Original Site was about 3/4 miles north on Coon Creek. It included a stone portion that was not restored when the cabin was moved to the Park in Luray in I believe 1961 by the Luray Lions Club..
Jonathan W. VanScoyoc one of the first settlers at Luray and whose cabin is restored in the Luray City. He was born in Richland county, Ohio in 1836.
On the 30th day of November 1861 he enlisted, at Mansfield, Ohio, in Co. A. 64 Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After serving over two years, he re-enlisted for three years more, or duration of the war. He served in the department of the Cumberland. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta Campaign, &c. Was captured at Franklin, Nov 30, 1864.
He was confined in Andersonville prison, (Ga.) four months, when he was paroled and put aboard the steamer "Sultana," bound for Cairo, Ill. He was onboard the ill-fated Sultana when it exploded April 26 1965 killing some 1700. After passing Memphis seven miles, one of the boilers exploded, destroying the boat, as well as the lives of nearly sixteen hundred soldiers. He was blown clear of the boat, into the river; secured a piece of board and floated down the river until opposite Memphis, a distance of seven miles and was there rescued by some parties in a skiff. where he was rescued more dead than alive. The disaster was one of the worst in history but got little press with the end of the war and the murder of president Lincoln
He was a faithful soldier, serving until May 20th, 1865, when he was mustered out by reason of Close of War. He received a pension of $8 a month, on account of malarial poison resulting in heart disease. Like all the old veterans who endured the exposure incident to those long campaigns in the south, he was broken in health and constitution in his later years.
The cabin was also the site of one of the early marriages in Russell county the marriage of Johathan Shull to G.A.F. McQuist ) April 15, 1874.
Information on the cabin was graciously submitted by W. (Bill) Siemers.