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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Noble
County, Ohio
with portraits and biographical sketches of some of
its pioneers and prominent men.
Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co.,
1887
For Reference: Noble County was formed in 1851
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FRANK M. MARTIN
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 - Page |
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GEORGE ALONZO
MCCLURE - George
McClure, father of the immediate subject of this
biography, was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., in 1823;
his father, William McClure, was a soldier in the War
of 1812 and his paternal grandfather served in the War of
the Revolution. He was a staff officer and
distinguished himself in many of the hard-fought engagements
of that great struggle. After the war, Congress gave
him, in consideration of his service, a tract of land, where
Frankfort, Ky., now stands. This land was occupied by
squatters, who disputed his claim. Serious
complications arose and he finally lost the property.
William McClure immigrated to Ohio in 1827, and
settled near Gaysport, Muskingum County, where he resided
until his decease in 1837. He was twice married; his
first wife was a Miss Anderson; two children were
born of this union: George and William.
William went to California in an early day; he was a
thrifty business man and acquired a large property in real
estate. George was born in Pennsylvania and
came to Ohio with his parents. He was reared in
Muskingum County and when a boy entered the employ of
Chapman & Stevens, with whom he remained several years.
In 1847 he came to Hiramsburg and engaged in merchandising
under the firm name, Stevens & McClure. The
firm did a successful business until 1855 when Mr.
Stevens retired.
In 1869 he was succeeded by his son, George G.
McClure, who has since that time done a highly
successful business. George McClure was a
thorough business man and a valuable citizen. He was
twice married; his first wife was Miss Susan T. Gibbs.
Two children were born to them: Francis L., who died
young, and George Alonzo. He was born in
Hiramsburg, Oct. 13, 1851. He grew up in his father's
store, and received a thorough education in books, and a
practical business education. He is one of the rising
young business men of the county, and is highly esteemed not
only for his sterling honesty and business enterprise, but
the advanced position he takes on all questions in which the
moral or religious welfare of his community is involved.
In politics he is a Prohibitionist in religion a Methodist.
He married, in 1872, Miss Mary B. Davidson
grand-daughter of Philip Burlingame, a
pioneer settler of Rhode Island; they have two sons and
three daughters.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 - Page 506 |
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DAVID MCGARRY,
one of the best known citizens of Center Township, was born
Oct. 19, 1819, within the present limits of Center Township.
He passed his early life amid the scenes of pioneer days,
clearing land and farming. His educational advantages
were very limited, yet through self-cultivation he became
well informed. In 1843 he married Catharine
Richey. Seven children were born of this
union - John C., Thomas R., Andrew, Jane,
George M., Margaret and Frank.
All are living except Jane, who died in
infancy. Mr. McGarry was one of the
foremost men in bringing about the organization of Noble
County, and spent much time and labor in effecting that
result. He was an active Democrat until the formation
of the Republican party then joined that organization and
remained a firm supporter of its principles. In 1847
he was elected treasurer of Union Township, an office which
he held nine years. In 1871 he was nominated to
represent Noble County in the legislature. B.
F. Spriggs, Democrat, was his opponent. The
result of the contest was a tie vote. In March, 1872,
a special election was held and Mr. Spriggs
was elected. In 1880 Mr. McGarry was
appointed census enumerator for Center Township. He
died Mar. 67, 1881. George M. McGarry
is a prominent farmer of Center Township.
Township 7 of range 8 of the original survey was organized
as Union Township in April, 1822, by order of the county
commissioners of Monroe County.
Prior to the formation of Noble County the territory now
included in the limits of Center Township belonged to Noble
Township, Morgan County, and to Union Township, Monroe
County. Union Township was the seventh township of the
eighth range, and its territory now forms portions of
Center, Marion, Stock and Enoch.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 - Page 337 |
Thos. McGovern |
THOMAS MCGOVERN was born
in County Cavan, Ireland, Oct. 25, 1841. His father,
Patrick McGovern, came to this country in 1836. In
1839 he returned to his native country, but in 1842 he
decided to make the United States his future home, and with
his family came to Guernsey County, Ohio, where, in company
with his brother-in-law, Peter Cornyn, he
engaged in making macadamized roads. He died in
Bellefontaine, Ohio, Sept. 25, 1845, leaving his widow, nee
Mary McGuire, whom he married in 1831, in
very limited circumstances, with the care of seven children
- Margaret, Bridget, Mary, Terrence, Thomas, Ellen
and P. C. With her family
she removed to what is now East Union, Noble County, where
she died Sept. 10, 1855. The early life of
Thomas was attended with many hardships; his
education was limited to a few weeks at the district school
in winter. His twenty-first year he signalized by
enlisting in Company D, Ninety-second Ohio Volunteer
Infantry. He participated in every battle and skirmish
in which his regiment was engaged up to July, 1864, at which
time his sight became so impaired that he was sent to the
general hospital where he remained until April, 1865, when
he rejoined his company. He was in the battles of
Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga,, Mission Ridge, Buzzard's Roost,
Resaca and other minor engagements. He was mustered
out of the service in June, 1865, and returned to his home.
