Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 65 of 372
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ENCYCLOPEDIA.
55
carpentering; in 1853 he located in Austin, Texas,
where he worked at his trade. While there he assisted
in the construction of the Old Land Ofjlce.
In 1854 he removed to Williamson county,
where he has since resided, engaged in farming
.and stock raising. In 1862 he entered the regular
.Confederate service as a private in company A,
Thirtieth Texas cavalry, and remained in the army
until the termination of the war. His soldierly
*conduct gained for him, in 1863, the promotion to
second Lieutenant, and in 1864, to the rank of Captain,
by brevet.
OCKETT, DAVID. This distinguished
>^^5 pioneer, hunter, and Indian fighter, loca'^fi
Q ted in Texas in 1835. He had previously
resided in Tennessee, in which State he
had been a member of Congress. On his arrival
at Nacogdoches he declined to take the oath of
allegiance until the word "republican" was
incorporated. He died as a brave man, with Travis
and Bowie, in the Alamo. A number of dead
Mexicans were lying near his body.
C(OY, COLONEL JOHN C., lawyer, was
~~^ born on the 28th day of September, 1819,
l~ ~v~ in Clark county, Indiana, then a wild
" ~-;~ ^and romantic section of the great Northwest.
It may be noted, as a most remarkable his.torical
coincidence, that a majority of the men of
our country who have achieved political, military,
' scholastic or scientific distinction, have come from
the Northwest.
Colonel McCoy's father was John McCoy, a native
of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, who while
quite young immigrated with his father to Kentucky,
where he remained until he had attained his
majority. Being of a brave and adventurous disposition,
he dared the dangers and privations inciAdent
to pioneer life, and became one of the first
settlers in Clark county, Indiana, emigrating from
''Kentucky to that locality in 1803. With a vigorous
.arm, an industrious spirit, and a perseverance that
was untiring, he did his full share in establishing
a sure foundation for the future prosperity and
greatness of the State of his adoption. In 1812, after
the declaration of hostilities between the United
States and Great Britain, he entered the American
army as major of a regiment of Indiana troops, and
.acquitted himself with credit, thus displaying themartial ardor and genius of a soldier, qualities
which largely entered into the formation of the
character of his son.
The McCoy fanily are of Scotch extraction, but
at what date their ancestors came to this country
is not known.
Colonel McCoy's mother, whose maiden name was
Jane Collins, was a daughter of William Collins, a
gentleman of considerable local celebrity, who followed
through life agricultural vocations in the
State of Kentucky. Of his antecedents we know
nothing.
At the age of sixteen Colonel McCoy left the parental
roof, and went forth into the world unaided
and unassisted to fight the battle of life. His first
employment was in the office of the Clerk of the
Circuit Court of Clark county, where he remained
for two years, discharging his duties with honesty
and assiduity, to the entire satisfaction of his
employer. He had obtained as liberal an education
as the schools at that time afforded, and the necessity
of laboring upon his father's farm, permitted.
His energy and ambition now prompted him to turn
his attention in another direction. About this time
-1839-it became necessary to ascertain by a survey
the western boundary line of the State of Missouri.
Young McCoy had previously gone to the
Missouri frontier on a visit to the Rev. Isaac
McCoy, a relative of his father, celebrated as a
missionary among the Indian tribes, and while on
this temporary sojourn learned of the intention of
the Government to have that survey made, and became
acquainted with the party of engineers, who,
under an act of Congress, had been deputed by the
Topographical Bureau at Washington to perform
that labor, and who were under the command of
Captain Hood. Upon application he was engaged
to assist in the work, which he undertook and continued
until its completion, the line extending from
the Missouri river south to the Osage. Immediately
afterward he was engaged as an enrolling agent
and assistant in making payment of the annual
stipend due from the Governmemt to certain tribes
of Indians in Western Missouri. This duty he performed
creditably under the direction of that famous
man, Anthony L. Davis. He was present at the first
sale of lots made in Kanas City, long before a single
house had been erected on the site where that large
and flourishing city now stands, and with his own
hands drafted the title deeds for the property conveyed
at the sale. I-lls business capacity soon
attracted attention, which, with the well known and
important services he had rendered the general Government,
as well as his faithfulness to the interests
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/65/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.