James McCurdy1,2,3,4

M, b. circa 1706, d. before 2 May 1770
FatherDaniel McCurdy b. 1677, d. 1747
MotherMargaret Laughlin
     James was born circa 1706 in County Antrim, Ireland. James married Mary Cooke circa 1725 in Ireland. James immigrated to America around 1726. James & his wife immigrated to America around 1726 and settled in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His journey to the new world was marred by stormy weather and by arriving off course at the mouth of the James River. After the stormed ended, the ship did a quick turn-about and sailed up Chesapeake Bay and arrived at the mouth of the Elk River in Maryland. From there he soon traveled up the Susquehanna River settling in Salisbury Township where he obtained warrented land and spent the remainder of his life. James's wife, Polly, died before 1765 in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, leaving him a widower. James made his will on 5 March 1770 at Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

In the name of God Amen. I James McCurdy, of Salisbury township County of Lancaster, and Province, of Pennsylvania, Yeoman : Being sick weak in body; but of perfect mind and memory, Thanks be to God, calling to mind the mortality of the body, and knowing it is appointed for all men once to Die, Do make and ordain this my last will and Testament. That is to say first of al: I give and recommend my soul into the hands, of the Almighty God, who gave it, and my body, I recommend to the Earth, to be burried in a decent Christian Buryal, at the discretion of my Executor. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to Bless me with ; I give devise and dispose of the same in the following maner, and form ; First,-I order my just debts ; and funeral expenses be paid
Secondly,-I give and bequeath to Archibald McCurdy, my well beloved son, all my estate, real and personal, lying and being in the township aforsaid; He paying the several legacies, hereafter Bequeathed to the rest of my children. All of which estate I now dwell on with all appurtances, I give bequeath to my said son Archibald his Heirs and Assigns forever
Thirdly,-I give and bequeath to my well beloved son, Robert McCurdy, the sum of twenty, shillings, to be paid by my son Archibald McCurdy.
Forthly,-I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Hugh McCurdy, the sum of one Hundred and Fifty pounds, to be paid him by my son Archibald out of my estate, in manner form following, That is to say Fifty pounds in two years after my decease, until the whole be paid. Fifthly,-I give and bequeath to well beloved son James McCurdy, the sum of three Hundred pounds, to be paid him out of my estate, by my son Archibald immediately after my Decease, with lawful intrest for the same, since my son James setteld on the tract of land he now lives on in Cumberland County.
Lastly ; I constitute make ordain my well beloved son Archibald Mc-Curdy, the sole executor of this my last Will and Testament, and all singular my lands messuages and Tenements by him freely possessed to be enjoyed liable to the encumberances before said, And I do utterly disallow revoke, and disannul all and every other Testament, will's bequests and executions, by me in any way before named wind bequeathed ; Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament ; In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 5th day of March one thousand seven Hundred and seventy (1770).
JAMES MCCURDY. (SEAL]
Signed sealed published and declared by the said James McCurdy as his last will and Testament, In the presence of us.
ROBERT ARMOR. ROBERT MCNEIL. JAMES CLEMSON.5

James departed this life in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His will was probated on 2 May 1770.

