Lucas County IA Archives Biographies.....McGinnis, John F. 1836 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 29, 2011, 3:27 am

Source: See below
Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

JOHN F. McGINNIS.— One of the most alert and progressive elements that has
entered into the make-up of our nation is that derived from stanch old Irish and
Scotch-Irish stock, and from such stock is descended the subject of this review,
who is one of the prosperous and honored farmers of Warren township, Lucas
county, Iowa.

   John F. McGinnis was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 20,
1836. His father, Francis McGinnis, was born, reared and educated in Ireland,
and when a young man crossed the Atlantic and settled in Pennsylvania. He was
there married to Miss Jane McCasson, a native of county Donegal, Ireland, and of
Scotch-Irish parentage. When their son, John F., was two years old the father
died. He was by occupation a peddler, and in religion a Catholic. The mother
died at the age of forty-one years, a Presbyterian. The subject of our sketch
was their only child, and when four years of age he was taken to Tuscarawas
county, Ohio, where he was reared to farm life and received a public-school
education. He was in Ohio during the greater part of the Civil war, but before
its close he joined the Union ranks and went to the front. It was February 20,
1865, and as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, that he enlisted, and he served nine months, the most of the time in
the Shenandoah valley. At the end of that time he was honorably discharged at
Washington, District of Columbia, and returned to his home in Tuscarawas county,
Ohio.

   Mr. McGinnis continued to reside in Ohio until 1870, when he came out to Iowa
and took up his abode in Warren township, Lucas county, settling on a farm a
mile and a half from where he now lives. In 1893 he bought his present farm,
eighty acres of as fine land as there is in this vicinity. It is well improved
with a nice cottage, good barn and other farm buildings, and a fine orchard of
200 trees. This orchard is considered one of the best in the township, and Mr.
McGinnis also has an abundance of small fruits.

   At the age of twenty-four years Mr. McGinnis was married in Ohio to Miss
Susana Dotts, a lady of many accomplishments and a member of one of the best
families in Ohio. Her parents, Phillip and Drusilla (Shober) Dotts, were natives
of Maryland and were among the early settlers of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where
she was born. Her grandfather Shober was a slaveholder in Maryland, but freed
all his slaves before going to Ohio. Mrs. McGinnis died in 1873, leaving two
children, namely: James Sumner, a lawyer of San Jose, California; and Minnie J.,
wife of C. N. Smith, of King City, Missouri. In 1875 Mr. McGinnis married Mrs.
Carrie Taylor, widow of Jacob Taylor and a daughter of Edwin Playmate. She was
born in Illinois and came with her father to Iowa at an early day, he being one
of the pioneers of Lucas county, where he passed the closing years of his life
and died. Mr. McGinnis and his present wife have adopted two children: Thomas
J., a farmer now living in Wayne county; and Jennie, now a young lady of
fifteen, and is still with her foster-parents.

   In public affairs Mr. McGinnis takes an active and commendable interest,
keeping himself well posted on political issues. He is a Republican. He has
served as Township Trustee and as a member of the School Board. Both he and his
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, both are active in
Sabbath-school work, and he is a Trustee of the Church. He is also a member of
Isemyer Post, No. 18, G. A. R., of Chariton.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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