From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens", by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902.

Typed by Carol Taylor Lanza.

Pages 713 to 714

JAMES HENRY EMBLEN, a real estate dealer of prominence in Wheeling, 
West Virginia, whose portrait is presented herewith, has followed that 
line of business since 1886, and has an office at No. 824 Market 
Street.  He was born in the city of Wheeling January 27, 1847, and is a 
son of James Emblen, a wagon maker by trade, who was born in 1816 and 
died in 1889.

The subject of this biography was educated in the public schools of his 
native city and subsequently served as army cook and ambulance driver 
in the Army of the Potomac, being afterward appointed dispatch carrier 
for the Cumberland Department at Nashville, Tennessee, also acting in 
the capacity of sutler in the United States Army.  After leaving the 
army service he went to Mexico where he had an experience rarely 
equaled and full of excitement and peril.  May 18, 1866, with 25 other 
Americans, he was taken prisoner by the Mexicans as land trespassers, 
being confined for two months at Tehuilotepec; later they were all 
released on parole at Tuxtepec.  In company with an Alabama man, Mr. 
Emblen obtained work some distance from the latter place, working two 
or three weeks for a Creole for 18 cents per day.  They tired of this, 
however, and went back to Tuxtepec, where they fell in with some 10 
other Americans and Mr. Emblen obtained work at a cotton-gin at 25 
cents per day.  They all planned to make their escape from the country 
by going down the river by night.  Preparations for the journey were 
made, Mr. Emblen expending all his money for bread.  When the time for 
starting arrived, all but three of the party deserted, stealing the 
bread and taking it with them.  Undaunted and without food, the 
remaining three, our subject being one, stole a canoe and started on 
their journey down the river.  The stream was rapid and rain fell for 
two hours, but by daylight they had covered a distance of 60 miles.  
Reaching an island, they landed and followed an Indian trail.  An old 
Indian woman gave them something to eat and a mat on which to sleep.  
The following evening they took a fresh start down the river and pulled 
at the paddles steadily all night and the following morning.  Reaching 
a banana patch they pulled ashore only to find the place occupied by 
soldiers, deserters from Maximilian's army.  Mr. Emblen and his 
companions had no alternative but to surrender and trust to luck.  The 
general gave them both money and horses to continue their journey 
around Tlacotalpan to Alvarado, where they remained ten days, going 
later to the city of Vera Cruz.  At the last named place, Mr. Emblen 
called upon the American consul, who promised him a situation as a 
reporter, but failing to receive that appointment, he shipped as a 
stowaway on the same vessel that Maximilian's wife sailed on.  It was a 
big French steamer, with France as it's destination.  For this offense 
he was again arrested in Havana and continued in Morro Castle, after 
which the American consul secured his release.  A sister to General 
Beauregard gave him shelter and some cloths and assisted him to obtain 
passage back to Baltimore, Maryland.  Arriving at that place he sold a 
pair of trousers and with the money purchased a ticket for New York.  A 
little later he was again southward bound, working as a roustabout on a 
vessel to Savannah, Georgia, but subsequently returned to New York 
City.  Twelve days later he sailed for Aspinwall (now Colon), Central 
America, doubling back to New York.  Mr. Emblen left New York again 
with California as his destination.  He worked twelve months on a farm 
in that state and seven months in the mines of Nevada, and then, having 
apparently "sowed his wild oats," returned to Wheeling in 1868.  He 
followed various occupations for a number of years, such as shoemaker, 
carpenter and wagon-maker, and finally in 1886 embarked in the real 
estate business, which has claimed his attention ever since.

May 25, 1871, Mr Emblen's marriage with Sarah E. Nichols was 
consummated.  She is a daughter of George W. And Elizabeth M. 
(Robinson) Nichols, and her birth occurred December 19, 1852.  Mr and 
Mrs Emblen have five children:  George D., born June 28, 1872; Albert 
N., who was born March 19, 1875; Lillian E., born March 5, 1880; Robert 
C., born July 13, 1881; and Rosella M., born January 5, 1886.  The 
family are members of St. Matthew's Protestant Episcopal Church.  Mr. 
Emblen is a Republican.