that seemed to haunt the lake.

II. The Hoedag Evolves: From Pie Thief to Peculiar Beast (1929-1931)

The Hoedag, initially a shadowy presence associated with missing food, began to acquire… characteristics. By 1929, it wasn’t just a suspected thief; it was described as a creature. A very strange creature, at that. That year, the H. T. & T. were discussing a “‘hodag,’ discovered in a South side farmer’s hog house.” According to The Evening Leader, the discovery prompted some amusement and perhaps a wink toward the Wisconsin legend of the same name: “The ‘hodag’ is about 14 feet long and is a fine specimen; it is on a hunt for winter quarters. Now laugh!” (November 7, 1929, p. 6).

That same year, a different, decidedly smaller, snake-like creature with one eye, moving backwards, was reportedly discovered. Albert Koch found the “small animal-reptile,” about two inches long and thick as a pencil, in a fruit jar on the sidewalk in front of his home on South Wayne street. It reportedly had “very small extensions from the body” for feet, lifted its head while moving backward watching its course with its single, centered eye, and made a “whirring noise” when angered. Furthermore, Koch’s wife had “previously had killed two of the same species of life.” (The Evening Leader, July 20, 1929, p.1). Midge was quick to chime in, linking this bizarre find to the club’s earlier anxieties:

“Is it the hoedag—that half animal and half snake—which put such fear in the hearts of the Hunters, Traders and Trappers a few years ago when they met in their club house on the south shore of Lake St. Marys?” he asked, in the pages of The Evening Leader (July 20, 1929, p.1). “Fred Longsworth, generally known as the Midget, claims it is.”

The year 1930 marks a turning point. The Hoedag transitions from whispered rumor to public spectacle. St. Marys, embracing the burgeoning legend, incorporated the Hoedag into its Halloween celebration. The H.T.&T. took the initiative in staging the event, promising a Mardi Gras atmosphere.

“The hoedag is to appear in the parade,” The Lima News announced on October 20 (p. 9), “the Hunters, Traders and Trappers organization has promised.” The Evening Leader added that the H.T.&T. had just “captured” the creature at Lake Loramie for the occasion (The Evening Leader, Oct 25, 1930, p.4).

And appear, it did! A depiction of the Hoedag was paraded through the streets, described in The Evening Leader as having “fiery eyes, its terrible form and its strange color the animal was terrifying in appearance” (Nov 1, 1930, p.1). A newspaper illustration in The Evening Leader (Oct. 28, 1930, p.5), promoting the upcoming event, provides our first visual representation: a gawky beast with a horse-like head, a long, serpentine neck, oddly placed legs, shaggy fur, and a general air of… well, strangeness. Among the prizes awarded at the celebration? “3 yds. of Hoe-Dag Togs,” given for the best hobo costume—perhaps the most coveted textile ever associated with a mythical reptile (The Evening Leader, Oct 28, 1930, p.5 & Nov 1, 1930, p.1).

Descriptions varied wildly, depending on the year, the source, and perhaps the number of pies consumed. Some said the Hoedag had:

• Circular feet, “resembling plates,” leaving perplexing tracks because “it is capable of moving backward or forward at an equal rate of speed.” (The Lima News, Oct. 20, 1930, p. 9). Later accounts described “feet like those of an overgrown chicken…” (Blueprint, Dec 6, 1973).
• A long neck, sometimes adorned with “porcupine-like quills.” (Ibid.)
• A body “which resembles that of a calf,” yet also described as dinosaur-like. (Ibid. and The Lima News, July 17, 1951, p. 2). It was sometimes “covered with a mixture of fur and feathers, with a growth of long hair under her chin.” (Blueprint, Dec 6, 1973).
• Red and green lights on its tail—another detail that became a recurring motif. (The Evening Leader, March 19, 1936, p. 1). Some claimed its “eyes did not reflect light, but did glow in the dark.” (Blueprint, Dec 6, 1973).
• Legs of differing lengths, “its long front legs and short rear legs,” supposedly causing a backward gait. (The Lima News, Oct. 20, 1930, p. 9; The Lima News, July 17, 1951, p.2).
• A distinctive “moaning sound like a cross between the cry of a yahoo bird and the whinee of a horse.” (Blueprint, Dec 6, 1973).

During this time, the Hoedag’s culinary connections became part of the lore.

Hoedag “dogs” (presumably sandwiches of some sort) were served at Midge’s stand, a playful nod to the creature’s reported existence. “HOEDAG dogs are being served at the Midget…” The Evening Leader proclaimed on October 30, 1930 (p.4). “The Paris Cleaners and Dyers is the first establishment to recognize the meat as a delicacy,” the paper joked, adding that tickets for the sandwiches were being given to local ball players. Names like Wilbur Macke, Elmer Kohler, Robert Reed, and others were listed as patrons – “IN case anyone sees any of the following smacking his lips he’ll know that he has had the hoedag sandwich.”

Eve Lea Weighs In (1930–1931)

The witty Eve Lea, columnist for The Evening Leader, became a key chronicler and often skeptical commentator on the Hoedag phenomenon. When Midge insisted the creature wasn’t far, she quipped:

“The hoedag isn’t in New Jersey,” Midge insisted. “He’s down at the Feeder with his 36 young ones.”(The Evening Leader, Aug. 20, 1930, p.4)

To which Eve replied in her Tel-Scopes column:

“Well then, I suppose we should send pies and not questions.”

She wasn’t done. In her column on October 29, following the Halloween parade appearance, she famously published a mock request from the H.T.&T.’s “Fun and Joke Committee” (Gus Wehrman, Jim Long, Roy Heap, Yock Smith, Pearl Lawler) asking members “to kindly donate fifty cents toward buying chewing gum for the hoedag on Halloween.” Eve cheekily suggested an investigating committee obtain used gum instead, doubting the animal would care, as “it would save wear and tear on its teeth and gums.” Some Hoedag followers reportedly took exception, arguing the creature “is not effeminate enough to use chewing gum but prefers tobacco.” (The Evening Leader, Oct. 29, 1930, p.4 & Oct 25, 1930, p.4). And by February, she’d offered her final judgment:

“NOW that’s a use for the hoedag… Outside of the fact that we think the hoe-dag is the ugliest animal ever seen, we never had any thoughts concerning it.” (The Evening Leader, Feb. 4, 1931, p.3).

Eve Lea even mused on a report of the “Jersey Devil” in her “Tel-Scopes” column on August 11, 1930, questioning if there was some connection with the Hoedag. As she wrote in The Evening Leader, the H. T. & T. had told her the Hoedag “can move like lightning and is one of the most elusive third-animal, third-reptile and third-fish object that ever existed” (August 11, 1930, p.4). Her columns often reflected the playful back-and-forth between Midge’s tales and local skepticism, capturing the spirit of the evolving legend. She even blamed the Hoedag for random mishaps, like a tent pole breaking at Riley’s Point: “They think the hoedag did it.” (The Evening Leader, July 12, 1930, p.4).

III. The Hoedag in the Wild: Sightings, Escapades, and Elaborations (1934-1949)

The 1930s and 40s saw the Hoedag legend spread, fueled by Midge’s pronouncements and reported “sightings.” These tales appeared in the papers just as Midge told them—straight-faced, wide-eyed, and with just enough room for doubt. The creature seemed to develop a taste for mischief and pies, especially those belonging to official groups.

In 1934, after the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) camp near Lake St. Marys humorously reported chasing the “prehistoric animal” away from their kitchen (“He came to a poor place to get in,” one boy cried as the beast whiffed the odor of pie), Midge claimed to have seen the fugitive Hoedag at a New Bremen ice pond. Had the C.C.C. boys and Lieutenant M. K. Benadum “actually frighten[ed] him away from their camp and so chase[d] him from the shores of the lake forever?” Midge was convinced he’d seen it. “I bought a number of pies to feed it,” Midge told the Evening Leader. “Had to do something to keep it calm after it got chased out of the C.C.C. camp.” Predictably, some H.T.&T. members scoffed, contending Midge was merely stretching the truth again. (The Evening Leader, Feb 21, 1934, p. 3; Feb 24, 1934, p. 1).

The Circus Elephants and the Hoedag Nest (1934)

Later that year, Midge offered a startling claim, expressing grave concern about an impending circus visit:

“Midge declares a few years ago when the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus showed at Gordon State Park the elephants ruined the ‘Hoedag’s’ nest killing numerous little ‘Hoedags.’” He issued an ultimatum that H.T.&T. members and C.C.C. boys must be “on deck” to patrol the beach. “I will positively not tolerate the big elephant of Dill’s Circus to take a bath where the Hoedag is nesting,” he declared, threatening to call on “Dillinger and his deperadoes” if necessary. (The Evening Leader, May 5, 1934, p.1).

The H. T. & T. shared this concern. According to The Evening Leader from an earlier year (though possibly misremembered or conflated by the draft’s source text regarding Simon Maned), members feared that “Hagenbeck and Wallace’s elephants might scare it and perhaps trample it to death, when they scamper into the waters of the beach for a turbulent frolic” (June 21, 1930, p. 5, contains text differing from the user-provided Article 2; the elephant fear is noted in the image, however). That same article notes the Ho-dag’s fondness for Pumpkin Pie, and that the association would likely use that as “a lure.”

The Rowboat Attack (1935)

In 1935, a particularly vivid account surfaced—an unnamed oil man’s rowboat encounter with a Hoedag described as “about fifteen feet in length, has four legs, the front legs being much longer than the back-ones, has long shaggy hair about six inches long and a very large mouth with teeth about fifteen inches long and neck about six feet long.” The ferocious beast reportedly “bit off one of the oars” before the man fought it off with the remaining grips and escaped to shore. Midge, relating the tale, added practical advice: “His hand was bitten so I told him to get water melon seed and make a soup out of that, as that is the only thing that will cure it…” (The Evening Leader, Jan. 5, 1935, likely p.1 or local news section).

By 1936, the Hoedag was reportedly “captured” and paraded through St. Marys, with the local National Guard even joining the hunt after a plea from Midge. The “hunt” itself was dramatic, preceding the town’s Fall Festival parade.

“The Ohio National Guards under the direction of Captain Thomas J. Needles this afternoon took up the search for the ‘Hoedag’ after ‘Midge’ Longsworth pleaded with them for their assistance,” reported The Evening Leader on October 13 (p.1). “The squadron took several pot-shots at this mysterious creature, but he succeeded in eluding the posse, although he was severely wounded.” The paper noted the swamp land was being scoured to locate the creature before the parade.

The Evening Leader also reported on Midge’s efforts to trap the Hoedag. He was “running his traps every two hours for the past week and has been attempting to lure him with pumpkin pies” (October 13, 1936, p. 1).

Somehow, between the hunt and the parade, capture was declared. The Evening Leader reported on the parade itself under headlines proclaiming the Hoedag’s appearance: “St. Marys wildest dreams came true last night and the most unbelievable sight was actually witnessed by hundreds of St. Maryans” (October 14, 1936, p.1). Gus Wehrman, president of the H T & T organization, gave a lengthy speech on the origin of the “Hoedag” at the event. “He explained that this pre-historic animal originated in Africa and was brought to this country by some big game hunter, probably Theodore Roosevelt,” escaping from an eastern zoo before finally being sighted near John Young’s landing. The captured Hoedag, along with “two young ones and two eggs,” was paraded through town, though the infants reportedly escaped during the capture. (The Evening Leader, Oct 14, 1936, p.1; The Lima News, Oct 14, 1936, p.1).

That same year, The Evening Leader declared:

“The Hoedag Returns—And This Time, He’s Hungry.”

The Hoedag, according to Midge, had gained a distinctive feature: luminous green and red lights on its tail (The Evening Leader, March 19, 1936, p. 1). “When he saw it the animal had luminous green and red lights on its tail which extended far out of the water. The red light glowed steadily while the green flickered on and off, Longsworth said.” The Hoedag was discovered, Midge said, after the Hunters, Traders and Trappers club “continued to miss food from its clubhouse. The hoedag was making off with the provisions, they found.” This linked the new lights feature directly back to the creature’s original pie-pilfering antics.

The Missouri Expedition (1938)

In 1938, Midge shared what may have been the most elaborate chapter in the Hoedag saga: a solemn trip to Cabool, Missouri, to attend the funeral of the “original” creature—and return with its eggs. Cabool, Missouri. June 1938. A heatwave hung over the Ozarks. The creature, Midge claimed, was found near the Piney River by a farmer disturbed by strange lights (“a red and then green light”) and cries. Midge, invoking his H.T.&T. duty, went to investigate. “Caught between 2 big rocks with one broken leg and couldn’t move,” he later told the Evening Leader. “Poor beast was guarding two eggs. Wouldn’t leave ’em. My cousin shot her 5 times before she gave up and died.” (The Evening Leader, June 9, 1938, p.4). As Midge told it, he brought back two eggs, carefully guarded on the return trip.

