Carlisle

William Petrikin: An Ardent Love of Liberty

William Petrikin immigrated to America from Scotland and settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania sometime in 1785. He arrived in the midst of a period of intense political activity when, after the victory for independence, citizens across the newly formed republic turned their attention to the formation of their government. "An ardent love of liberty was the cause of his emigration" and he wasted little time in immersing himself in the politics of his new community, state and nation.

James O. Williams

James Williams was born in Virginia in 1843. While little records of Williams life prior to 1860 exisit, he did enlist in the 5th Calvary Regiment of the United States Colored Troops in 1864. After the war, Williams moved to Carlisle, where he met and married Jane Lane. They had no children, and Lane died sometime before 1915. Williams died on March 27th, 1915 from valvular heart disease, and is buried in Union Cemetery in Carlisle. 

John Williams

John Williams was born sometime around 1842 in Virginia. At some point before the 1860's, he moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania, enlisting in Company C of the USTC's 41st Regiment as a private. After the end of the war in 1865, Williams returned to Pennsylvania, where he married his wife, Annie and John had one daughter, Ida in 1876. John Wiliams died on September 30th, 1885, and was buried in Lincoln colored Cemetery.

Evelyn Wilson

Evelyn Wilson

Interview of Evelyn Wilson at the Black History Festival in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for the Elizabeth V. and George F. Gardner Digital Library Memory Bank. Wilson discusses moving to Carlisle when her husband was posted at the Carlisle Barracks and the tension her family experienced being the first Black family to move to North Pitt Street. She mentions her work experience and family. Wilson further talks about how she stayed in Carlisle because of the schools and the positive direction Carlisle is moving.

James Wilson

James Wilson, signer of the Declaration of Independence

The provincial town of Carlisle was fortunate to have among its mist for a short period a political theorist and talented lawyer, James Wilson. Born in 1742 at Carskerdo near St. Andrews, Scotland, Wilson studied at St. Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Emigrating to America in1765, he first took a tutoring job at the College of Philadelphia. Next Wilson studied law under John Dickinson...

Kirk Wilson

Kirk Wilson

Kirk Wilson discusses a number of aspects of his life including being a member of the Carlisle High School Band, joining the Carlisle Fire Police and Friendship Fire Company, and his experience as the mayor of Carlisle. Wilson also discusses the fire appratus of the Friendship Fire Company, fires during his experience in the 1970s and 1980s including the South Pomfret Street Apartment Fire, the Cumberland Valley Savings and Loan Fire, and others.

Nicole Witmer

Image of Nicole Witmer during Interview

Interview of Nicole Witmer by Alan Schultze on March 25, 2015. Witmer discusses growing up on a farm outside of Carlisle, Pennsylvania and the physical changes to the landscape as farms are replaced by warehouses in the area. She further talks about her school experiences including being home schooled, attending Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, and Shippensburg University.

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