Posted: 12:32 AM - Aug 01, 2000
I want to toss this out as a conversation starter. This is a list of the children of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith, which seems to be generally agreed upon. I am interested in fleshing out this family, and in particular, talk about their migration to Decatur Co., Ind., after they arrived in Jefferson Co., Ind., from Shenandoah Co., Va.
Children of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith
1. John McKay 1782-11 Oct. 1850, buried McKay Cem. Jefferson Co. He m. 7 Sept. 1801 in Shenandoah Co., Isabella Gaines 1786-23 April 1874, both buried McKay Cem. near Lamb, Ind. After coming to Indiana, John spent most of his life on a farm in Milton Twp., Jefferson Co., not far from the Switzerland Co. border and the Ohio River. John briefly owned land in Decatur Co. which he purchased from brother Robert. He and Isabella sold this land in 1830 after owning it for a few months. (Decatur Co. Deed Book B p. 534.) John and his brother David were embroiled in suits over the land they received from their father with John accusing David of shooting his horses. John appears to have lost his land in Jefferson Co. as it was sold to a variety of purchasers, not his heirs.
2. Enoch McKay He m. 1799 in Shenandoah Co., Clara Smith. (I will yield to Dee An Buck on this line).
3. David McKay ca. 1785-21 Oct. 1870 died Jefferson Co. He m. 12 Sept. 1804 in Shenandoah Co., Sophia Smith; m. 2nd Matilda Smart. He purchased fifty acres in Decatur Co. from brother Robert on 19 April 1830. The deed identifies David as being of Jefferson Co. Listed 1850 Monroe Twp. census as David McCay. He is listed 1860 Madison Twp., Jefferson Co.
4. William M. McKay, died 1845. He m. Martha ca _ 1796-1858, both buried McKay Cem. There is no record of their marriage in Indiana. The notebook of James Risk (1893-1903) of Jefferson Co., Ind., shows that his grandparents were William and Marthy McKay, who I have identified with the William and Martha, buried in this cemetery. They lived in Decatur Co. when William purchased (80 acres?)from Robert and Nancy McKay on 24 March 1830 (Decatur Co. Deed Book B p. 410). William had other purchases in Decatur Co. and in sales his wife is identified as Martha. Martha moved back to Jefferson Co. where she is listed as age 54, born Kentucky in the house of her son-in-law, Samuel Scott, Shelby Twp., Jefferson Co.
5. James McKay 3 Oct. 1788-3 Jan. 1863, buried Salem Cem. near Windfall, Tipton Co. m. Elizabeth Hambaugh. He purchased the NW1/4 Sec. 8 Twp. 3N Range 12E from John and Isabella McKay on 25 Jan. 1837 (Jefferson Co. Deed Book N-267). This land adjoined fractional Sec. 17. These deeds place James directly adjacent to the land patented by Robert McKay (3). The couple appears to have separated as on 3 Sept. 1855, James McKay of Trimble and Elizabeth McKay of Tipton Co., sold land in the NW1/4 Sec. 8 Twp. 3N Range 12E (perhaps the patent is incorrect in listing Section 5) to Joseph Hankins. (Jefferson Co. Deed Book 12 p. 265.)
They lived 1850 Milton Twp., moved to Tipton Co. He is not proven as a son. James was born in Virginia according to the 1850 census. Mary Hill's notes state that Oliver McKay and Enoch McKay were cousins to Jordan McKay, James' oldest son. Also, James named a son James Leith McKay, which supports the idea of his mother being Lydia Leith.
The Hill record also shows that James had a brother, George McKay, who lived in Kentucky, moved to Windfall, Tipton Co., Ind., and is buried at Burlington, Ind. It is unclear, however, why this record would note that George was a brother and not recall the names of the other sons of Robert McKay.
6. Robert McKay b. ca 1792 He m. Nancy McKay, his cousin. He is sometimes styled Robert II in deeds, at other times, Robert III. Lived 1850 Pleasant Twp., Switzerland Co., No known children. He owned some of the land in Milton Twp. that had been patented by his father. On 21 June 1823, he patented 80 acres in the W1/2 NE1/4 Sec. ? Sec. 10N Range 10E in Decatur Co.. This is the first of a series of purchases. He sold land in Decatur Co to David, William, and John McKay. One deed identifies Robert and Nancy as being of Shelby Co. He also owned land in Switzerland Co. On 17 Dec. 1838 Robert McKay III and wife Nancy A. sold land and personal property to John Buchanan. This included two stores and it is possible his moves stemmed from his commercial activities.
7. George L. McKay, ca 1799-1850/60? Listed in the Thomas Green papers as a son. Mary Hill's notes from the 1940s, presumably drawing from Montgomery McKay, say that James McKay who married Elizabeth Hambaugh, had a brother, George, who lived in Kentucky, came to Indiana in the 1850s and is buried at Windfall, Tipton Co., Ind. George McKay lived 1840 and 1850 Carroll Co., Ky. The 1850 census shows him as age 51, born Virginia, with apparent wife Rachel, 42, born Kentucky. He patented 40 acres in Tipton Co. on 1 April 1856 in SW1/4SE1/4 Sec. 5 Twp. 22N Range 6E and 80 acres in the E1/2SE1/4 Sec. 5 the same day. George died by 1860 when Rachel and family lived Wild Cat Twp., Tipton Co.
