Author Archives: theamericanplutarch
John Calvin Lawson, Farmer in Arkansas and Indian Territory (Oklahoma)
John Calvin Lawson, August 4, 1864-Jan. 30, 1955. John Calvin Lawson was born in Arkansas in 1864 to Calvin A. Lawson (1825-1907) and Jane Ann Fritts (1835-1902). In the 1870 census John C. is 6-years-old; Calvin is 40 and a … Continue reading
Claude Christopher Largent: Teacher in Early Oklahoma
Claude Christopher Largent, July 2, 1888-July 25, 1975. Claude Largent was born to George Washington Largent and Mary Lue Smith in Booneville, Arkansas, on July 2, 1888. George Washington (GW) was a farmer and Mary Lue, who was half Indian … Continue reading
George Washington Largent, Arkansas Farmer
George Washington Largent, August 15, 1855-Feb. 26, 1924 George Washington Largent’s life has a bit of mystery about it. His gravestone lists his birth date as August 15, 1859. The month and day are probably correct, though the year of … Continue reading
The Sea Mark: A Poem
I published a book about John Smith several years ago entitled The Sea Mark. Smith himself wrote a poem of that name. Inspired by Smith, here is my version of the Seamark. Seamark I have searched, the pages of history To … Continue reading
Is the Message Still Relevant?
For 2000 years, since Jesus commanded his disciples to go spread the good news to all nations, Christian messengers, or missionaries, have traveled throughout the world spreading the message of hope and redemption. There are few people on the Earth … Continue reading
All Things are Possible
Recent conflict and protests in America, about statues and monuments recalling troubling events in the past, seem to be dividing a country that clearly needs uniting. Those who focus on division rather than unity seem to think that all things … Continue reading
Historical Sites along the Maine Coast: Kittery to York
Kittery, Maine, situated on the northern shores of the Piscataqua River, was a home to seamen and fishermen. Most such men of the salt sea were not well known in their own time and forgotten today. An exception was Lieutenant … Continue reading
Independence: Disorder in a Democracy
In today’s day, we are confronted with disorder, almost chaos and anarchy at times. How do we bring order out of a disorderly situation? The concluding years of the American Revolution in the 1780s provides us with an example. The … Continue reading
The Mysterious Mr. Lee
Almost 200 years ago, in 1819, a scientist from England, Thomas Nuttall, journeyed up the Arkansas to near this spot, the Three Forks, the confluence of the Arkansas with the Verdigris and Grand rivers. Nuttall was exploring what had been … Continue reading
You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free
This is the gist of remarks I made before students and faculty at the spring 2017 Matriculation ceremony at Bacone College. Many years ago I was a student at a university on the East coast. This university had a large … Continue reading
