Biography: Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin: James McElroy

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Submitted by Kathy Grace, <gendiva@charter.net> August 2004

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James McElroy, retired farmer, Waupun; born in County Armagh, North of
Ireland, Oct. 17, 1909; son of William McElroy; his father was John
McElroy, and the family originally came from Scotland; William McElroy and
family came to Canada in the fall of 1821, and engaged in farming; William
died Oct. 8, 1871, at the good old age of 93; James was brought up to work,
and, at an early age, earned his own living; he used to chop wood, and
cleared land for from $2.50 to $6 per acre; by dint of industry, he
accumulated enough money to buy fifty acres of wild land in Canada, which
he cleared and sold; he then bough 100 acres of Church reserve land, worked
that until 1836, when he sold out and went to Michigan to settle on ninety-
three acres- paid $10 per acre, and afterward sold for $30 per acre, and
came to Wisconsin in 1848 (he had been her in 1845, prospecting), and
settled on 160 acres in the towns of Alto, Waupun and Trenton, then added
eighty acres more, and afterward forty more; he now owns one of the finest
farms in this part of the county; in May, 1872, he moved into the city of
Waupun; through his industry and untiring energy, he now has a competence;
Mr. McElroy, in the town of Alto, was Supervisor two years, and County
Commissioner two years, and was ten years Chairman of Board of Supervisors;
in 1863, was elected to the Assembly, and served on several committees.
Married, Jan. 16, 1834, Harriet E. Taylor, daughter of Capt. John Taylor,
who was a soldier in the war of 1812; their children are Eliza (married A.
Roney), John W. (is farming in the town of Trenton), R. B. McElroy (is in
Milwaukee in the commission business- he married a Miss Burnham), Allen T.
(Married a Miss Ackerman); two children died in infancy; Mr. McElroy and
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have been for about
forty years; he has been Class-Leader, Trustee and Steward, most of this
time; he has been President of the Old Settlers' Club ever since its
organization, and has been President of the Waupun Mutual Insurance Company
ever since it started; he has been an Odd Fellow man years, and has taken
all the degrees, and attended the grand Lodge, and Mrs. McElroy is a member
of the Rebecca Lodge, and she has held all the offices; Mr. McElroy has
been a Mason many years, and belongs to the Temple of Honor and Good
Templars also.  He owes his success in life to his unceasing hard work,
indomitable perseverance and untiring industry.

Transcribed from The History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Chicago :
Western Historical Company, 1880 pg. 952