TOPE FAMILY PAGE

   Henry Tope, son of George Tope and Elizabeth Everett, was born in 1813 in Jefferson Co., Ohio. He married Catharine Croghan, daughter of William Croghan [note 1], on 16 June 1836 in Carroll Co., Ohio [note 2]. She was born in 1818 in Carroll Co., Ohio.
   "He (Henry) lived in and had his shop in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois, which is the earliest village in the county. He apparently remained there until March or April of 1848, when he moved to Peru, LaSalle County and opened a gunsmith shop 'In the large frame house northeast of the Steamboat Hotel,' according to an advertisement he placed in 'The Bureau Advocate,' Princeton, Bureau County on April 20, 1848. This ad encouraged his old customers in Putnam and Bureau (counties) to continue their patronage. The ad ran at least through March 21, 1849. He worked in Peru for just a little over a year, before his death [note 3]." See Photo of and story about a Henry Tope Rifle.
Henry and Catharine died two days apart in July 1849 from cholera in Peru, La Salle Co., Illinois, and are buried there. The four children were returned to Carroll Co., Ohio, where they were raised by their grandmother, Elizabeth Tope.
   Henry and Catharine had four children:

1. William A. Tope was born in 1837, Carroll Co., Ohio, and died on  24 April 1862, while serving as a Private, Company C., 69th Ohio Infantry at Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee [note 4].
2. Hiram G. Tope.
3. John H. Tope was born 1841 in Carroll Co., Ohio and died after 1896.
4. Catherine Marie Tope was born 17 October 1844 and died Tuesday, 22 July 1919 at her home in Rockford, Van Wert Co., Ohio [note5]. Catherine married William Creighton McCoy in Van Wert Co., Ohio, 27 June 1863. Creighton was born 29 June 1834 and died Sunday, 20 February 1921 in Omaha, Nebraska. She is buried in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio.
   Catherine was in poor health for about five years, and her death was due to complication of diseases.
      She and Creighton had two sons:
   
   1. Carey D. McCoy was born 6 August 1875, and died in June 1964 in Omaha, Nebraska [note 6]
   2. Walter G. McCoy was born in April 1877, and lived in Rockford, Mercer Co., Ohio [note 7].
      Creighton McCoy died at the home of his son, Carey McCoy, from a complication of diseases. Some time before he had been operated upon for cancer and had apparently recovered though still weak in health. Later he fell and broke his hip and complications set in.
      Creighton was reared in Van Wert county, where he lived for 65 years. Then 15 to 20 years were spent in Rockford, Ohio. Following the death of his wife in 1919 he went west to make his home with his son. Creighton was a stockbuyer and judge at the county fair for many years [note 8].

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Notes:

1. Except for the following notes, the information on this page is extracted from History of the Tope Family, Melancthon Tope, 1896, revised 1980 by Austin Dale Maddux. [Return to text]
2. Carroll County , Ohio Early Marriages, 1833-1849, No. 356, Volumne 1, Carroll County Genealogical Society. Catharine's name was spelled Croihing. [Return to text]
3. Email, from Curt Johnson, Monday, December 01, 2008, 6:16pm.  Mr. Johnson is the author of GUNMAKERS OF ILLINOIS, 1683 -1900, published in two volumes by Geo. Shumway Publisher, York Pennsylvania. [Return to text]
4. Civil War Records, ancestry.com. [Return to text]
5. Obituary, Van Wert Times, July 23, 1919, and 1900 United States. Census, Dublin Twp, Rockford Village, Ohio, and McCoy Family Bible pages furnished by Judy Turnage.
6. Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.
7. Obituary.
8. Ibid.

Updated December 4, 2008
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