Not much is known at this date about James. He migrated from Virginia with his family and settled in the area around Chester.
William McElheney was born in Lunnenberg County, Virginia in
1759. He moved to Chester County sometime between 1760 and 1776.
He was one of at least three brothers,William, b.1759, Stephen,
b.1760, Samuel, b.1761. There was possibly a fourth brother,
James, who was mentioned in one of the letters in Lyman Draper's
book on the Revolutionary War. The connection was also mentioned
in the will of James McElheney, stating that he was leaving
property to the children of Stephen. He also mentioned Samuel and
sister Jean in his will, but not William.
He joined the South Carolina militia in 1779, while residing in
Craven County. He was in the battles at Mobley's Meeting House,
Sumpter's Defeat, Hanging Rock, King's Mountain, and Orangeburg.
At sometimes during this service, he was a prisoner of war. At
the Battle of King's Mountain, he was mentioned in the book,
"King's Mountain and Its Heroes" by Lyman Draper, a
well known historian of the Revolutionary War.
William returned to the Fishing Creek Community after the war. He
was active in the Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church, as was
several other members of his family (1790-1800). He moved to
Abbeville district and Edgefield district between 1800 and 1823.
No records could be located to place him there; however, this was
mentioned in his pension application. Also in his pension
application, he gives his bother Stephen as a reference, as well
as stating that he wishes any War remuneration of conscripted
items, food, horses, etc. to be given to Stephen. He married
Rebecca Coleman while living in South Carolina in 1796. All of
his chIldren were born in South Carolina -- John, William,Jr.,
Hezakiah, and Jane.
Apparently he moved to Jasper County, Georgia, after 1823, when
he sold his remaining 250 acres to Stephen McElhenney. The entire
family moved with him, all settling in Jasper and Butts County.
He lived in Jasper County from 1823 until 1838, when he moved
across the county line to lived with William, Jr. until his death
in 1845. It is strongly believed that he and Rebecca are buried
in Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Butts County, Georgia, as
there are two graves, marked with stones, no inscription, at the
beginning of the McElheney family section of the cemetery. He
died intestate; William, Jr. was the executor of the estate which
was probated in Butts County.
Stephen McElhenny, was born in 1760, in Lunnenburg,Va. He
moved with the McElhenny family to South Carolina. The date of
the move has not been established. He enlisted in the South
Carolina Militia while a resident of Craven County on March 1,
1776. He served under Col. Thomas Sumter, Lt. McCullum, Capt.
McClure,Col. Lacey. He was in the battles of: Rocky Mount,
Hanging Rock,Wright's Bluff, the seige of Friday's Fort and
Thompson's Fort. He, along with his two brothers, William and
Samuel, was in the all important victory at King's Mountain.
After the war, he settled in the Fishing Creek area of Chester
County until his death in 1840. He married Ester Walker. They
were very active in the Fishing Creek Pres. Church along with
other McElhenny family members. They officially joined the church
in 1827 and remained members until 1834 when they were dismissed.
Stephen is buried in this cemetery; but Ester's burial place is
unknown.
He applied for a Revolutionary War Pension.
Samuel McElhaney, the youngest son of James McElhaney. He was born in Lunnenburg County, Va. He volunteered for the South Carolina Militia in 1777, stating he was 17 years of age. He His first tour was under Capt. Philip Walker and Col. John Winn. His second tour was under Capt. Walker and Col. Lacy. Thereafter, he was under Co. Simons. During his second tour, he was at Black Swamp and in a skirmish near Dorchester. His third tour, under Capt. John Mills, Col. Lacey, and Gen. Sumter. It was this tour that he was in the famous Battle of King's Mountain and then became found his niche as a scout. No doubt his young age gave him speed and agility and his background as a youngster raised in the hills of Virginia and South Carolina was certainly an advantage.
After the war, he married Elizabeth Hood, and they settled in Lancaster County, South Carolina. He bought several tracts of land in and around Lancaster County, and finally settled in York County. It is not known what his occupation was for certain, but the McElhany family was very definitely lovers of the land and most were farmers.
