Posted: 10:56 PM - Oct 21, 1999
Pat Chandler recently sent me a copy of the original the Thomas Green Papers from the Virginia Historical Society. While we still need to determine who Thomas Green was exactly (I assume he was related to the Green family of Green, Hite, Duff & McKay fame,) it is clear the this a document that is contemporaneous with the lives of the disputed children of James McKay and Mary Chester. The facts listed in the document are consistent with the 31st Dec. 1823 date placed on a page labeled "Remarks on the foregoing Page." The comments and the chart are also consistent with a document prepared by someone in Virginia, who had limited knowledge about the family further West.
For example. The Remarks page starts with the comment that "Robert McKay-Exor of James-son of Grantee-was alive in summer 1822-living hear the mouth of Kentucky River." This is basically true. Robert McKay who married Lydia Leith lived on the bulge of land on the Switzerland-Jefferson Co. border and it is roughly opposite the mouth of the Kentucky River in Jefferson Co., and directly opposite in Lamb in Switzerland Co. Robert's land in Jefferson Co. bordered Switzerland Co. This document was obviously designed with the idea of identifying parties with interests in continuing the Fairfax lawsuit. Here is the most trenchant comment to that effect: "Andrew McKay was Agent (by Act of Assembly) of all the McKays" But his Agency does not survive, and the suits must be revised in the names of the following persons. Viz:-- It then lists eight lines and traces descent from Robert the grantee to the people then living, largely executors. In fact the remarks note "the following Table does not pretend to show the whole genealogy of the family, but the heirs at law, devisees, & Executors only."
The chart is a descending line chart from Robert McKay, the grantee, following different lines to different generations to the knowledge of the author. For example, it gives Nancy McKay who married Ebenezer Leith as "Alive in Alabama with several children," which fits the facts I know.
In particular, the chart, (as copied in 1956 by Rudolf McKay and annotated and organized into a Outline form by Hunter B. McKay) lists the five children of James McKay and Mary Chester, as mentioned in his will, along with the disputed three, Hannah, Edith, and Mary, also shown as their children. The chart specifically says "Hannah md. Isaac McCarty" "Edith m. Jnoan (the an are superscripts which do not reproduce in this forum) McCarty" "Mary md. Wm. Nelson." These are the main facts in dispute.
What should be noted is that the chart lists the children of James McKay (who married Mary Cheek, but the chart does not list Mary) as James, Robt, Zach. Moses, Abram, Leah m. Jesse Feugit, Polly md. Vann, and Nancy md. Ro. McKay." Outside of the odd spelling of Feugit and Vann (Thomas Vaughn who married Mary McKay), the list is accurate. Surely there could be names incorrectly copied since the author obviously didn't know the names of all children of all heirs. But why would the author correctly copy the children of James McKay and Mary Cheek, and other families, and incorrectly insert the name of three bogus daughters?
Pat Chandler also sent me a time line regarding Isaac McCarty, Jonathan's brother. His abstract is as follows: "Isaac McCarty in the Cty of Nelson, State of Kentucky from James McKay of Cty of Shenandoah, Virginia. Power of Atty respecting a certain piece of land located by Richard Parker Deed Book H Page 2, 30 Sept. 1790 in Shenandoah.
What should we make of the omission of Mary, Hannah, and Edith from James McKay's will?
All three women were in Kentucky, so perhaps they were beyond his reach. He certainly didn't divided his land equally among his children. We certainly can't simply dismiss the Green papers out of hand. Moreover, the fact that Isaac McCarty had a power of attorney from a James McKay also ties Isaac to this family.
For example. The Remarks page starts with the comment that "Robert McKay-Exor of James-son of Grantee-was alive in summer 1822-living hear the mouth of Kentucky River." This is basically true. Robert McKay who married Lydia Leith lived on the bulge of land on the Switzerland-Jefferson Co. border and it is roughly opposite the mouth of the Kentucky River in Jefferson Co., and directly opposite in Lamb in Switzerland Co. Robert's land in Jefferson Co. bordered Switzerland Co. This document was obviously designed with the idea of identifying parties with interests in continuing the Fairfax lawsuit. Here is the most trenchant comment to that effect: "Andrew McKay was Agent (by Act of Assembly) of all the McKays" But his Agency does not survive, and the suits must be revised in the names of the following persons. Viz:-- It then lists eight lines and traces descent from Robert the grantee to the people then living, largely executors. In fact the remarks note "the following Table does not pretend to show the whole genealogy of the family, but the heirs at law, devisees, & Executors only."
The chart is a descending line chart from Robert McKay, the grantee, following different lines to different generations to the knowledge of the author. For example, it gives Nancy McKay who married Ebenezer Leith as "Alive in Alabama with several children," which fits the facts I know.
In particular, the chart, (as copied in 1956 by Rudolf McKay and annotated and organized into a Outline form by Hunter B. McKay) lists the five children of James McKay and Mary Chester, as mentioned in his will, along with the disputed three, Hannah, Edith, and Mary, also shown as their children. The chart specifically says "Hannah md. Isaac McCarty" "Edith m. Jnoan (the an are superscripts which do not reproduce in this forum) McCarty" "Mary md. Wm. Nelson." These are the main facts in dispute.
What should be noted is that the chart lists the children of James McKay (who married Mary Cheek, but the chart does not list Mary) as James, Robt, Zach. Moses, Abram, Leah m. Jesse Feugit, Polly md. Vann, and Nancy md. Ro. McKay." Outside of the odd spelling of Feugit and Vann (Thomas Vaughn who married Mary McKay), the list is accurate. Surely there could be names incorrectly copied since the author obviously didn't know the names of all children of all heirs. But why would the author correctly copy the children of James McKay and Mary Cheek, and other families, and incorrectly insert the name of three bogus daughters?
Pat Chandler also sent me a time line regarding Isaac McCarty, Jonathan's brother. His abstract is as follows: "Isaac McCarty in the Cty of Nelson, State of Kentucky from James McKay of Cty of Shenandoah, Virginia. Power of Atty respecting a certain piece of land located by Richard Parker Deed Book H Page 2, 30 Sept. 1790 in Shenandoah.
What should we make of the omission of Mary, Hannah, and Edith from James McKay's will?
All three women were in Kentucky, so perhaps they were beyond his reach. He certainly didn't divided his land equally among his children. We certainly can't simply dismiss the Green papers out of hand. Moreover, the fact that Isaac McCarty had a power of attorney from a James McKay also ties Isaac to this family.