Facts and Dates Selected From an Unpublished But Authentic History of the McKemie Family

John McKemie and his wife were married in Ireland and emigrated to this, the United States, about the year 1700. They settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania, not far from the Schuykill River. Circumstances such as the following lead us to believe that Francis McKemie of Virginia and John were brothers. They spelled their names precisely alike. They came to America near the same time; Francis some years earlier. They both were Presbyterians. As John settled permanently in Pennsylvania, it is thought that Francis was occasionally with him in passing from his home in Virginia to New York where it is known he went frequently on clerical business. But it is of John and his descendants we want to speak at present and to distinguish him from others of the same name we will call him Irish John.

He lived and raised his family near where he settled on his arrival in America. That he engaged a good deal in Wagoning, we infer from the fact that he drove his wagon across the Schuylkill on the ice. He also followed rafting timber on the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. Of his family we cannot speak with certainty except as to Robert, Mary and John. (2) He had other children who probably settled near him in Pennsylvania. Two sons, Joseph and James, have been spoken of, but of their life or family we know nothing.

John and his wife, as we said before, were Presbyterian and educated their family in that faith. It is supposed that they had few religious privileges in that early day especially as the mode of worship to which they were attached was not tolerated. Still they were able thoroughly to indoctrinate their children in their cherished belief which had descended through several generations and is to this day the favorite practice of most of their descendants.

Robert and Mary emigrated from Pennsylvania to Guilford County, North Carolina and there settled having both been married. Who Robert married we do not know. Mary was married to a Mr. Gallant. Robert had several sons of whom are John, James, William and Francis. Robert for a number of years acted as Judge in his district.

While living there he and his sons engaged extensively in producing stock of such as beef cattle and horses of the finer quality, and driving them to Charleston. They were often employed in the transportation of produce to market by means of wagons and teams.

Mrs. Gallant's family was much such as her brother Robert's. We can speak with certainty as to Daniel (3) and John. Daniel was long a bachelor and perhaps never married. The others of both families were early married. Of these two families we know but little after about the year 1805, and it is supposed they went west into Tennessee and north Alabama, where persons of their name and description have been frequently heard of.

While living in Guilford they frequently went down to Charleston and were often at their Uncle John's; John the third son of John of Ireland, whom to distinguish from his father, we will call John of Pennsylvania. He was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1734. As is father's means were limited, John acquired a limited education. Being engaged in his youth principally in the heavy business of rafting timber with his father on the rivers and at other times employed with his wagon and team hauling country produce to market. Following the occupation he did he learned to be industrious and thrifty. He acquired a good constitution, a strong muscular frame, capable of great endurance. It is supposed that few men could boast of greater or more powerful muscular attention. John in person was tall, a raw boned, with fair skin and auburn hair. He was naturally of an easy temper and disposition; not slothful by any means, but there was a lack of energy about him. Like his father, he was firmly attached to the Calvanistic faith, having been raised to it very strictly. He lived without a wife with his parents until he was thirty-two years of age. He was then united in the bonds of matrimony with Miss Jane Elliott of his own country and state. She was of a large and respectable family, of whom are the Jordans, R. Johnsons, and Armstrongs. All of Irish descent and strong Calvanistic faith. Jane was in person, tall and slender, fair complexioned, and hair red. She was an intelligent woman to more than common extent and that united with her force and energy of character gave her a great influence over her husband. At the time of her marriage she was but sixteen years of age. And although young, she prevailed upon her husband to try their fortune in the South, for it was doubtless at her solicitation they went. Accordingly they immediately were married, they gathered their slender store together, for they were poor, and leaving all their relatives they started for the Congaree river in South Carolina; a distance of many hundred miles with bad roads and poor conveyances. They were married in the year 1766 and reached their new home on the Congaree during the same year. It is proper here to remark that John of Pennsylvania never heard from his father or any of the family back there after he left, nor are they at all known to his descendants in the South.

