Russell is the son of George H. McCoy
(Nov. 9, 1784 - March 13, 1870), and
his wife Martha "Patsey" A. Kirk
(born about 1782, per George's obit).
----------------------------------
Note: His name is spelled as "Russel"
(with only one "l"), in the following:
1. On his first wife Fanny's headstone.
2. In his obituary.
3. On his own headstone.
---
His name is spelled as "Russell" (with
two "l's), in the Berrien County Michigan
history books.
-----------------------------------
(His father George McCoy was christened
on Nov. 9, 1784).
The parents of George H. McCoy are
Richard B. McCoy (1752-Oct. 24, 1792/93),
and his wife Susannah A. (Moore) McCoy
(1755/60-Nov. 1, 1830), who were married
in 1778, in Henry Co. VA.
Richard and Susannah McCoy are buried
in the McCoy (family) Cemetery, in
McCoy, Montgomery County Virginia.
------
George and Patsey McCoy were married
about 1805 (per George's obit).
George and Patsey McCoy had lived in:
(1.) Montgomery County Virginia.
(2.) Giles County Virginia
(3.) George settled in Cass Co. MI
in 1830 (per George's obit & 1830 census).
------
Note: George's daughter Eveline was
married in Cass Co. MI in May of 1832.
------
The obituary for George's son William,
states that William came to Michigan
with his parents in 1832.
(They were living in Howard Township,
Cass County Michigan in 1850 census,
with sons William and Harvey.)
(4.) Village of Buchanan, Berrien
County Michigan (per 1860 census).
(5). George H. McCoy died in Lake
Township, Berrien Co. Michigan
on March 13, 1870
(per George's obit, which was
published in the "Niles Democrat"
newspaper in Niles, Michigan on
March 26, 1870, page 3). It reads:
--------
Death of a Former Resident of Cass Co.
[MI], Mr. George McCoy, who settled in
Cass county in 1830, and removed some
years since into Berrien county, died
on the 13th inst., in Lake township
[Berrien County Michigan],
aged 86 years, leaving a wife two
years older than himself, to whom
he had been married 65 years. Twenty-
three of his grand-children attended
the funeral.
-------------------------------------
Note: George H. McCoy's parents were:
Richard B. McCoy, b. 1752 d. Oct. 24, 1793
in Montgomery County Virginia.
Richard's will was probated in 1793.
Richard's wife,
Susanna A. (Moore) McCoy,
b. 1755-60,
d. Nov. 11, 1830 in Montgomery Co. VA.
-------------------------------------
The 1850 census of Howard Twp., Cass
County, Michign shows George McCoy,
age 66, b. 1784 in VA and Patsey,
age 66, b. 1784 in VA, with William
McCoy, b. 1824 in VA. and Harvey
K. McCoy, b. 1828 in VA.
----------------------------------
The 1860 census of the Village of
Buchanan, Berrien Co. Michigan, shows
George McCoy age 76, b. in VA., and
Patsey age 76, b. in VA.
------------------------------------
Note: Russel had gone with his
parents to Missouri after his first
wife Fanny died (about 1837-38), but
Russell returned to Michigan less
then a year later.
-----------------------------------
It is not known exactly when his
parents returned, but they were
again living in Michigan at the
time of the 1850 census.
--------------------------------
Russel had seven siblings,
only six are known for sure.
They are:
-----------------------------------
1. Lucinda McCoy.
b. Sept. 19, 1808 in Virginia.
m. Daniel Fisher, June 8, 1828
(or 1829) in Giles County Virginia.
Daniel was the son of John Fisher
and his wife Elizabeth Shupe.
They lived in Cass Co. MI
in the 1840 census.
Children: Paris D., John Harvey,
George McCoy, Daniel M., Harriet,
William H., and Giles Fisher.
d. Nov. 09, 1867 in Howard Township,
Cass County Michigan.
Buried: Twin Pines Cemetery, Cass Co. MI.
See: History of Berrien Co. MI, page 270.
-------
2. (?) Campbell McCoy (?)
b. about 1810, in Virginia.
(The 1850 census of Berrien Co. MI
lists a Campbell McCoy, and his
wife Nancy, with seven children).
Campbell is buried in the Indian Lake
Cemetery, in Dowagic, Cass Co. MI.
