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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County
Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908

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The Biography of James Harvey McCALL 

Transcribed exactly according to the original complete text by Joan Achille and Alice Stipak. 

[Surnames: BRADLEY, CHAPMAN, COLE, FRAZIER, MCCALL, MONROE, MOSS, RAYMOND, SMITH] 

[starting on page 978] 

    
McCALL, James Harvey.--The passing of more than a quarter of a century since the death of James Harvey McCall, in Mountain City, Nev., August 30, 1873, has not sufficed to lessen in the minds of those who survive him their appreciation of a man whose name was synonymous with integrity, justice, honor and business capacity, and who, though a resident of Canton for little more than a decade, had permanently identified himself with the best material, intellectual and moral advancement of the city. Of Scotch parentage and early American ancestry, Mr. McCall was born in 1809 in Baltimore, Md., and in 1814 removed with his father's family to York County, Pa., in 1825, locating in Lancaster County, the same State. Until the spring of 1835 he was engaged in farming and milling in Pennsylvania, but during that year came with his oldest sister to Peoria, Ill., and for six months rented and operated a grist and saw mill on Kickapoo Creek. He then returned to Peoria and worked at the carpenter's trade for a year, afterward combining that with farming until 1839, when, with John Monroe as a partner, he built and loaded a flatboat with produce, which they floated down the river to New Orleans. Re-[p.979] turning, Mr. McCall became interested in feeding cattle and hogs and strangely enough, fed his stock in the first pens in Peoria from slop from the first distillery in Peoria, which was erected by Captain A. S. Cole. 
    
On June 10, 1845, Mr. McCall married Louisa Raymond and in April of the following year received injuries which incapacitated him for labor for several months. Beginning in the spring of 1847, he operated a saw mill with a partner for a couple of years, then added a grist mill which, soon after being completed, was destroyed by fire. Rebuilding his mill in the spring of 1852, he became a member of the firm of Moss, Bradley & Company, afterward McCall & Frazier, and thus operated the mill until the fall of 1862. In the meantime he had purchased a distellery in Canton, which he then took possession of, and in time he became one of the founders of the First National Bank, of which he was President for the remainder of his life. During the fall of 1872 Mr. McCall went to California on business and on his return trip met men whose interesting accounts of mining on the coast inspired him to investigate the prospects for himself. Putting his desire into execution, on June 16, 1873, he left for the West, where he spent some time in different localities, and, notwithstanding the effort it required, to write in crude mining communities, kept his family fully informed of his journeyings, prospects and health. In his last letter to his loved ones at home he spoke of being in excellent health and no apprehension was felt or doubt expressed of his safe and speedy return home, but a telegram announcing the coming of the remains of Mr. McCall in the company of A. B. Chapman, was the first intimation received by anyone in Canton that all was not well with this honored citizen. The report spread consternation not only in his family, but among his many friends and business associates, for during his comparatively brief occupancy of his Canton home, he had come to be regarded as one of nature's truest, noblest men and had won for himself more than average confidence and good will. 
    
Mr. McCall was buried with the impressive ceremonial of the Masonic fraternity, in the councils of which he had been prominent for many years. An address was delivered by Rev. H. B. Smith, of Peoria, an old-time friend of Mr. McCall. During the funeral services the banks in the city were closed and business was practically suspended. Thus passed from the ken of those who loved him a man upon whose shoulders fell the mantle of splendid qualities of mind and heart, one endowed with the traits of generosity and hospitality, whose bearing gave evidence of calmness of soul and well-balanced temperament, and who walked steadfastly and courageously among his fellowmen.