“Midget Longsworth has just come back from another trip to Cabool, Mo., and this time he vows he brought back with him two of the hoedag eggs he told about seeing earlier in the summer. He had a terrible time getting them,” Midge related. He described the unique eggs: “shape of a banana about 24 inches long and 12 inches in diameter. They have a kind of a bark on them the color of a beech tree.” He claimed the eggs were precious—and protected them ‘like hoedag’s teeth,’ which, he said, were ‘as scarce as Czechoslovakians in Germany,’ guarding them with his life until he got them safely at Lake St. Marys. His bizarre plan? “Now he says they’re in the deepest part of the lake until the bark comes off.” (The Evening Leader, June 9, 1938, p.4; Sept. 15, 1938, p.4).

Midge even wrote a letter to The Evening Leader about the funeral, claiming he officiated. “I was the first one to her, the rest of the men were afraid. She was a brave old girl and was protecting 2 eggs when she broke her leg.” (June 9, 1938, p.4). He also noted the brand on the creature, a crucial piece of identification: “The reason I know she was our Hoedag was on account of being branded. It’s been quite a few years back the H.T.&T.’s had a Hoedag supper one night… The night we branded her, the letters standing for several of our charter members, Jim Long, Yock Smith, Jim Townsend, Frank Shelly, John Young and our President Gus Wehrman… She awoke too soon due to the fact that several of our members stole the rest of our pumpkin pie.” Midge had a difficult time retrieving the eggs. He wrote that he had a time “convincing these men that I should have the eggs. I happened to have an article clipped from the Evening Leader in regards to this creature,” finally securing the prize “Jacked in the rear seat of an open air Ford sedan.”

The following spring, in 1939, Midge was back at John Young’s landing, spinning a new yarn – a veritable stink-bomb of a tale, if you’ll pardon the expression. He claimed one of those Hoedag eggs, so carefully anchored in the lake the previous autumn, had washed ashore on the south side. And, well, things had gone… rotten. When Midge examined it, the egg, he said, had rotted through. Upon bursting, the stench was so foul, so utterly Hoedag-esque, that Midge reportedly had to bury his clothes! The second egg, however? Ah, that was a different story. That egg, Midge insisted, had hatched. And not just any old hatch – it was a twin hatch! According to Midge, two young Hoedags were now roaming the wilds of Lake St. Marys, no doubt already eyeing the pie supply. Naturally, the Hunters, Traders, and Trappers began plotting a search, even tossing around the idea of a reward for any soul brave (or foolish) enough to report a sighting. (The Evening Leader, April 17, 1939, p.4)

Sightings continued. On July 8, 1944, Midge declared, “The hoedag has come back to life,” connecting a reported “Celina Monster” sighting (a strange photo in the Celina Standard of a “marine monster”) to his creature, adding conspiratorially that “He just seemed to be happier down at this end [of the lake]. Maybe it was because the lunches he swipe[d] were easier to get or more numerous.” He was sure the Celina monster was just one of the hatched Hoedags. (The Evening Leader, July 8, 1944, p.1). By August 9, 1944, Midge was proposing an elaborate, satirical expedition to capture the hatched Hoedags, complete with a satirical rulebook invoking “The Book, Page 22, Second Verse,” a list of participants (including ‘Gust Wehrman, chief scout; Joe Wehrman, egg carrier; Roy Heap, keeper of the pies… Fred Longsworth, chief cook and bottle washer; Frank Meck, the doctor; Leaping Lina, the nurse…,’ and Floyd Titus, who, Midge promised, would “give the hoedag a once over for a hair cut” before departure), mentions of branding the creature again (“Jim Townsend gives a bucket of red paint. Jim Todd is supposed to put the paint on wherever is needed”), and even plans for “Hoedag Stew,” suggesting remarkably regenerative properties for the beast, perhaps hinting at the later legend that “her meat grows back when cut.” (Blueprint, Dec 6, 1973). Midge’s satirical wartime campaign proposed delivering one of the creatures to Japan to help win the war—traveling by water, of course, ‘by hand,’ and renaming Bougainville “Hoagsville.” He even recruited “four men… from New Bremen,” a small diving crew who, according to Midge, recovered the very eggshells from the east shore—proof, he insisted, that the Hoedags had indeed hatched. Other reports included finding ostrich feathers on the eggs (“Who wants Ostrich-Hoedag?”) and more sightings into the late 1940s, often tied to Midge’s insistence that the Hoedag was only quiet due to the post-war sugar shortage impacting pumpkin pie production. (The Evening Leader, Aug. 9, 1944, p.5; July 28, 1945, p.4; Aug. 9, 1945, p.5; June 21, 1946, p.2; Oct. 17, 1946, p. 1; Aug. 21, 1948, p. 6; June 2, 1949, p. 4).

IV. The Hoedag Endures: Legacy, Revival, and Reinterpretation (1951-Present)

By the time Midge passed in 1951, the Hoedag had grown into more than a lake legend. It was part folklore, part funhouse mirror—and wholly his.

Midge Longsworth died in 1951. His obituary in The Lima News (July 17, 1951, p. 2) noted that he “possessed a remarkable talent for originality.” Some said that’s what made him a good cook. Others, a great storyteller. It confirmed his role: “He was the originator of the ‘hoedag’ story, started 28 years ago when the Hunters, Traders and Trappers club met regularly at Lake St. Marys.” The same obituary included a familiar description, cementing his version of the creature:

“A creature with red and green lights, legs of uneven lengths, with a body somewhat akin to a dinosaur’s—only on a smaller scale.” It added that Midge “adapted the story to suit the occasion whenever any unusual happening occurred at the lake, always blaming the incidents on the ‘hoedag.’”

Whatever his role—instigator, interpreter, or just the one who fed it—Midge and the Hoedag remain inseparable.

The tale could have ended there—with pies uneaten and eggs submerged—but like all good lake stories, it kept resurfacing. In 1957, the Van Wert Times Bulletin (May 16, p.21), reporting on the discovery of a 20-foot “dragon” prop made of chicken wire near Route 29 and New Knoxville road, directly connected the find to the lingering Hoedag tales:

“Finding of the dragon revived the story of the ‘hoedag’ at Lake St. Marys. The hoedag is a strange animal which moves forward when it appears to be in reverse and makes a habit of stealing pies from club meetings and picnics.”

In the decades since Midge’s passing, the Hoedag has taken on new forms. An alternative origin story, treated as oral tradition likely dating from circa 1950 (shortly after Midge’s death), suggested the creature originated from a parade float swept into the lake during a storm (referenced in The Evening Leader, Oct. 3, 2023, Brent Melton). A December 6, 1973 article in the Memorial High School newspaper, Blueprint, by Maggie Dine and Mike Anderson (reprinted April 12, 1974), further codified the legend, based on oral histories and archives. This influential piece added details like the creature being “shy and quiet, starved for affection” (a contrast to earlier tales of fierceness), having feet “like those of an elephant, however, not webbed,” possessing a “hump on her back similar to that of a brannigan bolt,” and, perhaps most remarkably, that its meat magically regenerated – “her meat grows back when cut.” Edward Fusk’s well-known illustration, depicting a creature with a serpentine body, a mix of fur and feathers, chicken-like feet, and oddly placed eyes, accompanied this article and became the defining image for many.

The Lake Improvement Association (LIA) played a key role in the modern era, launching the “Save the Hoedag” campaign in 2011, complete with a new illustration by Adam Harruff and tying the creature’s fate to the health of the lake (The Mercer County Chronicle, August 18, 2011, p. 10). The LIA adopted the creature as a mascot, arguing, as VP Mark Piening stated, “The Hoedag represents not just a mythical fantasy, but the whole of the issues at Grand Lake St Marys” (Ibid.). The LIA’s 2014 “Name That Dredge” contest, won by “Hoedag” (LakeImprovement.com), further solidified this connection.

This modern Hoedag, often based on Fusk’s drawing, while drawing on earlier descriptions, frequently features a more settled image: part serpent, part hill creature, with a proud hump, mismatched eyes (one green on the forehead, one red on the tail), and chicken-like feet that left very confused tracks. The creature’s appetite, once focused on pies, has expanded in recent years—if the stories are to be believed—to include the occasional stray dog and a few nervous locals (derived from Blueprint/LIA summaries).

Another divergent version—this one involving a revived fossil, university labs, and the mysterious origins of hot dogs—surfaced in a 2020 article in The Guardian, Wright State University’s student newspaper. (Samkalensky.com). It was wilder than anything even Midge imagined. But that’s the thing about stories like this: once they slip into the water, they start swimming in all directions.

The adoption of the Hoedag as the official mascot of Wright State University–Lake Campus in June 2024 (Samkalensky.com) represents the culmination of this revival. Over the years, the Hoedag has taken many shapes. Whether it ever bit an oar or stole a pie, it certainly stole something else: the spotlight.

And yet, no matter what shape the Hoedag takes—be it beast, mascot, or whispered memory—its soul remains in the stories passed between neighbors, traded across lunch counters, and stirred into campfire smoke. It lives in the grin Midge wore when he said too little, and in the headlines that said too much. As Midge might have said it best himself, recalling the failed pie-luring attempt: “No sense stirring him up if you don’t have pie.”

The Hoedag may or may not walk backwards, but its legend has always moved forward. One pie at a time.

The Hoedag Research Compendium: A Primary Source Factbook & Guide

I. Introduction: Purpose, Scope, and Methodology

A. Purpose: This Compendium serves as the definitive, curated repository of known primary source mentions and associated data regarding the Hoedag legend of Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio. Its primary function is to provide researchers, folklore enthusiasts, and historians with a factual baseline, meticulously sourced and chronologically organized, distinct from narrative interpretations or histories.
B. Scope: The temporal scope encompasses the earliest known potential mentions (including unsubstantiated claims) through documented modern references (as of the last update). The geographical focus is Grand Lake St. Marys and locations directly tied to the narrative by primary sources (e.g., New Bremen, OH; Cabool, MO).
C. Methodology:
* Source Identification: Information was systematically gathered from local newspapers (primarily The Evening Leader, The Lima News, The Daily Advocate, Van Wert Times Bulletin, The Mercer County Chronicle), relevant school publications (Blueprint), documented organizational websites (LakeImprovement.com), and online folklore resources citing specific publications (Samkalensky.com referencing The Guardian). Searches prioritized contemporary accounts from the 1920s-1950s and documented modern revivals.
* Data Extraction: Entries involve direct transcription of key quotes, concise summaries of relevant content, and detailed citation information. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy.
* Chronological Basis: Chronology is the fundamental organizing principle for the Master Record in Section II.
* Handling Reconstructed Dates: Some origin dates (organizational meetings, oral tradition entries) were reconstructed via internal references, content analysis, or timeline alignment. These are clearly marked “(Reconstructed Origin Date)” or “(Approximate Date)” and based on historically plausible inference.
* Distinguishing Source vs. Interpretation: Section II presents data directly derived from or summarizing the primary sources. Sections III through VII analyze, index, or categorize this primary data for research convenience. Interpretations found within primary sources (e.g., Midget Longsworth’s claims) are presented as such, attributed to the source.
* Lake Nomenclature: Grand Lake St. Marys is the full, official name. “Lake St. Marys” is frequently used, especially in older local sources, and is retained where it appears in quotes or source context.
D. Structure of the Compendium:
* Section I: Introduction, Scope, Methods.
* Section II: The core Master Chronological Record of all known mentions.
* Section III: Analysis of the Hoedag’s description and its evolution.
* Section IV: Profiles of Key Individuals and Groups involved.
* Section V: Gazetteer of Significant Locations tied to the legend.
* Section VI: Glossary of relevant terms and concepts.
* Section VII: Overview of Notable Events and Cultural Manifestations.
* Section VIII: Comprehensive Source Repository.
* Section IX: Appendices (Illustrations, Future Research).
E. Living Document Statement: This Compendium is intended as a “living document.” Verified new source discoveries are welcomed. Submit documented findings, including full source citations and scans/copies where possible, to the St. Marys Community Public Library Local History Room for potential inclusion in future revisions.

II. Master Chronological Record of Hoedag Mentions

Date: 1912 (Claimed Origin)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct. 3, 2023, “The Hoedag of Grand Lake,” by Brent Melton.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Brent Melton (reporter)
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Origin Story (unsubstantiated)
Summary: Modern article cites a 1912 origin date for the Hoedag, though Melton notes it is unsubstantiated by contemporary 1920s/30s reports found.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of article’s point)

Date: 1926, May 14
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), May 14, 1926, p. 7.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Hunters, Traders and Trappers association (H. T. & T.), Jim Townsend, Frank Shelly
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys, “pest house”
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Claim (implied previous), Name Mention, Club Activity, Description – Diet (Pies as bait), Failed Capture Attempt
Summary: First known published mention. Longsworth states the “hoedag is out again,” implying previous activity (likely c. 1925, based on “last year” reference). Refers to it as a “mysterious animal” hunted by the H. T. & T. Recounts failed pie-luring attempt foiled by Townsend and Shelly eating the bait.
Direct Quote: “‘The hoedag is out again,’ says Fred Longsworth, otherwise known as the Midget, bringing back to memory the mysterious animal which the Hunters, Traders and Trappers association hunted last year at Lake St. Marys.” Also: “We would have got him last year if Jim Townsend and Frank Shelly had played square… Jim and Frank took the pie down to the ‘pest house’ and ate it. Of course we couldn’t catch that hoedag then.”

