Slave Narrative of Sarah Woods Burke

Interviewer: James Immel Person Interviewed: Sarah Woods Burke Location: Washington County, Ohio Place of Birth: Grayson County, West Virginia Age: 85 “Yessir, I guess you all would call me an ex-slave cause I was born in Grayson County, West Virginia and on a plantation I lived for quite a spell, that is until when I was seven years old when we all moved up here to Washington county.” “My Pappy’s old Mammy was supposed to have been sold into slavery when my Pappy was one month old and some poor white people took him ter raise. We worked for them … Read more

Biography of William P. Cutler

William P. Cutler was born near Marietta, July 12, 1813; was a member of the Ohio legislature from 1844 to 1846, officiating as speaker of the house during his last term; was a member of the constitutional convention of 1850; afterwards was for some years president of the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad Company; was elected in 1860 a representative to the 37th congress, and has been for a few years past again officially connected with the above mentioned railroad. In 1818 Judge Cutler again appeared in public life as a member of the Ohio legislature from Washington county. We regret … Read more

Biography of Henry B. Hubbard

There is no happier hour in the life of the conscientious and circumspect biographer than one which affords him the occasion for picturing in words the record of a virile, useful, energetic and honorable person. There is always a fascinating something about such a person, whether old or young, which forcibly appeals to the pen, and brings forth latent thought and effort which are too often permitted to be dormant-lethargic, as it were. The mere conviction of a man’s astuteness and sterling worth is all sufficient to inspire one with a desire to write endless pages of eulogies concerning him: … Read more

Biography of James Rowland

James Rowland. More and more as time goes on American people appreciate the sacrifices and heroism of that host of men who preserved the Union in the dark days of the ’60s. It was a wonderful heritage left by them “Much more by far than all the crowns that Europe’s monarchs ever wore, the heritage heroes left a nation free from shore to shore.” Comparatively few of the old veterans of that struggle still survive, and wherever they are found they enjoy increasing respect in proportion to their decreasing numbers. One of them is Mr. James Rowland, whose country home … Read more

Biography of Justus Otho Hall

Justus Otho Hall is superintendent of schools at Hutchinson. By his work and influence there and elsewhere he is one of the leading educators of Kansas today. Mr. Hall had been active in school work almost twenty years. Born near Warner, Ohio, February 27, 1870, he came with his parents to Kansas at the age of fifteen. He received his early training in the country schools near Warner, Ohio, and at Morse, Kansas. After spending some time at work on his father’s farm and after three years spent in the United States Railway Mail Service he entered the high school … Read more

Biography of John P. Harris

John P. Harris. The career of an honorable, dutiful and upright man, a gallant soldier, an able financier and an incumbent of offices high in the state and municipal service is illustrated in the enviable record of the late John P. Harris, of Ottawa, whose death occurred on the 23d of February, 1917. He was a veteran of the Civil war, and served as president of the People’s National Bank, as county treasurer of Franklin County, as state senator of Kansas and as mayor of Ottawa. During the many years of his residence in Franklin County he was constantly identified … Read more

Biography of Col. Lewis R. Jewell

Various members of the Jewell family have been well known at Fort Scott and vicinity for many years. Both Col. Lewis R. and his son, by the same name, were active, and the father quite prominent, in the days of the Civil war. He came of old Massachusetts lineage, moved to Ohio early in life, and while a resident of Washington County married Susan Hutchinson. Mr. Jewell became interested in river transportation, and when he moved to St. Louis, several years before the war, was the owner of several boats plying the Mississippi and Ohio, and had reached the rank … Read more

Roll Of Capt. Timothy Buell’s Company

(Probably from Washington County). Served from August 1 until September 7, 1813. Capt. Timothy Buell Lieut. Peter White Lieut. Salvanus Olney Ensign James Leget Sergt. Nathaniel Hamilton Sergt. George Nixon Sergt. Jabez Palmer Sergt. S. D. Buell Corp. Samuel Nott Corp. Edward Comer Corp. John Barrough Corp. Nicholas Chapman Privates Blackmer, Timothy Clark, John C Coleman, Daniel Coleman, Elisha Corns, John Cuddington, Zechanah DeLong, Henry Demont, Richard Dennis, Thomas Dunbar, Thomas Ellis, Benjamin Emir, Dennis Gates, Stephen Gates, Timothy, Jr. Havens, Henry Jennings, Zebulum Kimball, Titus Laughey, John Laughey, William Lawrence, R, Jr. Liget, Robert McConnel, John McCoy, Alexander McGee, … Read more

Biography of Lot Livermore

LOT LIVERMORE. – Mr. Livermore is one of the best-known residents of Eastern Oregon, and, as a business man, from the earliest times has been highly instrumental in developing the country. He was born in Marietta, Ohio, in 1835, but the year following came with his parents to Illinois, and in 1851 crossed the plains to Oregon, finding a home in Polk county. Some of the experiences on the plains were exciting, such as a fight of an hour and a half with the Snake Indians on the Snake River. It was the Harpole company with which they came. In … Read more

Biography of Francis H. Cook

FRANCIS H. COOK, – Mr. Cook was born in Marietta, Ohio, in 1851. He went with his parents to Iowa at the age of twelve. His father was a farmer, and have his attention to agriculture and to sawmilling; but it was decided to make a printer of the boy. He was accordingly apprenticed to work at the cases in the office of the Harrison County Union, a paper owned and edited by Judge Henry Ford, who was also sitting on the bench of the northwest district of Iowa. The journal changed proprietors quite frequently, young Cook remaining through the … Read more

Roll Of Capt. John Sharp’s Company

(Probably from Washington County) Served from May 23, 1812, until—–. Capt. John Sharp Lieut. William Sawyer Ensign, Jacob Trobridge Sergt John H. Simons Sergt. Thomas Green Sergt. Chester Wilson Serg. Otis Reekard Corp. Joseph Knox Corp. William S. Crain Corp. David Miskgimens Corp. James Elwell Musician, Christian B. Smith Privates Anderson, William Badgly, Benjamin Bancroft. Samuel Beers, Benjamin Benedick, Alvin Black, John Browning, Baizilla Clark, Joseph Downing, James Dunkin, William Ellis, Hanis Fox, Joseph Frazer, Louis Geary, James Goldsmith, William Kelley, Ezra Langdon, Phillip Lynch, William Lyon, Abraham Mull, Samuel Nevels, Jacob Nixon, Samuel Robertson, John T Rogers, Joseph Shingler, … Read more

Biography of Gen. James Clark Tolman

GEN. JAMES CLARK TOLMAN. – One of the leading citizens of Jackson county, and foremost among the representative men of Oregon, is General James Clark Tolman, ex-surveyor general of this state. A man of great decision of character and executive ability, he has always occupied the position of a leader, and, after fifty years of active participation in the affairs of his country, retains the confidence and respect of not only his political associates, but of adherents of the opposite party. From youth he was an enthusiastic Whig, during the lifetime of that party, and since has been a consistent … Read more

Biography of Thomas M. Sechler

Moline is a city of manufacturers, one of the most prominent of whom is the subject of this sketch, Thomas M. Sechler. He was born October 25, 1841, in Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at which place his father, D. M. Sechler, at that time conducted a carriage factory. His father, Daniel Montgomery Sechler, was born at Danville, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1818, and his mother, Pamela (Mackey) Sechler, was born in Rutland Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1819. She is still living at her home in Cincinnati, Ohio. T. M. Sechler’s paternal great-great-great grandfather came from Holland in 1685, together … Read more