Jacob Burket

As printed in 1886

JACOB F. BURKET, lawyer, Findlay, was born March 25, 1837, near Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio, son of Solomon Burket who was of Swiss descent. One of his ancestors, who came fi-om Switzerland and settled near Lancaster, Penn., had two sons, John and Jacob Burket, who were the progenitors of the Burket family in this country. The grandfather of our subject, John Burket, who served in the Revolutionary war, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio and lived to the advanced age of ninety-six years. Mr. Burket s mother, Mary (Brehm) Burket, whose father was also in the Revolutionary war and emigrated from Pennsylvania to this State, was of German extraction. In September, 1839, the Burket family moved from Perry to this county. This region was then a forest; settlers were few and the country was sparsely inhabited. Young Burket went to the log schoolhouse and had at the same time to do work on the farm. When he was ten years of age his father died leaving a widow with nine children, of whom Jacob F. is the youngest son. When he reached the age of seventeen he removed to Findlay and was apprenticed to his brother -'inlaw, Jacob Folk, for the purpose of learning the carpenter's trade. The term of apprenticeship was for two years, one of its conditions being that he should receive three months' schooling in the winter. After having worked for him thirteen months, his brother-in-law's health failed, whereupon, by mutual agreement, the indentures were canceled. June 4, 1855, he began teaching at Lewisville, Blanchard Township. Having taught for three years he attended a very excellent select school at Vanlue, in Hancock County, the proprietor being Mr. William K. Leonard; completing his term he returned to his trade (carpentering) for a time, engaging in mechanical labor in the summer and teaching school in winter and attending school in the fall and spring. In 1859 he entered an academy at Republic, Seneca Co., Ohio. The principal of this institution was Mr. A. Schuyler now professor of mathematics in the Baldwin University at Berea. Prof. Schuyler was the author of works on logic and algebra. From this gentleman Mr. Burket received a thorough training in logic which has been of great advantage to him in the legal profession. June 29, 1859, he commenced reading law with Judge Palmer (since deceased) and having remained with him a little more than a year, he entered the office of Goit and Brown, in the meanwhile teaching school every winter. July 1, 1861, he was admitted to the bar when he commenced the practice of his profession at Ottawa, Putnam Co., Ohio, where he remained until April, 1862. On the 16th of that month he opened an office in Findlay, and September 7, of that year entered into partnership with Henry Brown under the firm name of Brown and Burket, which was dissolved May 1, 1869, since which time Mr. Burket has been alone in his practice. While working at carpentering he, on one occasion, attended court, and becoming intensely interested in the proceedings, he resolved to be a lawyer, and since he was admitted to the bar he has been a devoted to his profession. Mr. Burket has an extensive practice in the State and Federal Courts, and has encountered some of the most distinguished lawyers in the country, and has been highly complimented by his professional brethren for the clear manner in which he expounds the principles of law which underlie a case. He is stockholder and director in the First National Bank of Findlay, and was a director of the FintUay Savings and Building Loan Association, and has acted as attorney for both these institutions. He has conducted much litigation for the latter and never lost a case. He was married in the year 1859, to Miss Pamy D. Walters, of Lenawee, Mich. They have had six children — five sons and one daughter — all of whom are living. In politics Mr. Burket is a Republican; he was one of the electors in the presidential contest of 1880, and still has in his possession the tickets by him voted for James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur in the Electoral College held in the Senate Chamber, at Columbus, Ohio.

As printed in History of Hancock County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns ... portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of the Northwest Territory, history o (1886). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.