Date: 1926, November 9 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Wehrman’s Return)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Nov 9, 1926, p.1.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Gust Wehrman, H. T. & T. members, Ott Reiher’s Barber Shop (mentioned as gathering place)
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys, Delaware (Ohio)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Club Activity (Context for H.T.&T.)
Summary: Gust Wehrman returns definitively to St. Marys after 18 months, an event celebrated by H. T. & T. members, suggesting his importance to the group central to early Hoedag lore. Reconstruction based on timeline alignment for H.T.&T. events.
Direct Quote: “All’s well once more and rejoicing runs high in the circles of the H. T. & T… Gust Wehrman… is back now to stay.” Also: “Gust has been at Delaware or somewhere, but he is back now to stay.” And: “Members of the H.T. & T. in growing numbers are having their ears set out and their faces mowed by their honorable president.”

Date: 1926, November 12 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Welcome Party)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Nov 12, 1926, p. 6.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Gust Wehrman, John I. Young, H.T. & T. members (21 total), Pearl Lawler, Ambrose Kohler, Henry Esman, Walter Brodbeck, Hugh Hammons, Tom Wilson
Location(s) Mentioned: John I. Young cottage (Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Club Activity (Context for H.T.&T.)
Summary: H. T. & T. club holds a “Welcome Back” party for Gust Wehrman, reinforcing the group’s activity around this time. Notes absence of Lawler and Kohler, accepts new members. Reconstruction based on timeline alignment.
Direct Quote: “Twenty-one members of the H.T. & T. club assembled last evening at the John I. Young cottage…”

Date: 1927, February 12
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Feb 12, 1927, p. 6.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Charles Holtzhauer, John Morris, Fred “Midget” Longsworth, East Side Hunters, Traders, and Trappers (New H. T. & T. Club)
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys (implied East Side)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Club Activity (Formation of related group)
Summary: Announcement of the formation of the “New H. T. & T. Club” (East Side H.T.&T.). Lists officers, including Longsworth as Chef, showing continued activity of key figures in similar groups.
Direct Quote: “NEW H. T. & T. CLUB A new organization, known as the East Side Hunters, Traders, and Trappers has just been perfected… Charles Holtzhauer has been elected president, John Morris secretary and treasurer and ‘Midget’ Longsworth, Chef.”

Date: 1927, February 19 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Constitution Meeting)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Feb 19, 1927, p. 6.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: East Side H.T. & T.
Location(s) Mentioned: East Spring Street (St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Club Activity (Context for related group)
Summary: East Side H. T. & T. holds its constitution meeting at new headquarters. Reconstruction based on likely timing after formation announcement.
Direct Quote: “Charles Holtzhauer, president of the East Side Hunters, Traders and Trappers today said that the members… will meet at the new headquarters in East Spring street, Monday evening at 7 o’clock to complete the new constitution and by-laws.”

Date: 1929, July 20
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), July 20, 1929, p.1, “IS IT A HOEDAG? MIDGET CLAIMS IT IS BUT THERE IS SOME QUESTION”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Albert Koch, H. T. & T.
Location(s) Mentioned: South Wayne Street (St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Identification Claim, Description – General, Description – Locomotion, Description – Eyes, Description – Size (Small), Description – Sound
Summary: Midget Longsworth claims a small (2-inch), one-eyed, backward-moving, snake-like creature found by Albert Koch (who brought it to the post office in a fruit jar) is a Hoedag, referencing past H.T.&T. fear. Specimen had tiny extensions for feet and made a “whirring noise” when angered. Koch’s wife had killed two previously.
Direct Quote: “Is it the hoedag—that half animal and half snake—which put such fear in the hearts of the Hunters, Traders and Trappers a few years ago…? Fred Longsworth… claims it is.” Also: “It is about two inches long and about as thick as a lead pencil. When it moves it goes backwards… watching its course with the one eye which is centered on the head. Its feet—and it has a number of them are very small extensions from the body. When angered the animal makes a whirring noise.”

Date: 1929, November 7
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Nov 7, 1929, p. 6, “GUS. H. WEHRMAN IS ELECTED PRESIDENT H. T. & T. AT MEET HELD LAST NIGHT”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: H. T. & T., Gus H. Wehrman, W. O. Smith, Floyd Titus, A. B. Kohler, Phil Herzing, Roy Heap, Fred White, Wilbur Smith, Fred Longsworth (Midget)
Location(s) Mentioned: Farmer’s hog house (South side, unspecified location)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Name Mention (Hodag spelling), Description – Size, Behavior (Seeking shelter), Club Activity
Summary: Report of H. T. & T. meeting electing officers (Wehrman Pres., Smith Treas., Titus Sec., Kohler Guard, Longsworth Royal Chef, others on committees). Members humorously discuss deciding what to do with a purported 14-foot “‘hodag’” found in a farmer’s hog house seeking winter quarters. The spelling variant and tone suggest possible jest or conflation with the Wisconsin Hodag.
Direct Quote: “…and also to decide what to do with the ‘hodag,’ discovered in a South side farmer’s hog house. The ‘hodag’ is about 14 feet long and is a fine specimen; it is on a hunt for winter quarters. Now laugh!”

Date: 1930, June 21
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), June 21, 1930, p. 5, “WHERE’S THE HO-DAG IS CRY OF H. T. & T. ASS’N?”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: H. T. & T. members, President (Gus Wehrman implied, residing in Dayton), Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys, Gordon State Park, Dayton, OH
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Name Mention (Ho-dag), Club Activity, Behavior (Mascot status, Escaped 3 yrs prior), Description – Diet (Pumpkin Pie as bait), Encounter Claim (Fear of elephants)
Summary: Article reports H.T.&T. President (in Dayton) wants meeting called to recover mascot “Ho-dag,” which escaped 3 years prior, before Hagenbeck-Wallace elephants arrive and might trample it. Recalls Ho-dag’s fondness for pumpkin pie as lure.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of content from image).

Date: 1930, July 1
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), July 1, 1930, p.1, “PEARL LAWLER THOUGHT HE SAW THE HOEDAG”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Pearl Lawler, H.T.&T.
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Claim, Description – General (animal-reptile-insect), Encounter Claim (Fear of elephants context)
Summary: Explains Pearl Lawler’s plunge into the lake while elephants bathed: he thought he saw the “hoedag, that mysterious animal-reptile-insect” the H.T.&T. worried the elephants might disturb.
Direct Quote: “He thought he saw the hoedag, that mysterious animal-reptile-insect of which the Hunters, Traders and Trappers association was so concerned…”

Date: 1930, July 12
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), July 12, 1930, p.4, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea (columnist), Leader Printing Company employees
Location(s) Mentioned: Riley’s Point, Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Behavior (Mischief)
Summary: Eve Lea, in her “Tel-Scopes” column, humorously blames the Hoedag for breaking a tent pole during a wind gust at Riley’s Point where Leader employees were camping.
Direct Quote: “AND the hoedag gets the blame! A gust of wind, and snap!—a tent pole broke letting down the canvas… They think the hoedag did it.”

Date: 1930, August 11 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Based on Column Content)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Aug 11, 1930, p. 4, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea, H.T.& T. members (quoted indirectly)
Location(s) Mentioned: New Jersey (comparison), Lake St. Marys (implied)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Description – Locomotion, Description – General, Comparison (Jersey Devil)
Summary: Eve Lea wonders if the Hoedag and the “Jersey Devil” are related, quoting H.T.& T. members’ description of the Hoedag. Reconstruction based on column dating conventions.
Direct Quote: The Hoedag “can move like lightning and is one of the most elusive third-animal, third-reptile and third-fish object that ever existed.”

Date: 1930, August 20
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Aug 20, 1930, p. 4, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea, Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: New Jersey (negated), The Feeder (Canal Feeder near Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Reproduction (Young), Location Claim
Summary: In Eve Lea’s column, Longsworth refutes the Hoedag being in New Jersey, claiming it has 36 young ones “down at the Feeder.” Admits possibility some “former children” might have wandered.
Direct Quote: “‘The hoedag isn’t in New Jersey,’ Midget Longsworth… declared… ‘The hoedag has 36 young ones right now, down at the Feeder,’ Midget continued.”

Date: 1930, October 20
Source: The Lima News (Lima, OH), Oct 20, 1930, p. 9, “MARDI GRAS AT ST. MARYS TO BE HELD FRIDAY”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Hunters, Traders and Trappers organization (H. T. & T.)
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys (Halloween Parade)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Parade, Description – Feet, Description – Neck, Description – Covering (Quills), Description – Body Shape, Description – Locomotion, Description – Legs, Description – Size (Approx. 3 ft long)
Summary: Announcement of the upcoming St. Marys Halloween parade, promising an appearance by the H.T.&T.’s Hoedag, “blamed for years… for the disappearance of pies, cakes and other delicacies.” Includes a description derived from the planned float/depiction.
Direct Quote: “The hoedag is to appear in the parade, the Hunters, Traders and Trappers organization has promised… The animal has feet that are circles, resembling plates. He is capable of moving backward or forward at an equal rate of speed and is exceptionally hard to trace because of its circular footprints… Other strange characteristics of the hoedag is its long neck, bristling with porcupine-like quills, its body which resembles that of a calf, its long front legs and short rear legs, its tail which stands erect and is about three feet long.”

Date: 1930, October 25
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 25, 1930, p. 4.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea, H.T.&T., “Hoedag followers”
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys (Halloween Parade), Lake Loramie
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Parade (Anticipation, Capture claim), Description – Habits (Prefers tobacco over gum)
Summary: Anticipation for Halloween parade builds. Eve Lea notes “AT last we shall see the hoedag.” A committee of the H.T.&T. announces the Hoedag “has just been captured at Lake Loramie, and will be on exhibition.” Also notes “SOME of the hoedag followers have taken exception to the suggestion made that contributions for chewing gum be solicited… They think the hoedag is not effeminate enough to use chewing gum but prefers tobacco.”
Direct Quote: N/A (Summaries of different items).

Date: 1930, October 28
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 28, 1930, p.5, “A WIERD LOOKING CREATURE”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Unknown artist, Hunters, Traders and Trappers Association
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys (Halloween Parade)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Parade, Illustration (Artist’s depiction published), Associated Item (Hoedag Togs prize)
Summary: Promotion for Halloween Parade features illustration titled “A WIERD LOOKING CREATURE,” representing the H.T.&T.’s “much-talked-of ‘Hoe-dag’.” List of prizes includes “3 yds. of Hoe-Dag Togs” for Best Hobo Costume.
Direct Quote: “This picture represents the conception of the much-talked-of ‘Hoe-dag,’ the pet creature harbored by the Hunters, Traders and Trappers Association.”

Date: 1930, October 29
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 29, 1930, p. 4, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea, H.T.&T. Fun and Joke Committee (Gus Wehrman, Jim Long, Roy Heap, Yock Smith, Pearl Lawler)
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Behavior (Implied need/want), Parade (Aftermath)
Summary: Eve Lea humorously publishes a supposed communication asking H.T.&T. members to donate money for chewing gum for the Hoedag, then suggests using used gum instead.
Direct Quote: “Will you ask the members of the Hunters Traders and Trappers to kindly donate fifty cents toward buying chewing gum for the hoedag on Halloween. By order of the Fun and Joke Committee ‘Signing off but not signed’ Gus Wehrman, Jim Long, Roy Heap, Yock Smith, Pearl Lawler.” Eve Lea’s response: “WE suggest that some of the H.T.&T.’s start an under-chair investigating committee and obtain a supply of used gum for the hoedag.”

Date: 1930, October 30
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 30, 1930, p. 4, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Paris Cleaners and Dyers, Local ball players, Named individuals (Macke, Kohler, Reed, etc.)
Location(s) Mentioned: Midget’s lunch stand (St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Associated Item (Hoedag dogs), Usefulness/Practical Use
Summary: Eve Lea reports “a practical use found for the hoedag.” “HOEDAG dogs” are being served at Midget’s stand, recognized as a “delicacy” by Paris Cleaners and Dyers. Tickets for the sandwiches given to ball players. Lists names of those supposedly enjoying them.
Direct Quote: “AT last there has been a practical use found for the hoedag… HOEDAG dogs are being served at the Midget…”

Date: 1930, November 1 (#1)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Nov 1, 1930, p.1, “WEATHER HAS ITS EFFECT ON REDUCING CROWD FOR CELEBRATION”.
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys (Halloween Parade)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Parade (Prominent Place, Description of float), Description – Eyes, Description – General, Description – Color, Associated Item (Hoedag Togs awarded)
Summary: Report on the Halloween parade, noting weather affected crowd size but the Hoedag had a “Prominent Place In Procession.” Float described: “With its fiery eyes, its terrible form and its strange color the animal was terrifying in appearance.” John Young won prize of “three yards of hoe-dag togs for having the best hobo costume.”
Direct Quote: “Hoedag Has Prominent Place In Procession…” Also: “In the parade was the hoedag… With its fiery eyes, its terrible form and its strange color the animal was terrifying in appearance.”

Date: 1930, November 1 (#2)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Nov 1, 1930, p.6, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea, Hunter Traders and Trappers
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Parade (Reflection), Behavior (Pie disappearance blame)
Summary: Eve Lea reflects on Halloween, musing now that the H.T.&T. have “captured the hoedag who will they blame for the disappearance of pies etc. intended for lunch at their meetings?”
Direct Quote: “SINCE the Hunter Traders and Trappers have captured the hoedag who will they blame for the disappearance of pies etc. intended for lunch at their meetings?”

