Norman Scofield's Ancestors:Information about Henry McCray
Henry McCray (b. Bet. 1770 - 1780, d. Bef. Jul 31, 1847)
Notes for Henry McCray:Henry McCray was born between 1770 and 1775, first married Mary Moore in Washington county in 1796.He second married Elizabeth _______ about 1830.The only supporting evidence that Henry McCray lived in Monroe county is the boundary description of the 6th civil district as shown in Volume II, page 4, of this history, which reads, "road passing H. McCray's and Joseph Wood's plantation."As Henry McCray was active in Washington county until September 1837 as a member of the county court, it is possible that only his older sons lived on the plantation.He was in Chatooga county Georgia by the 1840 census and died there in 1847.He was the father of fourteen children.
By Louise H. Watkins of Rockford, TN as published by Sarah Sands in her History of Monroe County, Tennessee, 1982.
Henry McCray and Mary Moore McCray
Henry McCray, born circa 1775 in Virginia, migrated to Washington County (then North Carolina) with his parents, Daniel and Sarah Nodding McCray, during the Revolutionary War period.He grew up on Little Limestone and Cherokee Creeks near Jonesborough, Tennessee.
About 1795, Henry moved west to Davidson County, where a deed in that county dated 1798 gave his location as being on Big Harpeth River on the original purchase of James Robertson. He had returned to Washington County to marry Mary Moore 19 September 1796. Other land transactions place him on Big Harpeth River in part of Davidson County that became Williamson County in October 1799.In 1806, Henry deeded part of his acreage to his brother, Thomas McCray, who had married his wife's sister, Jane Moore, in 1803. Both Henry and Thomas McCray had disposed of their Williamson County holdings and had returned to Washington County by late 1806.
In August 1809, Henry McCray bought the McCray homestead of his father, Daniel, on Little Limestone Creek. Henry's mother, Sarah Nodding McCray, had died in May 1809.From Washington County deeds, Henry lived on this land until he moved in 1838 from Washington County to Chattooga County, Georgia, where he died in 1847.
In 1810, Henry McCray was appointed Captain of the First Regiment of East Tennessee Militia.He served in the War of 1812 as Captain under Colonel Ewen Allison's Regiment.He was a Justice of the Peace and a member of the County Court of Washington County until his removal to Chattooga County, Georgia.By 1830, Henry was the only son of Daniel McCray remaining in Washington County.He and his wife, Mary (Moore) McCray, were the parents of six sons and seven daughters.After the death of Mary (Moore) McCray circa 1825-30, Henry married secondly Elizabeth _____; one daughter of this marriage.The children of Henry and Mary Moore McCray: (1) William, born circa 1797, died November 1836, married Hannah L. Taylor, daughter of Henry Taylor (ancestor of Richard L. McCray); (2) Sarah, married Thomas Brown 1819 Washington County, Tennessee; (3) John, died 1842 Chattooga County, Georgia; (4) Henry Jr.; (5) Levi; (6) Achsah, born 1805, married D.C. Hunter 23 March 1830, to Chattooga County, Georgia and Anderson County, Palestine, Texas; (7) Priscilla, born 1808, married 1836 John McCrosky of Monroe County, Tennessee; (8) Mary "Polly", married Skelton Taylor, son of Henry Taylor; (9) Elizabeth, married Abraham Taylor, son of Henry Taylor; (10) Daniel, born 1814, died 1878, married Malinda McCrosky, daughter of John McCrosky of Monroe County, Tennessee - moved to Chattooga County, Georgia and California; (11) Louisa Jane, born 21 March 1820, died 9 December 1856, married 1838 Joshua H. King of Knox County, Tennessee (ancestor of Louise H. Watkins); (12) Julia, married Dr. DeBard in Palestine, Texas; (13) Thomas H., married Angelina Gilbreath of Monroe County, Tennessee - moved to Texas and Chicago, Illinois. Thomas was a Confederate Brigadier General in the Civil War (ancestor of Blanche Merritt, Oceanside, California).The daughter of Henry and Elizabeth __ McCray: (14) Lucy, born circa 1828, married Benjamin King, Chattooga County, Georgia.
In 1838, Henry McCray migrated to the newly-formed Chattooga County, Georgia, along with most of his sons and daughters and their families.They lived in and near the town of Summerville, where Henry's son, Daniel, was Sheriff of that county and his son-in-law, D.C. Hunter, was County Surveyor.The will of Henry McCray, recorded in Chattooga County, Georgia, names all of his surviving sons and his daughter's husbands.
After Henry McCray's death in 1847, all of his children who were living in Georgia moved on elsewhere, except daughter Lucy.The descendants of his son, William, and daughter, Elizabeth, who married Abraham Taylor are those of Washington County, Tennessee today.
Submitted by Louise H. Watkins
Now I will tell you something of your Great Grandfather Henry McCray or Harry McCray as he was called in 1813, when he was commander of a company in Andrew Jackson's army who went in 1813 with 5000 men from Tenn. (among whom were Sam Houston adn Davy Crockett) to punish the creeks and other Indians for their awful atrocities in butcherin the helpless settlers in Tenn., Geoegia and Alabama.Teh battle on the Tallapoosa River of the horseshoe bend was one of the battles in which Jackson and his men with Harry McCray's company cut the Indians to pieces.Those bad Indians were influenced by the British to commit those atrocities so as to engage the attention of Southern warriors in a way that would enable the British in gaining their ends in the war of 1812 to 1815.You can read the history of Paxton's Life of Jackson.
Letter from J. P. T. McCroskey to Barret McCroskey February 21, 1895.
More About Henry McCray:
Date born 2: MD.2176
Date born 3: Bet. 1770 - 17802177
Died 2: Bet. Feb 07 - Jul 31, 1847, Chatooga Co, GA.2178
Military service 1: 1812, Captain.2179, 2180
Military service 2: Bet. Jan 05 - May, 1814, Captain Henry led Company under Col. Ewin Allison in War of 1812.2181
Residence: 1840, Chattooga Co, GA.2182
Slaves: 1840, One (Female 1785-1804).2182
More About Henry McCray and Mary Moore:
Marriage: Sep 19, 1796, Jonesboro, Washington, Tennessee.2183, 2184
Children of Henry McCray and Mary Moore are:
- +Daniel McCray, b. Jun 25, 1814, Jonesboro, Washington, TN2185, d. Jan 04, 1878, San Jose, Santa Clara, CA2185.