-------
(Russell McCoy was born in 1811).
-------
3. George W. McCoy [Jr.]
b. July 5, 1814 in Giles Co. VA.
m. Harriet Nye, on July 26, 1836,
in Mercer County Illinos.
Harriet is the daughter of Benjamin
Nye and his wife Azubah Webster,
of Muscatine County Iowa.
George eloped with Harriet against
her father's wishes.
George McCoy Jr. and Steven Toney
(his brother-in-law) settled in
Rochester, in Cedar County Iowa,
on June 10, 1836.
George and Steven operated a
ferry over Cedar River in Rochester,
Cedar County Iowa.
George McCoy named the town in 1836.
George McCoy was the original proprietor
of the town site, of Rochester, and
he was later elected Sherriff in 1840.
He also lived in Tipton, Cedar Co. Iowa.
He left Cedar County Iowa in 1846
for the California gold fields.
George was in Contra Costra Co. CA.,
with brothers Harvey and William
in 1850 & 1860 during the Gold Rush.
George left Harriet and the 6 children
to be taken care of by a friend,
Judge Samuel Bissell in Tipton, in
Cedar Couty Iowa while he went
to the California Gold Fields in
Butte County California. Unfortunately
for George, Samuel took too good of
care of his wife! George found out his
family had increased by 1 and hurried
home in 1852 (the child was later known
as Cass B. U. Marsh, since Harriet's 2nd
husband Warner Marsh adopted the child
as his own after he married her in 1853).
Harriet had moved with her 6 children back
to stay with her parents in Muscatine Co.
Iowa, trying to prevent a scandal in
Tipton (Judge Bissell was married).
George showed up at her father's
house and took his six biological
children with him, leaving Harriet &
the baby with her father Benjamin Nye.
Benjamin Nye caught up with George to
stop the buckboard with the children
in it from leaving the county.
A fight began, where George ended
up wounding his father-in-law with
a knife. Benjamin died two days later,
on March 3, 1852, from the injury.
George turned himself in to the
authorities, and in court it was
found that he killed Benjamin Nye
in self defense. There are newspaper
accounts because of the trial, and it
was in "both" Ceder County & Muscatine
County History books (since Benjamin Nye
was the earliest settler of Muscatine
County Iowa in 1834, and
George W. McCoy was once Sheriff of
Tipton, in Cedar Co. Iowa to 1842 and
the area's Justice of the Peace for
four counties around Ceder until 1849
when he left). George might have then
taken some of his 6 children, ages
4 to 14 (including 4-year-old twins),
to Michigan, to live with his brothers
and sisters, until they were grown, as
his son Clarence Nye McCoy served in
the Civil War from Niles, Michigan,
and he was living with his Uncle
Russell McCoy in Buchanan, Michigan
in the 1870 census, and his daughter
Laura was married in Cass Co. Michigan.
George is listed as a blacksmith in
Contra Costa Co. California in 1870.
George is living with his son Clarence
in Contra Costa Co. California in 1880.
Children of George and Harriet Nye are:
(1.) John Floyd McCoy (1838-1912).
d. Center Point, Linn County Iowa.
(2.) Laura Lavina McCoy (1841-1910)
(She married James G. Willard, in Cass
Co. MI. She died in Allegan Co. MI).
(3.) Clarence Nye McCoy (1843-1914)
(He served in Civil War from Niles,
Michigan, age 19, in Co. A, 6th MI
Inf. (later changed to 6th MI H. Art.).
Clarence was living with his Uncle Russel
McCoy in Buchanan, MI in 1870 census).
d. In Anioch, Contra Costa Co. CA.
Buried: Oakview Cemetery in Antioch,
Contra Costa Co. CA, near his father.
(4.) James Kirk Polk McCoy (1845-1862).
James died while serving in the Civil War, in
Co. K, of the 9th Infantry, at Pea Ridge, ARK.
(5.) George Giles McCoy (twin)(b. 1848)
(George possibly died in the Civil War
while serving as a drummer boy).
(6.) Lydia McCoy (b. 1848) twin
(Lydia was married in Niles, MI in
1868, to Valorus Nelson Perry).
d. in Andover, Day County S. D.
