Bienville Families: McConathy Family, Bienville Parish Louisiana Submitted by Donna Sutton ladyhawke1214@hotmail.com ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ McConathy This is the lineage of the McConathy family that settled in Bienville Parish, LA. The McConathy family originated in Scotland, and the name McConathy is a form of MacDonnchaidh, which means “son of Duncan”. The family was named after “Fat Duncan” de Atholia, who lived in Scotland during the time of Robert the Bruce. Other forms of the name MacDonnchaidh include Macconachie, Macconaghy, Donnachie, and many other names that are pronounced similarly to these names but are spelled differently. The McConathy’s probably came from Scotland to Ireland (making this family Scotch-Irish) and then to the United States. The following is the lineage of a McConathy family that migrated to Bienville Parish. The first three generations were documented by Kathleen H. McConathy of Houston, Texas. First (earliest documented) generation: (This generation was documented through the use of these records: 1790 and 1800 Dist. 96 SC census, Laurens County, SC wills 1784 - 1840 by Colleen Elliott, will of Samuel McConathy, Revolutionary War records.) Samuel McConehy or McConathy (b. ca. 1745, d. 1818 SC) served in the American Revolution (veteran’s claim #53). He lived in District 96, later named Laurens County, SC. His will was proven 2 Nov. 1818 in Jasper Co., GA. His wife Margaret died in 1823 in SC. Their children were: 1. Joseph (more later) 2. Martha (b. 5 Dec. 1793 SC, d. 16 Oct. 1827 SC, married John Bell who was b. 26 Jan. 1793 and died 14 Oct. 1827) 3. James (b. ca. 1796 SC, d.12 Dec. 1820 SC, married Martha) 4. Ruth (b. 1801 SC). She was 18 years old when her father died, and she chose Richard Bonds as her guardian. 5. Anny (married James Scott) 6. Peggy (married a Wilson) Second generation: Joseph McConathy was born ca. 1790 in South Carolina. His wife was Isabella Wilson, who was born ca. 1787 in SC. Their children were: 1. Samuel E. (more later) 2. Benjamin (b. 1810 SC, married Martha who was b. 1827 AL) 3. James (b. 1811 SC) 4. Martha (b. 1819 SC) 5. John (b. 1820 SC) 6. Jane (b. 1822 SC) 7. Dorothy (b. 1823 SC, married a Varnum. One known child: McBouden Varnum, b. 1846 AL) Third generation: (This generation is documented through these sources: the 1850 Talladega Co., AL census, the 1860 Sabine Parish, LA, census, Sabine Parish, LA, Marriage Records, and Records of LA Confederate Soldiers Vo. III, Book I.) Samuel E. McConathy or McConatha was born ca. 1809 in SC. He served in the Civil War as a private in the 30th LA Infantry, Co. C. He was 56 years old when he enlisted. His wife Nancy was born ca. 1809 in Virginia. Their children were: 1. Joseph J. “Joe” (more later) 2. Elizabeth (b. 1833 SC, married William McCurley in 1857 in Bienville Parish) 3. James H. “Jim” (Elizabeth’s twin, b. 1833 SC, married Emeline White in Bienville Parish). During the Civil War he served as a private in Co. K, 18th LA Infantry (enlistment date: 27 Oct. 1862). 4. Andrew Jackson (b. 1834 SC, married Hannah F. Palmer in Sabine Parish on 7 Sept. 1865). Served as a private in Co. B, 17th LA Infantry. Re-enlisted on 23 May 1862. 5. William M. (b. 15 Oct. 1837 Laurens District, SC, married Cinecy Paralee Palmer in Sabine Parish on 9 Jan. 1868). He served in Co. E., Shelly Command, during the Civil War. His place of enlistment was Monroe, LA. 6. John Thomas (b. 1 May 1873 AL, d. 7 Feb. 1953, married Susan Bernice Whitaker before 1860). Enlisted with his brother Andrew to serve as a private in Co., B, 17th LA Infantry. They both enlisted together on 30 Sept. 1861 and re-enlisted on 23 May 1862. 7. Benjamin Dugan (b. 1842 AL, married Martha who was born in Alabama), was living in Sabine Parish in 1860. 8. Jabez or Jabus B. (b. 1845 AL, died 1 June 1864 in LA in the Civil War). He enlisted with his brother William in Co. E., 11th Battalion, LA Infantry. He was killed at Grand Ecore at age 19. 