John Thomas Charnley, Rapides Parish Louisiana 
Submitted by: Mike Miller 

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Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, 
Institutions, and Persons, 
Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 98. 
Edited by Alce Fortier, Lit.D.  
Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.       

JOHN THOMAS CHARNLEY  John Thomas Charnley, postmaster, Alexandria, La., 
was born in Newport, R. I., March 7, 1854, the son of William and Sarah 
(McNiel) Charnley.  The father was a native of England and was bound out 
as an apprentice to the stone cutter's trade for 7 years, and after 
serving 5 years and 11 months he ran away and came to America, about 1831.   

He first located in Massachusetts and worked as a stone mason on some of 
the first railroads in the country, building bridges.  

He married in Connecticut Sarah McNiel, who was born in Scotland, daughter 
of John McNiel, also of Scotland, a physician by profession, cotton 
manufacturer and for many years manager of large cotton factories at 
Johnson, Scotland.    

The parents moved from Rhode Island in the fall of 1854 to St. Lawrence 
county, N. Y., and in 1868 moved to Wisconsin, first settling in Milwaukee 
and then in Shawano, where they both died and were buried. They were the 
parents of 10 children, 3 of whom died in infancy and 7 grew to maturity; 
only 3 of whom are living at this time.    

John Thomas Charnley was the seventh child. His boyhood days were spent in 
St. Lawrence county, N. Y., where he attended the public schools. Becoming 
a mechanic at the age of 17 he drew a man's wages. He was journeyman, 
foreman and later a contractor and spent 16 winters in northern Wisconsin 
driving logs on the rivers, 5 years of which he was foreman, and 1 year he 
and his brother, William Henry, logged on their own account. In the fall 
of 1889 he went to Texas and remained there until May, 1890. On coming to 
Alexandria he started a bottling works, which he ran personally for 18 
years and 3 years by active management. He was appointed postmaster in 
1908 by Theodore Roosevelt and reappointed by William H. Taft, which 
position he still holds.   

He married in 1885 Eva L. Grimmer, who was born and reared in Shawano 
County, Wis., the daughter of Henry Grimmer. Mr. And Mrs. Charnley are 
the parents of 2 children; Euola, a teacher in the public schools of 
Alexandria, and John T., Jr., a student at the Gulfport Military Academy, 
Gulfport.    

He is a Master Mason, a member of the chapter and council, Eastern Star, 
and of the commandery at Alexandria, and he is a Noble of the Mystic 
Shrine at New Orleans. He is also a member of the B. P. O. E., and has 
held many offices in these different fraternities, 
and was worthy grand patron of the Eastern Star, Grand chapter, New Orleans.  
He has always taken an active part in public affairs and is well known.