From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 685-686

Francis Macartney was born near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Sept. 10, 1831. His father, Thomas Macartney, was of Scotch ancestry, but was born in Northern Ireland, where he lived till eighteen years of age. He then emigrated to America and engaged in business near the city of New York as a surveyor and civil engineer, for which he had been educated, and when not employed in this way spent his time in teaching school. In 1819 he was married at Hampden, Winchester Co., N. Y., to Mary A. Young, a native of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., of English parentage. In 1824 the family moved to Ontario County, at that time a new part of the State, and in 1829 moved to Canada, where the father died. In 1838 the mother moved with her family to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and in 1844 to Steuben County, Ind., location in the northern part of York Township, a very sparsely settled portion of the county. The mother died at Angola in January, 1885, in the eighty-eighth year of her age. Of her five children, two sons died in early manhood, and two, William and Francis, live in Angola. Her daughter, Mrs. M. A. Goodale, resides in Metz. Francis, the youngest of the family, was thirteen years of age when they moved to Steuben County, and here he grew to manhood. His natural taste for reading and study was encouraged and strengthened by the careful and judicious training of an intelligent mother. His home training supplemented by a few terms at the common schools was his only means of acquiring an education. The schools of Steuben County forty years ago were very inferior, the teachers being rarely trained for the work, and often not very well qualified for the proper discharge of their duties but Mr. Macartney holds in grateful remembrance as his alma mater the log school house that once stood near Hathaway's Corners in York Township, and ever acknowledges his indebtedness to the faithful teachers who labored there, often under very discouraging circumstances, to train the youthful minds. With the exception of about three years passed in the lumber regions of Northern Michigan and a few terms spent in teaching school. Mr. Macartney was engaged in farming till thirty years of age. In 1860 he was elected to the office of County Treasurer and assumed the duties in 1861, serving two years. In 1863 he was elected Auditor and in 1867 was re-elected, serving till 1872. In 1874 he was again the nominee of his party, but was defeated by Jesse H. Carpenter. In 1876 some unpleasant complications arose in the Treasurer's office, requiring a change of management. Mr. Macartney was called upon in this emergency, and under appointment as Deputy took charge of the office till September, 1877. In 1880 he was elected State Senator for the district composed of the counties of Steuben and DeKalb, which he represented in the legislative sessions of 1881 and 1883. In March, 1883, he was appointed Postmaster at Angola, which position he now holds. In 1861 Mr. Macartney purchased one-half interest in the Steuben Republican, of which he became manager, and in 1863 bought the interest of his partner, J. O. Reese, and became sole proprietor. He conducted the paper a year, and then sold it, but in 1874, in company with Germ Brown, purchased it again and furnished the office with a new outfit of presses and material, enlarged the paper, increased its circulation and thereby entended its usefulness. After assisting in publishing the paper over a year he sold his interest to J. U. Miller. Mr. Macartney's official labors have been marked throughout with painstaking and accuracy, and he has endeavored to place on record an exact statement of each transaction. To his efforts may be traced many improvements in the methods of transacting the business it has been his duty to perform. In politics he has been a Republican since the formation of that party, and is a strong defender of its principles. Few public enterprises have been undertaken in Angola since his residence here in which he has not borne some part, frequently at the expense of his own private interest and convenience. Mr. Macartney is probably second to none in his knowledge of the history, topography, resources, institutions and people of Steuben County. His spare time for several years past has been devoted to working up an abstract of titles to all the land in the county. Mr. Macartney was married in 1855 to Minerva Gore, of Northwest Ohio. Three children have been born to them, but two of whom are living.

Submitted by Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com