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- [S245] Vital Record (Ancestry), https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/48003988/person/13744129216/media/1abb0085-3af5-4c32-8f79-50a0cbf4e936?_phsrc=Tkn324&_phstart=successSource.
4. ELIJAH3 MCCLANAHAN (JOHN2, THOMAS1) was born 1718 in Bath, Alleghany County, Virginia, and died 1794 in Augusta County, Virginia. He married (1) ANN EWING Abt. 1735, daughter of WILLIAM EWING and ANN SHANNON. She was born Abt. 1714 in Belfast, Ireland, and died Mar 1767. He married (2) LETITIA BRECKENRIDGE Sep 1749 in Augusta County, Virginia. She was born Abt. 1728 in Derry, Ireland.
Notes for ELIJAH MCCLANAHAN:
From: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mabry/collins/np61.html#iin1312
Elijah McClenachan (ca 1713 - 1789) was likely born in County Antrim, Ireland, as was his older brother, Robert. Records show Elijah's parents were John and Agnes (McChubit/McCubbins) McClenachan. Speculation is that Elijah's parents left County Ayrshire, Scotland sometime prior to 1700 and migrated to County Antrim, Ireland where John McClenachan was a merchant.
Elijah, or "Olde Elijah" as he became known, came to America with his older brother Robert in 1727. Tradition states they came through Philadelphia. Accompanying them was Robert's father-in-law, Alexander Breckenridge and his family. The Breckenridge reference is included only because "Olde Elijah's" first born son, also named Elijah, married Letitia Breckenridge, daughter of Alexander, about 1749. There has been much confusion on this marriage, as many people feel that Letitia was "Olde Elijah's" second wife. The Indian massacre in 1764, described below, negates this speculation.
At this time, there is very little known of the time "Olde Elijah" spent in Pennsylvania and he apparently came to Virginia around 1740, again traveling with his brother Robert, who bought considerable acreage in the Beverley Patent in what is now the area in and around Staunton in Augusta County "Olde Elijah", unlike his brother Robert, did not leave much of a paper trail and as far as we know, none of his children were baptized. Records do show that he was married to Ann Ewing (Owen) at an early age as their first child, also named Elijah, was born 1728-1730. Based on "Olde Elijah's" date of birth, he would have been fifteen to sev-enteen at the time of his son's birth. Again, "Olde Elijah's" birth date of 1713 is only shown in one place.
Some people had thought him born in 1718, but the similarity between an 8 and a 3 on old documents is enough to more readily accept the 1713 date. Besides, that would have made "Olde Elijah" only ten or twelve when his first child was born. The children of "Olde Elijah" and Ann Ew-ing are as follows:
1. Elijah, Jr. - Born 1728-1730.
2. Robert (?)
3. David (?)
4. William, December 25, 1733. He married Sarah Neeley and was one of the founders of Roanoke, VA.
5. Margaret (?), married John Crockett and moved to North Carolina.
6. Mary, or "Polly" was born in 1746/1748 and married Robert McCreary. Their great grandson, James B. McCreary became one of Kentucky's best loved governors (elected twice) and was also a respected soldier of the Civil War.
7. Jennie (?), married a William Holliday.
8. Hannah (?), married a John Greenlee, Jr. She narrowly escaped the Indian massacre by hiding under a log.
9. Infant son, no name-no birth date. Killed in the Indian massacre early 1764.
The Indian massacre took place in early 1764 in what is now known as Bath County in an area called "The Cowpasture." It was here that "Olde Elijah" lost his wife, Ann and their youngest child, both killed by the Indians. "Olde Elijah" himself was severely tomahawked, but was saved only by the fact that he had a pen in his hat. The Indians, realizing he could write, did not kill him and apparently wanted his writing ability for an unknown reason. However, not long after the massacre, Captain Lewis, following the raiding party with a group of local militia, came upon the Indians. "Olde Elijah" was rescued as well as several other captives. This was attested to in a letter written by Reverend John Brown who wrote to Colonel William Preston in June 1764 the following, "Captain Lewis came up with the Indians that killed the people at cowpasture and one Frenchman and it is thought wounded some Indians and rescued several prisoners, among whom were old Elijah McClanachan."
Further evidence of this massacre was written personally by "Olde Elijah's" grandson, Colonel Elijah McClanahan of Roanoke, Virginia, son of William and Sarah (Neeley) McClenachan. Colonel Elijah McClanahan corresponded with Lyman C. Draper. In one of these letters, dated 19 March 1846, is given a vivid account of the massacre.
Letter dated March 19, 1846. Again, this is only part of the entire letter addressed to Lyman C. Draper: "Your other inquiry is as to my father's birth and decease. When I had the pleasure of seeing you at Bent Mountain, I mentioned the circumstances of my father's mother and his younger brother being killed by the Indians in what is now Bath County and that part of it called the Cowpasture, what county it was then, I can't say. My grandfather was wounded at same time and taken prisoner and pursued. The prisoners all retaken and my grandfather tomahawked and hurt in the head by the Indians on finding they were overtaken, but was carried in and lived. He told me of several incidents that occurred whilst on his march with the Indians. Such as taking two small children (There mothers prisoners) by the heels and dashing their brains against a tree because they cryed and that they held two counsels about him together, he being very unable to travel on account of his wound and that he was saved by a pen in his hat showing he could write for which they were desirous to take him to the nation. My grandfather was from Ireland and an excellent scholar."
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