Posted: 2:24 AM - Mar 28, 2015
I have seen a lot of information about the family of Abisha McKay, son of Isaac Mckay and Betty Withers; son of Moses McKay and Mary Job, son of Robert McKay. (If I have the trail right.) A lot of it is guess work. I think I have better handle on Abisha's family as a result of recent research as more material has become available online.
Abisha ended up in Switzerland County, Ind., by 8 March 1810 when he patented land in what would become Switzerland County. The tract places him in the same area as the family of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith and James McKay and Mary Cheek and also of Asa McKay. I would imagine that Asa, who married Millie McKay, and Abisha, whose first wife was Mary Lanham, ended up in the area following Henry Lanham, who is buried in the McKay Cemetery in Craig Township Switzerland County. Henry 's other daughters in the area were Sallie who married Zachariah McKay, son of James and Mary Cheek, and Nancy Lanham, who married McKay McCarty, son of Jonathan McCarty and Edith McKay (and place Edith where you will).
I found that a FindAGrave Memorial was posted for Abisha in 2010. His tombstone inscription shows he died on 1 June 1847 as shown via a po ht He is buried in the Swinney Cemetery, Decatur County, Ind. One of his daughters is also buried there.
Assigning his children to the three wives is based on the best information I have about the birth dates in relationship to Abisha's marriage dates. Any corrections are welcome.
Abisha McKay and Polly Lanham
1. BRIDGET MCKAY She m. on 22 June 1826 in Switzerland County, James Phillips. She was probably the oldest child judging from her marriage date. Named as Bidy in her marriage record, she was called Bridget in Henry Lanham’s will which left a bequest to the grandson of Mary McKay whose mother was Bridget Phillips.” In 1830, James Phillips was listed in Switzerland County. I have not identified the child.
2. JEREMIAH MCKAY (1814-1909) He was born in Indiana; buried Wapello Cem., Louisa County, Iowa. Born in Indiana, he m. on 29 Aug. 1833 in Switzerland County, Elizabeth Combs. The fact that his oldest child in the 1850 census was two years old, he and Elizabeth probably did not have children. A Jeremiah McKay married Margaret Davis on 8 June 1847 in Wilkinson County, Miss. He was listed in Champagniola Twp., Oauchita County, Ark., in that census as age 37, born in Indiana. The oldest female, Margaret, was age 27, born in Louisiana. They were shown in Pine Woods, Catahoula Parish, La., in 1860; in Ward 12, Catahoula Parish, La., in 1870 The oldest female in the household was an Elizabeth age 39 but the census says she was born in Louisiana. Since Jeremiah McKay m. Elizabeth Bradford in Catahoula Parish on 11 March 1868, Margaret was apparently the mother of all his children. They were shown in Catahoula Parish in 1870. I have not found him in the 1880 or 1900 censuses.
3. THOMAS MCKAY (1818/19-after 1900) He m. on 25 June 1844 in Switzerland County, Louisa Alfrey. They were listed in Pleasant Township in 1850, 1860, and 1870. Widowed, he was listed at 1320 Prospect Street, Indianapolis, in the household of his son, Thomas, in 1900.
5. BETSY MCKAY (1813/14-after 1880) She m. on 2 Oct. 1837 in Switzerland County. Zachariah Cotton (1814-11 Aug. 1892), burial Old Bethel Cemetery Craig Township There is no stone. Burial information was given in Zachariah's death notice in the Vevay Reveille of Aug. 18, 1892. However, there is a FindAGrave page for his burial in Sanders Cem. #1, Carroll County, Ky. He was listed in Craig Township in 1840. They were listed in Craig Township in 1850, 1860, and 1870; in the Jordan and Ghent area of Carroll County, Ky., in 1880.
6. JACKSON MCKAY He died by 18 June 1838 when James Phillips was appointed his administrator in Switzerland County. His land was sold to Jeremiah McKay. He was probably a son who had no heirs and did not survive to be mentioned in Abisha’s estate. There is no proof he was a son but the link to Phillips and Jeremiah McKay supports placing him here.
Abisha McKay and Elizabeth Roberts (?)
