SAMUEL McELFATRICK is a native of Dauphin County, Penn. He was born September 18, 1821, and is the eldest son and second child of Edward and Eve (Hartman) McElfatrick, both natives of Pennsylvania. Hector McElfatrick, subject's grandfather, was born in Scotland; when a mere child he came to America with his parents, who settled in Dauphin County, Penn. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in the city of Baltimore before his term of service expired. Edward McElfatrick was an architect and builder. He left Pennsylvania in 1852, going to Fort Wayne, Ind., in which city he died in 1873, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife, Eve McElfatrick, was a daughter of Christian Hartman, who died in Lancaster County, Penn., about the year 1824. Mrs. McE. died at Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1882, aged eighty-two years. The family of Mr. and Mrs. McElfatrick consisted of the following children: Sarah, Samuel, John B., a noted architect of New York City, William D., Mary, Josiah H., Isaiah C. (deceased) and Eliza (deceased). The subject of this sketch commenced the study of architecture under his father, but finally abandoned it for the profession of civil engineer, which he commenced studying when sixteen years old under Harman Gross, of Dauphin, with whom he remained eighteen months. After attaining his majority he was appointed civil engineer of the Dauphin & Susquehanna Coal Company, which position he filled until the year 1852, when he resigned in order to accept the appointment of chief engineer of the Ohio & Indiana Railroad, now the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago, with which he remained until its consolidation with the Ohio & Pennsylvania Company—in all a period of eleven years. He was next appointed chief engineer of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, remaining with the company two years, when he resigned and came to Louisville, and accepted a position as division engineer under George MoCool, serving in that capacity until the completion of the road, making headquarters at Princeton. He located the Elizabethtown and Paducah roads, now known as the Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern, from Greenville and Paducah and had charge of its construction from Trade Water River and west side of the Tennessee River, including the bridges over the Cumberland and Tennessee. In 1873 he was appointed chief engineer of the Clarksville & Princeton Railroad, making the preliminary survey; in the same year he received the appointment as engineer to make the survey of the Princeton & Southern Railroad. In 1880 he engaged with the Columbus & Tennessee Railroad Company, making the survey of line of the said road, and in the latter part of the same year was elected president of the Princeton Stone & Marble Company. Mr. McElfatrick has also filled several other positions, in all of which he has shown himself master of his profession. In 1882 he purchased lands in Hopkins County, Ky., and organized the Crab Tree Coal Company, with which he is at present connected. He is also connected with the Princeton Stone & Marble Company, recently reorganized, being one of its leading officials. Mr. McElfatrick has been twice married; the first time on the 19th of September, 1842, in Middletown, Penn., to Rachel Simcox, daughter of Charles and Catherine Simcox, by whom he had four children: John E., James R. (deceased), Catharine and Mamie. Mrs. McElfatrick died in 1884, aged forty-two years. His second marriage took place July 4, 1867, to Rose Worden, daughter of Judge James Worden, of Indiana. Mr. McElfatrick has been living in Princeton since 1878, and purposes to make the city his permanent place of residence. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has taken all the degrees, including the K. of M. He filled the position of high priest of the Royal Arch Chapter of Fort Wayne, Ind., for a period of five years, and was also eminent commander of Knights Templar in the same place for five years; he is also a member of the I. O. O. F.; politically, votes with the Democratic party.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 707-708.