Posted: 10:35 PM - Mar 21, 2015
I believe that Allen and Tavener or Tavner McKay were sons of James McKay, the son of James McKay and Mary Cheek. James married Patsy Johnston in 1804, but James was 32 years old at the time and I believe he had an earlier wife who was Allen and Taverner's mother. These two men appear in the same areas in Indiana as the family of James McKay and Mary Cheek and they are the right ages to be James’ sons by an earlier marriage and both were born in Virginia. Recently, I was able to put together a more complete picture of these two men--after finally finding Allen in a census after 1840. T
Born in Virginia, Allen McKay, age 79, was in the household of his daughter, Martha McKay Robbins, age 55 born in Indiana, in Richview, Washington County, Ill., in 1880. I have not found him in the 1850 or 1860 censuses.
Born in Virginia, age 60, Taverner headed a household in Sacramento, Calif., in 1860. Age 53 born in Virginia. Taverner registered to vote in Linda Twp., Yuba County, Calif., in 1867. In 1870, Tavener was listed in Marysville, Yuba County, Calif. He was age 71, in the household Hugh McKay, age 44, who was born in Indiana.
One major reason for placing Taverner here is a sketch about Mrs. Barbara Cheek, who was the widow of Nicholas Cheek and 102 years old when the sketch was written in 1858 says that refers to Nicholas and mentions “his brother Tavner, being present. in Dearborn County.[Indiana]" A Taverner Cheek, age 60, was shown in Ohio County, Ind., in 1850. This was probably a younger Taverner Cheek, not the brother of Nicholas. It seems likely Nicholas and Tavner were related to Mary Cheek. From the family trees I have seen, cousins seems most likely although no one appears to have put this together.
Taverner married Sarah Higgins on 13 Jan. 1820 in Switzerland County, Ind. A Taverner McKay m. on 2 Nov. 1848 in Jefferson County, Ky., Sarah Hatfield. I have not found a second man of this name in any records so I am assuming they are the same.
Allen McKay married twice, perhaps three times. He was probably the Allen McKay who m. on 17 April 1822 in Ohio County, Ky., Malinda Davis as Allen’s earliest land record comes on 4 April 1829 when he purchased 82.36 acres in Decatur County, Ind., in the W1/2 NW1/4 Sec. 4 Twp. 10N Range 9E. On 31 Aug. 1830 when he and wife, Malinda, sold this tract to Richard Braden. Allen may have been a man by the same name who patented land in Logan County, Ill., in the 1830s. He returned to Indiana where he married Sarah Netherland in 1834 in Switzerland County. Sarah, age 69, appeared in Craig Twp., Switzerland County, Ind., in the 1850 census. His wife in an 1841 deed was Mary, but unless he and Sarah separated, this might have been an error as Allen and Sarah sold land in Carrollton, Ky., in 1849. However, Allen and Sarah were not in the same household in 1850. It's possible they were separated but had continued to own land together.
The 1840 Switzerland County census shows the following McKays listed in succession: Isaac, Mary (Cheek), Merrit, James, Allen.
Taverner married Sarah Higgins on 13 Jan. 1820 in Switzerland County. He was shown 1830 in the Jefferson County census in a household adjacent to David McKay, who was adjacent to George McKay, both sons of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith. Tavner was taxed in Milton Township in 1827 and 1831 for one poll and one horse.
I believe Allen and Taverner may have both gone west hunting for gold. While Allen cannot be found in 1850, his daughter Martha was boarding in a household in Quincy, Adams County, Ill., in 1850. A Madison newspaper showed letter from Allen McKay living in McLean County, Ill. in Jan. 1832. He left a daughter aged about 7 by 1832 with family of Isaac Clark. When Allen returned, the family had disappeared. The age fits Martha. On 9 Aug. 1845, Allen was also attempting to locate a son Daniel S., then aged about 16. It sounds as if he had been itinerant for several years.
Allen lived in Craig Township, perhaps on and off. He purchased 36.6 acres from Moses and Margaret McKay in the SW1/4 SW1/4 Section 36 Twp. 2N Range 4W on Sept. 27, 1836. If my theory is correct, Moses was his half brother. Allen next patented 320 acres in Western Craig Township and the bordering area of Milton Twp., Jefferson County, in Section 9 (Jefferson) all on 1 Aug. 1838. On 16 April 1841, Allen and Mary McKay sold land in the NE1/4 SE1/4 Sec. 5 Twp. 3 Range 12E to William Vaughn. (Jefferson County Deed Book T Page 532) He and Mary are identified as being of Switzerland County. William Vaughn was the son of Thomas and Mary McKay Vaughn, and would have been Allen’s half-nephew.
I cannot identify any children of Allen besides Martha and Daniel and an Ophelia McKay, age 15, shown in the same household as Sarah Netherland McKay in 1880.
There is reason to assign several children to Taverner. This includes Charles McKay, age 21, born in Indiana, who was in his household in 1860 in Sacramento. There were also a S.D. Hulse, age 39 born in New York, and E. Hulse, age 31, born in Indiana. I believe she was Emily McKay. Samuel D. and Emily Hulse boarded in a household in San Francisco in 1880. In 1870, Taverner was in the household of a Hugh McKay, age 41, born in Indiana.
I believe Emily to be one of three young McKays in the household of Louis Bowers in New Albany Floyd County, Ind., in 1850. This is across the river from Jefferson County, Ky. The McKays were Emily 21, Henrietta 14, and Charles 10. Bowers’ apparent wife was Louisa McKay, age 25, who he m. on 25 Nov. 1846 in Floyd County, A Hugh McKay m. on 21 Sept. 1846 in Floyd County, Christina J. Ruter and he easily was the right age to be the Hugh in California. Louisa McKay’s marriage was officiated by C. Ruter so the families appear to be related.
