 - Aft 1789
-
| Name |
Nancy Ann McKenzie |
| Birth |
Hopson's Choice, Maryland  |
| Gender |
Female |
| Death |
Aft 1789 |
Allegany County, Maryland |
| Notes |
- The followig information was sent to the author in Augsut, 2018 by Phil Brode. As one will see after reviewing the information, the location of the grave of Nancy Ann Porter is in dispute. Michael A. McKenzie August 27, 2018
The Nancy Ann (McKenzie) Porter burial site has "wandered" a bit over the years for the 'assignment' in my records. For years I just assumed it was in a now unmarked grave at Porter Cemetery at Rose Meadow. Seemed reasonable when we thought the old story about John Porter's pioneer movements from Wellersburg Pa, to Mount Savage MD to ultimately getting Rose Meadow as Revolutionary War service payment, occurred much earlier than her death. Why not? (And, not unexpected that her marker would be 'lost' considering she died earlier than John & his marker is so small & primitive as well.)
But then two things challenged this idea and sent me on a search. Thanks to the superman abilities with deed searching by Scott et. al. of the Williams clan, we learned that the two 50 acre plots that were Rose Meadow proper, were not originally owned by John Porter as per the old story of his selection, BUT were purchased by John Porter from John Matthews in the mid to late 1790's. My wobbly records for Nancy Ann's death include dates of 1786 or 1788 or 1789 depending on the source, all before John bought and settled Rose Meadow. In addition, for some time, Find-A-Grave had her place of burial as Allegany County Cemetery, Cumberland MD. While visiting western Maryland one time, my mother & I took off to find this site. We found a well kept cemetery, with very few marked graves, but many many graves without markers; only to learn that this was the Potter's/Pauper's cemetery, hence unmarked graves. Suddenly this seemed to be a dead-end; no pun was intended or noticed until I typed those words. Why would someone as well off as John Porter be burying his wife there? And, why there instead of close to one of his western Maryland residences at the time of her death. I won't believe that source, until supported with cemetery records if they exist. So, she's most likely not at PC@RM if the deed records & her death dates are correct, but where is she?
The following information was sent to the writer, Michael A. Mckenzie by Scott Carter Williams in August, 2018:
All,
We have always been dependent on Samuel Doak Porters' (SDP) book for information about Nancy McKenzie (b. 1746, m 1767, d. no given). Phil Brode believes that her passing was in either 1786, 88, or 89. I am hopeful that the Colonel Gabriel T. MacKenzie’s microfilm will yield something more like source material. We know from SDP's book that he and the Colonel corresponded and the notes that I have seen so far support that. Attached is some of the Colonel’s notes regarding Nancy and John Porter Jr, plus a published page that he references in his notes regarding Gabriel McKenzie's early presence in Western Maryland - perhaps predating the end of the French and Indian War (1763). We see elsewhere that Gabriel is selling land on Pipe Creek, and this may (or may not) indicate a move in the making.
I am also attaching a resource written by SDP on the history of the Sloan family. The Sloans and the Percys were Scottish families who immigrated to WM in the 1830s and assisted the Porters in making the coal mines on Federal Hill (Rose Meadow) viable. The families soon intermarried (see a pattern?? :).
The hand written notes by the Colonel in the first attachment are from an informant named "Ann Sloan" who is referenced in the second document as a granddaughter of John M. Porter (Squire Jack). This makes her the grand-grand daughter of John Porter Jr. (b. 1737). The reason that I share this article is this quote from SDP:
"Several of his (John Porter Jr's) and Nancy's brothers came with him to Allegany County and settled near him."
Gabriel and sons may have been settled west of Fort Cumberland as early as the 1750s or 60s according the Century of Growth book. We know from Bedford Co Census documents that both John Porter and Gabriel McKenzie (and sons) were there just before the war broke out. We also know that the identified sons of Moses Sr (Moses Jr, Joshua, and Jessie) enlisted and served in Frederick County during the war (not near Fort Cumberland). Therefore, if Nancy came west with John Porter and her brothers at the same time (pre-war) it would follow that "Nancy's brothers" may have been Gabriel's sons, not Moses Sr's. The theory, however, could be negated if Moses Sr had older sons (closer to Nancy's age) that moved at the same time as Gabriel.
We have much to learn, and I am hopeful that the Colonel’ss notes will bear more fruit for us.
Best Regards,
Scott Williams
The writer, Michael A. Mckenzie responded to Scott with the following email. This information is being placed here so that current and future researchers will know and understand the thought processes that played out w/r/t to the topic of just whom was Nancy Ann McKenzie's father.
Here is the reply email:
Hi All:
So many emails, so much to think about.
I am still going through emails from the past few days and reflecting on what was written.
Scott stated below: "Several of his (John Porter Jr's) and Nancy's brothers came with him to Allegany County and settled near him."
