Bio: McIlvaine, Charles Emerson – 1st Land Patent in Loyal

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: McIlvaine, Graves

----Source: Family Scrapbook

The original platted land of the village was granted by patent from the United States of America in the name of Charles Emerson McIlvaine. A patent signifies original transfer of title to land from sovereign ownership.

Charles Emerson McIlvaine has been as¬signed the land from Bowes McIlvaine who had been with the New Jersey Militia in the War of 1812.

By an Act of Congress of March 3, 1855, military land bounties of 160 acres were authorized to any veteran of any war after 1790. Bowes Reed McIlvaine qualified and at his age may not have wanted to go west so he assigned the land to Charles Emerson McIlvaine who is assumed to be his grandson. This was 1858.

He did not leave a glowing trail behind him in Loyal. A few "old timers" remember the old timers talking about the McIlvaine house but no one could point out the spot. McIlvaine sold the land to John Graves for $500 in September, 1866. This took in the land from what is now Loyal United Methodist Church corner, north on Main Street to Elm Street, and east for one half mile, thence south one-half mile, thence west to the place of beginning.

McIlvaine was single when he sold the property for $500 and chose a young lady named Clementina for his bride the next year. She was from Clifton, Ohio, where Charles Pettit McIlvaine was Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio for 40 years. Charles Emerson and Clementina went to the eastern states to live after that.