My Genealogy Hound

WASHINGTON McGINNIS, contractor and builder, Greenville; among the early pioneers of Darke Co., the gentleman whose name heads this sketch is entitled to a place in the front ranks; he was born in Washington Co., East Tennessee, in 1812; at 14 years of age, he came to Darke Co. with his parents, and has been a continuous resident of this county since 1826, a period of fifty-four years, and is, consequently, among the oldest settlers of the county, as well as the oldest representative of his business in Greenville; upon locating here, he assisted his father in agricultural pursuits until he attained his majority, and, in 1833, came to Greenville and apprenticed himself for two years to learn the carpenter’s trade; after completing the same, he worked at his trade two years, and, in 1840, he started in business for himself at Greenville, and has for a period of forty years been engaged at the above business. He is a Democrat in politics, but has never been an aspirant for office, but without solicitation was nominated and elected as one of the members of the City Council, which office he has held two years. Upon the 20th of January, 1841, he was united in marriage with Sarah S. Emley; she was born in Warren Co. in 1819; they have three children living by this union, having lost two by death; the living are Lizzie, Wash and Emma. Mrs. McGinnis was a daughter of David Emley, a native of New Jersey; he died in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1862, upward of 80 years of age. He married Sarah Chamberlin, also a native of New Jersey; she is now living in Warren Co., at the advanced age of 85 years.