robertmackayclan

>>>4. As far as your Wm. B. McKay, the man just did not like having a middle as "Buchannon", so he changed it to Buck. That does not change the fact the name listed on the Warren Co. VA Birth Registry is as William Buchannon McKay.<<<

I kinda figured that was the case. That's basically what I told others in my branch that he could easily have been born William Buchannon but simply shortened it to "Buck" when he was older. He was always called "Buck" by those who knew him. His grandson was named after him "William Buck McKay II". He was also called "Buck".

Another one in my branch who did a major name change was my great-grandfather LeHew McKay.

He was born Jonathan LeHew McKay but wasn't too fond of "Jonathan" so he dropped that when he was older and simply went by Le Hew McKay. He signed his papers as L.H. McKay and was often called "Hugh" by those who knew him. But, we know he was born Jonathan LeHew McKay.

A question I have is what was the full name of his oldest brother S. C. Lewis McKay? We only knew him as Lewis but I remember seeing him listed in your genealogy records as S.C. Lewis McKay.

The section of B.M. Doughtie concerning the family of our Robert Mackay, in part supplied by the late Hunter B. McKay. I can not tell you what parts came from Hunter and what was independent collected by Mrs. Doughtie.

I am only guessing that it was Hunter B. McKay who supplied the name S.C. Lewis McKay as a child of Wm. B. McKay & Ella Lee Heflybower. This is the source which I used in compiling my first & second MacKay book.

I suspect that Hunter got his information (other things in his file) dealing with your branch of the family from Nellie FRANCES (Burch) McKay, wife of B.B. McKay. She send him the death notice of said B.B. McKay; and other small items & letters.

HOWEVER--looking at my own book I compiled from the original birth registry for Warren Co. VA 1853-1895, has the following: McKay, Lewis, born on 16 Oct 1883, parents Wm. B. & Ella Lee McKay.

I have no good reason if the "S." "C" should have been added or not and who really supplied the information to HBM who supplied it to Doughtie who published it. I seriously doubt Hunter came up with this on his own.

Now since said person died without children, that route is closed to us and he died in 1905 so there are no offical death records issued by the State. I do not know where he is buried. We could look for him on Federal Census; but they are not necessary a good source. And he would be listed only on one census 1900; so we could not compare data. Where do you think the family was living for the 1900 census: Warren, Shenandoah or Clarke ??

Afraid that's the only answer I have for you.

I don't recall the "S.C." being mentioned by others. Perhaps it was a mistake or perhaps not.

In either case Uncle Lewis died really young. You can see some pictures of him up on the website.

I don't remember the exact cause of death. Could have been disease or he was killed in an accident.

It grieved his mother a lot from what my granddad told me.

When I was in Ohio this past Summer I got the chance to see some documents pertaining to our cousins who settled in that region. I do recall seeing either Robert A. or S. McKay (or perhaps Aaron was spelled out I'm not sure). However, it was crossed out which either indicated that it was an error on the part of the person putting that document together or Robert S. had his name changed.

I agree in that we can't say with certainty that his name was "Shinn" without any concrete proof that it is.

I would like to go back and have a look at some of those things I saw while in Ohio. These things are very old and must be handled with extreme care but I believe they contain a wealth of information on our Ohio cousins.

I really would like to encourage more dialogue with our relatives over there. It would be a mutual benefit for all of us involved.

These papers may contain some info. on Robert S.'s full name but being that I do not have copies of them in my possession I'll have to say from an investigator's point of view that we (in Virginia) do not truly know his full given name and therefore must write only what we know and that is that we know him as "Robert S. McKay".

I hope that some of our Ohio cousins will read this and can come up with documented evidence that either supports or denies that his middle name was "Shinn", "Aaron Shinn" or whatever. If the "S." stood for "Shackleford" I'd like to know. But until then the "S." will remain a mystery in my records until the evidence surfaces.

For all intents and purposes we only know that wherever he signed his name or whenever he was spoken of in documents we are aware of he was always referred to as "Robert S. McKay" or "R.S. McKay" as indicated by the wills and memorabilia I have displayed on this website. If anyone can produce something substantial that says different I'd really like to see it.

I have been pondering as to what it was I saw that apparently gave Robert S. McKay's middle name (names).

I think it could have been a Bible record. I don't know right now whose Bible it could have been but I think that may have been where I saw it.

Or, it could have been one of those hand-written genealogies like one of our cousins "back East" put together way back when for one of our reunions.

I know for a fact from my father and conversations I remember with my late great-uncle Hunter B. Buck, both spoke to and looked at any family bible that was in existance among the cousins who remained in VA; either for McKay or Sowers.

If any of the descendants of Robert S. McKay had a bible with his middle name spelled out I believe George C. Seward who compiled his book about his wife's family he would have known about it. He told me only the middle name Shinn was based on "Family Tradition".

