McCoy, Benjamin

MCCOY, BOTKIN, MALCOLM, WILSON, SPIELMAN, HARMON, STELLING

Posted By: Janelle Martin (email)
Date: 5/20/2009 at 21:27:17

History of Hamilton County Iowa,1912,Vol. II, p.64

BENJAMIN McCOY

Benjamin McCoy, who is now living retired at No. 1029 First street in Webster City, was for a number of years actively and successfully identified with agricultural pursuits in Hamilton County, operating a farm in Fremont township. His birth occurred in Pendleton County, Virginia, on the 14th of March, 1834, his parents being Henry and Mary Ann (Botkin) McCoy. The father, a farmer of Virginia, passed away in the fall of 1862. The mother lived to attain the advanced age of ninety-two years.

Benjamin McCoy obtained his education in a log schoolhouse in Virginia. In 1857, when a young man of twenty-three years, he removed to Lewis County, West Virginia, residing there at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. He was thus in the midst of the exciting and confusing scenes attending the beginning of the strife, when every man took his stand in support of either the Union or the Confederacy and many families were divided. After carefully considering the principles involved Mr. McCoy decided to remain with the Union and in June, 1861, enlisted in the Third West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. His two brothers joined the Confederate army. One was captured three days after his enlistment and died in a Federal prison. The other fought for the south throughout the entire period of hostilities. At the end of nine months' service Benjamin McCoy was discharged on account of disability and returned home. He was constantly harassed by the skirmishing rebels as well as by the guerrillas who infested that section and on several occasions barely escaped with his life, for his sympathy with the Union cause was well known to these bands and aroused their bitter enmity. When, only by exercising the utmost caution, he had thwarted several of their plans to shoot him, he deemed discretion the better part of valor and concluded to leave that part of the country, removing to Lexington, Illinois, with his family March 1, 1865. There he followed farming until 1893 and in that year came to Hamilton County, Iowa, purchasing a farm in Fremont township which he operated successfully until a few years ago. Putting aside the active work of the fields, he took up his abode in Webster City, where he has since lived in honorable retirement.

Mr. McCoy has been married twice. In 1854 he wedded Miss Cynthia Malcolm of Virginia, who died the following year. In 1856 he married Miss Emily Wilson, her father being James Wilson of Ohio, who is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy have seven children, as follows: Rosina, who was born in 1862 and who is the wife of Robert Spielman, of Webster City; William S., born in 1864, who resides at Pleasanton, Kansas; Ida, who is the widow of S. H. Spielman and makes her home in Webster City; John W., an agriculturist of Cass township, Hamilton County; Eva, who is the wife of Alfred H. Harmon and lives in Lexington, Illinois; Mary, who is the wife of William S. Stelling, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Benjamin F., Jr., a farmer living in Fremont township, Hamilton County.

Politically Mr. McCoy is a stanch republican. During most of the period of his residence in Lexington, Illinois, he served as a school director and for nine years acted as school treasurer. He also held the office of constable for four years and that of deputy sheriff for several years. He belongs to Winfield Scott Post, No. 66, G. A. R., of Webster City, and is at present chaplain of the post, while during the year 1911 he served as adjutant. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the United Brethren church. He has now passed the seventy-eighth milestone on this earthly pilgrimage and can look back upon a useful, active and honorable life.