St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. There is something special about wearing green and commemorating everything Irish. Not to mention that St. Patrick’s Day falls exactly halfway through the year from my birthday in September. So that means on my birthday, establishments also are celebrating halfway to St. Patrick’s Day, which is fun.

My children love the holiday, too. My daughter has already started working on her leprechaun trap. This is a set-up meant to trap a leprechaun and if you are successful in this endeavor, the spirit is forced to tell you where his pot of gold is located. My daughter, Stella, attached a lucky penny she found on a walk around our neighborhood recently, to the inside of the box with the hope that it will attract a leprechaun. For the last several years, the leprechauns have gotten away from the traps, but have left a note for the children and a few treats in homage to their efforts. I remember almost catching one in my kindergarten class at Liberty School in Weirton years ago. We had to build a trap the day before and when we arrived at school the next morning, there were green footprints all over the room.

A wonderful memory of a special day. Maybe this year will be our year, wish my children luck.

Although my Irish ancestors came over to this country more than 200 years ago, we still try to celebrate this part of our heritage. My wife has Irish ancestors who came over in the 1840s, making their story a little closer to the present. To celebrate our heritage, my wife prepares a fantastic Irish meal with corned beef, potatoes, carrots and our favorite, Irish soda bread. I am very blessed to have a dear wife who makes these days special for our family.

Going back in time in our area, there are so many folks who have Irish ancestry who contributed so much to the history and development of our region. I would never be able to reproduce a history that could do the proper justice to those important individuals. Instead, I thought it would be important to honor just a few Irish immigrants who made impacts on our local area.

There are so many folks to choose from, but one important gentleman who resided in Hancock County deserves mention. Thomas Bambrick was born in 1794 in County Kilkenny, Ireland. In 1815, at the age of 20, Bambrick immigrated to America and made his way to the upper part of Brooke County, present day New Manchester. Bambrick was well-educated and capable in many respects. He originally prepared to be a Catholic priest but decided not to pursue that vocation; rather, he held many jobs in the new world.

In 1822, he was an early teacher in a log schoolhouse near the Flats Church in New Manchester, a post he held for a few years. In 1823, he became New Manchester’s second postmaster, replacing his father-in-law, Larry Keenan, another Irishman who held the post for a number of years before him. Thomas also was a surveyor and a bookkeeper, assisting residents in the northern end of the county.

In 1846, Bambrick was elected to serve in the Virginia Legislature representing Brooke County. During his time in office, he served on two committees, both dealing with schools and colleges. Bambrick’s impact on our history is important because he introduced the legislation to create Hancock County, which passed on Jan. 15, 1848. Bambrick is the father of Hancock County. After his time in the Virginia legislature, Bambrick stayed involved with his community. During the Civil War, in October of 1862, Bambrick was arrested for not taking the Oath of Allegiance, an oath that certified that the taker never supported the Confederacy. Bambrick was taken to Wheeling, then to the Confederate prisoner of war camp in Columbus called Camp Chase. He did not serve long there, only three months, and was released shortly thereafter. According to his obituary, which appeared in the Wheeling Register on Oct. 26, 1877, Bambrick’s time in Camp Chase was described as being motivated by private or political malice. But in any event, he made important contributions to his community and county that live on today.

Turning across the river to Steubenville, another important personality in the city’s history from the Emerald Isle is someone that is talked about often, especially where newspapers are concerned. James Wilson was born in Dergalt, Strabane, in the County of Tyrone, in February 1787. Around 1806 or 1807, Wilson immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Philadelphia. There, he married Ann Adams, a native of County Antrim, and the couple went on to have 10 children. In Philadelphia, Wilson was temporarily the editor of a publication called the Aurora. Then, in 1815, he came to Steubenville and bought the Western Herald. This is the origin of the Steubenville Herald-Star. Wilson served in the state Legislature in 1816, and later became a judge in the Court of Common Pleas.

Wilson’s son, Joseph Ruggles Wilson, was born in Steubenville in 1822 and would later meet his wife, Janet Jesse Woodrow, while she was a student of the Steubenville Female Seminary. The two would remove to Stanton, Va., where their son and future president, Woodrow Wilson would be born. James Wilson remained in Steubenville for the remainder of his life. He would own the paper for about 30 years, in addition to other business enterprises. In 1850, James passed away due to cholera at his home on Logan Street at the age of 63.

Unfortunately, today, none of the homes Wilson lived in are standing in Steubenville, but interestingly enough, Wilson’s birthplace in County Tyrone, Ireland, is preserved as a museum, now owned by the Ulster American Folk Park. James’ wife, Ann, outlived him by 13 years and passed away in 1863. They are both buried in Union Cemetery.

All this information, and much more about the Wilson family, is compiled in a fantastic family history of the Orr family, also of Irish decent, on the Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, written by Robert Reid. If you’re interested in the early family history of our area, check out this great resource. It is worth the read.

Bambrick and Wilson came to this country from Ireland looking for a fresh start and a better life. Both men made important impacts to our community that are still felt today, even if it has been more than 200 years since they arrived on these shores. This story is not unique, though, as many of us can trace our ancestors back to the one who made that decision to leave their past, and all that they knew to come to America.

This St. Patrick’s Day, we celebrate the traditions and culture of our Irish ancestors and the sacrifices they made to come to this country to give us an opportunity at a better life. And maybe a few leprechauns came, too. I hope we catch one.

(Zuros is the executive director of Historic Fort Steuben)