---
d. George died Oct. 18, 1881 in
Judsonville, Contra Costa County,
California. Buried: Oak View Memorial
Park, in Antioch, Contra Costa County CA.
Note:
Google: "George McCoy and Benjamin Nye,
of Muscatine County Iowa, 1911"
(Montpellier twp., pages 209-215).
Also, Google:
"George McCoy of Cedar Co. Iowa".
[See memorial for Benjamin Nye
(1796-1852) of Muscatine County Iowa,
on find-a-grave, to view a monument
telling of his murder, and a photo
of the Pine Creek Grist Mill,
which he built].
-----------------------------------
4. Eveline McCoy. b. abt. 1818
in Montgomery County Virginia.
m. # 1. Stephen Toney on
May 11, 1832 in Cass Co. Michigan.
(Russel McCoy was a "wittiness" at
Eveline's marriage to Stephen Toney).
Stephen was the son of Jesse Toney
and his wife Frances "Frony" Sink.
Steven and Eveline settled in
Rochester, Cedar County Iowa with
her brother George W. McCoy,
arriving there on June 10, 1836.
Stephen and George McCoy were granted
permission to run a ferry service at
Rochester, Iowa, across the Cedar
River in April of 1838. When George
McCoy was elected Sheriff, in 1838,
Stephen ended up with the ferry service.
At the first session in 1838, the
Cedar County Iowa board agreed to
furnish a room in the home of
Stephen Toney, for the accomodation
of the District Court.
Stephen also served on the Grand Jury.
Google:
"Stephen Toney of Cedar Co. Iowa".
Stephen "possibly" died in Buchanan,
Michigan, in 1846.
Eveline and Stephen's children were:
Eliza Jane, Sylvester Stub,
Samantha Ann, Francis A., and
Charles B. Toney, b. abt. 1814, in
Buchanan, Michigan. Charles enlisted
in the Civil War on Sept. 24, 1861,
in Company F, of the 12th Iowa Infantry.
He was taken prisioner in Shiloh, Tenn.
on April 6, 1862. Charles died of
starvation, in the Andersonville
prison in Macon County Georgia,
on July 24, 1862.
m. # 2. Eveline married Sebastian
Boston Overacker, abt. 1847.
Child with Sabastian: Martha Overacker.
m. # 3. Henry Gustave Emil Archman
(or "Artsman")
on June 21, 1856 in Delaware Co. Iowa.
(per Delaware Co. Early Marriage Book
1851-1861, page # 166).
d. between 1860 and 1866,
in Cedar County Iowa.
-----------------------------------
5. Luama McCoy.
b. Oct. 16, 1819.
m. John W. R. Lister
(Rev. John White Redden Lister), on
March 13, 1842, in Berrien Co. MI.
d. Dec. 25, 1896 (in her 77th year).
Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery
(Section 17, Lot 14, with no headstone).
Note: Information courtesy of
their descendant Tom L. Lister.
-------------------------------
6. William A. McCoy.
b. 1825 in Giles County Virginia.
William came to Michigan with his
parents in 1832 (per his obit).
m. Catherine Weaver, the eldest daughter
of Jacob Weaver and his first wife
Susannah Ingleright, on Aug. 28, 1853
in Buchanan township, Berrien Co. Michigan.
Catherine (Weaver) McCoy died in 1859,
and she was buried in the "Virginian's
Burying Ground", in Buchanan, Michigan,
near her mother and sister. (See her
memorial on this find-a-grave web site).
William was in Contra Costra County,
California with his brothers Harvey &
George in 1860, during the Gold Rush.
In 1880, a "W. A. McCoy" was listed as
a member of "The Lakeshore Horse Thief
Association" in Berrien County Michigan.
d. Feb. 25, 1895, age 70, in Buchanan, MI.
Burial: Unknown.
Catherine and William A. McCoy had
three children (per William's obit):
(1.) Angeline ("Angel") A. McCoy,
born Dec. of 1855 in MI, who married
Mortimer C. Michael, the son of
B. Hayden Michael and Elmira Webster.
Angeline and Mortimer lived in Berrien
Centre, Berrien Co. MI. They had a son,
named Hayden Michael (Jr.).
Angeline is buried in the Rose Hill
Cemetery, in Berrien Springs, MI.,
(2nd Addition, N.W. Side, Lot # 147).
