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The McCord On-Line Newsletter
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The McCord Crest
A 1624 book by James Pont of Scotland entitled The
Arms of the Nobility of Scotland contains the names of two McCord
family lines, one from Scotland and one from Ireland and describes their
respective Coats of Arms. In reading the entire book itself it is clear
that these McCords were of Gentry status, the level below nobility and not
nobility. However, we have not resolved the issue of nobility in a
second book, that of Thomas Robson's. When it is reviewed we shall
know more on this matter.
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Click on each photo for a larger view. |
McCord News
Murdo Ross of Edinburg
Scotland, Acting President of The McCord Society (Clan McCord and McCord Family
Association) Debbie Skousen V-P for Internet Research Coordination, and
Jean Hayter, Acting VP Secretary-Treasurer send special regards to each of
you in the Society this July 4th, a special date in our Society. This is
the time of remembrance of the many McCords in history who sacrificed so much
that we might have freedom and liberty!
This is a very special
occasion, just before July 4th 2010, for us to remember and honor those of
our ancestors who sacrificed greatly for us. There will be parades and
speeches throughout the nation, especially this year. We hope you can
attend some of those celebrations in your community. As is said in the
Bible, "Next year in Jerusalem!" Or rather-- next year in New Holland PA
on July 4th 2011 for the famous McCord Family Reunion! Please join us
then!
It is well that we
now recall the role that the Scots and Scotch Irish and our McCord
ancestors played in those honored days of the Founding of our Nation. It
has been estimated that as many as one-third, 33%, of all those who fought
in the American Revolution were Scots or Scotch-Irish, though their number
then was only 6% of our nation's population. The biographer of
General Anthony Wayne, head of Washington's Continentals from
Pennsylvania, has stated that two-thirds of Wayne's Continental soldiers
were Scots or Scotch-Irish.
Over 100 of the Scot and
Scotch-Irish McCords served in the American Revolution. We have the names
of the units in which most of them served. Eleven of these Scot and
Scotch-Irish McCords were at Valley Forge with General George Washington
during the bitter winter and siege of 1777-78.
The ranking Pennsylvania
officer of the Pennsylvania Militia in the Revolution was the Scot, Major
General John Armstrong. His name is famous in McCord history at Ft. McCord
where he, then Colonel Armstrong, and his dedicated troops in the French
and Indian War rescued McCords and some of the 27 taken captive at Ft.
McCord near Chambersburg on April 1, 1756. Indians, backed by the French, had
attacked Ft. McCord on that date which is infamous in Pennsylvania
history. The Penn family struck medals to honor Col. Armstrong and his
officers for their daring rescue of those taken captive at Ft. McCord.
John Armstrong used his
experience in the French and Indian War later, when he became one of
only two Major Generals from Pennsylvania during the Revolution. He and
Washington were very close friends and had been in business together in
the 1760's.
We know also that in
1776, two-thirds of those in Pennsylvania's General Assembly, its state
legislature, were Scots and Scotch-Irish. Scots and Scotch Irish served
not only in the military but also in the civil administrations during that
war. McCords from the other 13 states also served honorably in
that time of the Founding of our Nation. What a tremendous heritage we
have! Let's remember it this July 4th!
Another fine organization which you can join if you like is the
Scotch-Irish Society of the USA with headquarters near Philadelphia PA. Its mailing address is P.O.
Box 53, Media, PA 19063
There is also another
excellent
organization you may want to be aware of: it is the Friends of Valley
Forge whose website is
friendsvf@comcast.net.
-James McCord, Adviser
and Correspondent for President Murdo Ross. June 20, 2010.
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Now plan ahead to be
with our members at The McCord Society Reunion on July 4-6, 2011 at New Holland PA.
You won't want to miss that
Reunion next year! Stay tuned to this website
www.McCordClan.com for details of
the 2011 Reunion as they develop! Much will be posted about it on the
website.
If you are not a member
and would like to be, an application can be found on our other website
www.McCordFamilyAssn.com.
NEWS ABOUT THE
LAST REUNION JULY 4-6,2007!
THE REUNION WAS A
