1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

T. S. McWilliams, who since 1872 has made his home in Crawford township and during much of this time has been actively engaged in farming in Crawford county, but is now living a retired life, was born in Highland county, Ohio, on the 1st of January, 1830. His parents, Phillip and Eleanor (Collier) McWilliams, were both natives of Pennsylvania, and are now deceased. The son pursued his education in the public schools of Ohio and remained at home until twenty-one years of age, assisting in the work of the fields from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the late autumn. On attaining his majority he began farming on his own account, and in 1856 removed to Iowa, where he carried on agricultural pursuits for thirteen years, meeting with fair success in his undertakings there. In 1872 he came to Crawford county, Kansas, where he rented a farm one mile from Girard. The followng year he purchased a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which he is now living, and he has since added to this a tract of forty acres, so that his farm comprises two hundred acres of land, which is rich and arable. Owing to his unfaltering industry he placed his farm under a very high state of cultivation and added to it many modern improvements and equipments. He was progressive in all of his farm methods, using the latest improved machinery in the cultivation of his fields, and by his careful management he won a handsome competence that now enables him to live retired, his land being rented and thus returning to him a good annual income.

In 1860 Mr. McWilliams was united in marriage to Miss Mary Coffey, a daughter of Thomas and Eleanor Coffey, both of whom were natives of Virginia. Five children have graced this marriage: William, who is now living in Pueblo, Colorado; A. Lincoln, who follows farming in Crawford county; Ella, who is the wife of William Gemmell, a resident farmer of the same township; Belle, the wife of S. C. Copenhaver, of Crawford township; and Hattie, the wife of Walter Naff, of Beulah, Kansas. Mr. McWilliams and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and he is deeply interested in both the moral and intellectual development as well as material prosperity of his community. He has served as a member of the school board and has given active and helpful co-operation to many measures for the general good.