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Below is a family biography included in Book of Biographies: Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens, Cortland County, New York published by Biographical Publishing Company in 1898.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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FRANCIS MARION McFALL, one of the most popular citizens the village of Cortland ever had, and now a member of the enterprising meat and grocery firm of Angell & McFall, the senior member being W. H. Angell, was born at Martin’s Creek, Northampton County, Pa., August 5, 1847. His parents were P. Winters and Mary M. (Martin) McFall.

The family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Two McFall brothers emigrated from Scotland to New York City, one of whom went up into the Mohawk Valley in the Empire State, and the other, the ancestor of our subject, located in Northampton County, Pa., near the city of Easton. The mother’s side of the family is said to be descended from Col. Thomas Martin, who was one of William Penn’s surveyors, and who helped to lay out the city of Philadelphia. Martin’s Creek was named after him.

Thomas McFall, our subject’s paternal grandfather, was born in the eastern part of Northampton County, where he lived throughout his entire life, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Seven children gathered about his fireside, of whom six were boys, and one a girl.

P. Winters McFall was born in Northampton County, and there received a liberal common school education. He followed the example of his father, and also adopted the vocation of a farmer. He located in Mt. Bethel township, of the same county in which he was born, and engaged in milling at Martin’s Creek in 1860. Distilling was also one of his occupations; this was carried on with his brother-in-law, Joseph Martin, under the name of McFall & Martin. During the war he was drafted to serve in the Union Army, but because of his years he was excused. He then went to Stroudsburg, Pa., and was a resident of that place for several years, while he engaged in milling there. He finally returned to Northampton County, and lived in the village of Bangor when the final summons came that told him it was time to lay down life’s burdens and enter into rest. His politics were pronounced; in his early life he was a Democrat, but later he supported the Whig party, and at last became a Republican. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in his younger years took a prominent part in the church at Martin’s Creek. He was a man who always did what he could to promote the good of the community. His death took place in 1887, while his wife passed away three years later in 1890. Their children were: Calvin, deceased; Zwingle; William, deceased; Francis Marion, of whom this sketch is written; Elmira, deceased; and Lewis Cass.

Francis Marion McFall, the subject of this article, received a common school education and then engaged in the railroad business, learning telegraphy at Stroudsburg, Pa. He was at work there two years and then went into the general store of Wallace & Co., at that point, as one of their clerks. He remained in their employ, proving himself a painstaking, conscientious young man, and entitled to the greatest consideration on the part of the members of the firm, for four years, and from there moved to South Bethlehem, where for two years he conducted on his own account a hardware business. He then moved to Easton, Pa., and was head clerk for Becker & Rader for six years. His next place of residence was Binghamton, N. Y., where he entered the employ of the D., L. & W. R. R. as time-keeper, but only remained there a short time, going from that point to Syracuse, where he was employed in the freight office of that company only six months, when he was made head clerk and cashier of the freight department. For four years he held down this position, and only severed his connection with the office because his health would not allow him to stand confinement. He was accordingly made ticket agent, a position that had lighter work, for the company was unwilling to dispense wholly with his services. He held that position two years, and then removed to Cortland, N. Y., in 1885, where he assumed the office of freight, ticket and express agent of the D., L. & W. R. R. at Cortland. Seven years marked his continuance in that office — seven years that were filled with faithful service, alike satisfactory to the officials of the company and to the traveling and shipping public of the county. He resigned on account of the ill health of his wife in 1892, and went to Baltimore, Md., where he became bookkeeper and cashier for the Eutaw Beef Co. He was obliged once more to give up his business because of his wife’s health, and make a change in his residence. He came back into New York State, and worked at Corning for the Beet Company for two years and a half. In the fall of 1895, he moved back to Cortland, where he received a hearty welcome from his numerous friends, who were delighted to hear that he was about to establish himself in business in Cortland village. He entered into a partnership with W. H. Angell to carry on a first-class meat and grocery business under the firm name of Angell & McFall. They have done very well, and have a large patronage, that is still on the increase. Mr. McFall is one of Cortland’s best citizens; he was considered the most popular station agent ever in Cortland. When he resigned that position, the leading paper wrote a long article, highly complimentary to him, in which great sorrow was expressed over the loss the town was about to sustain in the removal of so good and capable a man for the position. He is the secretary of the Business Men’s Association of Cortland, and identifies himself in every manner with the town’s progress and development.

Mr. McFall was married to Mary Frances Keller, of Stroudsburg, Pa., November 2, 1869. Mrs. McFall is a daughter of Joseph Keller. Three children have been born to them: Frank K.; Joseph W., deceased; and Carrie, also deceased. Our subject is a member of the M. E. Church of Cortland, and was superintendent of the Sabbath School for five years when he first lived in Cortland, and also served as superintendent while living in Corning and Syracuse. He is at present steward of the Cortland Church. In the Sabbath School he is a hard worker, and has a class that he instructs each Sunday in God’s Word. In his politics he is a Republican.

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This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in Book of Biographies: Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens, Cortland County, New York published in 1898. 

View additional Cortland County, New York family biographies here: Cortland County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Cortland County, New York here: Cortland County, New York Map

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