RESOUNDING SUCCESS, THANKS TO THE GREAT WORK AND SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS WHO WORKED SO HARD AND
SUCCESSFULLY TO MAKE IT A REUNION TO REMEMBER! IT WAS!!!
66
PHOTOS OF THE 2007 INTERNATIONAL MCCCORD REUNION!!!
SIXTY-SIX
EXCELLENT PHOTOS TAKEN OF THE 2007 REUNION BY GARY MCCORD OF PENNSYLVANIA
CAN BE SEEN BY CLICKING ON THE FOLLOWING:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jaymoss61/McCordReunionJuly56
THESE
SUPERB PHOTOS WERE TAKEN ON JULY 5 AND 6, 2007 AT VALLEY FORGE, FT. MCCORD
AND DERRY CHURCH, HERSHEY, PA BY GARY AND POSTED BY OUR ADVISORY BOARD
MEMBER JAY LYNN MOSS, RETIRED CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, USN. THANKS GARY AND
LYNN!
2007 REUNION REVIEW
JULY 5, 2007,
AND
THE BETSY
ROSS HOUSE, PHILADELPHIA PA. A LINE OF THE MCCORDS
ARE DESCENDED FROM TWO BUILDERS OF INDEPENDENCE HALL (PROVINCE
HOUSE, STATE HOUSE) , PHILADELPHIA WHERE
THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS MET.
THE NAMES OF THE TWO MCCORD-ADAMS' ANCESTORS WHO
HELPED BUILD INDEPENDENCE HALL ARE INSCRIBED IN THE FAMED CARPENTER'S HALL
OF PHILADELPHIA. A FORMER PRESIDENT OF CARPENTERS HALL SPOKE ALSO ABOUT
THE GRISCOMS AND CARPENTERS HALL!
THE ORPHANED DAUGHTER OF BETSY ROSS'S SISTER WAS
RAISED BY BETSY FROM AGE 14 AND SHE NO DOUBT HELPED BETSY MAKE SOME OF THE
EARLY AMERICAN FLAGS. THE ORPHANED DAUGHTER MARRIED DAVID MCCORD, SON OF
CPL. MARK MCCORD, VALLEY FORGE VETERAN.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S LIBRARY COMPANY OF
PHILADELPHIA MOVED TO THE STATE HOUSE
(INDEPENDENCE HALL) IN APRIL 1740.
JEAN MCCORD LOWRY WAS THE SISTER OF WILLIAM MCCORD WHO BUILT FT.
MCCORD NEAR CHAMBERSBURG PA WHICH WAS DESTROYED BY THE INDIANS APRIL 1,
1756 AND SHE WAS AMONG 27 PEOPLE KILLED OR CAPTURED THERE. SHE WAS TAKEN
PRISONER BY THE INDIANS AND FRENCH, REMOVED TO CANADA, AND THEN TAKEN
OVERSEAS BY FRENCH SHIP TO ENGLAND, WHERE SHE AND SOME OTHERS WERE
EXCHANGED FOR FRENCH PRISONERS HELD BY THE BRITISH. ON HER RETURN TO
PHILADELPHIA SHE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES AS A CAPTIVE...
SINCE 1760, JEAN MCCORD'S BOOK HAS BEEN IN BEN
FRANKLIN'S LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA (ORIGINALLY LOCATED IN THE STATE HOUSE,
INDEPENDENCE HALL) . SEE "MCCORD HISTORY'
BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT JEAN MCCORD LOWRY'S CAPTIVITY.
OUR MCCORD SOCIETY
WAS AT VALLEY FORGE PA THE
AFTERNOON OF JULY 5, 2007 FOR A CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THE 100 MCCORDS WHO SERVED WITH WASHINGTON IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, ELEVEN OF
THEM AT VALLEY FORGE. THAT WAS VERY SPECIAL. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF VALLEY
FORGE MILITARY PARK, MIKE CALDWELL WELCOMED THE SOCIETY AND GRACIOUSLY
ARRANGED A TOUR OF VALLEY FORGE AND THE FRIENDS OF VALLEY FORGE HOSTED A
RECEPTION FOR OUR SOCIETY! IT WAS GREAT!
ON
JULY 6, 2007 WE WERE AT
FORT MCCORD, PA.
FOR A CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE IN THE MORNING. THAT
AFTERNOON WE HAD A CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE AT
DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
HERSHEY PA THAT WAS FOUNDED BY WILLIAM MCCORD IN 1724,
ALONG WITH A DOZEN OTHER SCOTCH-IRISH PIONEERS. SO WE HAD MUCH EARLY AMERICAN AND
MCCORD HISTORY TO CELEBRATE!
WE HAD AN EXCELLENT PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE
2007 REUNION, HEADED BY CO-CHAIRMAN JEAN HAYTER, JOINED BY HENRY SIMS AND DR.
CARL STEM, PH.D., RETIRED CHAIRMAN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION AT TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY. JEAN HAS CO-CHAIRED MAJOR
AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND OTHER PATRIOTIC CELEBRATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.
SHE CAN BE REACHED AT
jean.hayter@worldnet.att.net.
THE THEME OF THE 2007 INTERNATIONAL MCCORD
FAMILY REUNION WAS: "GOD, COUNTRY AND FAMILY" AND "BAND OF BROTHERS: A BAND
OF HEROES."
OTHER
NEWS!
Great news! The Clan Armstrong
Chieftain was with us the afternoon of July 5th 2007 at Valley Forge for a
joint laying of a wreath at the monument there of Major General John
Armstrong, Commander of all the Pennsylvania Militia Troops in the
American Revolution. As then-Colonel John Armstrong he took a regiment of
Frontiersmen to Kittanning in September 1756 and rescued some of the
captives taken five months earlier at Ft. McCord when the Indians attacked
on April 1, 1756. For this daring rescue the Penn Family struck a medal
for Armstrong and his officers.
Valley Forge National Park
Superintendent Mike Caldwell welcomed our McCord Society to Valley
Forge on July 5th. He is giving superb leadership to the Park and it shows.

