McELHENNY FAMILY

Two Minister-Brothers

In Howe's Hist. of Presby Church in SC, Vol 1. there is a footnote on pp 611-12, which contains portions of a letter from Rev John McElhenny to J.H.Saye; it is a short description of the life of his elder brother, Rev. James McElhenny:

Rev. James McElhenny(1768-1812) was said to have been born in Waxhaws (although Lunenburg Co. VA has also been claimed as his birthplace). His father was John, and his grandfather S McElhenny. His mother was said to be a Cail. The family lived in the Waxhaws (Lancaster Co. SC), and there were 4 sons and 2 daughters. The older son was James. Their father, John, died after the Revolution. The family moved to Chester Co. James McElhenny married Jane Moore at Bethesda Church in York Co. It seems likely that David Leech and Prudence McElhenny were also married there. Was Prudence one of James' two sisters??

James studied with Rev. Jospeh Alexander, pastor of Bullocks Creek Church in York Co. He also studied sciences with Dr. Hall of NC. Licensed and invited to preach at St. Johns Island near Charleston. Due to health he moved to Pendleton District, near the Old Stone Church.

(in 1990 the writer bought a house just off Old Stone Church Road, about a half mile from the church. At that time he had no idea there were kinfolk nearby, but it seems likely that Rev. James McElhenny was his gx uncle.)

"Rev James McElhaney married Jane Moore of Bethesda. According to Hart: Jane Moore was the 5th child of the original James Moore who died (1774-87). She married Rev. James McElhenny. (In 1779 John McElheney, Jr. had witnessed a conveyance of David Leech to the Moore family, of which more is detailed below).

1794 James McElhenny of Chester Co. SC, was one of four presidents of the Philomathic Society, instituted this year, a debating society. Another member was Jackson McElhenney. (Chester Bulletin for June, 1992 p 58/9.) (Perhaps the man who had just married Jane Moore and went to Old Stone Church in Pendleton.)

In 1801 Rev. James McElhenny was installed pastor of Old Stone Church, Pendleton Co, SC, which had just been built. He built a four room house about a mile from the Old Stone Church. He died in 1812 at age 44 and is buried in the Old Stone Church cemetery. This is in Clemson, which is now in Pickens Co.

His son in law was Rev. James Archibald Murphy, husband of Jane McElhenny. He died the same year. It was said that they were trying to grow rice in the swamps, which led to their death.

Rev. James McElhenny's 2nd wife was Mrs. Smith Wilkinson; his step-daughter, Susan Wilkinson married Governor Andrew Pickens. Her son was Francis W. Pickens who served as South Carolina's governor during the Civil War.
(Members of the Pickens extended family are buried at Rock Springs Presbyterian Church in Mt. Hope in Lawrence Co. AL, a few miles from where Prudence McElhany Leech's son, John lived.)

Rev. James' grandson, James Archibald Murphy, Jr. md Dorcas Moore, probably a cousin. Their son, James Archibald Murphy III died unmarried.

Jane McElhenny Murphy, a widow, married again to her first cousin, Alfred Moore.

Rev. James McElhaney's four room house was purchased about 1820 by John C. Calhoun. In due course it came into the possession of Calhoun's son in law, a man named Clemson. It was enlarged and modified into a ten bedroom house with a large Greek facade on two sides. At his death Clemson gave the house and surrounding property to the state of South Carolina for agricultural research--out of which of course developed Clemson University. The house remains in the center of the campus. 

Before Fort Hill, the antebellum plantation of John C. Calhoun, South Carolina’s pre-eminent 19th century statesman, there was four-room Clergy Hall.  Originally built in 1803, Clergy Hall served as the manse or parsonage for nearby Hopewell-Keowee Church, now known as Old Stone Presbyterian Church. Next, Floride Bonneau Colhoun, John C. Calhoun’s mother-in-law, purchased the 600 acre property; U.S. Vice President Calhoun’s family called the expanded structure Fort Hill, starting in 1830, after Revolutionary War Fort Rutledge.