For several years he was engaged in farming, but owning to
ill-health he abandoned the farm and in company with his
brother, P. C., he went into trade.
The brothers did a successful business. In 1887 the
firm was dissolved, P. C. retiring.
In December, 1869, he was elected justice of the peace and
has served continually ever since. Nov. 30, 1865, he
was married to Mrs. Mary A. Smith, daughter
of Absalom Archer. By this union
there was one child, Rhoda E. In 1872
Mrs. McGovern died, and in 1874 he was
married to Mrs. Sarah B. Archer, daughter
of Charles Price. One child was born
to them, Homer, who died July 30, 1876.
In August following Mrs. McGovern
died and in December, 1878, he was united in
married Miss Mary, daughter of
Andrew McIntee, of County Cavan, Ireland. By
this marriage there have been five children:
Thomas W., Maggie A., Mary A., Martha E. and
Clara E. In his religious and political
convictions he is a Democrat and a Catholic. Two of
his brothers, Terrence and Patrick
C., were in the service, the former in the
Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the latter in the
Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Terrence
was captured at Atlanta, Ga., and for five months was a
prisoner of war at Andersonville. P. C.
was taken prisoner at Nashville, Tenn. He escaped by
capturing his guard, whom he brought into camp. At the
close of the war the boys returned to their home.
Terrence is now a resident of Minnesota.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 - Page 462 |
Ezra McKee
Robert McKee |
McKEE FAMILY
- 1815, and the widow and her children were left to get
along as best they could in the arduous labor of pioneer
farming. Mrs. McKee died in 1848. There
were nine children in the family, most of whom were born in
Pennsylvania. Their names were John, Robert,
William, David, James, Alexander, Annie (Caldwell), Margaret
(Caldwell) and Ezra.
John was the farmer, a prominent citizen, and
passed his life in Noble County. He died in 1873, at
the age of eighty-five. Robert was the pioneer
salt-maker at Olive, and was a leading business man in this
section for many years. He was born in Lycoming
County, Pa., Dec. 8, 1791, and came with the family to Duck
Creek in 1809. He stamped his name on all the
prominent events in the early history of what is now Noble
County. He was the discoverer and pioneer salt-maker
of the valley, a business which he continued until the
competition of the various salt works on the Muskingum
reduced the price to fifty cents per barrel. While
drilling some of the first wells, he was obliged to go to
Marietta to get his tools repaired. After the salt
business became unremunerative he built a log structure in
Olive, where for many years he did a successful business as
a merchant; his was the first store within the present
limits of Noble County, his nearest competitor being at
Barnesville. His first stock of goods was packed in on
a horse from Baltimore over the mountains. He was also
the first to handle tobacco, in which he engaged quite
extensively for many years. He was a man of deep
religious convictions, and built the first church in the
county; in this enterprise he evidenced his accustomed
liberality. After deciding to build a church, he
deputized a man by the name of Peter Lady to solicit
subscriptions. After several weeks, Lady
reported $45 as the sum collected. McKee,
disappointed by the lack of interest in the matter, said to
him that if he would build the church himself, which he did.
The date of erection, as near as can now be ascertained, was
1828. About 1855 he began to feel the weight of
advancing years and retired from active business, and
devoted his attention to his farm, and loaning the
accumulations of former years. He died of Bright's
disease September, 1863. He was married in 1813 to
Miss Ruth Thorla. She died in 1830, and in
November of the same year he was again married to
Elizabeth Willey, who died in 1887. By the first
marriage there were six children: Mary A., Margaret
(Morse), Susannah (Ogle), David, Rhoda (Rownd) and
Martha (Ogle). By the second, seven: Columbus,
Leonard, William, Robert, Ruth E. (Caldwell), Jasper and
Worthington. Robert McKee was a man of great
foresight, enterprise and industry, and his name, where
known, was a synonym for integrity and honor. No man
was more prominent in the early history of Noble than he,
and no one is held in more grateful remembrance by the
people.