McCord Society Acting President Murdo Ross's family, at his and Sue's beautiful daughter Catriona's wedding in
Scotland. Murdo and Sue's son Andrew is on the right. The most handsome new couple, now Graham and Catriona Reekie, will be living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Congratulations and best
wishes to all! President Murdo Ross is related to David McCord of Derry, son of the
Patriarch William McCord who came to Pennsylvania ca.1720 and who helped
found the Derry Presbyterian Church in Derry (Hershey) PA in 1724. Murdo's
grandparents lived on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, where McCords lived
earlier, dating back to 1620 when Clan Chieftain James McCord livedthere.

Debbie Skousen (on right), Vice President
for Research Coordination, with children Aaron and Sarah and Aunt Gerlene
McCord

FAMILY RESEARCH: We are most fortunate to have
two long-time and expert Senior McCord family researchers in Dr. Thomas
Hill, M.D. and Don E. McCord,. They have massive databases on the McCords
and have been collecting this invaluable information for 30-40 years. Your
incoming queries to us seeking information about your family histories are
forwarded by Acting VP for Research Coordination Debbie Skousen to Dr. Hill and Don E. McCord for a search in their databases. If you are seeking
information on your McCord ancestors, you can contact us by email for a
search on your family at
Research@McCordfamilyAssn.com, Please feel free to do so, there is no
charge for this service.
Dr. Symm McCord, M.D., has his excellent and
valuable McCord Bible Pages online at
http://symmmccord.com/welcomebibles.htm. You will want to look at
those and see if there are any Bibles associated with your families.
Mississippi and Alabama McCords will especially want to take a look at the
William J. McCord Bible there, since a number of McCord descendants listed
in his Bible settled in Alabama and Mississippi in the 1800's. Dr. McCord
is continually adding new McCord Bibles to his very helpful home page.

Dr. Symm and Jackie McCord
NEW BOOK OUT!
A new science-fiction
novel has just been published . This one by Dr.Symm McCord M.D.
entitled THE CHALLENGE OF JHWH, which stands for Jehovah. The book can be
found at the website
www.TheChallengeOfJHWH.com.
Photo of our Brazilian McCord
Society Representative Henrique MacCord

McCord Society Brazilian
representative Henrique MacCord at a recentfamily gathering in Brazil. Henrique is standing with his wife, other family members are seated,
note the family resemblance! There are over 400 MacCord family descendants in
Brazil now of their original Colonel Russell MacCord who brought a colony to
Brazil after the Civil War where he was a Surgeon. Colonel MacCord was
from South Carolina and last served at The Battle of Vicksburg,
Mississippi! Earlier he reportedly had served with the American Army in
the U.S. War with Mexico.
John McCord "Swamp Fox" Pistol
from the American Revolution

John McCord pistol, said to have
been carried by him while serving with "The Swamp Fox" Francis Marion in the
Revolutionary War in the South. Photo courtesy of our member Glen McCord
whose aunt gave it to him, stating that the pistol had been carried by
John McCord who operated on the Pee Dee River in South Carolina with
Marion.
South Carolina Major General
Francis Marion is famous for his highly successful guerilla warfare
against the British in South Carolina in which he and his men made
"hit and run" attacks against British troops and then Marion and his men
would disappear into the S.C. swamps where they could not be found. Glen
McCord promises to bring the pistol with him and display it at our next Reunion! Be there, you won't want to miss it!
NEW ARRIVALS!

Molly Rhiannon
Hughes born in Hendersonville TN is the daughter of
Paul and Amy Lee (Waldrop) Hughes and granddaughter of the Max Waldrops.
She is a descendant of Thomas Nicely McCord who settled in Northern
Mississippi in Pontotoc and Calhoun Counties in the 1830's. Our
congratulations to the Waldrop and Hughes families! She is a beauty!.

CIVIL WAR HISTORY! Was "Tara," the famous home
in the movie classic, Gone With The Wind, a home of a McCord family
in Georgia, used in the movie to make the film because of its dramatic
setting and structure? Yes,
writes Dr. Symm McCord, M.D., former Vice-President of the McCord Society.
He says that Robert was the son of Elisha and Sally McCord and that Elisha
was son of John McCord and Alice (Else) Hyatt of Lincoln County GA. Robert
was master of the "Stately Oaks" plantation near Jonesboro, GA. This
plantation was used by Margaret Mitchell as a model when she wrote Gone
With The Wind. The Plantation House has been moved about 4 miles from
its original location. Symm is a descendant of William McCord who built
Ft. McCord PA.

Aren't grandchildren and great-grandchildren a joy! This photo is one of Belva Wainwright Bell's
beautiful little great-granddaughters, Scarlett, age 4.

