Joshua Collett was a native of Berkeley County, Virginia (now West Virginia), born November 20, 1781,[2] read law in Martinsburg, and moved to Cincinnati just before Ohio was admitted to the union.

Six months later, June 1803,[3] he moved to Lebanon, Ohio, and was the first lawyer in Warren County.

[4] Collett was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Warren County in 1810, and served ten years.

...his learning in the law and studious habits largely compensated for the lack of assurance.

[2] Collett married Eliza Van Horne on October 18, 1808 in Warren County.