Martin L. McCoy
A successful farmer and stock raiser and one of the representative citizens of the county is he whose name forms the caption of this article. Martin McCoy has attained his present comfortable station in life by close application to his affairs, being blessed with undaunted courage, energy and business ability above the ordinary. His course is especially commendable in that he has won his way from humble beginnings and while he has achieved success along financial lines, he has also so ordered his life as to win the confidence and trust of his fellow citizens in every respect.
Mr. McCoy was born in Union township, Fayette county, Ohio, on June 26, 1855, being the son of Abraham and Margaret (Hoppes) McCoy. Abraham also was a native of this county, having been born in Union township and was the son of James. The father of James was one of the first settlers in the state, coming here in 1812 from Lancaster county, Pennsvlvania. He Iived to be one hundred and six years old. Abraham. father of the immediate subject, was one of the pioneer settlers of this county and was a large and prosperous farmer in his day. He was the father of a family of ten children, Elias, Sarah (Mrs. Briggs). John. James. Nancy (Mrs. Melvin), Martin (the immediate subject). Mary (Mrs. Burnett). Allie (Mrs. James), F. M. and Mrs. Clara Cleveland (deceased).
When a boy the subject attended the district schools of his home locality and from early boyhood assisted the father in the work of the homestead. When quite a young man he started out in life for himself, finally renting and farming the tract of land which he later purchased and where he now makes his home. In this home farm he has one hundred and ten acres, all in an excellent state of cultivation. In addition to the general farming which he does he also is greatly interested in blooded stock. He has a fine herd of cattle of the Angus breed and had made more than a local reputation for himself in this line. He also gives considerable attention to swine, his hogs being the Spotted Poland-China breed. In addition to the home farm, he also owns another farm above Washington C. H., containing some three hundred and eighty-six acres. Mr. McCoy has labored hard for the success which he has won, same being commensurate with the amount of energy, brain and brawn which he put into his enterprise.
On November 28, 1883, Mr. McCoy was united in marriage with Anna M. Parrett, daughter of Elias and Sarah (Connor) Parrett, and to their union have been born four children. They had the misfortune to lose their second born, Florence. Walter, the son. is a graduate of Washington high school, taught school for a number of years and is now located in Greensburg, Indiana. His wife was Ruth Allen. Ruth is a graduate of the high school, fitted herself for a teacher and is now employed in the schools of the township. Dorris, the youngest daughter, still remains at home, attending school. Mr. McCoy is a man of marked domestic tastes, finding his greatest enjoyment in his home and with his family. This family is considered one of the leading ones of the community, being broad-minded and interested in all that makes for the welfare of their home community.
Mr. McCoy's political affiliation is with the Democratic party, in the affairs of which he takes a commendable interest, and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church except Walter and wife, who are members of the Christian church. Mr. McCoy is one of the sterling men of strength of character so essential to the best growth and development of a community, gladly giving his influence to promote the social, moral, material or educational development of his home locality. During his long and industrious career, he has not only gained the confidence of his fellow men, but as a man of responsibility, upright and honest in his dealings with his fellow men, he has gained the confidence and esteem of all who know him.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)
The subject of this sketch makes his home in Union Township, Fayette County, and is the son of Abraham McCoy, of the same township, who was born near Washington C. H. about 1823. His father, James McCoy, came to Ohio from the Eastern part of the country. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Margaret Hoppes, and was the daughter of John Hoppes, of this county, a prominent farmer and a man of considerable wealth. Abraham and Margaret McCoy reared a family of ten children, and all of that large circle are still living. Elias, the eldest, lives at Washington C. H. and is a farmer; Sarah is the wife of Joseph Briggs and lives in Wayne Township, this county; John resides in Marion Township; James lives in Washington C. H. and is in the grocery business; Nannie is the wife of Al Melvin, a hardware merchant of Washington C. H.; our subject and a twin sister are next in order of age, the latter being Mary, the wife of W. J. Burnett, who is a farmer in North Dakota and President of the Farmers' Alliance there; F. M. McCoy lives in Wayne Township, where he carries on a farm; Allie James is in the poultry business in Muncie, Ind.,and Clara married William Cleveland, who lives in the same city, where he is carrying on a clothing business. Mrs. Abraham McCoy died on the 3d of May, 1885, and was followed to her grave at Washington C. H. by her bereaved husband and all her children.
The subject of this sketch was born June 26, 1855, in Union Township, Fayette County, at the old homestead. His education was received in the district schools of his township, where he has always resided. On the 20th of November, 1883, he was united in marriage with Miss Annie M., daughter of Elias and Sarah Parrett.
Mr. Parrett was born Februaiy 4, 1811, in Virginia, his native place being in Shenandoah County, six miles north of Woodstock, and his parents were John and Catherine Parrett, who came to Ohio in the fall of 1811, when their son Elias was above eight months old. They traveled by wagon and settled six miles north of the Court House in Paint Township, thus becoming one of the earliest pioneers of the county. During the War of 1812, John Parrett was called to serve his country and fought all through that period of conflict. Upon the land which he bought upon Paint Creek he lived from 1811 to 1859, during which year he died. Eight of his eleven children grew to man's and woman's estate, and four of them are still living. The mother of Mrs. McCoy was Sarah, daughter of James and Elsie Conner, and of her five children, all of whom are now living, Mrs. McCoy is the youngest.
Mr. McCoy has a family of two children, one son and one daughter: Walter E., who was born January 10, 1887, and Florence, May 7, 1891. The splendid tract of one hundred and ten and one-half acres, which belongs to Mr. McCoy and comprises his home farm, is in a fine state of cultivation, and here he carries on general farming and stock-raising. He also operates a farm of three hundred and fifty acres adjoining, and this year (1892) he is harvesting one hundred and eighty acres of wheat, and makes a specialty of fine Brahma chickens and has some very fine specimens of this fowl.
Our subject is a member of Temple Lodge No. 227, 1. O. O. F., at Washington C. H. His political views bring him into sympathy with the Democratic party, but he also belongs to the Farmers' Alliance. He ranks as one of the most enterprising young farmers of the county and is a most pleasant and agreeable gentleman to meet. His father-in-law, Elias Parrett, makes his home with his family and is now eighty-one years of age.
From PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF FAYETTE, PICKAWAY AND MADISON COUNTIES, OHIO - Chapman Bros. [Chicago, 1892]