This is Chief Petty Officer ( U.S.N. Ret.) Lynn and
Mary Moss's beautiful new granddaughter! Proud grandparents,
understandably! You will recall Lynn and Mary. Lynn carried the American
flag in the Opening Ceremonies at our past International McCord Reunions,
Lynn wearing his Volunteer Fireman's Uniform from New England. Mary served
most capably as our Registration Desk Hostess along with Linda Stem at the International McCord Reunion in New Holland, PA..

NEWS FROM BRAZIL! This past year has been a vintage year for
handsome babies! This is Rita MacCord's nephew's young son, Francisco. Rita
lives in Copacabana, Brazil. Our congratulations to Rita and her fine
family in Brazil.

FORT MCCORD! Owner of Ft. McCord, Mary
Clark's beautiful new granddaughter, Baby Zoe! Congratulations Mary, what
a delight she must be for your fine family!
ANOTHER HANDSOME FAMILY! AND A
GREAT STORY!

Kirk Scott Berry McCord, Yvonne
McCord, and James Rocky Edwards McCord. Harold McCord's picture not shown.
All 4 children of the same McCord family, separated very early in life,
not knowing where the others were or under what names.
One of the great
recent stories of our McCord Society is that of four orphans, separated
when they were very young children and placed in different homes, unknown
to each other by name or location. Each was adopted by families with
different last names and locations, and adopted under those last names,
not the name McCord. One of the four, Kirk, contacted us a
few weeks ago trying to find any connection to the McCords, knowing only
his father and mother's name and possibly his grandfather McCord's name.
Our Senior Researcher Don E. McCord immediately advised him of his
ancestry, telling him also that the four came from Don's own family line,
Family A, going back to David McCord of Derry (Hershey) PA, and earlier in
Northern Ireland and Scotland!
Yvonne Houseman
pictured above had, after some 25 years of separation of the four, and not
knowing where the others had been placed as orphans or under what names,
through much diligence and searching finally located the other 3 children!
Privacy adoption regulations make it most difficult to find others in such
cases but she persevered until she did so! She wanted to know where her 3
brothers were, and under what names. She located them, much credit to
Yvonne! The picture above is Yvonne with two of her three brothers.
This is one of the
great success stories of our Society! And of the superb work our Senior
Researchers Don E. McCord, Dr. Tom Hill, M.D. do, and earlier Researchers David
McCord and Mrs. Guyte (Jean) McCord did, and the sort of help that Dr. Symm
McCord, M.D. does for those of his family line, the Ft. McCord line, and
to help others with his Bible Pages Online.
Their research is invaluable, unequalled by any Society researchers
anywhere, to our knowledge! We are very proud of them all and the fine
work they have done all through the years, and are doing, with little or
no publicity. They do not seek publicity, only wanting, out of family
love, to help others learn their McCord descendants.
Our thanks to each
of you, and especially to Yvonne Houseman McCord for your persistence in
research, to Kirk for contacting us, and to Don E. McCord for your putting all of the story of the
four children and their ancestors in historical perspective! May God bless each of you! We
hope we can see each of you at our International McCord Family
Reunion in New Holland PA July 4-6, 2007! It would be great to share our
family love with you! -Jim McCord, President, Clan McCord Society (McCord
Family Association) July 2006.
Financial Report: Clan
McCord Society (McCord Family Association) balance in Fulton Bank, Leola,
PA on August 23, 2008 was $1,568.16 which was then transferred on that
date to then President Weston Adams of Columbia SC for his Clan McCord Account
there. The Fulton Bank account in Leola was closed on that date.
Financial Report on the 2007
Reunion: Utilizing funds in the bank account of the Clan McCord
Society at Fulton Bank, Leola and with income and expenses at the Reunion,
the ending bank balance in the Fulton Bank account after the Reunion then
stood at $1058.07. That Fulton bank account by August 23, 2008 reached the
$1,568.16 mentioned above when the account was then closed at Leola..
It was a highly successful 2007
Reunion with many letters having been received from our members on how
much it was enjoyed!
Now plan to be with us at New
Holland, PA on July 4-6, 2011 for the next great McCord Reunion! Check this news website from
time to time for details as they develop for the next Reunion!
Membership Dues: Our
thanks to you if you have sent in your membership dues which are now due,
The fee is only $15 for membership renewals and $25 for new members!
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McCord History |
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The President's
Column
It is usually helpful
to have dates of the earliest known records of the McCords in
America available. These are some which we have in our files:
1.
1720.
South Carolina. Barnard McCord land record in Charleston, South Carolina.
2.
1720.
Pennsylvania. William McCord of Northern
Ireland reported to have settled in Derry, Pennsylvania ca.
1720. Until 1729 Derry was in Chester County, after that it
was in Lancaster County, and now is in Dauphin County, carved
out of Lancaster County.
3.
1724.
William McCord and others founded the Derry Presbyterian
Church in present-day Hershey PA. (Scotch-Irish Society
Pennsylvania report)
4.
1729. New York.
John McCord reported to have arrived at Cape Cod, MA with the
Sir Charles Clinton party of 25 people from Northern Ireland
that then went on to settle in New York.
Sir Charles Clinton, 4th Earl of Lincoln, fought in the French and Indian War
as a Colonel.
John McCord is said to have been a very close friend of Clinton's.
John McCord's son, Andrew McCord served in the
U.S. Congress
1803-05 at the same time Thomas Jefferson was President.
Andrew's close friend General George Clinton was
Vice-President 1805-1812. George Clinton was of the Sir
Charles Clinton's family.
5.
1732.
James McCord from County Tyrone, Northern
