Descendants of William McMains

From Pennsylvania to New Mexico

Family Summary	Photo which includes O.P. McMains
Descendants of William McMains	Reference Materials

FAMILY SUMMARY:

William McMains was born in Pennsylvania. I don't know who his parents were. He married Mary Fairchild, who was born in Ohio. They made their home in Milford, Ohio. He served in the War of 1812 as a Captain. After the war, he joined the Methodist Church. His children were raised in the faith. At this time, I know of two children, but there may well have been more.

Robert F. McMains was born in Milford, in 1811. His sister Abigail was most likely born after him, but I don't have a date at this time. Robert married Nancy Perry, and they had five children. Tragedy struck about 1852, when Nancy died. Robert, unable to keep up his family, decided to leave for the imagined riches of the west coast. He adopted out his youngest daughter, Nancy, left his older children in Ohio, and along with his young son, Bob, moved to California.

Robert died shortly after arriving in California, and Bob was adopted by a family named Fisher. Those who remained in Ohio had to fend for themselves. The oldest, Mary Louise, married and set up her family in Indiana. William, the youngest son lived until 1883, but the details aren't known at this time. Oscar became a Methodist minister at the age of nineteen. After serving several pulpits in Illinois, he ventured out to new territory in Colorado. I'm sure he didn't plan it this way, but his decision would cement his name among those most loved by many, and yet most despised by others.

Oscar P. McMains, or O. P. as he was known, became a controversial figure when he chose to side with poor settlers who were "illegally" occupying land claimed by the Maxwell Land Grant Company. The Grant was very large, and its borders highly contested. The bulk of the land was in New Mexico, but its northern borders were in Colorado. Oscar lived in both sections of the disputed territory at various times. He died in Stonewall, Colorado, while still fighting for his seemingly lost cause.

O.P. McMains was at the center of the Maxwell Land Grant controversy. The "Agent of the Settlers" found himself entangled in situations which would have seemed far away from the pulpit of a preacher, and his enemies did not hesitate to point this out. He represented the settlers in Washington, D.C., but also found himself in some rather uncomfortable situations, such as the Stonewall War in Colorado, and the murder of Cruz Vega, who may have been involved in the murder of a friend and colleague of Oscar.

Whether a crazy lunatic, or a brilliant and dedicated soldier of justice, I suppose only history will decide. Either way, his name will be in the history books, and he will be known as one of many influential persons who bore the name, McMains.

Right: The 1865 Colorado Conference (Methodist Ministers).
L-R, Standing: C. H. Kirkbridge, George Richardson, William Antes, W. W. Baldwin, Bethuel T. (B.T.) Vincent, John Gilliland, and O. P. McMains. Seated: O. A. Willard, John L. Dyer, Bishop Calvin Kingsley, and Charles King.
Picture Provided by First United Methodist Church, Golden, Colorado

Descendants of William McMains

Generation No. 1

1. CPT WILLIAM MCMAINS¹ was born Unknown in Pennsylvania, and died Deceased. He married MARY FAIRCHILD February 1810. She was born Unknown in Ohio, and died Deceased.

More About CPT WILLIAM MCMAINS:

Military service: Bet. 1812 - 1815, War of 1812, from Milford, OH

Religion: 1815, Became Methodist

Children of WILLIAM MCMAINS and MARY FAIRCHILD are:

2. i. ROBERT F. MCMAINS, b. 1811, Milford, Ohio; d. Abt. 1855, California.

ii. ABIGAIL F. MCMAINS, b. Unknown; d. Deceased; m. WILLIAM BANGHERT, February 22, 1838, Clermont County, OH²; b. Unknown; d. Deceased.

Generation No. 2

2. ROBERT F. MCMAINS (WILLIAM)³ was born 1811 in Milford, Ohio, and died Abt. 1855 in California. He married NANCY PERRY⁴ October 23, 1836 in Clermont County, OH⁵. She was born Unknown, and died Abt. 1852 in Milford, Ohio.

More About ROBERT F. MCMAINS:

Occupation: General Merchant, Milford, OH

Politics: 1838, Board of Trustee, Milford, OH

Residence: Abt. 1853, Moved to California, with son Bob

Children of ROBERT MCMAINS and NANCY PERRY are:

3. i. MARY LOUISE MCMAINS, b. 1837, Milford, Ohio; d. Deceased.

ii. OSCAR P. MCMAINS^6,7, b. 1840, Milford, Ohio; d. April 15, 1899, Stonewall, Las Animas County, CO; m. MARY B. MESSNER⁸, January 20, 1879, Methodist Mission, La Junta (now Watrous), CO; b. Abt. 1847, Illinois; d. Deceased.

