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Below is a family biography included in History of Lee County, Iowa published by Western Historical Company in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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McCREADY, LUCY A.; P O. Fort Madison; daughter of Daniel McCready, who was born in Ireland May 2, 1797; of Scotch and Irish ancestry; received a liberal education; at the age of 14, with his parents, came to America; started with seven children, three of whom were buried at sea. They first settled near Enon Valley, Penn.; there they engaged in farming; her father afterward purchased a half interest in a store, where he continued business until 1816, then married Margaret Douglass, of Ohio; she was born on the Western Reserve, in Pennsylvania, and there married; soon after, he sold out his business, and they removed to Ohio, thence to Clarke Co., Ind., near Utica, and for a time engaged in teaching, then farming; in the spring of 1838, they came to Lee Co., and after living one year in Madison, came to what is now the Morrison farm, this township, thence to their present place of residence; the farm contains 120 acres of land, valued at $45 per acre. In 1848, Mr. McCready began taking observations of the weather, which afterward he reported regularly to the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington; this he continued until three days previous to his death; his daughter has since made the report; he died April 13, 1872; his wife March 26, 1877, leaving a family of four children — William, born in Ohio, Oct. 5, 1817; Maria L., born May 27, 1820, and died in December, 1873; Mary M., born Sept. 24, 1828, and the subject of this biography, who was born in Clarke Co., Ind., Dec. 19, 1832, the two last named having remained with their parents until their death, and still occupy the home vacated by them; others of her mother’s family had preceded them to Lee Co.; her brother James was at Madison; was killed at the explosion of the steamer Moselle, on the Mississippi River, in 1837; a brother William at West Point; John in Van Buren Co., and Charles near Charleston, this county — all pioneers to this county; her father held the office of County Clerk by appointment, when the county seat was at West Point, and again elected to the office, after the county seat was removed to Fort Madison; also elected County Commissioner; was Justice of the Peace for years; was Assessor for Green Bay, Washington and Madison Townships at the same time.

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This family biography is one of 668 biographies included in The History of Lee County, Iowa published in 1879.  For the complete description, click here: Lee County, Iowa History and Genealogy

View additional Lee County, Iowa family biographies: Lee County, Iowa Biographies

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