Charleston South Carolina

Olcott Family of Norwich Vermont

Hon. Peter Olcott was born at Bolton, Connecticut, April 25, 1733; married Sarah, daughter of Peletiah Mills, Esq., of Windsor, Conn., October 11, 1759, and removed to that place in 1772. That year or the following one he came to Norwich, Vermont. He was the oldest of his parents’ four children (two sons and two daughters), and the only one of them to come to Norwich to reside. Mr. Olcott‘s name first appears in the town records of Norwich in 1773, when he was chosen one of the overseers of the poor, at the annual March meeting. He early took … Read more

Biography of Henry Holmes White

Henry Holmes White, President and manager of the Oklahoma Engineering, Machine & Boiler Company and thus identified with one of the leading industrial enterprises of Muskogee, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, December 13, 1868, and is a son of Isaac DuBose and Caroline Octave (Holmes) White. He was educated at the Citadel, the military academy of South Carolina, from which he was graduated with the class of 1889, and, following the completion of his course, he occupied a position as draftsman with the South Carolina Railroad. He thoroughly learned the machinist business in the railroad shops in which he … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jesse Rice

Interviewer: Caldwell Sims Person Interviewed: Jesse Rice Date of Interview: January 8, 1938 Location: Gaffney, South Carolina Stories From Ex-Slaves “My people tells me a lot about when I was a lil’ wee boy. I has a clear mind and I allus has had one. My folks did not talk up people’s age like folks do dese days. Every place dat I be now, ‘specially round dese government folks, first thing dat dey wants to know is your name. Well, dat is quite natu’al, but de very next question is how old you is. I don’t know, why it is, … Read more

Biography of Gillis Q. Lake

Gillis Q. Lake has been in the drug business at Kansas City, Kansas, for the past eighteen years. Most of the people of that city know how he had built up the two finest drug stores in Kansas City, Kansas. The druggist is both a professional and business man, and Mr. Lake had apparently been equally strong in the professional and practical side of his business career. He was born at Wooster in Wayne County, Ohio, August 14, 1863. His parents were Constant and Ann (McDonald) Lake, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Charleston, South Carolina. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alexander Robertson

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Alexander Robertson Location: White Oak, South Carolina Age: 84 Ex-Slave 84 Years Old Alexander Robertson lives as a member of the household of his son, Charley, on the General Bratton plantation, four miles southeast of White Oak, S.C. It is a box-like house, chimney in the center, four rooms, a porch in front and morning glory vines, in bloom at this season, climbing around the sides and supports. Does Alexander sit here in the autumn sunshine and while the hours away? Nay, in fact he is still one of the active, working members of … Read more

Biography of Rev. James R. W. Snellwood

THE REV. JAMES R.W. SELLWOOD. – The Reverend James R.W. Sellwood was born in the Parish of St. Keverne, county of Cornwall, England, June 21, 1808. His father died shortly before he was born; so that he and his older and only brother, the Reverend John Sellwood of Milwaukee, Oregon, were brought up and educated by their mother. In 1833, the three, mother and two sons, emigrated to America, first residing for a time in Cincinnati, Ohio, and afterwards going to the then new State of Ohio, and afterwards going to the then new State of Illinois. Mr. Sellwood was … Read more