Date: 1931, February 4
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Feb 4, 1931, p. 3, Column: “Tel-Scopes”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea, “Optimistic” (correspondent)
Location(s) Mentioned: N/A
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Description – General (ugly), Name Mention (hoe-dag), Usefulness/Practical Use
Summary: Eve Lea responds to a suggestion from “Optimistic” about a use for the Hoedag (unspecified use). She reiterates her opinion: “Outside of the fact that we think the hoe-dag is the ugliest animal ever seen we never had any thoughts concerning it.” Also wonders if the Ground Hog saw the “Hoe-Dag” and thus didn’t see its shadow.
Direct Quote: “…we think the hoe-dag is the ugliest animal ever seen…”

Date: 1934, February 21
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Feb 21, 1934, p. 3, “‘HOEDAG’ CHASED AWAY FROM KITCHEN AFTER FIERCE BATTLE”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) personnel, H.T.&T. (warned)
Location(s) Mentioned: C.C.C. camp kitchen & Dance Hall Channel (Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Behavior (Food raid, Mascot status, Disappearance), Encounter Claim, Description – Diet (Pies)
Summary: Report claims the H.T.&T. mascot Hoedag, a “prehistoric animal,” prowled the C.C.C. kitchen “looking for some of those delicious pies.” Guards battled it with clubs and rocks, chasing it away into the Dance Hall Channel. H.T.&T. warned their mascot is missing. An old H.T.&T. member recalls it was seen nearby weeks ago.
Direct Quote: “The ‘Hoedag’ a prehistoric animal which is a mascot of the Hunters, Traders and Trappers… was seen last evening prowling around the kitchen supposedly looking for some of those delicious pies…” Also: “‘He came to a poor place to get in,’ one of the boys cried…” And: “…made an unmerciful attack upon this hungry beast and finally succeeded in chasing it away.”

Date: 1934, February 24
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Feb 24, 1934, p. 1, “HAS HOEDAG LEFT LAKE ST. MARYS!…”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, C.C.C. boys, Lt. M. K. Benadum, H.T.&T. members
Location(s) Mentioned: Combs ice ponds (New Bremen, OH), C.C.C. camp (Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Claim, Behavior (Fleeing), Description – Diet (Pies)
Summary: Longsworth claims to have seen the Hoedag at Combs ice ponds in New Bremen, speculating it fled the C.C.C. camp permanently. “The Midget was so convinced… that he bought a number of pies to feed it. He claims that pies are the strange creature’s favorite food.” Some H.T.&T. members are skeptical.
Direct Quote: “Has the hoedag left St. Marys? Did the C. C. C. boys and Lieutenant M. K. Benadum actually frighten him away…?” Also: “He claims that pies are the strange creature’s favorite food.”

Date: 1934, May 5
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), May 5, 1934, p. 1, “MIDGET LONGSWORTH BOUND TO PROTECT HOEDAG NEST FROM CIRCUS ELEPHANTS”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, H.T.&T., Hagenbeck-Wallace circus, Dillinger (mentioned threat)
Location(s) Mentioned: Gordon State Park (Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Behavior (Nesting), Encounter Claim (indirectly, via elephants), Reproduction (Young – “little Hoedags” killed)
Summary: Longsworth issues ultimatum to protect Hoedag nest from circus elephants planning to bathe at Gordon State Park. Claims elephants ruined nest and killed “numerous little ‘Hoedags’” years prior. Threatens to call Dillinger if elephants aren’t stopped. Declares H.T.&T. a “dead club” needing more Hoedags.
Direct Quote: “Midge declares a few years ago when the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus showed at Gordon State Park the elephants ruined the ‘Hoedag’s’ nest killing numerous little ‘Hoedags.’” Also: “I will positively not tolerate the big elephant of Dill’s Circus to take a bath where the Hoedag is nesting.”

Date: 1935, January 5
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Jan 5, 1935, p. 4, [Continuation of letter from Midget Longsworth].
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Ed Huenke (witness), Unnamed oil man (rowboat encounter)
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys Reservoir, St. Marys and New Bremen road
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Encounter Claim, Description – Size, Description – Legs, Description – Covering (Hair), Description – Mouth/Teeth, Description – Neck, Behavior (Biting oar, Aggression), Usefulness/Practical Use (Melon seed soup cure)
Summary: Midget relays story from Ed Huenke about an oil man attacked by the Hoedag while rowing. Describes creature (15 ft long, longer front legs, shaggy hair, 15-inch teeth, 6-ft neck). Beast bit oar, man escaped. Midge advised treating bite with watermelon seed soup.
Direct Quote: “This man claims it is about fifteen feet in length, has four legs, the front legs being much longer than the back-ones, has long shaggy hair about six inches long and a very large mouth with teeth about fifteen inches long and neck about six feet long.” Midget’s advice: “…get water melon seed and make a soup out of that, as that is the only thing that will cure it…”

Date: 1936, March 19
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), March 19, 1936, p. 1, “Midget Longsworth Claims He Saw Hoedag At Lake”. Also referenced in The Celina Standard via FREAK MONSTER IS SEEN AT RESERVOIR article (date unclear).
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, H.T.&T.
Location(s) Mentioned: Lucky 13 cottage (East bank, Lake St. Marys), H.T.&T. clubhouse (South Shore, Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Claim, Description – Lights (Tail), Behavior (Food theft)
Summary: Longsworth reports seeing Hoedag swimming near Lucky 13 cottage. “When he saw it the animal had luminous green and red lights on its tail which extended far out of the water. The red light glowed steadily while the green flickered on and off…” He recognized it instantly, linking sighting to continued missing food from H.T.&T. clubhouse. “The hoedag was making off with the provisions, they found.”
Direct Quote: “When he saw it the animal had luminous green and red lights on its tail… The red light glowed steadily while the green flickered on and off…”

Date: 1936, October 13
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 13, 1936, p. 1, “HOEDAG MAY BE IN LAKES FESTIVAL PARADE; MIDGET TRIES TO TRAP HIM”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Ohio National Guard (Capt. Thomas J. Needles), Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: Swamp land North of St. Marys, River/Canal North of St. Marys, Spring street (St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Hunt/Capture Attempt, Encounter Claim (Wounded but escaped), Behavior (Elusiveness), Description – Diet (Pumpkin pies as bait), Parade (Context: pre-parade hunt)
Summary: Bulletin reports Ohio National Guard hunting Hoedag after Midge pleaded for assistance. Creature eluded posse despite being “severely wounded.” Midge had been setting “big bear traps” and using pumpkin pies as lure for weeks, hoping to capture it for the parade. Vows to make appearance on Spring St. once captured.
Direct Quote: “The Ohio National Guards… took up the search for the ‘Hoedag’ after ‘Midge’ Longsworth pleaded with them for their assistance.” Also: “‘Midge’ has been running his traps every two hours for the past week and has been attempting to lure him with pumpkin pies.”

Date: 1936, October 14
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 14, 1936, p. 1, “THE ‘HOEDAG’ HAS BEEN CAPTURED…”; The Lima News (Lima, OH), Oct 14, 1936, p. 1; The Daily Advocate (Darke County, OH), Oct 14, 1936.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Major Thomas Needles (ONG), Dr. J.E. Heap (H.T.&T. physician), Conservation Officer Albert Wells, Theodore Todt, Midget Longsworth, Gus Wehrman (H.T.&T. Pres.), Theodore Roosevelt (historical reference), H.T.&T. members
Location(s) Mentioned: Swamp land North of St. Marys, John Young’s landing (East bank, Lake St. Marys), St. Marys streets, Bushong hatchery (St. Marys), Africa (claimed origin)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Capture Claim, Parade, Origin Story (Wehrman’s version), Reproduction (Young, Eggs), Encounter Claim (Wounded mother, Escaped young)
Summary: Multiple newspapers report the Hoedag captured by ONG squadron under Maj. Needles. Creature found wounded with two young (“infant Hoedags” – escaped) and two eggs. Treated by Dr. Heap, guarded by officers & H.T.&T. members (Wells, Todt, Midget, Wehrman), paraded through streets. Gus Wehrman speech claims African origin via Roosevelt. Eggs taken to hatchery.
Direct Quote: “The Hoedag has been captured! Major Thomas Needles and his squadron finally captured the ‘Hoe-dag’…” Also: “…found with two young ones and two eggs in her hide-out. The two infant ‘Hoedags’ escaped…” Wehrman speech: “…originated in Africa and was brought to this country by some big game hunter, probably Theodore Roosevelt.”

Date: 1938, June 9
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), June 9, 1938, p. 4, Column: “Around The LAKES” (Letter from Midget Longsworth).
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Midget’s cousin (Missouri hunter), H.T.&T. members (Long, Smith, Townsend, Shelly, Young, Wehrman listed as branders)
Location(s) Mentioned: Cabool, MO; Piney River (MO)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Death Claim (Original Hoedag), Reproduction (Eggs – 2), Behavior (Guarding eggs, Vocalization – Cry), Identification Mark (Branding), Description – Lights (Red & Green)
Summary: Midget Longsworth writes letter detailing trip to Cabool, MO for Hoedag’s funeral. Claims cousin found it caught between rocks, broken leg, guarding two eggs, after farmer reported strange lights/cry. Cousin shot it. Midget officiated funeral, confirms identity via H.T.&T. brand from prior pie-stealing incident. Describes burial site, egg details (banana shape, bark-like covering), hatching method (tail light incubation).
Direct Quote: “Myself a member of the Hunter, Trader & Trapper’s, I am on the job taking care of this strange animal… it’s the old mother Hoedag, caught between 2 big rocks with one broken leg and couldn’t move. My cousin shot her 5 times before she gave up and died.” Re: Branding: “The reason I know she was our Hoedag was on account of being branded… The night we branded her, the letters standing for several of our charter members, Jim Long, Yock Smith, Jim Townsend, Frank Shelly, John Young and our President Gus Wehrman…” Egg description: “…shape of a banana about 24 inches long and 12 inches in diameter. They have a kind of a bark on them the color of a beech tree.”

Date: 1938, June 11
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), June 11, 1938, p.4, Column: “Around The LAKES” (Letter from Midget Longsworth continued or subsequent).
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, H.T.&T.
Location(s) Mentioned: Cabool, MO (implied source of eggs), St. Marys, Ohio
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Reproduction (Eggs – Possession claim, Storage), Description – Diet (Eggs edible)
Summary: Following up on his funeral claim, Midget reports having the two Hoedag eggs “in storage under lock and key and they belong to the camp of the H. T. & T.’s. in St. Marys, Ohio.” He mentions he could make money showing them but won’t. Responds to queries about edibility: “Well! Why wouldn’t they be. We ate some of the meat back home several years ago.”
Direct Quote: “I got the eggs in storage under lock and key and they belong to the camp of the H. T. & T.’s…” Re: Edibility: “Some of the fellows asked me if they were good to eat. Well! Why wouldn’t they be. We ate some of the meat back home several years ago.”

Date: 1938, September 15
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Sep 15, 1938, p. 4, Column: “Around The LAKES”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: Missouri, Lake St. Marys, Edgewater Park (Lake St. Marys)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Reproduction (Eggs – Transport, Incubation method), Description – Teeth (Scarcity), Comparison (Czechoslovakians in Germany)
Summary: Midget claims to have brought the two Hoedag eggs back from Missouri. “He had a terrible time getting them, and since hoedag’s teeth are scarce as Czeskoslovakia in Germany, he guarded them with his life until he got them safely at Lake St. Marys.” His incubation plan: “Now he says they’re in the deepest part of the lake until the bark comes off. Soon as the bark is off he’ll bring the eggs in to shore and bury them in the sand near Edgewater Park…”
Direct Quote: “…since hoedag’s teeth are scarce as Czeskoslovakia in Germany, he guarded them with his life…” Also: “…bury them in the sand near Edgewater Park…”

Date: 1939, April 17
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), April 17, 1939, p.4.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, H.T.&T.
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys, John Young’s Landing
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Reproduction (Eggs – Hatching claim, Twins), Behavior (Egg rotting, Stench), Club Activity (Planned search, Reward considered)
Summary: Midge claims one egg washed ashore near John Young’s Landing and rotted (“stench was so foul… Midge reportedly had to bury his clothes!”), while the other hatched twins. Reports H.T.&T. plans a search, considering reward.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of hatching claims).

