Establishment of Fort Gibson in 1824

Fort Gibson in 1875

By Act of Congress of March 2, 1819, Arkansas Territory was established July 4, embracing substantially all of what are now the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma; though the civil government of Arkansas Territory was limited to that section lying east of the Osage line, divided into counties, and embracing approximately the present state of Arkansas. That west of the Osage line was the Indian country, and in later years became known as Indian Territory. James Miller of New Hampshire was appointed the first Governor of Arkansas Territory, and among the duties of his office was that of supervision of … Read more

American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy

Among the well known educational institutions in our land during the early part of the past century, was the American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy, the forerunner of Norwich University, founded by the late Capt. Alden Partridge in 1819, in Norwich, his native town. The corner-stone of the Academy building was placed August 4, 1819, and September 20th of the following year the institution was opened for the reception of cadets. From Captain Partridge‘s knowledge of the system of education in force in the higher seminaries of learning in our country, he was convinced that no truly American system of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. A. Lewis

H. A. Lewis, grain dealer, was born in Georgia December 7, 1859; attended an academy, also St. Benedict College, Atchison, Kan. Came to Jewell City in August, 1872, and engaged in the grain business, and is also purchasing grain in Mankato. Mr. Lewis was in the grain business with his father in Atchison for six years. Is a member of the Odd Fellows’ Lodge, and K. of P. Mr. Lewis has just branched out in business for himself, and is working up a good trade. He is young and enterprising, and will come to the front in the commercial world.

Norwich Vermont in the Revolutionary War

The sources of information in regard to the part taken by the town in the Revolutionary struggle are few and scanty. The earliest allusion in the town records to this important epoch of the country’s history is found in the election of a Committee of Safety at the annual town meeting, March 11, 1777. This committee was five in number: Deacon Joseph Smalley, Samuel Hutchinson, John Hatch, Captain Hezekiah Johnson and John Hopson. There is much reason to believe, however, that this was not the first Committee of Safety that acted for the town; but was a new committee selected … Read more

Biography of Wolf Lewis

Wolf Lewis. The modern merchant is the man who knows what the people want and supplies the best facilities for meeting those wants. He acts on that solid commercial principle that real success is only a return for an adequate service rendered. Of Champaign merchants of this class there is no more conspicuous example than Wolf Lewis, whose department store in the large Illinois Building means to Champaign County about what the Marshall Field store means to the shopping public of Chicago. Mr. Lewis is a merchant almost by birthright, but has profited by a long and thorough experience and … Read more

Biography of Doctor Joseph Lewis

Doctor Lewis was the son of William and Naomi Lewis was born at Old Lyme, Connecticut, in November, 1746, and came to Norwich, Vermont, in 1767. During his minority young Lewis showed a fondness for the study of medicine and devoted much of his time during the last years previous to his leaving Connecticut to the study of that science. After settling in Norwich he devoted a year or two to further study, after which he commenced the practice of medicine and continued in practice for more than fifty-five years. During a large portion of this time (from 1785 to … Read more

History of the Methodist Church at Norwich Vermont

Rev. Emanuel C. Charlton

Prior to the year 1800, Methodism had scarcely gained a foothold in Vermont. The first Methodist society in the State is said to have been formed at Vershire by Nicholas Suethen in 1796. Two years later, only one hundred church members were returned as residents in the Vershire Circuit, then including the whole of eastern Vermont. Zadock Thompson, in the first edition of his Gazetteer of Vermont, published in 1824, gives the number of preachers, traveling and local, at that time as about one hundred, and the number of societies much greater. Probably no religious body ever made so rapid … Read more

Postmasters and Postal Service in Norwich Vermont

Norwich Vermont Street Scene

It was fifteen years after the admission of Vermont into the Federal Union, and forty years after the settlement of the town, before Norwich had a post office. The first post office was established at Norwich Plain, July 1, 1805, and Jacob Burton was appointed postmaster. Postmaster Burton kept the office in his harness shop on the main street of the village, nearly opposite the present residence of Mrs. William E. Lewis. Probably the duties of the office were not so great as to interfere much with the prosecution of his trade. It is doubtful if Mr. Burton had more … Read more

Biography of John B. Lewis

The late John Bower Lewis, a member of the House of Commons at the time of his death, was a very prominent man in Ottawa for many years, and a book of this kind would be imperfect without some mention of him. Though without French blood, he was born in France, March 18, 1817, being the eldest son of Capt. J. B. Lewis, of the 88th light infantry, known as the “Connaught Rangers. The family came to Canada in the early youth of our subject. He studied law at Toronto; was called to the Bar at the Easter term in … Read more

History of Sierra Madre California

Central School between 1887 and 1906

The *Annals of Early Sierra Madre* by Edith Blumer Bowen, published in 1950 by the Sierra Madre Historical Society, offers a vivid account of the early history of Sierra Madre, California. This volume serves as a vital record of the community’s development, drawn from the personal experiences and narratives of those who lived through the events described. This historical compilation focuses on various aspects of Sierra Madre’s past, including its founding, significant local figures, and the establishment of institutions such as churches and schools. The work also delves into the biographies of prominent families and individuals, detailing their contributions to the growth and character of the town.

Record of the Smith family descended from John Smith

Record of the Smith family descended from John Smith

This book contains the history of the descendants of John Smith, born in Ireland in 1686, died in Uwchlan, Chester County, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1765; and his wife, Susanna, born in Ireland in 1691, died in Uwchlan, Chester County, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1767.