More About OSCAR P. MCMAINS:

Census: 1870, Pueblo, CO⁹

Politics: Outspoken Opponent of the Maxwell Land Grants, New Mexico¹⁰

Prison: Bet. April 17 - October 17, 1891, Imprisoned in Pueblo Jail, convicted of conspiracy

Religion: 1858, Joined Methodist Church, Illinois

Residence: 1872, Huerfano County, Colorado¹¹

Travel: 1867, Visited brother, Bob, in San Francisco, for a few weeks

Burial: Stonewall Cemetery, Stonewall, CO 21 22

More About MARY B. MESSNER:

Census: 1880, Cimarron, Colfax County, NM¹²

iii. ROBERT A. MCMAINS¹³, b. 1842; d. Deceased.

iv. WILLIAM MCMAINS¹⁴, b. 1850; d. 1883.

v. NANCY MCMAINS¹⁵, b. 1852; d. Deceased.

Generation No. 3

3. MARY LOUISE MCMAINS (ROBERT F., WILLIAM)¹⁶ was born 1837 in Milford, Ohio, and died Deceased. She married WILLIAM PINKNEY FISHBACK^17,18 February 14, 1855. He was born Abt. 1831 in Ohio, and died Deceased.

More About MARY LOUISE MCMAINS:

Census: 1860, 7th Ward, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana¹⁹

More About WILLIAM PINKNEY FISHBACK:

Census: 1860, 7th Ward, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana¹⁹

Children of MARY MCMAINS and WILLIAM FISHBACK are:

i. CAROLINE FISHBACK, b. Abt. 1857, Ohio; d. Deceased.

More About CAROLINE FISHBACK:

Census: 1860, 7th Ward, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana¹⁹

ii. NANCY M. FISHBACK, b. Aug 10 1859, Indiana; d. Dec. 1943. m. KAPPES 20

More About NANCY M. FISHBACK:

Census: 1860, 7th Ward, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana

Endnotes

1. Note, There is a marriage listing in Clermont County, OH for Hannah McMains to Mahlon Smith, Jun 26 1817, by David Morris, JP (1-091). It is unknown what connection Hannah has to William McMains.

2. Marriage Records of Clermont Ohio, 1800-1850, (Evansville, Ind.: Unigraphic, 1979 (images viewed on-line Heritage Quest On-Line)), 3-135 MCMAINSAbigail F. to Wm BANGHERTFeb 22 1838 by George GATCH, MG.

3. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11, 19, [left with son, Bob, for California shortly after his wife died] [He died shortly after arriving in California. His son, Bob was adopted out to a family named Fisher, of which he took their name].

4. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11, His bride, Nancy, was of the Perry family, and related to Oliver Hazard Perry, hero of the Battle of Lake Erie. . .[she died suddenly shortly after the birth of her last child].

5. Marriage Records of Clermont Ohio, 1800-1850, (Evansville, Ind.: Unigraphic, 1979 (images viewed on-line Heritage Quest On-Line)), 145, 3-083 MCMAINSRobert F. to Nancy L. PerryOct 23 1836 by George Gatch MGMEC.

6. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 5, [Gives birthdate as 1840, but census records suggest 1838 or 1839].

7. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11, [remained in Milford, OH after death of mother, abt 1852. Father and Robert A. "Bob", travelled to California via Panama].

8. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), [Oscar and Mary had no children].

9. U.S. Census Bureau, 1870 U.S. Census Pueblo County, CO, (on-line images, Genealogy.Com), .

10. The Colfax County War, 1875, http://newmexicoranch.com/raton/colfax_%20county_wars.htm, Minister O.P. McMains, felt that the new Cimarron Constable, Cruz Vega, was involved. During the night of September 30, a masked mob confronted Vega at a nearby farm. While denying his own guilt, the frightened sheriff hinted that Manuel Cardenas might know something. The next morning, Cruz Vega was found hanging from a telegraph pole one mile north of town. . . .McMains continued his efforts to have the Grant Land declared open and available to settlers as was done with the Oklahoma Territory. In 1878 the law judicially attaching Colfax to Taos County was repealed and Governor Axtell's tenure of "corruption, fraud and murder" was replaced with the honest one of Governor Lew Wallace. Peace had come at last to Colfax County. The Grant was surveyed once more in 1879 and declared to embrace a total of 1,714,764.93 acres (2,679 square miles). Seven years later the United States Circuit Court upheld the validity of the Grant and the Supreme Court confirmed this ruling the following year. Nonetheless McMains persisted in his fight of the poor against the rich until he died. To this day, the murders of Tolby, Vega and Cardenas are officially unsolved..

11. Karen Mitchell; Newspaper Transcriptions, Huerfano County: News of the Day, http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/news.htm, Colorado Daily Chieftain 6-13-1872 MARRIED: WARRANT - SMITH at the residence of Mrs. Miller, on the Muddy, June 9th by Reverend O.P. McMains, Mr. James Warrant to Miss Ida Smith. Colorado Daily Chieftain 6-13-1872 MARRIED: CHAPMAN - SMITH at the residence of Mrs. Miller, on the Muddy, June 9th by Reverend O.P. McMains, Mr. Abel Chapman to Miss Lena Smith[These place O P McMains in Colorado at the time].

