Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1908 — SIMMONS CAME TO “UNCLE MAC” [ARTICLE]

SIMMONS CAME TO “UNCLE MAC”

Alfred McCoy, Once Leading Citizen of Jasper County, Dies at Daughter’s Home in Missouri.

“Uncle” Alfred McCoy died Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 21 St, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William A. Rinehart, in Queen City, Mo., where he has made his home B:nde the jury at Monticello pronounced him guiltless of the erime of embezzlement In June, 1906. •' He had been failing rapidly since the hot days and nights of Augu:t, and in a letter to a friend he e, Written Sept. 22, Mrs. Rinehart had indicated that the end was not far off and that his condition then was quite critical. She said “He seeins exhausted, but does not suffer greatly Except that he is very weak. He has no appetite and has lost greatly in flesh.” ■’ It was not known generally here that he was in a critical condition of health, and the news of his derth, therefore, came as a sudden shock to his old home. The funeral will be held Saturday, Oct 24th, at Queen City, where the burial will be made beside his wife, who preceded him to the great beyond about a year ago. Mrs. A. ParkißOn, widow of Addison Parkison, left for that place on the early train this morning, to be present at the funeral. ‘ The death of Alfred McCoy recalls the days of his life in Rensselaer and Jasper county, and of the sudden collapse of the bank that he had he’p d to establish. For almost fifty years the bank was considered a very bulwark of safety, and the name of Alfred McCoy was regarded as synonymous with business stability. Coining here in the early days of the county he had purchased many, acies of land that grew in value as the county increased in population and being a strong and vigilent man Alfred McCoy had taken advantage of every opportunity offered to build up a fortune for himself. And fortune came and with it power and although Alt el McCoy was possessed of little education and no refinement he had an unusual personal! y, not altogether pl using but still attractive and it made him known and respected and trusted, and his broad acres tfnd his presumed business sagacity caused him to pass as a very successful man, and there was never a quiver of confidence in him until the crash that clOeed the bank, and even then most eveiy citizen of Rensselaer was Inclined td believe that not Alfred, but his -son Tom was responsible for the failure. As the investigation of the bank proceeded and the magnitude of the failure became known there were many things that indicated that Alfred McCoy too had been implicated' th the failure. He had an Overdraft in the bank amounting to | ( 9.000 and persbns recalled that he pad fathered sAme quite foolish schemes, and some remembered that as far back as the (id creamery days he had said he did not know whether be was worth a cent. But many others thought, tjiat ha had. been deceived by Tom * and that he never realized that he was really insolvent until after the bkfak failed. [ *bne person recalls that not many months before the bank failed he was > seen leaving it with tears in his eyes and was heard to say, “They seem to think that J have no buslhess in there any more.” And others believe that tom feared his father’s discovery eC the bank’s condition and refused to allow him to spend any of his time in the bank. After the bank failed "Uncle Mac” Mid that he would give every dollar

he had on earth and turn over everything that he possessed for the benefit of his creditors, and had he done this he could have saved for himself the respetet (>t fiiany whp forsook him after the effort that was instituted to retain every asset that the law would permit through th® dower right of his wife. The feeling toward him changed with this action and with it came a severance of the friendly : relations that had existed for a half a century between Uncle Mac and tie peopled He bcealme angry and abusive and the public, especially the lb. era in the bank, treated him with the greatest contempt. Finally he left Rensselaer and his hatred for his Old town grew until he cursed aboht every depositor that was called to Monticello to testify against him"at the trial. He vowed that he would never set foot on Rensselaer soil again and after the trial he went to Queen City, Mo., where he has since resided with his daughter. But the bouyancy of his life was gone and he declined from day to day. The future held no hope for him, and he was just waling “for the summops.” A year ago his wife died and he was again shocked immeasurably. But meagre reports came from him, and all were to the effect that he was not very well. Alfred McCoy was born in Columbiah county, Ohio, in 1831, and se enlean years later be engaged in the grocery business in Clncinna i, in partnership with another young man from New Lisbon, the firm being known as Graham & McCoy. They continued In business there three ye-rs, doing a large whole a’e busfne s. They disposed of the stock in 1152, and Mr. McCoy came to’ this county, bought a section of land in Hanging Grove township, and took up bis headquarters in Ike ttea struggling village -of Rensselaer. He entered the banking business in Rensselaer in 1856, the firm being known as A. McCoy & Co. After a few years Alf i ed Thompson le aine t. e junior member, and the f.rm was known as A. McCoy & T. bankers. Alfred Thompson disposed of his the institution to his brother Thomas, and from that time until 1888 the firm was A. Me- , Coy & T. Thompson. In that year the firm was once inore changed, Mr. Thompson retiring and Thomas J. McCoy, son of deceased, becoming I junior partner. They then assumed the old style of A. McCoy & Co., and the bank continued under this name until the failure in 1894. During his early residence in Rensselaer Mr. McCoy was united in matrimony to Mary Jane Parkison, whose death took place in Missouri last year. T(ie fruit of this union was three sons and one daughter, Lee and Cha e deceased; Thomas J., and Mattie A. ! Rhfehart, now of Queen City, Mo. | Another chapter of the bank’s ass. irs IS closed by his death. Poor old “Uncle Mac.’’ He paid dearly for his share in the failuie of , the bank, for the last four years have , been bitter ones tor him. Over the grave of Caesar, Mark Antony said: “The evil that men do ‘Lives after them. The gbod is oft interred With their bones." Let us remember "Uncle Mac” with the charity of forgiveness and remember him for his better qualities. t In doing so we are payfag no one tribute and we might be right.