9. Marshal (b. 1847 AL), was living in Sabine Parish in 1860. Fourth generation: (This information came from History of Bienville Parish vol. I & II combined with family records of Mary McConathy of Rayville, LA, McConathy family records of Kathleen McConathy of Houston, TX, old White family Bible records of Ann White of Monroe, LA, and White family records of Sloane Mason of Fayetteville, GA.) Joseph J. McConathy was born 21 Feb.1829 in SC and died 21 May 1892. He is buried in Pruitt Cemetery near Arcadia, LA. During the Civil War he served as a private in Co. H., 28th (Gray’s) LA Infantry. He enlisted 15 Aug. 1862. Joseph’s wife was Elizabeth White, who was born 6 June 1834 in Kemper, MS, and died 29 March 1892 in Arcadia, LA. Her father was Andrew White (b. 19 June 1810 Randolph, NC, m. 4 Aug. 1831 Washington Co., AL, d. 24 Dec. 1871 Collinsville, TX. ). He was the son of John White or Johann Weiss and Rebecca Dorsett. According to an old family history, John White was the son of Ulrich Weiss or White who was living in 1759 in Orange Co., NC. Ulrich Weiss arrived in Philadelphia on a ship called St. Mark on 26 Sept. 1741. John or Johann was born in 1744, probably in Ridge Valley, Upper Salford, Philadelphia Co, PA (now known as Montgomery Co.) and came to Orange Co., NC with his parents and other relatives. John was said to have been born and reared in a Pennsylvania German settlement and did not hear the English language spoken until he was 16 years old when his family moved to Rocky River in the present Randolph Co., NC. His first wife was Jane, whom he married ca. 1767 in Gilford or Chatham Co., NC. They moved to Mississippi Territory (Clarke Co., AL) after 1810. She died in Clarke Co., AL on 24 Dec. 1824. John’s second wife was Rebecca Dorsett, whom he probably married between 1800 and 1807 in Chatham Co., NC. Rebecca was born ca. 1772, probably in Chatham Co., NC, and died in 1851 in Kemper Co., MS. John’s family history was passed down through their son Isaac. Elizabeth White’s mother was Loucretia Rochelle (b. 24 Jan. 1812 TN, d. 18 Feb. 1860 Bienville Parish). She was the daughter of Etherington Rochelle or Rotchel (b. ca. 1758, d. after 1837, his last place of residence was Kemper Co., MS) and his wife Eleanor Warden, whom he married on 24 Sept. 1779 in Holly Township, New Hanover Co., NC. Family Bible records show his wife’s name as Elizabeth instead of Eleanor. Etherington’s father was John Rotchel, who died in Holly Shelter, New Hanover Co., NC, in 1786. John’s wife was named Sarah. Children of Joseph McConathy and Elizabeth White: 1. Laura (born in LA) 2. Malvina V. (b. 12 July 1857 LA, d. 26 Nov. 1941, married W. D. Shepherd in 1879) 3. Joseph Daniel (b. 29 July 1959 LA, d. 17 Nov. 1942, married Lenora Jane Cathey) 4. Andrew Jefferson Davis “Jeff” (b. 6 Nov. 1861 LA, d. 30 Sept. 1953, married a Durrett) 5. Mary Isabel (b. 4 Sept. 1864 LA, d. 17 July 1890, married John Joseph Taylor) 6. John Henry (more later) 7. Martha (b. 1868 LA) 8. Obediah (b. 20 April 1870 LA, d. 1929, married Missouri Belle Jackson in 1891) 9. Rosa (Obediah’s twin, b. 20 April 1870 LA, married a McGuire) 10. Nancy Elizabeth (b. 8 Oct. 1874 LA, d. 21 Oct. 1962, married Larkin Williams) 11. Sam G. (b. 1872 LA) Fifth generation: John Henry McConathy was born 7 June 1866 in Claiborne Parish, LA, and died 7 July 1945 in Arcadia, LA. He is buried in Bear Creek Cemetery in Bienville Parish. On 6 Sept. 1894 he married Anna N. D. Boddie. Anna’s father was Civil War veteran Nicholas Boddie (b. 1845 Edgefield, SC, d. 19 March 1902 Bear Creek, LA). Nick Boddie served in Co. A., 21st Battalion, GA Volunteer Cavalry, and in Co. A., 7th Regiment, GA Volunteer Cavalry. His parents were Wesley Boddie (b. 1797 SC, d. 1884 Lincoln Parish, LA) and Loruhama Hannia Smith (b. 1802 SC, d. 1882 Lincoln Parish, LA). The name “Loruhama” is from the first chapter of the book of Hosea, and it means “no mercy”. Nick married Ann Eliza Chavis or Chavous in 1866, Richmond Co., GA. She was the daughter of William Chavous and Amanda Green. Children (all born in Bear Creek, LA): 1. Jessie (b. 4 Nov. 1895, d. 1 Aug. 1897) 2. Annie Lillian (b. 14 Sept. 1897, d. 25 Oct. 1940, never married) 3. Nancy Ruth (b. 3 Feb. 1899, d. 1 Feb. 1972, married J. S. Vernon) 4. Mary (b. 28 Sept. 1900, d. 5 July 1983 Ruston, LA, married 1)Henry Clay Russell, 2)Rueben F. Johnson) 5. Georgia Catherine (b. 17 July 1902, d. 8 Apr. 1992 Georgia, m. W. B. Brown) 6. Oliver Leslie (b. 22 Jan. 1904, d. 1983, married Marie Cole) 7. Samuel Curtis (b. 25 July 1906, d. 11 July 1949, never married) 8. William Harvey (b. 25 Oct. 1909, d. 25 Apr. 1968, never married) 9. Mattie Gloria (b. 4 Apr. 1912, married Garney Terrell Brown)