Thomas McElhany (1744-1828) Revolutionary War veteran

THOMAS MCELHANY

1744–1828

BIRTH 1744 • Hanover Twp, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

DEATH 01 SEP 1828 • East Hanover, Dauphin, Pennsylvania

Living on the frontier in Pennsylvania as a boy, there were the usual tasks of settling a new area with his parents (probably Scotch-Irish immigrants), building a home, barns, animal shelters, wells, clearing fields, etc. Plus the English/Scotch-Irish/German settlers were taking Indian lands, and sometimes the Indians fought back.

Modern day Amish dairy farm, Lancaster County PA

Then as a man of his mid-thirties, the Continental Congress started meeting in Philadelphia.

Thomas Jefferson spent the night of April 12, 1776 at the Sign of the Horse, an inn, owned by Caspar Reinecker on Frederick Street [in Hanover]. Records indicate that Jefferson paid "Rhenegher" 11 shillings, 6 pence for dinner and lodging. He was on his way from Monticello to Philadelphia to attend the first meeting of the Continental Congress, where on June 10 he would begin the draft the Declaration of Independence. At the time, Hanover was located at the crossing of two well-traveled roads, one from the port of Baltimore to points north and west and the other between Philadelphia and the Valley of Virginia. When Jefferson returned from Philadelphia to Monticello, he again dined and spent the night of September 5 at Reinecker's inn.^[10]At the start of the Revolutionary War, Hanover consisted of about 500 homes, most of which were built out of logs.^{[9] (Source Wikipedia)}

In answer to my question about how Hanover had been part of Lancaster County, I found this answer:

"Hanover township was erected, upon a petition of the inhabitants of Lancaster county, presented at the February session of 1736-37."  Source:Rupp, 1844, Old Hanover Township Lancaster County PA.

Now that helps me understand his birth in a township that is no longer in Lancaster County.

He ended up not far from there, in the Old Hanover Presbyterian Churchyard  Grantville, Dauphin County,Pennsylvania. It's also known as the Old English Graveyard, and Old Hanover Cemetery.  Dauphin County was established as part of Lancaster County. His grave is among 7 McElhanys whose graves are there.

His brother John McElhany was also a veteran of the Revolutionary War.

There's more interesting information about the history of Hanover PA, at Wikipedia HERE.  I'll not copy any more into the blog...but would recommend if you're interested to read more yourself.

Historical Sketch of Old Hanover by Rev. Thomas H. Robinson, D.D. (1828 - 1906), ‪Dauphin County Historical Society, Harrisburg, PA., 1878‬, says: 

Thomas McElhenny, Sen., born 1745 (sic), died 1 Sep 1829 (sic). Page 23 says Thomas M'Elheny (and Wm M'Elheny) was a head of familly in 1788. Page 30 says a Thomas M'Elney (and Hannah M'Elheny) was admitted to the Lord's Table on 26, 1789. It includes a Wm M'Elheny, son of Wm and Eliz was born on 21 Nov 1790, and baptized on 2 Jan 91

His father (Alexander McElhany from yesterday's post HERE) died in 1761 when he was 17, and he was the oldest of the 6 children, with John, his only brother being 7, and the 4 girls between 10 and 4 years old. We don't have any dates for his mother unfortunately.

When he was 20, in 1764, he married Mary McCord.  Her parents had come from Ireland. She was also born in Hanover though, and that seems to be where the McElhanys stayed throughout their lives.

Thomas and Mary McCord McElhany had 5 children, 3 boys, 2 girls, born between 1765 and 1778. Only 3 have dates of their deaths, so I don't know if the others lived into adulthood.

Thomas and Mary McElhany are my 6th great grandparents.  Their eldest son, William McElhany had a daughter named Jane, who married Isaac Booth.  Thus the Booth connection.  Many more ancestors to log onto my blog.

Next I'm going to go back to the Emerald Isle with the Mary McCord's family tree for a bit.

Today's Quote:

Squirrel medicine reminds us to set aside a portion of our most precious resources as an investment in the future.  Native American animal medicine.