My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES CALKINS, attorney at law, Greenville. The subject of this sketch was born in Burlington Township, Bradford Co., Penn., Feb. 11, 1827, and is a son of Moses Calkins, who is prominently mentioned in the biography of Henry Calkins in this work. The early education of our subject was obtained like other boys of the age, in an old log schoolhouse; at 16 years of age, he entered the academy at West Troy, where he received his academic education under the instruction of Ezra Long. Afterward, his father becoming largely indebted to the Bank of North America, in Philadelphia, for lands then owned by him, required all his efforts, as well as of his son, to liquidate the same; accordingly he built four saw-mills, and Charles run one of them one-half of the time, day and night, until his majority, the balance of the time being employed in rafting and running lumber down the Susquehanna River. At the age of 21, he commenced the study of law at Towanda, Penn., with John C. Adams, who was an able lawyer, a just man, and distinguished throughout the State for his prominence and ability. He continued his studies with the above gentleman until April 11, 1849, when through the kindness and generosity of Allen and Eliza McKean, he was furnished with means to take him to the gold mines of California, and to the above parties he holds the deepest feelings of gratitude and esteem. After remaining in California some eighteen months, meeting with fine success, he returned to Bradford Co., Penn., thence to Darke Co., with a cousin, in 1851, with the expectation of remaining but two weeks, but through the fortuity of Providence, he has made it his home for nearly thirty years. Upon the 1st of June, 1852, he formed a partnership under the firm name of Collins & Calkins, this partnership continuing until September, 1855, when it was dissolved by the death of Mr. Collins. In 1854, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for two years; re-elected in 1866 for two years, and again in 1868 for the same length of time, and has had an honorable and lucrative practice since being admitted to the bar in 1852. His marriage with Elizabeth Stamm was celebrated in the spring of 1853. She was also a native of Pennsylvania. They have four children now living, viz., Leulla, Harriet and Henry (twins) and George.