Biography - Jacob McConathy
JACOB McCONATHY, a representative farmer of Montgomery County, residing in Raymond Township, section 5, has the honor of being a native of this State. He was born in Greene County, near Carrolton, February 24, 1844, and is a son of Perry and Matilda Jane (Olverson) McConathy. The McConathy family is of Scotch-Irish extraction and was founded in America by the great-grandfather of our subject, who crossed the Atlantic when a young man and located in Kentucky in the seventeenth century. Jacob now has in his possession a razor which was brought by his ancestor from the Emerald Isle. Jacob McConathy, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Kentucky before the Revolutionary War and for many years was a leading miller of that State.
Perry McConathy was born near Lexington, Ky., August 17, 1813. By trade he was a saddler. In 1837, he made his way in a two-wheel cart from Kentucky to the wild prairies of Greene County, Ill. For a time he worked at his trade, but, soon located on a farm near what is now Roodhouse, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1881. He was quite successful and accumulated considerable property. He was a man of sterling worth and was held in the highest esteem by his fellow-townsmen. For twenty-four years he was honored with the offices of Justice of the Peace and Notary Public, and for seven years was Assessor of his township, his long-continued service indicating his great popularity and the ability with which he discharged his public duties. Little is known concerning the maternal ancestry of our subject. His mother was born in Grayson County, Ky., January 7, 1819, and in an early day came to Illinois. She is still living in Greene County.
Jacob McConathy, whose name heads this record, was the fifth in a family of fourteen children, numbering seven sons and seven daughters, of whom all of the former and two of the latter are yet living. He was retired on his father's farm and received but a limited education, his privileges being such as the common schools in the early days of Illinois afforded. He carried on farming in Greene County until 1872, when he came to Montgomery County and purchased the farm in Raymond Township on which he now resides. It was in 1865 that Mr. McConathy wedded Miss Mary J. McCracken, a native of Greene County and a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Branyan) McCracken, natives of Perry County, Pa., who were of Scotch descent. They located in Greene County, Ill., in 1835. Her grandfather, William Branyan, served in the War of 1812. Her father died when she was seven years of age, but her mother is still living in Greene County at the age of seventy-three years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McConathy were born nine children, of whom two died in childhood, but seven arc yet living: Charles H., Perry Milton, William Leslie, Cora Lula, J. Tilden, Mamie and Pearl Elizabeth.
In politics, Mr. McConathy has always been a Democrat, but has never been an office-seeker. Socially, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen Society. He is a man of good business ability, enterprising and sagacious, and by his well-directed efforts has won prosperity. He is recognized as one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of the community.
Extracted 10 Jan 2017 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 276-277.
