Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Walla Walla, Washington) > 1946 > January > 30

Death Takes Mrs McCoy

Mrs. Mary A. McCoy, 83 years old, who came to the Walla Walla valley by wagon train when she was a child of 5 years, died Tuesday at the home of a son, J. O. McCoy, in Chehalis. For the past 15 years, she had divided her time between Walla walla, Chehalis and Centralia, a daughter Gerhard Steffensen, resideng in the latter town.

Mrs McCoy was born July 11, 1862 in Illinois. Her maiden name was Mary Cowl.

Married to J. H. McCoy here in Walla Walla, they made this their home until his death in 1910. For a time she lived on Ruth avenue.

Besides the son and daughter in the western Washington cities, she leaves another son, George of Sacramento, Calif., nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

The body will arrive in Walla Walla Thursday morning and funeral rites have been set for 2 p. m. Friday from a local chaped.

A member of the Congregational church, she also belonged to the Order of Eastern Star.

Burial: Mt View Cemetery, Walla Walla,WA⁴

Census 1: 1870, OR Umatilla Walla Walla Cayuse Pg 383A(See Father)

Census 2: 1880, OR Umatilla Milton Pct ED 110 Pg 18(See Father)

Census 3: 1900, OR Umatilla N Milton ED 114 Pg 128B(See Husband)

Census 4: 1910, WA Walla Walla Walla Walla WD-3 ED 252 Pg 202A (See Husband)

Census 5: 1930, WA Walla Walla Walla Walla Watertown Dist 26 Pg 161B(See Son, Joseph Owen McCoy)

An illustrated history of Walla Walla County, state of Washington Pg 401-402

Joseph H McCoy, a farmer on the Tumalum, eight and a half miles southwest of Walla Walla, a pioneer of the valley of 1859, was born in Linn county, Oregon on January 15, 1856. When a small child he was brought by his parents to this valley7, and he now resides on the place which his father homesteaded on coming here. He received his education in Mr and Mrs Chamberlain's private school, and in the old Whitman Academy, which he attended two years.

His first business after leaving school was raising Norman Percheron horses in Umatilla county and later in Wasco county, Oregon, in company with his brothers, E.O. and John D., a line of activity which he followed until 1884. He sold out, returned to the paternal homestead and took charge of the farm. While thus employed he received an appointment from Mr Zoeth Houser as chief deputy sheriff of Umatilla county, Oregon, and for two years thereafter he was engaged in the performance of his duties as such officer.

Returning then to his farming, he devoted the summer and fall seasons to that industry, but as soon as harvest time was passed he indulged his passion for travel, visiting every state and territory in the Union except those along the Atlantic seaboard. latterly he has given his entire time and attention to his farm, and is now one of the most successful diversified farmers in the valley. He enjoys an enviable standing in his community, the natural consequence of his uniform fairness and integrity in his dealings with his neighbors. His fraternal connections are with the Damon Lodge, No 4, Knights of Pythias, of Pendleton, and with Lodge No 23, F.O.E., of Walla Walla.

Mr McCoy was married, at Cowl's Crossing, of the Walla Walla River, October 26, 1882, to Miss Mary A. Cowl, a native of Illinois, who was brought by her parents across the plains in 1866. They have a family of four children, Joseph O., Kate M., and George T. and Mattie A., twins. Mr McCoy's father was a prominent man in the early pioneer days of this valley. He has the distinction of having started and for a time operated the first meat market ever established in this section, and one surprising thing in this connection is that the market has been maintained continuously as such ever since, though started in 1858. It is now the property of Mr Chris Ennis.

When the family first settled on the farm here they were neighbors to the Cayuse Indians, but by uniform fair treatment they kept the good will of the red men and experienced no trouble with them. On one occasion an Indian stole a horse from Mr McCoy, but the other Indians followed the thief to Idaho, overtook him, beat him unmercifully and compelled him to bring back the stolen property.

Mr McCoy tells many amusing anecdotes of the false Indian scares of early days, one of which is to the effect that a neighbor, while on a mad drive to Fort Walla Walla to alarm the soldiers, lost one of his children out of the wagon, and when the others set up a cry of alarm his imagination construed the turmoil to be the shouts of approaching red skins and he drove all the harder. Mr. McCoy's father died in Menard county, Illinois, February 19, 1877, while back there on a visit, and his mother passed away in October 1896, and lies buried in the Walla Walla cemetery. While Mr. McCoy's farm is just over the Oregon line, he considers Walla Walla his home town and always has his mail directed to that post office.

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BLM Land Patents

MCCOY, JOSEPH H OR Sherman 4/27/1897 The Dalles 4389 ORTDAA 066703

MCCOY, JOSEPH H OR Wasco 2/28/1906 The Dalles 4505 ORTDAA 062116

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1900 Census OR Umatilla N Milton ED 114 Pg 128B (26 June 1900 Geo A Cowl)

Line 62

112 115 McCoy Joseph H Head M June 1856 44 M 17 Oregon Illinois Illinois Farmer

--------, Mary A Wife WF July 1862 37 M17 (5 Children 4 Alive) Illinois New York New York

--------, Joseph O Son WM Feb 1884 16 S Oregon Oregon Illinois At School

--------, Katherine M Daughter WF Oct 1887 12 S Oregon Oregon Illinois At School

--------, George T Son WM Sept 1889 10 Oregon Oregon Illinois At School

--------, Mary A Daughter WM Sept 1889 10 S Oregon Oregon Illinois At School

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1910 Census WA Walla Walla Walla Walla WD-3 ED 252 Pg 202A (15 April 1910 Earl H Benson)

Line 44

609 36 37 McCoy Joseph H Head MW 55 M1 28 Oregon Illinois Illiniois farmer General Farm

--------, Mary A Wife FW 47 M1 28 (5 Children 4 Alive) Illinois New York New York None

--------, Joseph Jr Son MW 26 S Oregon Oregon Illinois Laborer Farm

--------, Catherine M Daughter FW 22 S Oregon Oregon Illinois Operator Telephone

--------, Matre Daugther FW 20 S Oregon Oregon Illinois Operator Telephone

--------, George T Son MW 20 S Oregon Oregon Illinois Student College

Vester Marie Boarder FW 20 S Washington Ohio Oregon none

Burial: Mt View Cemetery, Walla Walla,WA⁵

Census 1: 1870, OR Umatilla Walla Walla Pct Pg 9(See Father)

Census 2: 1880, OR Umatilla Milton Pg 10C(See Mother)

Census 3: 1900, OR Umatilla N Milton ED 114 Pg 128B

Census 4: 1910, WA Walla Walla Walla Walla WD-3 ED 252 Pg 202A

McCoy, Joseph H.

Marriage: Joseph McCoy married Mary Cowl on Oct 25, 1882 in Umatilla County, OR.

Gender: Male

Source Location: Record of this marriage may be found at the Family History Library under microfiche reference number(s) 6088045.

Marriage: 25 Oct 1882, Umatilla, Oregon⁶