Ronald John Howell (1935 - 1992)

Professional Hockey Player. A native of Hamilton, Ontario, and the brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Harry Howell, he played for teams in the AHL, EHL, NHL, OHA, and the OHASR Hockey Leagues. At 6’00”, and 185lbs, Howell played for the Guelph Biltmores from 1954 to 1955, New York Rangers from 1954 to 1956, Kitchener-Waterloo […]

Anna Keaveney (1949 - 2004)

Actress. A native of Runcorn, Cheshire, England, she is best remembered for her role as ‘Marie Jackson’ on the television soap opera series, “Brookside” from 1983 to 1995. Among her other television appearances were on, “Within These Walls,” “Enemy At The Door,” “Chiller,” “Emmerdale Farm,” “Birds Of A Feather,” “Heartbeat,” “Mersey Beat,” “Footballers’ Wives,” “Divided […]

Richard Wright (1908 - 1960)

Author.  His powerful,  eloquent work examined the injustices African-Americans face in a white society.  He won immediate fame for his first novel,  “Native Son” (1940).  It tells the story of Bigger Thomas,  a young chauffeur whose inarticulate rage over his lot ultimately erupts into violence.  “Native Son” was adapted into a play directed by Orson […]

Chief White Cloud (1970 - 1970)

Native American Leader. Also known as Mahaska, he was chief of the Iowa Native American tribe. Born near present-day Burlington, Iowa, he was the son of Iowa Chief Mauhawgaw (or Wounding Arrow), who was ambushed by members of the Sioux tribe during a feast. After he avenged his father’s death by killing several of the […]

Leonard Freed (1929 - 2006)

Photojournalist. Born in Brooklyn, he was a member of the Magnum Photography Collective, well known for his in-depth coverage of African-Americans in the era of the civil rights movement. Freed made classic photo essays on assignments for Life, Look, Paris-Match, Der Spiegel, Stern and Libération, among many others, from Asian immigrants in England to Spain […]

Davie Kerr (1909 - 1978)

Professional Hockey Player. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Kerr was 5’10”, and 162lbs, and played the position of Goalie for teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), International Hockey League (IHL), and the Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL). He played for the Montreal Maroons from 1930 to 1931, and 1932 to 1933, Windsor Bulldogs from […]

Roland Joseph “Mighty Mite” McLenahan (1921 - 1984)

Professional Hockey Player. Also known as ‘Rollie.’ A native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, he played the position of Defense in the National Hockey League. At 5’07, and 170lbs, he played with th Detroit Red Wings from 1945 to 1946. Inthe Minor Leagues he was a member of the AHL First-All Star Team in 1950, and […]

Joel Haworth Elliott (1840 - 1868)

Civil War Union Army Officer. He entered the Civil War as a Private in the 2nd Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, and was commissioned in the 7th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry in 1863.  He commanded his regiment in Grierson’s Mississippi Raid in 1864.  After the Civil War, he received a commission as Major, 7th United States Cavalry, whose […]

David Thomson (1592 - 1970)

English Explorer.  David Thomson (sometimes spelled Thompson) was the first non-Native American settler of, and founder of, the State of New Hampshire. He also founded the city of Piscataqua, New Hampshire. David was apprenticed as a seaman as a youth, and made frequent trips to America. His first journey to America was in 1607, well […]

Ralph Lawrence Carr (1887 - 1950)

U.S. District Attorney. Republican governor of Colorado 1939 to 1943. Spearheaded fiscal reforms by transferring state income taxes from school districts to the General Fund. Also worked with the General Assembly to pass the State Reorganization Act resulting in a more efficient state government. Known for his opposition to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World […]

Battle of Tippecanoe Memorial (1970 - 1970)

Concerned about the possible extinction of their race brought on by advancing expansion of white settlers into the midwest, the Shawnee chief Tecumseh and his brother, Tenskwatawa (The Shawnee Prophet) left their native Ohio and, with permission of the Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes, established Prophet’s Town in 1808 to serve as a capital of a […]

Wendell Phillips (1811 - 1884)

Abolitionist, Lawyer, and Orator. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, where his father was a successful lawyer, politician, and philanthropist. He graduated from Harvard University in 1831 and from Harvard Law School in 1833. He was admitted to the Massachusetts state bar in 1834 and opened a law practice in Boston. In 1835, he was […]

Alfred “Fred” Parent (1875 - 1972)

Major League Baseball Player. He was an infielder and outfielder making his debut for the St. Louis Perfectos on July 14, 1899. For twelve seasons, he played with the St. Louis Perfectos in 1899, Boston Americans (1901-07) and Chicago White Sox (1908-11). He lead the American League in bats in 1902 and was a member […]

Chief Loco (1970 - 1970)

Native American Apache Chief.  A Warm Springs Apache, he was a well respected voice for peace among his people. His stance was resented by rival Apache chief Geronimo. In 1882, Geronimo used a gun to force Loco off the San Carlos Reservation and join him in his war against the Americans and Mexicans. When Loco […]

San Pasqual Battlefield Monument (1970 - 1970)