Having selected a place in the rich lands on Congaree, John succeeded in building houses and opening a farm, and seemed likely to do well in the world. But the place proved too sickly. Jane, naturally more delicate than her husband, suffered much more than he. Disease did not so readily take hold on John for he had early been accustomed to fatigue and exposure and his constitution being habituated to the moist atmosphere of the river did not so readily yield. But on account of his wife's continued ill health he determined to change his location. In selecting another place they went up into Fairfield District and settled on Broad River some eighteen miles from Winsboro. The had now been married about seven years and without having any children. Here they were blessed with health and numberous offspring, and although they did not acquire this world goods as fast as on the Congaree, yet they secured by industry and frugality a competence for themselves and family.

Although their neighbors were not such as they would like to have had, yet they enjoyed the privileges of good society. John distinctly told his sorry neighbors that he did not allow his children to marry among them which fretted them very much, especially when they saw the children in no way inclined to associate with them. At a distance of four miles from his house they enjoyed the regular ministrations of the Reverend James Rodgers, a Presbyterian preacher from Ireland, at Lebanon Church. John was himself one of the elders, and a leading member to said church. Once when a difficulty arose in the church with the pastor and his people in consequence of the marriage of the pastor to a lady that the church opposed, is John spoken of as the Peacemaker. He and one other bestrode their horses and went to all the church members and reconciled those who were incensed.

It is at this place they lived during the Revolutionary War and being true Whigs they suffered heavily from the British soldiers. Pillaraging (sic) companies of Tories would often come and ransack the house of all they could carry away and otherwise destroy and mutilate such things as they did not need. Stock of all kinds was willingfully destroyed and ever description of household furniture torn and scattered in every direction. Jane often had her featherbeds carried out and ripped open into the winds and in her own sight. As with many, many other Whigs true to their country, they often had to witness the growing crops of corn and potatoes sacrificed to feed the lawless band of foreign marauders and their horses.

John and his wife lived and reared their family in great respectability; giving to each an education sufficient to transact all the ordinary business of life. They had twelve children and raised eight of them to be grown. John's chief occupation was raising wheat and tobacco which he conveyed to Charleston by means of wagons in the fall or winter. Sometimes he used flat boats for the purpose steamboats had not then been invented, and either of the other ways was laborious and tedious process for trading. Yet they did not seem to mind it. On the contrary when the time drew near for loading the wagons and starting to market every farmer and the boud were in a glee. They always went in company provided with every thing necessary for a long journey and for camping out. Coffee pots and cups with whiskey being a necessary article of equipment. The trip was generally a season of jollification.

While living here John was often visited by brother's and sister's children, then living in Guilford, North Carolina and who traded in Charleston. He also sent some of his sons up to see their uncle and aunt. Of John's children Francis (4) was the first who died in infancy. Then came Johnson born 1775; then Mary (5) who died at an early age. John, William, and Nancy, all lived to be grown, the latter, however never married. They also had one that died before it was named. Then came Jane, Robert, Elizabeth and James. Their family grew up and left them; most of them emigrating t Georgia. At this place Jane died at the age of sixty years. John then was at his own request moved by his son Robert (of whom we shall speak later) to Twiggs County where he lived with his son James and Nancy his daughter until his death which took place in the year 1815 at the advanced age of 81 years. He was buried by Robert and James near where they lived in Twiggs.

In speaking of the children of John of Pennsylvania, we come first to Johnston, the oldest who grew to maturity. He was married in Fairfield to a Miss Pierson, daughter of General Pierson, a family of the first respectability. By this wife Johnson had five sons and two daughters: Mary, John, Phillip, William, Robert, James and Sarah. He died in Fairfield, never having moved from there. His wife also died there. Having married into a Methodist connection, his children have all gone into that church, except one perhaps, who married a Presbyterian. His children all survive at the present except Phillip. John is living in Claiborn Par., Louisiana had a large family and is a Methodist preacher. Mary and Sarah are living in Monroe County, Mississippi. William and Robert are in Troup County, Georgia. James is in Baurber County, Alabama.

We now come to speak of John, the next oldest child of John of Pennsylvania and to distinguish him from his father we will call him Carolina John. Also, we will speak of his and James in connection, as they were very much associated in their lives. They married sisters; John married Rachel Giger and James married Sarah Giger. John married in Fairfield and moved to Twiggs, where he soon died. He left a widow and four children, three daughters and a son; Jane, Mary, Harriet, and John Giger. These children he transferred to the care of his brother James. He left a pretty property for them. James and his wife had no children he reared his brother's family till they were grown and married. He (6) died on his plantation in Jasper County, having moved up there. He died in 1840 at 49 years of age.

