BY SHERI TRUSTY

Brian “Fox” Ellis, shown here as President Herbert Hoover, will portray Ottawa County’s first lighthouse keeper, Benajah Wolcott, at a series of America-250 events this summer. (Submitted photo)

OTTAWA COUNTY – It makes sense that historian Brian “Fox” Ellis of Peoria, Illinois, would grow up to portray a Lake Erie lighthouse keeper in historical talks. His mother was born near a tributary that runs into Lake Erie and was an avid collector of lighthouse décor. Ellis grew up in Toledo, where his father worked as a shipbuilder for the Cleveland Cliffs company.

“I’m a lifelong lover of Lake Erie and have a really personal connection to the lake,” Ellis said. “My dad worked on a lot of the Great Lakes freighters that used the light. If you see a freighter with a big letter ‘C’ on a star welded onto a smokestack, my dad helped make that boat.”

Ellis will present “A Night in the Life of a Lighthouse Keeper,” based on the life of Marblehead’s first lighthouse keeper, Benajah Wolcott, three times this summer as part of Ottawa County’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Ellis will give the talk at the Port Clinton Lighthouse on Saturday, June 6, at 2 p.m.; at the South Bass Lighthouse on Put-in-Bay on Sunday, June 7, at 2 p.m.; and at Orchestra Hall in Lakeside on Monday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m.

“The idea is to give a big arc of the settlement of Ottawa County, a big arc of local history,” Ellis said.

Ellis will talk about the geology of Marblehead and South Bass Island and how that geology impacted the construction of the lighthouses, and he will touch on the War of 1812 and the Battle of Lake Erie.

“A lot of it will be told through the lens of Benajah Wolcott. He has a great connection to the Revolutionary War because he enlisted at the age of 14,” Ellis said.

Ellis will also discuss Wolcott’s connection to American traitor Benedict Arnold and how that connection reached Ottawa County.

Ellis is a storyteller, historian, and author who has toured the world for over 40 years.

“I have been a full-time storyteller since I was 14,” he said. “I’ve performed in 26 countries and all 50 states. I started with more traditional talks, and about 30 years ago, I started doing first-person reenactments. I do about 30 people, and many of them have direct connections to the Lake Erie region.”

Ellis said he brings his family connections into his talks when he can to help his audience connect to the stories.

“It’s a real immersion of history, but it’s also personal,” he said. “The best compliment I get is when someone tells me their family story that’s connected to my talk.”

Ellis will also portray President Herbert Hoover on Monday, June 15, and he will portray President John Adams on Monday, June 29, as part of the American President Series at Lakeside.

For more information on upcoming America-250 events or to download the 2026 Program Guide, visit the Ottawa County Historical Society Facebook page at www.ottawacountyhistory.org.