Pg 538

         REV. LUTHER McVAY, deceased, a pioneer of Louisa County, was born in Ohio in 1815. His parents reared a family of six children, of whom he was the eldest, and the death of both father and mother occurred in Athens County, Ohio. In 1840 he was united in marriage with Mary Jane Howell, their union being celebrated in Ohio, in which State she was born. He had previously studied and fitted himself for the ministry, having united with the Methodist Church, and after his marriage was in charge of a circuit in Athens County until 1844, when he came to Iowa, settling in Lee County. He there traveled a circuit for about two years, preaching for the Methodist Episcopal Church, after which he came to Louisa County, locating in the village of Grand View in 1846, and the following year became a member of the United Brethren Church. He was received into the Quarterly Conference under the administration of Rev. John Everhart, and in the month of August was received into the Iowa Conference under the administration of Bishop Hanby, after which he immediately joined the itinerancy and began his labors in the vineyard of the Lord. In 1847 he purchased land of the Government, and his widow still has in her possession the deed signed by James K. Polk. Upon this farm, which consisted of eighty acres, he erected a small log cabin, made many other improvements, and later added another tract of forty acres, making that farm his home until his death, when not called away by the duties of the ministry.

On the 15th of September, 1860, the death of Mrs. McVay occurred in Muscatine, where he was preaching at the time. Two children had been born of that union—William and Levi. The former is married, and resides in Nebraska; Levi is also making his home in that State. In 1861, in Jones County, Iowa, Mr. McVay was again united in marriage, Mrs. Mary Moore, a native of Ohio, becoming his wife. She was a daughter of James and Amanda (White) Miller, the former a native of Virginia, the latter of Massachusetts. Her father was a farmer by occupation, and with his family came to Iowa in 1848, settling in Jones County, where he engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1878, at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife is still living, at the advanced age of eighty. Mrs. McVay’s former husband, John Moore, was a native of the Isle of Man, and when two years of age came to Chicago with his parents, who made that their home for about two years, and then became residents of Jones County, Iowa, where they took a claim, upon which they lived until their death, which occurred some years ago. Mr. Moore followed farming in Jones County, where he died in 1855, after a short illness of four days, his disease being lung fever, leaving three children: Minnie, now Mrs. Gates, a resident of Missouri; Eliza, wife of Rev. D. Miller, pastor of the United Brethren church at Ainsworth; and Matilda, who resides with her mother.

After his second marriage Mr. McVay remained in Jones County for about a year, and then removed to his farm in Grand View Township, . . .

Pg 539

. . . Louisa County. After a lingering illness, his death occurred near Letts, Aug. 17, 1883, at the age of nearly sixty-eight years. The funeral services took place at his late residence on the 18th of August, at 1 o’clock P.M., and were conducted by Rev. J. H. Snoke. In his death the community lost a good neighbor, a true friend and a devoted Christian. His life work had been for his Master, he devoting every energy to the cause of trust and right, winning many to the true way.

To Mr. and Mrs. McVay was born one child, Perry, who resides at home, but who at present is a student of the schools at Iowa City.