A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 143

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 143

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ALBERT MCFARLAND, SR.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

learned the iron molder's trade. He remained there for two years and then came to Portsmouth and finished his trade with Murray and Moore. He was with them for two years and then went to Zaleski, Ohio, and worked there two years for the old Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad Company. He then came back to Portsmouth and remained two years and then went to Huntington, West Virginia, and remained there two years working for the Ensign Manu- facturing Company. He again returned to Portsmouth, where he has resided ever since. He was a molder unitl 1891, when he became a letter carrier.

October 24, 1867, he was married to Miss Kate L. Keough, daughter of Thomas and Mary Keough. They have four children: Georgiana, the wife of Leonard Zell Neff of Portsmouth; Kate May, the wife of James L. Dinsmore, of Portsmouth; Mary Estelle, wife of Charles Scott of Portsmouth; Emma Maude, wife of W. R. Price of Covington, Kentucky.

He is a member of Bigelow M. E. church. He has been a member of Scioto Lodge. I. O. O. F. of Portsmouth, since 1869. He is a member of Bailey Post, G. A. R. and was a charter member of the Iron Moulders Union, No. 147, of Portsmouth, Ohio. He represented the Iron Moulder's Union of North Amer- ica in convention at Buffalo, New York, in 1882. He represented the same or- ganization in London, Canada, in 1886, and in the Trade and Labor Assembly at Columbus, Ohio, in 1886. He is a republican. He was a member of the School Board from the Fourth ward in 1889 and 1890. He was chairman of the Relief Committee in the G. A. R. for four years. He was a delegate from Bailey Post to the encampment at Toledo and is its Commander at present. He has been drum major of the post almost every time since it has been organ- ized. He was alternate delegate to the National encampment of the G. A. R. at Washington, D. C. October, 1902.

Albert McFarland, Senior,

was born at York, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1823, a son of Daniel and Rachel (Owen) McFarland. The father of our subject entered the privateer service on the opening of the war of 1812, and was captured by the British. He escaped from his captors and enlisted in the military service of the United States, and was one of the defenders of Baltimore. Our subject's parents were married at York, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1819. His father died at Portsmouth, Ohio, May 14, 1863, aged seventy-five years, and his mother died at Columbus, Ohio, October 21, 1865 aged about seventy.

Our subject remembers seeing the celebration of the commencement of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad at Baltimore in July, 1828, in which Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, participated. Soon after this event, his parents emigrated to the "far west" in a one-horse wagon through the wilderness and over the Alleghany mountains to Columbus, Ohio. It was a long and novel journey and as taverns were few and far between they generally camped out at night most of the time. The only company they had was the teamsters with their big wagons and horses rigged out with bells, transporting merchandise, hardware and glass to the western towns. Ohio was then a vast forest. Mr. McFarland attended the common schools at intervals until he was twelve years of age, and worked as printer's devil "between times" for $2 per week. His father was an expert maker of womens' fine shoes but could obtain no work at that trade among the pioneers. Sperm oil or whale oil, lard oil and home made candles afforded the only means of illumination. This suggested to Mr. McFarland's father the manu- facture of candles on a large scale, and such an enterprise was organized by him. A contract was secured for furnishing the Asylum for the deaf and dumb and the subject of this sketch delivered the goods from time to time on a wheelbarrow.

But when hope seemed the brightest the family were suddenly over- whelmed with sorrow. The father was attacked by cancer or blood poison- ing in the right arm and suffered for long, weary months. The business was crippled and every available dollar spent on doctors until they all gave up the case but one, who said amputation of the right arm was the last resort. His associates said the patient would die under the operation, and the sufferer was of the same opinion. But the mother never despaired, and by brave example

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and earnest entreaty induced her husband to consent to the operation, which proved to be successful and he recovered within a month and lived thirty years afterward. Soon after the father's recovery, he was appointed collector of tolls on the National road, and the family removed to the government building, three miles west of Columbus, where the parents resided happily for many years. The children in the meantime, had grown up and were self-supporting. The father was a man of noble character and died a Christian. The mother of the subject of this sketch was a woman of deep religious convictions and a faithful member of the Methodist church, enjoying the confidence of the leading ministers to such an extent that they would call upon her on public occasions in large assemblies, to give testimony of her faith.

