Hugh McGary and his two brothers, Jesse and William moved to the Evansville area prior to the establishment of the town and he has been called the Founding Father of Evansville.
He married Mary "Polly" Anthony there on 4 July 1805. He owned over 440 acres by 1812 and operated a ferry across the river.
He served in the War of 1812 in the Militia Mounted Rangers, re-enlisting three times.
He built a large warehouse which would become the city and county building and began to plot out the town by 1815. He accumulated many hundred more acres over the years.
When Evansville incorporated, he was elected President of Trustees and planned to seek a seat in the Indiana General Assembly. That year, his wife died in childbirth along with their daughter and he donated land for the Evansville Graveyard. At that time he withdrew as a candidate for office.
Four years later, he married Mary "Polly" Blevins McClain, who supposedly died of fever the next year. *Note: a woman fitting her age and description, named "Mary McGarrah" is found living with their daughter on the United States 1850 Census.
Some historians believe Hugh retreated in 1829 to some 200 + acres his father had deeded to him in what was then Hopkins County, somewhere south of Madisonville. There is much disagreement as to whether he was buried there, or here at Evansville, with his beloved daughter and wives. No proof is evident.
The following information was provided by Mel Davis :
At the organization of the county in 1813, it was provided that the courts of the county should convene at the house of Bailey Anderson. This was done for a time, but the house of Hugh McGary in what was then Pigeon Township, at the present site of the city of Evansville in Vanderburgh County, was much more convenient and the Court of Common Pleas was soon held there. On account of this change in the place of holding the courts, there was considerable doubt as to the validity of the proceedings. In order to remedy this, an act of the Territorial Legislature was passed legalizing the acts of the courts thus held at the house of Hugh McGary.
This, it will be remembered, was while the State was yet a Territory, and the laws of the United States were modeled after the common law, and Courts of Common Pleas were thought to be necessary.
SOURCE: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present ; together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc.
Page 72
Publication date 1885
Publisher Chicago : Goodspeed
He married Mary "Polly" Anthony there on 4 July 1805. He owned over 440 acres by 1812 and operated a ferry across the river.
He served in the War of 1812 in the Militia Mounted Rangers, re-enlisting three times.
He built a large warehouse which would become the city and county building and began to plot out the town by 1815. He accumulated many hundred more acres over the years.
When Evansville incorporated, he was elected President of Trustees and planned to seek a seat in the Indiana General Assembly. That year, his wife died in childbirth along with their daughter and he donated land for the Evansville Graveyard. At that time he withdrew as a candidate for office.
Four years later, he married Mary "Polly" Blevins McClain, who supposedly died of fever the next year. *Note: a woman fitting her age and description, named "Mary McGarrah" is found living with their daughter on the United States 1850 Census.
Some historians believe Hugh retreated in 1829 to some 200 + acres his father had deeded to him in what was then Hopkins County, somewhere south of Madisonville. There is much disagreement as to whether he was buried there, or here at Evansville, with his beloved daughter and wives. No proof is evident.
The following information was provided by Mel Davis :
At the organization of the county in 1813, it was provided that the courts of the county should convene at the house of Bailey Anderson. This was done for a time, but the house of Hugh McGary in what was then Pigeon Township, at the present site of the city of Evansville in Vanderburgh County, was much more convenient and the Court of Common Pleas was soon held there. On account of this change in the place of holding the courts, there was considerable doubt as to the validity of the proceedings. In order to remedy this, an act of the Territorial Legislature was passed legalizing the acts of the courts thus held at the house of Hugh McGary.
This, it will be remembered, was while the State was yet a Territory, and the laws of the United States were modeled after the common law, and Courts of Common Pleas were thought to be necessary.
SOURCE: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present ; together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc.
Page 72
Publication date 1885
Publisher Chicago : Goodspeed
Hugh McGary and his two brothers, Jesse and William moved to the Evansville area prior to the establishment of the town and he has been called the Founding Father of Evansville.
He married Mary "Polly" Anthony there on 4 July 1805. He owned over 440 acres by 1812 and operated a ferry across the river.
He served in the War of 1812 in the Militia Mounted Rangers, re-enlisting three times.
He built a large warehouse which would become the city and county building and began to plot out the town by 1815. He accumulated many hundred more acres over the years.
When Evansville incorporated, he was elected President of Trustees and planned to seek a seat in the Indiana General Assembly. That year, his wife died in childbirth along with their daughter and he donated land for the Evansville Graveyard. At that time he withdrew as a candidate for office.
Four years later, he married Mary "Polly" Blevins McClain, who supposedly died of fever the next year. *Note: a woman fitting her age and description, named "Mary McGarrah" is found living with their daughter on the United States 1850 Census.
Some historians believe Hugh retreated in 1829 to some 200 + acres his father had deeded to him in what was then Hopkins County, somewhere south of Madisonville. There is much disagreement as to whether he was buried there, or here at Evansville, with his beloved daughter and wives. No proof is evident.
The following information was provided by Mel Davis :
At the organization of the county in 1813, it was provided that the courts of the county should convene at the house of Bailey Anderson. This was done for a time, but the house of Hugh McGary in what was then Pigeon Township, at the present site of the city of Evansville in Vanderburgh County, was much more convenient and the Court of Common Pleas was soon held there. On account of this change in the place of holding the courts, there was considerable doubt as to the validity of the proceedings. In order to remedy this, an act of the Territorial Legislature was passed legalizing the acts of the courts thus held at the house of Hugh McGary.
This, it will be remembered, was while the State was yet a Territory, and the laws of the United States were modeled after the common law, and Courts of Common Pleas were thought to be necessary.
SOURCE: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present ; together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc.
Page 72
Publication date 1885
Publisher Chicago : Goodspeed
He married Mary "Polly" Anthony there on 4 July 1805. He owned over 440 acres by 1812 and operated a ferry across the river.
He served in the War of 1812 in the Militia Mounted Rangers, re-enlisting three times.
He built a large warehouse which would become the city and county building and began to plot out the town by 1815. He accumulated many hundred more acres over the years.
When Evansville incorporated, he was elected President of Trustees and planned to seek a seat in the Indiana General Assembly. That year, his wife died in childbirth along with their daughter and he donated land for the Evansville Graveyard. At that time he withdrew as a candidate for office.
Four years later, he married Mary "Polly" Blevins McClain, who supposedly died of fever the next year. *Note: a woman fitting her age and description, named "Mary McGarrah" is found living with their daughter on the United States 1850 Census.
Some historians believe Hugh retreated in 1829 to some 200 + acres his father had deeded to him in what was then Hopkins County, somewhere south of Madisonville. There is much disagreement as to whether he was buried there, or here at Evansville, with his beloved daughter and wives. No proof is evident.
The following information was provided by Mel Davis :
At the organization of the county in 1813, it was provided that the courts of the county should convene at the house of Bailey Anderson. This was done for a time, but the house of Hugh McGary in what was then Pigeon Township, at the present site of the city of Evansville in Vanderburgh County, was much more convenient and the Court of Common Pleas was soon held there. On account of this change in the place of holding the courts, there was considerable doubt as to the validity of the proceedings. In order to remedy this, an act of the Territorial Legislature was passed legalizing the acts of the courts thus held at the house of Hugh McGary.
This, it will be remembered, was while the State was yet a Territory, and the laws of the United States were modeled after the common law, and Courts of Common Pleas were thought to be necessary.
SOURCE: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present ; together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc.
Page 72
Publication date 1885
Publisher Chicago : Goodspeed
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