BIOGRAPHIES - MASSIE, William W., Bourbon County, Kentucky From: Bob Francis http://www.shawhan.com Date: 07 Feb 2000 The biographies are taken primarily from William Perrin's "The History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky" and E. Polk Johnson's "The History of Kentucky and Kentuckians," Vol. III. Many Bourbon County, Kentucky, researchers have pointed out mistakes and they are notated. Name: William W. MASSIE _________________________________________ Father: Jonathan MASSIE Mother: Mary McCORMICK Spouses _________________________________________ 1: Anna E. DOUGHERTY Father: Thomas DOUGHERTY Mother: Elizabeth JONES Marriage: 1857 Children: Franklin (-1878); Wallace (-1879); Eliza; Bettie (-1868); Mary Gates W. W. MASSIE,1 retired merchant; P. O. Paris. As one of the decendants of Bourbon County’s early settlers he is the eldest living child of Jonathan and Mary McCormick Massie, natives of Virginia. The paternal grandsire was Thomas Massie, whose ancestors came from the old country, as did the McCormicks. Jonathan Massie emigrated to Kentucky from Virginia when young, riding behind his elder brother on horseback, and located first in Montgomery County. He afterwards moved to Bourbon County, where he married, and engaged in tanning-conducting several tanneries, manufacturing, also, boots and shoes. He owned and operated on Stoner, six miles from Paris, the flour mill known as Massie’s mill. He was a successful business man, and having accumulated a competency, retired from business in early life. He was a man highly respected in social life, of regular and simple habits, never extravagant in his tastes, taking no special interest in politics, being eminently a peaceful man and opposed to strife in any form, social,, political or religious, but was a substantial member of the Commonwealth. In 1828 he united with the Baptist Church, under the preaching of Jeremiah Vardeman, but subsequently connected himself with the Reformed Christian Church, remaining a member of the same until the time of his death. Eight children were born to him; of this number five reached maturity: two sons and three daughters. William, whose name heads this page, on reaching manhood went to Philadelphia, where he learned the dry-good business. In 1846 he returned to Paris, engaged in merchandising, which he made a success; in 1871 he retired from active business, having acquired a handsome competence, and having an elegant and tasteful home, he lives in comparative retirement at Hidaway, using a portion of his capital in commercial pursuits as a means of investment. In 1857 he married Miss Anna E. Dougherty who was born in Bath County, in this State, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Jones) Dougherty. Mr. Massie has had two sons born to him: Wallace and William Charlton. Wallace died Feb. 5, 1879, at Fawkhill Place, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., while attending Commercial College. He was a bright and promising youth; educated at Michigan University, but death marked him for his own, leaving a grievous wound from which they cannot recover. Franklin Massie, the second son, married Lizzie Kenney, only daughter of Silas Kenney, of Fayette, and granddaughter of Robert Clark, of Bourbon. He settled in Paris, and was for several years associated with his brother William in business; after a successful career he moved to a farm near Paris; he made other changes, and finally died at a farm near Muir’s Station, in 1878. He left two sons: Robert the elder, now in business in Rich Hill, Mo.; William, the younger, a student at Center College, both being fine young men of bright promise. Eliza, the eldest daughter, married Benjamin Ogden, a nephew of Governor Metcalfe, who was known as the old “Sledge Hammer.” Mrs. Ogden has three sons and two daughters : Virgil, Frank, Harry, Belle and Bettie. Virgil, the elder son, married Miss Ella Offutt, of Bourbon County, and lives at present near Marietta, Ga. Bettie, the second daughter, married to William Donney, son of Major Donney, former Prosecuting Attorney for this district. Bettie Massie, the second daughter, married Dr. Edward Ingels, of Paris, who died, leaving one son: Edward Hodge, now a merchant clerk in Cincinnati. . Mary Gates Massie, youngest daughter of the family, married B. F. Williams, son of Major G. W. Williams, she also being dead, leaving two sons: Roger and George, young men of fine business and social traits, living now in Lexington, Ky. Sources 1. 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