Cottonwood County MN Biographies--Edward McCauley
"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



Edward McCauley, a well-known, progressive and prosperous farmer of Amo township, Cottonwood county, the proprietor of a fine farm of four hundred and forty acres situated on rural route 5, out of Windom, is a native of the Emerald Isle, born in County Antrim, in the north of Ireland, January 19, 1862, son of James and Ellen (Killen) McCauley, the former a native of that same county and the latter of Scotland, both of whom spent their last days in Ireland, the father dying when his son, Edward, was ten years old. James McCauley was a farmer and stock raiser. He and his wife were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, James, John, Jane, Sarah, Ellen and Edward.

Edward McCauley was reared on the home farm in his native land, receiving his education in the government schools, and when twenty-one years of age, in 1883, came to the United States, landing at the port of New York on March 7 of that year. He proceeded directly to Halt county, Illinois, where he remained for eighteen months, at the end of which time he came to Minnesota and located at Windom. He presently was engaged as a "hand" on the farm of W. H. Benbow. in Amo township, and has ever since had his residence in that township, having scarcely been out of the county since then, save for two trips made back to Ireland. After working eighteen months on the Benbow farm, Mr. McCauley took service on another farm in that same township and at the end of two years of employment on that farm bought the relinquishment of a dissatisfied homesteader's claim to a homestead and timber claim to two hundred and eighty acres in that township and proceeded to improve and develop the same. That was in 1888 and Mr. McCauley ever since has made his home on that place. He prospered in his farming operations and in due time enlarged his holdings by the purchase of another quarter section, in section 1, Amo township, and is thus the owner of four hundred and forty acres, which he has brought to a fine state of cultivation. The improvements on his place are of a substantial character, an excellent house, and farm buildings in keeping with the same, and he long has been recognized as one of the leading farmers in that neighborhood. In addition to his general farming, Mr. McCauley has also paid considerable attention to the raising of pure-bred Shorthorn cattle and has a fine herd.

It was in 1893, during one of his trips back to his native land, that Edward McCauley was united in marriage, in County Antrim, Ireland, to Anna Martin, who was born in that county, and to this union two sons have been born, Edward James and Crawford Brice. Mr. and Mrs. McCauley are members of the Presbyterian church and take a proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the general good works of the community in which they live.



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