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Union Twp. -
NATHANIEL McCLURE was born in Champaign
County, Ohio, in 1820. His father moved to Allen County when
he was six years of age, when he lived until 1859, when he moved to
Union Township, and located on section 33. He married Miss
Mary A. McLean in 1846, by whom he has had eleven children, ten
of who are still living.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, publ.
1882 - Page 222 |
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Ridge Twp. -
ALEX. R. McCOY, a native of Madison County, came to this
county in 1839, and is engaged in the grocery trade. He was
born Oct. 8, 1835, being brought here by his parents, Alexander
and Eliza McCoy, when about four years old. Mr. McCoy
served three years and in the 99th Ohio volunteer Infantry, from
Aug. 5, 1862. He married Mary, daughter of John and
Elizabeth Anderson, of Hancock County, Oct. 1, 1868. She
was born Dec. 25, 1848. Their family consists of five
children, named Nettie J., born Oct. 2, 1869; Charles A.,
Apr. 3, 1872; Minnie C., Aug. 8, 1874; Horace A., Nov.
21, 1876, and Mary Estella, May 28, 1879.
Mr. McCoy has served one term as Justice of the
Peace of Ridge Township.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, publ.
1882 - Page 208 |
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Ridge Twp. -
ALEXANDER McCOY. In the year 1837
Alexander McCoy, in company with David McCoy and
Daniel Beard, came to Ridge Township and entered adjacent tracts
of government land, the two latter gentlemen moving on to their
places the same year. Alexander McCoy, of whom we
write, did not move until two years later, having been disappointed
in receiving his pay for the farm - a nice home - he sold in Madison
County. This was perhaps for the best, as it gave him ample
time to prepare for the new country he was going to link his
fortunes with. Mr. McCoy was born in Virginia in 1800,
and with his father's family removed to Ross County, Ohio, in 1812;
from thence to Fayette County in 1824; thence to Madison County in
1830; thence to his present place of residence in 1839. At the
age of fifteen years he commenced to learn the blacksmith trade, and
served an apprenticeship of six years. He then went into
business for himself, and followed smithing some five years, when
failing health induced him to quit the business and purchase a small
farm. In 1825 he married Eliza Gillespie, by whom he
has had nine sons and two daughters, and brought with him to Van
Wert County a family of six sons. There being no schools in
the neighborhood, and desirous of giving his sons a common school
education, he improvised an old log cabin on his place as a
school-house, which, with one fitted for the same purpose on his
brother David's farm, were used alternately, in which the
youth of the neighborhood attended school. These were followed
by better schools in later years, and he succeeded in giving all his
children a fair education. John, the third son, now
owns a part of the old homestead, which is one of the best farms in
the county, on which he raises as fine cattle as can be found
anywhere. Mr. McCoy is one of the most highly respected and
influential citizens of the township, his fellow-citizens having
testified their appreciation of him by electing him to fill nearly
every office in the township, as well as his sons after him.
He is now over eighty years of age, and has retired from active
labor, and in his old days rests upon a competence acquired during a
busy life. His father, Joseph McCoy, was a soldier in
the war of 1812, and Alexander had five sons in the war of
the Rebellion, one of whom, David, died in the army.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, publ.
1882 - Page 203 |
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Ridge Twp. -
ALEXANDER H. McCOY, a son of David W. McCoy, was born
in Fayette County, Ohio, and settled in Ridge Township with his
parents in the year 1837. He is a farmer by occupation.
He was married in Allen County in 1861 to Mary A. Maltby, a
native of Warren County, Ohio. His family consists of himself
and wife and six children, viz., Harrison, Jennie, Josephine
Albert, Arthur, and Francis. Mira, a daughter, died
in 1879.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, publ.
1882 - Page 208 |
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Ridge Twp. -
DAVID W. McCOY was born in West Virginia in
1805, and located on section 26, Ridge Township, in the year 1837,
having previously entered three hundred and sixty acres of
government land. When he moved on to it there were but few
families in the township, and not a road near his place. He
put up a temporary shanty made out of poles, and lived in it until
he built a hewed log-house, the first hewed log-cabin erected in the
township. By hard labor, industry, energy, and economy, he
made himself a valuable farm and comfortable home. In 1830 he
was married in Fayette County, Ohio, to Esther Gillespie, a
native of New York, by whom he has had two sons and two daughters,
three of whom are still living. There being no schools in the
township in those early days, he secured the services of Mary
Pennypacker, a lady of Mercer County, as teacher, to instruct
his own children and those of his new neighbors at his place of
residence. Mr. McCoy has respectively filled the
offices of Township Assessor, Trustee, and County Commissioner
repeatedly, and always performed the duties of those offices to the
satisfaction of the people. He has been a member of the M. E.