Ireland reported settled in New York State, "arriving on the
first day of June, 1732."
"The
earliest record of an immediate ancestor--it is of special
interest that the identical tradition is held by all branches
of the family-is of Hamish or James McCord who was born on the
Island of Skye in the Hebrides in
1620. His wife's name is
unknown. He was killed at The Battle of Killiecrankie Pass in
1689.
His oldest son, Donald, it is said, was executed at Carlisle
in
1690.
Another son, John, born in
1660,
married Mary MacDougall."
"Shortly
after the Battle of Killiecrankie (1689),
John (McCord, son of James McCord of the Isle of Skye) and his
wife, (along) with his infant brother James McCord, left
Scotland, settling in Stewartstown, County Tyrone, Ireland,
where, it is said, they had relatives. "
"This
second James McCord, born in 1688,
married his second cousin, Sarah McCord on
May 7, 1706,
"as cited in "Record copied from the Presbyterian Church,
Stewartstown, County Tyrone, by the writer's uncle William S.
McCord, May 12, 1911." (from article "Ben McCord, Loyalist" by
Margaret McCord Robinson in The Westchester County
Historical Bulletin, Vol. 24, No. 2, April 1948.)
Sarah McCord and
the two sons of James and this
Sarah McCord--John and Samuel--and their daughter Mary,
"arrived in America in 1739...Mary
McCord, born March 30, 1717,
married John Fisher of White Plains (New York)."(ibid)
6.
March 1738.
Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin's
newspaper Pennsylvania Gazette published in
Philadelphia 1728-1745 carried the name of John McCord of
Lancaster County PA as having mail in Franklin's Post Office.
7.
1738.Virginia.
Johannes (John) McCord arrived in America and said to have
visited Lancaster County, PA before settling near
Charlottesville VA with his family.
8.
1743. Pennsylvania. Robert, also
known as Robin, McCord arrived in Lancaster County, PA from
Northern Ireland.
9.
1743. In 1743, records of Samuel
Pollock of Lancaster County, later Cumberland County, now in
Franklin County, PA showed William McCord as his neighbor.
Pollock's other neighbors included John Lowry and John Eaton.
(Unpublished Manuscript of Mrs. Guyte (Jean) P. McCord)
10.
1746. "William McCord, age 30, a
weaver, born in Ireland, served in Samuel Perry's Company of
Rangers in Cumberland County (then in Lancaster County) PA."
(Mrs. Guyte P. McCord manuscript)
11.
1747 Virginia.
On 4 Nov 1747 Andrew McCord and William
Armstrong gave bond as Executors for Robert Jackson, according
to George Washington in May 1765. Jackson was close family
friend of George Washington's mother.
12.
1749 Pennsylvania. "In
1749 William McCord received a Warrant for land in Cumberland
County PA. " (Mrs. Guyte P. McCord manuscript)
13.
1755. "A Roll
of 70 North Hamilton Association of Rangers were in Company A,
2nd Battalion, of Colonel Henry Bouquet's Rangers raised in
1755 against the Indians. It included John McCord, William McCod (McCord?), and William McCamish." (Kittochcheny Historical
Society, Vol. IX).
14.
April 1, 1756.
Ft. McCord, Pennsylvania, built by William McCord, attacked by Indians and
27 people killed or captured, including Ann McCord and Jean
McCord Lowry (both captured), sister of William McCord who built the Fort. (Annapolis Gazette (MD) 1756)
Other early dates
will be published in the future in this column.
We have the names of
over 147 McCords who, in the 1600's-1800's lived, some in the
Highlands and some in the Lowlands, of Scotland. The leading
Scot expert on the Isle of Skye--a Lord owning a castle there,
Chief
of his Clan, and who wrote extensively about the Highland
Clans--states that the residents of Skye are
Highlanders. The major line of our McCords in terms of numbers
of McCords that we know about, came from the Isle
of Skye.
Clan Chieftain
James MacKorda
By strong tradition
from McCord arrivals in Pennsylvania in the early
1700's--handed down to their descendants--that line of McCords
was descended from the old Clan Chieftain James
MacKorda, born ca. 1620 on the Isle of
Skye, who died July 1689 at The Battle of Killiecrankie Pass,
Scotland. His son John McCord, married to
Mary
MacDougall, was also at Killiecrankie
and survived it, taking the remaining Isle of Skye McCords to
Northern Ireland in 1689.
The
Sleat MacDonalds
are located on the Isle
of Skye and also fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie.
"The
name in Scotland was MacKorda, they were intermarried with the
MacDonalds and MacDugals; in fact, they all belonged to the
MacDonald tribe...James MacKorda and his seven sons all fought
at the Battle of Krany (Killiecrankie) about 1689...
"After
James MacKorda's death, his seven sons all removed to Northern
Ireland, some at Stewartstown, County Tyrone...The old
two-handed sword the old man used at KillieKrany is at the
homestead of Mrs. William McCord, White Plains, N.Y., also the
old clock and enormous Bible. The Bible is dated 1600, and is
now at the home of Mr. J. H. McCord, Peekskill, N.Y.
"I have
seen the clock and Bible---James Sturgis McCord,
Philadelphia, Pa."(underlining added)
MCCORD SOCIETY
MEMBERS, PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
ANY OF THIS ANCIENT BIBLE'S RECORDS. If you locate such
records, please contact us at P.O. Box 471, Leola Pa 17540.
-Jim McCord,
President Clan McCord Society, August 2006
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Monument at Ft. McCord PA where 27 people were killed or captured by
the Indians April 1, 1756. The Fort and the two-story McCord home
within it were just beyond the monument which you see, located about
100 feet away in the field shown. Brave PA Frontiersmen 5 months
later rescued at Kittanning PA some of those captured, including
little Ann McCord, for which Pennsylvania's John Penn struck medals in the honor
of the rescuers. Ft. McCord is the most famous of the private forts
in America in the French and Indian War.
Later, over 100 Scotch-Irish McCords served in the
American Revolutionary Army with General George Washington, eleven
of them at Valley Forge. The McCords knew most of the prominent
figures in the American Revolution at that time. For details see our
Clan McCord Home Page
www.McCordFamilyAssn.com

