Joseph Elias McKay (1811 - 1873)

Born 1811 in Maury County, Tennessee, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Rachel (Unknown) McKay — married 1828 in Madison Co, MS

Descendants

Died 16 Dec 1873 at about age 62 in Madison County, Mississippi, USA

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Biography

Joseph Elias McKay was born about 1811 in Maury County, Tennessee to Samuel Price McKay and Elizabeth Jasper.

Joseph McKay was a Mississippian.

On the 1850 US Federal Census, Joseph E. McKay was listed as 39 years old living in Madison, Mississippi. The census indicates he was born about 1811 in Tennessee. In 1850 he was a planter and was married to Rachel McKay. They had 8 sons and 1 daughter.

According to the 1860 US Federal Census, Joseph E. McKay was still living with his wife and children. He was a planter in Madison, MS in the town of Canton. His real estate was valued at 1700 and his personal estate value was 1050.

Private Joseph McKay served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 1 Aug 1864
Side: Confederate
Regiment(s): 33 Mississippi Infantry, Company F

In 1870, Joseph McKay was 59 years old and lived in Camden, MS in Madison County with his wife and 5 of their children.

This file contains a copy of Samuel McKay's 24 June 1846 will and roughly 200 other documents in his estate from the will to final distribution in 1873. The will provided for his wife Martha during her lifetime and mentioned son John. After Martha's death, the property was to be divided among his children. Although Samuel McKay's will did not list his children, their names do appear on various documents in the estate file: John McKay; Sarah McKay, wife of James C. Davidson; Rebecca McKay, wife of George W. Kilcrease; Samuel J. McKay, [deceased by 1866] and wife Rebecca; Jane McKay, wife of Squire Allen; Martha McKay, wife of Samuel Eure; Joseph E. McKay; Permelia McKay, wife of William Lyttleton/Littleton; and Robert W. McKay. Grandchildren mentioned: Martha Eure, Mary Dorsey (husband George), Allen McKay, Thomas McKay and Joseph McKay.

The first inventory and appraisement of estate was in February 1850.

There are accounts of estate expenditures for the widow Martha McKay from 1846 through 1853.

On 10 August 1853, a petition was filed contesting the executor John McKay's accounting. The petition was signed by J. E. [Joseph] McKay, W. R. McKay, Samuel Eure, G. W. Kilcrease, Wm. Littleton and James C. Davidson. The dispute was apparently settled because the accounting was approved on 15 November 1853, by the widow Martha McKay, John McKay, Joseph McKay, Samuel Eure, J. C. Davidson, and William Lyttleton. This November 1853 agreement is the last mention of the widow Martha McKay in the estate records.

19 August 1853, a petition to have Martha McKay declared non compos mentis and incapable of managing her own affairs. The petition was signed by J. E. [Joseph] McKay, W. R. McKay, Samuel Eure, G. W. Kilcrease, Wm. Littleton and James C. Davidson. A jury was called and on 31 August 1853, Martha was found competent to manage her own affairs.

John McKay was sued on 24 September 1857, by G. W. Gilcrease, for failure to distribute the estate. This means that the widow Martha McKay died before 24 September 1857.

The second appraisal of the estate was May 24, 1860. On August 13, 1860, John McKay petitioned to sell slaves from the estate and on August 15, 1860, he petition to sell the personal estate. The estate sale was on Sept. 15, 1860. John McKay also began collecting and compromising debts owed to the estate.