(2). Laura L. McCoy,
born Dec. 24, 1857 in Buchanan, MI
who married Rowan Haggerty, the son
of Thomas Haggerty and Nancy Heaton.
Rowan and Laura had two sons,
Harry and Clayton R. Haggerty, both
born in Breman, Elkhart Co. Indiana.
Laura Haggerty, and son Clayton, later
lived in Chicago, Cook County Illinois.
Laura died in Chicago, Illinois on
Nov. 17, 1927, at the age of 69 years,
10 months and 24 days.
(3). Unknown son (per William's obit),
(who died before 1895).
-----------------------------------
7. Harvey Kirk McCoy.
b. 1828 in Giles Co. Virginia.
Was in Contra Costa County California,
with brothers William and George in
1860 (age 32), during the Gold Rush.
In Stanislaus County California
in 1870 census, (age 42).
In Merced County California
in 1880 census (age 52).
Listed in the "California Great
Registers - Voter Registration"
as living in Merced County California,
in 1888, 1890, 1892, and 1896.
_______________________________

Note: Russel's brothers George W.,
Harvey K., and William A. McCoy were
all in Contra Costa Co. California
in 1860, looking for gold, during
the Gold Rush.
------------------------------------
Russel came from Giles County Virginia
to Pokagon Prairie [Pokagon Township,
Cass Co. Michigan], in 1829, and to the
Carry Mission near Niles, Berrien County
MI in 1830, where he was in the employ
of the missionaries. The Carry Mission
was ran by Rev. Isaac McCoy. The
history books say Isaac and Russel
McCoy were not related.(?)
-----------------------------------
He later was engaged in boating on the
St. Joseph River (between Buchanan and
Niles, MI) in the summer months and he
worked for the Indians in the winter.
----------------------------------
Russel McCoy came to Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan in 1833.
In 1833 he located a claim and cleared
a small tract of land at the mouth of
McCoy's creek, which empties into the
St. Joseph River at the present site
of Buchanan, Berrien Co. Michigan.
-----------------------------------
In 1834 he and Hiram Wray built
a log cabin. The Indians tore it down.
They rebuilt it, and Hiram Wray's
family moved into it.
-------------------------------------
In 1835 Russel McCoy and Hiram Wray
built a sawmill at the mouth of
McCoy's Creek.
--------------------------------------
The village of McCoy's Creek later
became known as Buchanan, Berrien
County Michigan.
(They sometimes referred to it
as "Coy's Creek" for short).
------------------------------------
Russel McCoy engaged in farming for
some years, then kept a store in
Buchanan, Michigan, and also a hotel.
---
1850. Russell McCoy and his wife and
several daughters kept the only boarding
place, the American House.
They gave excellent board for $2.50 a
week, and 25 cents a meal
(per: "The Story of Buchanan, a History",
published by the Berrien County
Historical Association, Chapter 43,
"A Picture of Buchanan in 1850".
------------------------------------
About 1856, he with his brother
William McCoy and his brother-in-law
David Weaver, bought two hundred acres
on the bank of Clear Lake, three miles
west of Buchanan, and built a steam
saw mill.
-----------------------------------
Note: The 1860 census shows Russel
as a farmer in Buchanan, Michigan.
The 1870 census shows Russel as a
fireman in a machine shop in Buchanan.
___________________________________

Russel was married twice.
------------------------------------
m. # 1. Jan. 7, 1836 in
St. Joseph County Indiana (just across
the state line from Buchanan, MI),
to Fanny Kingery, of Pokagon Prairie
[Pokagon Township, in Cass Co. MI].
Fanny is the daughter of Abraham Kingery
and his wife Mary Huston. Her father
Abraham died in 1820, when Fanny was
four years old. Abraham is buried in
the Kingery Cemetery, in Preble Co. Ohio.
Some records list Fanny's date-of-birth
as April 13, 1816 in Madison Co. Ohio.
Fanny died about 1837-1839, at the
age of 21. (The "History of Berrien
and Van Buren Counties Michigan, page 175,
states that she died in 1837).
Fanny is buried in the Portage Prairie
Cemetery (formerly the Dunkard Cemetery),
in St. Joseph County Indiana near her mother
Mary, and step-father Thomas Davidson.
