Legend

Some individuals, families, or entries may have special notations.



Her Tree Story, My Genealogy Blog
Her Tree Story,
My Genealogy Blog

Biography of "Squire" Robert McCamy - [BIO 001]

by Malcolm E. Turner, III
8 June 1994
[BIO 001]

ROBERT McCAMY was born at McCamy's Ford on Little River in Blount County, Tennessee, 23 February 1808. He died in Murray County, Georgia, 28 June 1871. He and his wife are buried in Summerour Chapel Cemetery, near Crandall, in Murray County.

His father was William H. McCamy (ca.1777-26 April 1835), who was born in Virginia and who came to Blount County before 1800. It was this William who changed the spelling of the name to McCamy to distinguish himself from the many William McKameys and William McKemys of Augusta and Rockbridge Counties, Virginia. Robert's mother was Mary "Polly" Chandler (1781-22 June 1840), the daughter of Timothy and Hetty Jane Chandler of Boyd's Creek, Sevier County, Tennessee. Timothy Chandler was a veteran of the Battle of King's Mountain. He and Hetty Jane Chandler are buried at Boyd's Creek. William and Polly Chandler McCamy are buried in Logan's Chapel Cemetery at Wildwood in Blount County.

Robert's grandfather is thought to have been David McKamey (born ca.1751), son of James McKemy (ca.1715-1793) and Anne Wiley.

Robert's great-great grandparents were John McKemey (ca.1665-1735) and wife Margaret. John McKemey was born at Ramelton, County Donegal, (North) Ireland, the son of Robert McKamey, a highland Scot, who immigrated to Ireland from the land of Clan Fraser near Inverness. One of John's brothers was Francis Makemie (ca.1658- 1708), the "Father of Presbyterianism in America". Another brother was Robert McKemie II.

The subject of this sketch, Robert McCamy, was reared on his father's farm, at McCamy's Ford on Little River, Blount County, Tennessee. His father and mother kept an inn and stockyard at this location. Robert had nine brothers and sisters. He was the third child and third son. His little sister, Mary, was burned to death as a child, and several of her siblings named their first daughters Mary in her honor. Robert grew up to marry (29 March 1827), in Blount County, Martha "Patsy" Julian (23 January 1807-12 October 1880). Robert's brother, James Toomey McCamy, married Patsy's sister, Sarah. Patsy and Sarah Julian were twin daughters of George and Rebecca (McKenny) Julian, who had come with their family to Blount County from Rutherford County, North Carolina. George and Rebecca Julian died within weeks of each other of a malady known then as "black tongue"; they are buried in Logan's Chapel Cemetery at Wildwood.

Robert McCamy was a large man, seven feet tall, 350 pounds, and he wore a size seventeen shoe. His wife Patsy weighed but 90 pounds. "Robert was afraid of nothing or no one except little Patsy.

In 1840, after the infamous "trail of tears" of 1838, when the Cherokee Nation was removed to (what was later) Oklahoma, Robert McCamy and his family moved to former Cherokee lands in nearby north Georgia. The new county was named Murray, and Robert became Clerk of Court. His son William Campbell McCamy became Assistant Clerk of Court. Robert was one of the few educated men in the new county and was considered a paragon of wisdom by his more rustic neighbors. Many times several of his neighbors would ride up to the house (known as "Sumac") to have "Squire" help to arbitrate a dispute. He would say "light" (alight), and they would often stay up all night in deliberation. The house "Sumac" was later destroyed to make way for the railroad.

As the Civil War approached, there were considerable difficulties and dangers in living in Blount County. It was during these troublesome times that Robert's brother James McCamy and his wife Sarah, Patsy's sister, came also to live in Murray County. Another brother, William "Arkansas Bill" McCamy, who had ridden with Sam Houston, and his second wife, Ann Julian McCamy, a niece of Patsy and Sarah, eventually came to settle down in Murray County also. These brothers and James's wife Sarah are buried in the Summerour Chapel Cemetery. Some of James and Sarah's descendants returned to Blount County. Many remained in Murray County, Georgia. A grandson of James and Sarah McCamy was Ben Andrew Morton II (15 August 1875-27 July 1952), former Mayor of Knoxville. A great grandson of James and Sarah McCamy is Dr. James Lucian McCamy II (born 10 June 1906), former Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin.

Robert and Martha Julian McCamy had eight children. The first was

1) William Campbell McCamy (born 21 April 1830). He married Ann Rushton (June 1854), was a banker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died there. William and Ann had at least two children.

A second child 2) was born about 1834 and died as an infant.