In our subject's boyhood, there were no "lucifer matches." Fire was started by sparks struck from a flint and steel over a "tinder" box containing burnt linen. In handling candles the necessity for more convenient lighting was suggested, and a "factory" was installed by preparing bunches of small pine slivers and dipping one end in melted brimstone. These our subject peddled from house to house, and pocketed many a good six-pence. He un- doubtedly started the first "match factory" west of the Alleghany Mountains. He does not remember going to school at any one time longer than three months, and the last term he walked six miles per day to drink at the fountain of knowledge. At the age of seventeen he entered the Ohio State Journal of- fice, as an apprentice, to learn the printing business. He worked ten hours per day for four years for four dollars per month and "found." For two years after becoming twenty-one, he remained in the Journal office as type setter at $10.00 per week; and in October 1846, he purchased a half interest in the Circleville Ohio Herald, an old and well established Whig Journal, and started in busi- ness for himself.

October 20, 1847, he was married to Miss Eliza Jane Doddridge, daughter of Joseph Doddridge, a prominent merchant of Circleville, Ohio. The daugh- ter was a graduate of the Granville, Ohio. Female Seminary, and a grand- daughter of Rev. Joseph Doddridge of Wellsburg, Virginia, a faithful minister of the Episcopal church and a physician as well. He is well known as a his- torian of pioneer times, and the author of "Doddridge's Notes on the Set- tlement and Indian Wars of Western Virginia and Pennsylvania, from 1763 to 1783 inclusive."

In July, 1848, he became sole proprietor of the Circleville Herald which he successfully edited and published until the spring of 1853, when he sold out and retired to a farm on the National Road, seven miles west of Columbus, where he remained until October of that year, when he purchased the Daily and Weekly Tribune of Portsmouth, Ohio. The paper was originally Whig but when that party collapsed it followed the American party and in 1856 sup- ported Fillmore for the Presidency, a great mistake. In 1860 it supported the Republican party. In the fall of 1861, Mr. McFarland received an appointment under Colonel John W. Forney, Secretary of the Senate. He sold the Tribune to his brother Daniel and went to Washington. In January, 1864, Mr. McFar- land was appointed by Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, to a position in the Treasury Department as Assistant Special Agent. He resigned this clerkship in the Senate and accepted the other office. His duties required him to spend his time in the southern states, in leasing deserted plantations and se- curing abandoned cotton and other property. In the discharge of his duties he saved the government many thousands of dollars and secured the poor freedmen large sums of money, realized from sales of cotton they had raised after their masters had abandoned their plantations and joined the Con- federate army.

In November, 1865, Mr. McFarland adjusted his accounts with the govern - ment and resigned his Treasury position and returned home. In 1868, he pur- chase a half interest of the Tribune from H. R. W. Smith, and re-entered news- paper work. The paper was then published at No. 112 West Second street, over the Adams Express office. In the summer of 1870, Mr. McFarland erected the Tribune Building on the Northeast corner of Second and Court streets and the office of the paper was removed there. Mr. McFarland and David Elick contin- ued to publish the Tribune until August 9, 1876, when the "Republican" was

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consolidated with it, and the paper called the "Tribune Republican." From October 1, 1877 until January 1, 1881, W. H. Bonsall conducted the paper. At that date Mr. McFarland purchased David Elick's interest and was editor and publisher alone until January 1, 1883, when he became the manager of the "Tribune Publishing Company." In July, 1885, he sold out to the "Blade Print- ing Company."

Mr. McFarland through the columns of the Tribune while he was editor, contributed more to the material in his columns than any other editor who ever presided over a newspaper in Scioto county. His facts could always be relied on, and he was as truthful as any successful editor could be. Mr. Mc- Farland was always a gentleman and conducted his paper with a high tone. It was uniformly readable, always interesting and fit to be in the best household in the land.

Mr. McFarland was a good business man, and he kept the credit of his paper gilt edged all the time he was conected with it. He was a communicant of the All Saints Episcopal church while a resident of Portsmouth, Ohio, and maintained a high character. While in his seventy-ninth year, he has excellent health and is able to attend to all of his business. He enjoys the confidence and respect of a large circle of friends both in this city and the city of Los Ange- les. He is a good example of remaining in the harness, active as a young man when in sight of his seventy-ninth milestone. In September, 1885, Mr. Mc- Farland took his Lares and Penates and set them up in Los Angeles, California. Most of the colony there from Portsmouth have eaten of the seductive lotus and forgotten their old home and friends in Portsmouth, but Mr. McFarland has never partaken of that memory obliterating fruit and cherishes fondly the memory of his good friends and his happy hours in Portsmouth. He keeps in touch with the survivors of his times in Portsmouth and the memory of his departed friends is his most sacred treasure.