Samuel died in York County in July 1846. He had received a pension for his service in the Rev. War. Elizabeth continued to receive the pension until her death.
Many of the descendents are still living in South Carolina.
Willliam McElheney, Jr. moved to Georgia with his family: father William,Sr., mother Rebecca, and brothers John and Heziakiah, and sister Jane. William,Jr. bought land in Jasper County in 1834 from S. Jones at the same time his brother John bought land from the same person. Not much is documented about William's life in Jasper County except this purchase of land and his marriage to Catherine Kinard in Jan 1831. He and his brother John married sisters.
William moved to Butts County before 1840, as he is listed in the 1840 Census for Butts County. Apparently, his father, mother, sister, and brother also moved about the same time. It is not known whether they moved together or separately. The two William McElheneys, Sr. and Jr., are listed separately in the 1840 Census.
William was a successful farmer as was his brother, John. He had extensive landholdings in Butts county. He was the administrator of the estate of his father, William, who died in 1845. William bought and sold several tracts of land in Butts County, but seems to have settled in the area of Towaliga, off Kinard's Bridge Road. He was active in Fellowship Presbyterian Church, which is located on Kinard's Bridge Road. The church was established in 1832, when the land was given by the Glenn and Lindsey families. The first building was built in 1841. The cemetery is located on the grounds surrounded by a beautiful stone wall built by slaves. William and Catherine are buried here as well as many of his children and grandchildren.
George enlisted in the CSA on Sept 25, 1861 for 12 months. His company started out as Co. C, 39th Reg., Georgia Infantry, but it changed to the Co. F, 30th Reg., Georgia Infantry, about July 1862.
His military discharge papers dated May 14, 1862, say that he was born in Jasper Co. Georgia, and that he is 30 yrs old. He is described as 6'1" tall, dark(?) complexion, dark(?) eyes, and black(?) hair. He is listed as a farmer(?) by occupation(?). The reason for discharge is deafness(?). (I can't read most of this.) These discharge papers were signed at Camp Bartow, and he was paid $32.11 on his discharge.
He appears on a Report of Prisoners, captured by the 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division in Macon, GA, during April 1865. The report was dated Apr. 30, 1865. (Why was he captured in 1865 if he was discharged in 1862?)
Family tradition says that George Washington McElhenney left the area where his parents lived because of a feud with the family. Supposedly, he vowed never to return.
John McElheney came to Jasper County with his father,William;
his mother,Rebecca; his siblings, William, Jane, and Hezekiah. He
bought land in Jasper County in 1827 from George Dawkins. He
married Polly Kinard in 1834 and they continued to live in Jasper
County the remainder of their lives. They lived in the western
part of the county in the community near the road now known as
McElheney Crossroads. McElheney Crossroads deadends at New
Hope Methodist Church. This little church has played a very
important part in the lives of all the McElheney family members.
John was a very successful farmer in the county, having amassed extensive landholdings and many slaves. They had a spacious, comfortable home and raised thirteen children. By the standards of their time, John and Polly were considered to be prominent Jasper County citizens. In 1860, John's personal estate was valued conservatively at $8,200, and his real estate at $5,600.
This comfortable lifestyle came to an end with the coming of
the Civil War. Because of this age, John did not enlist in the
Confederate Army, but 7 of his 10 sons did enlist and fight for
the Condederacy, leaving only the 3 youngest
sons at home to help maintain the farm. He lost one son,
Heziakiah, who died while in service in Savannah. Another son,
John, was severely wounded in the battle of Olustee, in Ocean
Pond, Fla. After the war, he was never able to regain his former
economic status having lost money, slaves, and labor from his
sons. With rising taxes during reconstruction, he was barely able
to keep his farm going. Like many other Georgians, he struggled
to provide even the barest essentials for his family. John and
Polly were just beginning to recover financially when John died
on April 8, 1883.
Three years after John's death, Polly's health deteriorated and she became an invalid, and remained so until her death 16 years. (-------------)They are both buried at New Hope Methodist Church.