Date: 1944, July 8 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Based on context)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), July 8, 1944, p. 1, “MIDGET LONGSWORTH IS CONVINCED HOEDAG IS BACK AT LAKE ST. MARYS AFTER READING OF CELINA ‘MONSTER’”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Gus Wehrman
Location(s) Mentioned: Celina, OH (Grand Lake), Grand Lake St. Marys (Clubhouse, South shore, Edgewater Park)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Identification Claim (linking to another cryptid), Behavior (Location preference, Lunch swiping), Reproduction (Eggs – Hatching confirmed via photo), Description – Body Shape (Alligator/Dinosaur-like), Description – Lights (Red & Green)
Summary: Midge connects a photo of a “Celina Standard ‘monster’” (a black square accompanying article) to the Hoedag, confirming his belief the eggs hatched near Edgewater Park. “The Midget is sure that the monster is nothing more nor less than Mr. Hoedag…” Recalls creature’s history of stealing lunches, strange appearance (elongated, alligator/dinosaur mix), and signature red/green lights. Suggests maybe Gus Wehrman put out extra pies for it.
Direct Quote: “The hoedag has come back to life.” Also: “He was a big critter, elongated, something like an alligator and yet different; something like a dinosaur of prehistoric days…” And: “He just seemed to be happier down at this end [St. Marys]. Maybe it was because the lunches he swipe[d] were easier to get or more numerous.”

Date: 1944, August 9 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Wartime context)
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Aug 9, 1944, p.5, “THE HOEDAG’S COME BACK TO LIFE, MIDGET LONGSWORTH IS CONVINCED; ADVISES H. T. & T.’s TO CONSULT RULES”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth (Pres. & Cook), Gus Wehrman (Chief Scout), Frank Meck (Doctor), “Leaping Lina” (Nurse), Floyd Titus (Barber), C.C. McBroom (Route planner), Mayor Koch (Permits), Frank Shelly & Hugo Skinner (Skin cutters), Dave Kiserr (Oilers), Art Wells (Guard), Jim Townsend (Painter), Jim Todd (Painter’s Asst.), Broff Havilben (Speaker), Phil Herzing (Blue-hints), Ed Hurm (Lookout), Joe Wehrman (Egg carrier?), Roy Heap (Pie keeper?), Virginia Havilben (Loud Speaker), New Bremen Divers (4 unnamed)
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys, Bougainville (“Hoagsville”), New Bremen (divers’ origin), South Dakota (Gus Wehrman’s location), Japan
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Expedition Plan (Satirical), Identification Mark (Branding rules), Associated Item (Hoedag Stew), Club Activity (implied rules), Satirical Rulebook, Wartime Satire, Eggshell Recovery Claim, Personnel Roles, Reproduction (Eggs – hatching confirmed via shells), Description – Hoofs, Description – Power source (legs/tail), Description – Diet (Tobacco), Supernatural – Regeneration
Summary: Midge proposes elaborate satirical Hoedag expedition. Lists extensive personnel with comical roles. References H.T.&T. rulebook (‘Book, Page 12, second verse’). Details Hoedag’s power from legs/tail, need for tobacco, plans for branding, making “Hoedag Stew” (“cut a piece of meat off of him any place and it grows right back”). Includes wartime satire (OPA, Japan, Bougainville). Claims divers recovered eggshells, proving hatching.
Direct Quote: “You will have to consult our president, Gus Wehrman, who is now in South Dakota… The old membership list can be found in the book, page 12 is the second verse…” Also: “This is where the hoedag gets lots of power, through his legs and tall… His hoofs are like big horses you can’t tell whether he is going or coming.” And: “…we can cut a piece of meat off of him any place and it grows right back on so that doesn’t hurt him any place.”

Date: 1945, July 28
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), July 28, 1945, p.4.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: N/A
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Comparison (Ostriches), Reproduction (Eggs)
Summary: Midget comments on an article about ostriches, speculating about Hoedags and Ostriches coming from the same nest or eating each other’s eggs. Reinforces claim Hoedag eggs are distinct (bark-covered).
Direct Quote: “Any day now, we’re expecting to hear a rumor that hoedags and ostriches are coming out of the same nest, or that the hoedags have eaten the ostrich eggs or vice versa.”

Date: 1945, August 9
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Aug 9, 1945, p.5, [Letter/Column from Midget Longsworth].
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, Otis & Dale Longsworth (sons)
Location(s) Mentioned: Scioto River (Ohio)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Claim, Reproduction (Eggs), Description – Covering (Feathers – via eggs), Description – Lights (Red), Behavior (Luring with pies)
Summary: Midget recounts picnic on Scioto River where they saw a red light on water. Investigating by boat, they saw light keep coming up. His sons swam ashore for pumpkin pies, which they used to coax “the hoedag” from its nest. He dove and found nest with two eggs covered in ostrich feathers (linking to July 28 comment). He pulled feathers off and put chewing gum on openings. Wonders “Who wants Ostrich-Hoedag?”
Direct Quote: “Every little while we would see a red light coming out of the water… On their return with the pies we coaxed the hoedag away from, what I knew was its nest… I came up with the two eggs and looking them over I found feathers on them… Ostrich feathers.”

Date: 1946, June 21
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), June 21, 1946, p.2.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys (implied)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Behavior (Quietness explained), Description – Diet (Pumpkin pie, sugar lack)
Summary: Midge insists the Hoedag is still around but explains its recent quietness: “…it’s only the scarcity of pumpkin pie made with real sugar that’s keeping the hoedag quiet.”
Direct Quote: “…it’s only the scarcity of pumpkin pie made with real sugar that’s keeping the hoedag quiet.”

Date: 1946, October 17
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 17, 1946, p. 1, “WHAT IS IT? STRANGE ANIMAL REPORTED AT LAKE ST. MARYS”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Unspecified reporters/public, Doyle Mayhugh
Location(s) Mentioned: Southeast corner of Lake St. Marys, Highway 364 pits
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Speculation, Description – Color (Black), Description – Size (3 ft), Description – Tail (Bushy), Description – Sound (Horses running, peculiar cry)
Summary: Reports of an unidentified animal (black, 3 ft long, bushy tail, swims, sounds like horses, peculiar cry) killing dog spark speculation: “Has the ‘hoedag’ come back to life or is there another animal on the prowl…?” Search parties unsuccessful.
Direct Quote: “Has the ‘hoedag’ come back to life or is there another animal on the prowl…?” Animal description: “…black, about three feet long, has a long bushy tail, can swim the channel, makes a sound like horses running when it runs, and has a peculiar cry after dark.”

Date: 1948, August 21
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Aug 21, 1948, p. 6, Column: “TEL-SCOPES”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Eve Lea (columnist)
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys area (woods, fields), Darke County, Richmond, IN, Greenville, OH
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Sighting Speculation, Linking Past and Present, Description – Lights, Description – Feet, Description – Body Shape
Summary: Eve Lea reflects on past Hoedag stories (“huge animal prowling,” “vicious, fast-moving”) prompted by new reports of mystery animal in Darke County (thought to be wild cat/panther). Recalls local belief that past “thing” was “the hoedag, that strange animal which has red and green lights, huge feet, and long body.”
Direct Quote: “Around here they said the ‘thing’ must be the hoedag, that strange animal which has red and green lights, huge feet, and long body.”

Date: 1949, June 2
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), June 2, 1949, p. 4, “H’m! Wonder If It’s Related To Our Hoedag”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Robert Durrenberger (NJ fisherman)
Location(s) Mentioned: Saddle River, NJ; South Pacific (comparison)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Comparison (Sea creature)
Summary: Report of a fisherman catching strange 16-inch eel-like creature with “portholes” in NJ’s Saddle River prompts headline comparing it to “Our Hoedag.” No direct link made in article body.
Direct Quote: N/A (Comparison is only in headline).

Date: Circa 1950 (Approximate Date – Oral Tradition Origin)
Source: Documented in The Evening Leader, Oct. 3, 2023 (“The Hoedag of Grand Lake,” Brent Melton), citing oral tradition.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Local community members (post-Midget)
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Origin Story (Alternative – Parade Float)
Summary: An alternative Hoedag origin story emerges in oral tradition, likely shortly after Midget Longsworth’s death (1951). This version claims the creature originated from a parade float that was swept into the lake during a storm and came to life.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of oral tradition).

Date: 1950, June 24
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), June 24, 1950, p.3.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: Houghton Lake, MI
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Comparison (Other local monsters)
Summary: Article mentions Midget Longsworth and the St. Marys Hoedag in relation to Houghton Lake, Michigan, which apparently had its own local monster legend.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of comparison).

Date: 1950, December 29
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Dec 29, 1950, p.4.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Name Mention (Casual reference)
Summary: Midget Longsworth sends public Christmas greetings via the newspaper, noted as the “spinner of hoe-dag stories.”
Direct Quote: “From Midget Longsworth at Columbus, spinner of hoe-dag stories, came a Christmas greeting…”

Date: 1951, July 16
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), July 16, 1951, p. 6, “Fred (Midge) Longsworth Died Saturday”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, H.T.&T.
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys, Columbus, OH
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Death of Key Figure, Description – Lights, Description – Legs, Description – Locomotion
Summary: Full obituary for Frederic (Midge) Longsworth, age 72. Notes his reputation for originality, mentions the Hoedag story originating while he was active in the H.T.&T. Describes Hoedag as “mysterious creature with the red and green lights which traveled backward and whose legs were different lengths.” States sequels came from Midge over the years.
Direct Quote: “It was while he was active in this organization that he started the story of the ‘hoedag,’ that mysterious creature with the red and green lights which traveled backward and whose legs were different lengths.”

Date: 1951, July 17
Source: The Lima News (Lima, OH), July 17, 1951, p. 2, “Fred Longsworth”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Fred “Midget” Longsworth, H.T.&T.
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Death of Key Figure, Description – Lights, Description – Legs, Description – Body Shape, Origin Story (Longsworth as originator)
Summary: Obituary for Fred “Midget” Longsworth. Confirms: “He was the originator of the ‘hoedag’ story, started 28 years ago when the Hunters, Traders and Trappers club met regularly at Lake St. Marys.” Includes description based on his popularization. Notes he adapted story for unusual happenings.
Direct Quote: “He was the originator of the ‘hoedag’ story…” Also: “…The ‘hoedag’ was described as a creature with red and green lights, legs of uneven lengths with a body somewhat akin to a dinosaur’s only on a smaller scale.” And: “Mr. Longsworth adapted the story to suit the occasion whenever any unusual happening occurred at the lake, always blaming the incidents on the ‘hoedag.’”

Date: 1957, May 16
Source: Van Wert Times Bulletin (Van Wert, OH), May 16, 1957, p.21, “Brief Items From Nearby Communities”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Patrolman L. R. Jung, Unspecified finders of prop
Location(s) Mentioned: Intersection Rt 29 & New Knoxville Rd; Lake St. Marys (implied setting of original story)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Physical Evidence (Prop discovery), Description – Diet (Pie-stealing), Description – Locomotion (Backward movement)
Summary: Report of patrolman finding 20-ft “vicious looking ‘dragon’” prop (chicken wire, painted green) revives discussion of the Hoedag story. Recounts creature “moves forward when it appears to be in reverse and makes a habit of stealing pies from club meetings and picnics.”
Direct Quote: “Finding of the dragon revived the story of the ‘hoedag’ at Lake St. Marys. The hoedag is a strange animal which moves forward when it appears to be in reverse and makes a habit of stealing pies from club meetings and picnics.”

Date: 1973, December 6 (Reconstructed Origin Date – Publication Date)
Source: Blueprint (Memorial High School newspaper, St. Marys, OH), Dec 6, 1973, “Legend Of The Lake’s Hoedag”. Article reprinted April 12, 1974.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Maggie Dine, Mike Anderson (authors), Edward Fusk (illustrator), Midget Longsworth (historical figure), Unnamed individuals providing oral history, H.T.&T. members (historical)
Location(s) Mentioned: Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Codification of Lore, Description – Covering, Description – Feet, Description – Eyes, Description – Sound, Description – Temperament, Description – Diet, Supernatural – Regeneration, Illustration, Origin Story (Midget’s friend), Body Shape (Hump)
Summary: Landmark article by high school students based on local oral histories and possibly archives. Claims 1910-11 origin (Midget’s friend fell overboard). Codifies traits: shy/quiet/starved for affection; short-tempered when hungry; further along evolutionary scale than dinosaur; long muscular body, long neck, hump like “brannigan bolt”; fur/feathers mix, long hair under chin; one green eye on forehead, one red on long erect tail; eyes glowed; moaning sound (yahoo bird/horse whinny), cackled; feet like elephant but not webbed; eats stray dogs, frightened people; meat regenerates. Accompanied by influential Edward Fusk illustration.
Direct Quote: “…long, muscular body, a fairly long neck, and a hump on her back similar to that of a brannigan bolt.” Also: “Her entire body was covered with a mixture of fur and feathers with a growth of long hair under her chin.” And: “…one eerie, green eye on her forehead and a red eye on her long, erect tail.” Sound: “…cross between the cry of a yahoo bird and the whinee of a horse…” Meat: “…her meat grows back when cut.”

Date: Date Unknown (Modern – Pre-2011)
Source: Referenced in The Evening Leader, Oct. 3, 2023 (“The Hoedag of Grand Lake,” Brent Melton). Date of adoption unknown.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: St. Marys Fire Department
Location(s) Mentioned: St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Modern Revival, Cultural Manifestation (Mascot/Logo)
Summary: The Hoedag image appears on the St. Marys Fire Department’s water-rescue craft. Date of adoption needs confirmation but precedes LIA’s main campaign.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of reference).

