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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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Warren
McVay The
gentleman to whom attention is directed in this review is an individual who has
attained pronounced prestige by reason of native and acquired ability, and also
because of his high standing in the domain of private citizenship.
Warren McVay, of Newton, Jasper County, is one of the representative men
of this vicinity and for several decades past has been prominently identified
with the industrial and business interests of the locality of which this history
treats. He takes a deep and abiding
interest in everything pertaining to the material advancement of the town and
County and every enterprise intended to promote the advancement of the same is
sure to receive his hearty support. He
is rated as one of the progressive citizens of the County in which he has lived
for a period of more than thirty years and the high respect in which he is held
by all classes of people is a deserving compliment to an intelligent,
broad-minded and most worthy man. Mr.
McVay was born on February 15, 1862, in Schuyler County, Illinois, near the town
of Rushville, the son of Alvin and Phoebe (Sparks) McVay, the father having been
born in Ohio, the son of Isaac McVay. The family is of Scotch-Irish extraction.
Alvin McVay was a cooper by trade. He
spent most of his life in Illinois, one year in Iowa and for a time resided in
Denver, Colorado, later returning to Illinois, and, after a. successful and
useful life he died in 1804 at the age of sixty-five years His wife was born in
Indiana and her death occurred in Denver in October 1909, at the age of
seventy-four years, having made her home in that city after the death of her
husband. Warren McVay was the third child in a family of ten children, the
others being named as follows: Mary
J., wife of Milton McVay, a distant relative, lives at Camp Point, Illinois;
Rosa, wife of John Hasley, lives in Newton; Bert died in Silk, Colorado; Myron
died in Newton; Nancy, the eldest child, and Calvin, John and Laura, all died in
infancy. Warren
McVay attended school in Adams County, Illinois, and on October 7, 1880, he
arrived in Newton, Iowa, and he attended one term of school in Adamson's Grove,
after coming to Jasper County. In
order to get a start in the new country he worked by the month on different
farms for five years, then went to Denver, Colorado, and he farmed in that state
for six years; but not taking any too kindly to ranching in the Centennial
state, he returned to Iowa in 1891, locating in Jasper County, living for a time
at Kellogg. In
1893 he was united in marriage with May Belle Peters, who was born in Fayette
County, Iowa, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Landers) Peters. Her mother
was a native of Pennsylvania and the father of Ohio. He devoted his life to farming.
He was only nine years of age when he accompanied his parents to Iowa and
here he grew up with the country, the state being new when he arrived.
John Peters was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War, having
enlisted early in the struggle in Company F, Ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in
which lie served very gallantly until the close of the war, receiving an
honorable discharge. He saw some
hard service in many campaigns and battles, in one of which he received a wound,
but not of serious consequence. Although he was compelled to undergo many hardships of camp,
skirmish and march, he never regretted his service to his country.
He is still living, making his home in Marshalltown, being now
sixty-eight years of age. Mrs. Peters passed away in 1900. Eight
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Peters, namely:
May Belle, wife of Mr. McVay; Ida, wife of T. E. Roseman, who is in the
mail service at Kellogg, this County; Etta, wife of Horace Morgan, lives at
Marshalltown; Anna, wife of Albert Haines, also lives at Marshalltown; Nellie,
who married Harvey Gilbert, lives at Grinnell, Iowa; Wilder makes his home in
Wisconsin; Willis is a citizen of Marshalltown; Martha died in infancy. After
his marriage Mr. McVay farmed for himself and as a general farmer and stock
raiser met with encouraging success all along the line.
In 1910 he moved to Newton and started a dairy business, which has grown
into extensive proportions, and his patrons still constantly increase.
He is well prepared for this work and understands every detail of the
same. He has every modern appliance
and equipment to carry on an up-to-date, sanitary and successful dairy.
His honesty has been so pronounced that all who have had dealings with
him have confidence in his integrity. He
has been very successful in his life work, and besides his dairy, owns a
substantial and pleasant home on Greencastle Avenue, Newton. Three
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McVay, namely:
Alma and Glen are both attending school in Newton; Leola, the youngest,
died in infancy. Politically,
Mr. McVay is a Republican, and while he is loyal to his party and a booster for
Newton and vicinity, he is in no sense a politician, preferring to give his
attention exclusively to his individual affairs. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and of the Christian
church at Kellogg. He and his wife have made a host of friends since coming to
Newton. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 600. |
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