Children of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith
1. John McKay 1782-11 Oct. 1850, buried McKay Cem. Jefferson Co. He m. 7 Sept. 1801 in Shenandoah Co., Isabella Gaines 1786-23 April 1874, both buried McKay Cem. near Lamb, Ind. After coming to Indiana, John spent most of his life on a farm in Milton Twp., Jefferson Co., not far from the Switzerland Co. border and the Ohio River. John briefly owned land in Decatur Co. which he purchased from brother Robert. He and Isabella sold this land in 1830 after owning it for a few months. (Decatur Co. Deed Book B p. 534.) John and his brother David were embroiled in suits over the land they received from their father with John accusing David of shooting his horses. John appears to have lost his land in Jefferson Co. as it was sold to a variety of purchasers, not his heirs.
2. Enoch McKay He m. 1799 in Shenandoah Co., Clara Smith. (I will yield to Dee An Buck on this line).
3. David McKay ca. 1785-21 Oct. 1870 died Jefferson Co. He m. 12 Sept. 1804 in Shenandoah Co., Sophia Smith; m. 2nd Matilda Smart. He purchased fifty acres in Decatur Co. from brother Robert on 19 April 1830. The deed identifies David as being of Jefferson Co. Listed 1850 Monroe Twp. census as David McCay. He is listed 1860 Madison Twp., Jefferson Co.
4. William M. McKay, died 1845. He m. Martha ca _ 1796-1858, both buried McKay Cem. There is no record of their marriage in Indiana. The notebook of James Risk (1893-1903) of Jefferson Co., Ind., shows that his grandparents were William and Marthy McKay, who I have identified with the William and Martha, buried in this cemetery. They lived in Decatur Co. when William purchased (80 acres?)from Robert and Nancy McKay on 24 March 1830 (Decatur Co. Deed Book B p. 410). William had other purchases in Decatur Co. and in sales his wife is identified as Martha. Martha moved back to Jefferson Co. where she is listed as age 54, born Kentucky in the house of her son-in-law, Samuel Scott, Shelby Twp., Jefferson Co.
5. James McKay 3 Oct. 1788-3 Jan. 1863, buried Salem Cem. near Windfall, Tipton Co. m. Elizabeth Hambaugh. He purchased the NW1/4 Sec. 8 Twp. 3N Range 12E from John and Isabella McKay on 25 Jan. 1837 (Jefferson Co. Deed Book N-267). This land adjoined fractional Sec. 17. These deeds place James directly adjacent to the land patented by Robert McKay (3). The couple appears to have separated as on 3 Sept. 1855, James McKay of Trimble and Elizabeth McKay of Tipton Co., sold land in the NW1/4 Sec. 8 Twp. 3N Range 12E (perhaps the patent is incorrect in listing Section 5) to Joseph Hankins. (Jefferson Co. Deed Book 12 p. 265.)
They lived 1850 Milton Twp., moved to Tipton Co. He is not proven as a son. James was born in Virginia according to the 1850 census. Mary Hill's notes state that Oliver McKay and Enoch McKay were cousins to Jordan McKay, James' oldest son. Also, James named a son James Leith McKay, which supports the idea of his mother being Lydia Leith.
The Hill record also shows that James had a brother, George McKay, who lived in Kentucky, moved to Windfall, Tipton Co., Ind., and is buried at Burlington, Ind. It is unclear, however, why this record would note that George was a brother and not recall the names of the other sons of Robert McKay.
6. Robert McKay b. ca 1792 He m. Nancy McKay, his cousin. He is sometimes styled Robert II in deeds, at other times, Robert III. Lived 1850 Pleasant Twp., Switzerland Co., No known children. He owned some of the land in Milton Twp. that had been patented by his father. On 21 June 1823, he patented 80 acres in the W1/2 NE1/4 Sec. ? Sec. 10N Range 10E in Decatur Co.. This is the first of a series of purchases. He sold land in Decatur Co to David, William, and John McKay. One deed identifies Robert and Nancy as being of Shelby Co. He also owned land in Switzerland Co. On 17 Dec. 1838 Robert McKay III and wife Nancy A. sold land and personal property to John Buchanan. This included two stores and it is possible his moves stemmed from his commercial activities.
7. George L. McKay, ca 1799-1850/60? Listed in the Thomas Green papers as a son. Mary Hill's notes from the 1940s, presumably drawing from Montgomery McKay, say that James McKay who married Elizabeth Hambaugh, had a brother, George, who lived in Kentucky, came to Indiana in the 1850s and is buried at Windfall, Tipton Co., Ind. George McKay lived 1840 and 1850 Carroll Co., Ky. The 1850 census shows him as age 51, born Virginia, with apparent wife Rachel, 42, born Kentucky. He patented 40 acres in Tipton Co. on 1 April 1856 in SW1/4SE1/4 Sec. 5 Twp. 22N Range 6E and 80 acres in the E1/2SE1/4 Sec. 5 the same day. George died by 1860 when Rachel and family lived Wild Cat Twp., Tipton Co.