After writing "Life of Enos" on this blog and later publishing it as a weekly serial in the newspaper, my wife, Alice, suggested that I find other forgotten people and tell their stories. And as it turns out, there are many fascinating characters in our area's long history whose achievements have been lost in the sandstorm of time.
I did not need to wander too far from the banks of Catfish Creek or too far back in time to find our next subject. He was born here and died here, alone and broke, 61 years later. But in between he achieved great fame and fortune and reached heights, literally, that no American had ever reached before. The mightiest military force on Earth owes much to his pioneering efforts, yet his name is hardly recognized in the town he would not leave.
We'll call this story "Early Bird." It begins Monday.
After 37 years in the newspaper business, O-R Editor Park Burroughs may have a right to be grumpy. He answers questions and complaints from readers here daily, and often chimes in with gripes of his own, observations, book reviews and serialized stories.
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2008
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November
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- Early Bird, Part 9
- Early Bird, Part 8
- Early Bird, Part 7
- Early Bird, Part 6
- Today's gripe
- Early Bird, Part 5
- Early Bird, Part 4
- Early Bird, Part 3
- Early Bird, Part 2
- Early Bird, Part 1
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- Epilogue
- How to Break an Ankle, Part 13
- Whine, whine, whine
- My fellow Strabanians...
- How to Break an Ankle, Part 12
- How to Break an Ankle, Part 11
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Park Burroughs is editor of the Observer-Reporter. All content on this blog is Copyright 2009, Observer Publishing Co. Washington, PA. 1998-2009
4 comments:
Yes, another story!
I am assuming you mean Philo McGiffen. If that is the case, please be realistic about the comment "Mightest military force" when referring to China's military. They are growing in power, but they are not there yet. His impact on the American Navy is minimal at best. For reference on military power, consider Jim Dunningan's Quick and Dirty Guide to War amongst others.
Sorry I stand corrected given Philo's death at 37.. (but I was hoping that your literary talents would be used to tell his amazing story). Can't wait for another great story..
A military history buff
Joe Walker is that it?
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