The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia borders Maryland and Virginia. The first European settlers started arriving about 1730.
also spelled McKay, McCay, McKey, McCoy
The Society of Friends (Quakers) began in England in the 1650s, when they broke away from the Puritans. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, as a safe place for Friends to live and practice their faith.
Appalachia was the 18th century backcountry and many settlers were Scots-Irish. It includes southern New York, western Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia, West Virginia, eastern Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee and northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Robert MacKay was probably born about 1680.
His first wife was Anne Browne.
Mary MacKay (1705, married George Robinson),
Robert MacKay, Jr. (1708, married Patience Jobe and Mercy Borden),
Margaret MacKay (married Joshua Jobe)
Hannah MacKay (married George Hollingsworth),
Zachariah MacKay (1714, married Lydia Whitson), Moses MacKay (1715, married Mary Jobe, daughter of Abraham Jobe),
Leah MacKay (1716, married William Taylor or Tyler),
Elizabeth MacKay (1719, married Abraham Jobe),
James MacKay (1720, married Mary Chester).
The family lived in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.
On July 18, 1723, Stephen Hollingsworth of Cecil County, Maryland, sold Robert MacKay of Freehold Township a tract of land (150 acres) for 30£. The land was part of the Mount Pleasant tract.
Anne died before 1726.
Jost Hite, Robert Green, William Duff, Peter Stephens and Robert MacKay were granted 100,000 acres in the Shenandoah Valley between Winchester and Front Royal on the condition that they bring 100 families to settle there.
The MacKay family settled on or near the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, several miles above Riverton. The land was in Augusta County after 1744, when the line between Frederick and Augusta Counties was surveyed.
On September 18, 1739 the Nottingham Monthly Meeting near the Pennsylvania and Maryland border disowned Elizabeth MacKay and on October 20, 1741 Abraham Jobe was disowned.
Whereas Abraham Job, one of the Society of the People called Quaker, having attained our certificate to friends of Hopewell Meeting, Virginia, but before he delivered it was married by a priest to Elizabeth MacKay, daughter of Robert MacKay, of the Society, Being first by child with him, which being a scandal to our profession and the said Abraham delaying to give satisfaction though tenderly laboured with, we disown him from the society.
Robert's will was dated October 6, 1746 and was probated in Augusta County on August 19, 1752.
Augusta County, Virginia was formed in 1738 from Orange County and was vast territory including West Virginia and Kentucky.
1770 - southern part became Botetourt.
1776 - parts became Monongalia, Ohio, and Yohogania.
1778 - area west of Ohio River became Illinois County.
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northeastern part became Rockingham.
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southwestern part was combined with part of Botetourt to form Rockbridge
1788 - northern part combined with part of Hardy to become Pendleton.
1790 - western part was combined with parts of Botetourt and Greenbrier to form Bath.
Virginia county formation was complex and some of the above counties were further divided or disbanded.
From Frederick County Road Orders
13 January 1743/44 O. S., Frederick County Order Book 1, p. 15
Ordered that George Bowman, Andrew Falkenborough & Robt Mckay Junr. or any two of them View & lay off the Road from John ffunks Mill cross Ceeder run Creek ford to the said Robert Mckay Junrs. & to Branston Gap According to the petition of Jacob Teeter & Others & make return of their proceeding to the next Court
10 February 1743/44 O. S., Frederick County Order Book 1, p. 29
George Bowman & Robert McCoy Junr having made their return on the Order for Viewing & Laying off the Road from John ffunks Mill Cross Ceedar Run Creek ford to the said Robert McCoy Junrs to Branstons Gapp in these words We the Subscribers have viewed and laid Out the Road from ffunks Mill back of George Teleners and from thence to Ceedar Creek ford & Robert McCoy’s & from thence to Gregories ford upon the River & thereupon its Ordered that the sd. Road be Cleared by the Petitioners Robert McCoy, George Dellener & George Bowman are hereby Appointed Overseers of the said Road & its further Ordered that they cause the said Road to be cleared According to Law.
