James McNair (1747-1817) A Woven History

 James McNair
History Sheet
Compiled by Nancy Quillin Long
March 2016
 
Sources:
Leaves of the Family Tree by Penelope Johnson Allen, 1937.
Chalkley's Chronicles
The McNair, McNear, and McNeir genealogies by James Birtley McNair, Chicago: 1929.
Reminiscent History of the Ozark Region This Goodspeed Brothers collection of sketches was originally      published in Chicago in 1864. Southern Historical Press, Inc. reprinted the book from an 1894 edition in            1978, 1984 and 1995.
Department of Cultural Resources: North Carolina. Division of archives and History. Certificates            of payment for military service.
Carolita Quillin Jones - invaluable to me
Ova McNair Ker - invaluable to me
 

For the most part, this history sheet will be stories that others from long ago shared about our James McNair.  I could do no better than giving you these colorful descriptions of him. But before I share those stories, I will share my own genealogical search for the McNair family.  This family was the first prize that I sought.  I had a trip planned to Ireland and McNair was the only family with "Mc" in their name and I was hoping to find a family connection to Ireland.  Silly me for thinking I could find shortcuts through the world of genealogy.  Anyway, I am fortunate to live in a state capitol city where I have access to the state archives, and may I say, it is a wonderful place.  So I started there and as a rookie, I had many lessons to learn.  Needless to say, I became frustrated trying to put a square peg into a round hole, so to speak.  In my frustration, I decided to do a quick search of my maiden name (Quillin) and I stumbled over the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  My search quickly revealed a book written about the Quillin family and the family name was MACQUILLIN until they came to America in the 1660s.  And they came from Ulster, Ireland. Enough said.  I abandoned my McNair search temporarily and totally immersed myself in my Irish history through my maiden name.

 

As stated above, the McNair name was my first sought after treasure and I had all the branches filled on the tree back through my great-great grandfather.  Not only had I become a sleuth, but I had my own private investigator, my mother, Carolita Quillin Jones.  She had a love for family history and a healthy respect for the sacrifices that were made by those who had gone before us. Through her, I was able to contact quite a few older relatives and together we paid visits to them.  It was so much fun reconnecting with these people. This proved invaluable in bringing to light firsthand the information about the leaves on our tree.  Mother put together her recollections and added them to very old photos and before long, I had an amazing amount of history on the McNair family.  I loved digging for the skeletons and finding the bones....she loved adding meat to the bones.  It worked for me!

 

After my trip to Ireland and after I had pieced together my Quillin line, I returned to all the information gathered on the McNairs.  My research kept revealing clues that I might have an ancestor that fought as a Patriot in the Revolutionary War and I was very interested in joining DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).  Little did I know what this was going to entail.  In the midst of this journey, I was called to be a juror on an attempted murder case and spent a week in close contact with the other selected jurors.  One of them, Caroline Bass, was a member of DAR and I learned about the process for honoring our Patriots.  She vowed to help me in my search.  Back in the 1990s before the click of a mouse, this type of research was not easy; however, I am proud that I learned the value of research and documentation and how NOT to rely on everything my mouse now finds.  Just because it is written, does not mean it is so. I learned I had to document a tie before I could establish the connection.

 

Once again, I came up short with the McNair name.  This James remained elusive, but I was nearly there with him.  I just couldn't find that one voucher in the national archives that would credit him for his service in the Revolution.  Here's where my research jumped track again.  In trying to reach James, his son John (Jack) McNair and our great-great grandfather's (Mack Manilus McNair) father, left behind quite a paper trail.  Being a large land owner and having fought in the War of 1812, some wonderful information came to light about him and his wife, Mary Ann Sherertz.  And there it was...a book about the Sheretz and Mary Ann's grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War.  It was a clear shot for my documentation into DAR so I took that angle.  On the Sherertz branch of the tree, I will share more about that family, but it pleases me to say that I was the very first person to honor Conrad Sherertz, Sr. as a Patriot and placing his name into the DAR records.  Learn more about this family in the Sheretz history pages

The Way We Were

"The Way We Were"
 ~ Barbara Steisand

Memories like the corners of my mind
Misty water-colored memories of the way we were
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were
 
Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time re-written every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me, would we? Could we?
 
Memories may be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget
 
So it's the laughter we will remember
Whenever we remember the way we were
The way we were

Recently, we watched this hit movie from 1973. Great movie then and now. Since viewing it again, the words of the hit song keep popping up in my head. "Misty water-colored memories. Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind."

This picture popped up on my screen this morning. It was taken in 2015. Every summer as we travelled to Wyoming and back, we used my sister's home as a jumping off point. In 2015, I was 11 years younger with a new pup, Finn. He was only 9 months old, but already a travelling trouper. My sister also had a dog Nali, that she most recently lost. These were such good times, and I now see it as a time when I was still so energetic....and so was my new pup.

Things are different today....and yes, sometimes painful. Neither of these dogs are with us; we are 11 years older and not as energetic with a new pup that challenges us daily. So emotions welled up inside of me as this picture was on my screen, and I know that this huge lump in my throat is because....I'm choosing to remember the laughter and fun this picture represents. 

