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John McCoy collection

 Collection — Folder: S2187
Identifier: S2187

Scope and Contents

This collection includes "The Index to the Diary of John M'Coy of Clark County, Indiana, July 17, 1847 - April 30, 1852, compiled by Elizabeth Hayward, 1939" and "Extracts from the Diaries of John M'Coy of Clark County, Indiana, edited with an Introduction and Explanatory Notes by Elizabeth Hayward, Ridgewood, New Jersey, 1943."

The manuscript which Ms. Hayward prepared in 1943 gives a history of the family on pages 1-5. From pages 6 to 16, she records items from John's diaries under the following headings: Births, Marriages, and Deaths. Family members mentioned are: son Spencer Collins McCoy; son John C. McCoy; grandson George K.; sisters Lydia Littell and Sarah Payne; son Isaac at Brooklyn, Connecticut in 1844; son Dr. George Rice McCoy; nephew Isaac McCoy; son Reverend William McCoy; and eldest son Lewis McCoy. Throughout the manuscript, Ms. Hayward includes editor's notes, which are helpful in understanding family relationships. Pages 17-19 are an index to the paper.

Ms. Hayward mentions "Memoir of Miss Eliza McCoy" by Calvin McCormick, published in 1892 (call number ISLI 922 M129M), and also the Indiana Magazine of History, September 1942 issue.

Dates

  • 1842-1943

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical Note

John McCoy of Clark County, Indiana, was born on February 11, 1782 in a fort constructed by his grandfather, James McCoy, where Uniontown, Pennsylvania, is now located. His father was William McCoy, one of the first preachers of the Silver Creek Baptist Church, and his mother was Elizabeth McCoy. Three of his brothers, Isaac, Royce, and James, were also Baptist ministers. In 1803, John married Jane "Jinsy" Collins of Bullitt County, Kentucky. They had ten children, two of whom were Reverend William McCoy and Spencer Collins McCoy. In 1806, John was made a lieutenant in the Clark County Militia, and by 1812 was a major. He served as a councilman at Jeffersonville from 1841 to 1843, and was city recorder from 1844 to 1848. He helped establish Franklin College. He was a deacon in the Salem Baptist Church in Washington County, and believed in missions, temperance, and Sunday schools. John kept three diaries from 1842 to 1859. In 1943, these diaries were in the possession of descentants: great-grandson William O. McCoy of Salem, Indiana; and two great-granddaughters, Mrs. Lafayette (Emma) Hillis of Wichita, Kansas, and Mrs. F. C. Hills of Mattoon, Illinois. Deacon John McCoy died on September 3, 1859, and is buried in the Silver Creek Cemetery.

Extent

0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Related Archival Material

Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN:

S2186: Emma Hillis collection ISLI 922 M129M: Memoir of Miss Eliza McCoy ISLG 929.2 M1312M: Diary of John M'Coy

Processing Information

Collection processing and finding aid completed 2015/05/28 by Nikki Stoddard Schofield.
Title
John McCoy collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671