Family

Mary Cooke d. b 1765
Children

Citations

  1. [S205] Rachel Hughey Larimer Mellon, The Larimer, McMasters and Allied Families
    , pages 55-56 - My great-great-great-grandfather, James McCurdy, emigrated to America about the year 1720. His father, probably the one known as "John Turk," took part in the siege of Londonderry as the besieged, 1689. They owned a property in Antrim County, about two miles from the "Giants' Causeway," known as Bushmills. James, after marrying a Scotch lass named Cooke, sailed for Pennsylvania. After a voyage of six months the captain found himself in the mouth of the James River in Virginia. The vessel was put about, and in due time arrived at the head-waters of the Elk River, in Maryland. Their first child was born in Maryland about 1720. They removed to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where James McCurdy bought some hundreds of acres of land in Salisbury township, near the old Pequea Church, where George Whitfield preached. For this land he obtained a general warrantee. One tract of land of which we have an account was of two hundred acres, date of survey February fourteenth, 1738, Lancaster County. The Episcopal Church attempted to take this land for " glebe" purposes, and a suit was the result, which lasted for seven years in the courts then held in Philadelphia, resulting finally in establishing the McCurdy claim. He died in 1771, leaving four sons.
  2. [S206] Henry Percy Blanchard, The Ancestral McCurdy's, Their Orgin and Remote History, page 39 - James, the 4th child of Daniel & Mary [Laughline] McCurdy, was born in 1706. An historical genealogy page 73, he is erroneously sponken of as the son of John. He married Polly Cooke and came to America in 1726. He first located on the James River, VA but later 1731, moved to Pennslvania. They had four sons: Archibald, the ancestor of the Virginia branch, married Hannah Watson; James, who went to Franklin County, PA; Hugh, who also went to Franklin County; and Robert, who went to Adams County, Pennsylvania.
  3. [S512] Edward Elbridge Salisbury, Family histories and genealogies, Volume 1: pages 18-19 –Charlestown, Jan. 20th, 1888
    “…I remember as a child hearing my father and aunt talk about their Scotch-Irish descent, but unfortunately I did not take an interest in such things then, and they left no record of no names or dates. What we can recall will, I fear, be of no use in tracing our descent, though I have no doubt that we area branch of the same family; for among the facts, or traditions, cherished by us is the one of our ancestors leaving Scotland to escape religious persecution, and settling in the north of Ireland, County Ulster. Another was that one of these refugees was in the siege of Londonderry… Sometime after that event three brothers of the name emigrated to America; the year we do not know, but think it must have been in the latter part of the 17th, or early 18th century. They settled in Pennsylvania, ad I think in Lancaster Co., though I am not sure; I only know that my great grandfather Archibald McCurdy lived in that Co. Of their names we cannot be sure, but think they were Hugh, Archibald and Robert…I several times heard my father speak of meeting Judge McCurdy, and lf their efforts to trace relationship. They agreed, I believe , that tere was a family-resemblance, and they had the same family-names…
    [transcrber’s note: The above is a quote from a letter written by a Miss Eleanor McCurdy of Charlestown, VA, the letter below written by Charles M. McCurdy of Gettysburg, PA]

    “The McCurdys are of Scotch origin…in 1688 the father of James McCurdy, from whom we are directly descended, took part in the siege of Londonderry, as on of the besieged. He or his son James, owned a property in Antrim County, about two miles from the Giant’s Causeway, know as “the Bushmills.” James, after marrying a Scotch-Irish lass named Cook (or Cooke), sailed for Pennsylvania. After a slow voyage of six months, the captain found himself in the mouth of the James River in Virginia. The vessel was put about, and in due time arrived at the head-waters of the Elk river in Maryland. Here the first child was born to James McCurdy and wife. This was between 1720 and 1731; soon thereafter they removed to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania , where James McCurdy bought some 100 acres of land, for which he obtained a general warrantee.
    The Episcopal Church attempted to take this land for “Glebe” purposes and a suit was the result, which lasted for seven years in the Courts then held in Philadelphia, and resulted finally in establishing the McCurdy claim….
    James McCurdy had four children, viz.: Archibald, James, Hugh and Robert. He never removed from Lancaster County, but died there about 1765. Of the above named sons of James McCurdy, Archibald, the oldest, remained in Lancaster County, in possession of the homestead, and is the ancestor of the Virginia branch. Hugh and James went to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, where some of their descendents still reside; and Robert, my great-grandfather, went to Adams County, Pennsylvania. “ [Transcriber’s note:The remainder of the letter continues the line of Robert, son of James. It is then signed “Cha. M. McCurdy,” and dated: “Gettysburg, Penn., Jan. 30th, 1888.” [Transcribed by Larry McCurdy, 18 July 2005].
  4. [S203] D. E. McCurdy, The Historical Genealogy of the McCurdy Family, page 18 - part of a letter notes: "James married Polly Cook and went to America about 50 years ago (about 1760)." [Note: there is no other mention of this James in this book-klm]
  5. [S205] Rachel Hughey Larimer Mellon, The Larimer, McMasters and Allied Families
    , pages 160-161 - Will of James McCurdy of Salisbury.