USGenWeb Project- Montgomery County Indiana

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. James Garvin McMechan

Montgomery County, Indiana

Crawfordsville New Review, Saturday, May 24, 1899

Dr. J.G. McMechan, the aged father of Mrs. M.D. White, is lying at the point of death at the home of his daughter, on W. Pike St.

MCMECHAN DR. J. G. McMECHAN Passes Away at the Home of Hon. M. D. White.

Dr. J.G. McMechan died Wednesday night at the home of his son-in-law, Hon. Michael D. White, after a long confinement from the effects of a paralytic stroke. Dr. McMechan was perhaps the oldest citizen of Montgomery County, having been a practicing physician in the County for a period of 58 years, with the exception of four years, when he was located at Dayton, in Tippecanoe County. Most of his professional career was spent at Darlington, until he became too old to do the hard work connected with the profession. He has been a resident of Crawfordsville for a long period of years, and since the death of his wife has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. M. D. White on west Pike street where his death occurred. He was a staunch and loyal member of the First Presbyterian Church of this city, and for 50 years has been an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and always ready to give of time and means to further the interest of the cause, let it be at home or abroad. He was a member of the Masonic Order, and has been for over 60 years, which makes him no doubt the oldest Mason in the County. On account of the burning of the early records of the Masonic Lodge the exact date of his Masonic birth cannot be given.

Dr. McMechan was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, July 24, 1808. His mother was a Virginian by birth, and his father was born in Ireland, but came to this country with the parents while a small child. The deceased received his education in such common schools as the country afforded 80 years ago, and later in life attended the Academy at Oxford, Ohio. He studied medicine in the office of Dr. Winton, Crawfordsville, and in 1833, was married to Miss Eliza Winton, sister of his preceptor. He began the practice of his profession in 1840. He later took a course of lectures at the University of Kentucky, and still later, in 1852 he graduated from the Medical College at Chicago. He was a practitioner in this city for some years and was among the first councilmen of the infant city. He entered the service of the United States as a surgeon, during the civil war, and was in the battles of Shiloh and Forts Donelson and Henry. In 1870 he removed to Darlington, where he remained for a long time.

Dr. McMechan was the father of five children. Laura E., the wife of Hon. M.D. White of this city. Theodore, whose death occurred but a short time ago, and a well known citizen of Crawfordsville. Eva, now Mrs. Bless, of Toledo, Ohio, Mrs. Marcella Grayson, of Crawfordsville, and Charles W. who has just returned from serving the United States in the Island of Cuba, and is sick at a fort in Alabama, and unable to be present at his father's funeral.

The funeral occurred Friday afternoon at four o'clock, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity of which he was a lifelong member. Religious services were conducted by Rev. H. L. Nave at the First Presbyterian Church.

Transcribed by: Tracy Jones 3-10-2002

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