Norman Gasbarro | February 2, 2015
Dan Haller was one of the most colorful figures of post-Civil War Harrisburg. He was born a slave and after the Civil War came to Harrisburg to work. A total of nineteen articles about him were found in the Harrisburg Patriot, all of which are available through the on-line resources of the Free Library of […]
Norman Gasbarro | January 15, 2015
An obituary of James W. Johnson which appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot on 18 June 1910 gave the following information: Dead At Ripe Old Age of 106 Scranton, Pennsylvania, 17 June 1910 — James W. Johnson, colored, who was reputed to be 106 years old, died last night at his home in Winton. He was […]
Norman Gasbarro | January 4, 2015
At the time of death of individuals, when their families are required to present them in the best light in an obituary, often undocumented claims are made about their lives and sometimes their achievements are cast in terms of how they performed their duties or had personal connections with famous historical characters. Both Lincoln and […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 30, 2014
The obituaries of four men who died in 1910 in Harrisburg provide an opportunity for further research for someone interested in the role played by African Americans in the Civil War. Presented here are: (1) Edward Lowery; (2) Eli Gray; (3) William H. Harris; and (4) Gideon Williams. —————————- From the Harrisburg Patriot, 6 June […]
Norman Gasbarro | December 6, 2014
A brief story found in the 5 June 1912 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot told of the finding of a scull along the Susquehanna River bank at Maclay Streets. No follow-up story was located where the identity, or race, of the individual was determined. The article harks back to a period when phrenology was believed […]
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