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Neal McKay |
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Born: Oct 03, 1816 Loc: Espyville, Crawford Co. PA Died: Apr 05, 1888 Loc: Randolph, Crawford Co. PA |
Father: Joseph McKay Mother: Nancy Ann Gilliland |
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Married 1st: May 07, 1839 Spouse: Lydia C. Smith |
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| 1880 Census: Randolph Twp. Crawford Co. PA | Children: David |
| Married: 2nd Mrs. Hannah Rice | |
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"Neal McKAY, retired farmer, PO Black Ash, was born near
Conneautville, Penn., October 3, 1816, and when eighteen months old his
parents, Joseph and Mary (GILLILAND) McKAY, removed to Randolph
Township, and located on a portion of the present farm of our subject.
They came to Pennsylvania in 1817, and were blessed with seven children:
Nancy, James, Eliza, Angeline, Hugh, Robert and Neal. The father died
when Neal was ten years old and the latter suffered severely by his
demise, being compelled to labor hard to maintain his mother and
himself. He early engaged on the construction of the canal from
Meadville to Franklin at $13 per month, and after two years of such toil
his salary was advanced to $18 per month, which amount was given to his
mother, and on that and what she made by weaving, the family was
sustained. In 1838 our subject's mother was married to Jacob TRACE, and
soon after died. Neal had but little school advantages, and they were
experienced with arduous trips three miles through the woods, where wild
animals abounded, and in the log-cabin with its puncheon floors, slab
seats and writing desks. At the age of twenty-one there was a debt of
$700 hanging over the old homestead which was contracted after his
father's death, and our subject assumed the responsibility of
eradicating the same with the understanding that the property should be
his. This he paid out principally by labor at 50 cents per day. He was
married, May 7, 1839, to Lydia SMITH, daughter of Philip and Hettie
SMITH, who came to Pennsylvania in 1839, one year subsequent to her
arrival with her brother, Benojah SMITH. At the time of their marriage,
Mr. and Mrs. McKAY possessed property valued at about $100, and by their
united efforts they have secured 175 acres of finely improved land, and
possess an estate valued at over $10,000, of which they can truly claim
to be the artificers. They have no children, save one by adoption -
David T. - whom they have reared and educated, together with three other
children of their relatives. Mr. and Mrs. McKAY joined the Methodist
Episcopal Church over thirty years ago, under the exhortation of Rev. E.
HULL, at East Randolph, and have been consistent members since, he
having been Steward, Class-leader and Trustee. He votes the Democratic
ticket. The family are of Irish descent, the original Neal and Nancy
(MONTGOMERY) McKAY having come to America at an early date, settling in
Crawford County, Penn. One, Joseph McKAY, was in the war of 1812, and
stationed at Erie at the time of Perry's great naval victory. His father
was a Revolutionary soldier." Transcribed from pages 936 and 937, in the Biographical Sketch section for Randolph Township: "History of Crawford County, PA, 1885." Source: Crawford Co. PA Rootsweb |
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