Thomas McElroy(Muckelroy, McElray) was born in Ireland in 1751 and immigrated to America in 1773. He enlisted in 1776 as a volunteer in the American Revolutionary Army from Chester County, Pennsylvania. On his pension claim he stated that he was a wagoneer, however, his pension claim was rejected due to insufficient evidence of service.
Thomas married Elisabeth, surname unknown, but perhaps O’Ray, who was also an Irish immigrant. They began their family in Maryland, but removed to Monongalia County, (West) Virginia about 1803. The family settled in the Forks of Cheat area. It is unknown what Thomas did for a living. Together Thomas and Elisabeth raised eight known children. To date, I have some found tax, census and court records in Monongalia County that mention the McElroy surname. One court document that names the family occurred in 1806 and involves Thomas’ daughter, Elizabeth, who had an illegitimate child by Thomas Wells a laborer in the community. The court issued a summons for Thomas Wells to have him appear before the court to be dealt with according to the law. I believe that the additional young female on Thomas McElroy’s 1810 census enumeration is his granddaughter.
It appears that Thomas McElroy died sometime following the 1820 census enumeration, as he was not living in 1830. To date, no tombstone has been located in Monongalia County.
To date, I have found no record of Elisabeth McElroy, widow, past the 1830 census. Elisabeth died on January 8, 1848 at the age of 89. She is buried in East Oak Grove Cemetery. Her final resting place was originally located in a small cemetery in Morgantown, but was moved to East Oak Grove Cemetery when the Morgantown lot was needed for University expansion. Her tombstone reads: ELISABETH, Consort of T. McKelroy, Died Jan 8th 1848, Aged 89 yars 11 Mo. Beside Elisabeth’s cemetery marker are three additional McElroy’s. Thomas McElroy died December 31, 1831, Age 32 or 52; A. Mary, wife of Thomas McElroy, Died March 25 1832 or 1852 and Samuel McElroy, Died at the age of 59 (maybe).
The only McElroy found on the 1850 Monongalia County census is Samuel. I have not followed any of the other lines.
The children of Thomas and Elisabeth McElroy:
SARAH R. McELROY b. June 11, 1797 in Maryland d. February 8, 1881 in Grafton, WV married JACOB VANGILDER on December 24, 1821 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.
Updated: November, 2002
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