acres of valuable farm land. In 1875 he began importing horses and crossed the ocean eighteen times for this purpose. He was at one time manager and director of the Central Iowa Importing Company but they discontinued the business in 1893. He also served as a director of the Union National Bank for thirty years but recently resigned from this.
Mr. McCarthy has always been an ardent supporter of the cause of education and it is largely due to his personal efforts that the Iowa State College, then known as the State Agricultural College, was located at Ames, as with other public-spirited citizens he donated money for that purpose. He drove the first stake, and leveled and staked off the ground for the first two buildings of this college, which is now recognized as one of the foremost institutions of learning of its kind in the United States. His championship of the college was recognized and honored by his being appointed to have entire supervision of the arrangements for the semi-centennial anniversary, which was held on the 4th of July, 1909. It is also very largely due to his efforts that the Northwestern Railroad passed through Ames, as he contributed money toward defraying the expenses of the preliminary survey and did his utmost to convince the more conservative citizens of the advantages which it would be to the community.
On the 25th of April, 1858, Mr. McCarthy was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Ross, a daughter of James and Mary Ross, natives of Virginia and Ohio respectively. Her father was a salt manufacturer in his early days but gave this up later in life and became a farmer. In the family were eight children, Mrs. McCarthy being the seventh in order of birth, three of whom are still living. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy have been born nine children, eight of whom are living, as follows: William F., a machinist, residing in Ames; Andrew, who died at the age of two and one-half years; Marie, the wife of H. L. Carrol, a member of the Polk county bar, living in Des Moines ; Emma, who married C. G. Lee, of Ames ; Robert H., engaged in the real-estate business in Ames ; Elizabeth, the wife of George S. Foster, a civil engineer of Madison, Wisconsin; Harriet, who married Dr. Thomas L. Rice, of Ames; Mary R., who is the wife of Frank W. Linebaugh, superintendent of the electric light and water plant of Ames; and Justin D., who is engaged in farming.
Mr. McCarthy has always been a stanch adherent of the republican party, is a very public-spirited man and has at all times taken an active interest in municipal politics and has served in various local offices. He was a member of the board of supervisors for many years and recently resigned because of the arduous duties it involved and has held no public office since that time. He was also a member of the first city council in Ames.
Mr. McCarthy can most truly be termed a self-made man. The son of a poor man, he started out in life determined to make a place for himself and to this end he saw that every step was an advance. When a less de-