John McElroy
John McElroy (deceased) was born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 1805, a son of Adam and Jane (Hughes) McElroy, former a native of Scotland, latter of Irish ancestry. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died at Detroit, Mich., leaving four children: John, Rachel, Adam and Thomas. In 1815 the widowed mother came with her children to Holmes County, and bought 100 acres of land, which she made her home the rest of her life. She was married, second time, to Abraham Craner. At her death the farm was inherited by John McElroy and a brother, through whose energy and industry it had mainly been acquired.
John McElroy was a successful farmer, an occupation he followed from the time he was ten years of age. He added to his possessions from time to time until he became the owner of 200 acres of valuable land. He was one of the oldest of the early settlers at the time of his death, and had always taken an intense interest in the development of the county which from his childhood had been his home. He died in 1869, and his widow yet lives on the farm in Hardy Township. He was from its organization a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and during the war was a strong Union man.
Mr. McElroy was married, in 1858, to Miss Pitney, daughter of Nathaniel and Joy (Marshall) Pitney, and they had a family of eight children, only two of whom are now living: Emma, now Mrs. White, in Ashland County, Ohio, and Ada, now Mrs. Fox, who lives on the homestead with her mother, Mr. Fox having charge of the farm. Mrs. McElroy and her family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. McElroy having also been a member and a liberal supporter of same.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889