Ben Franklin and Jean McCord
Lowry's Book
A 1760
book of Jean McCord Lowry's, her
Journal, is the poignant and heart-rending story in her own
words of Jean McCord, sister of William McCord who built Ft. McCord.
Jean McCord's book was published in Philadelphia in 1760 and has remained in Ben
Franklin's Library Company of Philadelphia since then.
Benjamin
Franklin's Library Company of Philadelphia was moved to the
Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in April 1740
when Ben Franklin was Clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly. "The
Library Company became a permanent memorial to the club of artisans
and tradesmen who founded it and to their leader (Franklin) who was
not content to use and enjoy his books alone (Van Doren: Benjamin
Franklin, p. 206)."
On April
1, 1756, Jean McCord, who was
married to John Lowry, was in the second-floor of the McCord home enclosed
within Ft. McCord stockade near Chambersburg PA, when the Indians
attacked the Fort and home and set both afire. She tossed her three
children out the second floor window of the McCord home in order to
save their lives. They landed in the hands of the Indians below who
had just killed Jean's husband John. Jean, a pregnant woman, then
followed out the window into the Indians hands below. She did not
see her 3 children for 8 years until they were rescued by
Pennsylvania Frontiersmen and Scotch Highlander Regiments over in
Ohio country, along with 100 other children taken captive earlier by
the Indians. Jean was taken up into Canada by the French and made a
household slave of the French Governor. There they tried to convert
her to another religion but she knew her King James Bible too well,
and "talked them under the table" with her theological knowledge,
derived from the Bible and the great
Scot John Knox, father of Presbyterianism, about whom it has been
said that "All Scotland is His Monument." From Canada Jean McCord
was taken to England by French ship and exchanged for French
prisoners. Then she was returned by British ship to America. When
she landed in Philadelphia in 1760 she immediately wrote a book of
her harrowing and brutal experiences at the hands of the Indians and
French.
Jean
McCord Lowry's Journal
was published in 1760 in Philadelphia and has been in Benjamin
Franklin's Library Company of Philadelphia ever since. The copy
you will be seeing here shortly is a digital copy provided through
the courtesy of one of the Lowry family members, relatives of the McCords.
Over 100
McCords served in the American Revolution under General George
Washington, 11 of them at Valley Forge in the bitter winter of
1777-78. We have the records showing the units in which most of them
served.
A
substantial number of them were either descended from, or related
to, the McCords who built Ft. McCord in 1756, helped found Derry
Presbyterian Church, Hershey PA in 1724, or settled in New York,
Virginia and South Carolina in 1720-1745. Their McCord ancestors
came earlier from Ulster, Northern Ireland or from Scotland, or
both, dating back as early as 1620.
-Jim
McCord, President Clan McCord Society. rev. August 25, 2006
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EARLY PHOTOS
The earliest
known image of
Andrew
McCord, U.S. Congressman from New
York State 1803-1805 is one made of melted gold, in possession now of one
of his descendants.