Brown Genealogy

Brown Genealogy

In 1895, Cyrus Henry Brown began collecting family records of the Brown family, initially with the intention of only going back to his great-grandfathers. As others became interested in the project, they decided to trace the family lineage back to Thomas Brown and his wife Mary Newhall, both born in the early 1600s in Lynn, Massachusetts. Thomas, John, and Eleazer, three of their sons, later moved to Stonington, Connecticut around 1688. When North Stonington was established in 1807, the three brothers were living in the southern part of the town. Wheeler’s “History of Stonington” contains 400 records of early descendants of the Brown family, taken from the town records of Stonington. However, many others remain unidentified, as they are not recorded in the Stonington town records. For around a century, the descendants of the three brothers lived in Stonington before eventually migrating to other towns in Connecticut and New York State, which was then mostly undeveloped. He would eventually write this second volume of his Brown Genealogy adding to and correcting the previous edition. This book is free to search, read, and/or download.

Spokane Story

Spokane Story

“Spokane Story: A Colorful Early History of the Capital City of the Inland Empire” by Lucile Foster Fargo offers readers an evocative journey through the formative years of Spokane, Washington. Published in 1957 by Northwestern Press in Minneapolis, this work seeks to straddle the realms of history and storytelling, presenting a narrative that is neither entirely factual history nor pure fiction. Fargo accepts the challenging task of depicting Spokane’s cultural and developmental evolution from its fur trade beginnings to its emergence as a municipal entity in the early twentieth century.

Descendants of Philip Taber of New Bedford, MA

The Taber family of Dartmouth and New Bedford is descended from (I) Philip Taber, who, according to Savage, was born in 1605, and died in 1672. He was at Watertown in 1634, and he contributed toward building the galley for the security of the harbor. He was made a freeman at Plymouth in that same year. In 1639-40 he was a deputy from Yarmouth, and was afterward at Martha’s Vineyard, and from 1647 to 1655 was at Edgartown, going from there to New London in 1651, but probably returning soon. He was an inhabitant of Portsmouth in February, 1655, and was a representative in Providence in 1661, the commissioners being Roger Williams, William Field, Thomas Olney, Joseph Torrey, Philip Taber and John Anthony. Later he settled in Tiverton, where his death occurred. He married Lydia Masters, of Watertown, Mass., daughter of John and Jane Masters, and his second wife, Jane, born in 1605, died in 1669.

Charles “Everett” Zimmerman – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Charles “Everett” Zimmerman, 90, of Baker City, died Oct. 18, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Ted Davis of The Faith Center at La Grande and Pastor Aaron Oglesbee of the Agape Christian Center at Baker City will officiate. Charlene Whitmore of Blue Mountain Foursquare Church will assist. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at the First Church of the Nazarene Fellowship Hall, 1250 Hughes Lane. Mr. Zimmerman was born … Read more

Biography of Browning E. Lewis

Browning E. Lewis is identified with one of the representative business interests of Strang, Mayes county, as president and manager of the Cherokee Grain & Mercantile Company. He was born near Clinton, Henry County, Missouri, on the 11th of January, 1884, a son of Joe L. and Elizabeth (Wilson) Lewis. The father was born in Ohio and the mother in Kentucky. They both went to Missouri at an early age, with their respective parents, and their marriage was celebrated in Clinton, that state. In 1886 they came to Fairland, Oklahoma, and the father was active in the conduct of a … Read more

Biography of Benjamin E. Lewis

Benjamin E. Lewis. It is invariably found in tracing the influences which make for good citizenship, integrity and morality that the fundamental of these qualities lies in education. Therein is found the basis of intelligence, of judgment according to the value, of comprehension, and, equipped with these, youth may enter upon the struggle of life well prepared to fight its battles. Southeastern Kansas had no reason to feel ashamed of its educational system, or of the men who direct it. The individuals chosen to manage and to discipline have been carefully selected, and in their ranks are found men of … Read more

Descendants of Philip Trafford from Dartmouth and Fall River, MA

Now for well on to a century the Trafford name in Dartmouth and Fall River has been closely identified with the industrial life of that section, successive generations of the family having been manufacturers of cotton goods – the late William Bradford Trafford, long actively engaged in manufacturing in Fall River, and the founder of what became the Westport Manufacturing Company, and his sons, the present William C, Andrew E., Charles A., Allison W., Henry Lester, Perry Davis, and Bernard Walton Trafford, and it goes without saying, all have been substantial men and influential citizens of their community. From the settler Thomas Trafford and his wife Mary, the lineage of the present Trafford brothers – William C. and Andrew R. – of the Westport Manufacturing Company is through Philip, Joseph, William Bradford and William Bradford (2). These generations in such detail and family history as is obtainable and in the order given follow.

C. P. Lewis

Machinist Mate 2nd Class (Navy). Born in Carteret County June 22, 1900; son of Mr. Joseph B. and Mary Lewis. Entered service June 27, 1917, at Morehead City, N.C. Sent to Saunders Range, Md. Transferred to Cherry Stone Sub. Base, Va. From there to 5th Naval Dist., Store House, Va. Promoted to rank Feb., 1918. On supply ship No. 25. Mustered out at Norfolk, Va., May 2, 1919.