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Andrew was a pioneer in KY, OH, IN, and IL and was a very colorfulcharacter. He was said to be tall, extremely dignified, with jet black hair whichbecame snow white with age. He was a stately looking gentleman,always neatly dressed, never without a silk tie, always well brushed,"with ruffled shirt common to those who had seen city life." "Therewas an air of importance and superiority permeating every fibre ofAndy's nature." He acquired considerable wealth but also lost a great part of it topolitics and speculation. He and Jane had a total of 12 children. Residences & events in his life: 1797 KY. Andrew accompanied his father and a surveying party to OHand he recorded the experience: "We were with the surveying partyheaded by Lucas Sullivant from Kentucky, and went up along the SciotoRivver as far north as the Forks where the Whetstone joins - thencalled the Forks of the Scioto. The party returned to Chillicothelate in the fall. When we (the whole family) returned next spring wefound a white family, Joseph Dixon's." 1805 Chillicothe, Ross Co, OH. At age 13 he became a mail carrierand described the job: "A weekly mail left Franklinton each Friday,stayed over night at Markly's Mill on Darby Creek, next day madeChillicothe and returned to Thompson's on Deer Creek, thence home onSunday. There was no postoffice between Columbus and Chillicothe. Iwas the first mail carrier and did carry the first mail to Franklintonand was employed in that business about one year, during the winterand spring, having twice to swim the Darby and Deer Creeks carrying the small mail bag on my shoulders. There was not a house but WilliamBrown's between Franklinton and Darby and but a cabin at Westfall andDeer Creek to Chillicothe. I commenced carrying the mail at 13 yearsold. It was a rather lonesome route for a boy." At 19 he was a trumpeter in Jacob Raub's company of "Rifles" in theWar of 1812 and promoted until he reached Capt. He and his brothers, along with the Sells brothers, were co-buildersof a dam on the Scioto River, OH. He bought the Swan Tavern, was thepostmaster, and built a flour mill. Columbus, Franklin Co, OH. He was described as a prominent residentof the county. "The story goes that he was expecting a visit from his cousin, thelate Bishop McIlvaine, and that he had to go to New York on business.While away he left his inscription for the sign painter and owing tothe fact that he had a sort of legal scrawl and that his capital 'I'slooked like 'E's, and that the 'e' at the end of the name was alwaysstrung out so far that it was not recognizable, the sign painter putin 'McElvain.' The paper states that the Colonel swore roundly andmade such a commotion that the people along the street came out to seewhat was the matter, and finally a young fellow named Martin, afavorite nephew, came over and put the Colonel in a good humor. Thisstart was seconded by a friend across the street who admired the signvery much and said that it was a credit to Columbus, so that owing tothe fact that it could not be changed in time for the Bishop's visitit was allowed to remain so. The rest of the family, feeling greatrespect for the Colonel's ability, and recognizing the fact that thenew style was easier, at once adopted it, except two or three of thefamily who still cling to the 'I', although nearly all of them havediscarded the 'a' in the prefix." 1819 Near Clinton, IN. His wife, Martha, died enroute to Vincennes,IN, as the family was moving. He was so grieved that he returned toColumbus with their two sons while the rest of the family trudged on. Columbus, OH. There he married Martha's cousin, Jane, and stayedawhile longer. 1832 Near Ft Hamilton, WI. Lured by lead and zinc mining, he andbrother, James, went north. Andrew was one of the lucky ones toescape the Indian raid which resulted in James' death. 1832-1837 Franklin Co, OH. Back home on safer ground, he became thesheriff. 1842-1844 He served as director of the Ohio penitentiary. 1846 "Having suffered some severe pecuniary losses in trade, andhaving incurred some debts, thereby boldly started for California...for the purpose of retrieving his fortunes and of paying his justdebts." At age 50, he started the trip with sons, William, Swayne,and Purdy, along with other gold hunters. Only he and Purdy completedthe trip, William died enroute and Swayne turned back to Kansas andalso died. Andrew found enough gold to pay his debts and get anotherstart in the west. Purdy stayed on in California when Andrewreturned but he later joined the family in IL. IN. Exact date is unknown. 1859 West Point Grove, near Postville/Lincoln, IL. His daughter,Matilda, said that when their wagons arrived, "Colonel McElvain droveup to the old tavern, only recently demolished and inquired thedirection to the section on which laid the farm he had purchase. Atall, bony man gave him the directions-that man was Abraham Lincoln, atraveling lawyer from Springfield, Ill, and a member of thelegistlature of Illinois, destined to be great friends and cronieswith Col. McElvain, in spite of their political differences. Col.McElvain always argued that if the slaves were a political subjectthere would be war between the North and the Sounth but he did notlive to see it. Mr. McElvain and Mr. Lincoln never got beyond the Mr.in their conversation, but with another grandfather, who also was afriend and fellow Whig with Lincoln, it was always 'Abe' and 'Jake.'" 1860 Logan Co, IL. At census time his property already = $4000/1000.Living with his family was a James Bell, 25, farmer with $200 inpersonal property. |
| One descendant has 9/8/1791 as his birth date. |
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Andrew died of accidental injuries. The newspaper carried the story: "DIED - On Thursday evening last, the 9th inst., Andrew McElvain Esq., of West Point Grove in the county, of this county and recently of this city, aged 69 years. Obituary - The somewhat sudden and unexpected death of this worthy citizen and good man spead a deep gloom on the whole community and was felt as an irreparable loss by all who knew him. He had gone out in apparently robust health on Thursday morning with his sons for the purpose of yoking some oxen on this farm. During the process one of the cattle which was a little unruly, made a pass at Colonel McElvain, who was standing at his head and who, in order to save himself sprang hastily backward. In the sudden effort he must have ruptured a blood vessel internally as in a brief space he became insensible and expired the same night about 12 o'clock." And another: "....he settled in this state and county on a farm he purchased on Sugar Creek, which he managed with great success and which he tended until quite recently, when he sold the farm and retired to his property in this town, to spend the remainder of his days in the bosom of this family. But it pleased God that this enjoyment should be of brief duration and he was transferred to a more permanent home. The present writer became acquainted with Mr. McElvain soon after his arrival in this town and has since had frequent opportunities of enjoying his society and becoming acquainted with the sterling qualities of his character. He was in all respects a good citizen, a high minded gentleman and an example eminently worthy of emulation in all the relations of life; training up his children in the practice of the best moral and religious principles and though not professing the peculiar creed of any religious sect or denomination, he was a true christian, in the highest and noblest acceptance of that term. His remains were attended to their final resting place on Saturday by a large and most respectful concourse of his fellow citizens, without distinction of creed or party, who testified their respect for the virtues of the deceased and their sympathy for the bereaved family by those marks of genuine sorrow and feeling which is more easy to feel than to describe. Such is the end of a good man, and well may we all join in the common prayer. Oh let me die the death of the righteous and Let my last words be like His, For it is by their fruits alone, that ye shall know them!" |