Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1037 - 1038 

REV. AUGUSTUS G. McCORMICK, now deceased, was a minister of the Church of God, and a half-brother of the well-known Nicholas and John McCormick, whose biographies will be found elsewhere in this work. He was the son of John McCormick, a native of Pennsylvania, who removed thence at an early day to Indiana, and from there to Iowa. He was married, in Williamsport, Pa., to Miss Hattie Caryell, who became the mother of five children and died in Ohio.

             The subject of this sketch was born at Hamilton, Ohio, Oct. 16, 1826. When but a lad of eleven years, his father removed to Trenton, Iowa, where he purchased a tract of land, and there young McCormick became familiar with farm pursuits. He was, however, of a thoughtful and studious turn of mind, and when eighteen years of age, desiring more book knowledge, entered the college at Mt. Pleasant, from which he was graduated and subsequently developed into a school teacher. In Burlington, Iowa, he was Principal of a select school two years. In 1856, when thirty years of age, he was married to Miss Jane E., daughter of William K. and Mary (Brown) Hammond, of Lycoming County, Pa. The father of Mrs. McCormick was a very able business man, and for a number of years was engaged as a railroad contractor and accumulated considerable property. During the latter years of his life he carried on the lumber business at Mauch Chunk, Pa. He died when his daughter Jane was about six years of age.  

            The Brown family from which the mother of Mrs. McCormick descended, were of Scotch ancestry, and as far as the record is preserved engaged mostly in agricultural pursuits. Mrs. McCormick was born May 12, 1833, in Mauch Chunk, Pa. After the death of her father she became a member of the family of her aunt, Sarah (Brown) McCormick, and when eighteen years of age married our subject, the son of the latter, at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. This union was blessed by the birth of nine children, namely: Mary E.. Ida M., Edgar H., Nora F. (who died in infancy), Mattie B., Sadie E., Monteith M., Augustus G. and Helen G. Ida M. died at the age of fourteen. Monteith was accidentally killed at the age of sixteen years in the pressroom of a printing-office in Kansas City, by being caught by a belt of the machinery. This was a great blow to his mother, as he was a singularly intelligent and energetic young man, very conscientious and upright, and a child of whom they had great hopes in the future. Sadie E. was the wife of Benjamin Schneirle, Treasurer of Wyandotte County. She became the mother of two children, and died a little over three years after her marriage.

             Mr. McCormick departed this life at his home in Wyandotte, Kan., June 23, 1881. He was a man of deep piety, very conscientious and thoroughly devoted to his work. He became a member of the Church of God in Trenton, Iowa, and in 1858 was ordained a minister, preaching thereafter at Mt. Pleasant. After the outbreak of the Rebellion he felt that he could do good service by entering the army, and in 1862 enlisted as a private in the 1st Iowa Cavalry. He was elected head clerk in the hospital at Benton Barracks, and soon began preaching, taking a great interest in the soldiers and really occupying the position of Chaplain. He labored earnestly for the conversion of souls and served until the close of the war, although in the meantime suffering greatly from ill-health. At one time he was compelled to return home, but his sense of duty took him to his post again. He was appointed a general agent of the Christian Commission, and among his comrades he walked as a kind and solicitous friend, speaking words of comfort to the sick and afflicted, and doing good as he  had opportunity. He thus endeared himself to the soldiers, and his name is held in grateful remembrance by those who survive him. 

            After the close of the war Mr. McCormick pursued his pious labors in St. Louis for a time as a home missionary, and preaching in different places. He finally removed to St. Louis, where he lived until 1879. He there engaged as an advertising agent, and controlled a large business until, on account of failing health, he sought a different climate in Kansas City. There he became manager of a business newspaper called the Price Current. He was a very industrious and genial man, and often filled the pulpit of other churches besides his own, mostly the Baptist. His own church was small in numbers and not very strong, and notwithstanding that he received offers of a more lucrative position, he steadily refused to abandon it.

             Edgar H., the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. McCormick, is editor and publisher of the paper entitled Town Talk at Alexandria, La.: his wife was Miss Sophia Cornell. Miss Mary E. McCormick became the wife of James L. Jones, of St. Louis, who is now deceased: Mattie B. is the wife of L. Noel, of Glasgow, this State, and the mother of one child: A. G. and Helen G. continue with their mother, and are pursuing their studies in the public school. Mrs. McCormick, in 1884, came to Wichita, and purchasing ground put up a neat and substantial residence, which is pleasantly situated on University avenue. She is a lady held in high esteem by all who know her, and proved herself a fitting helpmate to her gifted husband.

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