Church all his life, and assisted in organizing the first church in
the township. In the early history of Southern Ohio his
grandfather was captured by his Indians, and held as a hostage by
them for some months, until finally released at Chillicothe, Ohio.
Retiring from active farm life Mr. McCoy divided his farm
among his children and removed to the town of Van Wert, where he now
resides at rest from his labors in the enjoyment of good health and
the consciousness of "well done good and faithful servant."
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 204 |
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Ridge Twp. -
MOSES H. McCOY, a son of Alexander McCoy,
was born in Fayette County, Ohio, in 1828. In 1839 he came to
Van Wert County with his father's family, and located in Ridge
Township, and he is, therefore, one among the early pioneers of the
county. In 1851 he was married to Elmira F. Gilliland,
a daughter of James G. Gilliland, who located in this
township in 1835. Three children are the result of this union,
born in the order named: Thaddeus S., Forence E., and
Gordon G. His wife attended the first school taught in
the township in the winter of 1838-9. The log school house
taught in the township in the winter of 1838-9. The log school
house was situated on her father's farm, and the school was taught
by Clarisa Gleason. Mrs. McCoy is now the only living
person in the township who attended that school. Our subject
obtained a common school education, and was reared a quiet farmer.
He is now the owner of 171 acres of land on the ridge Road, two
miles east of the town of Van Wert, and is one of the bet improved
in the township. We present a view of his residence in this
work. Mr. McCoy has filled the offices of township
trustee in justice of the peace, and served four months in the army
in the war for the union as a private in the 159th O. V. I. In
the performance of all the various duties imposed upon him he so
conducted himself as to increase the respect and confidence which,
by his previous industry, integrity, and good sense, he had fully
secured, and which he still retains. He is a member of the
Presbyterian Church, and by his walk through life exemplified its
teachings.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 204 |
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Van
Wert -
JACOB MILLER was born in
Prussia, Feb. 18 1825, and came to America in 1850, and located in
this county. Dec. 6, 1850, he married Christina Fauder,
who was born in Humbergh County, Russia, Aug. 25, 1824, and
emigrated to America in 1850, and located here. They settled
on a farm in Harrison Township, remained a short time, and then
moved to within a short distance of Van Wert, and lived on year.
In 1853 the moved to the town where they have since resided.
They have five children - three sons and two daughters. Mr.
Miller was engaged as an employe at different kinds of business
until May, 1866, when he, in company with his son-in-law, Thoams
Kippard, engaged in the grocery business in Van Wert. They
deal in all kinds of groceries, confectioneries, and keeping an
eating house.
In 1875 the partnership was dissolved by mutual
consent, Mr. Kippard retiring. Mr. Miller then
too his son Jacob Miller into partnership, which continued
until April, 1881. Jacob Miller, Sr., sold his interest
to John Murphy, and the business is successfully conducted by
Messrs. Miller & Murphy.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 189 |
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Harrison Twp. -
JOHN C. MILLER was
born in Germany in 1835, and with his parents located in Van Wert
County in 1864. He is a farmer by occupation, and has filled
the office of township trustee four terms. In 1875 he married
Anna Fridly, who was born in Crawford County, Ohio, in 1851,
by whom he has had two children, namely, Charley and
Matilda.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 236 |
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Pleasant
Twp. -
ROBERT MILLER removed from Ross County
to Van Wert in 1841. He died about 1871. His
son, Samuel Miller, has filled the office of county
commissioner several terms; also that of coroner. He
is one of the wealthiest stock-dealers and most prominent
men in the county.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 199 |
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Pleasant
Twp. -
WILLIAM MILLER was born in Fayette
County, Ohio, and moved to Pleasant Township Mar. 6, 1836,
and settled four and a half miles west of Van Wert, on Sugar
Ridge. His family was among the first white settlers
in the township. They lodge one night in the public
log cabin at Van Wert.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 199 |
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Hoaglin
Twp. -
JOHN MURPHY was born in Jefferson
County in 1821 and moved to Harrison County, thene to
Ashland, and finally to Van Wert County. He resides in
section 20, Hoaglin Township. He married Miss
Elizabeth Porter, and has eleven children. His
farm improvements are of the get kind, accomplished by his
own industry.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 216 |
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Willshire Twp. -
JOSHUA MYERS was
born in Van Wert County in 1850. Married Mary E.
Dague in 1870. They have two children - John S.
and William C.
Source: History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
publ. 1882 - Page 259 |
NOTES: |