(N.-W. of South Bend, IN, and North
of the 80-90 Indiana toll road).
---
Note: His name is spelled as "Russel"
(with only one "L"), on Fanny's
headstone, on his own headstone,
and in his obituary.
------------------------------------
Russel and Fanny McCoy had one son
James J. McCoy, born about 1837-39,
(possibly in Pokagon Twp. Cass Co. MI,
or in Buchanan, Berrien Co. MI).
The 1850 census of St. Joseph Co. IN
shows James living (with Fanny's brother
John Kingery and his 3 children), in
the household of Fanny's mother Mary,
and her second husband, Thomas Davidson,
and their five children.
The 1860 census of Galien (West
of Buchanan), Berrien County
Michigan shows James still living
with Fanny's mother Mary Davidson
and two of her children.
---
James J. McCoy was married to
Elisabeth Ann Witter, on Feb. 27, 1862,
in Berrien County Michigan.
Elizabeth was the daughter of George
Witter and his wife Sarah.
Elizabeth was born in 1851 in Indiana,
and died on Dec. 1, 1877, in Lagrange,
Cass County Michigan, age 26. Her death
certificate lists her as the wife of
J. J. McCoy, a Railroad agent.
Elizabeth is buried in the
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in South Bend,
St. Joseph County Indiana.
The 1870 census of Indiana, shows
James McCoy and his wife Elizabeth,
with three children:
(1.) William, age 5, born about 1865, in IN.
(2.) Edgar George age 4,
b. abt. 1866 in IN.
(His death record lists him as
George Edgar McCoy, born 1866 in IN,
and died 1900 in Calhoun Co. Michigan).
(3.) Charles McCoy, born about 1869 in IN.
---
Note: There is a record of James McCoy
of Galien, Michigan, serving in the Civil
War, in Company C. of the 12th Michigan
Infantry
(which was organized in Buchanan, MI).
Berrien County land records (1872-1881),
has five land records which show a
James J. McCoy buying and selling land
in blocks 25, 51, and 56, between him-
self and members of the Davidson family.
One of these land records lists James
J. McCoy and "wife".
Russel McCoy's son James McCoy later
moved West (per county history book).
Note: On "family search" it shows a
James McCoy, age 51, born in Buchanan,
Michigan in 1839, living in 1890,
in Levenworth, Kansas, in a National
home for disabled veterans.
-------------------------------------
m. # 2. March 31, 1839 in Berrien Co.
Michigan, to Esther Weaver.
Esther Weaver was born Feb. 8, 1821
in Darke County, Ohio.
She died April 11, 1892 in Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan.
Esther was the daughter of John and
Fanny Weaver who came from Darke Co.
Ohio to Berrien Co. Michigan in 1829
and settled in Buchanan Township,
Berrien County Michigan in 1837.
-----------------------------------
The obituary for Esther McCoy was
published in the "Buchanan Record"
newspaper, in Buchanan, MI on
April 14, 1892, page 3.
-----------------------------------
In 1837 John Weaver located a claim
of one hundred and sixty acres in
section twenty-eight of Buchanan Twp.
------------------------------------
John Weaver's children were:
David Weaver, Samuel Weaver,
Esther Weaver who married
Russell McCoy, Fanny Weaver who
married Charles Clark of IN., Polly
Weaver who married John Juday,
Elizabeth Weaver who married Andrew
Ingleright, Jacob Weaver who married
Susannah H. Ingleright, and Anna Weaver
who married (#1.) Jacob Ingleright
(#2.) Peter Dragoo (#3). Wilkerson
Colvin. All located in or near
Buchanan, Berrien Co. Michigan.
------------------------------------
Note: See memorials for Esther's sister,
Anna Colvin, of Michigan, and for
Esther's sister-in-law Susannah
Weaver, of Michigan, on this
web site.
-----------------------------------
The children of Russel McCoy and his
second wife Esther Weaver are:
Possibly all born in Buchanan township,
Berrien Co. MI, per Esther's obituary,
which states that she came with her
parents to Buchanan township in 1837,
and married Russel there in 1839.
(But the 1840 census shows Russel and
Esther McCoy living in Pokagon township,
Cass County Michigan, possibly in
the home Russel had lived in with
his first wife Fanny?)