William removed to New York State when a young
man, and spent the greater part of his life there. He
died in Indiana. David was engaged as a boatman
on the Mississippi River and died of cholera at Little Rock,
Ark., when a young man. James was a farmer and
resided near Hoskinsville. He died at the age of
eighty-seven. Alexander is still living on the old
homestead. He was born in Marietta in 1798. He
married Rhoda Thorla and reared a family of six sons.
Annie became the wife of John Caldwell and
lived and died in Noble County. Margaret
married Joseph Caldwell and is still living.
Hon. Ezra McKee was one of the best and most
influential citizens of Noble County, the establishment of
which he was among the foremost in securing. He was
born in Washington County in 1802, and came to the county
with his parents. His educational advantages were
limited to four months' schooling, but a good mind, sound
judgment and keenness of observation made up for his
deficiency. In 1825 he married Abbie Westcott
and purchased the farm adjoining the old homestead.
His children by this union were Delia (Davis), Martha
(Polling), David and Sylvester, all living.
His wife died in 1836 and he married Almay Westcott,
a cousin of his first wife. She was one of the early
school-teachers of the county. To them were born four
children - Mary (Newton), deceased; Christopher
and Manly. In 1837 Mr. McKee was
elected to the legislature from Morgan County, in
which his township was then included; and again in 1850 he
was chosen to fill the same position. During the
succeeding session of the legislature, the project of the
erection of Noble County, which had been constantly agitated
for five or six years preceding, was brought to a successful
consummation. He was not only instrumental in securing
the organization of the county, but he was also among the
foremost of those who sought and finally succeeded in making
Caldwell the county seat. He erected the first
building in Caldwell, which was used as a temporary court
house. He served about twenty years as justice of the
peace. Both in public and private life he was regarded
as an able, honest, honorable man. He died Apr. 4,
1876. His widow resides with her son Christopher.
David E. McKee is the oldest son of Hon. Ezra
McKee. He was born in Noble Township, Aug. 15,
1833. He is a quiet, unassuming man, and sustains an
excellent reputation for probity and intelligence.
Mr. McKee has contributed to the press some poetical
effusions of more than ordinary merit. He was
principally engaged in farming until 1862, when when he went
with his brother Christopher to the Pacific coast,
where they remained for three years, engaged in mining and
ranching, in which they were quite successful. In 1867
he married Margaret Powell, of Wisconsin, whose
paternal great-grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier.
Her great-grandmother on her father's side lived to be one
hundred and four
years old. Mr. and Mrs. McKee have three children:
Burton, Abbie and Lawrence. Mr. McKee is a
Democrat. He has held the offices of township treasurer
and land appraiser.
Christopher McKee,
one of the leading farmers and most prominent citizens of the
county, was born in Noble Township in 1840. He spent his
boyhood on the farm, receiving a common-school education.
In 1862 he went to Oregon in a party of twelve men, among whom
was his brother David. This journey occupied about
three months, Mr. McKee driving an ox-team. On the
Pacific coast he engaged in mining for a time, and afterward
went to Idaho. He remained at Centerville in that
territory until June, 1863, engaged in packing supplies to the
miners. He next went to the southern part of the
territory, where David and he located a mine, which they
worked until the fall of 1865. The mine proved a good one
and yielded many thousand dollars' worth of ore, but owing to
the cost of living and of working it, they could save but a
small part of their earnings. During one winter the snow
was so deep that it was piled up six feet higher than their
cabin. The brothers left for home in September, 1865, on
horseback and reached here in November. On the way they
were caught in a Rocky Mountain snow storm, and role all day
through the blinding snow, arriving at night at Fort Halleck.
To feed their horses they paid seventy-five cents per pound for
corn and twenty-five cents per pound for hay. At the
sutler's Mr. McKee brought a pound of crackers, a box of
sardines, and a small bottle of bitters, for which he paid $15.
In December, 1865, he married Miss Martha A. Scott.
They have had four children - Louis W. (deceased),
Irvel K., Cora B. and Mirley. Mr. McKee has
been engaged in various other enterprises. He has
furnished the C. & M. Railroad Company with over five million
feet of lumber, and is still engaged in supplying timber to that
road, went first to the black Hills'; after an examination of
that region, concluded to settle down to farm life. Mr.
McKee is a public spirited citizen, an enterprising,
sagacious and successful and man of business, and his worth is
appreciated in the community.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 - Pages 498 - 501 |
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
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