[PattiOlsson.FTW]
Information courtesy of Dr. Robert Fleming Slutz.
"NATHAN M. McCREARY.
This county is pre-eminently one of comfortable rural homes. The soil being wonderfully fertile and the facilities for market excellent, a great many agriculturists secure a competence by the cultivation of a moderate acreage. One of the successful farmers of Fairfield Township is Nathan M. McCreary, who operates a finely-tilled farm on section 3. In addition to cultivating the soil, he breeds Poland-China hogs.
Mr. McCreary was born on section 2 of this township, July 10, 1827 and is the son of John and Margaret (Slutts) McCreary. His father was born in Virginia, July 22, 1769, of parents who came from Ireland in an early day and were married many years after their arrival in the New World. John McCreary started out in life poor in purse, and when leaving home went to Red Stone, located on the Monongahela Rover. While living there he made seven trips to New Orleans in order to trade, and on five different occasions, walked the entire distance home. On one of these journeys he was piloted over the fall, for which he was compelled to pay $25. This being quite a severe lesson, he was on the lookout thereafter, and fell into no more such traps. The father of our subject had saved about $1400 on these trips to and from the Crescent City, and concluded to invest some of his surplus capital on land. Coming to Ohio, he entered a tract on section 28, Warren Township, Tuscarawas County, on which he erected a little log cabin on the north branch of Indian creek. In this he resided for a time and cleared six acres from its original wildness, which was the first pretense at improvement that had been made in the Township. He was soon after rendered a poor man by the failure of parties to whom he had loaned the greater part of his earnings after making the first payment on his land. Being thus unable to meet further notes due, he advertised his land for sale, and on disposing of it entered a quarter-section on section 2, Fairfield Township. This was about 1806, and June 7, ten years later, he entered form the government the tract on section 3 where our subject makes his home at present. He worked industriously to improve both farms, in which undertaking he was more than ordinarily successful. he departed this life on section 2, April 29, 1857, firm in the faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member.
He was a powerfully built man, six feet in height, and of a determined spirit. He was very active in politics, and voted with the Democratic party. John McCreary in early life learned the trade of a millwright, which, although he did not follow it, proved of great assistance to him at the time of his erection of a mill in Warren Township. He was on friendly terms with the Indians, and in all his dealings with them never had any trouble.
The parents of our subject were married about 1809 and to them was granted a family of ten children.
- Catherine married Michael Kollar, and on his death became the wife of Issac Sparks. She departed this life December 31, 1894 in Boone County, Iowa.
- James died near Gnadenhutten, December 3, 1873.
- Rosanna became the wife of George Fisher, and departed this life at Bolivar.
- Sarah A., Mrs. Henry Sparks, died in Warren Township.
- John died in 1894 on the home farm.
- Reason passed away in Owen County, IN., and
- William is a resident of the above place.
The mother of this family is an active member of the Methodist church with which all her children were connected, and James and William were for many years Class-leaders.
........(edited)........February 22, 1855, the subject of this sketch and Miss Margaret Scarlott, of Jefferson County were united in marriage. She died May 8, 1881 and October 9 of that year Mr. McCreary married Mrs. Ellen, widow of William Frase of Wayne County. Mrs. McCreary was born in Wayne County December 7, 1839.
To Mr. and Mrs. McCreary there have been born two children;
- Margaret Luella, born March 29, 1883 and
- John E., who was born December 9, 1884, and died when a year and 3 months old.