In April, 1886, Mr. McFarland purchased a large interest in the Times Mirror Company, publishing an independent Republican daily and weekly at Los Angeles. He was elected Vice President and Treasurer of the Corporation, and in addition discharged the duties of assistant business manager until April, 1888, when he retired from business until November, 1889, at which time at the solicitation of Colonel Harrison Gray Otis, (his old partner and Presi- dent of the Corporation) he again became a member of the company, and re- sumed the duties of treasurer. which position he is filling at the date of this article.

During his connection with the Times it has grown from a small affair of forty shares of par value of $1,000 each to a corporation of nine hundred and sixty shares, par value of $1,000, or $960,000.

Mr. and Mrs. McFarland have had the following children: Ellen Dod- dridge, born at Circleville, Ohio, February 16, 1849, married to William Harts- horn Bonsall at Portsmouth, Ohio, October 2, 1871. They have three daughters and two sons: Jennie J., Bessie, Mary Elisa, Samuel Newbold and Albert Mc- Farland. All reside in Los Angeles.

Albert Owen, their second child, was born at Circleville, Ohio, Novem- ber 30, 1851, married at Portsmouth, Ohio, to Martha Densmore, 1875. They have two daughters and one son: Ella, Jennie and Donald.

Their daughter Jennie, born March 30, 1854, married Charles C. Damarin at Portsmouth, Ohio, February 2, 1876. She died at Los Angeles, California, De- cember 14, 1890. Mr. Damarin died in December, 1888.

Their son Dan, born at Portsmouth, Ohio, June 25, 1856, married Louisa Towell, at Portsmouth, Ohio, February 8, 1877. They have the following children: Katherine, who died at the age of sixteen, Louise and Sallie Plater. All reside at Los Angeles.

William Anderson McGeorge

was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, January 8, 1852. His father was William McGeorge, and his mother was Eliza Anderson. They came to Scioto

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county in 1864, and brought our subject with them. His father was born in 1819 and died in 1888. His father located at Mt. Joy and the family have re- sided in that vicinity ever since. Mr. McGeorge learned the carpenter trade. He taught school in the winters from 1872 to 1888, and worked at the carpenter trade in the summers. In 1879, he moved to what is known as the "English

farm" which he purchased and has resided there ever since. He was married September 13, 1877 to Harriet Davis, daughter of John Davis. They have four children: Frank, John Davis, James and Mary Florence.

Mr. McGeorge conducted a general mercantile business from 1889 to 1897, He is a member of the United Presbyterian church. He was elected commis- sioner of Scioto county in 1897, and re-elected in 1900. From 1894 to 1895, he was secretary of the Fair Association at Mt. Joy. Since 1895, he has been president of the Scioto County Fair Association.

James Madison McGillivray

was born January 21, 1846, in Carroll county, Ohio. His father was James Mc- Gillivray, who was born in Scotland in 1815, and came to the United States when he was sixteen years of age. His mother was Nancy Bartholomew. Her family came to the United States in 1867, and landed in Massachusetts. His father and mother had eight children, of whom our subject was the eldest. His father was a saddle and harness maker. When he was three years old, his father moved to Vinton county. J. M. attended the common schools in Vinton county for six or seven months in each year from the age of six until he was thirteen. At the age of eighteen, he became a school teacher, and taught for six consecutive winters. He began to study law January 1. 1867, and was ad- mitted to the bar September 15, 1868, at McArthur, Ohio, but did not begin practicing there until 1869.

In the fall of 1869, he was elected prosecuting attorney in Vinton county and served one term. He has always been a strong democrat in his political views. He was a candidate for his party for Common Pleas Judge in his sub- division, in 1878. The district was 1,500 republican. James Tripp, senior, was his opponent, and his majority in the five counties was only 293. Mr. Mc- Gillivray was nominated by his party for Common Pleas Judge again in 1886, against Noah J. Dever, but was defeated. In 1878 and 1879 he was in partnership with his brother-in-law, Mr. Pugh, and afterwards with Henry W. Coultrap, from December, 1884 to January 1, 1890.

