BIOGRAPHY: Daniel A. McGOUGH, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 198-9
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Daniel A. McGOUGH

DANIEL A. McGOUGH, ex-register and recorder, and a descendant of two very old 
and highly respectable families of the county, is a son of Thomas and Isabella 
(Plummer) McGough, and was born in Croyle township, Cambria county, 
Pennsylvania, May 13, 1856.  His paternal great-grandfather, James McGough, was 
a native of Ireland, and came to this country with his brother, Patrick, who 
fought under Washington, and fell at the battle of Princeton.  James McGough 
first settled near Baltimore, in Harford county, Maryland, where he married 
Esther James, of Welsh descent, and in 1806 came to what is now Croyle township, 
in which he died six years later.  He was a farmer, school-teacher and a civil 
engineer, and ranked as one of the pioneer settlers of Croyle township, in which 
he owned a large tract of valuable land.
     Of his sons, Thomas Sr., was born in Harford county, Maryland, and died in 
1870, at eighty-five years of age.  He was a man of better education than was 
usually enjoyed by the men who lived in that time, and belonged to that old 
school of school-masters characteristic of the day, and to whom the early 
educational progress of this country owes so much.  Thomas McGough, Sr., like 
his father, was a farmer and teacher.  He was a Catholic, served for twenty-five 
years as a justice of the peace, and wedded Mary Skelly, by whom he had ten 
children, six sons and four daughters.  Next to the youngest of these children 
was Thomas McGough, the father of the subject of this sketch.
     Thomas McGough was born October 27, 1827, and resided on a farm in his 
native township until his death, which occurred May 14, 1870.  He was a farmer 
and cooper by occupation and trade, a democrat in politics and a Catholic in 
religion.   He married Isabella Plummer, of Summerhill township, in 1855, and to 
their union were born three sons:  Daniel A., Charles and George, who are both 
in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad company, at Conemaugh.
     Mrs. McGough, who is still living, is a daughter of John and Mary (Fye) 
Plummer, belongs to the Plummer family of western Pennsylvania, so well known 
for its many good qualities.
     Daniel A. McGough grew to manhood on the paternal acres, received his 
education in the common schools, and then was engaged in farming and teaching 
school until 1885, in which year he was appointed as clerk to the board of 
county commissioners.  In that position Mr. McGough served continuously for 
seven years, and his services had so recommended him that he was nominated and 
elected, by the Democratic party, as register and recorder of Cambria county, 
for a term of three years.  His services in his elective offices were as 
valuable and as acceptable as had been his labors in his appointed position, and 
at the expiration of his term in 1895 he retired with credit to himself.  A 
democrat in political associations, he has never accepted office but once at the 
hands of his party, although sufficiently popular to have been so honored 
frequently.  The burdens and responsibility of public care have no special 
charms for him, yet he is not averse to the labors and duties of public life.  
Exact, careful and accurate, he is well fitted for private and public business.
     On June 14, 1888, Daniel A. McGough was united in marriage with Harriet 
Eberly, a daughter of Francis Eberly, of Munster township.  Their union has been 
blessed with four children, two sons and two daughters:  Mary, Esther, Thomas 
Francis and James.