7. WILLIAM MCKAY (b. 1821/22) He and Rebecca are among a group of what were apparently Roberts family heirs who sold land in the NE1/4 Sec. 31 Twp. 2N Range 3E to Benjamin Lamson on 14 April 1847. He m. Lucinda Critser, who was born about 1829. They were shown in Clay Twp., Decatur County, in 1850; in Rock Creek Twp., Bartholomew County, Ind. Since the rest of Abisha’s children in Decatur County were in Clay Township, I believe this is the right William. Her maiden name is given in the marriage record of their son, Daniel. There were deeds between Critsers and McKays in the 1830s and 1840s so the name is reasonable, but not proven.
Abisha McKay and Rebecca Roberts (?)
8. CATHERINE MCKAY (ca. 1831-7 Feb. 1851) Her tombstone inscription calls her aged 19 years, 9 months, 17 days, consort of Mathew Mitchell. She was named in her father’s will, but was single at the time. She m. on 24 Jan. 1850 in Decatur County, Matthew Mitchell. She probably died in child birth as their daughter Louisa Catherine, died in July (or earlier depending on the reading of a worn stone). They appeared in Clay Twp., Decatur County, in 1850. The census says she was born in Virginia, which is highly unlikely.
9. NANCY MCKAY (b. 1833/34) She m. on 9 Aug. 1849 in Decatur County, Francis W. Green. Nancy, age 16, and F.M. Green, age 24 born in Ohio, appeared in Clay Township, Decatur County, in 1850. They appeared in Crooked Creek Twp., Jasper County, Ill., in 1860. They appeared eight households from her mother, Rebecca Roberts McKay, in Clay Township in 1850.
10. HEZEKIAH MCKAY (b. 1837/38) He was shown in his mother’s household in 1850. A guardian was appointed for Hezekiah on 3 Feb. 1853 in Decatur County. I have not found Hezekiah, Moses after the guardian ship or Eliza after the 1850 census.
11. MOSES MCKAY (b. 1835/36) He was shown in his mother’s household in 1850. A guardian was also appointed for him on 3 Feb. 1853 in Decatur County.
12. ELIZA McKay (b. 1839/40) She was not named in her father’s will, but perhaps because she was too young. She and Isaac were in Rebecca’s household in 1850.
12. ISAAC MCKAY (b. 1838/39) He was shown in his mother’s household in 1850. He was not shown in Isaac’s will, but that may have been because of his age. He might have been the Isaac who married on
6 August 1870 in Bartholomew County, Ind., Sarah Ellen Stoughton, although I am not certain at all.
Abisha ended up in Switzerland County, Ind., by 8 March 1810 when he patented land in what would become Switzerland County. The tract places him in the same area as the family of Robert McKay and Lydia Leith and James McKay and Mary Cheek and also of Asa McKay. I would imagine that Asa, who married Millie McKay, and Abisha, whose first wife was Mary Lanham, ended up in the area following Henry Lanham, who is buried in the McKay Cemetery in Craig Township Switzerland County. Henry 's other daughters in the area were Sallie who married Zachariah McKay, son of James and Mary Cheek, and Nancy Lanham, who married McKay McCarty, son of Jonathan McCarty and Edith McKay (and place Edith where you will).
I found that a FindAGrave Memorial was posted for Abisha in 2010. His tombstone inscription shows he died on 1 June 1847 as shown via a po ht He is buried in the Swinney Cemetery, Decatur County, Ind. One of his daughters is also buried there.
Assigning his children to the three wives is based on the best information I have about the birth dates in relationship to Abisha's marriage dates. Any corrections are welcome.
Abisha McKay and Polly Lanham
1. BRIDGET MCKAY She m. on 22 June 1826 in Switzerland County, James Phillips. She was probably the oldest child judging from her marriage date. Named as Bidy in her marriage record, she was called Bridget in Henry Lanham’s will which left a bequest to the grandson of Mary McKay whose mother was Bridget Phillips.” In 1830, James Phillips was listed in Switzerland County. I have not identified the child.
2. JEREMIAH MCKAY (1814-1909) He was born in Indiana; buried Wapello Cem., Louisa County, Iowa. Born in Indiana, he m. on 29 Aug. 1833 in Switzerland County, Elizabeth Combs. The fact that his oldest child in the 1850 census was two years old, he and Elizabeth probably did not have children. A Jeremiah McKay married Margaret Davis on 8 June 1847 in Wilkinson County, Miss. He was listed in Champagniola Twp., Oauchita County, Ark., in that census as age 37, born in Indiana. The oldest female, Margaret, was age 27, born in Louisiana. They were shown in Pine Woods, Catahoula Parish, La., in 1860; in Ward 12, Catahoula Parish, La., in 1870 The oldest female in the household was an Elizabeth age 39 but the census says she was born in Louisiana. Since Jeremiah McKay m. Elizabeth Bradford in Catahoula Parish on 11 March 1868, Margaret was apparently the mother of all his children. They were shown in Catahoula Parish in 1870. I have not found him in the 1880 or 1900 censuses.