Thomas Jefferson,
President 1801-1809

George Clinton,
six-term N.Y.Governor and Vice-President 1805-1812
Andrew McCord's good friend,
Governor George Clinton, was Vice-President 1805-12, serving first under
President Thomas Jefferson to 1809, then under President James Madison
1809-1812.
After 1805, Andrew
McCord was Speaker, N.Y. State Assembly. He had served as a Captain during
the American Revolution, in New York State. Governor Clinton was a
Brigadier General during the Revolution, in charge of all
of the New York State troops.
Governor George Clinton
of New York and Gov. Patrick Henry of Virginia opposed the ratification
of the U. S. Constitution unless it contained a Bill
of Rights. Governor Clinton had written as"CATO" in the
New York Journal opposing ratification. In
1789 these two Governors forced James Madison
to introduce a Bill of Rights which passed, and only
then did they sign, ratifying the U.S. Constitution
for their states.
Governor Patrick Henry
is described in an Encyclopedia as "the Father of our Bill of
Rights."
Patrick Henry's
ancestors were Scots. Some in Scotland were Pastors, as were some Virginia
Ministers who were his relatives.

The nearly 300
year-old McCord Clock
This early
Colonial clock belongs to a son of Helen McCord of New York state. A
fascinating history it reportedly brought to Westchester, N.Y. by James
McCord when he settled there in 1732. During the
Revolution, the McCords buried it near their New York home to keep it from British hands. After the Revolution it was
re-constituted and it is owned now by by Helen's son, handed down by several generations.
The family of Benedict
Arnold at one time tried to purchase the clock from the McCords,
indicating it had originally been in their family in England. The McCords
refused to sell it, indicating that it had too much McCord history
associated with it for them to sell it.
MORE HISTORY

George Washington and
Virginian Andrew McCord
In May 1765 at
Fredericksburg VA, Spotsylvania County, Andrew McCord and William
Armstrong were "affirmed by George Washington and Richard Savage who gave testimony that McCord and Armstrong had given bond on 4 November 1747 as
Executors for Robert Jackson."
Robert Jackson was a
close friend of George Washington's mother and he is credited with
convincing her that George Washington should not enter the British Navy. Thus, thanks
to him George Washington then chose to enter Army service and
became "Father of our Country." As Executor for Jackson, we can assume
that Andrew McCord knew the Jackson and Washington families well, if not a very close friend of both.

