General Notes

John fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden and after the defeat, he escaped to his home on Eigg.  There he was captured by the British and listed as prisoner #2402.  He was convicted of rebellion and sentenced to 7 years transportation.

John was transported to Lynchburg, Virginia in 1748 on the ship Pennela.  There he was indentured to William Stout for 7 years at the price of 7 pounds.  After three years he was released from his indentureship.  A year later in 1753 he married Miranda Stout, daughter of William and had four children.

Ref:A BOOK ABOUT MACQUARRIES by Rodney L. McQuary, B.D.., D.D.


From THE EARLY SETTLERS OF REDDIES RIVER by Paul Gregory

"Another family who came to Reddies River in Wilkes County (NC) during the Revolutionary Was was that of John McQueary, Sr.  The exact date of his arrival is not known.  However, we know that he was here in 1779 as this is the date he entered his land (100 acres), which was located on Mill Creek, a tributary of Reddies River, just below Thomas Owens' Spring.  (Entry 1104 Wilkes Co.)  Apparently this claim was not approved as no grant or deed has been recorded in Wilkes County in his name.  One cannot help wondering why this claim was not approved.  It would seem that John continued to live on this property, or certainly on property nearby.  The 1784, 1785, and 1786 list of taxables for Wilkes County confirm that John was poll taxable, but that he owned no land.  It is a fact that sometimes men transferred their entry claim before the grant was ever made.  This may be the reason that John did not own the property he entered in 1779.  There is no record of John McQueary ever owning property in Wilkes County.

In 1787 John McQueary, Sr. was neither listed on the NC State census under his own name nor was he included in the data under the name of his son, William.  This suggests that he had temporarily left Wilkes County.  However, the 1790 federal census of Wilkes County clearly lists him as John Sr. and shows again that he was living on the Reddies River.   (NOTE:  Lincoln County, KY 1787 tax lists a John McQueary and a William McQueary.  Could they have left Wilkes County for a short time, returning by 1790? DPE)  His family at this date included 1 male child under 16 and 5 females.  His son, John, Jr. was clearly not listed in this census although his son, William was. This is the last record we have for John Sr.  Either he died or left the county prior to the 1800 census.  (see below)

None of the children of John McQueary have been definitely indentified, except William.  Since John recorded his name as Sr.. in the 1790 census, one must conclude that there was a Jr. in the home.  Therefore, I am assuming that John McQueary who married Nancy Shepherd in Wilkes County ca 1792 was that Jr.  No other McQueary families lived in Wilkes County during this period of time.

Since writing the above information, several additional tax lists of Wilkes County have been found.  These records for the years of 1787, 1788, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795 clearly indicate that there were two John McQueary's living on Reddies River.  Both were taxable through the years of 1793, at which time John McQueary, Sr. discontinued paying poll tax.  This would suggest that he had reached his 60th birthday and was therefore exempt from paying poll taxes by virtue of his age.  These tax records clearly listed both Johns, one as Sr. and one as Jr. and both living on Reddies River.  Therefore, there seems little doubt that the above two Johns were father and son; and that John McQueary, Sr. died sometime between 1797 and 1800."