Joseph (Geating) McCoy

Cattleman, born in Sangamon Co, Illinois, USA. Working as a cattleman, he developed Abilene, KS on the Kansas Pacific railroad as the main shipping point for cattle to the East, and this ushered in the Long Drive (for cattle) over the Chisholm Trail from Texas (1866–75). He set up other cattle drives and served as an agent for the Cherokee. His Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade (1874) is a basic picture of the period. Some claim his brand was the source of the expression ‘the real McCoy’.

Joseph McCoy (December 21, 1837 – October 19, 1915) was a 19th century cattle baron.

Born in Sangamon county, Illinois, he is often cited as the inspiration for the phrase "The Real McCoy" because of his reputation and reliability and because he referred to himself by that phrase (others say the real honor goes to Elijah McCoy and his oft-imitated lubrication system, the boxer Kid McCoy, or other candidates). Joseph McCoy made good on his pledge to Texas ranchers that if they would drive their Longhorn cattle from Texas to Kansas that he would have them shipped by rail to other markets and that the ranchers would receive a good price for their stock.

In the 1860's, cattle ranchers in Texas were facing difficulties getting their Longhorn cattle to market. Kansas homesteaders objected to the cattle crossing their land because the cattle might carry ticks which could spread a disease called Texas Fever (or Spanish Fever) fatal to some types of cattle. McCoy himself said of the disease:

In 1868 a great number of cattle arrived in Kansas and the mid-west from Texas; The result was a great prejudice against Texas cattle in Eastern Kansas and Missouri

McCoy expected that the railroads companies were interested in expanding their freight operations and he saw this as a good business opportunity. McCoy's plan was for cattle to be driven to Abilene from Texas and taken from there by rail to bigger cities in The Midwest and The East.

McCoy advertised extensively throughout Texas to encourage cattle owners to drive their cattle to market in Abilene. One story says that McCoy bragged before leaving Chicago that he would bring 200,000 head in 10 years and actually brought two million head in 4 years, leading to the phrase "It's the Real McCoy"

McCoy was also the author of Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Southwest, which was published in 1974, more than 50 years after his death.