Now the problem becomes, when and how did this "Family Tradtion" begin:

1) Best case would have been if one of said Robert S. McKay children or grandchildren directly asked him what his middle name was ???? This event would have happened in VA among his VA descendants.

2) Worst case someone starting before the 1950's wanting to fill in that question, assumed because his mother's maiden name was Shinn, thought then it must be Shinn. This opinion became a "Family Tradition" after it had been passed around a bit. The maiden name of Robert S. McKay's mother was pointed out to me by said George C. Seward. I believe the works of one of other OH cousins is on file through L.D.S. library system; she made the same point. Her works were dated in the 1950's I believe.

I hope the first case is correct and his middle name was Shinn. It would be impossible now to fix the problem if his middle name was discovered to be some other name.

I remember a couple of years ago, I was trying to figure out what James H. Sowers middle name was. My guess would have been Henry (based on other names in the family); but I found in a land deed spelled out as James Harvey Sowers. There the Sowers family came up with a name of Harvey I have no idea. So my lesson learn never assume a name might be reflected in a name used in the past in any family.

My grandmother Daisy Love McKay, she told me she was named for the doctor who delivered her. A "Family Traditon" started. However, she was wrong. If you visit Rockland Cemetery, you will find buried in that cemetery: Daisy Love Sowers who died young. She was the young aunt to my said grandmother. I am still trying to find out if the doctor for George H. Sowers & Martha V. Sowers was named Dr. Love. There was a doctor who practised in the area.

Third name story: Where is the Buck ancestry in THOMAS BUCK MCKAY tree ? Answer none. The late Bill Jobe printed in his Job/Jobe Journal that his middle name was BUCKLEY. This from one of his Jobe cousins, who was a "fine and splendid researcher", so that of course make it correct.

I will continue in the future to collect original documents concerning my families who lived here in VA. I am really of the opinion if bible records existed among us here in VA, those have been found by my father or Hunter B. McKay.

I don't recall the "S.C." being mentioned by others. Perhaps it was a mistake or perhaps not.

In either case Uncle Lewis died really young. You can see some pictures of him up on the website.

I don't remember the exact cause of death. Could have been disease or he was killed in an accident.

It grieved his mother a lot from what my granddad told me.

I have made a notation in my copy of Robert Mckay Jr. file on my computer. That--rightly--you have pointed out a conflict between a secondary source & original records.

Next, time I have free time, I will try to find this family group on the 1900 census. I do not hold census information in very high regard particularly when I can not compare one again another census. But every bit of information helps in trying to figure out the past.

Do you-all know where he is buried ? I have know some cemetery to keep their own records.

Keep up the good work with your web site.

I don't recall the "S.C." being mentioned by others. Perhaps it was a mistake or perhaps not.

In either case Uncle Lewis died really young. You can see some pictures of him up on the website.

I don't remember the exact cause of death. Could have been disease or he was killed in an accident.

It grieved his mother a lot from what my granddad told me.

I believe a complete set of Hunter B. McKay's notes are housed at the Warren Rifles Museum. I seem to remember index cards (by my father) & questionnaires filled out by family members at family reunions made their way into "The Family Record". Perhaps these are found in those volumes.

I know for a fact from my father and conversations I remember with my late great-uncle Hunter B. Buck, both spoke to and looked at any family bible that was in existance among the cousins who remained in VA; either for McKay or Sowers.

If any of the descendants of Robert S. McKay had a bible with his middle name spelled out I believe George C. Seward who compiled his book about his wife's family he would have known about it. He told me only the middle name Shinn was based on "Family Tradition".

Now the problem becomes, when and how did this "Family Tradtion" begin:

1) Best case would have been if one of said Robert S. McKay children or grandchildren directly asked him what his middle name was ???? This event would have happened in VA among his VA descendants.

2) Worst case someone starting before the 1950's wanting to fill in that question, assumed because his mother's maiden name was Shinn, thought then it must be Shinn. This opinion became a "Family Tradition" after it had been passed around a bit. The maiden name of Robert S. McKay's mother was pointed out to me by said George C. Seward. I believe the works of one of other OH cousins is on file through L.D.S. library system; she made the same point. Her works were dated in the 1950's I believe.

I hope the first case is correct and his middle name was Shinn. It would be impossible now to fix the problem if his middle name was discovered to be some other name.

I remember a couple of years ago, I was trying to figure out what James H. Sowers middle name was. My guess would have been Henry (based on other names in the family); but I found in a land deed spelled out as James Harvey Sowers. There the Sowers family came up with a name of Harvey I have no idea. So my lesson learn never assume a name might be reflected in a name used in the past in any family.

