An American Family History

Zachaiah MacKay

Zachariah MacKay was born about 1714 in New Jersey. He was the son of Robert MacKay and Anne Browne.

He migrated to Virginia with his family.

He married Lydia Whitson.

Deborah MacKay (1737, married Jacob Jobe)
Dorcas MacKay (1739, married Samuel Jobe)

In 1739, Zachariah patented 1,200 acres in the Shenandoah Valley.

In 1749, Zachariah signed a petition for a road to be opened from Caleb Jobe's plantation, on the south side of the Shenandoah, to his brother, James's plantation on the north side, with a crossing at Brush Bottom Ford.

In 1752, when his father died, Zachariah recieved part of his fathe'rs original grant. He refused to act as executor of his father's will because it required making an oath.

In 1754, William Whitson bought 400 acres from Zachariah and his brother, James, in Frederick County. 

On September 2, 1756 Jeremiah Odell, Zachariah, Moses and James MacKay, and John Ridgeway were presented as deliquent to Lord Fairfax at a court martial .

From 1756 to 1760 Zachariah's name appeared on the Frederick County militia muster roll in Captain Henry Speak's Company.

On June 22, 1768, Zachariah, Moses, Robert and James MacKay, of Frederick County, sold John Lincoln 250 & 600 acres on Linville Creek as part of part of 1,200 acres.

In 1779, Zachariah was in Washington County, North Carolina, (now Sullivan County, Tennessee).

February 8, 1790

Know ye by these present that I, Zachariah MacKay, of the County of Sullivan and the State of North Carolina, have made and ordained and constituted and by there presence do make and ordain in my place and stead I put my trusty and well beloved friend Jeremiah MacKay and Sinnet Young of the County of Shenandoah in Virginia for the recovery of all debts and money due to me.
Signed by James MacKay and EdwinYoung. 

Zachariah died about 1797 in Sullivan County, Tennessee.

from the MacKeys and Allied Families

Zachary/Zachariah McKay was one of the younger sons of Robert McKay, Sr. It is probable he was a s. by Margt. the 2d w. of Robt. Sr.

Zachariah McKay served in the Militia of Frederick Co. Va. His name among others, appears in Capt. Henry Speaks’ Co. on Muster Roll dated 28 Oct 1756/60, obtained from an old deed book by Col. Bryan Conrad. (Winchester Evening Star: 19 Mch 1928).

The Quaker records show "Zachariah Mekay mou. 4 da. 1 mo. 1768, and that he was dis. 4 da. 6 mo. 1770."

Chalkley shows the w. of Zachariah McKay to be Lydia_?

Zachariah McKay next appears in what is now Sullivan Co. Tenn. (Sullivan was formed from Washington Co. (now Tennessee) in 1779. The Dist. of Washington was officially recognized in 1776 as a part of North Carolina.

The settlers living along the Watauga, Holston and Nolachucky rivers petitioned the Council of Safety 22 Aug 1776: "that since they are within the bounds of the State." The petition further states, "six years prior to the above date (1776) when they settled along these rivers they believed themselves to be in the bounds of Virginia, but had since found they were not." Washington (now Tennessee) was formed in 1777 by changing the name of Washington Dist. to Washington Co.)

Zachariah McKay, 8 Feb 1790, resident of Sullivan Co. N. C. (sic) gives P. Atty. to Jeremiah McKay & Sinnet Young of Shennandoah Co. Va., "to receive all sums of money due me for rents whereon Geo. Priest, Thos. Vinson & Peter Netherbum now lives. Wit: Edward Young, Wm. Dobson, James McKay." (Shenandoah Co. Va: G-467).

The exact date Zachariah McKay came to the North Carolina (now Tennessee) area has not been established. It is probable he came with his sister, Elizabeth (McKay) Job and her chn.

The court records indicate he was alive 6 June 1797, but his place of residence was not given. (Va. State Lib: Leases Northern Neck, (1795-1797), X-546).

It is not known whether Zachariah McKay remained in Tenn. or where he finally settled. The names of his chn. are unknown. Extensive research has been made in Washington, Greene, Sullivan and Cocke Cos. Tenn. to establish data on Zachariah McKay or his chn. The earliest probate records in Sullivan Co. were destroyed by fire. All of the records in Cocke Co. Tenn. were destroyed with exception of a very few. In some instances, however, deeds have been re-recorded. There are McKays residing in Cocke Co. Tenn.