Date: Date Unknown (Modern – c. 2011 onward)
Source: Referenced in The Evening Leader, Oct. 3, 2023. Campaign launch reported 2011.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Lake Improvement Association (LIA)
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Modern Revival, Mascot Adoption, Lake Health Advocacy Link
Summary: The Hoedag is formally adopted as a mascot by the Lake Improvement Association (LIA) as part of a campaign linking the legend to lake health awareness. The campaign began around 2011.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of reference).

Date: Date Unknown (Modern – Post-1973)
Source: Samkalensky.com, Hoedag entry (Accessed 2024).
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Edward Fusk (artist), LIA (promoter)
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Illustration (Influence), Modern Image Basis
Summary: Online folklore resource notes Edward Fusk’s Hoedag depiction (associated with 1973/74 Blueprint article) is often used as the basis for the modern image, particularly by the LIA.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of observation).

Date: 2011, August 18
Source: The Mercer County Chronicle (Coldwater, OH), Aug 18, 2011, p. 10, “Grand Lake St. Marys Has A New Hoedag Mascot…”.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Lake Improvement Association (LIA), Adam Harruff (illustrator), Mark Piening (LIA VP)
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Modern Revival (Campaign Launch), Description (Reiteration of classic traits – size, body, feet, eyes, diet, sound), Illustration (New LIA version), Mascot Adoption
Summary: LIA officially launches its “Save the Hoedag” campaign, unveiling new mascot illustration by Adam Harruff. Article reiterates classic descriptions (3/4 elephant size, serpentine body, back hump, chicken-feet, green/red eyes, eats dogs/humans, loves pumpkin pie, yahoo/horse sound) linking creature’s misunderstood nature to lake’s issues.
Direct Quote: Piening: “The Hoedag represents not just a mythical fantasy, but the whole of the issues at Grand Lake St Marys…” Also description: “…three-fourths the size of an elephant, possess a serpentine body with a back hump, chicken-like feet, a green eye on its forehead and a red eye on its long tail…” Diet: “…stray dogs… frightened humans… pumpkin pie.” Sound: “…mix between the call of a yahoo bird and the whinee of a horse…”

Date: 2014
Source: LakeImprovement.com website announcement, “New Dredge to Be Named Hoedag” (Approx. 2014); Confirmed by The Evening Leader, Oct. 3, 2023.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Lake Improvement Association (LIA), Public (voting)
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Modern Revival, Cultural Manifestation (Naming)
Summary: The name “Hoedag” wins the LIA’s public contest to name a new lake dredge, further cementing the creature’s modern local identity.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of contest outcome).

Date: 2020
Source: The Guardian (Wright State University student newspaper), exact date unknown, cited via Samkalensky.com Hoedag entry (Accessed 2024).
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Unknown author(s) at The Guardian
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys (implied)
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Origin Story (Divergent – Fossil/Hot Dog)
Summary: Wright State University’s student newspaper publishes a divergent, likely humorous or folkloric, Hoedag origin story involving a revived fossil somehow linked to hot dogs.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of divergent origin).

Date: 2023, October 3
Source: The Evening Leader (St. Marys, OH), Oct 3, 2023, “The Hoedag of Grand Lake”, by Brent Melton.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Brent Melton, Edward Fusk (illustrator mentioned), St. Marys Fire Dept., LIA
Location(s) Mentioned: Grand Lake St. Marys
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Historical Overview, Description (Composite modern), Origin Story (1912 unsubstantiated; Parade float version), Modern Status (Mascot, Dredge, Fire Dept.)
Summary: Provides comprehensive overview of Hoedag legend. Cites 1912 origin claim (unsubstantiated). Describes modern composite creature (3/4 elephant size, serpentine, hump, chicken feet, green/red eyes, fur/feathers, diet of dogs/people/pie). Mentions Fusk drawing, parade float origin story. Notes modern presence on dredge, fire dept craft, as LIA mascot.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summarizes article content).

Date: 2024, June (approx.)
Source: Samkalensky.com, Hoedag entry (Accessed 2024), likely based on university announcements.
Key Individuals/Groups Involved: Wright State University–Lake Campus
Location(s) Mentioned: Celina, OH / Grand Lake St. Marys area
Hoedag Aspects Mentioned: Modern Revival, Mascot Adoption (University)
Summary: Wright State University’s Lake Campus, located near Grand Lake St. Marys, officially adopts the Hoedag as its athletic/campus mascot.
Direct Quote: N/A (Summary of adoption).

III. Evolution of the Hoedag Description

(Entries within each category are ordered chronologically by source date. Modern/Composite descriptions are placed last.)

A. General Appearance & Composition:
* “mysterious animal” (1926 May 14, EL p.7)
* “half animal and half snake” (1929 July 20, EL p.1)
* “third-animal, third-reptile and third-fish object” (1930 Aug 11, EL p.4, quoting H.T.&T.)
* “terrible form” (1930 Nov 1, EL p.1, parade float description)
* “ugliest animal ever seen” (1931 Feb 4, EL p.3)
* Body somewhat “akin to a dinosaur’s only on a smaller scale” (1951 July 17, LN p.2, Midget obit description)
* Serpentine with back hump (Modern/Fusk/LIA – based on 1973 illustration and subsequent usage)

B. Size:
* Implied small enough for Albert Koch to find/handle specimen (1929 July 20, EL p.1)
* “about 14 feet long” (1929 Nov 7, EL p.6, ‘hodag’ spelling, humorous context)
* “about fifteen feet in length” (1935 Jan 5, EL)
* “about three feet long” (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9 – referring to tail?) – Correction: Article describes body like calf, tail stands erect, creature itself about three feet long.
* “three-fourths the size of an elephant” (Modern/LIA – derived from LIA campaign materials, e.g., 2011 Chronicle/website; 2023 EL article)

C. Body Shape:
* “snake-like” (1929 July 20, EL p.1)
* Body “like a calf” (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9, planned parade float description)
* Body “somewhat akin to a dinosaur’s” (1951 July 17, LN p.2, Midget obit description)
* Long, muscular body (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Hump on back “similar to that of a brannigan bolt” (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Serpentine with back hump (Modern/Fusk/LIA – visual depiction from 1973 onward)

D. Covering:
* “long shaggy hair about six inches long” (1935 Jan 5, EL)
* Eggs covered with ostrich feathers (Implied creature may have feathers?) (1945 Aug 9, EL p.5, Midget claim)
* “mixture of fur and feathers, with a growth of long hair under her chin” (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Both fur and feathers (Modern/LIA – consistency with 1973 Blueprint description)

E. Head & Neck:
* Long neck (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9, planned parade float description; 1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Neck possibly with “porcupine-like quills” (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9, planned parade float description)
* Horse-like head (Implied by 1930 artist’s depiction mentioned Oct 28, EL p.5)
* Neck “about six feet long” (1935 Jan 5, EL)

F. Legs & Feet:
* Four legs (1935 Jan 5, EL)
* Front legs “much longer than the back-ones” (1935 Jan 5, EL; 1930 Oct 20 LN p.9 description similar)
* Uneven length legs (causing backward movement inferred/stated elsewhere) (1936 Mar 19 context; 1951 July 17, LN p.2, Midget obit description; July 16, 1951 EL Obit)
* Circular feet “like plates” (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9, planned parade float description)
* Feet “like those of an overgrown chicken” (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Feet like elephant, but not webbed (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Chicken-like feet (Modern/LIA – consistency with 1973 Blueprint description)

G. Eyes:
* One eye (1929 July 20, EL p.1, describing Koch’s specimen)
* “fiery eyes” (1930 Nov 1, EL p.1, parade float description)
* Eyes “did not reflect light, but did glow in the dark” (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* One eerie, green eye on forehead (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint; Modern/Fusk/LIA)

H. Tail Features:
* Luminous red and green lights on tail (1936 Mar 19, EL p.1, Midget claim; 1951 July 17, LN p.2, Midget obit description; July 16, 1951 EL Obit)
* Red light glowed steadily, green light flickered (1936 Mar 19, EL p.1, Midget claim refinement)
* Tail stands erect, “about three feet long” (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9)
* Long, erect tail with red eye (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint; Modern/Fusk/LIA)

I. Mouth & Teeth:
* “very large mouth” (1935 Jan 5, EL)
* Teeth “about fifteen inches long” (1935 Jan 5, EL)
* Hoedag teeth considered rare/valuable (“scarce as Czechoslovakians in Germany”) (1938 Sep 15, EL p.4, Midget claim)

J. Color:
* “strange color” (1930 Nov 1, EL p.1, parade float description, unspecified)
* Black (1946 Oct 17, EL p.1 – describing mystery animal speculated to be Hoedag)

K. Sound:
* Cry (1938 June 9, EL p.4 – reported by farmer in MO)
* Sound like horses running, peculiar cry (1946 Oct 17, EL p.1 – mystery animal)
* “Moaning sound like a cross between the cry of a yahoo bird and the whinee of a horse”; also “cackled unendingly when amused” (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)

L. Locomotion:
* Backward-moving (1929 July 20, EL p.1, Koch’s specimen; 1957 May 16, VWTB p.21, recalling legend; July 16, 1951 EL Obit)
* Capable of moving backward or forward at equal rate (1930 Oct 20, LN p.9)
* Moves “like lightning” (1930 Aug 11, EL p.4, quoting H.T.&T.)
* Backward gait potentially due to uneven legs (Implied by 1935 leg description, 1936 light sighting context, 1951 obit description)
* Moves forward when appearing to be in reverse (1957 May 16, VWTB p.21)
* Swims the channel (1946 Oct 17, EL p.1 – mystery animal)
* Walks over mud and lily pads easily (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)

M. Diet:
* Pumpkin Pie (Primary food, lure, bait) (1926 May 14 EL p.7; 1930 Jun 21, EL p.5; 1934 Feb 21 EL p.3; 1934 Feb 24, EL p.1; 1936 Oct 13, EL p.1; 1938 Jun 9 EL p.4; 1945 Aug 9 EL p.5; 1946 Jun 21, EL p.2; 1957 May 16, VWTB p.21; 2023 Oct 3 EL)
* Pies (General) (1934 Feb 24, EL p.1; 1957 May 16, VWTB p.21)
* Food from H.T.&T. clubhouse (Implied theft) (1936 Mar 19, EL p.1)
* Food from C.C.C. kitchen (Claimed raid) (1934 Feb 21, EL p.3)
* “Hoedag dogs” (Possibly made of Hoedag, or just named after?) (1930 Oct 30, EL p.4)
* Fighting tobacco (1944 Aug 9, EL p.5, Midget’s plan)
* Stray dogs (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint; 2023 Oct 3 EL)
* Frightened people (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint; 2023 Oct 3 EL)
* “Hoedag Stew” (Implied regenerative meat source) (1944 Aug 9, EL p.5, Midget’s satirical plan)
* Hoedag eggs (Implied edible by Midget) (1938 June 11, EL p.4)

N. Behavior & Temperament:
* Hunted by H.T.&T. (Implied dangerous or nuisance) (1926 May 14, EL p.7)
* Instilled fear in H.T.&T. members (1929 July 20, EL p.1)
* Seeks winter quarters (1929 Nov 7, EL p.6, ‘hodag’ spelling)
* Can be a mascot (1930 Jun 21, EL p.5; 1934 Feb 21 EL p.3)
* Breaks tent poles (Mischief) (1930 July 12, EL p.4, humorous claim)
* Elusive (1930 Aug 11, EL p.4; 1936 Oct 13, EL p.1)
* Subject to food raids/theft (1934 Feb 21, EL p.3; 1936 Mar 19, EL p.1; 1957 May 16, VWTB p.21)
* Flees when chased (1934 Feb 21, EL p.3; 1934 Feb 24, EL p.1)
* Builds nests (Implied) (1934 May 5, EL p.1; 1945 Aug 9 EL p.5)
* Capable of biting an oar (Aggression/Defense) (1935 Jan 5, EL)
* Fights terrifically when cornered (1936 Oct 14, EL p.1 – captured mother)
* Guards eggs (Parental care) (1938 June 9, EL p.4, Midget claim)
* Prefers certain lake areas (St. Marys end) (1944 July 8, EL p.1, Midget claim)
* Appears when food is plentiful (1944 July 8, EL p.1)
* Quiet when sugar for pies is scarce (1946 June 21, EL p.2, Midget claim)
* Kills dogs (1946 Oct 17, EL p.1 – mystery animal)
* “Shy and quiet, starved for affection,” but “short tempered when hungry or upset” (1973 Dec 6, Blueprint – contrasts earlier fear/mischief)

O. Reproduction:
* Has young (36 claimed by Midge) (1930 Aug 20, EL p.4)
* “Little Hoedags” killed by elephants (1934 May 5, EL p.1, Midge claim)
* Two “infant Hoedags” escaped capture (1936 Oct 14, EL p.1)
* Lays eggs (two) (1936 Oct 14 EL p.1; 1938 June 9, EL p.4, Midget claim)
* Eggs: Banana-shaped, 24 inches long, 12 inches diameter, bark-like covering (color of beech tree) (1938 June 9, EL p.4, Midget claim)
* Eggs stored/transported (1938 June 11 & Sep 15, EL p.4, Midget claims)
* Eggs incubated underground via tail light, takes 6 months (1938 June 9, EL p.4, Midget claim) OR buried in sand (1938 Sep 15 EL p.4) OR “until the bark comes off” in water (1938 Sep 15, EL p.4, Midget claims)
* Eggs can rot; can hatch twins (1939 Apr 17, EL p.4, Midget claims)
* Eggs found with ostrich feathers (1945 Aug 9, EL p.5, Midget claim)
* Eggshells recovered by divers (proof of hatching claim) (1944 Aug 9, Midget claim via narrative text)

