William Croghan Jr. was born in 1794 at Locust Grove. William Jr., like his older brothers John & George, was well educated. He attended Transylvania University, Dickinson College, and Litchfield Law School in Connecticut, where he obtained his law degree in 1814.
He first aspired to serve in a foreign embassy (potentially with later political aspirations in mind) and obtained a recommendation letter from Henry Clay, though he was not accepted.
He returned to Kentucky in 1817 to assist his father’s business ventures. In 1819, he traveled back and forth between Louisville and New Orleans where he assisted George with his attempted sugar plantation.
In 1821, William married Mary O’Hara, daughter and heiress of Gen. James B. O’Hara of Pittsburgh, PA. William and Mary had three children together. Tragically, William Jr. Survived the deaths of two of his children and his wife within the span of 3 years: daughter Mary in 1826, wife Mary in 1827, and son William III in 1828.
Heartbroken, William relocated to Pittsburgh, where he built a grand home for himself and his surviving daughter, Mary Elizabeth, though she mainly lived with (and was raised by) her Aunt Elizabeth Denny.
In 1842, his daughter Mary (then 15 years old) scandalously eloped with a 43-year-old British Army captain, prompting an embarrassed Croghan to seek legal recourse and protect her inheritance. Although initially outraged, he later reconciled with the couple, visiting them at least twice at their home in England.
William Croghan Jr. Died of a severe kidney & bladder infection in 1850.