The 1812 Immigrants from Ballyleese, Ireland, to Washington County, Pennsylvania
HUGH MCILRAVY (1791-1879) Biographical Summary
Hugh McIlravy was born in Ireland about 12 March, 1791, based on his death date and age at death. Statements in biographies of two of his sons state that he was the son of Hugh C. McIlravy and that he arrived in New York on June 17, 1812 - and that his father died in Washington County Pennsylvania.
In February, 1820 Hugh McIlrevy, along with his cousin John McElravy filed a declaration of intent to become United States citizens in the Common Pleas Court of Washington County. Both stated that they arrived in the United States in June, 1812.
In the 1821/1822 tax valuation list for Strabane Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, Hugh is listed as a stone mason with one horse and one dog. He also is listed for the following two tax years. The Washington County "Observer" newspaper issue dated February 5, 1821 includes the following item on page 2 under the heading "MARRIED":
"On the 18th inst. by the Rev. Boyd Mercer, Mr. Hugh McIlravey, of Strabane township, to Miss Eleanor Quigley, of Fallowfield township."Eleanor (Ellen) Quigley, daughter of John Quigley, was born in Washington Co. PA on about 19 April 1793.A deed in Harrison County, Ohio, dated 3 March 1823 records the sale of 38 acres, part of the SW 1/4 of Section 4, Township 11, in Range 5, by James and Elizabeth Fisher of Harrison Co. to Hugh McIlravy of Washington Co. PA. Hugh owned this land and an adjacent parcel in section 3 until 1864. This land is in Archer Township, 2 miles directly south of the town of Jewett, OH.
The 1830 U.S. census for Archer Township, Harrison County, Ohio, lists:
Hugh McElravyThe children in this listing are John William McIlravy, born 5 Sept 1821 in Washington Co. PA; William Quigley McIlravy, born 12 Sept 1823 in Harrison Co. OH; Hugh Cochran McIlravy, born 12 Jan 1826 in Harrison Co. OH; and David McIlravy, born 1 Feb 1829 in Harrison Co. OH.Males: 2 <5; 2 5-10; 1 30-40
Females: 1 30-40In 1839, Hugh and Ellen bought 110 acres in section 34 of Stock Township - which they owned until 1853. It does not appear that they ever lived there.
The 1840 census for Archer Township, Harrison Co. Ohio lists:
Hugh McIlravyThe additional children born between the 1830 and 1840 census were Nancy Jane McIlravy, born 31 Oct 1832; and Robert and Samuel R. McIlravy, twins, born 1 Mar 1835.Males: 2 5-10; 2 10-15; 2 15-20; 1 40-50
Females: 1 10-15; 1 40-50Samuel R. McIlravy died on October 2, 1843 at the age of 8 years, 7 mo., 1 day and is buried in the Ridge Presbyterian Church Cemetery on Hanover Ridge Road in section 23, Archer Township, Harrison County. The church records for this old church indicate that Hugh McIlravy was quite active there during the time that he lived in Harrison County and served as an officer on several occasions.
In the 1850 census, the Hugh McIlravy family is listed in Archer Township, Harrison County, Ohio as follows:
McIlravyNote: In 1850 Dr. William Q. McIlravy was living in Tuscarawas County with another physician and his family.
Hugh 59 M Ireland farmer Ellen 57 F PA John 28 M PA farmer Hugh 24 M OH Teacher David 21 M OH farmer Nancy J. 18 F OH Robert 16 M OH On 28 March, 1857 Eleanor Quigley McIlravy died in Archer Township, Harrison County, OH. She is buried beside their son Samuel in the church cemetery across the road from Ridge Presbyterian Church on Hanover Ridge Road. Her headstone inscription reads: Ellen McIlravy, wife of Hugh, died March 28, 1857, aged 63y 11m 9d.