12. U.S. Census Bureau, 1880 U.S. Census Colfax County, NM, (on-line images, Genealogy.Com), .

13. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), [left with father sometime after death of mother (abt 1852), travelled to California, via Panama].

14. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11,99, [remained in Milford, OH after father and Robert A "Bob", left for California via Panama] [Death of Billy reported to Oscar by brother, Bob, in 1883].

15. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11, [adopted out sometime after death of mother].

16. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11, [remained in Milford, OH after death of mother--abt 1852. Father and Robert A. "Bob", travelled to California, via Panama]. [Mary and husband took in young William "Billy" McMains].

17. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 11.

18. Note, Mary Shaffer, 22, born in Germany--living with family according to 1860 census. Occupation not listed, probably servant for the family.

19. U.S. Census Bureau, 1860 U.S. Census Marion County, IN, (on-line images, Ancestry.Com), .

20. Correspondence from Paula Miller. I ran across a Nancy Fishback (10 Aug 1859-25 Dec 1943) who married an
Unknown Kappes. Her mother was an Unknown McMains and her father an Unknown
Fishback. Do you think that this would be the same as the N.M. Fishback you
have listed as the child of Mary Louise McMains (daughter of the ramblin'
guy Robert F. McMains and Nancy Perry) and William Pinckney Fishback?

21. Morris F. Taylor, O.P. McMains and the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict, (The University of Aizona Press, Tuscon: 1979), 275. With the lowering of his casket into the muslin-lined grave, near Richard D. Russell's in the cemetery overlooking the Stonewall and Purgatoire valleys, the older ones knew that an era had ended.

22. Sally Beshoar and Barron Beshoar, Stonewall , Colorado Cemetery, [Richard D. Russell does have a marker in this cemetery, but O.P. McMains is not listed. The grave may have been unmarked at the time of transcription, or the body moved to another location. Mary McMains is not listed either.]

Reference Material For More Information on the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict
Adams, A., Governor. (1893). Treating Maxwell Grant as Public Lands.Unpublished manuscript. Claims, U. S. C. o. P. L. (1892). Alleged conspiracy in connection with the Maxwell land grant. Washington, D.C.: General Publishing Office. First Methodist Church of Golden, C. from http://goldenfirstumc.org/history/pastors/vincent/ Journal of the Senate. (1872). Retrieved May 2, 2004, from http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hlaw:3:./temp/~ammem_3lfK:: Journal of the Senate. (1873). from http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hlaw:4:./temp/~ammem_3lfK:: Myers, G.History of the Great American Fortunes Chapter XIII The Elkins Fortune, from http://www.geocities.com/doswind/myers/am_fortune_413.html Northeast New Mexico: The Colfax County War 1875. from http://nenewmexico.com/history/legends/colfax_war.html Scrapbook: Includes various documents concerning Maxwell Land Grant, also two copies of proclamations of the status of the Land Grant by O.P. McMains. Articles of Association: Volumes 1, 2, 2.5, 3 Maxwell Land Grant Company, including original document in Dutch. University of New Mexico Library Collections. Stanley, F. (1949). O. P. McMains, Champion of a Lost Cause. New Mexico Historical Review, 24, 1-11. Sweatman, J. (2001). Ghosts of the Prairie: Ghosts of the St. James Hotel, from http://www.prairieghosts.com/stjames_hotel.html Zimmer, S. (1999). For Good or Bad, People of the Cimarron Country. Sante Fe: Sunstone Press.

Reference Material
For More Information on the Maxwell Land Grant Conflict

Adams, A., Governor. (1893). Treating Maxwell Grant as Public Lands.Unpublished manuscript.

Claims, U. S. C. o. P. L. (1892). Alleged conspiracy in connection with the Maxwell land grant. Washington, D.C.: General Publishing Office.

First Methodist Church of Golden, C. from http://goldenfirstumc.org/history/pastors/vincent/

Journal of the Senate. (1872). Retrieved May 2, 2004, from http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hlaw:3:./temp/~ammem_3lfK::

Journal of the Senate. (1873). from http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?hlaw:4:./temp/~ammem_3lfK::

Myers, G.History of the Great American Fortunes Chapter XIII The Elkins Fortune, from http://www.geocities.com/doswind/myers/am_fortune_413.html

Northeast New Mexico: The Colfax County War 1875. from http://nenewmexico.com/history/legends/colfax_war.html

Scrapbook: Includes various documents concerning Maxwell Land Grant, also two copies of proclamations of the status of the Land Grant by O.P. McMains. Articles of Association: Volumes 1, 2, 2.5, 3 Maxwell Land Grant Company, including original document in Dutch. University of New Mexico Library Collections.

Stanley, F. (1949). O. P. McMains, Champion of a Lost Cause. New Mexico Historical Review, 24, 1-11.

Sweatman, J. (2001). Ghosts of the Prairie: Ghosts of the St. James Hotel, from http://www.prairieghosts.com/stjames_hotel.html

Zimmer, S. (1999). For Good or Bad, People of the Cimarron Country. Sante Fe: Sunstone Press.

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