Mary (Irwin) McCord (1715 - 1758)

Born 1715 in Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 24 Apr 1758 at about age 43 in Fort McCord, Pennsylvania

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Biography

Mary Irwin Birth: 1715 at Lancaster County, PA

Marriage: ABT 1731

Death

Death: 24 APR 1758 Fort McCord, Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States^[1]

Death: 01 APR 1756 at William McCord's fort near Chambersburg, PA Aged: 41.2 years

Notes

Below I have continued notes on the research from WOF/Wife which wouldn't fit into the notes area on William:

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES WERE TAKEN FROM COPIES OF THE MARYLAND GAZETTE WHICH ARE ON FILE ON MICROFILM AT THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. THEY ARE AVAILABLE THRU THE INTERLIBRARY LOAN SYSTEM. THE FILM CONTAINS ISSUES FROM 31 OCTOBER 1754 THRU 21 FEBRUARY 1765. I WAS UNABLE TO RESEARCH FROM 12 NOVEMBER 1761 THRU THE END BECAUSE OF LACK OF TIME TO DO SO. THIS WAS RESEARCHED DURING THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE 1986.

Maryland Gazzette Issue Number 570, Thursday April 8, 1756 Page 4, Column 3, Line 21

By the same express we have the deposition of Aaron Ryley (taken yesterday at Frederick-Town), to the following effect, that he was at Adam Hoop's on the 5th Instant where he saw an express who brought letters to several people there which he did not hear read but was told by the man who brought them that on the First Instant William M'Coard's Fort, which he thinks is about 30 miles from Fort Lyttleton, was taken and about 30 people were there killed and taken. Upon the news of this, Capt. Alexander Culverson marched forth among the inhabitants with a party of men in pursuit of the indians, who were joined by another party from Fort Lyttleton, The whole amounting to about 50 men. That the Indians were about 12 miles from Fort Lyttleton near Little Oxwick. That the party met one man who had been taken at M'Coard's and made his escape, who informed them where the Indians were, that they came up with the Indians fired upon them, and killed several and at length put them to flight, that they were so eager in pursuing that the Indian Haae(?), our friend, advised them to cut loose some of the prisoners which they had tied to trees yet they omitted it. That the party had not pursued far, before the indians were joined by 50 more as the supposed who _____ routed the White Men and of the whole 50, only 15 were returned to Fort Lyttleton on Sunday nite last.

Maryland Gazette Issue Number 571, Thursday April 15, 1756 Page 4, Column 3, Dateline: Annapolis - Line 21

At the burning of M'Coard's Fort by the enemy, on the First Instant, there were thirty people killed and six taken prisoner. One of the former was a Woman very big with Child, whom they ripp'd open, and scalp'd the infant, and a young girl, one of the prisoners, who it is supposed was not able to travel fast enough with them, was found dead and scalp'd near the foot of an adjacent mountain

Maryland Gazette Issue Number 572, Thursday April 22, 1756 Page 3, Column 3, Line 10

In our last we mentioned, that a third party of our men, that were in search of the indians, who carried off the prisoners from M'Coard's Fort, had not returned, since we have received advice that they came up with the enemy at Sideling Hill, with whom they had a smart engagement, and would have beat them, if another large party of Indians (said to be commanded by Shingas) had not come up to thier assistance. The battle, we hear, lasted above two hours, in which time most of our people fired 24 rounds and proved themselves to be men of courage and conduct, but being greatly overpowered in numbers, and having left a great many of thier party, they were obliged to give way. Twenty five, it is said, out of fifty are returned, some of whom mortally wounded. What numbers the indians lost is uncertain, but thought to be at least as large as ours, and there is reason to believe that Captain Jacobs is among the dead.

Maryland Gazette Issue Number 573, Thursday April 29, 1756 Page 4, Column 3, Line 7

In a letter from a gentleman in Shippenbourgh dated the Twelfth Instant, We have the following list of the killed and wounded in the late engagement with the indians in Cumberland County, viz. Killed of the company under the command of Captain Culbertson, Alexander Culbertson Captain, John Reynolds, Ensign of Captain Chambers Company; William Kerr, James Blair, John Layton, William Denny, Francis Scott, William Boyd, Jacob Paynter, Jacob Jones, Robert Kerr, and William Chambers Wounded, Abraham Jones, Francis Campbell, William Reynolds, John Barnet, Benjamin Blythe, John M'Donald, and Isaac Miller Killed, of Captain Hamilton's Men, under the command of Ensign Jamieson, Daniel McCoy, James Robinson, James Peace, John Blair, Henry Jones, John M'Carty, and John Kelly. Wounded, Ensign Jamieson, James Robinson, William Hunter, Matthias Ganthorn, William Swailles, and James Lowder(since dead) The same letter advises that the indians carried off thier dead so that the numbers could not be known, but thought to be considerable: that John Lowry killed one indian at M'Coard's Fort: that Mary M'Cord was shot by the fire of our own men: and that the wife of John Thorn, with a child at her breast, two of William M'Cord's daughters and a little boy, made thier escape during the engagement and got safe to Fort Littleton.

