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Note: HEIR TO MCCOY FORTUNE DEAD William H. (Gabe) Shipley, aged Canal Locktender, Dies of Cancer, aged 72 years This was the headline on July 2 1921 of the Herald Mail in Hagerstown, Md. William was a well known locktender on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and one of the direct heirs of the vast James McCoy fortune, which had been left him in California and amounting to many millions of dollars. William had been very ill for several months prior to his death and was at the home of his son Jack Shipley. William had been known as Gabe. He lived in the expectation of spending his remaining days in ease and luxury from his share of the estate but the cancer had sapped him of his life and his remaining months were of extreme agony. He died before the will could be probated and never realized his dream. James McCoy was a pioneer in the California Gold Fields in 1847 and his estate was valued at 20,000,000 million dollars. James McCoy was likely the father of Caroline McCoy who married Thomas Shipley, Gabe's parents. William Shipley was buried in the Bakersville Cemetery after services were conducted at the Bakersville Church. by Rev. Spathe. In 1920 they lived on Dam #4 Road. He was listed as 70 years old and "Uilla" was listed as 67 years. He listed his occupation as canal worker.
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