The McKay Family

From Our Island Heritage, Vols. 2 and 3, 1977-78, compiled by Sophie Haley and Mickie Smith:

William Columbus McKay married Mary Eveline Rogers on December 27, 1867.  Mr. and Mrs. McKay were both natives of Mississippi.  They arrived on Sicily Island around 1897.

William C. McKay - Record of Death

Children of this marriage include:
Almedia Isadore, 1870-1951 (m. 1. Benjamin F. Saxon; 2. James David Weeks, Sr.,1872-1957)
Eudora - Born April 17, 1871
William Samuel - Born July 16, 1873
Thomas Columbus - Born August 13, 1878
John D. - Born November 9, 1880
Daniel M. - Born February 2, 1883
Robert Lee - Born March 7, 1888
Mary W. - Born November 22, 1899

Mary Eveline Rogers McKay died in 1912 and her body was carried to Natchez, Mississippi for burial.  In 1914, Mr. McKay was married to widow Spears, and they continued to live on the Island for some years until his death in 1930.

William Samuel (Sam) McKay went to work in Pollock, Louisiana where he met and married Virginia "Jennie" Lee Foster.  A few years after their marriage, Sam and Jennie moved to Sicily Island, where they lived out the remainder of their days.  Jennie died on December 27, 1943 and Sam died March 29, 1954.  On the Island they lived at various locations and farmed for other landowners until 1923, when they purchased land on the Cane Road which became their permanent home.  Here he farmed and raised cattle.  Sam and Jennie were members of the Pine Hill Baptist Church, as were all of their children. 

Six children were born to this couple, four of whom died quite young:
Roy - b. December 24, 1896; d. January 29, 1918
Eda Ethel - b. August 26, 1901; d. April 3, 1909
Horace - b. April 14, 1904; d. February 23, 1918
Edna - b. January 23, 1906; d. September 14, 1916
Bertha - b. September 11, 1908; d. February 25, 1999; married Abbott Pearson and had three children:  Barbara Jean (Mrs. Howard Cater), Virginia (Mrs. Larry Barron), and Carey.

Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Old Pine Hill Cemetery

(Editor's Note:  Tombstone photographs for William Sam McKay and V. L. McKay are courtesy of Karen Klemm Pinckard at FindAGrave.com)

Thomas Columbus McKay arrived in Florence (Sicily Island) in 1897 from Copiah County, Mississippi.  On January 3, 1901, he married Annie Adelot Punchard, daughter of Leonidas and Narcissa Caroline Piety Punchard.  Tom and Annie settled on a part of the Punchard place which they bought from Mr. Punchard and which was located across Black Bayou about a mile from the present McKay home. 

Here they lived until 1913 during which time the first six of their eight children were born:
Alvin Walton "Doc", 1901-1983
Eva Mabel (Mount), 1903-1996
Mattie Lee (Folds), 1905-?
William David (m. Carlynn Carlyon), 1907-1999
Gracie Mary "Mae" (Cruse), 1909-1994
Jessie Lucille (Morehouse), 1911-1993
Maggie Almeda (LeBow)
Thomas Colen, 1914-1940

In 1913, Mr. McKay purchased what was known as the Sharp Liveley Place which was located about one-fourth mile from the present McKay home. 

The present McKay home site was acquired in 1917 from Conrad Weileman.  The house they occupied here was built by Mr. Weileman as a store from which he also operated the Leland Post Office.  It is thought by some of the older residents that Leland Post Office began operation around 1850.  Mr. McKay's bachelor brother, Robert Lee McKay, who made his home with the family, became postmaster and store keeper. Robert Lee eventually married his assistant, Miss Mary Bailey. 

The above home has been occupied by the McKay family since 1917.  Mr. McKay died in 1932, Mrs. McKay died in 1961.  The home was last occupied by Alvin "Doc" McKay and his widowed sister, Mrs. Mae McKay Cruse.

McKay House, 2011

Annie Adelot Punchard McKay and Thomas Columbus McKay

Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Thomas C. McKay - Record of Death