Maryland Gazette Issue Number 595, Thursday September 30, 1756 Dateline: Philadelphia

September 23, Saturday last, arrived an express from Col. Armstrong, of Cumberland County, with advice that he marched from Ft. Shirley on the 30th past, with about 300 of our provincial forces on an expedition against Kittanning, a town of our indian enemies, on the Ohio, about 25 miles above Fort Du Queine, On the third Instant he joined the advanced party at the Beaver Dams near Frankstown, and on the seventh in the evening, being within six miles of Kittanning, the scouts discovered a fire in the road, and reported that there were but three, or at most four, indians at it. It was not thought proper to attempt surprising those indians at that time lest if one could escape, the town might be alarmed, so Lieutenant Hogg with twelve men were left to watch them with orders not to fall upon them till day break, and our forces turned out of the path to pass by thier fire without disturbing them. About three in the morning, having been guided by the whooping of the indian warriors at a dance in the town. They reached the river 100 Perches below the Body of the Town near a corn-field in which a number of the enemy lodged out of thier cabins, as it was a warm nite, As soon as day appeared and the town could be seen, the attack began in the corn-field, through which our people charged, killing several of the enemy, and entered the town. Captain Jacobs, Chief of the Indians, gave the War Whoop and defended his home bravely through loopholes in the logs. And the Indians generally refusing Quarters, which were offered them, declaring they were men and would not be prisoners, Col. Armstrong (who now received a wound in his shoulder by a musket ball) ordered thier houses to be set on fire over thier heads which was immediately done by the officers and soldiers with great activity. When the Indians were told they would be burnt if they did not surrender, one of them reply'd he did not care, as he would kill four or five before he died, and as the heat began to approach some began to sing --- some however bursted out of the houses and attempted to reach the river but were instantly shot down. Capt. Jacobs, in getting out of a window, was shot, and scalped, as also was his squaw and a lad called the Kings Son. The Indians had a number of spare arms in thier houses, loaded, which went off in quick succession as the fire came to them; and quantities of gunpowder which had been stored in every house blew up from time to time, throwing some of thier bodies a great height into the air. A body of the enemy on the opposite side of the river, fired on the people, and being seen to cross the river at a distance as if to surround our men, they collected some indian horses that were near the town to carry of the wounded, and then retreat without going back to the corn-field to pick up the scalps of those killed there in the beginning of the action. Several of the enemy were also killed in the river as they attempted to escape by fording it. And it was computed(?sp) that in all between thirty and forty were destroyed though we brought only but 12 scalps --- Eleven English prisoners were released and brought away; who informed the Col., that __?__ the powder, (of which the Indians boasted they had enough for ten years war with the English) there was a great quantity of goods burnt, which the French had made them a present of but ten days before; the prisoners also informed, that that very day two boatloads(?) of Frenchmen with a large party of Delaware and French Indians were to have joined Captain Jacobs to march and take Fort Shirley; and that 24 warriors had set out before them the preceeding evening, --- which proved to be the party that had kindled the fire the night before ___?___ ___?____ our people, returning, found Lieutenant Hogg wounded in three places, and learnt that he had in the morning attacked the susposed party of three or four at the fire, according to order, but found them to numerous for him. He killed three of them however at the first fire and fought them an hour, when having lost three of his best men, the rest as they lay wounded abandoned him and fled, the enemy pursuing them, --- Lt. Hogg died soon after of his wounds --- Capt. Mercer, being wounded in the action was carried off by his Ensign and eleven men, who left the main body in thier return, to take another Road, and were not come in when the express came away. He had four of the recovered prisoners with him, and some of the scalps. It is feared he may be intercepted. On the whole it is allowed to be the greatest blow the Indians have received since the war began, and if well followed may soon make them weary of continuing it. The conduct of Col. Armstrong in marching so large a Body through the enemy's country and coming so close to the town without being discovered is deservedly admired and applauded, as well as the bravery of both officers and men in the action. And we hope thier example may have all the good effects that are naturally to be expected from it. Return of the Killed and Wounded and Missing at Fort Littleton, September 14, 1756. Lt-Col. Armstrong Wounded In his Company, 2 private men killed, and 3 wounded. Capt.Hamilton's Company, one killed Capt. Mercer's Company Himself and one man wounded, 7 killed, himself, his Ensign, an 7 men missing Capt. Armstrong's Company Lt. James Hogg and 5 men killed, 5 wounded, and 6 missing Capt. Ward's Company One killed, one wounded, 3 missing Capt. Potters Company Ensign James Potter, and 1 man wounded Capt. Steel's Company 1 missing