1860 appraisal and sale: Slaves of Samuel McKay Name Age Appraised Value Purchaser Purchase amount   Amos 46 $600.00 Joseph E. McKay $500.00  Ellen 39 $800.00 J. C. Davidson $1100.00 (child sold with her)  Rachel 21 $1400.00 Samuel Eure $2131.00 (with 2 children)  Lewis 19 $1600.00 Green Allen $1630.00  Susan 15 $ 1500.00 Milton Cauthen $1629.00  Laura 13 $1200.00 Samuel J. McKay $1626.00  Louisa 9 $800.00 George W. Kilcrease $925.00  Edith 9 $800.00 Joseph E. McKay $1050.00  Dorothy 7 $600.00 Squire Allen $900.00  Manda 5 $ 450.00 William Littleton $565.00  Alford 2 $ 300.00 probably one of the above children with mother sold  Infant $100.00 probably one of the above children with mother sold   Appraised May 24, 1860 Sold on Sept. 15, 1860 Other items sold including the following:   Quilts, sheets and curtains to J.E. McKay for $1.00  Mattress, bed, pillows and blankets to J. E. McKay for $14.50  Bible and testament to Squire Allen for $4.25  One trunk to J. E. McKay for $.50  Two items unreadable sold to S. J. McKay $1.37 1/2 and Milton Cauthen for $5.05   Total amount of the sale was: $11, 984.171/2 Signed by John McKay and George Ward, Clerk

Distribution of the estate proceeds began in 1861. By the time distribution began, Martha McKay Eure had died and her minor daughter Martha Eure received her share.

Son Samuel J. McKay died about 1866. His share was not distributed, apparently because no one knew where his family was in Texas. In 1873, the Texas heirs, i.e., Samuel's widow Rebecca McKay, and his children, Mary Dorsey (husband George), Allen McKay, Thomas McKay and Joseph McKay were served by publication.

The McKays settled in Madison County, Mississippi around 1830. Joseph and his wife Rachael raised a large family, twelve sons and one daughter. Nine of the twelve sons fought in the Civil War, with two of them being too young to enlist. According to Carl McIntire, Civil War historian and writer Forthe Clairion Ledger, the McKay sons set a record for the largest number of confederate soldiers from one family. There was Corp. Joseph S. McKay who signed up with company C of the 4th Mississippi Vols. He was killed in the Battle of Iuka on September 19, 1862. On that same day, two of his brothers, Jesse Enoch McKay and Doctor Jourdan McKay, were captured by the union. Doctor Jourdan died in enemy hands. Elias James McKay enlisted in Company G, 30th Division Mississippi Regiment. He was discharged for medical reasons, but re upped later in 1863 and drove a supply wagon until the wars end. Marshall Washington Ford McKay joined Company A 15th Mississippi Regiment at Corinth. Despite records indicating he had deserted, letters he wrote home said he served until the final surrender. John J. McKay enlisted in L.S. Terry's Company and travelled over 220 miles by foot to meet the outfit only to be killed in action at Peach Tree Creek in 1864. Charles C. McKay was with Company A 15th Mississippi Regiment and served with the throughout the duration of the war. Joseph E. Mckay, the father of this large family of confederates was a farmer and a slave owner. Many of his slaves, as family records show, were purchased from his father, Samuel P. McKay's estate near Camden. Joseph McKay built a school located six miles from Camden about 1850. His large family would have been school age, at that time. The building was also used as a church thus receiving the name, Hebron Church. Joseph E. McKay died in 1873 and his wife, Rachael died after 1880. ^[1]

Joseph Elias McKay died 16 Dec 1873 in Madison, MS.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2261464:8995?tid=http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/p/e/c/Linda-L-Peckenham/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0291.html &pid=&_phsrc=JGT7&_phstart=successSource

• 1850 US Federal Census - Year: 1850; Census Place: Madison, Mississippi; Roll: M432_376; Page: 139B; Image: 281. Title 1850 United States Federal Census. Author Ancestry.com. Publisher Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Publisher date

2009. Publisher location Provo, UT, USA

• 1860 US Federal Census - Year: 1860; Census Place: Madison, Mississippi; Roll: M653_586; Page: 860; Image: 418; Family History Library Film: 803586. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data - 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records

• 1870 US Federal Census - Year: 1870; Census Place: Police District 5, Madison, Mississippi; Roll: M593_739; Page: 204B; Image: 413; Family History Library Film: 552238. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Record

• U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907

• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi; Series Number: M269; Roll: 353. Title U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865. Author

Ancestry.com. Publisher Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Publisher date 2011. Publisher location Provo, UT, USA

• 1880 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date:

2005;, www.ancestry.com, null, Page number: Database online. Year: 1880; Census Place: Sharon, Madison.

• https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2261464:8995?tid=http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/p/e/c/Linda-L-Peckenham/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0291.html