Note: The obituary for Esther states
that she had 11 children.
Clentra and Sarah Ann,
who were listed in the 1860 census
(but no where else), do not belong.
Were they the children of his brother
George W. McCoy and Harriet Nye perhaps?
-----------------------------------
1. Fanny J. McCoy. b. Sept. 1841 in MI.
m. # 1. Michigan marriage records show
Fanny J. McCoy (age 16, born in 1839),
was married to Cassander Mollsberry
[Molsberry], (age 19, born in 1836),
on Nov. 18, 1855, in Buchanan,
Berrien County Michigan.
He was the son of William and
Mary Mollsberry.
Note: Fanny possibly fibbed about her age,
as Fanny was actually age 14 (b. 1841).
Was this marriage possibly annulled??
(In the 1860 census of Berrien Co. MI,
she is again listed as Fanny "McCoy",
age 19, born 1841 in Michigan).
(Note: Cassander was later married to
Jennie Weed, on Jan. 4, 1868, in
New Buffalo, Berrien County Michigan).
---
m. # 2. Records show that
Fanny J. "McCoy" was married
to Henry C. Hess, on
Jan. 22, 1861, in Berrien Co. Michigan.
The 1870 census of Michign, shows
Henry Hess and Fannie J. Hess,
with a son named James Hess,
age 5 (born abt. 1865).
The 1880 census of Muskegan, Muskegan
County Michign, shows Henry C. Hess
(age 46, born in New York), and
Fanny Hess (age 39, born in 1841),
living with a son James I. Hess
(age 14).
---
m. # 3. Michigan marriage records
show Fanny J. (McCoy) Hess, age 42,
was married on Oct. 8, 1883, in Niles,
Berrien County Michigan, to Hall Donly
(William Hall Donly) age 41, born in PA.
The 1900 census of Michigan City,
LaPorte County Indidna, shows
William H. Donly and Fanny J. Donly
(born Sept. of 1841 in Michigan),
living with a daughter Goldie B. Donly
(born Feb. 1888, in Indiana).
d. ?
Buried: ?
See: "A Twentieth Century History and
Biographical Record of LaPorte County
Indiana", pages 693 and 694.
--------------------------------------
2. Martha A. McCoy. b. 1842, in MI.
d. 1893, in Berrien County Michigan.
Buried in this cemetery near her parents
(Section 2, Lot 32).
[Note: There was "another" Martha McCoy,
the daughter of Campbell and Nancy McCoy,
who was born in Berrien Co. MI abt. 1844].
--------------------------------------
3. Almyra ("Myra") Virginia McCoy,
b. Aug. 29, 1844, in Buchanan, MI.
(1848 listed on marriage certificate,
1846 listed on death certificate,
1844 listed on cemetery records).
m. # 1. "Almira" was married to
Sidney R. Wolcott, on Aug. 14, 1864,
in Berrien County Michigan.
The 1880 census lists her as Almira McCoy
and states that she was divorced.
m. # 2. William Henry Ingalls, on
Nov. 11, 1880, in Buchanan, Michigan.
On her marriage record, she is listed
as "Almira Minnie McCoy", born 1848.
Wm. was born abt. 1854-56, in Hamilton,
Madison County New York.
Almyra had given birth to one child.
d. Aug 30, 1902, in Buchanan township,
age 56 years and 1 day (per death cert.)
Listed on death certificate as:
Almyra Verginia (McCoy) Ingalls.
Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery,
near her parents.
(Section 2, Lot 32).
Listed in cemetery records as
"Myra" A. (McCoy) Ingalls.
------------------------------------
4. Louisa C. McCoy. (Also listed as
"Pernice" in 1870 census, and as
"Pern" in photo with sisters).
b. 1846, in Michigan.
m. Thomas Jefferson Colvin,
on Jan. 23, 1868, in
Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
(Her brother-in-law Sidney Wolcott
was one of the wittinesses).
Thomas J. Colvin is the son of
Wilkerson Colvin and his first wife
Perlina Griffin. Thomas and Louisa
lived in Shelby, Ocenna County Michigan
in the 1880, 1900, and 1920 census'.
Their children included
1. Minnie Colvin, b. 1869.
2. Rosco Colvin, b. 1874.
3. Austin W. Colvin, b. 1887-1889.
d. Louisa died in 1936,
in Shelby, Oceana County Michigan.