P. Identification Marks:
* Branded by H.T.&T. members (Long, Smith, Townsend, Shelly, Young, Wehrman) (1938 June 9, EL p.4, Midget claim; reiterated in 1944 Aug 9 plan)

Q. Supernatural Qualities:
* Meat “grows back when cut” (Regeneration) (1944 Aug 9, EL p.5; 1973 Dec 6, Blueprint)
* Revived fossil origin (2020, The Guardian via Samkalensky.com – divergent/modern folkloric claim)

IV. Key Individuals and Groups

A. Early Promoters & H.T.&T. Circle (c. 1920s-1940s):
* Fred “Midget” Longsworth: (Active c. 1926-1951) St. Marys lunch stand owner, H.T.&T. Chef. The primary and most imaginative promoter of the Hoedag legend through claims, sightings, elaborate stories (eggs, death, lights), and associated items (“Hoedag dogs”). Noted for “remarkable talent for originality.” (See: 1926 May 14, 1929 July 20, 1930 Aug 20, 1934 Feb 24, 1936 Mar 19, 1938 June 9, 1944 Aug 9, etc.)
* Hunters, Traders, and Trappers (H.T.&T.): (Active c. 1920s-1940s) St. Marys social/sportsman’s club central to the early legend. They reportedly hunted the Hoedag initially, adopted it as a mascot, participated in parades, and key members were involved in Midget’s narratives (branding, expeditions). (See: 1926 May 14, 1926 Nov 9/12, 1929 July 20, 1929 Nov 7, 1930 Jun 21, 1930 Oct 20, 1938 Jun 9, 1939 Apr 17, 1944 Aug 9)
* Key Members Mentioned: Gust Wehrman (President), Jim Long, Roy Heap (“R. Heap”), Yock Smith (“Smith”), Jim Townsend (“Townsend”), Frank Shelly (“Shelly”), John I. Young (“Young”), Joe Wehrman (“J. Wehrman”), Frank Meck (listed 1944), Floyd Titus (listed 1944), W. O. Smith (Treasurer 1929), A. B. Kohler (Guard 1929), Phil Herzing (Entertaining Comm. 1929), Fred White (Entertaining Comm. 1929), Wilbur Smith (Entertaining Comm. 1929), Pearl Lawler (Member, Sighting 1930), Ambrose Kohler (Member), Henry Esman (New Member 1926), Walter Brodbeck (New Member 1926), Hugh Hammons (New Member 1926), Tom Wilson (New Member 1926).
* East Side Hunters, Traders, and Trappers: (Active c. 1927) Breakaway or related group formed in 1927, included Midget Longsworth as Chef. Shows continuation of the H.T.&T. social milieu. (See: 1927 Feb 12, 1927 Feb 19).
* Key Members Mentioned: Charles Holtzhauer (President), John Morris (Secretary/Treasurer).
* Gus Wehrman: (Active H.T.&T. President c. 1926-1944+) Important figure in H.T.&T., his return was celebrated. Delivered the “African origin” speech at the 1936 parade. Listed as a brander and proposed expedition Chief Scout (1944). (See: 1926 Nov 9/12, 1929 Nov 7, 1936 Oct 14, 1938 Jun 9, 1944 Aug 9).
* Albert Koch: (Active 1929) St. Marys resident who found the strange specimen Midget identified as a possible Hoedag. (See: 1929 July 20).
* Pearl Lawler: (Active 1930) H.T.&T. member who reported a Hoedag sighting. Also listed on “Fun & Joke Committee” note. (See: 1930 July 1, 1930 Oct 29).
* Captain/Major Thomas J. Needles: (Active 1936) Ohio National Guard leader whose unit participated in the publicized 1936 Hoedag “hunt” and “capture.” (See: 1936 Oct 13, Oct 14).
* Floyd Titus: (Active 1929, 1944) H.T.&T. Secretary (1929). Listed by Midge Longsworth as the designated “barber” for the proposed 1944 Hoedag expedition. (See: 1929 Nov 7, 1944 Aug 9).
* Frank Meck: (Active 1944) Listed by Midge Longsworth as the designated “doctor” for the proposed 1944 Hoedag expedition. (See: 1944 Aug 9).
* Leaping Lina: (Active 1944) Likely fictitious “nurse” named in Midge Longsworth’s proposed 1944 expedition plan. (See: 1944 Aug 9).
* New Bremen Divers: (Active 1944) Four unnamed men from New Bremen claimed by Midge to have recovered Hoedag eggshells from the lake. (See: 1944 Aug 9).
* Dr. J. E. Heap: (Active 1936) Identified as “H.T.&T. physician” who treated the captured Hoedag. (See: 1936 Oct 14).
* Conservation Officer Albert Wells, Theodore Todt: (Active 1936) Officials involved in guarding the captured Hoedag. (See: 1936 Oct 14).

B. Media Commentators & Chroniclers:
* Eve Lea: (Active c. 1930-1948 in Hoedag commentary) Witty columnist for The Evening Leader (“Tel-Scopes”). Frequently commented on, reacted to, and sometimes gently mocked the ongoing Hoedag stories, particularly Midget’s claims, providing contemporary documentation and local color. (See: 1930 July 12, Aug 11, Aug 20, Oct 25, Oct 29, Nov 1(#2), 1931 Feb 4, 1948 Aug 21).
* Maggie Dine & Mike Anderson: (Active 1973) Student authors of the influential 1973 Blueprint article that collected oral histories and codified many modern Hoedag traits. (See: 1973 Dec 6).
* Edward Fusk: (Active 1973) Student artist whose illustration accompanied the 1973 Blueprint article. This depiction became highly influential for the modern visual identity of the Hoedag. (See: 1973 Dec 6, Modern – Post-1973 entry).
* Brent Melton: (Active 2023) Author of a retrospective article in The Evening Leader covering the history of the Hoedag legend and its modern status. (See: 1912 Claimed Origin, c. 1950 Oral Tradition, Modern – Pre-2011 Fire Dept.).

C. Modern Revivalists (c. 2011 – Present):
* Lake Improvement Association (LIA): (Active c. 2011-Present) Local organization focused on Grand Lake St. Marys health. Adopted the Hoedag as a mascot around 2011, launched campaigns (“Save the Hoedag”), named dredge, using the legend to promote lake awareness. Key player in the modern visibility. (See: Modern – c.2011, 2011 Aug 18, 2014).
* Mark Piening: (Active c. 2011) LIA Vice President mentioned in association with the LIA’s Hoedag campaign launch. (See: 2011 Aug 18 context).
* Adam Harruff: (Active 2011) Local graphic designer who created the new Hoedag illustration for the LIA campaign launch. (See: 2011 Aug 18).
* St. Marys Fire Department: (Active Modern – Pre-2011) Used Hoedag image on water rescue craft, indicating earlier modern cultural presence. (See: Modern – Pre-2011).
* Wright State University–Lake Campus: (Active 2024) Adopted the Hoedag as official mascot. (See: 2024 June).

V. Significant Locations

• Africa: Claimed origin continent of the Hoedag according to Gus Wehrman’s 1936 parade speech. (See: 1936 Oct 14).
• Bougainville (Pacific Island): Referenced satirically in Midge Longsworth’s 1944 plan to rename it “Hoagsville” after a successful Hoedag capture during WWII. (See: 1944 Aug 9).
• Bushong Hatchery (St. Marys): Fish hatchery where Hoedag eggs were reportedly taken after the 1936 capture. (See: 1936 Oct 14).
• Cabool, Missouri: US town claimed by Midge Longsworth as the site where the “original” Hoedag died guarding eggs, and where he allegedly attended its funeral and retrieved the eggs (1938). (See: 1938 June 9, 1938 June 11, 1938 Sep 15).
• C.C.C. Camp Kitchen & Dance Hall Channel (Lake St. Marys): Site of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp near the lake; location of a humorous reported Hoedag food raid and subsequent escape into the channel (1934). (See: 1934 Feb 21, 1934 Feb 24).
• Combs Ice Ponds (New Bremen, Ohio): Location near St. Marys where Midge Longsworth claimed to see the Hoedag after it fled the C.C.C. camp (1934). (See: 1934 Feb 24).
• Delaware, Ohio: Mentioned as place Gust Wehrman was during his 18-month absence before Nov 1926. (See: 1926 Nov 9).
• East Spring Street (St. Marys): Site of the 1927 constitution meeting for the East Side H.T.&T. club headquarters. (See: 1927 Feb 19).
• Edgewater Park (Lake St. Marys): Lakeside area where Midge Longsworth claimed he intended to bury the Hoedag eggs in the sand (1938) and later believed they hatched (1944). (See: 1938 Sep 15, 1944 July 8).
• The Feeder (Canal Feeder, Grand Lake St. Marys): Waterway connected to the lake; location where Midge Longsworth claimed the Hoedag had 36 young ones (1930). (See: 1930 Aug 20).
• Gordon State Park (Now part of Grand Lake St. Marys State Park): Lakeside park near St. Marys. Midge Longsworth claimed circus elephants ruined the Hoedag’s nest there years prior (reported 1934). Also site of Twilight Baseball League games mentioned in 1930. (See: 1934 May 5, June 21 1930 EL Image).
• Grand Lake St. Marys / Lake St. Marys: Primary setting for the Hoedag legend. Site of alleged sightings, hunts, H.T.&T. activities, Midge’s egg incubation, claimed eggshell recovery site (east shore), modern mascot usage. (See: Numerous entries, esp. 1926 May 14, 1935 Jan 5, 1938 Sep 15, 1944 Aug 9, Modern entries).
  • East Bank: Site of John Young’s landing (Hoedag sighted 1936, egg washed ashore 1939). Site near Lucky 13 cottage (Hoedag sighted 1936). Site where Midge claimed divers recovered eggshells (1944). Site of Highway 364 pits where mystery animal seen (1946).
  • South Shore: Site of H.T.&T. clubhouse where creature instilled fear (1929) and stole food (1936).
  • Southeast Corner: Area where mystery animal seen (1946).
  • Swamp land North of St. Marys: Site where Hoedag reportedly captured (1936).
• H.T.&T. Clubhouse (South Shore, Lake St. Marys): Headquarters of the Hunters, Traders, and Trappers club. Site of alleged Hoedag food theft leading to the “tail lights” sighting (1936). Also where early fear reported (1929). (See: 1929 July 20, 1936 Mar 19).
• Houghton Lake, Michigan: Mentioned in a 1950 article comparing its local monster legend to the St. Marys Hoedag and Midget Longsworth. (See: 1950 June 24).
• Japan: Country referenced in Midge Longsworth’s satirical 1944 proposal to deliver a Hoedag there to aid the war effort. (See: 1944 Aug 9 narrative).
• John I. Young Cottage (Lake St. Marys): Site of the H.T.&T. “Welcome Back” party for Gust Wehrman in 1926. (See: 1926 Nov 12).
• John Young’s Landing (East Bank, Lake St. Marys): Location near the lake where Midge Longsworth claimed one Hoedag egg washed ashore and rotted (1939). Also where Hoedag was finally sighted according to Wehrman’s 1936 speech. (See: 1936 Oct 14, 1939 Apr 17).
• Lake Loramie: Nearby lake where the Hoedag was supposedly captured just before the 1930 Halloween celebration. (See: 1930 Oct 25).
• Lucky 13 Cottage (East Bank, Lake St. Marys): Landmark near where Midge sighted the Hoedag with tail lights (1936). (See: 1936 Mar 19).
• Midget’s Lunch Stand (St. Marys): Fred Longsworth’s business; location where “Hoedag dogs” were reportedly sold (1930). (See: 1930 Oct 30).
• New Bremen, Ohio: Town near St. Marys. Site of Midge’s claimed 1934 sighting (Combs ice ponds) and origin of the divers he claimed recovered eggshells in 1944. Midge lived here later in life. (See: 1934 Feb 24, 1936 Mar 19, 1944 Aug 9).
• New Jersey: US State mentioned in 1930 by Eve Lea when comparing the Hoedag to the Jersey Devil, and by Midget Longsworth refuting the Hoedag’s presence there. (See: 1930 Aug 11, 1930 Aug 20).
• Ott Reiher’s Barber Shop (St. Marys): Local gathering place mentioned in 1926 as where Gust Wehrman’s return was noted by H.T.&T. circles. (See: 1926 Nov 9 context).
• “Pest House”: Unspecified location where Jim Townsend and Frank Shelly allegedly took and ate the Hoedag bait pie (c. 1925). (See: 1926 May 14).
• Piney River (Missouri): River near Cabool, MO, associated with the claimed death site of the original Hoedag (1938). (See: 1938 June 9).
• Riley’s Point (Lake St. Marys): Location where Leader employees were camping when a tent pole broke, humorously blamed on the Hoedag (1930). (See: 1930 July 12).
• Scioto River (Ohio): River elsewhere in Ohio where Midge Longsworth reported a Hoedag sighting and finding feathered eggs (1945). (See: 1945 Aug 9).
• South Dakota: State where Gus Wehrman was located during Midge’s 1944 satirical expedition planning. (See: 1944 Aug 9).
• South Wayne Street (St. Marys): Location where Albert Koch found the strange specimen identified by Midget as a possible Hoedag (1929). (See: 1929 July 20).
• Spring Street (St. Marys): Main street for parades; Midge vowed captured Hoedag would appear here (1936). (See: 1936 Oct 13).