In 1859, Robert McElravy (1807-1859), brother of Hugh, died in Tuscarawas County, OH. On February 9, 1860, Hugh married Harriet Atkinson McElravy, the widow of his brother Robert and moved to Tuscarawas County. Four of Hugh's children had previously relocated to Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties, OH. Hugh retained ownership of his farm in Harrison County until 1864. At the time of the 1860 census, the farm was listed with his youngest unmarried son, Robert - and Hugh's unmarried daughter Nancy, along with an adopted daughter, Rachel Ruby, were also still living there. Also, Jane McIlravy, age 75, was a member of this household. The 1860 census listing was as follows:
Note: From known birth dates, the actual ages at the time of this census (26 July 1860) were: Nancy - 27; Robert - 25; Rachel - 8.
Jane McIlravy 75 F Ireland Nancy 26 F OH keeping house Robert 24 M OH farmer Rachel E. Ruby 6 F OH Rachel Elizabeth Ruby was adopted by the Hugh McIlravy family in 1855. She lived with the family until her marriage to Winfield Scott Creighton in Knox County, IL, in December 1867.
The 1860 census for Tuscarawas County, Ohio, lists Hugh and Harriet in Union Township.
McRaveyJoseph Fenner was an orphan who had been raised by Robert and Harriet McIlravy.
Hugh 64 M Ireland farmer Harriet 46 F PA Joseph [Fenner] 20 M Ohio farmer In 1860, Hugh C. McIlravy, son of Hugh and Eleanor was a physician in Magnolia, Carroll County, OH:
McIlravyIn 1860, John McIlravy, son of Hugh and Eleanor, was married and living in Blue Ridge Township, Piatt Co. IL. His brother David was also living with this family:
H.C. 32 M Ohio M.D. Ruth 26 F Ohio Hugh 1 M Ohio
John 38 M Penn farmer Sophia 28 F Ohio Hugh 2 M Illinois David McErava 33 M Ohio farm labor Notes: John and David had previously bought a total of about 620 acres of land in Union and Clarke Counties, IA in June of 1856. They probably lived in IA for a short period around that time - but at least John was back in OH before Jan 1857 when he was married there. Later census records indicate that Hugh, son of John and Sophia, was born in OH rather than IL. But, by the time of the 1860 census, both John and David were in Piatt Co. IL. The published bio for their brother Robert indicates that he and David also farmed in partnership in Piatt County, IL for a short period in the 1860s. David returned to OH at some time and was married there in 1865. (He married Sarah Elizabeth True - whose step-mother, Catherine, was a sister of Sophia [nee: Van Buskirk], wife of his brother John - and also a sister of Rebecca, widow of their brother William.) By about 1867, all three of these families were in Knox Co. IL.
After Robert moved to Illinois about 1863, the two unmarried girls (Nancy and Rachel) lived with Hugh and Harriet in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. (I have a document showing that Nancy was a member of the Methodist Church in Uhrichsville.) Nancy married Robert M. Creighton there in 1866.
On 17 March, 1864 Hugh and Harriet McIlravy of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, sold their property in Harrison County, Ohio to Michael Strausbaugh. Also, that year, some of the Robert McElravy estate was sold in Tuscarawas County. Hugh and Harriet continued to live on the 40 acres in Union Township (that had been the Robert McElravy homestead) until 1867, when they moved to Knox County, Illinois.
