My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Texas County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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.

* * * *

William Roy, farmer, of Texas County, Mo., is a native of Perthshire, Scotland, and was born on the 9th of July, 1837, being a son of William and Belle (McGregor) Roy, both of whom were born, reared and married in Perthshire, and there resided until 1850, when they immigrated to America, settling near Montreal, Canada. The father was an extensive railroad, bridge and ditch contractor, and although he began working as a day laborer, he became one of the prominent men of his county and held a number of offices of trust, being mayor of his district, an office which corresponds to our county judge. He and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, and died in Canada. William Roy is the third of their eight children, and received a limited early education in his native land. At the age of fifteen years he became delivery boy in the wholesale grocery house of Kingan & Kinloch, of Montreal, and remained with them fifteen years, rising to the position of shipping clerk. In 1866 he went to New York City, where he became shipping clerk for Robert McDonald, remaining with him two years, and then came to Texas County, Mo., where he is now the owner of an excellent farm, consisting of 240 acres, and has given 160 acres to his sons. For the past thirteen years he has run a threshing machine, and although on coming to the county he had never driven a team, he has surmounted many difficulties, and is considered one of the successful farmers of the county. July 4, 1856, he wedded Miss Ellen Cameron, who was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and by her is the father of the following children: William M., John C., Robert J., George R., Ellen J., Agnes B. and Thomas A. Mr. and Mrs. Roy are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 110 biographies included in The History of Texas County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Texas County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Texas County, Missouri family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.