Buried: Mount Hope Cemetery, in
Shelby, Oceana County Michigan
(Lot 259).
(Note: Her obituary states that she
is the daughter of Rev. W. R. McCoy,
the first settler of Buchanan, MI).
-----------------------------------
5. Alzada Clementine McCoy.
b. 1851, in Buchanan, Michigan.
m. Austin Edward Ludington, on
Feb. 9, 1869, in Buchanan, Michigan.
Witnesses' were her sisters Myra (McCoy)
Wolcott, and Fannie J. (McCoy) Hess,
both of Buchanan, Michigan.
In the 1900 census, they are living
in Middleton, Orange Co. New York,
and her husband is listed as
"Moses" Ludington.
d. Nov. 5, 1925, in Marcellus,
Cass County Michigan (as a widow).
(Her name is spelled as "Algada"
on her death certificate).
Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery,
near her parents.
(Section 2, Lot 32).
-------------------------------
6. George R. McCoy. b. 1852, in MI.
(Worked in wagon factory
in Buchanan, Michigan).
m. # 1. Amanda J. unknown, about 1880.
They lived in Stewart Co. Tennessee.
They had a son named Walter McCoy.
m. # 2. Margaretta/Marguerette McCoy,
on April 21, 1892. George age 38,
Margaretta age 25 (per Robert Brown).
Was she perhaps
Margaret G. (O'Brien) McCoy,
the widow of George's
brother Charles, who died in 1888?
d. ?
Buried: ?
-------------------------------
7. Mary Ellen McCoy. b. 1855 in MI.
m. "Ellen" McCoy [Mary Ellen McCoy]
was married to Henry "Teich" [Tieche]
on Oct. 2, 1875, in Niles,
Berrien County Michigan.
d. 1937 in Muncie (per cemetery records).
Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery,
Buchanan, Michigan
(Section 2, Lot 14).
(Mary Ellen is isted on the back
of photo of the McCoy daughters,
and in the 1860 and 1870 census).
-----------------------------------
8. Rosetta ("Rosa") E. McCoy, b. 1858.
(Listed as "Rosetta" in 1870 census).
m. Basil Myr.
Daughter: Zeta Belle Myr, b. 1895.
d. Rosa died in 1901.
"Rosa E. Myr" (1858-1901), is buried
in the McCoy plot in Oak Ridge Cemetery
(Section 2, Lot 32).
[A marriage record for Zeta Belle Myr,
born 1895, in Denver, Colorado, lists
her parents as Basil Myr and Rose McCoy.
Zeta B. Myr is listed as the "niece"
of Alzada (McCoy) Ludington in the census].
------------------------------------
9. Esther ALWILDA McCoy.
(Listed as "E. W." in 1880 census).
(Listed as Esther A. on marriage cert.
but as Alwilda on census records).
(Possibly went by her middle name,
because of sharing a first name
with her mother).
b. 1860, in Buchanan, Michigan
(per marriage certificate).
m. Marshall Warren Nichols, on
Nov. 5, 1882, in Buchanan, MI.
Marshall was born Feb. 6, 1852, in
Nicholsville, Cass Co. MI, and
he died on Aug. 21, 1922, in
Marcellus, Cass Co. MI, age 70.
His occupation is listed as a
Locomotive Enginer on his death cert.
He is buried in the Nicholsville
Cemetery, Cass County Michigan.
The 1910 census show them living in
Marcellus, Cass Co. MI with son
George L. Nichols (b. 1893).
"Alwilda" died in 1936.
Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery,
near her parents. (Listed as
"Alwilda" on headstone).
(Section 2, Lot 32).
-----------------------------
10. Charles E. McCoy, b. 1863,
in Buchanan Twp., Berrien Co. MI.
(Worked in wagon factory).
m. Margaret G. O'Brien (b. 1865,
in New Castle, Ohio), on May, 1, 1886,
in Buchanan, Berrien Co. Michigan.
(Chargles was age 23, Margaret age 21).
d. 1888, in Berrien County Michigan.
Charles was a veteran.
Buried in this cemetery near
his parents. (Section 2, Lot 32).
