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Harvey Mc. Richey, Waco, Texas.Harvey McGaughey Richey, son of Benjamin Richey and his wife, Mary A. McGaughey, was born in Waco, Texas, June 30, 1882. Harvey is a lineal descendant of Major Samuel McGaughey of Revolutionary fame, through John McGaughey, late of East Tennessee (a colleague of ex-President Andrew Johnson's in the Tennessee Legislature, both from Greene County), David McGaughey, and Miss Mary A. McGaughey, who married B. F. Richey.
B. F. Richey was of strong mind, temperate and determined in his intercourse with men. His education was of a business character. He was a leading member of the Methodist Church. He went from Cornersville, Tennessee, to Waco, Texas, before the Civil War. He filled many public offices in McLennan County, with credit to the county and honor to himself. During the troublesome times that followed reconstruction, he was for several years treasurer for the wealthy county of McLennan. When he retired from that office millions of public money had passed through his hands. Not a cent was missing from the State and county treasury. It was said that Frank Richey could wade through gold waist deep but not a dollar would get fastened to his clothes.
Miss Mary A. McGaughey, daughter of David R. McGaughey and his wife, Miss Jane K. Wilson, was born in Indiana, in 1841. She was one of five sisters; no brothers. They were all reared in Greene County, East Tennessee. They were an attractive lot of beauty and intelligence. They were well educated and had wholesome domestic training. They were among the most popular young ladies in the country. Miss Mary A. McGaughey has had rather an unusual life. In some respects she has been very fortunate, in others she has been unfortunate. She has been three times married. Her husbands all were of the best men of the country, but did not live long after marriage. She first married Rev. Mr. Kennedy, a Presbyterian minister, as kind and good a husband as could be desired. He died leaving no children. She then married B. F. Richey, Esq., of Waco, Texas, in the year 1878. Of this union there were two sons born, Benjamin Franklin and Harvey McGaughey. The former died in childhood; the latter is the subject of the foregoing notice. Mr. Richey died in 1882. Mrs. Richey married Col. J. W. Hall. He died a few years after their marriage, leaving no children.
David R. McGaughey, son of Hon. John McGaughey and his wife, was born in Greene County, East Tennessee, in 1812. He married Miss Jane K. Wilson, in Greene County, Tennessee. After five children were born Mr. McGaughey died, in 1845. His wife, Miss Jane K. Wilson, was born in 1815, and died in 1850. Maj. Samuel McGaughey and my maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Johnston, nee McGaughey, were brother and sister.
Harvey McGaughey Richey, whose portrait appears above, is physically and mentally all that his fond mother could desire. She is a widow, all children gone but only one, her hope of a future name on earth; that is in the manly form of her noble son. Harvey McG. Richey has always been an obedient boy; his moral and domestic training has been of the best. He was graduated from the public High School of Waco when he was sixteen. Then he attended Washington College, in East Tennessee, one year. Then he entered Baylor University, Waco, Texas, and was graduated from that university with distinction. He then worked in a cotton buying office in Waco for two years. He is now taking a three years' course in law, in the State University in Austin, Texas. He will be graduated from there in 1907. It is hoped and believed by others besides his widowed mother, that Harvey McGaughey Richey will make a moral, capable and honest lawyer. His intellect is good, his ambition is commendable, his opportunities could not have been better.
The three McGaughey brothers, Samuel, James and Washington, left in East Tennessee two other brothers, whose posterity is quite numerous. The McGaugheys in Alabama were good and prosperous farmers. They were of the best citizens. Their descendants went West and are legion.
My grandmother Johnston's maiden name was McGaughey. One of her sisters, Margaret McGaughey, married Eli McCain. John McCain, son of Eli McCain and Margaret McGaughey, married Miss Lou Hunter, near LaGrange, Alabama. Miss Anna McCain, daughter of John McCain and his wife, Miss Lou Hunter, married J. W. Jourdan, of Iuka, Mississippi.
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J. W. Jourdan, Esq., Iuka, Mississippi.J. W. Jourdan was born near Bay Springs, Tishomingo County, Mississippi, January 3, 1858. He was educated in the public schools of the county and at the High School taught by Professor Carmack, at Jacinto, Mississippi. Mr. Jourdan spent three years under the tutorage of Prof. Edward W. Carmack. After leaving school he taught for three years, two in the public schools in the county, and one year as assistant teacher with Prof. Reid in the Iuka High School. He was elected Superintendent of the Public Schools of the county, which position he held successfully for four years. He went to the Southern Business College, Louisville, Kentucky, where he took a thorough course and was graduated with distinction in 1881. After returning from college he entered the mercantile business in luka, where he has been a success ever since. He married Miss Anna McCain, in 1882. The Loan and Insurance Business Company secured the services of Mr. Jourdan as their agent in 1890. In the year 1897 he resigned that position to accept the agency of the Tishomingo Savings Institution, Iuka, Mississippi. Mr. Jourdan has managed the bank at Iuka successfully ever since. Under his management the institution has grown and prospered beyond the most sanguine expectations of its stockholders. During the time he has been conducting the business of the bank, he has traded largely in real estate, both in the country and in Iuka. He has been very successful in accumulating a nice fortune. He is now said to be the largest individual real estate owner, and the largest taxpayer in the county. Some syndicates North, being aware of the ability and judgment of Mr. Jourdan, engaged him as their agent to conduct their business in different parts of the Union. Mr. Jourdan has made considerable money in these agencies. He is an extensive merchant and banker at Iuka, Mississippi. He is a benevolent, useful citizen. There were born unto him and his wife, Anna McCain, four children. Three of them died in infancy. Miss Annie Elma, only daughter of J. W. Jourdan and his wife, Anna McCain, is a beautiful young lady just come to womanhood. Miss Annie has had fine opportunities. She is an intelligent and attractive young lady. She is a recent graduate of Randolph Macon College for Women, of Virginia. She is justly styled the "Belle of Iuka."
Newton McCain, son of John McCain and his wife, Miss Lou Hunter, married Miss Coffee, a daughter of the late John Coffee. Newton is a farmer and lives in Lauderdale County, Alabama. He and his wife have a family of several children. They live near the old Coffee home on Shoal Creek, not far from the canal.
I will return now to my half brothers and sisters. Melinda J., daughter of W. W. and Margaret P. Stephenson, went to Arkansas, married Mr. Morgan and died childless. Christopher Columbus settled in Arkansas and married Miss Tennessee Hewitt. Of this union three sons were born, namely, William Watson, Thomas Floyd and Hugh Albert Stephenson. Their father, C. C. Stephenson, went to the war and died in Newnan, Georgia, in the Confederate hospital, in 1863. His sons are living at Lois, Arkansas County, Arkansas, engaged in farming. All three have families. Margaret Elizabeth died in Arkansas; she was never married. Leonidas Ewing died in Alabama in 1860. He was not married. Robert Bruce was killed on the last day of the seven days' battle before Richmond, July 2, 1862, just at sunset. He was a brave and honorable soldier, a Christian gentleman. He was never married.
Henry Clay, the last son of William Watson Stephenson and Margaret Presley Stephenson, died when seven years old. My stepmother died in 1843.
W. W. Stephenson married Miss Sarah Weems. She was his third wife. This marriage was in 1845. Sarah Rebecca Stephenson, only daughter of William Watson Stephenson and his wife, Sarah Weems, was born in Lawrence County, Alabama, in 1846. She married Reuben N. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell farmed in Alabama until about the year 1880. They went to Texas. After living several years at McGregor, McLennan County, they moved to Colorado, in Western Texas, where they are now living. Some of their children died young. They have four now living, namely, William Watson, Zula Arelia, Katie Hugh and Reuben Rush Mitchell. William Watson, the oldest son of Reuben N. Mitchell and his wife, Sarah Rebecca Stephenson, was born in Alabama. He married Mary Josephine Lacy, in Bosque County, Texas. There were
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two sons born of this marriage, William Earl and John Arthur Mitchell. The mother died. The children are being raised by their Mitchell grandparents. Zula, the daughter of Reuben and Rebecca Mitchell, is a very industrious young lady, fond of domestic duties. She is not married. Katie Hugh, always called Hugh, mavrried Mr. Chittum; they have one daughter, Zula Josephine Chittum. Reuben Rush, called Rush, is not married. Reuben N. Mitchell is a machinist; was hurt at his work and lost a leg. He now is freighting over the prairies of Western Texas. He and his family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
This closes the chapter as to my father's family.
My father, William Watson Stephenson, was a man of strong mind and body. He was firm and determined in purpose; he had a moderate, common school education. He was a soldier under General Jackson in the war of 1812. He was for many years a justice of the peace in Alabama. He was a practical surveyor. His neighbors had him often to locate certain lines and boundaries; he never charged them for the work. He could step over a piece of ground and tell the number of acres it contained about as accurately as if the chain had been used. While he did not pretend to be a doctor, he was well up with the treatment for the common diseases of the country. Such accommodations were wearisome, but were always extended without charge. He was six feet high, weight 165 pounds, eyes blue, complexion fair, hair dark, beard thin and auburn. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He died in 1869 and is buried in the Rock Spring Cemetery; a marble headstone marks his last resting place.