The McNary Family, p. 81

THE McNARY FAMILY. One of the early pioneer families of the county, and among the most numerous and influential, is the "McNary" family. Members of this ancient family are now found in many parts of the eastern, central, and northern townships of Washington county; and descendants of which are located in all parts of the Union.

JAMES McNARY, the founder of the family, was born in Scotland about the year 1711. The traditions of his family say he resided for some time in Ireland. It is not definitely known at what date he and his family emigrated to America, but his first known residence was in Lancaster county, Penn. In the year 1760 he removed to York county, Penn., where he purchased a tract of land in Chanceford township, and resided there for twenty-three years. In 1769 he was chosen elder in the Seceder Congregation of Guinston; and it is worthy of remark that all of his sons were elders in various congregations, and nearly all his descendants have been members of the same church, and of the U. P. Church, which has succeeded it. About the year 1783 he removed, with his youngest son, David, to Hanover township, Washington county, where he died in 1796, at the age of eighty-five years, and was buried in the Harmon's Creek (Seceder) graveyard near Paris (Washington county). His wife's name is not known, she having died prior to the war of the Revolution. He had four sons John, James, Thomas and David and a daughter Jane (who married a Mr. Robinson, of York county). These four sons all came to Washington county, Penn., and founded families; and from these four branches of the family tree are descended all the numerous families who now bear the name, in Washington county, and descendants of whom are located in nearly every State.

JOHN McNARY, son of James, the founder of the family, resided upon part of the homestead in Chanceford township, York Co., Penn. In 1801 he bought a farm in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn.; and upon going back for his family was taken sick and died there the same year, and was buried at Guinston, Penn. After his death the family removed to the new farm in 1802 (the eldest son, James, had preceded the family in 1798. He married Margaret Reed, daughter of Col. Joseph Reed, of the Colonial army, and located in Cross Creek township, Washington Co., Penn). In 1769 he was elected an elder in the Seceder Congregation of Guinston. He married Esther Boyle, and had thirteen children, viz.: Betsy, married to William Douglass, York county; Mary, married to James McCoy; James, married to Margaret Reed, and located in Cross Creek township, in 1798; Margaret, married to James Martin; Malcolm, married to Miss Beatty; Esther, married to Thomas Ewing; Agnes, married to William Pollock; John, married to Jane Hill, and lived upon the farm in Strabane township; Thomas, who died in infancy; Alexander, married to Margaret Pollock, and removed to Ohio; Thomas, who died in early life; Jane, married to James Marshall; Jennet, married to James McKibben. Numerous descendants of this son reside in the vicinity of Burgettstown and Canonsburg at the present time.

JAMES McNARY, son of James, of York county, removed to Washington county about the year 1780, and located in Chartiers township, near the County Home. He was ordained an elder in Chartiers Seceder Congregation in April, 1811. He married Margaret Paxton, and had eight children. He died in February, 1815. Some of his descendants reside at Hickory, Mt. Pleasant township, and vicinity.

THOMAS McNARY, the third son of James, of Chanceford, York county, emigrated to Washington county in December, 1782, purchasing a tract of 250 acres (the Sheriff McClelland farm) in Strabane township, for "375 pounds speshe, lawful money of Pennsylvania," where he lived the remainder of his life. He was ordained an elder in Chartiers Congregation some time prior to 1799. He died in 1820. His will provides for the freedom of a servant, Jean Parkison, after the death of his wife, "Jennet." Thomas had five sons, viz.: James, David, Mathew, Joseph and Samuel. Mathew had no family; Samuel removed to Jefferson county, Ohio, and served four terms in the Legislature; was also associate judge and justice of the peace for many years. Of the other three sons, James located at Munntown, and David and Joseph near Canonsburg, Penn., where many descendants still reside.

DAVID McNARY, the youngest son, and founder of the fourth branch of the family, bought a farm in Hanover township, Washington county, October 25, 1783, containing 300 acres, for "75 pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania." He was accompanied to this place by his father James, the original founder of the McNary family, who resided with him until his death, in 1796. David married Esther Cowden, and had six daughters and one son, William; was an elder in old Dr. Anderson's Harmons Creek Congregation. He was born in 1757; died 1817. Some of his (David's) descendants reside at Burgettstown, Penn., but his descendants, of the "family" name, are not numerous.

This "family," founded by James McNary of York county, Penn., is the largest of the name in the United States. It is also altogether probable that the "McNary" family of Kentucky and the "McNairy" family of Tennessee are of a common origin, and founded by brothers of the progenitor of the Pennsylvania stock; as the descendants of each claim to have sprung from ancestors who emigrated from Lancaster county, Penn., in the latter half of the eighteenth century. Thus from James McNary, of York county, Penn., (who ended his days near Paris, Hanover township, Washington county), throughout the four branches founded by his sons, "John," "James," "Thomas," and "David," are descended all the different families of "McNarys" now residing in Washington county; and all of this "family name," whose histories are commemorated in this volume, trace directly, through three or more generations, to some one of the "four" sons of James McNary, the founder of the "McNary Family."

Text taken from page 81 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed April 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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