My Genealogy Hound

JOHN McCARTHY is another of our well-known citizens who early in life came to this country from Ireland. David and Nellie (Bristol) McCarthy were his parents, and he was born on the anniversary of America’s independence, 1840. His grandfather, Florence McCarthy, was a native of Ireland, a carpenter by trade, and was married to Kitty Cahill, who bore him three sons and one daughter. His maternal grandfather Bristol, was a native of England but went over into Ireland, where he was a farmer until his death. David McCarthy (father) was born in Ireland and came to America in 1831 and first made his home on Long Island, New York, at a place called Greenport, but later went to Erie county, New York, where he died a member of the Roman Catholic church. He was a farmer by occupation and politically independent. He married Nellie Bristol, who is still living and is now eighty-one years old.

John McCarthy received his early education at an academy in Erie county and went to work as a freight shipper in the city of Buffalo which he followed for a time and then began the commission business, and later opened a grocery store and securing a good trade, which he continued for about twelve years, in the meantime going into politics and joining his fortunes with the Republican party. In 1876 the people of the Thirteenth ward, of Buffalo triumphantly elected him supervisor of the ward and at the expiration of his term re-elected him. After this the deputy supervisorship of the penitentiary was awarded him, which responsible position he filled for four years. At the expiration of his term, which occurred in 1882, he came to Jamestown and buying the Buffalo house, on Lake street, opened a hotel. The house is a large three-story brick, forty by thirty-six feet, and is conducted in a first-class manner.

He married Catherine McCarthy and their union has been blest with one child: Florence S.

During the late civil war Mr. McCarthy enlisted for service but his father interfered and caused his discharge much against his will. He belongs to the Roman Catholic church in which Mrs. McCarthy is also a member.