Of Carolina John's children, Mary married her cousin Robert, son of Johnson, and died without having any children.

Jane also married her cousin, James, son of Johnson. They have a large family, and as was said, are living in Barbour County, Alabama. John Giger studied medicine; he was married to a Miss Denard (?) who had three children to him and then died. He afterwards married his cousin, Margaret, daughter of Robert, son of John of Pennsylvania, but of this more here after.

William, son of John of Pennsylvania was married to a Miss Cansby in Fairfield, they also moved to Twiggs where William soon died. Hs widow went back and of his children but little is known.

Nancy was never married. She died in Twiggs at her brother James.

The next daughter, Jane was married to a Mr. James Elliott. They were married in Fairfield, moved into Twiggs and lied there a number of years. There Jane died and her husband moved into Green County, Alabama, and reared her family. He had five children, two sons and three daughters. Elliott became dissatisfied in Alabama and with his youngest son went to Louisiana when quite old and died at the advanced age of 80. Of his children all survive at present and have families, except Jane who died leaving her family. His children were Mary, who married a Jesse Cody, and are living in DeSoto Louisiana. Jane who married a John Dods and died in Yalo Bush County, Mississippi. Johnson married a Miss Fullerst who soon died and he went to Texas. He had a large family but they all died. Susan married a Mr. Smith and is living in Alabama.

Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of John of Pennsylvania married a Mr. Charles Finley. They had several children with who the author is but little acquainted. But is inclined to think they are like the family of Jane, the older sister, doing but little good. James M. Finley, however, was at the last accounts thought to be doing well. He is the second son of Charles and Elizabeth. He lived several years in this Tuskaloosa County, Alabama. He also married there, but has since moved to Louisiana.

Robert, son of John of Pennsylvania, who is the writer's father, was the ninth child of John of Pennsylvania and Jane Elliott his wife. He was born July 24th in Fairfield District, South Carolina. Moved to Twiggs County, Georgia when about 28 years of age. Was married to Miss Susannah Elliott in the year 1821 or 22. Moved to Green County, Alabama in the year 1822. Made his home near Carthage where he reared his family. He died in his plantation near Carthage in the year 1860. His wife, Susannah Elliott, died five weeks later. They had four children, Margaret, John, William, and Robert. Margaret married her cousin Dr. John Giger McKemie; William died without marriage in young manhood, Robert was drowned when a child of twelve years. John was married to Miss Mary Ann McTurk, 1854. (8)

ADDENDA

(1) Written by John James McKemie, father of Margaret Jane McKemie Elliott.

(2) John II Born 1734 married 1766 emigrated to S.C. 1766

(3) The 'North Carolinian' pub. By Wm. P. Johnson, Raleigh, N.C. June 1958. P. 425 - Post Offices and Postmasters, N.C. 1816. "White Hill: Daniel Gallent, postmaster; born in Virginia." White Hall plantation, 2 mi. Outside Charlotte, Mecklenberg Co. N.C. Daniel Gallent will: wife Nancy: nephews Franklin-Daniel Gallent Will made 9/13/1827. Franklin, son of bro. John, Danl. Son of Francis Gallent. Daniel Gallent will recd Superior Ct. Charlotte, N.C. no probate given on copy.

(4) Francis (1) 1773
Johnston (2) 1775
Mary (3) 1776
Francis II(4)
John (5)
William (6)
Nancy (7)
Jane (8)
Robert (9)
Elizabeth (10)
James (11) 1788

They also had one who died
before it was named - born
between Nancy and Jane

(5)

(6) James McK. and Sarah Giger, his wife also?

(7) William died at 22 years of age - he was engaged to Adaline Frierson, sister of Tom and Sid Frierson. (8) Children born to John James McKemie and Mary Anne McTurk
John died in infancy or early childhood in yrs 1861-5
Margaret Jane (Elliott)
William Francis
Robert died in infancy in 1861-5
Clarence died in infancy in 1861-5
Susannah Isabel (Elliott)
Mary Graham (Minnie died 1895)
Anna Ford (Latimer)
Helen Roberta (Clement)

Legend

Facts and Dates Selected From an Unpublished But Authentic History of the McKemie Family

ADDENDA