------------------------------------
11. Nellie L. McCoy, b. 1865 in
Buchanan Twp., Berrien Co. Michigan.
m. William E. Royce, Oct. 1, 1882
in Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan.
(William was born in Buchanan, MI).
There is a record of a Michigan birth
for John R. Royce, born Feb. 17, 1884,
in Lake (twp.), Berrien County Michigan,
to William and Nellie Royce.
In the 1900 census they are living
in Freemont City, Dodge County
Nebraska, with daughters Alva E. Royce,
and Mildred Royce.
In the 1920 census they are living
in Harrison, Iowa, with daughter
Mildred Royce age 21 (b. abt. 1899).
d. ?
Buried: ?
_______________________________

The obiturary for Russel McCoy
was published in the
"Berrien County Record" newspaper
in Buchanan, Berrien Co. Michigan
on Thurs. Jan. 1, 1874,
Page 3, Column 3. It reads:
------
Died.- We are called upon to chronicle
the death of another of the first
settlers of Berrien County,
Mr. Russel McCoy, who died at his
residence in this village on Monday of
last week, Dec: 22d, aged 64 years.
Mr. McCoy came to this county in 1829-
45 years ago. In 1830 he was in the
employ of the missionaries near Niles,
and afterwards worked for several
years as boatman on the St. Joseph
River. In 1835 he and Mr. Hiram Wray
built a saw mill at the mouth of the
creek [McCoy's Creek]. For many years
next proceding his death he resided
in this village. Mr. McCoy leaves a
widow and eleven children, all of whom,
together with a large number of
relatives and friends, attended his
funeral services at the Oak street
Chapel, on Wednesday of last week.
---------------------------------
Note: The "Oak street Chapel" mentioned
above, was the "Advent Christian Church",
which was located on S. Oak St. in Buchanan.
-------------------------------
Russel died in Buchanan, Berrien
County Michigan on Dec. 22, 1873,
of "congestion of the lungs".
-------------------------------------
Note: His obituary gives his age
at the time of his death as 64 years,
but cemetery records give his
year of birth as 1811, which would
have made him about age 62.
-------------------------------------
Russel is buried here in
Section 2, Lot # 32, next to his wife
Esther (Weaver) McCoy (1821-1892),
daughter Martha A. McCoy (1842-1893),
daughter Almyra "Myra" (McCoy) Ingalls,
daughter Alzada (McCoy) Ludington,
daughter Alwilda (McCoy) Nichols,
and his son
Charles E. McCoy (1863-1888).
-----------------------------------
Note: Russel McCoy and
Nathan McCoy (of Berrien Twp., Berrien
County Michigan), were cousins.
------------------------------------
The 1810 census of Montgomery County
Virginia, lists a William McCoy and
a George McCoy (brothers).
-------------------------------------
Note: Virginia Deed Book D,
Page 129 states:
William McCoy and his wife Susanna
and George McCoy and his wife Patsy,
of Giles Co. VA., to the heirs of
Philip Harless, the East side of
New River [New River Valley, Virginia],
being part of a tract
of land of 400 acres granted to
Richard McCoy (George and William's
father), patent 7-1794.
-----------------------------------
The Buchanan District Library,
in Buchanan, Michigan, has a nice
framed picture of Russel McCoy,
in their local history room.
--------------------------------
Note: The surname of McCoy was
originally spelled as "McCay".
--------------------------------
Photo of Russel McCoy's daughters
is courtesy of the Buchanan District
Library, Buchanan, Michigan, and sent
to us by Robert D. Brown, President
and newsletter editor of
"Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery".
---------------------------------
Additional SOURCES:
1. History of Berrien and Van Buren
Counties, Michigan, pages 129, 175, and 176.
2. A Twentieth Century History of
Berrien County Michigan, pages 213, and 214.
3. Berrien County Directory and History,
pages 247, 248, and 249.
4. Atlas of Berrien County Michigan,
by W. W. Graves, page 7.
----------------------------------
Note: See the memorials for his
family on this web site:
Russel's wife, Esther (Weaver) McCoy.
The wife of Russel's brother William,
Catherine (Weaver) McCoy.
The sister of Russel's wife Esther,
Anna (Weaver) Colvin.
Nathan McCoy (cousin)
(all of Michigan).
-------------------------------------