From December, 1884, until April, 1888, he was a resident of the city of Portsmouth, and while there he practiced law with A. C. Thompson and A. T. Holcomb, under the firm name of Thompson, McGillivray and Holcomb. In 1892, he was nominated for Circuit Judge. but was defeated by Thomas Cher- rington. Mr. McGillivray has practiced law in Jackson, Hocking and Ath- en's counties for the last twenty years.

He was married November 2, 1869, to Miss Ada M. Pugh, of McArthur, Ohio, daughter of Ellis B. Pugh. They have four children: Flora, wife of Al- bert J. Ullom, resides at McArthur; Ellis, Elizabeth and Donald at home.

He is one of the ablest lawyers in southern Ohio. He never misses a point when he goes into a case, and makes it a rule to know all of his own side and all of his opponents. He is one of the most rapid and brilliant cross- examiners in the state, and a very able advocate. Any lawyer who is opposed to him in a case may expect to meet any arguments which could properly be brought up. He enjoys the confidence of the business public in the county of his residence and the adjoining counties. Mr. McGillivray is a man of easy manners, generous and frank in his intercourse with his fellowmen and pos- sessed of an unusual amount of good common sense. As a lawyer, he is an un- tiring worker with great natural ability for the practice. His clearness of con- ception enables him at once to grasp the strong points of a case and to distin- guish all the shades of difference between cases that bear a strong resemblance and to determine what the law is from what the other fellow may think it is. His style as a speaker, is terse and perspicuous. He goes right to the control- ing and decisive points without any preliminaries, and often by a single blow wins his case. He enjoys a large and lucrative practice and is regarded as one of the strongest lawyers of his district.

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David McJunkin

son of David W. McJunkin and Elizabeth Double, his wife, was born Feb. 23, 1836, on the waters of Muddy creek, near Butler, in Butler county, Pa. His father was of Scotch descent and was a native of Butler county, Pa. His mother was a daughter of John Double, an emigrant from Germany to Penn- sylvania. He had four brothers and five sisters. He landed at Portsmouth. Ohio, May 2. 1844, with his parents and on the next day they went to Mt. Joy and settled there for a short time, aterwards moving to Sedan, where our sub- ject was reared and educated. His father died in July, 1854, and is buried in the cemetery at Mt. Joy.

Our subject was married on the 8th of November, 1860, to Mary Minich a native of Germany, who was brought to Pike county, Ohio, by her parents when only a child. Her father was Leonard Minich. To them were born nine chil- dren, four girls and five boys. Only five of them are living: Altie E., wife of E. L. Mechlin, at Camp, Pike county, Ohio, James M., William E., Elmer C. and Frank A.

Mr. McJunkin cast his first vote for Taylor. Later he became a republi- can, and was elected twice as trustee of Camp Creek township, in Pike county. Though a resident of Scioto county he votes in Pike county. He formerly re- sided in Pike county and owns a farm there. He became a member of the 8th Independent Company, Volunteer Sharp Shooters on the 19th of July, 1863, at the age of 27, served in the department of the Cumberland, took part in the battles of Mission Ridge, Chickamauga, Nashville and Franklin and was mus- tered out July 19, 1865. Mr. McJunkin is a man of excellent character, a care- ful, conservative and law-abiding citizen and punctual in the fulfillment of his business obligations.

Isaac Milton McJunkin

was born in Morgan township, Scioto county, Ohio, December 16, 1845. His father's name was David McJunkin and his mother's maiden name was Eliza- beth Double. His father and mother were both natives of Butler county, Penn- sylvania. Our subject had four brothers and five sisters. He had a common school education and was brought up a farmer. On August 21, 1862. at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in Company C, of the Ninety-First O. V. I., and served until June 24, 1865, when he was mustered out with his company. He did not miss a single battle the regiment was in. He was only in the hospital for ten days and that was on account of the mumps. After the war was over he went to his former home and has lived in the same neighborhood, carrying on the business of farming, ever since.

He was married in May, 1887, to Lavinia Hopper, daughter of George Hopper, of Sun Fish, Pike county, Ohio. He has had seven children, three of whom are living: Dora, wife ot Newton Bare, Nettie and Jennie, unmarried. He lost a son, Isaac Merton, at the age of eighteen, in 1893. He lost one son and one daughter in infancy; Anolia at the age of five, and David at the age of five years; also a son George at the age of thirteen. He is a republican in his political views. He is a member of the Baptist church at Sedan, and has been for twenty-two years. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public. Mr. McJunkin is a man of sterling character and an agreeable and good neighbor. He has always been a careful, conservative, and law-abiding citizen. He is in for anything that will advance the condition of his com- munity. In business, he is punctual in fulfilling all his obligations.

