Pages 681-682
This citizen is too well known throughout this community as a prominent planter and stockman to be omitted from the present volumn. Born in Hillsboro, Orange County N.C., February 8, 1846 he is a son of William McCauly and Cornelia Watson, both natives of North Carolina, the former being of Irish descent and mother of Scotch. The origin of the family on both sides antedates the Revolutionary War, although it is not definitely known whether or not any of their forefathers took part in that event. John L. was the seventh child in a family of eight born to his parents, five of whom lived to maturity. Charles, one of the sons, was a soldier in the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Antietam while serving in Compay G, of the Twenty seventh North Carolina Volunteer Infantry, leaving a widow and three children who are all residing in Orange County N.C. John L. was reared in Hillsboro and attended the schools of Orange County. He remained at home until 1862 and in September of that year enlisted in Company D, thirty-sixth North Carolina Artillery Volunteers and took part in the battle of Malvern Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Petersburg. In 1864 he was sent to the State of Georgia to join Gen Bragg's command and participated in the defense of Savannah, going from there to Fort Fisher, where he was severely wounded and taken prisoner to Elmira N.Y. and detained at that place until March 2, 1865. He was then conveyed to Arkin's Landing on the James River and there paroled after which he went to Richmond where he remained until April 1, and then to Appomattox Court House in time to see Gen Lee's army surrender to Gen Grant. At the conclusion of the war he started to return home on foot which he succeeded in reaching after a long journey filled with hardships and perils. He was next engaged as fireman on the North Carolina Central Railroad and followed that employment until February 1868. March 15 he started out upon a tour of the country and traveled through some of the Northern and Western States. In the Spring of 1869 he engaged passage on a steamer from St Paul, Minn, to St Louis MO, remaining in the latter city a few days and proceeding from there to Fort Leavenworth, Kan, where he became engaged with a party of capitalists in carring freight across the plains to Denver Col, his trip to that city consuming all the time getween May and October of 1869. He spent the winter and the spring of the following year in Missouri upon his return and then came to Johnson County Ark, where he was engaged at various occupations until the following October. He then moved to Perry County and commenced farming on land leased from Mr P.O. Breeden and has met with his best expectations up to the present time. He first purchased forty acres of unimproved land and later on bought forty acres of improved land and now owns altogether about 170 acres with forty two acres impreoved. Mr McCauly is also engaged as steamboat agent which occupies about one third of his time during the year and brings him a nice revenue. He was united to Miss Josephine Brown, a daughter of James Brown and Catherine Hatfield who were among the earliest settlers of Perry County, coming here from Kentucky about the year 1836. This happy union has given Mr McCauly and his wife three children: Charles (born January 26, 1877), Carrie (born June 1879, died when eight months old) and John (born January 20, 1880). Mr McCauly is a member of Perryville Lodge No. 238 and received the master's degree in the fall of 1886. He has served the lodge in various capacities and feels competent to fill any position which he might be called upon to occupy. He is greatly interested in the progress of educational, religious and social matters and firmly believes in the power of railroads and of manufactories to develop a country.