Biography of William McIntyre, pages 751/752/753. Memorial Record of 
Northeastern Indiana, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1896.

	William McIntyre, retired, Auburn, Indiana, is not to be considered 
a pioneer of northeastern Indiana, but it is nevertheless undoubtedly true 
that he is the most widely known citizen of De Kalb county, and one of the 
most favorably known.  It is as a man of affairs that he takes prominence, 
his career, since settling in Auburn, being marked by a degree of success 
pleasant to consider.  In localities here and there arise men of such 
sterling integrity and keen business acumen that their connection with the 
business affairs of a place imparts tone and healthfulness to its entire 
commercial interest, and such it may be safely said is true of Mr. McIntyre.		
	To return to a consideration of his life in its entirety, it is to be 
noted that he was born in the State of New York, August 9, 1827.  His 
parents were William and Mary (Decker) McIntyre, both natives of the same 
State, the former of Scotch, the latter of German, lineage.  Three children 
resulted from their union, all of whom are now living: Nicholas the eldest, 
formerly a blacksmith by trade, is now a resident land owner of De Kalb 
county and a highly respected citizen; Jane, second in order of birth, is 
now the wife of Andrew Bateman, of this county; and William, third in order 
of birth, is the one particularly noted in this sketch.
	In youth his educational advantages were limited to the common 
schools, and at these his attendance ceased when he was fifteen years 
old.  At this age he had a well developed physical system, rugged and 
strong beyond his years, seemingly well adapted by nature to perform the 
laborious work of a blacksmith; and to the end he entered his brother’s 
shop, where for two years he worked incessantly, in that time becoming an 
all around good workman. Obtaining employment of Emery Barrett for a 
remuneration, he at once entered his shop, where he continued a year, 
afterward following his trade in different places until 1851.
	At this time the California gold fever was epidemic in the land, and 
taking the contagion he took ship by way of Cape Horn for the famed golden 
“Mecca” of the far Pacific coast. After a voyage of six months he reached 
his objective point.  He was young and strong, and possessing a laudable 
ambition, backed by a plenty of courage, he was in no wise intimidated by 
the scenes of recklessness and lawlessness then prevalent in that land.  
He did some mining, at which he was fairly successful, and also worked a 
while at his trade, for which he received $7 a day.  After a stay of two 
and a half years in California he returned to his home, rich in experience 
and with a “futter” purse also than when he went away. A short trial at 
keeping hotel convinced him that a man without a wife could be better 
engaged. Selling out, he proceeded to Rockford, Illinois, where for one 
year he engaged with a partner in conducting an eating-house. Disposing of 
this he went to Portage, Wisconsin, where he secured a contract for ironing 
wagons, and it proved a profitable undertaking.  He now decided to go to 
De Kalb county, Indiana, to which his brother, Nicholas, had previously 
gone.  This was in 1857.  Together they opened a shop four miles west of 
Waterloo, in which he was engaged until he was appointed station agent at 
Lawrence (now Sedan) on the Air line of the Lake Shore Railroad.
	While filing this position, in 1879, he was elected Auditor of 
De Kalb county, on the Democratic ticket. Moving to Auburn at that time, 
it has since been his abiding place.  Soon after the expiration of his 
term of service in the Auditor’s office, in 1874, he began agitation the 
question of establishing the First National Bank, His plans finding 
adherents, on March 25, 1875, the bank opened its doors for business.  
Soon after he was elected to the responsible position of cashier, which he 
creditably filled until 1887, when he resigned in favor of his son, William 
H., who was immediately elected to the place, and Mr. McIntyre was honored 
by an election to the vice-presidency of the bank, retaining with it the 
position of assistant cashier.
	His activity and unerring business sagacity soon made the First 
National Bank of Auburn a most popular institution. Its growth into public 
favor and business was rapid.  From the beginning it retained the 
confidences of its patrons, and a more creditably conducted banking 
institution cannot be found in northeastern Indiana, if in the State.  It 
was not until 1893 that Mr. McIntyre retired from its active management.  
He had labored hard for years without cessation, and now realizing that at 
least a partial abandonment of his many cares was necessary to his health 
he withdrew to enjoy the much needed and deserved rest. His magnificent 
residence in Auburn is a well appointed home, where is dispensed a cordial 
hospitality to numerous friend and acquaintances.
	Mr. McIntyre was married in Portage City, Wisconsin, March 17, 1857, 
to Miss Mary Ann, daughter of John McFighe, who was born in county Mayo, 
Ireland. When a young man he settled in Canada, and subsequently in Portage 
City, Wisconsin, where he became a prominent man of affairs.  To Mr. and 
Mrs. McIntyre have been born two children: John C., now a resident of 
Tennessee, and William H., ---both young men of excellent character and 
fine business abilities.
	While the career of Mr. McIntyre at its opening was some what varied 
in character, in its progress each step and change is stamped with his 
versatile powers and his perfect adjustment of self to the undertaking in 
hand.  Each step forward was in the direction of better things. All his 
undertakings have been characterized by a well grounded knowledge of 
organization, and all his enterprises have been pushed by a zeal and 
indefatigable  industry that admits only of success.  Of a mental 
organization highly deliberative, his plans are never quickly conceived or 
chimerical in character, but always the emanation of a declarative analysis 
peculiar to the trained and deliberate man of affairs.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com