By 1869, all of Hugh's living children and their families, along with Hugh and Harriet, had relocated to Copley and Victoria Townships in Knox County, Illinois. (Note that Samuel had died in 1843 - and Dr. William Quigley McIlravy had died in Carroll County OH in 1858.) In a letter dated February 28, 1867 (in my possession) to his sister and brother-in-law, Robert and Nancy Jane (McIlravy) Creighton (who had moved to Henry County IL when they were married in 1866), Dr. Hugh C. McIlravy, then in medical practice in Waynesburg, Stark County, Ohio, stated regarding his father:
"I had a letter this week from Father. They are all well. His sale will be on the 19th of March. He thinks of going out there [to Knox Co. IL] about May or June."From Knox Co. IL records, it appears that Hugh and Harriet did move to Illinois during the summer of 1867. Hugh's sons Robert, John and David had been in Illinois for several years prior to that - first living in Piatt County before moving to Knox County in about 1866.At the time of the 1870 census, Hugh and Harriet and the Hugh C. McIlravy family were living in the same household in Copley Township, Knox County, Illinois:
McIlravyIn the same 1870 census for Knox County, Illinois, Hugh's other children and their families were listed as follows - David, John, and Nancy (Creighton) in Copley Township; Robert in Victoria Township:
Hugh 79 M Ireland retired stone mason Harriet 56 F PA Hugh C. 44 M OH Physician Ruth 37 F OH Hugh H. 11 M OH Ruth E. 4 F OH
McIlravy
John 53(?) [48] M OH(?) farmer [actually born in PA. - GJF] Sophia 37 F OH Hugh 12 M OH Enoch 10 M IL Ella 8 F IL Sherman 6 M IL Wilber 4 M IL Virgil 2 M IL
David 40 M OH farmer Elizabeth 26 F OH Mary E. 2 F IL William 1 M IL
Robert 32 M OH farmer Mary 29 F IL Jesse 1/12 M IL
Robert 34 M IL(?) farmer [actually born in Stark Co. OH. - GJF] Nancy J. 30 F IL(?) [actually born in Harrison Co. OH. - GJF] Elizabeth 1 F IL After Hugh's death, Harriet lived with the David McIlravy family - which moved to Adams County, Iowa, that same year (1879). She was listed with that family in the 1880 census in Adams County. She died there in 1884 and is buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Adams County, Iowa. Her headstone inscription reads: Harriett McIlravy 1-5-1806 3-25-1884.
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
Below is a concise summary of the children of Hugh McIlravy(1791-1879) and Eleanor Quigley. Each name is also a link to a family summary which lists the grandchildren of Hugh and Ellen. This isn't intended to be a complete list of descendants. In some cases, several more generations and additional details are known and have been documented by other researchers. On the other hand, for some of the grandchildren, we currently have only a name with no further details.
1. John William McIlravy - b. 5 Sept 1821, Washington Co. PA; d. 4 Nov 1872 in Knox Co. IL; m. 15 Jan 1857, Sophia Vanbuskirk, Tuscarawas Co. OH2. William Quigley McIlravy (Dr.) - b. 12 Sept 1823, Harrison County OH; d. 25 April 1858, Carroll Co. OH; m. 7 Nov 1850, Rebecca J. Vanbuskirk, Tuscarawas Co. OH
3. Hugh Cochran McIlravy (Dr.) - b.12 Jan 1826, OH; d. 1 May 1877, Knox Co. IL; m. 19 Mar 1857, Ruth D. Herron, Carroll Co. OH
4. David McIlravy - b. 1 Feb 1829, OH; d. 15 Feb 1913, Adams Co IA; m. 27 June 1865, Sarah Elizabeth True, Tuscarawas Co. OH
5. Nancy Jane McIlravy - b. 31 Oct 1832, OH; d. 23 Mar 1913, Adams Co. IA; m. 13 Sept 1866, Robert Murray Creighton, Tuscarawas Co. OH
6. Robert McIlravy - b. 1 Mar 1835, OH; d. 19 May 1895, Knox Co. IL; m.(1) 20 June 1861, Sarah West, Harrison Co. OH; m.(2) 11 Oct 1866, Mary E. Garrett, Knox Co. IL
7. Samuel R. McIlravy - b. 1 Mar 1835, OH; d. 2 Oct 1843, Harrison Co. OH
*8. Rachel Elizabeth Ruby (adopted by Hugh McIlravy family in 1855); b. 1 Jan 1852, OH; d. 11 Aug 1940, Adair Co. IA; m. 19 Dec 1867, Winfield Scott Creighton, Knox Co. IL
Children of John McIlravy and Sophia Vanbuskirk
Name Born Died Married Comments Hugh G. McIlravy ~1858 Enoch L. McIlravy ~1861 Mary Ella McIlravy ~1862 1877 Sherman B. McIlravy 24 Mar 1864 8 Jan 1918 Harriet C. Hyde
28 Dec 1888
Knox Co. ILBur.:Linwood Cem.