Emmett K. Mckeown,

son of John H. and Pauline (Aslıton) Mckeown, was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, April 17, 1879. His education was received principally in the schools of this city. After taking a course in book-keeping and stenography in the Portsmouth Business College, he took a position as assistant in the office of the Portsmouth Veneer Works. He had been there but a short time, when war was declared with Spain and Company H, of which he was a member, was ordered to re- port at Columbus, Ohio. He entered the army ambitious to excel as a sol- dier. Soon ater reaching Chickamauga, he received an appointment as orderly on General Haines' staff. He served in the same position under General Fred Grant. He was detailed by Adj. Gen. Fenton and carried the news of peace

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from General Brooke to General Haines at Guayama and thus prevented what might have proved a very disastrous battle. On his return from Porto Rico he re-entered the office of the Portsmouth Veneer Works as book-keeper and stenographer, which position he still holds.

On December 27, 1899, he was married to Miss Estelle Smith, a most beautiful and accomplished woman; but their happiness was short lived, his wife dying suddenly July 15, 1900. Mr. Mckeown is active in politics and has a promising future in store as a business man.

John H. Mckeown

was born in Franklin county, Indiana, April 11, 1849. His father was Frances T. Mckeown, of county Tyrone, Ireland, and his mother was Catherine Hardin, of Cedar Grove, Indiana. Shortly after his birth, his father bought a large farm seven miles east of Brookville, Indiana. As John was the second of a family of eight children, he was obliged to quit school early to assist on the farm. He remained at home and managed the farm until 1873. About that time he met Miss Pauline Ashton, whom he afterwards married. He then re- moved to Portsmouth and for a short time was engaged in teaming. After the election of his father-in-law to the office of Justice of the Peace, he was pre- vailed upon to run for Constable. He was elected and re-elected for several terms, having shown special qualification as a detective. In this respect he became very well known throughout southern Ohio. He was serving as Deputy United States Marshal at the time of his death. He was a republican, and served his friends and party well. He was true and loyal in his friendships, both political and social. In the spring of 1891, he was a prominent candidate for the position of City Marshal. Exposure during this campaign aggravated an attack of grippe that ended in pneumonia. He died in the prime of man- hood, April 2, 1891.

John Calvin McNelly

was born in Scioto county, May 2, 1836. His father was William McNelly, a na- tive of Kentucky, and his mother's maiden name was Hannah Deaver, a daughter of William Deaver, a Revolutionary soldier from Virginia. His mother died October 30, 1883 in her 91st year. His father and mother had eight children, of whom our subject was the youngest. The following is the list: James married Martha Monroe; Catherine married James Monroe; Margaret married Richard Walden, a soldier in the Mexican war; William married Mary Monroe; Elizabeth marriedi Wesley Boyer; Mary married Henry Colegrove, who was in Company A, 39th O. V. I .; Eliza married Stephen Crabtree; John Calvin, our subject.

Our subject had a common school education. He learned to be a farmer, but has worked at all occupations where he could find anything to do. He en- listed in Company C, 91st O. V. I., August 1, 1862 for three years. He was dis- charged January 4, 1863 for physical disabilities. He was drafted May, 16, 1864 and was assigned to Company F, 126th O. V. I. and was discharged September 8, 1864, when the government discovered that it had made a mistake in taking him in the service a second time. He received a pension on account of the dis- abilities received in the 91st O. V. I. He had two brothers in the service, James M. in Company H, 1st Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery, and William in the 100 days service, 140th O. V. I.

He was married October 1, 1863 to Phebe Ann Miller, daughter of Samuel Miller. They had six children: Henry Calvin, born in January, 1865, and died July 13, 1893, leaving a widow, whose maiden name was Anna Foster; Hannalı Belle, m. N. Riley Burton of Bloom township; Eliza E., m. Henry Prior, of Portsmouth, Ohio; William S., resides at Columbus, Ohio; John Davis Wesley resides in Bloom township, m. Ettie Ward; and Joseph L., resides at home.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 143

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612