Yolo-Stanislaus-Lake County CA Archives Biographies.....McHenry, James M. 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 8, 2005, 11:22 am

Author: Tom Gregory

JAMES M. McHENRY

    To Mr. McHenry, one of Yolo county's earliest pioneers, belongs much of the
credit for the establishment of both business and social life on a substantial
basis in that section, his foresight and executive ability having been of
incalculable value in that connection.

    A native of White county, Ky., Mr. McHenry removed to Missouri with his
parents, who spent their last years in that section. His father, James McHenry,
a farmer by occupation, married Miss Moody, a relative of the famous Evangelist
Moody. James McHenry, Jr., successfully conducted a farm in Missouri until his
marriage with Miss Pierce, whereupon he disposed of his eastern interests and
crossed the plains with his bride in the early '50s. For some months he mined
with varying success, later engaging in the teaming and livery business in
Modesto, Cal., where he built the first hotel in that section. Upon the death of
his wife, who left two daughters, Margareta, Mrs. Paul Tietzen, of Berkeley, and
Almeda, Mrs. Davidson, of Santa Maria, he sold his business in Stanislaus county
and removed to Santa Rosa, where he continued to exert his efforts as a
progressive and capable citizen, contributing largely to the development of that
locality until 1873, when he settled in Woodland. Shortly thereafter, in
partnership with Al Eaton, he opened an up-to-date livery barn, conducting also
many other public enterprises, including the survey and maintenance of a stage
road between Woodland and Lake county. Upon the sale of his livery interest to
H. C. Duncan he engaged in agricultural pursuits near Esparto, Yolo county.

    January 25, 1875, Mr. McHenry married his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth
(Duncan) Keithly, born near St. Joseph, Mo., and to their union two children
were born: William Lane, who now resides near Esparto, and Ethel Terry, who
after her graduation from the San Francisco Business College became the wife of
Charles P. Murphy of that city.

    Mr. McHenry was a man of literary as well as business ability, and
contributed many leading articles to various county papers. A charter member of
the Odd Fellows Lodge at Capay, he served as noble grand for many years. He was
a stanch Democrat and for some years was supervisor of Stanislaus county. As an
active member of the Christian Church, to which he lent his willing support, he
endeavored at all times to conduct his life according to the principles of
practical Christianity, his generosity and kindly interest in the welfare of his
fellow men having fully merited the confidence and esteem which he enjoyed.

    Elizabeth Duncan was the daughter of Charles and Dorcas (Coffman) Duncan,
natives of Tennessee and Maryland, respectively, and received her education in
the public schools near St. Joseph, Mo. Her paternal grandfather, Joel Duncan,
of Scotch parentage, was also a native of Tennessee and settled in McDonough
county, Ill., where he farmed until his death. His son Charles spent his youth
in Illinois, removing later to Andrew county, Mo., where he operated a farm for
a time. Later he located in Henderson county. Ill., where he remained until
1864, going thence to California, with his wife and seven children, in company
with twelve families westward bound, their well-stocked wagons being drawn by
horses. After five months of weary travel, not the least of their troubles
having been the necessity of frequently keeping the Indians at bay, they reached
Yolo county, where Mr. Duncan filed upon a homestead near Plainfield, actively
conducting his ranch until his death in 1886, at the age of eighty years,
lacking but two weeks. Of the various sections in which Mr. Duncan had made his
home, he found no climate so agreeable as that of California, which he termed
the land of sunshine and flowers.

    Mr. Duncan was united in marriage with Dorcas Coffman, who was born in
Maryland and who accompanied her parents to Hancock county, Ill. Her father,
Jacob Coffman, born in Maryland, was a farmer by occupation, and with his wife
spent his last years in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan were blessed with the
following children: Louisa J., now Mrs. W. J. Chard, of Washington; Mary C., who
became the wife of H. H. Hungate, and who now resides in Walla Walla, Wash.;
Elizabeth, Mrs. McHenry; William J., who makes his home in Waitsburg, Wash.;
Nancy A., now Mrs. J. T. McJunkin, of Hanford, Cal.; H. C., who resides in Fair
Oaks, Cal.; James C., of Shasta county; and Lane, who prior to his removal to
Garfield County, Wash., served for eight years as clerk of Yolo county.

    January 25, 1866, Elizabeth Duncan became the wife of William Keithly, who
was born in Indiana, and who moved to McDonough county, Ill., with his parents,
Jacob and Sarah (Roberts) Keithly. The son assisted upon his father's farm until
1852, when, with his brother John, he crossed the plains to Yolo county, Cal.,
with the aid of ox-teams. Later he took up a homestead and engaged in stock
raising, but owing to continued exposure under adverse climatic conditions Ms
health failed to the extent that in 1869 he was forced to sell his interests.
Shortly thereafter he purchased a ranch of one thousand and ninety-two acres in
the Esparto section, conducting his affairs with great success until his death
in Sacramento in 1872, when but forty-five years old. Mr. and Mrs. Keithly were
the parents of three children, as follows: Frank, who is a farmer near Esparto;
Charles H., who resides in Prince Rupert, Canada; and Hattie, Mrs. Mehmedoff, of
Esparto.

    Since the death of her second husband Mrs. McHenry has divided her time
between the home ranch and her Woodland residence, continuing an active interest
in the affairs of the estate, which, in 1909, was sub-divided and sold, the
heirs reserving forty acres each.

    William Lane McHenry was married to Rosella Carrick, whose birth occurred in
Yreka, Siskiyou county, Cal. They now make their home in Yolo county, where, in
addition to his share of his father's estate, Mr. McHenry conducts a ten-acre
tract devoted to horticulture, his enterprise and good management having placed
him among the leading citizens of the community.

    Highly cultured, and of a generous, sympathetic temperament, Mrs. McHenry is
greatly beloved among her many friends, and in addition to lending practical aid
in the various auxiliaries of the Christian Church, in which she enjoys active
membership, maintains a deep interest in the suffrage movement, her thorough
study of the question enabling her to intelligently assist in that work.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]

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