John Graham McWethy

Notes:

The information below was all compiled by Ken Harvey:

Stephen McWethy and his wife Margaret Alexander adopted John, the infant son of a Graham. John was thought to have been born in Dallas, Darke Co. This recollected place of birth was probably incorrect.

The 1830 birth of a John Graham (significantly no parents are listed) is recorded in Butler [Co.], Ohio.

There is no suitable (or otherwise) unmarried Miss Graham, recorded in the Ohio census of 1830, who could have been the mother.

It now appears that John McWethy was probably the legitimate son of John J. Graham and his wife the former Mary Graham. He would appear to have been born twenty-nine months after their marriage and for some reason he was given up for adoption almost immediately.

It is possible that Mary, or John, died -or that the couple simply could not provide for the infant.

Other possibilities:

1830 - Hezekiah Graham (ca. 35) of Reily Township, Butler Co., Ohio and his wife Sarah Smith (ca. 29) had five children, all under ten years of age. They had married 5th Mar. 1820 in Butler Co. Clearly Hezekiah could have been John McWethy's father but he was probably a happily married man, at least when it came to procreation.

1830 - Thomas Graham (ca. 45) and his wife (ca. 45) of Middletown, Butler Co., Ohio, had one boy of about eight years of age. Also a possiblity.

Later John McWethy was a volunteer in the Union Army and served during the Civil War in Company C-187 in the Ohio Infantry Volunteer's Regiment. He was under Capt. John Manuel. This regiment was used in the mopping-up campaign in Georgia following General Sherman's march to the sea. He was discharged on 20th January 1866 at Macon, Georgia at the age of 37.

The John McWethy and Elizabeth Strait family moved from Darke County, Ohio, to Avilla, Jasper County, Missouri and later Duenweg, Missouri. This relocation occurred between 1867 and 1877

A grand-daughter of John McWethy, Miss Faye McWethy, ordered on 15 Aug. 1962 a "blue grey granite" tombstone to be inscribed - John McWethy Sept. 7. 1829 Nov. 14. 1913 and to be delivered to the Osage Cemetery, Oklahoma. The size was 1-8 X 0-8 X 0-6. Presumably this was feet and inches. Total purchase price was $61.80.

A photograph of John McWethy is in the possession of Judith Keeth (1997).

John married Elizabeth Strait on 23 Sep 1852 in Ohio. Elizabeth (daughter of Richard Strait and Rachael Jennings) was born on 12 Dec 1832 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio; died on 25 Aug 1877 in Nebraska; was buried in Avilla, Jasper County, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Stephen Wesley McWethy was born on 2 Jul 1853 in Ohio; died about 1857.
2. Margaret Catherine McWethy was born on 3 Mar 1855 in Ohio; died about 1930 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Camp Russell Cemetery, Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma.
3. Crawford Edington McWethy was born on 4 Jun 1857 in Ohio; died on 1 Oct 1938; was buried in Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma.
4. Elizabell "Belle" McWethy was born on 28 Apr 1860 in Ohio; died on 28 Mar 1948; was buried in Camp Russell Cemetery, Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma.
5. Elba Ann McWethy was born on 3 Feb 1863 in Ohio; and died.
6. William Meade McWethy was born on 8 Feb 1867 in Darke County, Ohio; died on 13 Sep 1945 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Fairlawn Cemetery, Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma.
7. Susan Odella "Ella" McWethy was born on 29 Oct 1869 in Darke County, Ohio; died on 11 Mar 1932 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Osage Cemetery, Agra, Lincoln County, Oklahoma.
8. John Franklin McWethy was born on 22 Aug 1874 in Nebraska; died before 1956; was buried in Memorial Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.

Notes:

The information below was all compiled by Ken Harvey:

Stephen McWethy's family is understood to have moved from New York to Ohio in the early 1800s. Presumably Stephen would have been an infant at the time of his parent's migration westward to Ohio.

