Family Reminisences by Reverend David Rice McAnally dated: 08 November 1837 original (public) Missouri State Historical Society Archives
David Rice McAnally (1810-1895) was a prominent Minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as Principal of the East Tennessee Female Institute. In 1851 He moved to St. Louis, MO and founded Carondelet M.E. Church South in 1856. He also served as editor of the “St. Louis Christian Advocate” from 1850 to 1860. His private papers are located in the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis.
My Great, Great, Grandfather McAnally was kidnapped near the mouth of the Fourth in Scotland and brought to America and set down to shift for himself near Philadelphia on the American coast= at eight years of age. His account of this matter was in substence as follows - He was playing with some nabor boys on the banks of the above mentioned River where they discovered a large earthen pot filled with money. The father of the boys sent him to his fathers who lived at some distance with directions to tell his father to come and assist in the division of the money. On his way he was over taken by a man on horseback who enquired of him where he was going and upon bing informed proposed that he should ride behind him he accordingly mounted but instead of alighting at his fathers he was put on board of vessel just ready to sail for America and was soon after landed near Philadelphia. Here he remained untill he came of Mans estate when he married a woman by the name of Houston and settled on the Susquehannah river near the mouth of Sweet Arrow Creek, in Lancester county Pennsylvania. He was never able to assign any probable cause for his being kidnapped - except that the individual near whose house the treasure was found might possess himself of it entire. The only data we now have as to the time of his arrival in America is as follows - The family account says - that his son John, My Great Grandfather - was born in the 28th year of his fathers age, and he died in 1796 aged 83. As his ^father came at 8 years old, he was here 20 years before his sons birth and 103 before his death. One hundred and three years taken from 1796 ^ the year in which John died leaves 1693 which must have been the year of his arrival.
On the Susquehannah where he first settled he raised his family consisting of three children John Charles and Mary - After his death these children all of whom had previously married removed to Virg=inia then Armherst county. The daughter Mary married a Mr. Shannon who after living awhile in Virginia removed to North Carolina - and that is the last authentic account of them which I have ever been able to obtain. In 1757 Charles removed his family to Dan River in North Carolina where some of his decendents still remain. John my great grandfather remarried in Virginia untill 1792 - when he follo=wed his son David My Grandfather who the year previously had removed to Hawkins County C-Tenn. Here he and his wife who was originally a Houston both died - the former in May 1796 - They both now lie in an old burying ground in the north side of Holston River near the road now leading form Rogersville to Kingsport in the nabor=hood of what is call McPheeters bend. My grandfather was born in Armherst Co- Va in ^August 1748. In March 1768 he Marrid Martha Pannell daughter of Thomas & Kesiah Pannell. He who was of English decent on her fathers side her mother was a quartroon of the Shawnee tribe. He was born in 1748 and died in 1789 leaving nine children one an infant. In 1790 my grandfather married a second time. In 1791 he removed from Va to Hawkins Co. Tenn - In 1796 he removed from this to Grainger Co - near the mouth of German Creek - In 1803 he removed from this to the waters of Indian creek in the same Co. where he died 24 of Dec 1834 aged 86 years. He was far near forty years or upwards before his death = an acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and left hehind him a lasting testimony of the truth and efficacy of the religion of Christ, of its supporting influence in death and of the hope of a blessed immortality ^with which it inspires the soul.
In the struggles for American Liberty he bore an active part serving thru campaigns in the capacity of a Captain.
My Father Charles McAnally was the third son of David and Martha McAnally and was born in Armherst county, Va in the 11th of Nov 1775. Accompanyed his father to Tennessee in 1791- In 1798 he married a Miss Molly Shelton - Dec 25. In March 1800 he removed to the waters of Indian creek where he has since remained wer since - In May 1807 His wife died leaving three small daughters. In 1809 He married my Mother Elizabeth Moore daughter of Rev. Rice & Elizabeth Moore by this marriage he has five children, four sons and one daughter. Of the sons I am of dist- He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in June 1803 - In the latter part of 1809 he was licenced to exhort in sd church. In 1811 he was licenced as a local preacher. In 1818 he was ordained Deacon by Bishop McKendree. In 1822 he was ordained Elder by Bishop George. Besides his ministrial labors he has far a number of years served his fellow men in several capacities. for twelve years successively he performed the duties of high sheriff of Graniger county- for almost twice that number he acted as justice of the Peace in the same Co- and hundreds can bear testimony to his attentions as a physician. He has lived to see most of his children grow up around him and has the satisfaction of remembering that though poor - they are all of irrep=roachable moral charracter. He is now (Nov. 8th 1837) living where he formerly has for many years and in the enj=oyment of peace and competence.
Of my mothers family I never learned much - her mother was a Madison first cousin to James Madison President of the U.S. a family well known in Virginia.
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