The Rev. William James McCartney (1888-?)

He was the eldest brother of Caroline (MacCartney) MacLea and was an Episcopal priest in Mauston, Wisconsin (Diocese of Milwaukee), in 1917. This information was provided on his World War I draft card.

He was described as being medium height and slender build, with light blue eyes and light brown hair.

The Rev. William James McCartney was born 26 Feb 1888 in St. John's, Newfoundland. He served under the Rt. Rev. William W. Webb, Bishop of Milwaukee, in Mauston, Wisconsin in 1917. At the time he had a wife and one child.

The Episcopal Archives looked him up and were able to determine that "he served at St. John's in Mauston and then at St. Peter's in North La Crosse until around 1923. After that he was listed in the journals as having no cure and by 1927 was not listed in the journals at all. I could not find what happened to him after that. I suggest you contact the dioceses of Milwaukee and Eau Claire (Eau Claire split off from Milwaukee in 1927)."

The Venerable Jeanne Stout, Archdeacon of the Diocese of Eau Claire, responded to the follow-up query that she could find no mention of Fr. McCartney in their diocesan convention records for the years 1928-1944.

There is still a pending inquiry with the Archivist of the Diocese of Milwaukee. But based on the information so far, it appears that either Fr. McCartney moved back to the eastern part of Wisconsin after 1927, or that he departed both dioceses, or that he retired from active ministry around that time.

He may ended up in Iowa, based on family stories. However, it is unknown if this was the case.