There were only three McWethy families recorded in the entire New York State in 1790. They were [three brothers?]; Isaac McWithey (with wife and young daughter), Silas McWithy (with wife, three boys and two girls) and Rubin McWithy (with wife, two grown sons, a boy and two daughters) - all living in Granville Town in Washington Co., New York State. The probability is very high indeed that Stephen McWethy of Darke Co. was one of these unnamed young men, or boys, sons.

An Isaac McWethy was born 26 Oct. 1745 and d p. 1784. He was a Private in the New York [Militia?] during the Revolutionary War. There are no other McWethys listed in this source. Could Isaac have been the father of the three McWethy [brothers?] living in Granville? Alternatively he would have been forty-five, if alive, in 1790. Perhaps Isaac was the father of both Silas and Rubin.

1829, 14th Aug. - James Wight and Sarah (Sarey) [his] wife [both] of Darke Co. [sell] to Stephen McQuithy of Darke Co.; [for] $100; 78.88 acres [that is] all [of] East half, South-East Quarter of Section 10, Township 13, Range 2.

1830 - In 1830 Stephen McWethy (aged between 30 and 40-he was actually 37) was recorded as living alone in Richland Township, Darke Co., Ohio, with one white female in the same age category (she was actually 39), presumably Margaret Alexander. Later on the childless couple adopted John, the infant son of a person understood to be a [Miss?] Graham. Miss Graham was presumably from somewhere within the general area. We find in 1830 the birth of a John Graham (no parents listed) recorded in Butler [Co.?], Ohio, about sixty miles from Darke Co. It seems highly likely that this is the same John McWethy and it is of course possible that his father rather than his mother was a Graham.

After the adoption of John, biological children were understood to have been born to the McWethy couple, but all knowledge about them was lost by John's sons as their father apparently did not keep contact. They understood from John that their father had a good relationship with his siblings by his adoption. Given Margaret's age it is at least possible that further children were adopted rather than born.

The only McWethy head of household recorded in the census of Ohio in 1850 was a Moses M. B. McWethy of Franklin Township, Clermont Co.; ninety-five miles south of Stephen's location. Microfilm page 381.

This suggests that Stephen, who we know died eighteen years later, and his wife, had probably left Ohio. Alternatively Moses could have been a son and as head of household, sheltered his parents, who are unrecorded in the index.

We know however that the McWethy's were almost certainly still in Darke Co. as their grandson (by adoption), William Meade McWethy, understood from his father that they were buried there, near Dallas.

On July 28, 2009, Robin Zeller emailed:

Stephen McWethy and his wife Margaret are buried in the Hoschover Cemetery in Brown Twp., Darke Co., OH. To drive there, take 118 N out of Ansonia (Dallas), OH to Brock Cosmos Rd. Turn right. There will be an electrical sub station on the corner that is owned by DP&L. The Cemetery is back off the road about an 1/8th of a mile. One of the McWethy stones is still standing.

I was a Hoschouer and this was our family cemetery. I am in the process of getting the Twp. Trustees to do something about the Cemetary. I have a copy of a book that Anita Short and Ruth Bowers did in 1965.

There is also listed a wife Margaret who was 65y, 2m, 23d and died on 7 Dec 1856
Stephen McWethy was a veteran of War of 1812 and died on 18 Mar 1858 at 74y, 10m, 23d.

There are also some children of John McWethy in the same cemtery. They are.....
Stephen W. McWethy
Son of J.& E. McWethy
d. on 27 Nov 1855 at 2y,4m,25d

Elba A. McWethy
dau of J. & E. McWethy
d. on 24 Aug 1866 at 7m,21d

Robin Zeller
?u?robinzeller@yahoo.com ?/u?

Stephen married Margaret Alexander on 9 Apr 1820 in Warren County, Ohio. Margaret was born on 13 Sep 1791; died on 7 Dec 1856 in Darke County, Ohio; was buried in Hoschover Cemetery, Rossburg, Darke County, Ohio. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Could have been born in Warren Co., Ohio; where she married Stephen McWethy.

There were thought to have been children born to her after John was adopted.