This battle at San Pasqual lasted but a few days in December of 1846 during the two year Mexican-American conflict which saw California ceded to the U.S. The unlucky opponents were the Americans under Gen Stephen W. Kearny leader of the army of the west and the Californios (Mexican forces) under the leadership of the […]

Eleazar Wheelock (1711 - 1779)

Educator. Born in Windham, Connecticut, child of Ralph Wheelock and Ruth Huntington. In 1733, he graduated from Yale College, having won the first award of the Dean Berkeley Donation for distinction in classics. He continued his theological studies at Yale until he was licensed to preach in May 1734. after beginning as pastor of a […]

Albert Smith White (1803 - 1864)

US Congressman and Senator. After graduation from Union College in his native New York, he moved to Lafayette, Indiana where he spent the rest of his life in public service. In 1836 he was elected, as a member of the Whig Party, to Congress representing Indiana’s twenty-fifth district. He served one term before running for […]

Annie Heloise Abel Henderson (1873 - 1947)

Historian. An expert on the North American Indian, she received much acclaim for her studies of Native Americans in relation to their participation and experiences during the American Civil War period. Some of her notable works were “The American Indian as Slaveholder and Secessionist”, “The American Indian at the End of the Confederacy, 1863-1865” and […]

Modesti Demers (1809 - 1871)

Pioneer Roman Catholic Missionary. Born in Quebec, Canada, after his ordination as a Roman Catholic priest in 1836, he was a missionary to Oregon in 1838. He devoted much of his time to evangelizing Native Americans throughout the territory states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and parts of British Columbia. He also traveled as […]

Clarence “Happy” Day (1901 - 1990)

Professional Hockey Player. Also known as ‘Hap.’ A native of Owen Sound, Ontario, Day played for teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). At 5’11”, and 175lbs, he played the position of Defense for the Toronto St. Pats from 1924 to 1925, Toronto Maple Leafs from 1926 to 1937, and 1940 to 1950, as both […]

Lionel Pretoria “Big Train” Conacher (1900 - 1954)

Hall of Fame Professional Hockey Player. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Conacher played the position of Defense for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1925 to 1927, New York Americans from 1926 to 1930, and the Montreal Maroons from 1930 to 1933, and 1934 to 1937. From 1929 to 1930 he was also Head Coach of the […]

Buffalo Soldier Monument (1970 - 1970)

Richard Irving Dodge (1827 - 1895)

United States Army Officer. He was a career army officer who served many years in the Western Plains, and participated in a number of the conflicts with the indigenous Indians. In 1882, he published “Our Wild Indians: Thirty Three Years Experience Among The Red Men Of The Great West, an acclaimed primary source about US […]

William Harold “Baldy” Cotton (1902 - 1984)

Professional Hockey Player. Cotton was a native of Nanticoke, Ontario. He played the position of Left Wing for teams in the NHL and the IAHL Hockey Leagues. At 5’10”, and 155lbs, Cotton played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1925 to 1929, Toronto Maple Leafs from 1928 to 1935, New York Americans from 1935 to 1937, […]

Harry Alexander Connor (1904 - 1947)

Professional Hockey Player. A native of Ottawa, Ontario, he played for the Boston Bruins from 1927 to 1928, and from 1929 to 1930, the New York Americans from 1928 to 1929, and the Ottawa Senators from 1929 to 1931. After retiring from hockey  he returned to Ottawa, Ontario, and opened up his own Washer and […]

Marcus Whitman (1802 - 1847)

Missionaries. Marcus and his wife Narcissa left his medical practice in the East to go West as missionaries under the auspices of the Presbyterian and Congregational boards. They were among the earliest white people to move into the northwest, founding a mission to Native Americans near what is now Walla Walla, Washington. Some hostile locals […]

Paul Eliot Green (1894 - 1981)

Playwright, Screenwriter. He was an outspoken champion of civil rights and one of the first white Americans to write plays about black life. In 1926 he wrote “In Abraham’s Bosom” and in 1927 he won the Pulitzer Prize for the drama. He also wrote seven Broadway plays and other books including “The Lost Colony” (1937) […]

Narcissa Whitman (1808 - 1847)

Religious Figure. She and her husband, Dr. Marcus Whitman, left his medical practice in the East to go West as missionaries under the auspices of the Presbyterian and Congregational boards. They were among the earliest white people to move into the northwest, founding a mission to Native Americans near what is now Walla Walla, Washington. […]

Nicholas Herkimer (1970 - 1777)

Revolutionary War New York Militia General. He was appointed Brigadier General militia by the New York State Provincial Congress during the Revolutionary War, and led troops against a combined forces of Native Americans, loyalists and British soldiers at the August 6, 1777 Battle of Oriskany in Oneida County, New York. He was mortally wounded in […]

Billy Reay (1918 - 2004)

Professional Hockey Player. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Reay played for teams in the NHL, MJHL, WSRHL, AHA, CCSHL, WHL, QSHL, and the Al-Cup hockey leagues. At 5’07, and 155lbs, Reay played the position of Center for the St. Boniface Seals from 1936 to 1938, Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay from 1937 to 1938, Calgary Stampeders from […]