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From: MRS GINA M REASONER< >
Subject: MICHAEL V. McCANN - HAMILTON COUNTY
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 12:26:46, -0500

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL SOUVENIR
For the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings,
Scott and Washington, Indiana.
John M. Gresham & Co.
Chicago Printing Co., 1889 - Part II, page 24 & 27 with sketch.

MICHAEL V. McCANN is a native of Baltimore, Md., being born in that
city November 21, 1819. His father, Henry McCann, died when he was a small
boy; his mother, Mary (Cunningham) McCann, died at the advanced age of 73 years.
Mr. McCann left Baltimore at the age of 12 years, and went to
Boston, Mass., where he attended the common schools of that city and
obtained a good common-school education. In 1840 he determined to seek his
fortune in the great western country and came to Cincinnati, Ohio, by
stage, and was nine or ten days in making the trip. What a revolution in
travel since 1840 has been wrought! That same trip can now be made in less
than thirty hours. After arriving at Cincinnati, and looking round, he
located and entered into the furniture business, which he followed until
1849, when he removed to Franklin county, Ind., and located on a farm near
Brookville. He now became a granger and reveled in the beauties and
pleasures of farm life for three years, when a change again came over the
spirit of his dream, and he pulled up and removed to Louisville, Ky., where
he remained for one year.
From Louisville he went to Jonesville, a village and station on the
J.M., & I.R.R., in Bartholomew county, and there engaged in the mercantile
business. In 1855 he removed from Jonesville to Henryville, a station on
the J.M. & I.R.R. in Clark county, Ind., about twenty-one miles from
Jeffersonville, and there engaged the same as in Jonesville, in the
mercantile business. While in business at Henryville, he was in 1866
nominated and elected Auditor of Clark county, by the Democratic party, and
in 1870, he was again elected to succeed himself. This caused him to remove
to Charlestown, the then county-seat of Clark county. It is not necessary
to say anything about the manner in which he performed the duties of his
office, as his re-election is a sufficient answer to that question.
He was succeeded in the Auditor's office by his son, Charles A.
McCann, who had been one of his efficient deputies during his incumbency of
the office. At the end of his four years' service, Charles A. McCann
retired, refusing to again stand for re-election. It was during his son's
term as Auditor that the great wrangle over the removal of the county seat
from Charlestown to Jeffersonville took place.
In this contest much feeling and bitterness between sections and
individuals were engendered, and all other questions were made subordinate
to that. When he saw what the result must be, that it would certainly be
removed to Jeffersonville, he sold out all his interests in Charlestown,and
located in the city of Jeffersonville and engaged in the coal business, and
has continued in it ever since.
He was married to Miss Mary Cowin, of Cincinnati, in 1843, who is
still living. They have been blessed with seven children, five girls and
two boys, to wit: Charles A., Henry, Amelia F., Mollie E., Florence E.,
Emma and Grace L. Charles A. McCann is the wholesale grocery business in
Springfield, Mo.; Henry McCann is in Orange co., Fla., where he owns an
orange grove. Mollie E. is the wife of the Hon. Frank B. Burke, a lawyer by
profession, and is now joint senator, representing the State Senate in the
counties of Clark, Scott and Jennings. The rest of the girls are all at
home with their parents.
It will add but little force to what has already been said, to say
which is manifest that Mr. McCann is one of our most substantial and
trusted citizens, and stands high as a business man and merchant. He is a
Democrat among Democrats, ever ready to do all that he can to promote the
cause of the Democracy and the success of his party.

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