Francis McMordie was born on 18 Sep 1756, in that part of York County which after 1800 became Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was the eldest child of Rev. Robert and Janet McMordie (Cemetery Records of Mercer County). During the Revolutionary War, he served as a private in Black's Co. of the York County, Pennsylvania Militia (White, 1995). The York Count tax list of 1781 showed that Francis McMordie owned one horse and paid a tax of 2 pounds, 5 shillings. In 1782, he again paid a 2 pounds, 5 shilling tax, and was reported as unmarried in both 1782 and 1783 (Pennsylvania Archives, 3,d Series).
He remained active in the York County Militia and on the May 1786 roster, he was listed as captain of the 2nd Battalion (Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series).
In 1790 Francis McMordie relocated to Fayette County, Kentucky, was recommended for captain on 15 Sep 1790 and was commissioned on 23 Oct 1790, in the Fayette County, Kentucky, Militia (Fayette County, Kentucky, Militia Officers). Two years later he was living in Mercer Co., Kentucky, where he married Nancy Irvine on 3 Jan 1792 (Ison & Conover, 1970). The children born to this union were:
The 1820 Census for Mercer County indicated that only Capt. Francis McMordie, his three sons and a daughter, Margaret, lived in the household. In 1828 Francis deeded his sons, Robert and Hans, farmland in Montgomery County, Tennessee, where they soon established their homes. Abraham remained on the farm in Kentucky, having married Jane Armstrong on 7 Jun 1823 (Ison & Conover, 1969). Margaret married James L. Crawford on 13 Sep 1831 (Cook, n. d.).
Francis McMordie died on 18 Dec 1833 and was buried in the New Providence Presbyterian Cemetery, Mercer County Kentucky (Cemetery Records of Mercer County, 1969). His will, written on 22 Jan 1831 and probated at the County Court of January 1834, indicated that he was a successful land speculator and had acquired large holdings in Tennessee.
LAST WILL & TESTAMENT FRANCIS McMORDIE
In the name of god amen
I, Frs McMordie of Mercer County & State of Kentucky, being of sound mind and memory,
but concious of the uncertainties of life, do constitute & make this my last will and
Testament in the words & form following, viz, I commend my soul to god who gave it in full
hopes that he would receive it again in memory though the mediation of the lord Jesus Christ
his Son I request my body be interred in a becoming manner. I order all my just Debts be paid
and the residue of the property be divided in the following manner. I have already Deeded to
my son Robt McMordie eight hundred acres of land in Montgomery County State of Tennessee
wherein he now lives. I also bequeath to him two hundred acres of land to be a part of my
land on the Forked Deer river the state Western District of that state. I have Deeded to
my son Hans McMordie four hundred acres and fifty adjoining his brother Robt wherein he
now loves. I further bequeath to him five hundred & fifty acres of the Forked Deer river
tract. I have also deeded one thousand acres of the tract to Wilm C Cowan and my daughter
Polly his wife, I give and bequeth to my son Abram I McMordie the land where he now lives
containing one hundred Acres adjoining John McAfee John Jonas and Joseph Lillard for his
use and behalf I also bequeath to him my Negro man Lee. I also bequeath to him all the
stock on the farm that I have any claim to with the exception hereafter mentioned. He is to
furnish his sister Margaret L McMordie with a good riding horse, three good cows and thirty
sheep when called for by her. I also give to him all the tools and farming implements part
of which already belong to him. I also give and bequeath to him five hundred acres of my
Forked Deer river tract. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mart. L McMordie one thousand
acres of the Forked Deer river land. I also order that she shall have a handsome bedstead
Bureau and tables to furnished and of any monies due me or that may arise from the sale of
lands. My horse, watch, Sword and bed & furniture I leave to my Grandson Frs McMordie
together with all my Lattin Greek and Hebrew books for his use and for my Grandson John Cowan.
I also leave to my son-in-law Dr. John Steel of Ohio five hundred dollars to assist in
Educating a son of his which is to be named Frs McMordie. All my household furniture bed
and every other article to be divided between Abram and Margaret at their descretion. The
kitchen furniture to be divided between them in like manner. My wearing apparel to be
divided at the descretion of my children & my other books in like manner. My negro
woman Lucy I do not leave free but she may choose which of my children she will live
with & that one is bound to support her comfortablly should she become helpless as she
nursed them all tenderly & she has been a faithful servent. I also leave to my Grandson
Frs five hundred Dollars to assist him in getting his Education this money to be derived
from the sale of the balance of my lands. I order that the five thousand acre tract on
Forked Deer be laid off in five hundred acres tracts and that each one shall have an
equal proportion of good land as possible. My eight town lots in the town of Springfield
adjoining Augusta in Georgia I wish to be sold as soon as possibly this can be done to
advantage and if there be any balance after paying all expenses that is to be divided
equally to my children. I further constitute and appoint my esteemed friends Abm I
McMordie ans William C Cowan my Executors of this my last will and Testament written with
my own hand signed and sealed in presence of us this 22 day of June in the year of our
lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty one. Test.