Galesburg
Knox Co. ILVirgil H. McIlravy ~1866 John Wilbur McIlravy ~1868 Alicia Sophia McIlravy ~1871 Arthur H. Bennett
15 July 1891
Kansas City, KSNotes:
In the 1900 and 1910 census Sophia Mcilravy was living with her son Hugh G. McIlravy in Perry County, IL. He was single, age 52 in 1910.There is a biography of Arthur H. Bennett on-line, transcribed and modified in 2003 by Carolyn Ward from "A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans", written and compiled by William E. Connelley, Secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, copyright 1918.
William Quigley McIlravy (Dr.)
Children of William McIlravy and Rebecca Vanbuskirk
Name Born Died Married Comments Dawson Lycurgus McIlravy (Dr.) 1852 Dec. 1915 Cora B. Sherrod, 30 May 1881
Tuscarawas Co. OH1900: Physician
in Magnolia, OHCarrabel McIlravy 1854 Nov. 1930 Winfield S. Tidrick, 29 July 1873
Tuscarawas Co. OH1880: Boone Co. IA Notes:
Dr. William Q. McIlravy died in 1858 while a physician and resident of Magnolia (then called Downingville), Carroll County, Ohio. He was buried at the New Cumberland Cemetery in Tuscarawas County. In 1860 Rebecca and the children were living with her mother in New Cumberland. Rebecca remarried in 1861 - but that marriage didn't last. In 1870, she and Carrabel were living next door to her mother. In 1880, she was living near the Tidricks in Boone County, Iowa. She died there in 1886 and was returned for burial at the New Cumberland Cemetery in Tuscarawas County, OH.Dawson Lycurgus McIlravy obtained his medical training at New York University Medical College, New York: Univ. of City of New York Med. Dept., graduating in 1880. He was a practicing physician in Magnolia, Carroll County, OH until 1915. His wife, Cora, and their only daughter, Jennie Maude (Gale), had died before that time. In the meantime his sister, "Carrie" Tidrick, had moved from Boone County, IA to Des Moines, Iowa, before 1900. In 1915, Dawson moved to Des Moines to join his sister and her family there. He began the practice of medicine there on November 8 - but suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on November 24 and died on December 22, 1915 in Des Moines. [Some of the above information is from: "Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929"]
A biography of D.L. McIlravy, MD, was published in the "Portrait and Biographical Record of Stark County", Ohio, in 1892.
The Carrollton, Ohio Free Press Standard published Dr. McIlravy’s obituary on December 23, 1915:
“Dr. D. L. McIlravy, life-long resident of Magnolia, died Wednesday in the home of his only sister at Des Moines, Iowa, and will be buried at Magnolia on Friday. The services will be held in the Lutheran church at one o’clock. Mr. McIlravy was born at Magnolia in the 60’s and was a graduate of the Bellevue medical college, New York. He was one of the best known physicians in the county, and his practice was so extensive that he broke down some years ago from the hard work. His wife and only child, a daughter, have been dead for some years.”The Sandy Valley Press of Magnolia, Ohio published an article on February 7, 1908:“The whole community was very sadly shocked Wednesday morning when it was learned that Mrs. Dr. D. L. McIlravy had died during the night as a result of an accident while using chloroform. Funeral arrangements are not complete pending the arrival of their daughter, Mrs. Ray M. Gale from Ault, Colorado. Mrs. McIlravy had only partially recovered from an attack of the grip, and had been troubled with insomnia and in order to assist her in going to sleep had occasionally, though very rarely, used a small amount of chloroform. Sympathy to Mrs. McIlravy and the family is universal in this terrible accident.”Winfield and Carrie Tidrick were still living in Des Moines in 1920. They had one son, Glenwood, born in Ohio in 1875. Both Winfield and "Glenn" were insurance agents in Des Moines in 1920.