-------------------------------------------------------------- Rev. John McElhaney (1781-1871)was born in Waxhaws. His patriot father died when he was an infant. He was reared by his older brother, James. Their father was John.

At school time he chose Yale, but it was closed due to yellow-fever; so he went with his schoolmate, Sam Wilson to Washington Academy in Lexington, VA. He was ordained in Rockbridge Co., but served in York Co.SC most of his life. He died in 1871.

(Another James McIlheny was said to be born in York Co. SC in 1759 (although there was no York Co. SC at that time) and living in District 96 when he enlisted with Capt. John McIlheny. This may be the Spartanburg family. He was later Company Captain in the regiments of Col John Thomas and Col. Hammond.)

Alexander McElhenny was in the militia under Col Roebuck; after the fall of Charleston he lost a horse. (Same unit as Capt. David Leech)
There were land grants to a man of this name over on the Saluda River.

York Co. SC

The two Rev. McElhaneys were members of Bethesda Church, probably organized by Rev. Wm Richardson about the time he acquired half of the land grant of Thomas and Jean McKelheney in Lancaster Co. It was located a few miles southeast of Yorkville in York Co. Here worshiped David Leech of the writer's family and many other families associated with LEECH, both in York Co. and later in Lawrence Co. AL. This is certain in the cases of ASH and DICKEY and probably quite a few others. For example Hezekiah Balch, a missionary from the New York Synod, often preached at Bethesda; a person of that name is found in the 1820 Lawrence Co. census.

Bethesda Church is a few miles south and a little east from Yorkville 20 miles from the Broad and 17 miles from the Catawba. The congregation is listed in History of the Presbyterian Church of SC, by Haire, p. 338.

In 1759 Thomas and Jean Mcelhony got property on the Catawba, and in 1767 James and Wm McElkene acquired 500a on Fishing Creek, witnessed by Tho and Jane McElkeny.

In 1763 James Moore had received a grant on the south fork of Fishing Creek. 126 acres of it were conveyed to David Leech in 1769. In 1779 David Leech, tanner, conveyed it back to John Moore, Jr. perhaps a son of James Moore, the original grantee. One of the witnesses was John McElheney, Jr. (Recall that Rev. James McElhaney was to marry Jane Moore, said to be the 5th child of the original James Moore.

Chester County

1767 McElkene Jas and Wm SC York/Chester 500a from James Johnston for 200 lbs. on Fishing Creek, which Johnston bought from Wm Jones in 1754 (SC Deed Abstracts III p 364)
wit Tho and Jane McElkeny, Catherine McAdoo
(Since a granddaughter of Prudence McElhaney, Jane Leech married Able Johnston in Lawrence AL in 1824, one can't help wondering if this James Johnston may be an ancestor of Able Johnston of Lawrence Co. AL.)

1775 Samuel Dunlap and wife Elizabeth of Bekley Co. to John McElhany of Craven Co. for 45 lb 300a on Cane Creek, adj. Thomas McMeen, John Dunlap, Eliz Dunlap, Witnesses Richard Cousart, Alex Thompson, John Dunlap.

In 1799 John McElhany, late of Chester Co for $300 sold to Eliezar Alexander 300 acres on e side of Cane Cr. on both sides of the Road called the Lands Ford Road adj Eliezar Alexander, Eliz and Wm McMeen, John Simpson, Ben. Cudworth and David Adams.
wit Alexdr Moore, Thos McElhenny
Agnes McElheney X relinquished dower rights before John Simpson, J.L.C.
(Was John McElhany going to KY?)

