Autobiography of Otis McGaffey, Sr.Written in 1905 |
Otis McGaffey Sen. was born in Circleville, Ohio - August 30th 1820. The
next year my Father moved & settled at Fort Ball on Sandusky river opposite
Tiffin, Ohio. In fall of 1829 my Father (Neal McGaffey) and my Uncle
Joshua Gale moved to then territory of Michigan, Lewis Cass Gov; settled at
White Pigeon, St Joseph Co. In Nov 1839 Father & I started for Texas via
Detroit, Cleveland, then across the state by canal to Portsmouth then to
Cincinnatti & steamboat to New Orleans, then by sail vessel on the Gulf to
Sabine Pass, Texas - Dec 25th 1839- My Father's brother, John McGaffey, had
been living there from 1832 & his son Neal still lives on the same place.
He was born in 1838 - his sister Mrs. Mary Jackson in 1840.
In January 1840 Father & several others who were at the sale of lots in
City of Sabine, went by land to Jasper Co. & I with a Mr. Hotchkiss of
Sabine town on a steam boat up the Sabine River - Capt. Bill
Sterrett, Master, Gov Memucan Hunt & party were along to locate boundary
line with United States & Texas. Boat snagged & sunk in river between
Belgrade & Sabine - we saved out baggage. I went across to Lowe (?) Mills
& went with Father - was with Dr John A (unreadable word) that year selling
goods. Father went north & brought back the family, Mother, Brother &
Sister - in Jasper County. In April 1841 I went back to Michigan & May
18th 1841 was married to Miss Mary McCollister - daughter of Deacon Chas
McCollister who kept the Farmer's Inn 4 miles west of White Pigeon. Our
first child was born there, May 11th 1842 & now lives in Luling, Tex, wife
of Capt K. D. Keith. I remained in Michigan until in July 1842, then off
for Texas again, in two horse wagons with wife & child - was at Michigan
City some time with wife's sister, then to Chicago & got on out to Dixon
with Aunt Rachel Fellows & the cousins until late in Sept; then by SB
(steam boat) all aboard to St Louis; then to Natches & up Red river to
Alexandria, then by land; crossed Sabine at Burr's ferry & to Father's
place near Bevil Port which he had bought from Col. James (?) Armstrong
while I was away. Had for neighbors, R.C. Doom, S.H. Everitt, Bevils,
(unreadable word) of old style. In spring of 1845 Father moved to Sabine
Pass to help his Brother, John McGaffey in laying off town of Sabine Pass &
in Oct I moved to Sabine Pass. In Dec 1845 the annexation of Texas to the
United States was completed, in 1846 the war U.S. & Mexico, in 1861 the
Civil War - in summer of 1862 Yellow fever was brought in by stranger that
came in for shelter. We all had it & my Mother, daughter of 14 Years, &
son in law R. J. Parsons died with it. In Sept Federal gun boat anchored on out bar & shelled our two Cos. Com'd
by Capts K. D. Keith & G. W. O Brian out of the first for near Lt house & soon after landed & set fire to D. R. Wingate Mill property & home. In July
1863 our cotton clad steam boats went out & captured the two blockade
vessels & that summer the large Fort was built & occupied by the Davy
guards of 42.
The content of this pages is courtesy of Julia M
Brittain, a direct descendant of Otis McGaffey, Sr.
Many thanks for your thoughtful contribution to the St Joseph Co., MI pages!
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This page was created 15 Feb 1998
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