xxxxxAt its annual reunion last summer, the McKay Family Association voted to donate $500 to the Warren Rifles Confederate Museum as a group memorial to the eleven known McKay soldiers who served in the Confederate Army. The Hon. John Rust of Fairfax was appointed chairman of a committee to collect this fund and to choose a memorial unit toward which to apply it. Recently Mr. Rust mailed a check for the full amount of this memorial to the Museum Treasurer, Mrs. Joseph M. Burke.

xxxxxAfter due consultation with the Museum Committee, Mr. Rust's Committee chose as the McKay Memorial unit a beautiful arch just inside the Main Exhibition Room of the Museum building. This was considered an especially appropriate place inasmuch as the Buck family memorial--a flag niche--is to be located at the opposite end of this room. Thus the two handsomest memorial units in the Main Museum Room will honor the two families of McKay and Buck, which have figured so prominently in the history of Warren County through many generations.

xxxxxRobert McKay, Sr., founder of the Virginia family, was the first settler of what is now Warren County. His was among the famous party of sixteen families who came into the Shenandoah Valley with Joist Hite, the greatest promoter of colonization in early Valley history. Robert McKay staked out his claim in the present Fork District along the south branch of the Shenandoah. His son, Robert McKay, Jr., took up 828 acres along Crooked Run near the site of Cedarville. There, about 1733, he built a two-story home of walnut logs which is the oldest house standing in Warren County today.

xxxxxThe McKays were a famous family and in the following generations their homesteads dotted the landscape from Front Royal to Winchester. They cleared and cultivated broad acres, reared and educated large families and helped to build a great civilization in one of the garden spots of the world. In the "martial sixties" eleven scions of this pioneer stock volunteered for service in the Confederate Army. They included:

xxxxxCorporal Alfred A. McKay, Co. E, 7th Va. Cavalry.

xxxxxCharles Lewis McKay, Co. E, Ashby's Reg't. of Cavalry; later Co. I, 12th Va. Cav.. Died in prison.

xxxxxCapt. Jesse Clay McKay, Co. E, 12th Va. Cav.

xxxxxJacob Francis McKay, Co. E, 12th Va. Cav.

xxxxxJames Edwin McKay, Quartermaster Serg't. 12th Va. Cav.

xxxxxCorp. John W. McKay, Co. I, 12th Va. Cav.

xxxxxJoseph Casper McKay, Co. I, 12th Va. Cav.

xxxxxLieut. Henry Clay McKay, Co. A, 6th Ky. Inf.

xxxxxJohn McKay, Co. F, 18th Va. Cav.

xxxxxThomas Buck McKay, Co. B, 17th Va. Infantry; later of Co. B, Mosby's Bat. of Cavalry.

xxxxxJesse H. McKay (branch of service unknown)

xxxxxThe military records of the above soldiers are being compiled by the McKay family historian, Mr. Hunter B. McKay, of Belmont, Mass., and will be published when completed.