1814 McElhenny Stephen SC Chester adj to land on Fishing Creek which John Blair sold to Sam Rainey Book R Page 352 Chester County Deeds: Sept 13 1814, John Blair of York District SC, for 325 dollars, to Samuel Rainey of Chester, 122 ac in Chester District on south fork of Fishing Creek, bounded by Allen Knight on north, Stephen McElhenny on east, Thomas Wallace on south, Samuel Rainey on west, conveyed from James Wallace to William Miller, and from John Kennedy, Sheriff of Chester County, as the property of said Miller to Samuel McNeels, to John Blair. (Guardian of David B. Martin) Witnesses: Thomas Wallace, ?JP, James Martin.
(I have not ascertained the nature of the relationship between the McElhaney and Blair families, but it certainly seems significant. Consider for example that another granddaughter of Prudence McElhaney Leech, Clarissa Fineta Leech, married John Dickey Blair in Lawrence Co. AL. Consider also that this John Blair was the guardian of David Martin, perhaps the same David Martin who was a neighbor of Prudence's son, John Leech in Lawrence Co.

1819 McElhenny Robert SC Chester 195a from exors of John Wright Decd (James Gill of Chester and Robert Love of York) tract orig granted to James Bigham 6 Oct 1763 (100a), then resurveyed by John McReary, Surv for Estate of John Wright it was 195a adj Wm Brown, Pagan, John Gills corner wit James Wallace Sam Bannon proved before Tho Wallace by Tho McElhennny who said James Wallace swore to him.

Chester Wills Vol II, Book G, p 71:
1821 McElheny James SC Chester will (He seems to be a batchelor!)
sister: Nancy McElhany 150a where I live.
at her death divided between 3 sons of Steven McElheny:
James, Robt, and John.
James to get 50a adj Jonathan Wallace.
Brother Sam and James (Sam's son?) the property which they now have.
exor Sam McNeil
wits John Clark, Eliz McNeil, Esther McElheny
proved 1822
( from this I get:
siblings: James, Nancy, Steven and Sam.
Steven's sons: James, Robt and John
Sam's son: James
This certainly appears to be the McElheny family on page 276 in Chester in 1810, while David Leech was on page 274.

Spartanburg and Greenville Counties Patent Entry Book:
ND McElheney Alexander SC 134a n side of Saluda p 75
ND McElheney Alexander SC 200a n side of Saluda River p. 12
ND McElheney James SC 400a South Saluda R. p 8
ND McElheney John Sr. SC 200a both sides middle fork of Tyger p. 69
ND McElheney Wm SC 624a both side Chechoroa River of Saluda p 28

1767 McKlekeny, John SC Spartanburg 100a s sides of n. fork of Tygar River, adj Thomas Collins, John Leech & his own land. File no. 86; grant no. 104 Bk 20 p. 43(a SC instrument)

Mecklenburg Co NC Warrants (may be repetitious):
1769 Mackilhany John NC Meck 100a s side of N fork of Tyger adj Tho Collins and Francis Dodd's lines (an NC instrument)

1769 Mackilhany John NC Meck 200a N fork of Tyger on Browns Ck betwen John Prince and John Miller

1788 McElheny John and wife Anne Armstrong SC Spartan 500a in Greenville Co.(N. side of Saluda for 5 shillings to John and Wm Armstrong wit: Martin Armstrong, Wm Stiggs, James Jordan
(This was a 1785 grant to Ann Armstrong, which suggests that John McElheny may have married Ann Armstrong between 1785-88.

In 1767 John McKlekeny/McIlhenny and John Leech had adjoining property on the Tygar. John Leech died in 1799, and most of his family moved to Kentucky. Among his sons was James, b. 1779. He married Martha Drennon. Among their eleven children were James McElhaney Leech, b 1819 Caldwell County KY (died 1874) (married Elizabeth Ann Dunbar).

The origin of the name James McElhaney Leech is unclear. There are two possibilities: one that it stems from his grandfather, John Leech's association with his neighbor on the Tygar. The other that it stems from his mother's family. It appears that the Drennons may have been members of the Old Stone Church in Pendleton (now Pickens) Co. SC during the years of the pastorate of Rev. James McElhaney.

McElhaneys in Alabama 1830 McElhany David Ala Madison census 130
1830 McElhany James Ala Clar census 234

The writer welcomes comments, criticism, corrections, suggestions, any other sort of correspondence relating to the McElhaney family. Send such to lclay@netzero.net
or slomail to:

Larry Clayton 1906 SE 8th St. Ocala, FL 34471