A Case of Insanity and Death in Williams Co, OH - 1894 - McCoy

By Pamela Pattison Lash

What I found personally interesting to me was the fact that this family originally came from Spring Twp, Crawford Co, PA, which is home to my Stewart/Stuart and Tarr lines – small world.  The old newspapers, as always, bear fruit for genealogical research.  As you read the entries, it seems hard to believe that one is deemed “insane” at the beginning of September and sent away but by the end of October the person is back in Williams County.  I wonder if he was sent to Toledo for observation and then released (probably never know).  Then add into the mix the death record(s) which I’ve also added; this information adds more – did our subject become too ill to be properly treated in the asylum to the extent that he was sent back home to die?

The Bryan Democrat, 6 Sept 1894 p5 c1

Collins McCoy of Jefferson has been adjudged insane by the Williams County Probate Court and taken to the insane asylum at Toledo.

The Bryan Democrat, 1 Nov 1894 p5 c1

Collins McCoy of Jefferson Township died Wednesday morning, aged 30 years.

Williams County, Ohio Probate – Collin A McCoy, 25 Sept 1894, case #3525, misc (aka usually insanity, which in this case is the situation; this record is unfortunately sealed)

Williams County, Ohio Death Records, V3 p93 – 2 entries apparently for the same man except the death years are different as are the age components (I actually looked at old paper copies)

1. C S McCoy, died 31 Oct 1895 @29Y 4M 13D in Jefferson Twp of Lagrippe; born in OH; farmer, single

2. Collins McCoy, died 31 Oct 1894 @29Y 10M 3D in Jefferson Twp of Lagrippe; born in PA, farmer, single

Williams County, Ohio Death Records, V3 p93 (online)

Collins McCoy, single, farmer, died on 31 Oct 1894 in Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH

Obit – Bryan Press, 8 Nov 1894 (not found yet)


Jefferson Township, Williams Co, OH Cemetery Records - Shiffler Cemetery burial records (WCGS, p72)

McCoy, Collins S died 31 Oct 1894 @29Y 10M 3D s/o Robert and Mary A McCoy

Also buried there were Addie B McCrea, Wilton D, Robert (a Civil War veteran), Mary A, and Flora McCoy.

Once I identified Collins in the above mentioned records, the obits for the parents, and the 1880 census I could piece together his family and add more details.  His father’s obit was extremely helpful.

(Father) Robert McCoy died on 11 July 1901 in Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH @74Y, married, buried in Shiffler Cem; born c1827 Springboro, PA; his father was William R McCoy and his mother was Amy Stu…Eban??

Obit – Bryan Democrat, 18 July 1901 p5 and 25 July 1901 p1 and 19 Sept 1901 p4; Bryan Press, 18 July 1901 and 25 July 1901

Bryan Democrat, 18 July 1901 p5 c3

Mr Robert McCoy another old resident of this community (Jefferson Township) passed away quite suddenly last Thursday after a brief illness of 3-4 days.  Mr McCoy was well up in years, having lived a few years over the allotted time of man.  He was a good citizen and in every respect a model man.

Bryan Democrat, 25 July 1901 p1 c4 (very long obit so I picked out the vital info)

Robert McCoy, born in Springboro, PA, 26 Sept 1826; married 7 Apr 1859 Mary A Stanford; had 3 children – 2 sons and 1 daughter: Addie (Mrs Will McCrea) of Danville, IL, Collins, a young man of promise was snatched away by death, and Wilton who lives on an adjoining farm. He lived for 6 years on a farm in PA and then came to Williams Co living on a farm 3 miles east of Edgerton for 8 years while he engaged in school teaching part of the time; then he purchased a farm in Jefferson Township where he lived until he died.  He was buried Shiffler Cem – survived by 2 children, 3 grand-children, 2 brothers, 1 sister, and his wife.

(Mother) Mary Ann Stanford died on 31 Jan 1919 in Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH @80Y 7M 17D, widow, buried in Shiffler Cem; born 14 June 1838 in PA, the daughter of James Stanford of England and his wife (unknown) Logan

Obit – Bryan Democrat, 4 Feb 1919 p1; Bryan Press 6 Feb 1919

1860 Spring, Crawford, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1100; Page: 921; Image: 300; Family History Library Film: 805100.

h/h 1832/1731 McCoy, Robert 33 PA farmer

Mary 22 PA

Note they lived next door to his parents (Collins’ grandparents), William and Amy McCoy plus his siblings; Robert is 23 PA in the 1850 Spring, Crawford, Pennsylvania; Roll: M432_770; Page: 18B; Image: 43, living with his parents and siblings, Asa, James, Sarah, Ella, and Julia

1870 Florence, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 79B; Image: 162; Family History Library Film: 552781.

h/h 289/289 McCoy, Robert 43 PA farmer

Mary A 32 PA

Wilton 9 PA

Collins 5 PA

Ada B 3 PA

1880 Jefferson, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1077; Family History Film: 1255077; Page: 517B; Enumeration District: 006; Image: 0669.

h/h 14/15 McCoy, Robert 53 PA-PA-PA farmer

Mary A wife 42 PA-PA-PA

Wilton D son 19 PA-PA-PA (born Mar 1861, Springboro, PA; died 16 June 1943 Bryan, Williams Co, OH; buried in Shiffler Cem) mar Flora Hughes, 27 Mar 1895, Williams Co, OH

Collins S son 15 PA-PA-PA

Adda B dau 12 OH-PA-PA (born 24 June 1867; died 8 Feb 1913 as Adda  B McCrea, divorced; buried in Shiffler Cem) mar William McCrea, 26 Mar 1890, Williams Co, OH; by 1910 she’s married to David G Harter with her mother Mary McCoy living with them in Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH

1900 Jefferson, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1332; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 106; FHL microfilm: 1241332.

h/h 24/24 McCoy, Robert 73 (Sept 1826) PA-PA-PA mar 41Y farmer

Mary wife 62 (May 1838) PA-Eng-PA 3/2 ch

Note son Wilton and his family live next door; Wilton’s place of birth is listed as OH