Joseph H. Harper
There are six papers in Washington C. H., Ohio, one of which, the Ohio State Register, dates from the year 1836. The next oldest paper is the Daily Herald, and both these papers are issued by the Herald Publishing Company. There is only one paper in the county outside of Washington C. H., and that is the Citizen. Published at Jeffersonville, and in this connection it is interesting to note that tliere are eleven hundred and eighty-one papers of all kinds published in the state of Ohio, according to the last newspaper directory, more than half of which are weeklies. The vice-president of the Herald Publishing Company is Joseph H. Harper, and he is also one of the editors of the Daily Herald and the Ohio State Register. Mr. Harper is a well trained newspaper man and has been connected with the newspaper business of his city for the past twelve years, and in addition to his connection with these newspapers he is also a lawyer, and has been practicing for more than twenty years in this city.
Joseph H. Harper, the son of John J. and Emma (Jones) Harper, was born August 21, 1870, in Portsmouth, Ohio. His father was the son of Alexander Harper, and was born at Tarlton, Fairfield county. Ohio, and was a prominent lawyer for twenty years in Washington C. H. He practiced law at Portsmouth. Ohio, for a number of years, serving as prosecuting attorney, judge of the common pleas court, and also as judge of the district court. He served as a private in the Civil War and was a distinguished soldier throughout that memorable struggle. In 1886 John J. Harper came to Washington C. H. with his family and practiced law in this city until his death in 1906. His wife died in 1873. four sons were born to John J. Harper and wife: John K., who lives in San Francisco, California; William A., residing in Little, Kentucky; Samuel G., of Portsmouth, Ohio, and Joseph H. Alexander Harper was a native of Virginia, and was an early settler in Fairfield county, Ohio, where he and his wife reared a family of six children, John, William, Samuel, Joseph. Martha and Mary. The maternal grandparents of Joseph H. Harper were residents of Scioto county, Ohio, and Emma, the wife of John J. Harper, was an only child.
Joseph H. Harper attended the public schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was born, until he was sixteen years of age, and then, when his parents came to Washington C. H., completed his education in the schools of this city, graduating from the high school in 1889. He then took up the study of law in his father's office and spent one year in the Cincinnati Law School, graduating from that institution in May, 1892. He was admitted to the practice of his profession in all the courts of Ohio on the day after his graduation, and for ten years gave all his attention to the practice ol his profession in this city. In 1902 he purchased the Ohio State Register and in 1911 became connected with the Herald Publishing Company as its vice president, and has since been one of the editors of the Daily Herald and the Ohio State Register, which are published by this company.
Mr. Harper was married June 22, 1892, to Nina Silcott, the daughter of Arthur R. and Helen (Taylor) Silcott, and to this union two children have been born, Helen Taylor, born November i. 1893, and Howard Stanhope, born February 13. 1899.
Mrs. Harper was born January 9. 1871, in Washington C. H., in the same house where she is now living. Her father was a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, and ber mother of Bainbridge, Ross county, Ohio. Both are now deceased. Mrs. Harper was the only child born to this marriage of her father, who had formerly been married to Lucinda Taylor, the sister of his second wife. By his first marriage, Mr. Silcott had four children, Effie, Charles E., James and Frank. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Harper were Gerald and Nancy ( Pepple ) Taylor, early settlers of Ross county, Ohio. They had a family of five children, Mary, Elizabeth, Lucinda, Ellen and James. Mrs. Flarper is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, one of her ancestors having fought in that war.
Politically, Mr. Harper is a stanch Democrat and has always taken a deep interest in political affairs. He is now at the head of the securities department of the state of Ohio, being appointed to this position by Governor Cox. Mr. Harper is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a man of wide education and has always been actively interested in everything which pertains to the welfare of his city, giving his unreserved support to all public-spirited measures.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)