David Jones McCoy

Hon. David Jones McCoy is a gentleman who has long been a prominent factor in Lucas county, Iowa, for many years residing on a farm in Cedar township, and of recent years maintaining his home in Russell.

Major McCoy, as he is called, was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, April 6, 1830. Moses McCoy, his father, was a native of Kentucky, and early in the present century accompanied his parents, John and Nancy McCoy, to Indiana. Grandmother McCoy has been twice married, and her first husband, a Mr. Hayes, was killed by the red men, and she subsequently married John McCoy. She was a true Christian and a typical pioneer woman, the mother of seven children, one by her first marriage. Of her family, we make record as follows: John, who passed his life in Indiana, engaged in agricultural pursuits; George, a veteran of the war of 1812, removed from Indiana to Lucas county, Iowa, in the spring of 1856, bringing his wife and five children, his death occurring in 1863 and his wife's eleven years later; Daniel spent many years in Jefferson county and late in life removed to Hendricks county, same State, where he died; Moses, the father of our subject; William removed from Jefferson to Monroe county, Indiana, where he died after a long and useful life, spent chiefly in agricultural pursuits; Mary was twice married, first to James Courtney and after his death to a Mr. Griffith, she and Mr. Griffith both having passed away; Stephen and his wife, nee Susan Heron, both died in Indiana, he in Montgomery county and she in Jefferson, and Mrs. McCoy's son by her first marriage was killed by the Indians in Indiana. The mother was at her ninetieth mile-post when she passed away.

Moses McCoy, the father of our subject, was born February 11, 1799, and was reared on the frontier farm in Indiana, and on reaching man's estate he entered a claim of 160 acres in Jeffereson county, and was united in marriage to Selona Jones, who was born in Kentucky February 12, 1804. The children of their union were six in number, four sons and two daughters, all natives of Jefferson county, namely: John G., a farmer of Monroe county, Iowa; Lydia, wife of Jeremiah Salyers, is deceased, as also is her husband; Mary, deceased wife of Aaron Robins, a farmer of Jefferson county, Indiana; D. J., the subject of this article; and James, who resided in Iowa for a short time, but returned to Indiana and died there. The mother of these children died September 3, 1878, and the father passed away November 17, 1834, when D. J. was a child of four years.

Having thus briefly referred to his parents and their family, we now come to the life of our immediate subject, Hon. D. J. McCoy. His boyhood days were spent on a farm in his native county, and his winters, until he was sixteen, were spent in attending subscription school in the log school-house near his home. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to the trade of plasterer, which occupation he followed until the opening of the Civil war. In 1856 he emigrated to Iowa, coming in company with his aunt, Mrs. Rebecca Lott and her adopted son, Anthony Gray, their journey being made by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from Madison to Keokuk and thence by wagon to Lucas county, to the home of an uncle, James Hayes. Mr. Hayes lived in a log cabin, 14 X 18 feet, with a puncheon floor, two little windows, stick-and-mud-chimney, and covered with clapboards, and through the crevices both the sunbeams and the moonbeams found their way, as also did the snow and rain. Here Mr. McCoy spent the winter of 1855-6, and, owing to limited room, made his bed at night upon the floor. When spring came on Mr. McCoy found work at his trade. Later he attended school for a time, and in the winter of 1860-1 he taught the Greenville district school, having about forty-five pupils of various ages. As a school-teacher he was popular.

When the war broke out Mr. McCoy was not slow to show his patriotism. He enlisted in Comapny B, Captain Isiminger, July 17, 1861, at Burlington, Iowa, and at once went to the front, remaining in almost continuous service throughout that sanguinary struggle. To give a detailed account of his army life would be to write a history of the greater part of the war, as he participated in many of its most important engagements. This, of course, can not be done in a work of this character. Suffice it to say that he was an active participant in the memorable battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Atlanta, Resaca, and Kenesaw mountain, and that for meritorious conduct he was promoted, in 1862, to the position of Second Lieutenant; 1863, to that of First Lieutenant; 1864, as Captain, and the same year as Major. The war over, he participated in the grand review of the victorious soldiers at Washington and returned to his home in Iowa a veteran and a victor. He was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 23, 1865.

Returning to Iowa, Mr. McCoy went to the home of his brother in Monroe county and gave his attention to the stock business. In the fall of 1866 he removed to Cedar township, Lucas county, having married in the meantime, and here his family were reared. For the past seven years he has made his home in Russell.

Mr. McCoy was married November 19, 1865, to Miss Ann M. Kells, daughter of Robert and Lavina (Bay) Kells. She was born in Defiance county, Ohio, April 25, 1845, next to the youngest in a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, and of this number only two besides herself are living: Mary J. Trowbridge, Orange county, Florida; and Ezra C. Kells, Washington township, Lucas county, Iowa. Mrs. McCoy has a half brother, Robert C. Kells, a vineyardist of Yuba City, California. Her parents were both natives of Ohio; her father, born October 19, 1811, and died in Ohio December 20, 1853; and her mother, born December 4, 1817, died in Ohio, January 25, 1848. Mrs. McCoy came to Monroe county, Iowa, in 1854, and before her marriage was a successful teacher. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. McCoy, we make the following record: Sherman E., born October 11, 1866, is a farmer of Chase county, Nebraska; Clara M. is the wife of C. E. Werts, a farmer of Benton township, this county; Charles D., at home; Guy L., a farmer of Dwight, North Dakota; and Myrtle G and Susan E, at home. Then there are two deceased Mary S., born November 2, 1867and died September 15, 1868; and Edith, born July 22, 1871, and died August 16, 1873.

Mr. McCoy has alway given his influence, politically, to the Republican party. He cast his first presidential vote for Fremont, going eight miles north into Cedar township to get his ticket and voting in Washington township, it being the only Republican vote cast in that township. From time to time he has been called upon to fill various positions of importance and trust, and has ever discharged his duty faithfully and efficiently. At the time the war broke out he was serving as Justice of the Peace to fill a vacancy, and has been elected to the office ever since. He has also served as Township Assessor and Supervisor. In 1872 he was elected a Representative to the Iowa State Legislature, where he acquitted himself creditably, while a member of that body helping to pass the bill for the appropriation of the courthouse of Lucas county, and voting for the repeal of corporal punishment. During his residence in Russell Mr. McCoy was from 1887 until 1892 engage in mercantile pursuits, but is now living retired. He has served as Mayor of the city, has in many ways been prominently identified with its best interests, and is regarded as one of its best citizens. Socially, he is connected with the Frank Knowlan Post, No 208 G. A. R., and was for many years and active Odd Fellow.