My grandmother Daisy Love McKay, she told me she was named for the doctor who delivered her. A "Family Traditon" started. However, she was wrong. If you visit Rockland Cemetery, you will find buried in that cemetery: Daisy Love Sowers who died young. She was the young aunt to my said grandmother. I am still trying to find out if the doctor for George H. Sowers & Martha V. Sowers was named Dr. Love. There was a doctor who practised in the area.

Third name story: Where is the Buck ancestry in THOMAS BUCK MCKAY tree ? Answer none. The late Bill Jobe printed in his Job/Jobe Journal that his middle name was BUCKLEY. This from one of his Jobe cousins, who was a "fine and splendid researcher", so that of course make it correct.

I will continue in the future to collect original documents concerning my families who lived here in VA. I am really of the opinion if bible records existed among us here in VA, those have been found by my father or Hunter B. McKay.

Well yes, there was a Dr. Love. In fact a Dr. William Love originially from Armagh, Ireland. I have a few newsclippings about his death. He died kneeling in prayer according to the article.

He lent his name to quite a few folks in the area and it's possible that Daisy Love Sowers was named from him.

My grandmother, Mary Love Robinson can also trace her name to him. Her aunt Nenah Love Robinson was named directly after him but I think it was passed down later to her son Raymond Love Mattison and to my grandmother Mary.

I also have another young cousin in the Robinson side who also has the "Love" middle name and she acquired it from her father who also mentioned Dr. Love.

Now, about the Bible record it could be possible that the Bible was in Ohio only if we're talking about Moses McKay's Bible. When he, wife and other children except Robert S. went there I'd imagine they would have taken something like that with them. This is all guessing on my part since I really don't have facts handy but it's a possibility.

I believe a complete set of Hunter B. McKay's notes are housed at the Warren Rifles Museum. I seem to remember index cards (by my father) & questionnaires filled out by family members at family reunions made their way into "The Family Record". Perhaps these are found in those volumes.

Actually they are housed in Samuel's Public Library in a cabinet under lock and key. You'll need to ask the Librarian to unlock it for you. This was the way it was back around the late 1980s when I visited the files.

I made a copy of the Sowers notes and a few of the McKay pages. This is where I discovered the discrepancy he had within the Sowers files. First, he had too many ancestors and second some of the children appeared older than the parents. Absolutely a no no.

I believe that this came from misreading some of the info. that he had and accidentally placed a child, in two instances (Jacob Sr. & Jr.) & (Daniel Sr. & Jr.) in the wrong listings. I think he accidentally had Daniel Sr. as the child of himself instead of the real Daniel Jr.

I have made a notation in my copy of Robert Mckay Jr. file on my computer. That--rightly--you have pointed out a conflict between a secondary source & original records.

Next, time I have free time, I will try to find this family group on the 1900 census. I do not hold census information in very high regard particularly when I can not compare one again another census. But every bit of information helps in trying to figure out the past.

Do you-all know where he is buried ? I have know some cemetery to keep their own records.

Keep up the good work with your web site.

I'm not exactly sure where Uncle Lewis was buried. It's possible he could have been buried at Green Hill over in Berryville, Va. but I'm not sure. I'll have to look for him. If anything I'm guessing he would be buried near his parents. B.B. & Frances are buried there along with both sons, Brownley & Burch and Aunt Hilda. LeHew & Nannie were buried a little ways off towards the bottom near a few other Sowers relations.

My Granddad said that LeHew actually went to court to get "Jonathan" dropped off of his name so that he was legally Le Hew McKay.

Well yes, there was a Dr. Love. In fact a Dr. William Love originially from Armagh, Ireland. I have a few newsclippings about his death. He died kneeling in prayer according to the article.

He lent his name to quite a few folks in the area and it's possible that Daisy Love Sowers was named from him.

My grandmother, Mary Love Robinson can also trace her name to him. Her aunt Nenah Love Robinson was named directly after him but I think it was passed down later to her son Raymond Love Mattison and to my grandmother Mary.

I also have another young cousin in the Robinson side who also has the "Love" middle name and she acquired it from her father who also mentioned Dr. Love.

Now, about the Bible record it could be possible that the Bible was in Ohio only if we're talking about Moses McKay's Bible. When he, wife and other children except Robert S. went there I'd imagine they would have taken something like that with them. This is all guessing on my part since I really don't have facts handy but it's a possibility.

There was a George Love who was a Justice of the Peace for Fauquier Co. VA starting about 1830 down into 1850. I do no know if and how he might fit into the Dr. Love you know about. But I think the Love Family was a rather well known family in the area of Loudoun/Fauquier/Clarke/Warren.

I have always wondered, if the "L" in your Fielding L. Sowers, perhaps stood for Love. Since I could never fine a connection with the Sowers & Lewis familiy of the area. Perhaps someday I will find a legal document which will state what was Fielding's middle name for sure.