COSHOCTON COUNTY OHIO - BIO: MCCOY, Abner (published 1909) *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Gwendolyn Hardesty Oliver seeker@netwalk.com http://www.netwalk.com/~seeker/ http://www.geocities.com/heartland/prairie/1215/ June 26, 1999 *********************************************************************** Abner McCoy "Centennial History of  Coshocton County, Ohio" by William J. Bahmer Volume 1, 1909 pages 459-460 John McCoy, the father of our subject, came to Ohio in 1806 in company with his parents, Joseph and Milly McCoy, and first located at Zanesville, but the following winter removed to Virginia township, Coshocton county, where a cabin was built in midwinter. Upon that farm the family made their home for ten years and it is now owned by William McGee. The boys of the McCoy household spent most of their time playing with the Indians as there were no schools to attend. In 1817, at the age of twenty-two years, John McCoy entered a tract of land in Virginia township consisting of four hundred acres, and since that far-distant date the McCoy farm has changed hands but once. that being from John McCoy to Abner, the subject of his sketch. Abner McCoy did his full share in the development and improvement of a tract of land of four hundred acres and it was only during a few weeks of the winter months that he was permitted to attend school, therefore his advantages in that direction were very limited. Mr. McCoy bagan life on his own account on the farm which has always been his home, this being one of the largest and most preductive tracts of land in Coshocton county. In addition to doing general farming he also raises stock on quite an extensive scale, keeping only that of the highest grade. Mr. McCoy was married on the 18th of October, 1871 to Miss Elizabeth Meek, a daughter of Asa and Virginia Meek, residents of Virginia township. Their union was blessed with seven children, three sons and four daughters. The sons are George F., Asa and William A., while the daughters are: Virginia, the wife of Harvey Cox; Sarah J. the wife of Edward Dickinson; Margaret B.; and Mabel V. The wife and mother passed to her final reward February 26, 1908, and thus the community lost one of its most highly esteemed women and the household a devoted and loving wife and mother. Mr. McCoy gives his political support to the democratic party and in 1887 was elected a member of the board of county commissioners, serving for two terms, or six years. He brought to the office sound judgment and good business sense, and in political circles is held in high esteem. He also served as school director for several years and at the present writing is a member of the township board of education. He is a public-spirited citizen, whose worth well merits the high regard in which he is uniformly held.