3. THOMAS MCKAY (1818/19-after 1900) He m. on 25 June 1844 in Switzerland County, Louisa Alfrey. They were listed in Pleasant Township in 1850, 1860, and 1870. Widowed, he was listed at 1320 Prospect Street, Indianapolis, in the household of his son, Thomas, in 1900.
5. BETSY MCKAY (1813/14-after 1880) She m. on 2 Oct. 1837 in Switzerland County. Zachariah Cotton (1814-11 Aug. 1892), burial Old Bethel Cemetery Craig Township There is no stone. Burial information was given in Zachariah's death notice in the Vevay Reveille of Aug. 18, 1892. However, there is a FindAGrave page for his burial in Sanders Cem. #1, Carroll County, Ky. He was listed in Craig Township in 1840. They were listed in Craig Township in 1850, 1860, and 1870; in the Jordan and Ghent area of Carroll County, Ky., in 1880.
6. JACKSON MCKAY He died by 18 June 1838 when James Phillips was appointed his administrator in Switzerland County. His land was sold to Jeremiah McKay. He was probably a son who had no heirs and did not survive to be mentioned in Abisha’s estate. There is no proof he was a son but the link to Phillips and Jeremiah McKay supports placing him here.
Abisha McKay and Elizabeth Roberts (?)
7. WILLIAM MCKAY (b. 1821/22) He and Rebecca are among a group of what were apparently Roberts family heirs who sold land in the NE1/4 Sec. 31 Twp. 2N Range 3E to Benjamin Lamson on 14 April 1847. He m. Lucinda Critser, who was born about 1829. They were shown in Clay Twp., Decatur County, in 1850; in Rock Creek Twp., Bartholomew County, Ind. Since the rest of Abisha’s children in Decatur County were in Clay Township, I believe this is the right William. Her maiden name is given in the marriage record of their son, Daniel. There were deeds between Critsers and McKays in the 1830s and 1840s so the name is reasonable, but not proven.
Abisha McKay and Rebecca Roberts (?)
8. CATHERINE MCKAY (ca. 1831-7 Feb. 1851) Her tombstone inscription calls her aged 19 years, 9 months, 17 days, consort of Mathew Mitchell. She was named in her father’s will, but was single at the time. She m. on 24 Jan. 1850 in Decatur County, Matthew Mitchell. She probably died in child birth as their daughter Louisa Catherine, died in July (or earlier depending on the reading of a worn stone). They appeared in Clay Twp., Decatur County, in 1850. The census says she was born in Virginia, which is highly unlikely.
9. NANCY MCKAY (b. 1833/34) She m. on 9 Aug. 1849 in Decatur County, Francis W. Green. Nancy, age 16, and F.M. Green, age 24 born in Ohio, appeared in Clay Township, Decatur County, in 1850. They appeared in Crooked Creek Twp., Jasper County, Ill., in 1860. They appeared eight households from her mother, Rebecca Roberts McKay, in Clay Township in 1850.
10. HEZEKIAH MCKAY (b. 1837/38) He was shown in his mother’s household in 1850. A guardian was appointed for Hezekiah on 3 Feb. 1853 in Decatur County. I have not found Hezekiah, Moses after the guardian ship or Eliza after the 1850 census.
11. MOSES MCKAY (b. 1835/36) He was shown in his mother’s household in 1850. A guardian was also appointed for him on 3 Feb. 1853 in Decatur County.
12. ELIZA McKay (b. 1839/40) She was not named in her father’s will, but perhaps because she was too young. She and Isaac were in Rebecca’s household in 1850.
12. ISAAC MCKAY (b. 1838/39) He was shown in his mother’s household in 1850. He was not shown in Isaac’s will, but that may have been because of his age. He might have been the Isaac who married on
6 August 1870 in Bartholomew County, Ind., Sarah Ellen Stoughton, although I am not certain at all.