1920 U.S. Census, Polk County, IA; Enumeration District 138, City of Des Moines, 5th Street, pages 179A, 179B; 13 Jan. 1920
Tidrick
Glenn 44 M OH Asst. Sec., Insurance Office Bertha 37 F IA Lawrence 11 M IA Don 10 M IA Bobby 6 M IA
Winfield 77 M OH Insurance Business Carrie 68 F OH Winfield Scott Tidrick died March 26, 1924; Carrie B. Tidrick died November 1, 1930; Glenn L. Tidrick died May 5, 1948. His son, Judge Don L. Tidrick died at the age of 96 on August 26, 2006. (from records of the Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, IA)
Children of Hugh C. McIlravy and Ruth D. Herron
Name Born Died Married Comments Hugh H. McIlravy 21 Sept 1858 16 Sept 1941 Viannie M. Taylor, 2 Feb 1881 Ruth Ella McIlravy 25 Oct 1865 25 May 1940 Ferris Jones Wilbor, 6 Feb 1899 Notes:
Dr. Hugh C. McIlravy was a physician in Magnolia, Carroll County, Ohio, in Waynesburg, Stark County, Ohio, and in Victoria, Knox County, Illinois. He was administrator of the estate of his brother, William Q. McIlravy, in Carroll Co. OH in 1858. He died in Victoria IL in 1877.
Children of David McIlravy and Sarah Elizabeth True
Name Born Died Married Comments Mary E. McIlravy July 1867 James H. Arnold, 28 Feb 1889
Adams Co IAWilliam Q. McIlravy Feb. 1869 Clara R. Vance, 10 July 1895
Adams Co IAIsaac Homer McIlravy Sep. 17, 1871 Feb. 4, 1949 Sarah M. Harrison, 28 Feb 1889
Adams Co IAJohn David McIlravy 15 Feb. 1878 Mabel L. Hoskinson, 22 Feb 1911
Adams Co IAChauncy R. McIlravy July 1881 Rachel Piatt, 28 Feb 1908
Adams Co IAOlin Fremont McIlravy Nov. 27, 1883 Jul. 17, 1962 Grace Brand, 27 Jan 1909
Adams Co IA
Children of Nancy Jane McIlravy and Robert M. Creighton
Name Born Died Married Comments Elizabeth Ellen Creighton 22 Oct 1869 30 June 1938 Miller Speed, 11 Oct 1891
Adams Co. IAWilliam Murray Creighton 11 April 1871 13 Jun 1963 Ella Louise Koch, 3 Feb 1903
Adair Co. IAIda Katie Jane Creighton 30 Mar 1874 12 Jun 1905 Willis F. Brown, 6 Sep 1891
Adair Co. IA
Children of Robert McIlravy and Mary E. Garrett
Name Born Died Married Comments Jessie O. McIlravy 1870 1951 Hattie Gibbs Chauncy D. McIlravy ~1874 Fannie M. McIlravy ~1876 Fred S. McIlravy ~1879 Note: In the 1920 census for Victoria Township, Knox County, IL, Mary, age 78, widowed, was living with her son Chauncey D. McElravy, age 46, single.
Samuel was the twin brother of Robert. He is buried next to his mother (Ellen) at the church cemetery at Hanover Ridge Presbyterian Church in Harrison County, OH.
Rachel married Winfield Creighton in 1867. He was a brother of Robert M. Creighton who married Nancy Jane McIlravy. Winfield was a farmer in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. Rachel and Winfield are buried in the Union Township Cemetery, Adair Co. IA. They had 12 children.