McCauley and Maxwell Biographies

Portrait And Biographical record of Buchanan and Clinton Counties, Missouri: containing biographical sketches of prominent and Representative Citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States
Chicago1888 Chapman Bros 1893

page 614

Jacob McCauley
one of largest farmers in Buchanan County
owning 480 acres on sections 22 and 27, Center Township
eldest son of Samuel McCauley
Jacob born 1862
enlisted in Union Army, becoming member of Company B, Third Missouri Volunteers
did much scouting and skirmishing while in the service
Six months later received honorable discharge on account of disability
returned home devoting his entire time to cultivating the soil of his broad acres
Jacob married Pernecey J Yates 1867
Pernecey daughter of Pleasant and Harriet (McCreary) Yates of Buchanan County
parents deceased at time of writing
After marriage Jacob located on his present farm
1888 he remodeled his residence for $2500
Barn at a cost of $1600, is constructed after the most approved patterns and is 38X50 feet
Jacob owned two good dwellings in Willow Brook
Owns a valuable piece of business property in St Joseph
spends time on stock raising, making a specialty of breeding mules
Blessed by the birth of nine children, only one deceased
Those living Samuel P, nancy Belle, Cora May, Maude M, Rosa E, Jacob W, Charles C and Robert H
Ann Louisa died age two
devoted members of methodist Epsicopal Church South
Served as Steward for twelve years

Page 615- continued

Jacob McCauley
Trustee the past sixteen years
Class-leader and Superintendent of Sunday school
Prominent Mason - has filled two chairs
Grange member - holds office
Farmers' Alliance was Chaplain for some time
votes Democratic and represented party at county and state conventions
Popular in community
Was offered county judge and representative positions, but refused
School Director of District No 4 for past 15 years
By appt of Board built new schoolhouse at a cost of $1,850
Giving children good education
Nancy B and Cora students in Howard Payne Female College, Fayette, Mo
Samuel P in Central College, Fayette, Mo

Samuel McCauley
father of Jacob
Came to county in an early day
death February 12, 1888
one of wealthiest farmers and largest land-owner in this portion of state
Wife followed in death the next year
Wife Death January 7, 1889
Samuel born Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 15 October 1819
sixth of nine children, 7 boys, 2 girls
His grandfather (Samuel's ?)emigrated from Ireland to America
Father George McCauley
Mother Catherine Schroyer
1825 George moved with children to Lebanon County in Penn.
Samuel hired out on farm until he was 17
Began to learn the trade of a tin and copper-smith in Lebanon,PA
Was in an apprencticeship 3 years
went to Huntingdon County, Pa and then headed west where he intended settling
Went by canal to Pittsburgh where we worked for a short time
Then went to Cincinnati
Worked also for short periods at
Dayton, Ohio
Miamisburg, Ohio
Then went to Indiana
Then back to Cincinnati
Decided to emigrate to Missouri
Proceeded to St Louis with supply of tin and tools
came up the Missouri by steamboat to Weston
Weston to Center Township, Buchanan County
Stayed their ever afterward
No town of Sparta then
Sparta had log court house and a few other buildings southwest of McCauley
residence
Located at Sparta and opened a tin shop in a little frame shed adjoining the court house.
The first tinner who started business in Buchanan County

Louisa Maxwell
married May 22, 1841 to
Louisa Maxwell
Louisa born 11 Feb 1823, Fulton County, Ill
father Hugh Maxwell

Hugh Maxwell
Hugh emigrated with family to Missouri in 1840
first settled mile south of Sparta
Sold goods for a short time in Sparta
Then went to framing four miles east of St Joseph
Preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church south
well known throughout the county
death occurred in Doniphan County, Kan

Samuel McCauley continued
1841 went to farming a mile and a half south of Sparta
preempted a claim there and made a large farm
Lived there until 1867
hard work and perseverance
Went to farming, it was his custom to work hard through the day and every night spent some hours in work at his tinner's trade
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page 616

as land was put on market he bought land and paid for it in installments
1867 purchase farm which covers the site of the old town of Sparta
owned over 1200 acres
paid $75 acre for some of it
seven whole quarter sections join each other
Mr and Mrs McCauley (Samuel and Louisa?)
had eight children now living
Jacob McCauley married Pernecey J Yates
Alexander McCauley marriage Margaret Gibson
George Bell McCauley married Elizabeth Gann
Mary , the eldest now living married Adolph Houseman
Samuel McCauley married Adaline Harness
William McCauley next to youngest, unmarried
Emma McCauley married Samuel Gann
Henry McCauley is the youngest, unmarried
all live in Center Township
Samuel McCauley attached to Democratic party
first time voted after coming to Missouri in 1840, at the Presidential
campaign when Harrison was the Whig and Van Buren the Democratic nominee
Cast vote for Van Buren and continued to vote Democratic
At his death, oldest settler of the county
(A lot of praise)
Largest taxpayer in Buchanan county outside the city of St Joseph