HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
JAMES MCCARTNEY
BIOGRAPHY AND GENEALOGY
(1783-1831)
Madison County, Alabama
By
Lavone Johnson Anglen
James McCartney was born November 6, 1783. James was named as executor of his father, Charles will. James did not inherit anything from his father, but neither did the other son, John, inherit any real property when they came of age or upon their marriage. It is thought that Charles had already given his sons part of his Estate before his death and therefore left the real property to his daughters only. There is no record of another James McCartney in Madison County at that time or later.
James was married prior to coming to Madison County to Eliza Allan. Eliza Allan was the daughter of David Allan and Mary Knight Allan. She was the sister to Rev. John Allan and Harriet Allan Boyd who also lived in Madison County, Alabama. They previously came from Georgia.
Eliza Allan McCartney was born November 10, 1773, and died January 21, 1826 (gravestone), leaving no heirs. In 1819. 1820, and 1821 James McCartney and wife Eliza, deeded property to various individuals in Madison County; this property being a part of the 1811 and 1812 tracts of land bought by James.
In the will of Thomas Knight, England’s famous actor and playwright, who was uncle to Eliza Allan McCartney left bequeaths to his niece, Eliza MCartney the sum of four hundred pounds and in case of her death in my life time, then I give the same amount to her children that shall be living at the time of my decease equally to the divided amount share and share alike.
However, Eliza McCartney never had any children. She died in 1826 six years after Thomas Knight. Eliza Allan is listed as born in1780 and that she was baptized at St. Bartholomew the Great, London, England to parents David Allan and Mary Allan–parish register. The gravestone birth is incorrect. She was not ten years older than her husband. Rev. John Allan, Eliza’s brother named his son, James McCartney Allan and they were of Madison Co., Alabama.
The McCartney family originally came from South Carolina and Eliza Allan arrived in 1801 with her parents from England to South Carolina and then migrated to Georgia. Eventually, they moved to Madison County, Alabama.
After Eliza Allan McCartney’s death, James married Martha H. Jordon September 27, 1826, in Madison County, Alabama. They had two children, James McCartney and Fleming J. McCartney. Both sons died without issue. James McCartney died July 23, 1831 and his widow married George Weaver in 1933 in Madison County. George Weaver died before 1842 for Martha H. Weaver married Matthew H. Bone in that year.
Eliza, James McCartney and his two sons, James B. and Fleming, as well as other members of the family are buried in what is known as the Old Bone Cemetery. It is located in the side yard of what is known as the old Bone house. This house was still standing at one time and is located a short distance from Maysville, Alabama on land that originally belonged to James McCartney.
James McCartney is listed in several genealogical articles. He was appointed Justice of the Peace 22 Dec. 1811 and appointed Assessor & Tax Collector 23 Dec 1811. Under an Act to incorporate the Limestone and Flint River Navigation Companies James McCartney along with others was appointed commissioners to superintend and apply all moneys which may be subscribed for the purpose of cleaning out and removing all obstructions in the Flint River, below Brown’s mills. This was approved Dec. 31, 1823. In December 1720 along with others James McCartney shall be associated with improvements of the Navigation of Flint River, in Madison County, from Captain Scott’s Mills to the Tennessee River.
November 25. 1812 James McCartney is listed with others to establish in Madison County an Academy, which shall bear the name of “Green Academy.” James McCartney was named a Trustee along with the others of Green Academy.
There are no children to be listed under Eliza Allan, but under Martha Jordon McCartney they are as follows:
- James McCartney b. 1827 Madison County, Alabama d. 1884 Madison County, Alabama
- Fleming J. McCartney b. 1829 Madison County, Alabama d. 12 June 1853 Madison County, Alabama.
This story is hard to follow. Must be misprints on these dates. George Weaver in 1933 must be 1833. Cleaning out the river in 1720 must be 1820. I wonder if this family is connected to the old McCartney man that was called the Goatman that toured around with his goats and wagon in the 1900s?
Freindzone