130 Years Ago, 1896 transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

“A Useful Life. Death of the well known author of the McGuffey Readers. Born near this city. Through his writings the people of this nation received an education.”

“Alexander H. McGuffey of school book fame died at his home on Southern Ave. on Mt. Auburn, in Cincinnati, at 9 a. m. on Wednesday morning, June 3. Mr. McGuffey was born of Scotch parents on the farm where the white gravel walk is situated on the McGuffey Road, which takes its name from his father, in Coitsville Township, about 4 ½ miles east of the city. When quite young his parents moved to Pennsylvania but later moved to this state. W. H. McGuffey, an older brother, was president of Miami University. Deceased graduated from there. He was appointed professor of Belle’s letters in Woodward College, in Cincinnati, at the early age of 18. [He], during his engagement at Woodward, prepared his celebrated set of readers. Though published under the name of his brother, W. H. McGuffey, he did little more than supervise the work. His speller however, was published under his own name.

“He was admitted to the bar on attaining his majority, having studied law while teaching, though practicing very little in court, he did an enormous… business and having splendid legal talents, kept most of his clients from long and unprofitable legal entanglements. He appeared very little in public. At the time of his death he was [one] of the trustees of the Cincinnati College and a meeting of the board has been called for this evening to take suitable action regarding his death. His first wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Daniel Drake, founder of the Cincinnati College, of which deceased was trustee and financial agent for 30 years. The children of this marriage now living are Charles D. McGuffey, an attorney of Chattanooga; Anna M., wife of Attorney Henry A. Morrill, Cincinnati; Dr. Fred B. McGuffey, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Rev. E. M. McGuffey, an Episcopal rector, Newton, L. I.; Helen B., wife of Robert H. Parkinson, a Chicago attorney; and William H. McGuffey, in the railroad business, Washington D. C. Another daughter, Alice M., wife of Prof. Laughlin, of the Chicago University, is dead.

“In 1863, Mrs. McGuffey died and the deceased was married to Miss Caroline Rich, of Boston, in 1865. The surviving children of this marriage are Margaret D. McGuffey, of Boston, Agnes and Kingsley, who are at home in Cincinnati.

“There is not a village or hamlet in the central or western states where the elementary text books of which he was the compiler, are unknown; through them, hundreds of thousands of children learned most of what they knew of English literature and thousands more gained from them their first knowledge of English literature. It is impossible to think of his life and work and not experience a feeling of local pride in the grand achievements of the life of the man whose earthly career has just ended.”

— Compiled by Dante Bernard, museum educator at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.