Our Family Genealogy Pages

Home Page  |  What's New  |  Photos  |  Obituaries  |  Headstones  |  Surnames

First Name:


Last Name:



Major Hugh H. McGary
Male  - Yes, date unknown

HomeHome    SearchSearch    PrintPrint    Login - User: anonymousLogin    Add BookmarkAdd Bookmark

Personal Information    |    Notes    |    All    |    PDF

  • Prefix  Major 
    Gender  Male 
    Died  Yes, date unknown 
    Person ID  I2864  Herring Family of Callaway County, Missouri
    Last Modified  31 Dec 2009 
     
    Family 1  Nancy Burnett,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Children 
    >1. Katharine McGary,   b. 1790, , Montgomery, Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Aug 1839, , Callaway, Missouri, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified  14 Nov 2008 
    Family ID  F1110  Group Sheet
     
    Family 2  Mary O'rafferty,   b. Abt 1744,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Children 
    >1. Nancy McGary,   b. Abt 1796, , , Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Feb 1849, , Callaway, Missouri, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified  21 Aug 2005 
    Family ID  F1132  Group Sheet
     
  • Notes 
    • Hugh McGary's life was an intriguing one. He crossed the Cumberland Gap with Daniel Boone, was an associate of George Rogers Clark, and testified in the 1793 divorce trial of Lewis and Rachel Robards. He also participated in the Battle of Blue Licks, the so-called "last" battle of the American Revolution.

      In March 1777 Hugh McGary was elected captain of the militia at Fort Harrod. He was also appointed a justice in Kentucky's first court, held in the same year. By 1782 McGary held the rank of major in the militia. Being an impetuous individual, he acquired a reputation of conflict among the settlers and is generally criticized for his role in the Battle at Blue Lick, August 19, 1782, when 60 of 182 Kentuckians were killed with 50 percent coming from Harrodsburg. He remained in the militia and by 1787 held the rank of colonel.

      1812: Col. Hugh McGary founded Evansville Ind. On May 27 he purchased 200 acres of forested land adjacent to the Ohio River in what is now downtown of this city. Soon 130 acres of this land ($10 per acre) was sold to Gen. Robert M. Evans (age 29 years, from Virginia) and James W. Jones (from Kentucky). Thus the name Evansville was established.

      The Robards-Jackson Backcountry Scandal
      Andrew Jackson / Rachel Robards / Lewis Robards divorce case in
      August and September 1793. That Robards actually won a divorce may be due to having U.S. Senator John Brown for his lawyer and Kentucky hero Hugh McGary as his witness. Hugh McGary, a Mercer County military leader, was among the travelers and he gave Robards the eyewitness he needed to Jackson and Rachel's "bedding together." Mercer County records show that McGary could only have been traveling with them in July 1790 - the date given in the fall 1790 divorce petition charging Rachel's act of adultery.http://www.mtsu.edu/~lnelson/Toplovich04.htm Tennessee Historical Society

      From the Pioneer Families of Callaway county which is not always accurate:
      MCGARY, Major Hugh H. McGary, who, it will be remembered, took a prominent part in the battle of Blue Licks, KY., settled in that state and was married several times. his children were Daniel, Robert, William R., Hugh, John, Jesse, James, Elizabeth, Nancy, Ross and Sally. William R. married PATSEY DAVIS, of VA., by whom he had James D., Hugh H., and America I. James D. married NANCY MURRAY, and settled in Callaway Co. in 1822. He was a member of the legislature one term, and is now living in Texas. Hugh H. married SUSAN DAVIS, and settled in Callaway Co. in 1831. He was married the 2nd time to ROSETTA EWING. America I. married THOMAS W. LANGLEY, who settled in Callaway Co in 1838. She is now a widow and resides in Howard Co., MO.

      There is so much conflicting information about Hugh McGary. He had several wives and many children. I've read so many arguements on who his wives and children were, that I am not sure which research is correct anymore. I do believe that he was my 4th great grandfather. I list him this way because it is what is in the original Carrington family book which was compiled by Professor W. T. Carrington, William Carrington and Mary Margaret McCoun Crum, History of Samuel Carrington (Manuscript written by Professor William T. Carrington, about 1928). I am aware of all the arguements about who was who in his family, and that everyone claims to have documents to back up their claim to him. For now, and until I find something that definately documents otherwise, I am leaving my information the way it is and moving on to work on other ancestors.