3) Mary Jane "Mollie" McCamy (30 May 1837-22 October 1916) married her teacher, Joseph Henry Howard "Howard" Parker (10 January 1835- 22 October 1916), 30 October 1856, in Murray County. He was the son of Lewis and Matilda Swann Parker of Parkertown, Hart County, Georgia. Howard Parker was a graduate of the famed Parkertown Academy and had been recruited by Robert McCamy and other prominent citizens of Murray County to operate a school for their children. Howard and Mollie Parker had four children. They later lived and died in Atlanta, and are buried in Westview Cemetery in Atlanta. A grandson was Robert Shumate Parker (23 August 1884-28 March 1941), President of the Federal Reserve Bank, 6th District, Atlanta. A great grandson is Rear Admiral Robert Parker Hilton, USN(ret.) (born 17 March 1927), formerly in naval intelligence. Another great grandson is Dr. Malcolm Elijah Turner III (born 27 May 1929), Professor of Biomathematics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

4) Robert Julian "Col. Bob" McCamy (7 January 1840-26 August 1908) married Louise Candler of Villa Rica, Georgia. Col. Bob and Louise McCamy lived in Dalton, Georgia and are buried in West Hill Cemetery there. They had six children. A grandson was Carlton Candler McCamy, Jr. (22 August 1910-4 October 1993), prominent attorney and Mayor of Dalton. A granddaughter, Marian McCamy (Mrs. Frank K.) Sims (16 October 1899-9 July 1961) was a much published author.

5) Samuel Bailey McCamy (18 October 1842-13 May 1904) married Cate Lucas Carter on 29 October 1868. He died at Lindale, Georgia, and is buried in West Hill Cemetery, Dalton. Samuel and Cate McCamy had eleven children. A great grandson is Federal Judge Howell Webster Melton (born 15 December 1923).

6) George Alexander McCamy (9 September 1845-ca.1865) died from measles on the way home from the Civil War. Two nieces were given the middle name George in his honor.

7) Rebecca Elizabeth McCamy (born 21 July 1848) was the youngest daughter of Robert and Patsy McCamy. She married Nelson Wright Harris on 4 September 1869. He was Postmaster in the Crandall area for many years. Nelson and Rebecca Harris had six children. She is buried in the Summerour Chapel Cemetery.

The youngest child and son of Robert and Patsy McCamy was 8) Franklin "Frank" Welborn McCamy (19 December 1852-22 December 1927). He married Susan Claudia Griffith on 8 November 1874. They also are buried in the Summerour Chapel Cemetery. Frank and Susan McCamy had nine children. Granddaughters include Emily Louisa McCamy (born August 1909), formerly music critic for the Chattanooga Times; Sue Lodoska Rymer (Mrs. Herbert) Reed, teacher, and Mary McCamy Rymer (Mrs. Gale B.) Dougherty (born 1926), prominent mental health activist.

Several descendants of Robert and Patsy McCamy have been listed in Marquis' Who's Who in America. These include Robert Shumate Parker, Dr. Malcolm Elijah Turner III, Rear Admiral Robert Parker Hilton, and Judge Howell Webster Melton. Also, a descendant of James and Sarah McCamy was so listed. This was Dr. James Lucian McCamy II.

Additional McCamy Notes (same author)

Mary McCamy, I, burned to death as an infant, about 1825/1826. Four nieces were named after her: (1) Mary McCamy, II, born 30 May 1826 (daughter of James Toomey McCamy and Sarah Julian); (2) Mary Jane McCamy, born 30 May 1837 (daughter of Robert McCamy and Martha Julian); (3) Mary E. McCamy, born about 1844 (daughter of Samuel Reed McCamy and Elizabeth A. Bishop); and (4) Mary McCamy, III, born about 1853 (daughter of William "Arkansas Bill" McCamy and Susan Jackson).

James McKemy, II, Will: Augusta Co., VA; 16 OCT 1817, aged; proved 24 MAR 1818, 27 MAR 1818.

William McKamy, II, Will: Augusta Co., VA, 20 APR 1796.

William McKeamey, of Rockbridge, was in Rockbridge Co., VA, by 1757. He was on branch of Kerr's Cr.; patent outside Borden tract on the waters of the upper James River between the Blue Ridge and the North Mountain. Will: Augusta Co., VA, 1 FEB 1805; proved in Rockbridge Co., VA, SEP 1805. Morton, O.F. (1920). A History of Rockbridge County Virginia. The McClure Co., Staunton, VA.

James Lucian McCamy, I, wrote the Logan's Chapel Decoration Day history. Maryville Enterprise, 18 AUG 1911, Logan's Chapel: A Sketch. See letters: J. L. McCamy, II, to M.E.T.III: 6, 21 MAY 1979. U.S. Census 1880, Murray Co., GA.

Dr. James Lucian McCamy, II, received the Ph.D. degree in political science from the University of Chicago in 1938. He was Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin from 1947-1971, where he chaired the Dept. of Political Science. More details are given in Who's Who in America, Marquis, various editions.

Dr. Keith McCamy, geophysicist, was at Lamont-Doherty Geophysical Observatory and teaching mathematical modelling at Columbia Univ. for twelve years. He resigned to focus his attention on consulting to business.



Originally published:
http://www.geocities.ws/Heartland/Cottage/4940/robert_mccamy.html
http://www.geocities.ws/Heartland/Cottage/4940/timothy_chandler.html