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Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 7 by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1887.  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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JAMES H. METCALF was born in Fayette County, Ky., September 1, 1815. His father, Thomas Metcalf., born in Maryland, grew up on the home farm, and in youth received a limited common school education. He followed farming all his life, beginning with nothing very early; he lost his father when only a small boy about four years of age, his mother dying only a few years afterward. He had four brothers and two sisters: Charles, who reared a family of children in Bardstown, Ky.; Elisha, who reared a family in Louisville, Ky.; William, who kept hotel in Lexington, Ky., and left a family, and John, who lived in Covington, Ky., a shoe maker by trade, leaving a family. One sister was named Patsey or Martha, who married a Mr. Barr, lived near Lexington on a farm, and had a family of children. The other sister’s name was Nelly, who married a man by the name of Sparks. Thomas Metcalf married Margaret, a daughter of Archibald and Catherine (Gouch) Hutchinson, of Fauquier County, Va., and had twelve children born to him: Western M., Tilford, James H., Archibald, John, William, Thomas, Cordelia (Moorhead), Letitia (Moorhead), Parthenia (Vallandingham), Martha (Fisk) and Catherine (Shewmaker), of whom five are now dead. Thomas Metcalf moved from Fayette County to Scott, and shortly after to Pendleton, where he purchased land, and lived the life of a farmer in moderate circumstances until very old in years. He was a member of the Christian Church as was also his wife. He removed to Grant County, and lived with his son-in-law, Mr. Vallandingham, until his death, which occurred in 1874 in his ninety-first year, his wife having preceded him in 1871 in her eighty-third year. Margaret Hutchinson’s father, Archibald Hutchinson, was a slave holder, and for many years kept a hotel in Scott County, afterward removing to Pendleton County, where he gave several of his children homes. His youngest, Archibald Hutchinson, is living in Campbell County, Ky. Mrs. Hutchinson died in her ninety-ninth year. Charles Metcalf, grandfather of J. H. Metcalf, came also from Maryland to Fayette County, Ky., and was a farmer in moderate circumstances. He was the father of five children, mentioned above, and died in Fayette County. Gov. Thomas Metcalf was an own cousin of Thomas Metcalf, above mentioned, and the Metcalf family, who are of English origin and came over with Lord Baltimore from the mother country, have always been among the highly respected prominent families of Kentucky. They are a very numerous family, seven brothers having come from Maryland to Kentucky and raised large families. They have generally been agriculturists, but few of them ever aspiring to or holding office. Western Metcalf served two terms in the Illinois Legislature, and during one of them was a contemporary of Lincoln; and his eldest son, James Metcalf, is now manager of the stockyard in St. Louis, the largest of its kind in the United States. James H. Metcalf grew up on his father’s farm, and learned the business of farming which has since been his vocation. He received only a common-school education, which he has supplemented by a general course of reading; realizing the worth of an education, however, he has given each of his children a collegiate education. September 28, 1837, he was married to Miss Isabella Fish, a daughter of William M. and Mary K. (Keeler) Fish, of New York; both of English extraction. The Fish family, who immigrated to Kenton County, Ky., is of the same family that Hon. Hamilton Fish sprang from. William M. Fish was a farmer and merchant in Kenton County, and died, a man of some wealth, about 1842, the father of four sons and six daughters. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Metcalf were born six children, three of whom died in infancy, and three who grew to maturity: Columbus, who acted as adjutant of the Eighteenth Kentucky Infantry, and at the battle of Richmond, Ky.; while acting in the capacity of sergeant–major, was mortally wounded and died October 21, 1862, in the hospital of Richmond, in his twenty-fifth year; he was a graduate of the Farmers College, Ohio; Margaret, who was graduated at the Ohio Female College, and is the wife of Dr. J. M. Chambers, of Independence, Ky., and William H., a farmer and tobacco merchant, living opposite his father. Mr. Metcalf cultivates 220 acres of land, having given his children portions of his estate, his farm being worth $17,000, and in a high state of cultivation and improvement. Mrs. Metcalf, the mother of Mr. Metcalf, likewise his wife, was a member of the Christian Church; the latter departed this life June 5, 1886, in the seventy-first year of her age. Mr. Metcalf votes the Republican ticket, and has been a member of the Christian Church over forty years.

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This family biography is one of 27 biographies included in the Pendleton County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 7 published in 1887 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 7

View additional Pendleton County, Kentucky family biographies here: Pendleton County, Kentucky Biographies

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