Travels in Baptist History 5 James McCoy – by Jim Curran

Jim Curran Admin 03/13/21

 Travels in Baptist History 5- James McCoy

James McCoy was the brother of Indian missionary Isaac McCoy. He would pastor at least four churches including Salem as well as constituting other churches as far north as Jackson County. “James McCoy came to this Territory in 1800.He settled on the farm now owned by Baumgartle near the Anson farm. Mr. James McCoy was received into the Silver Creek church by experience and baptism, October 1801, and the next month he was chosen church clerk, which he held until October 1816, when he and his wife took letters, and with their family moved to Washington county, Indiana. James McCoy, was the first white man to drive a four horse team across the “Flower Gap Knob.” He was a schoolteacher and preacher. His teaching and preaching was very acceptable to the people. He was father of John R. McCoy who preached here for a year or more some fifteen years ago, and now lives at Clear Springing Jackson county, Ind. Rev. James McCoy and his wife died of cholera in Salem, Ind., in 1833.” (Stott) When I visited the graves of Jamesand his wife Nancy it was a cold winter morning when we were on our way back from a meeting. James is buried in the oldest part of the Salem Indiana city cemetery. As you look at this section you can not help but notice the dates so similar- the victims of a Cholera epidemic. It was a seemingly bleak scene. As I came to James’ gave there peeking out through the snow was something that I had not seen on any other McCoy family grave- flowers. To my mind it served to show that at least someone remembered- we should never forget the past and what these men of old suffered for the cause of Christ.

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