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Mini Bios of People of Scots Descent
J. B. McCoy


J. B. McCoy is a native of West Virginia, born at Wheeling in 1829. He is the son of William and Elizabeth (Bushfield) McCoy, the former a native of Scotland, born twelve miles from Edinburgh in '79', and the latter a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1793. When J. B. McCoy was five years old his father died, his mother surviving him only two years, thus leaving him an orphan at the tender age of seven years. He is one of a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom three are now living. Thus thrown upon his own resources at an early age and having to work for the support of his younger brothers and sisters, he entered a foundry at Steubenville, Ohio, doing the most menial service for small pay. He continued in the foundry three years, when, at the age of sixteen, he went to Pennsylvania, and was there engaged in farming and attending school alternately--running the farm in the working season and attending school winters. In this way he obtained a thorough English education and received a good knowledge of the classics. He was offered a collegiate education but preferred depending upon his own resources to receiving help from any one, and he faced life for himself, with the determination that whatever he should accomplish would be through his individual efforts. At the age of twenty-four he removed from Pennsylvania to Burlington, Iowa, and began clerking in the store of Barton T. David, which position he held for a period of about two years, when the store was removed to Henderson county, Illinois, where our subject was given the entire management. Here he remained for about three years. In the autumn of 1860, he removed to Louisiana and stopped with T. C. Chacheré, making that his home for some time. Here he was engaged in carpentering, which trade he had learned in Illinois. About three years subsequent to this he purchased a small plantation, upon which he erected a residence, where he has since lived, devoting himself exclusively to planting. Mr. McCoy, through the adverse circumstances from which he has arisen, has been eminently fitted for a business life, and to his untiring energy is due what he has accomplished. He married, in 1867, Mrs. Odelia Anders, a native of St. Landry parish and daughter of Jno. B. and Mary L. Bighm. To this union has been born one son, Allen.

Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section, p. 64. Edited by William Henry Perrin. Published in 1891, by The Gulf Publishing Company.


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