A list of English Prisoners released from the Indians at Kittanning, viz. Anne M'Cord, wife of John M'Cord, taken at M'Cord's Fort at Conococheague. Martha Thorn about seven years old, taken at the same place. Barbara Hicks, taken at the Conoloway. Catharine, a German child, taken near Shamokin. Margaret Hood, taken near the mouth of Conococheague, in Maryland. Thomas Girty, taken near Winchester in Virginia. Besides one woman, a boy and two little girls, who, with Capt. Mercer, and Ensign Scott, separated from the main body, as they began thier march from the Kittanning, and are not yet come in. Since receiving the above Return from Fort Littleton we are informed, that Capt. Mercer and 23 persons, are returned safe, which makes up the number of missing and the 4 released prisoners.

THE FOLLOWING ARE ARTICLES FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE TAKEN FROM MICROFILM OF THIS PAPER 1755 TO 1760. IT IS KEPT AT THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN HARRISBURG, PA AND AVAILABLE THRU INTERLIBRARY LOAN. RESEARCH OCCURED 13 AUGUST 1986 SIX TO SEVEN WEEKS AFTER RESEARCHING THE MARYLAND GAZETTE. SEVERAL OF THESE ARTICLES WERE USED VERBATIM FROM THIS PAPER (PA GAZETTE) AND PLACED ONE WEEK LATER IN THE MARYLAND GAZETTE. SINCE THESE ARE ALREADY IN THE MD GAZETTE FILE THE ARTICLES WHICH ARE REPEATED WILL BE REFERRED BACK TO THE MARYLAND GAZETTE FILE.

Pennsylvania Gazette Issue Number 1427 April 8, 1756

We have advice from Carlisle in Cumberland County, that on Thursday last M'Cord's Fort in Conococheague was burnt by the Indians and that twenty seven persons are killed and missing; that one M'Dowell was found dead and scalped a little way from the Fort; also a little Girl, one of those they carried off with them: and that three parties had gone out in pursuit of them, two of which returned without success, but the third was not come in at the date of our inteligence. We also hear from the same place that some Indians have been seen very lately within seven or eight miles of that towr: That Patterson's Fort on Juniata, was fired on several times by them a few days ago, and one Mitchelltree carried off from it: That a few of them have been seen about Fort Granville, also on Juniata: That a Fort on Potowmack was lately surprised and taken by them, and that all in it except three, who made thier escape, were murdered: and that the inhabitants of Cumberland County in general are in the greatest distress and confusion imaginable, many of them leaving thier habitations, not knowing where to go or what to do.

Pennsylvania Gazette Issue Number 1425 April 15, 1756

Same wording as April 22, 1756 issue of Maryland Gazette

Pennsylvania Gazette Issue Number 1426 April 22, 1756

Same wording as April 29, 1756 Issue of Maryland Gazette

Pennsylvania Gazette Issue Number 1427 April 29, 1756

Cumberland County, April 17, 1756 Whereas my character has of late suffered, either by the malice or the weakness of sundry persons, respecting my conduct at the time that William M'Cord's Fort was destroyed; This is to give notice to all persons, that on Friday, the Fourteenth of May, I intend to clear myself before three magistrates, at the house of John Mofhett; where all persons are invited to come and evidence against me, as I intend to summon several persons of credit, in order to clear my character. I am the Publick's most obedient and humble servant. JOHN POTTER N.B. As soon as the evidence is heard on both sides, The whole shall be transmitted to the Publick.

Pennsylvania Gazette Issue Number 1448 September 23, 1756

Same wording as September 30, 1756 Issue of Maryland Gazette

In an unpublished paper: A GENEALOGICAL RECORD OF THE DESCENDANTS OF JAMES McCORD SON OF WILLIAM McCORD EMIGRANT TO LANCASTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA 1720-1952, Mrs. Guyte (Jean P.) McCord of Tallahassee FL reports that Mary Irwin McCord Mears was a grand daughter of William of the fort. She related that in a letter written by Mary Irwin McCord in 1884 that she stated she was named after either her grandmother or her great aunt, she couldn't remember which, the two women were named Mary Irwin and Jean Lowry, and she couldn't remember which was which; there is a question re: the accuracy of parts of this statement. Early researchers felt that Mary Irwin Mears was referring to the wife of William of the fort, BUT William would have been her great grandfather not her grandfather. This fact has led many to believe that she may have been refering to the wife of John McCord of Bedford County VA who was her grandfather. We need to find a copy of the letter in which this is supposed to have been stated.

Sources

1. ↑ Record for David of Derry McCord http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=0&pid=4549

• http://www.ourfamtree.org/browse.php/William-McCord/p397693