Gabriel and sons may have been settled west of Fort Cumberland as early as the 1750s or 60s according the Century of Growth book. We know from Bedford Co Census documents that both John Porter and Gabriel (and sons) were there just before the war broke out. We also know that the identified sons of Moses Sr (Moses Jr, Joshua, and Jessie) enlisted and served in Frederick County during the war (not near Fort Cumberland). Therefore, if Nancy came west with John Porter and her brothers at the same time (pre-war) it would follow that "Nancy's brothers" may have been Gabriel's sons, not Moses Sr's. The theory, however, could be negated if Moses Sr had older sons (closer to Nancy's age) that moved at the same time as Gabriel.
I would like to explore this for a minute because I think Scott may have hit upon something that would cause me to put Nancy Ann McKenzie as the daughter of Gabriel and not Moses, Sr.
Here is my thinking: If SDP is correct and Nancy’s brothers travelled west with them, the ages of the respective brothers make me lean towards them being the sons of Gabriel.
Let’s pick a date, say 1772. Gabriel’s son’s, Samuel and Daniel, would be 21 and 20 respectively.
Picking the same date, 1772, Moses Sr.’s sons would be 12, 10 and 8.
If one is travelling west with their brothers, I tend to lean to the older brothers and not a group of youngsters aged 8-12. Also, men in their 20’s would be “settling near her”, whereas youngsters aged 8-12 would need to be taken care of by others. When we couple this analysis with Racheal (Rachill) McKenzie placing Joshua in indentureship in 1768, it seems to support the hypothesis that Nancy was the daughter of Gabriel and not of Moses, Sr.
Just food for thought as we continue our quest.
Thoughts anyone?
Regards
Mike McKenzie
And, just to make certain we were well grounded, Ann Stansbarger wrote in response:
Hi All,
I recommend caution when it comes to Nancy Ann and here is why. We have to think about what was happening with the two brothers, Gabriel McKenzie and Moses McKenzie Sr. Gabriel began selling his properties one by one in Frederick Co at about the time of the end of the French and Indian War (1763). He had plans to move his family to western MD, which we know he ultimately did. His brother Moses, according to legend, sold his farm and was robbed and killed on the road. This would have been sometime after Joshua was conceived 1763-64 and before Joshua went into indenture, 1768 — exactly the same time Gabriel was getting ready for his move.
When Moses Sr was killed his family was thrown into turmoil. Rachel pleaded for her widow’s share of Moses’ inheritance. She said in the petition she had small children to take care of and had no money. Any older children of Moses, if there had been any, must have had to find their own way.
Were there older children? There had to have been. I don’t have the reference handy but I know it is on the MOEM site. There was “old John” McKenzie who died in Allegany Co in the mid 1790s. His estate was administered by Moses McKenzie Jr. Old John could not have been a son of Gab’l because Gab’l already had a son John. This Old John was in all likelihood a brother of Moses Jr (b1760). Since he was “old” in the mid 1790s, that says he was probably born in the mid 1740’s - about the time of Nancy Ann’s birth.
After Moses Sr died I think there was work for the older children of Moses with their uncle Gabriel. He would have needed help to clear land on his new farm in western MD, and he would have needed help farming his old lands left behind in Frederick Co, until they were eventually all sold off.
Nancy Ann, if she was a daughter of Moses, would have gotten married as soon as possible after her father’s death.
Sorry it isn’t more concrete.
Best, Ann
Then Nathan Williams added:
Ann and all,
Very important facts to keep in mind concerning Moses and family structure. I have a few points of concern over Moses Sr. being daddy based on what we know, and don't know.
- Moses' wife was said to be a Porter, daughter of John Porter, emigrant. Like other myths, we can't confirm or refute it but if true, it would mean Nancy Ann McKenzie was the niece of her husband, John Porter of Bedford/Allegany. People married close relatives, we have our share, but marrying a niece would seem strange.
- As researchers, we struggle mightly with the reality we can't place ANY of our known Porters in Maryland before they show up in Bedford, PA. Their PA record is the first confirmed appearance of John and Moses Porter. Henry is in Maryland for the 1776 loyalty oath. I will let my Uncle Scott answer Allan specifically about John Porter, emigrant, but to be honest, he is a ghost. We have no records in the US to show he existed. Our paper trail starts with his alleged sons John, Moses, and Henry Porter on the frontier.
I think that is why Moses causes us some problems. We can't really place any Porters down near the McKenzies in downstate Maryland, despite the oral stories that they were multi-generational connections between them. We are more in our comfort zone with Gabe, since he was a known neighbor, and the relationship could have started in PA, not downstate Maryland.