/s/ John McAfee, Senr
/s/ Frs McMordie
/s/ Joseph McGee
/s/ William McAfee
MERCER COUNTY (KY) January County Court 1834
The foregoing last will and Testament of Frs McMordie decd was this day produced in court & proved by the oath of Jos McGee, a subscribing witness thereto who also proved the handwriting of the - - of the other Subscribing witnesses thereto whereupon said will is ordered to be recorded which is done accordingly..
Nancy Irvine was born on 5 Jul 1770, in Rockbridge County, Virginia and died 4 Jul 1820, in Mercer County, Kentucky (Cemetery Records of Mercer County, 1969). She was the daughter of Abram Irvine, born in Scotland, May 1725, and Mary Dean, born in Ireland, 22 Feb 1733. Abram was the son of Rev John Irvine, a Presbyterian minister of Coushindall, Ireland. On May 9, 1729, some of the lrvines, McDowells, McElroys, Campbells and others sailed from Londonderry, Ireland, on the good ship, George and Ann. They landed in Philadelphia on 4 Sep 1729 after being on the Atlantic for 118 days. This group of Ulster emigrants immediately located in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania where land was available at reasonable costs. They remained there until 1737 at which time they relocated to Rockbridge County, Virginia, where they were among the first settlers on the Burden Grant (Boyd, 1908; Morton, 1980). Abram Irvine married Mary Dean in ca. 1753 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
Abram Irvine was a private in the 14th Virginia Continental Line during the Revolutionary War (Wathmey, 1938). Sometime between 1781 and 1783 the lrvines moved to Kentucky, in what was to become Mercer County and is now Boyle County (Boyd, 1908). Abram Irvine died 8 Jan 1801 in Mercer County (Mercer County Wills, 1834). Mary Dean Irvine died in 1814 also in Mercer Co. Both are buried in the Irvine Family Cemetery (Cemetery Records of Mercer County, 1969).
James Klotter in his book, Genealogies of Kentucky Families, reported that the lrvines, including the children of Francis and Nancy McMordie, "are lineally descended from [King] Robert Bruce [of Scotland] through his great granddaughter, Lady Elizabeth Douglas, who was the daughter of George, Earl of Angus, guardian to Robert II. Lady Elizabeth Douglas married Alexander, Lord Forbes, and their daughter, Lady Elizabeth Forbes, married Alexander Irvine of Drum, son of William de Irvine, master of the rolls of Scotland under Bruce, 1371 - 1390."
Adams County, Pennsylvania Will Book B, p. 45, No. 342, 1809.
Boyd, L., The Irvines & Their Kin, Donnelley & Sons, Chicago, 1908, p. 153, 168, 174.
Cemetery Records of Mercer County, Kentucky, Harrodsburg Hist. Soc., Harrodsburg KY, July 1969, Vol. 1, p. 38.
Cemetery Records of Mercer County, Kentucky, Harrodsburg Hist. Soc., Harrodsburg KY, July 1969, Vol. 11, p. 146.
Cook, M. L., Mercer County Kentucky Records, Vol. 2, Cook Publ, Evansville IN, Kentucky, n. d., Records Series, Vol. 26, pp. 288, 436, 492.
Fayette County, Kentucky, Militia Officers, Kentucky Genealogist: Vol. II, 1969 p. 134.
History of the Irvine Family, p-33.
lson, A. R. S. & Conover, R. W., Marriage Bonds and Consents, 1786 - 1810, Mercer CountyKentucky, Harrodsburg KY, July 1970, p. 83.
Klotter, J. C., (Ed), Genealogies of Kentucky Families, A - M, Genea. Publ. CO., Baltimore, 1981, p. 566.
Mercer County, Kentucky, Will Records, 1801.
Morton, 0. F., History of Rockbridge County, Virginia, Regional Publ Co., Baltimore, 1980, p. 21.
Pennsylvania Archives, 3,d Series, Vol. 21, pp. 393, 632, 740.
Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series, Vol. III, p. 1454.
US Census 1810 Fayette County Kentucky, # 286, line 25.
US Census .1820 Fayette County Kentucky, #
Wathmey, J. H. G., Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, Dietz press, Richmond VA, 1938, p. 410.
White, V. D., (Ed), Index to Revolutionary War Service Records, Natl Hist Publ Co, Waynesboro TN, 1995, Vole III L - R, p. 1 834.