The Life of
Alda Victoria McCoy Honig

Alda Around 1900

Alda(h) McCoy was born April 14, 1885 to father Leonidas H. McCoy and mother Emma Hatfield McCoy. Her first name was spelled Aldah on her marriage license and death certificate. She signed her name as Alda on her DePauw University alumni form.

This was found in the History of Warrick, Spencer and Perry Counties, Indiana by Goodspeed Bros. and Co., 1885.

"Leonidas H. McCoy, a prominent physician of Richland City, Spencer Co., Ind., where he was born February 23, 1851, is the fourth son in a family of ten children, six of whom are now living. Their parents were Alfred H. and Olivia (Jones) McCoy, who were natives of Kentucky and Indiana. Their marriage occurred in Spencer County and they now live in Gentryville. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which the father has been for many years a local preacher. Leonidas lived at home until twenty years of age, receiving a good common school education. He taught four terms of school, and at the age of twenty-two began reading medicine with Dr. William Jones at Selvin. In October he began one year's course in the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis. He then began the practice at Richland City. In the fall of 1880 he attended lectures in the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, where he graduated in the following spring. Miss Emma Hatfield became his wife March 17, 1875, and to them have been born three children, named Charles R. (deceased), Stella and Bertha. Besides town property he owns 111 acres of land well-improved. They belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he belongs to both Masons and Odd Fellows."

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Dr. McCoy's House Where Alda Was Born

The above early twentieth century photo is where Alda was born. On the back of the photo, someone wrote "McCoy homeplace at Richland - Nancy Ward Hatfield (Sister of Emmeline -Ed.) - Dr. Leonidas Hamlin McCoy - Emmeline Matilda - Our Great Grandparents - Alfred Henry McCoy - Olivia Jones McCoy"

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Dr. McCoy's House in 2003   Dr. McCoy's Office in 2003

The photo on the left was Dr. McCoy's house and on the right his office. Both buildings are in Richland, Indiana. Note the angled corners on the home and office. Photos taken in 2003.

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The following information came from:
Indiana One Hundred And Fifty Years Of American Development, Vol. 3
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931

(This book is available at the University of Evansville, Willard Library, University of Southern Indiana, and Rockport Library.)

The beginning of this article can be found by clicking on About George - Life.

Mr. Honig married at Chicago, June 12, 1917, Miss Alda McCoy, daughter of Dr. L. H. and Emmaline (Hatfield) McCoy. Their family record includes many noted names in the pioneer annals of Indiana, including the "Bill Smithers" previously referred to, who was a friend of Daniel Boone and a soldier of the Revolution; Capt. John Hurst, of Corydon; Henry Hurst, of Vincennes; John McCoy, who was killed at the battle of Tippecanoe. Her ancestry also shows connections with the McCarty family, the Jones family, with Capt. Joseph Bowman, who was at the capture of Vincennes, with Capt. John Bowman, the first acting governor of Kentucky. One of the ancestors of these early pioneers was the noted Jost Hite, to whom historians have assigned the chief credit for leading the movement of Pennsylvania Germans in the great Valley of Virginia. A number of representatives of Mrs. Honig's family on both maternal and paternal sides were in the Revolution, the French and Indian wars, Civil war and all subsequent wars of the nation. Mrs. Honig has at least half a dozen Revolutionary ancestors.

The founder of the McCoy family was Capt. Thomas McCoy, who came from Ireland. He served with the English in the French and Indian war and later was a follower of Gen. Francis Marion in fighting the British during the Revolution. Captain McCoy towards the close of the war was captured by his old commander in the French and Indian struggle, and with his son was court martialed and hanged. His son, Thomas McCoy Jr., was born three months after his execution. About 1800 Thomas McCoy Jr. and an older brother, William, freighted pioneers with wagon teams over the mountains to Kentucky. In 1815 they came to Indiana. William McCoy was a giant in stature and a noted character in the early days. He helped build the courthouse of Warrick County, Indiana. His son, Rev. John McCoy, was an acquaintance of Thomas Lincoln. John's son, Capt. Alfred McCoy, was eleven years old when he witnessed the Lincoln family pass through Jonesboro for the Illinois country. Alfred Hill McCoy became captain of a company of Union troops in the Civil war, and his sons, Watson and Lieut. Franklin also saw active service. The younger son, then only ten years old, took charge of the farm while the older members of the family were in the army. This younger son was Dr. L. H. McCoy, father of Mrs. Honig.

Mrs. Honig is a talented musician. She was graduated from the musical department of DePauw University, and took advanced training with Emil Liebling, Madame Marguerite (Melville) Lisznievski, of London, England, and Vienna, Austria, Theodor Leschetizky, of Vienna; and she was elected to a professorship at DePauw University.

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According to family legend, Alda was called home due to the illness of her father in 1912. She missed the boat to the United States. This was most fortunate because the name of the boat was the Titanic!

Richland residents, who grew up around the old McCoy home, report strange happenings in modern times. One person told of a light being seen in the window and that it was Dr. McCoy waiting for his daughter to come home. This person wasn't aware of the Titanic legend.

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The following information came from:
History of Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity 1885 to 1928
By Esther Barney Wilson
Kessinger Publishing Company, 2003

Evansville Alumnae Club, Evansville, Indiana.

On June 24, 1920, a group of enthusiastic alumnae met at the studio of Alda McCoy Honig, A, to discuss plans for organizing an alumnae club in Evansville. Several subsequent meeting were held, officers elected, and in October, 1920, the petition which had seventeen signers, was granted. Those signing the petition were Alda McCoy Honig, A; Mrs. R. Humphreys, I; Ferne Wood, A; Imogene Warner Hare, A; Myrtle Knudson Noelting, =; Mary Stewart, A; Enid Hedden, A; Enid Van de Veer, A; Laura Whitman, Y; Mrs. E. C. Landgrebe, A; Ruth Miller Hart, A; Mrs. W. R. Black, I; Irma Brady, T; Mrs. J. F. Seiler, O; Grace Mitchell, T; Elanor Mitchell, T; Opal Tislow, Z. The Evansville Club selected as its first activity the organization of a city Panhellenic. In this endeavor it met with immediate enthusiastic response from other fraternity women of the city and a Panhellenic association was organized in December, 1920.

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Alda Victoria McCoy Music Brochure

Front Page of Music Brochure
Click on the image to see the reverse side of the brochure.
(Thanks to Tom Brauns for this information.)

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An Elderly George and Alda

An elderly Alda and George in a photo from the Willard Library Honig Collection.

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