William was born in 1792 in Ireland, and emigrated to America a few years prior to the War of 1812. He married Mary Fitzpatrick, in Baltimore, Maryland, a native of county Limerick, Ireland, and in the spring of 1813, the young couple came as far west as Wheeling, Virginia, where they remained a few years and then came to Miller township. All children born in 1819 and beyond were born in Knox County.
William Colopy purchased lot No. ii (in Miller Twp, Knox Co, OH); he has one son, Timothy, and one daughter, Mrs. Marquand, now living in the township. His widow is yet living, aged about ninety-two years, and is probably the oldest person now living in the township (1881). The rest of their seven children lived in the same area as Timothy's family.
Mr. Colopy died on the farm subsequently owned by his son, on the Granville road. His wife Mary shows up at 89 and widowed with her daughter Sarah Marquin’s family in the 1880 census. They had seven children; the living in 1880 were: Catharine, widow of Elijah Colony; Mary Ann, wife of Oliver Squires; Timothy; Ellen, widow of Jacob Row; and Sarah J., wife of T. L. Marquin; John and Thomas had died (1881).