Biographical Sketch of Henry Broughton McCAY (1897): Cecil Co., MD Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ********************************************************* Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record of Harford and Cecil Counties, Maryland.", New York, Chapman Publishing Co., 1897, p. 379. "HENRY B. McCAY. To trace the history of a successful life, be it in the electrical world of business where competition is rife, or in the calm and peaceful pursuits which have to do with the source of all supplied (the calling forth from the earth her benefices and goodly returns), must ever prove profitable and interesting, showing as it does, the methods that have been followed to attain success and thus pointing out to the others the way that they may follow. A work of this nature exercises its most important function when it enters the memoir of the life and accomplishments of a successful man, one who has been in the fullest sense the architect of his own fortunes and whose virile strength has marked his entire career. "Mr. McCay eminently deserves classification among those who have thus attained prosperity. He was born in District No. 7, Cecil County, April 6, 1822. His great-grandfather, John McCay, was a native of Scotland, and located in Maryland in colonial days. As a valiant soldier of the American army he aided the colonists in their struggle for independence. He was a large slave owner and the possessor of a handsome estate of twelve hundred acres. "The grandfather, John McCay, Jr., was a native of District No. 7, and made farming his life work. The father, James McCay, was born in Baltimore, and served in the War of 1812 as captain in the valiant Twenty-seventh Regiment of Maryland. He was joined in wedlock with Mary Broughton, and they had eleven children: Henry B., James G., John and William B., deceased; Joshua P.; Washington N. and George B., deceased; Marcus, who is living in Rich- mond, Va.; Mary A., deceased, Beulah, wife of John H. Baynes; and Elma, deceased. The father of this family died when in his eighty-seventh year and was laid to rest in West Nottingham Cemetery. His wife died at the age of seventy-eight. "Henry B. McCay was born and reared in District No. 7, and acquired his education in West Nottingham Academy. He bore his part in the cultivation and improvement of the home farm until 1852, when he removed to Baltimore, and there engaged in the wholesale liquor business for twelve years, meeting with success in his undertakings. He then returned to Cecil County, pur- chased eighty acres of land, and has since carried on general farming. He has been three times married. He first wedded Caroline Bettley, and they had four children, as follows: John J., Mary, Cora B. and Elma. His second wife bore the maiden name of Annie Emmons, and died leaving one daughter, Ella V. For his third wife he chose Maggie Pennington, and six children have been born of their union, namely: Henry B., George P., Emily G., Laura S., Isabella C., and Eva C."