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Autobiography
of John W. McCann
This
is the autobiography, dated 15 April 1875, of John W. McCann, who
lived in Paris, Monroe County, Mo.
I
am the youngest child, save one, of Leanty and Margaret McCann, who
emigrated from Tyrone county, Ireland to America in the year 1789.
They were accompanied by my grandfather, Arthur, and grandmother,
Catharine Taggert, with two uncles of the latter name, and settled
in the county of Berkly, Virginia, and shortly thereafter removed to
the county of Mason, Kentucky; from thence they removed to the
central portion of the latter named state, what is now known as
Braken county, and where the county seat, Brookville, now stands; at
which place the subject of this sketch was born on the first day of
May, 1800, consequently will be 75 years old the first of May, 1875.
When
in my eleventh year, my father and family removed to Pendleton
County, near the county-seat, Falmouth. My grandmother still
remained with him, she, save one son, being the only survivor of her
family, and when she died, in 1825, was 118 years old. In 1820, my
father died, leaving his third wife a widow, by whom he had three
children, two of whom now live in Missouri. I taught school for one
year in Pendleton county when in my 18th year; afterwards acted as
Deputy Sheriff one and a half years in said county, and having in
that service obtained a smattering of the practical parts of the
law, in 1823 entered the law office of Major William Routt, a
celebrated land lawyer, of Campbell county (now Kenton), and in 1827
obtained license to practice law in any of the Kentucky courts.
Having
expended the last of a little patrimony left me, for board and
tuition fees, and being without means, I taught school one year in
Grant county; from thence I went to the county of Mason, near
Washington, then the county-seat, where the profession of teaching
was more highly appreciated. On the 29th of May, 1830, (being Lord's
Day) I attended a protracted meeting at May's Lick, in Mason county,
where for the first time I saw Elders Alexander Campbell, Jacob
Creath, elder and junior, with many other Elders whose names I do
not remember. On this occasion, I determined to obey the commands of
my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Elder Campbell, being on his way
home to Bethany, Virginia, preached on the first day of June, 1830,
in the city of Maysville. School was dismissed on that day, went to
said city, and on confession, with some dozen others, was immersed
in the Ohio river by Elder Campbell, and returned to my boarding
house and school, rejoicing and happy that I did that which I should
have done years before. School session having expired, returned to
Williamstown, Grant county, Ky., where I found one Disciple, who
came to Grant county during my absence.
There
was near that town a large and respectable church of Free Will
Baptists, most of whom knew me from my boyhood. They invited me to
lay in my letter from the Busby Creek church, in Mason county, which
I did by the unanimous vote of said church. True, they requested me
to publicly state whether I was a Campbellite or not (having heard I
had joined the then current reformation), on which occasion I stated
if I was anything pertaining to religion, I was a Christite. Though
immersed by Elder Alexander Campbell, this was satisfactory. At the
next monthly meeting I was made clerk of the church, and afterwards
made clerk of the Ten Mile Association. In 1833 the Disciples formed
a church - with six members - in Williamstown, of which myself and
sister constituted two members; was made clerk of the same, remained
such to 1850, when I removed to Missouri. When I left, that church
contained 350 excellent Disciples.
In
1831, I was commenced the practice of law in said town. Married Miss
Nancy Barton, near Georgetown, Ky., 1832, Elder Barton W. Stone
officiating. She died within thirteen months thereafter of cholera,
that swept over the land, childless. In November, 1839, married Miss
Elizabeth Tully, of Boone county, Ky, Elder James Challen
officiating. She died in November, 1841, having two children, whom
she survived for a short time. I now come to my marriage with Miss
Amanda G. Mason, near Paris. Mo- on Dec. 16, 1844, Elder Jacob
Creath, of Palmyra, officiating. She died Dec. 20th, 1862, leaving
my present family of children. Returned to Kentucky in Jan., 1845,
where two sons, John W. and William Worth were born. The first died
Nov. 6, 1856, in Paris. Purchased and settled on a farm near Paris,
where I remained till 1856, when I removed to Paris and commenced
the practice of law, and on Jan 1st 1859, was commissioned
Postmaster at Paris, in which I remained the incumbent till the last
of August, 1868, when I was superseded by my son W. Worth.
I
have given a succinct account of my peregrinations and misfortunes
since I was 18 years of age, and have reason to thank the good
Lord of heaven and earth that it is as well with me as it is. The
day I bowed to the Savior of sinners in 1830, I look upon as the
happiest of my life, and am as firm in my belief in the salvation of
men today as I was at that happy period. And my utter astonishment
is, how men and women can live to the age of maturity without bowing
to that Savior who bought them with a price - His own precious
blood. For let it be known to all, that the person "who is not
for Christ the Lord is against him," which they will find to
their sorrow when its too late. Such ahs been the state of my health
for the last five years, that I must abandon all public business. My
departure is at hand, and when the event occurs I hope to meet all
my Christian friends in the mansions in the skies. |
