Reviews, Notes and Comments 215
OTHNIEL LOOKER
For many years the biographies that
have appeared
from time to time of Governor Othniel
Looker have
been far from satisfactory. The
text of the sketch
which has appeared in many publications
is reproduced
in the note below.* As will be seen, it
is incorrect in
almost every particular. The editor recently learned
that Governor Looker died in the
village of Palestine,
Illinois. A very obliging correspondent
was found in
the person of Mrs. Manford E. Cox of
Robinson, Illi-
nois.
Through her assistance data has been gathered
for a satisfactory biographical
sketch. An interesting
and helpful letter has also been
received from Mrs.
Angeline Alexander, a
great-granddaughter of Gov-
ernor Looker who lives in Palestine,
Illinois. Among
the papers and letters furnished is a
copy of the Pales-
tine Weekly Register of February
13, 1919, containing
a sketch compiled by A. D. Gogin. This
sketch in the
main has been found correct. A mistake
was made in
regard to the service of Governor
Looker in the New
York Assembly. This has been corrected
by informt-
tion furnished through the Legislative
Reference Sec-
tion of the New York State Library. Following
are
*"Othniel Looker was born in the
State of New York, of humble
parentage, in 1757. He enlisted as a
private in the Revolutionary Army;
serving through the war. In 1784, having
received a grant of land in the
wilderness of the Northwest, he crossed
the Alleghenies, and locating his
grant, built his cabin, and commenced
ris life labor as a hard working
farmer. He devoted himself strictly to
the business of a farmer, and
on the organization of the state was
elected a member of the Legislature.
Here he availed himself of the
advantages such a school afforded, and
so rose in public esteem as to be sent
to the Senate. He became Speaker
of that body, and when Governor Meigs
resigned the Governorship in
1814, he became the fourth Governor of
Ohio. He served but eight
months, returning to his farm, respected
by all as a man of clear mind,
much intelligence and peaceful
disposition. Strange to say, no records
are available to make a more
satisfactory sketch. He died unmarried."