San Benito-Sierra-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....McIlroy, Robert H. 1824 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 16, 2007, 10:41 pm Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) CAPTAIN ROBERT H. McILROY, proprietor of a hotel at Emmett, San Benito county, California, was born in Harrison county, Ohio, September 22, 1824. His father, a farmer by occupation, and a pioneer of Harrison county, emigrated from there to Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, taking with him his family. The subject of our sketch was the third born in a family of nine children. He received his education in Pike county, and at nineteen years of age started out to seek his fortune. He was married in 1847 to Miss Mary A. Nelson, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Elisha Nelson, and of her children one son is now living,-William N. McElroy, of Emmett, California. Soon after his marriage, Mr. McIlroy went to Wisconsin, and located near Platteville, where he engaged in mining until the fall of 1849. He then came across the plains to California, and engaged in mining on the Yuba river, at Foster's bar and Goodyear's bar, with more than average success. He traded a mining claim for a mule, prospected for a time, and then engaged in merchandising on J street, Sacramento. In September, 1850, he transferred his base of operations to Mormon bar on the American river. In 1851 he returned East and brought his family to California, and upon his arrival here, in 1852, settled on a farm near San Jose. In 1857 he removed to a ranch near near [sic] the Twenty-one-Mile house in Santa Clara county, and there lived until 1863. In 1861 he raised and mustered a company of militia, known in history as the Burnett Light Horse Guards. He was elected Captain of this company, and served as Captain until February, 1863, but resigned his commission and raised a second company of ninety-five mounted men, mustered into the United States service as Company E, of the First California Cavalry, and served as Captain of said company until March, 1866, in Arizona and New Mexico, under General Carleton. Returning home in 1866, Captain McIlroy was appointed United States Revenue Collector, and also Deputy United States Marshal, and also Under Sheriff of Santa Clara county, by Sheriff Adams, and served until March 4, 1870. He held the position of Marshal for two years, and that of Revenue Collector for four years. He then came to San Benito county, and located 368 acres of land on Tres Pinos creek, since known as Elk Horn station, on a public thoroughfare. Here he keeps a comfortable hotel, and has served as Postmaster of Emmett for four successive terms. He has also held the office of Justice of the Peace eight terms, and is a notary public. As a soldier his record is a brilliant one, and as a citizen he is held in high esteem by all who know him. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Illustrated. Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent Citizens of To-day. HENRY D. BARROWS, Editor of the Historical Department. LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Editor of the Biographical Department. "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."-Macaulay. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanbenito/bios/mcilroy1041nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb