Crockett McGovney
Crockett McGovney was born June 19, 1825, in Liberty Township. Adams County. Ohio. His father was Thomas McGovney and his mother's maiden name was Jane Graham. He attended the common schools in Liberty Township, and near his uncle, John Graham, on Ohio Brush Creek. He also took a course of bookkeeping at West Union. His wife was Sarah Holmes, the daughter of Thomas Holmes. She was born November 28, 1824. They were married December 20, 1849. Directly after his marriage, he and his wife went to Olive Furnace in Lawrence County, where he was the furnace storekeeper for two years. From 1851 to 1854, he was storekeeper for Robert Scott & Company at Mt. Vernon Furnace in Lawrence County. In September. 1854, he made what now appears as a business mistake. He left the furnace region and returned to Adams County. He went into the dry goods business at Bentonville, but only remained in it for six months. At the end of that time, he built the flour mill in Bentonville in connection with Thomas Foster. He remained in this business until the Spring of 1857, when he sold out and went to Missouri. By August, 1857, he tired of that experiment and returned to Adams County. He established a dry goods business at North Liberty and continued in it six months, when he sold out to William L. McVey. He bought the flour mill at the same place and operated it until August, 1858, when he sold out. He removed to Manchester and bought the flour mill on Front Street. He conducted this business and a coal yard in connection with it until March, 1866, when he disposed of it.
In 1863, he, David McConaughy and George S. Kirker, went into the pork packing business as Kirker, McGovney & Company. It proved disastrous and he sunk $4,000. From 1866 to 1872, he and William Henderson, his son-in-law, conducted the dry goods business at Manchester. In 1872, he went into the planing mill business in Manchester and continued it until his death. This business was quite profitable and successful. He had two children, a son and daughter. His son, Lafayette, is a farmer near Aberdeen. His daughter, Caroline, was married tn William Henderson, .November 16, 1868.
Mr. McGovney had a natural taste and aptitude for business. He would have had success in any business he undertook unless he labored against conditions he could not control. Had he remained in the furnace region, he would have been one of the principal iron masters of the district. He succeeded in everything he undertook but pork packing, and would have succeeded in that were it not he was subject to conditions he could not control. The chief features of his character were industry and energy. When in a given situation where others were ready to give up and die, he began to work. He was always cheerful. While he was losing money in the pork packing business, he never complained. He worked for years under a business adversity which would have discouraged most men and soured them. He gave no outward sign of his losses, but went right along, just as agreeable to the public as though he were making money. He carried a mountain of debt and paid it off, principal and interest. While he lost money in the pork packing business, he made it back in the furniture business.
In politics, he was a Democrat and acted with that party until the second election of President Lincoln, when he became a Republican and remained such all his life. He was a very strong Union man and loyal to the Government in the Civil War. He never held any office but that of Village Councilman ami never belonged to any secret society. He was never a member of any church, but inclined to the doctrines of the regular Baptist Church. He was frequently chosen Councilman of Manchester and fulfilled his duties most acceptably. He dignified the office and was the best one the village ever had. He had a good judgment of all kinds of property. He was relentless and untiring in the pursuit of business. He was the leading spirit among the business men of Manchester for years. His integrity was as fixed as adamant. He took sick and died at a time when his life was as full of business cares and responsibilities as it had ever been, but he met the final call with the utmost calmness and philosophy. He took sick August 27, and died September 2, 1890, of Bright's disease. Ten men like him would have made a city of Manchester.
From "History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time" - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900