VI. Glossary of Terms and Concepts

• Blueprint: Student newspaper of Memorial High School, St. Marys, OH. Published the influential 1973 Hoedag article and illustration.
• Book, Page 12, Second Verse / Book, Page 22: Internal H.T.&T. joke or satirical rulebook reference invoked by Midge Longsworth in his 1944 expedition plan (sources differ on page number, likely part of the joke).
• Bougainville → Hoagsville: Midge Longsworth’s satirical 1944 proposal during WWII to rename the Pacific island of Bougainville as “Hoagsville” in honor of the Hoedag.
• Brannigan Bolt: Item used in a simile to describe the hump on the Hoedag’s back in the 1973 Blueprint article. Exact nature unknown, possibly local/obscure term.
• C.C.C. Messkit: Kitchen/dining hall of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Grand Lake St. Marys in the 1930s; site of an alleged Hoedag food raid.
• Conservation Parade: Name given to the 1936 St. Marys Fall Festival parade where the “captured” Hoedag was featured.
• Gordon State Park: Former name of a state park area at Grand Lake St. Marys, frequently mentioned in 1930s Hoedag accounts. Now part of Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.
• H.T.&T.: Abbreviation for the Hunters, Traders, and Trappers club of St. Marys, a social/sportsman’s group central to the Hoedag legend’s origins in the 1920s and 1930s.
• Hoedag / Ho-dag / Hodag: Spellings used for the Grand Lake St. Marys creature. “Hoedag” is the most common modern spelling and used standardly in this Compendium. “Ho-dag” appears in some older quotes/references. “Hodag” is primarily the name of a different cryptid from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, but the spelling appears once (1929 Nov 7) in relation to the St. Marys creature, possibly humorously or erroneously.
• Hoedag dogs: Sandwiches or food item of unknown composition advertised at Midget Longsworth’s lunch stand around Halloween 1930.
• Hoe-Dag Rugs / Togs: Prize (“3 yds. of Hoe-Dag Rugs” or “Togs”) mentioned for the 1930 St. Marys Halloween celebration, awarded for best hobo costume. Nature unknown (likely novelty textile).
• Hoedag Stew: Proposed dish mentioned in Midge Longsworth’s satirical 1944 expedition plan, implying the creature’s meat might be used (perhaps linked to regeneration claims).
• Lake Improvement Association (LIA): Modern non-profit organization dedicated to the health of Grand Lake St. Marys; adopted the Hoedag as a mascot c. 2011.
• Leaping Lina: Fictitious nurse included in Midge Longsworth’s satirical 1944 Hoedag expedition plan.
• New Bremen Divers: Four men purportedly recruited by Midge Longsworth in 1944 to dive for hoedag eggshells on the east shore of Lake St. Marys; cited by Midge as proof of hatching.
• OPA Black Network: Satirical term used by Midge Longsworth in 1944, likely mocking the wartime Office of Price Administration (OPA) regulations and/or radio network commentary.
• Oral Tradition: Stories passed down verbally rather than through contemporary written accounts. Used here to classify the “parade float origin” story documented later (c. 1950 entry).
• Reconstructed Origin Date: A date inferred from context, surrounding events, or publication patterns, rather than explicitly stated in the source for that specific event. Clearly noted in Section II.
• Tel-Scopes: Title of Eve Lea’s witty gossip/social commentary column in The Evening Leader during the 1930s-40s, a key source for contemporary Hoedag commentary.
• The Midget: Common and affectionate nickname for Fred Longsworth.
• Watermelon Seed Soup: Remedy suggested by Midge Longsworth for a Hoedag bite (1935).
• Yahoo Bird: Mythical bird mentioned in the 1973 Blueprint article as part of the Hoedag’s vocalization description.

VII. Notable Events and Cultural Manifestations

• Early H.T.&T. Activity & Context (c. 1925-1927):
  • Implied Hunt & Failed Pie Luring (c. 1925): The first mention (1926 May 14) refers to the H.T.&T. hunting the “mysterious animal” the previous year and a failed pie trap.
  • Gust Wehrman’s Return & Welcome (Nov 1926): Wehrman’s return to St. Marys and the H.T.&T. party for him underscore the club’s social importance around the time the legend surfaces (See: 1926 Nov 9, 1926 Nov 12).
  • East Side H.T.&T. Formation (Feb 1927): Formation of a related club including Midget Longsworth shows continued organizational activity in this milieu (See: 1927 Feb 12, 1927 Feb 19).
• 1930 Halloween Celebration (St. Marys):
  • Parade Feature: The H.T.&T. promised and delivered a Hoedag representation (supposedly captured at Lake Loramie) in the parade (See: 1930 Oct 20, Oct 25, Oct 28).
  • Description/Depiction: Described as having circular feet, long neck, quills, calf-like body (planned); fiery eyes, terrible form, strange color (actual float) (See: 1930 Oct 20, Nov 1(#1)). An artist’s sketch was also associated (See: 1930 Oct 28).
  • Associated Items: “Hoedag dogs” sold at Midget’s stand; “Hoe-Dag Rugs/Togs” offered as prizes (See: 1930 Oct 30, Oct 28, Nov 1(#1)).
  • Public Reaction: Eve Lea humorously requests gum; some followers object, preferring tobacco (See: 1930 Oct 29, Oct 25).
• 1936 “Conservation Parade” & Hunt (St. Marys):
  • Pre-Parade Hunt: Ohio National Guard unit led by Capt. Needles assisted H.T.&T. members in a publicized hunt; creature reportedly wounded but escaped. Midge used pumpkin pies as bait (See: 1936 Oct 13).
  • “Capture” & Parade: The Hoedag was subsequently declared “captured” (along with young/eggs) and featured in the parade (See: 1936 Oct 14).
  • Wehrman’s Origin Speech: H.T.&T. President Gus Wehrman gave a speech claiming an African origin via Theodore Roosevelt (See: 1936 Oct 14).
• The Missouri Eggs Saga (1938-1939 – Midget Longsworth’s Narrative):
  • “Original” Hoedag Death Claim (June 1938): Midget claims the first Hoedag died in Cabool, MO, guarding eggs; mentions H.T.&T. branding (See: 1938 June 9).
  • Egg Retrieval & Incubation (June-Sep 1938): Claims possession of eggs, transport from MO, placing them in GLSM “until the bark comes off” (See: 1938 June 11, Sep 15). Mentions tooth scarcity quote.
  • Rotting & Hatching Claim (April 1939): Claims one egg rotted, the other hatched twins; H.T.&T. plans search (See: 1939 Apr 17).
• Satirical Expedition Plan & Associated Claims (1944):
  • Midget’s Wartime Proposal: Humorous plan outlined by Midget for a Hoedag expedition with specific rules (“Book, Page 12/22, Second Verse”), participants (incl. Frank Meck, Floyd Titus, Leaping Lina), branding, making “Hoedag Stew,” and satirical wartime elements (Japan trip, OPA, Bougainville renaming) (See: 1944 Aug 9).
  • Eggshell Divers Claim: Midge claimed divers from New Bremen recovered eggshells, proving the 1939 hatching (See: 1944 Aug 9).
• Post-Midget Era & Codification (c. 1950s-1970s):
  • Oral Tradition Origin Story (c. 1950s): Alternative story (parade float washed into lake) emerges likely after Midget’s death (See: c. 1950).
  • Prop Discovery (1957): Finding an old “dragon” prop sparks renewed discussion, recalling pie theft and backward movement (See: 1957 May 16).
  • Blueprint Article & Fusk Illustration (1973): Seminal student publication documents oral history, codifies many modern traits (fur/feathers, chicken feet, sounds, regeneration), and includes the influential Fusk drawing (See: 1973 Dec 6).
• Modern Revival & Mascot Status (c. 2000s – Present):
  • Fire Department Usage (Pre-2011): Hoedag image appears on St. Marys Fire Dept. water rescue craft (See: Modern – Pre-2011).
  • LIA Adoption & Campaign (c. 2011): Lake Improvement Association adopts Hoedag as mascot, launches “Save the Hoedag” campaign linking legend to lake health (See: Modern – c.2011, 2011 Aug 18).
  • Dredge Naming (2014): “Hoedag” wins public contest to name new LIA dredge (See: 2014).
  • WSU-Lake Campus Mascot (2024): University campus near the lake adopts the Hoedag (See: 2024 June).

VIII. Source Repository

A. Primary Sources (Newspapers, Periodicals):
* Blueprint (Memorial High School, St. Marys, Ohio). Issues consulted: Dec 6, 1973; Apr 12, 1974 (reprint). (Format: School Archives/Print).
* The Daily Advocate (Darke County, Ohio). Issues consulted: Oct 14, 1936. (Format: Microfilm/Digital Archive).
* The Evening Leader (St. Marys, Ohio). Issues consulted: Various from May 1926 – July 1951; Oct 3, 2023. (Format: Microfilm/Digital Archive/Print). Specific dates noted in Section II.
* The Lima News (Lima, Ohio). Issues consulted: Oct 20, 1930; Oct 14, 1936; July 17, 1951. (Format: Microfilm/Digital Archive).
* The Mercer County Chronicle (Coldwater, Ohio). Issues consulted: Aug 18, 2011. (Format: Digital Archive/Print).
* Van Wert Times Bulletin (Van Wert, Ohio). Issues consulted: May 16, 1957. (Format: Microfilm/Digital Archive).

B. Documented Oral Traditions:
* Melton, Brent. “The Hoedag of Grand Lake.” The Evening Leader (St. Marys, Ohio), Oct. 3, 2023. (Documents post-Midget “parade float” origin story).
* Dine, Maggie, and Mike Anderson. “Legend Of The Lake’s Hoedag”. Blueprint (Memorial High School, St. Marys, Ohio), Dec 6, 1973. (Explicitly based on collected oral histories).

C. Key Secondary Sources (Analysis/Commentary):
* Melton, Brent. “The Hoedag of Grand Lake.” The Evening Leader (St. Marys, Ohio), Oct. 3, 2023. (Provides historical overview and discusses modern status).
* Samkalensky.com. “Hoedag” entry. Accessed June 2024. (Online folklore aggregator, references The Guardian 2020 article and discusses Fusk illustration influence).

D. Digital Sources:
* LakeImprovement.com. “New Dredge to Be Named Hoedag.” Approx. 2014. Accessed [Date].
* Samkalensky.com. Hoedag entry. Accessed June 2024.

IX. Appendices

A. Index of Known Illustrations/Depictions:
* 1930 Artist’s Depiction: Mentioned in The Evening Leader, Oct 28, 1930, associated with Halloween Parade. Sketch itself may be lost or within newspaper archive. Implied horse-like head.
* 1973 Edward Fusk Illustration: Published in Blueprint, Dec 6, 1973. Highly influential serpentine, fur/feather mix, chicken feet, forehead/tail eyes depiction. Basis for many modern images.
* St. Marys Fire Department Logo: (Date Unknown, Pre-2011). Depiction used on water rescue craft. Image required for analysis. (Mentioned in 2023 EL article).
* LIA Illustrations (Adam Harruff, 2011): Official mascot illustration for Lake Improvement Association campaign. Other LIA materials may exist.
* Wright State University-Lake Campus Mascot: (2024). Official mascot design. Image required for analysis.

B. Unverified Leads and Avenues for Future Research:
* 1912 Origin Claim: The date cited by Melton (2023) needs primary source verification from 1912 or surrounding years. Search relevant local/regional newspapers.
* H.T.&T. Club Records: Do formal meeting minutes, membership lists, or scrapbooks for the Hunters, Traders, and Trappers club exist in local archives or private collections? These could provide invaluable context.
* Identity of 1935 Rowboat Witness: Can the unnamed oil man who reported the detailed sighting in Jan 1935 be identified through other local records? Was Ed Huenke the witness or just relaying the story?
* Nature of “Hoedag Dogs” & “Hoe-Dag Rugs/Togs”: Further context or descriptions of these 1930 items might exist in advertisements or social notes.
* 1930 Artist’s Sketch: Locate the actual sketch published or associated with the Oct 28, 1930 Evening Leader article/parade.
* Pre-1926 Activity: Investigate local papers (St. Marys, Celina) c. 1923-1925 for mentions of the H.T.&T. hunt referenced in the May 1926 article.
* Broader Folklore Connections: Explore potential links or shared motifs with other Ohio cryptids/legends or with the Wisconsin Hodag beyond simple name similarity.
* Oral History Collection: Conduct systematic oral history interviews with older St. Marys/Celina residents to capture memories predating or diverging from the 1973 Blueprint account.
* Source Discrepancies: Investigate the different text versions provided for the June 21, 1930 and Oct 14, 1936 articles to determine their origins (e.g., different editions, secondary source errors).