Now, none of that means Nancy couldn't have been living with Gabe on the frontier, or that the Porter brothers did live near Hobson's Choice, but left no records. The lack of hard dates matter too. For instance, MOEM, speculates the Porter-McKenzie marriage took place before Moses Sr's death on the road. Although, I think all those dates are estimates.
https://mckenziesofearlymaryland.com/getperson.php?personID=I00129&tree=McKenzie1
Moses Sr. McKenzie b. Abt 1720 Hopson's Choice, Maryland d. Abt 1767: The McKenzies of Early Maryland
mckenziesofearlymaryland.com
Moses Sr. McKenzie b. Abt 1720 Hopson's Choice, Maryland d. Abt 1767: The McKenzies of Early Maryland
Nathan
And, to stir the pot one more time, Scott Williams added:
Ann,
As you can imagine, the "ick" factor of niece/uncle thing has probably been of more concern to our side of the tree than yours *smile*, but I have an (almost) elegant solution that solves several problems at once:
•Moses Sr has a first marriage (to a non-Porter :)) that produces Nancy McKenzie and *some* older brothers
•Moses Sr has a later marriage to a Porter (Nancy Jane Rachel?) that produces the younger brothers (Moses Jr, Jessie, and Joshua)
Problem solved - and all very speculative. BUT I have noted that something changed Col. GT Mack's mind from Gabe to Moses Sr as the father of Nancy during the course of his research - so (again) time for us (the ATL gang) to better review the Col's material and get it into a format where it can be useful in research.
What you have shown, however, in these first emails is your perception of a family in crisis due to the death of a father and documented responses to duress. So if the speculation above is accurate, and we have documented Porters (Philip and maybe an older Nancy) in proximity to the Moses Sr family in about 1768 acting as part of the solution, we have really moved the ball.
I ask one question - does Team McKenzie know the origin of the Moses Sr murder story, or have an "earliest source" record of it? In my newspaper searches I found a plaintive request from a reader to the weekly column of legendary Cumberland Md columnist J. William Hunt in the 1950s seeking information on the incident. The reader's name was included and if that adds some value, I could try to find the original item and share it with you. Mr. Hunt requested that responses go directly to the reader, and not to the newspaper - ARGH!
Beyond that, I am going to leave the topic for awhile, having sufficiently stirred the pot for now :)
Scott
On September 17, 2018 the writer, Michael A. McKenzie wrote to the Porter/McKenzie Research Group and asked if anyone was aware of any primary source documents concerning Nancy McKenzie Porter. The reply later that day from Alan Williams was as follows:
My short answer is that I am not (aware of any primary source documents). One thing that’s certain is that it’s in the naming of her children that we encounter the name confusion as we had last night. Assuming Nancy to be a McKenzie (a very safe bet, I think) she names children after her husband, her father, and her uncle. No Jessies or Joshua’s though. One of the results is that Porters and McKenzie’s are shot through for generations with Gabriel, Moses, Michael and Samuels.
Porters have no first name ‘Bennett’, Rachel and Harriet (as well as Eleanor and Mary and Sarah) are popular for girls.
Both Moses and John Porter also favored Samuel in their boys, and Moses line later introduces ‘Scott’ as a frequent middle name and well as Ellis. Scott appears at a time that it may reference General Winfield Scott, the Military hero (1812 through the Mexican War) and 1852 Presidential candidate.
Needless to say, the writer concludes after these great exchanges, that something "more" will need to be located/discovered before the answer to the question posed will be known once and for all. Was Nancy the daughter of Moses (b. abt. 1720) or was she the daughter of Gabriel (b. abt. 1715)? That remains the question. Michael A. McKenzie, September 18, 2018
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| Person ID |
I00131 |
McKenzie Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
29 Oct 2021 |
| Family |
John Thomas Jr. Porter, b. 1737, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. 1810, Allegany County, Maryland (Age 73 years) |
| Marriage |
1767 |
Carroll County, Maryland |
| Children |
| | 1. Michael Porter, b. Abt 1768, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. UNKNOWN [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 2. Samuel Porter, b. Abt 1770, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. Abt 1828 (Age ~ 58 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 3. Thomas Porter, b. Abt 1772, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. 24 Apr 1854, Knox County, Ohio (Age ~ 82 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 4. Gabriel McKenzie Porter, b. 17 Sep 1776, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. 20 Apr 1842, Tinsman Station, Fayette County, Pennsylvania (Age 65 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 5. Henry Porter, b. 1778, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. UNKNOWN [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 6. Moses Porter, b. Apr 1781, Carrollton, Carroll County, Maryland d. 2 Nov 1861, Eckhart Mines, Allegany County, Maryland (Age ~ 80 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 7. John M. (Squire Jack) Porter, b. 24 Jun 1783, Wellersburg, Somerset County, Pennsylvania d. 15 Feb 1863, Rose Meadows, Maryland (Age 79 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 8. Elizabeth Eleanor (Nellie) Porter, b. Abt 1785, Wellersburg, Somerset County, Pennsylvania d. 1855, Allegany County, Maryland (Age ~ 70 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
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| Family ID |
F00106 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
29 Oct 2021 |
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