D. Robert Tharp
Scholarship
About D. Robert Tharp:
D. Robert “Bob” Tharp was a well-known and well-loved mentor of the Licking County community. He had many interests he was passionate about: education, history, family, and his faith.
As an educator and administrator, Bob spent 46 years in Licking County education as either a teacher, coach, or principal in Licking County Schools. After retirement he continued working in education for a few years as an attendance officer.
His love of history, especially local, brought him to The Licking County Historical Society, where he was a dedicated Trustee, where he oversaw events and publicity programming. Bob could always be counted on to deliver The Quarterly newsletters around town to spread the news of LCHS. His writing on various subjects was featured several times as the feature article.
Bob was a devout Christian and his faith was the guiding foundation of his life. He often served as a speaker at his church and for the Gideon’s, as well as being a Sunday School teacher and Superintendent.
His family meant the world to Bob. He loved being a Grandfather. You could often see Bob bringing his granddaughters to visit historic places in order to pass the treasured history down to the next generation.
It is because of his dedication that The Licking County Historical Society thought it fitting to honor Bob with a yearly $500 Scholarship in his name to one Licking County qualifying student. And, due to the things in life that he was passionate about, the area of study for students to qualify for the scholarship is either education, history, historic preservation or religious studies.
About the Scholarship:
The D. Robert Tharp Scholarship was established in 2013 by the Board of Trustees of the Licking County Historical Society. The $500 one-time scholarship is available to Licking County students who meet the following criteria:
Applicant must be graduating from an accredited Licking County High School in 2021.
Applicant has been accepted to an accredited institution and will be pursuing a college degree in either education, history, historic preservation, or religious studies.
Applicant must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Applicant must include a one-page written essay detailing the student’s career interest and/or goals for their future and explain individual financial need.
Applicant must include a letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or other relevant adult.
2021 Tharp Scholarship applications can be downloaded here.
How to support the tharp scholarship:
The Tharp Scholarship is primarily funded
through donations from our membership and
supporters. If you would like to continue Bob’s
legacy of education in the County, please
consider donating to the fund!
If you know of a student who meets the criteria for the Tharp Scholarship and is graduating in 2021, encourage them to apply! Applications are due by April 16, 2021. A final decision will be made no later than May 7, 2021.
Katzenjammers History Club
The first installment of Rudolph Dirks’ comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids, 1897.
The Katzenjammers History Club began around 1990 when several local historians gathered to create a monthly club with no dues, no officers, and no formal agenda except to discuss local history. The founders of the group borrowed the name of a long-running comic strip, the Katzenjammer Kids, about a pair of ornery boys who had a habit of rebelling against authority.
The original members of the club were expected to present a talk or present a paper on any historical topic of interest. Official membership to the club was granted to any person who attended three consecutive meetings or who presented a topical lecture.
Early members of the group included: Thomas Huff, Bob Hughes, Bill Davis, Gordon Kingery, Phil Schramm, Paul Goudy, Doug McFarling, Dave Morrow, Warren Mears, Bill Fisk, and Thomas Truex.
Today, more than thirty years later, the club still meets once a month to discuss history. But some things look a little different.
As of 2020, the club goes by the name Katzenjammers History Club and is overseen by the Licking County Historical Society as a part of our Educational Outreach program.
Katzenjammers History Club meets on the third Tuesday of the month at the Buckingham Meeting House from 7:00-8:00 p.m.
All meetings are free & open to the public - no membership or dues required!
Licking County Historical Alliance
Dawes Arboretum
Granville Historical Society
Greater Buckeye Lake Historical Society
Hebron Historical Society
Hufford House Museum of Utica
Johnstown Town Hall/Opera House
Licking County Genealogical Society
Licking Valley Heritage Society
National Heisey Glass Museum
Ohio Native Heritage Archive
Octagon Earthworks - Newark Earthworks
Robbins Hunter Museum
Velvet Ice Cream - Ye Olde Mill
West Licking Historical Society
The Works
Research Tips
Are you researching a family member?
We are able to answer simple questions, but for in-depth family inquiries, the Licking County Genealogy Society, based out of the Licking County Library's main branch, is the spot to go!
Office phone number: (740) 349-5510
Office e-mail: lcgs@lickingcountylibrary.org
The Genealogical Society is open to the public
Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:00-4:00
Wednesdays 1:00-7:30
Fridays & Saturdays 1:00-4:00
Are you researching a property?
We are able to help discover who lived in your house. To discover who owned your house, trace the deed records at the County Recorder’s Office.
The Administrative Building, located in Downtown Newark at 20 S. 2nd Street, houses many offices including the recorder, auditor, and engineer.
You can find the hours of operation and contact information for each office HERE.
OnTrac allows you search by address/name for property ownership, as well as details about your home, such as square footage, approximate year built, and additions made to the original structure.