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ADAM MCCREA
Facing page 204

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Adam McCrea, eldest son of Matthew and Agnes McCrea, passed his boyhood at the home of his parents, and in the year 1837, when sixteen years of age, entered the preparatory department of Miami university, and graduated in the summer of 1842.  During the latter part of his college course he read law, and when he returned to his home, entered an office for the purpose of studying for the profession; but in the spring of 1843 he abandoned the study of law to gratify the wish of his father, and entered actively in the business of farming, in which he continued until after the death of his father, in the fall of 1847 [His father's biographical sketch states that he died on September 4, 1874.].  In January, 1848, he purchased an interest in a dry goods store with N. J. Turney.  This partnership existed for two years, when Mr. C. F. Machir bought out Turney's interest.  The firm was then McCrea & Machir, and continued for but one year.  Upon Mr. Machir's retiracy from the firm, Mr. McCrea associated with himself his brother Joseph, who remained in partnership with him for six years.  After that he took his brother George into partnership, and continued to conduct business until 1871.  Shortly after that Adam McCrea removed to the city of New York, where he remained for over two years.  In the winter of 1873-4, he returned to Ohio, and on the first of April, 1874, became proprietor of the Pickaway House, which position he continues to occupy up to the present time.

Mr. McCrea was, politically, a Whig, up to the time the Republican party was organized, when he became one of its adherents.  He is one of the old members of the Central Presbyterian church, and has been form many years one of its ruling elders.  He was first elected to serve in this capacity after the death of his father, and to fill the place made vacant by his decease.  He remained in this office until his removal to New York, and since his return to Circleville has been re-elected, and is a present holding that position. For twenty years prior to his removal to the east he was superintendent of the Presbyterian church Sunday-school, and president of the pickaway county Bible society.  He has been an untiring and valuable worker in these fields of labor, and in consideration of his services was constituted a life director of the American Bible society, and of the Presbyterian board of foreign missions.  Mr. McCrea was one of the earlier members of the board of education of Circleville, and president of the board for seven years; and while holding that office the first class in the high school was graduated.

Mr. McCrea was married January 18, 1846, to Isabella, daughter of Mr. Daniel and Janet Sterling Turney.  They have had four children, three of whom died in infancy or early childhood.  The first, Janet Denny, was born June 14, 1847, and died October 5th, of the same year.  Matthew was born August 9, 1849, and died April 6, 1850.  Nelson Turney, born November 12, 1850, and is at present associated with his father in business.  Fannie Delano, born July 12, 1855; died August 7, 1860.