John McNair Bastardy Case

 Taking the Bad with the Good

The McNair line was the first line that I attempted to document back into the 1700's in order to gain admission to Daughters of the American Revolution.  Back in the 1980's and 1990's, any genealogical work had to be done the old-fashioned way: pounding the pavement, going to cemeteries and courthouses, writing letters, waiting by the mail and making payments by checks in order for someone else to xerox copies in the archives of their libraries. I did just that for James McNair. I've got ALL the documentation for James under his name but never filed for DAR....yet. The registrar for Daughters of the American Revolution of the Thankful Hubbard chapter was helping me find legitimate sources, and we hit a wall with James. BUT she uncovered Conrad Sherertz's service. Conrad was Mary Ann's father. (Mary Ann was the wife of John McNair, son of James). Being that so much time had been spent, I followed that line and gained my DAR membership being the first person to ever document Conrad Sheretz. It was quite an honor. 

With that said, I had FRIED myself with all the research done and I put genealogy away for about 3 years. When I picked it up again, I DID follow through with gathering all the documents for James McNair's service in the Revolution.

I had received 4 envelopes of copies of legal pages from the Knox County, TN courthouse. The documents included land deeds, their witnessing of other people’s land deeds, having their lands processioned, etc.  But then there was one document that caught my eye…. a bastardy case filed against John.  This would have been shortly before his marriage to Mary Ann Sherertz.  The woman accusing him of “having begotten the said child” could not read or write.  She had to sign the document with an X.  She gave birth to this child on 27 May 1821.  It appears that in Oct 1821, John came to court again and made payment to Mabel Burnett. I would have never known this had it not been one of the court documents sent to me.

Here's the translation as best as I could read the documents:

17 SEPTEMBER 1821

State of Tennessee

Knox County

 

To the Sheriff and any constable of said county  Greetings

 

Whereas upon the examination of Mable Burnett of said county

single woman this day taken oath before us Robert Lindsey and

Robert Armstrong, two of the Justices of the peace for said

county it appears that she was delivered on this 27th day of

May last of a female bastard child which is likely to become

chargeable on said county and the said Mabel Burnett  having

accused John McNair of the said county with having begotten

the said child.  There are therefore in the name of the state

do command you to bring the said John McNair before us or any

two Justices of the Peace of said county to enter into

recognizances with sufficient sureties to appear at the next

court of county pleas and quarter sessions to be held for

said county at the courthouse in Knoxville on the 1st Mon. on

Oct next.  Then and there to answer this said accusation and

to abide by and perform the order of said court  ?  the same.

Given under our hands and seal this 17 Sept 1821

Robert Lindsey

Robert Armstrong

 

  

(On the back of page)

State of Tennessee

Knox County

 

The examination of Mable Burnett single woman of said county

taken on oath before Robert Armstrong and Robert Lindsey two

of the Justices of the Peace of said county this 17th day of

Sept. in the year of our Lord 1821.  Who sayeth, that on the

27th Day of May last she was delivered of a female bastard

child which is likely to become chargeable to this county and

on her oath as aforesaid doth accuse John McNair of said

county with having begotten the said child

Taken and acknowledged before us the day of year above

written

Robert Armstrong                  (X) her mark

Robert Lindsey                     Mable Burnett

29 SEPTEMBER 1821

State of Tennessee
Knox County
 
Be it remembered that on this 29th day of Sept. in the year
of our Lord 1821. John McNair of the said county and William
S. Howell and John Boyd both of the said county, came
personally before Robert Lindsey and Robert Houston two of
the Justices of the peace for said county, and acknowledged
themselves to owe to the state   ?    the said John McNair
the sum of $400 and the said William S. Howell the sum of
$200 each to be respectively levied of their goods and
chattel, lands, and turnover to the   ?  of the state if the
said John McNair shall make default in the performance of the
condition underwritten.
 
The condition of the    ?    is such that whereas on the
examination of a Mable Burnett of said county single woman
lately taken on oath before Robert Armstrong and Robert
Lindsey two of the justices of the peace for said county.  It
appears that on the 27 day of May last she the said Mable
Burnett was  delivered of a female bastard child, which is
likely to become chargeable to said county and the said Mable
Burnett on her oath before said having accused the said John
McNair with having begotten the said child.
 
Now if the said John McNair shall personally appear before
the justices of the court of pleas and   ?   ?    to be held
for the county of Knox at the courthouse in Knoxville on the
1st Mon of Oct must then and there to abide by and perform
what shall be enjoined on him by the said court the promises
? the above ? to as said, otherwise to remain on ? form and ?
 
Taken and acknowledged before us Robert Lindsey and Robert
Houston

He had until the 1st Monday in Oct of 1821 to appear and abide by the court decsion.

WAR OF 1812 - John McNair's Pension card

 John's military service was in Tennessee. 
His pension numbers were: 
pension number #1 WO30367 
pension number #2 WC25181
Roll # 62
Archive Publication Number M 313

John McNair and Mary Ann Sherertz Marriage bond

 

My McNair Lineage in the McNair Book by James Birtley McNair

 James McNair > John McNair > Mack Manilus McNair
McNair Genealogies: 1928 ed.: James Birtley McNair
https://archive.org/details/mcnairmcnearmcne1928mcna/page/298/mode/2up

Mack Manilus McNair - on page 300, listed as the 16th child 
of John and Mary Ann McNair.

James Birtley McNair compiled McNair History

                                                                McNair Quote

As long as marriages are recorded, births registered, gravestones used, and obituaries written there is value to genealogy. As long as heredity is recognized, family merit encouraged, and patriotism cherished genealogy is imperative.

                                                ~ James Birtley McNair 1929

James Birtley McNair compiled the McNair History into several volumes. Most all of them can be found on Family Search (Mormon website) through their book library and can be viewed by the public. I purchased ALL of the volumes but only found our family in the McNair, McNear, and McNeir Genealogies, supplement 1928, slide #318, p 299.