William McGinnis (1782-1854) was born in McKeesport, Westmoreland County, PA, where his father, Francis McGinnis, first settled after arriving in America from Dublin, Ireland. William is the progenitor of the McGinnis descendants of Carter, Lewis and Greenup Counties. The following is a letter from Francis II, to his father, William, who was then living in Greenup Co. December 26, 1841 Owen County, Indiana Dear Father, I have long desired to hear from you and your family and sat it in vain until now, having received a letter from James Brown your brother-in-law. He told me that you was alive and well a short time back and lived in Greenup County which gave me great satisfaction and I do hope that these few lines will find you and your family all well and enjoying the blessings of God in every sense of the word. My family is all well at this time except my self, I left Morgan County, Kentucky shortly after you left and moved up near the Ohio line and there the hard ships brought on a breast complaint which seems to shorten my days in this world, but thank God I hope that I am traveling from this world to a better one and Father if I should never see you in this world hope to shake hands with you on the sunny banks of Heaven where there will be no more sorrows nor parting of friends. Our children are six in number. William, Enock, Mave and Sally and Jane and Margaret. Two years ago came to this country James Gray the husband of Rebecca McGinnis and with him came Mave McGinnis and Margaret McGinnis, she was a complished lady. She married Benjamin McGee a fine young man, a tailor by trade. She lived about six months with him and departed this life lamented by all who knew her. Nancy McGinnis married a man by the name of Smith a carpenter and lives in Alliganey County. She came to this country last spring and Mave McGinnis went home with her. I expect to leave this county in the spring for western boundrys of the Missouri near the Osark Mountains. It is a good country and is settled under a pention law which gives a brave man a good chance to get land and if I have a brother that you can spare I want him to come and go with me to that country where he can get a good piece of and a chance to pay for it and I could not express the satisfaction his company would be to me. If Ruben comes he must be here by the last of March and bring with him a good rifle. Aunt Pege McClane departed this life about twelve months ago. If you get this letter and answer I will tell you more about your friends. Direct your letter to Owen County, Spencer Post Office. Nothing more at present, but remeber us your son and daughter. Francis and Jane McGinnis