George McGarrah
The George McGarrah Family
George McGarrah was born March 8, 1804 at Caney Fork, Tennessee, the son of Col. George McGarrah. Soon after young George's birth family moved to Missouri. Col. George McGarrah had three sons, John (Jack), George, and William. All three came to Fayetteville, Ark. in 1823 and were among the firt settlers of that city. They helped build the public buildings there.
Young George McGarrah came to Collin County in 1843 and headrighted one square mile of land in the present Bowlby Community west of McKinney. The land is now the George McGarah Survey. While still living in Arkansas George's wife died at the birth of a daughter, Harriett, March 24, 1838 and is buried in Sun Valley Chapel Cemetery. The children of this marriage were Martha, Merinda, Louisese, James and Harriett.
On November 22, 1841, George McGarrah married Mrs. Sarah Ford. Mrs. Ford had one son, G. W. who joined a caravan of 150 others for the gold rush in 1849 in California. They went by way of El Paso, Texas and lost all of their animals in raids by Plains Indians. Only half the men reached California. Men from around present McKinney making the trip were Jack McGarrah, G. W. Ford, Thomas McDonald, and Tola Dunn. Jack McGarrah and Tola Dunn both died from Yellow Fever. McDonald and Ford returned to Collin in 1850.
George McGarrah died July 3, 1879 and his wife, Sarah, died December 26, 1896. They both lie in the McGarrah Cemetery on the land he headrighted. All of their children save one married and went to live in California. Harriet married Henry Ottenhausen in 1867 and she and her husband continued to live on the old headright of her father. Harriett came with her parents to Collin County when she was five years of age.
George McGarrah was born March 8, 1804 at Caney Fork, Tennessee, the son of Col. George McGarrah. Soon after young George's birth family moved to Missouri. Col. George McGarrah had three sons, John (Jack), George, and William. All three came to Fayetteville, Ark. in 1823 and were among the firt settlers of that city. They helped build the public buildings there.
Young George McGarrah came to Collin County in 1843 and headrighted one square mile of land in the present Bowlby Community west of McKinney. The land is now the George McGarah Survey. While still living in Arkansas George's wife died at the birth of a daughter, Harriett, March 24, 1838 and is buried in Sun Valley Chapel Cemetery. The children of this marriage were Martha, Merinda, Louisese, James and Harriett.
On November 22, 1841, George McGarrah married Mrs. Sarah Ford. Mrs. Ford had one son, G. W. who joined a caravan of 150 others for the gold rush in 1849 in California. They went by way of El Paso, Texas and lost all of their animals in raids by Plains Indians. Only half the men reached California. Men from around present McKinney making the trip were Jack McGarrah, G. W. Ford, Thomas McDonald, and Tola Dunn. Jack McGarrah and Tola Dunn both died from Yellow Fever. McDonald and Ford returned to Collin in 1850.
George McGarrah died July 3, 1879 and his wife, Sarah, died December 26, 1896. They both lie in the McGarrah Cemetery on the land he headrighted. All of their children save one married and went to live in California. Harriet married Henry Ottenhausen in 1867 and she and her husband continued to live on the old headright of her father. Harriett came with her parents to Collin County when she was five years of age.