Born in Virginia, Allen McKay, age 79, was in the household of his daughter, Martha McKay Robbins, age 55 born in Indiana, in Richview, Washington County, Ill., in 1880. I have not found him in the 1850 or 1860 censuses.
Born in Virginia, age 60, Taverner headed a household in Sacramento, Calif., in 1860. Age 53 born in Virginia. Taverner registered to vote in Linda Twp., Yuba County, Calif., in 1867. In 1870, Tavener was listed in Marysville, Yuba County, Calif. He was age 71, in the household Hugh McKay, age 44, who was born in Indiana.
One major reason for placing Taverner here is a sketch about Mrs. Barbara Cheek, who was the widow of Nicholas Cheek and 102 years old when the sketch was written in 1858 says that refers to Nicholas and mentions “his brother Tavner, being present. in Dearborn County.[Indiana]" A Taverner Cheek, age 60, was shown in Ohio County, Ind., in 1850. This was probably a younger Taverner Cheek, not the brother of Nicholas. It seems likely Nicholas and Tavner were related to Mary Cheek. From the family trees I have seen, cousins seems most likely although no one appears to have put this together.
Taverner married Sarah Higgins on 13 Jan. 1820 in Switzerland County, Ind. A Taverner McKay m. on 2 Nov. 1848 in Jefferson County, Ky., Sarah Hatfield. I have not found a second man of this name in any records so I am assuming they are the same.
Allen McKay married twice, perhaps three times. He was probably the Allen McKay who m. on 17 April 1822 in Ohio County, Ky., Malinda Davis as Allen’s earliest land record comes on 4 April 1829 when he purchased 82.36 acres in Decatur County, Ind., in the W1/2 NW1/4 Sec. 4 Twp. 10N Range 9E. On 31 Aug. 1830 when he and wife, Malinda, sold this tract to Richard Braden. Allen may have been a man by the same name who patented land in Logan County, Ill., in the 1830s. He returned to Indiana where he married Sarah Netherland in 1834 in Switzerland County. Sarah, age 69, appeared in Craig Twp., Switzerland County, Ind., in the 1850 census. His wife in an 1841 deed was Mary, but unless he and Sarah separated, this might have been an error as Allen and Sarah sold land in Carrollton, Ky., in 1849. However, Allen and Sarah were not in the same household in 1850. It's possible they were separated but had continued to own land together.
The 1840 Switzerland County census shows the following McKays listed in succession: Isaac, Mary (Cheek), Merrit, James, Allen.
Taverner married Sarah Higgins on 13 Jan. 1820 in Switzerland County. He was shown 1830 in the Jefferson County census in a household adjacent to David McKay, who was adjacent to George McKay, both sons of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith. Tavner was taxed in Milton Township in 1827 and 1831 for one poll and one horse.
I believe Allen and Taverner may have both gone west hunting for gold. While Allen cannot be found in 1850, his daughter Martha was boarding in a household in Quincy, Adams County, Ill., in 1850. A Madison newspaper showed letter from Allen McKay living in McLean County, Ill. in Jan. 1832. He left a daughter aged about 7 by 1832 with family of Isaac Clark. When Allen returned, the family had disappeared. The age fits Martha. On 9 Aug. 1845, Allen was also attempting to locate a son Daniel S., then aged about 16. It sounds as if he had been itinerant for several years.
Allen lived in Craig Township, perhaps on and off. He purchased 36.6 acres from Moses and Margaret McKay in the SW1/4 SW1/4 Section 36 Twp. 2N Range 4W on Sept. 27, 1836. If my theory is correct, Moses was his half brother. Allen next patented 320 acres in Western Craig Township and the bordering area of Milton Twp., Jefferson County, in Section 9 (Jefferson) all on 1 Aug. 1838. On 16 April 1841, Allen and Mary McKay sold land in the NE1/4 SE1/4 Sec. 5 Twp. 3 Range 12E to William Vaughn. (Jefferson County Deed Book T Page 532) He and Mary are identified as being of Switzerland County. William Vaughn was the son of Thomas and Mary McKay Vaughn, and would have been Allen’s half-nephew.
I cannot identify any children of Allen besides Martha and Daniel and an Ophelia McKay, age 15, shown in the same household as Sarah Netherland McKay in 1880.
There is reason to assign several children to Taverner. This includes Charles McKay, age 21, born in Indiana, who was in his household in 1860 in Sacramento. There were also a S.D. Hulse, age 39 born in New York, and E. Hulse, age 31, born in Indiana. I believe she was Emily McKay. Samuel D. and Emily Hulse boarded in a household in San Francisco in 1880. In 1870, Taverner was in the household of a Hugh McKay, age 41, born in Indiana.
I believe Emily to be one of three young McKays in the household of Louis Bowers in New Albany Floyd County, Ind., in 1850. This is across the river from Jefferson County, Ky. The McKays were Emily 21, Henrietta 14, and Charles 10. Bowers’ apparent wife was Louisa McKay, age 25, who he m. on 25 Nov. 1846 in Floyd County, A Hugh McKay m. on 21 Sept. 1846 in Floyd County, Christina J. Ruter and he easily was the right age to be the Hugh in California. Louisa McKay’s marriage was officiated by C. Ruter so the families appear to be related.