When we think of the wild, wild west we most likely have visions of men on horseback, lassos flying; chasing cattle or Indians; or perhaps even around a campfire in the middle of the lone prairie singing to his horse: but in Niles?
The Lambert family came to Niles from Virginia and settled on the William T. Noel farm north of the city in 1835. Jacob Lambert, the father, died in 1856.
His son, James A. Lambert, lived in Niles and was still very active, into his 87th year, working the farm on the outskirts of town. He had moved into the village in 1850 and for a while was involved with the copper and lumbering business.
In 1871, he entered into partnership with John Rice and A.J. Griffith putting up a large brick building on Front Street at a cost of $25,000. The business manufactured wagons, however, it proved a failure in just a few years.
Click here for the full article on the Niles Daily Star website
Published August 9th, 2008