William
Penn, Founder of Pennsylvania
The Adams family line
and one of the McCord lines are descended from a most prominent family of
Philadelphia, dating from 1682, the year in which William Penn came to
America.
In that Adams-McCord
family line, two of it's members helped build Independence Hall in
Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress met. The two names of those
builders are inscribed in the famed
Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia where the
First Continental Congress met in Sept. 1774.
The wife of that
original Adams-McCord Patriarch in 1682 came over the
same year as did the Founder of of Pennsylvania, William
Penn, altho on a different ship She left an estate opposite
William Penn's in Philadelphia.
The Society
Today
Report from the President:
News Update 15 April 2005
Report from the President:
The
2004 McCord Family Reunion Report
Goals for the Society This has been an exciting year for the McCord Society! Some of the reasons
were set forth in terms of goals...
Read about the Goals
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Strike
the Tent
Screenings and Distribution
Movie
Trailer
Photos of
the cast and listings of those they portray of the McCords, Adams and others.
The new film, Strike The Tent by
Producers Julian and Weston Adams, is completed and is
being shown at Film Festivals around the nation, receiving
awards there. It is expected to be in the movie houses this
winter. Great work by Julian and Weston
Adams of South Carolina!
The film is a true story about the Adams family and the McCord family. Six members of the Adams family and six of the McCord family are portrayed by true name.
David McCord is played by Mickey Rooney and Sylvia McCord by
Amy Redford, daughter of Robert Redford. Lee Majors plays Governor Adams of South Carolina and
Tippie Hedren and Bob Dorian are among the other fine actors and actresses.
Julian and Weston Adams also play parts in the film.
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The film begins with Corporal Mark McCord of Pennsylvania, from whom the Adams and McCords are descended.
It will be a fascinating film of romance before the Civil War and of its survival during and after the War when the heroine marries South Carolina Governor Adams.
A happy ending! Julian and Weston Adams have advised that the film is "family friendly" and clean in content and will be launched in Philadelphia when it is ready.
Incidentally, Cpl. Mark McCord's son was David McCord who married Betsy Ross's sister's
orphaned daughter from Philadelphia.
Betsy as you recall sewed the original and first official American flag, after a visit and request by General George Washington and two others from the "Secret Committee" of the Continental Congress. They furnished a proposed design to Betsy Ross who modified it with their permission and which became the first American flag! Much history here!
We are all looking forward to seeing this fine movie! We thank Julian and Weston Adams for keeping us so well up to date on its progress. We know a lot of McCords will want to see the film and to buy its DVD's and VHS's when they are ready, as well! Congratulations to Julian and Weston!
This is all very exciting!
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THE BATTLE OF KILLIECRANKIE PASS,
SCOTLAND, JULY 27, 1689
This is an artist's rendition of the
famous Battle of Killiecrankie Pass, Scotland of July 27, 1689.
By tradition, the old Clan Chieftain James
MacKorda was killed at that battle. His son, John, who was also
reportedly at the battle, survived and took the remaining members
of the family to County Tyrone, Ulster, Northern Ireland. Subsequently,
some of the members of the family then came to America from Ulster in
the period 1720-1740.
-Jim McCord, 26 August 2005
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Interested in looking up your
McCord Ancestors?
Tell us what you already know and we'll do our
best to help you.
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Join The McCord Family Association
Clan McCord
Dues are only $25.00 for new
members and $15.00 for membership renewals. New members are asked to print and complete the
application and send it along with their $25 to The Society at the following address:
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The McCord name significant today |
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The McCord Museum
Bienvenue au Musée McCord
James McCord receives William and Mary College’s highest honor for service
Guyte
P. McCord, Sr. Collection
Wendy
R. McCord , J. D.
The McCord House
Where is McCord, Oklahoma?
McCord
Lifetime Service Award (Harvard College)
The
USS McCord, DD 534 (Fletcher Class)
In
Memory of Poet David
McCord, article from the Harvard
University Gazette
Keep up with Gary
McCord's 2005 Progress
Alex
McCord is a New York based actress
Where
is McCord Middle School?
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Howard
McCord, Poet, Adventurer
McCord
House Art Exhibit October 11 & 12
Children's
book illustrator Kathleen McCord
McCord's New Testament Translation of the Everlasting Gospel
McCord
Village, northern Wisconsin
Keith
McCord anchors Eyewitness News for KSL 5 Television Salt Lake City
Where
is McCord Junior High School?
GEOFFREY SAYRE-MCCORD,
articles on moral theory, epistemology, and modern philosophy
The Queen has been pleased to
approve that Professor Marilyn
McCord Adams be appointed Regius Professor of Divinity in the
University of Oxford
McCORD, Jim Nance, (1879 - 1968), Governor of Tennessee
The Lucy McCord Salon
Dr. Thomas B. McCord
Senior Scientist
Planetary Science Institute
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McCord Memorial
Library
McCord, Author, North East Pensylvannia
Elzie McCord, Jr.,
Assistant Professor of Biology
TV's
Kent McCord may not be a "real" McCord but Kent
Franklin McWhirter Picked a great name.
Joe
McCord, Tennessee House Representative
Articles
by author Richard McCord
Where
is McCord Bend, Missouri?
A new novel by Patricia McCord
Dr. Marian G. McCord NC State University
Joe M. McCord, Ph.D. , Professor
Eddie McCord, M.D.
Christopher K. McCord,
Mathematical Sciences
Jazz vocalist Semenya McCord
Check
out these web sites. They just may make you even more proud of your
name.
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Link
to The McCord Family Association Clan McCord Society Website

St. Andrews Cross
of Scotland |
The last day
Sunday of November is known as St. Andrews Day. It has traditionally
been an important day in the liturgical worship of the Anglican
Church. It commemorates the calling of Andrew by Jesus as
recorded in Matthew :18-20 and Mark 1:16-18. "At once they
(Simon and his brother Andrew) left their nets and followed
him."
Andrew has become the Patron Saint of
Scotland - and the oblique cross on which tradition says he was
crucified - is part of the Union Jack of the British flag."
(From Amazing Grace: 366
Inspiring Hymn Stories, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel
Publications, Grand Rapid MI)
My recollection is that the Scot, King
James I, who became the first King of England, Scotland and Ireland
in 1603, is the one who formed the present flag of Britain, crossing
the St. Andrews Cross and the English flag. This is all a very
interesting history about the St. Andrews Cross and Scotland,
especially if you are of Scot descent!
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The
McCord Family Association (Clan McCord Society)
The Clan McCord Society
is the only Official Clan McCord Society. It has been in existence for
over 10 years.
The
McCord family Association (Clan McCord Society) is totally non profit. There is a small membership fee which goes
toward meeting our organization's expenses. The remainder of the association's
obligations are covered by those dedicated family members who support the
organization through their own initiative. The association publishes two
newsletters and no charge is made for either. There is no charge for research
of one's ancestors by the society, it is free, and the service provided would
in most organizations cost hundreds of dollars, sometimes more. We know of no
genealogical society which responds so quickly as does ours in research,
usually in a matter of a few days, sometimes within hours by email with a follow-up
with records by mail. In addition, our organization is among the lowest in
annual membership fees of any we know of. This is all accomplished through the
volunteer cooperation and support of our many knowledgeable and talented
family members.
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| The
McCord Family Association highly recommends you install and maintain a
good anti-virus program and a firewall on your computer. Our family
information is far too valuable to risk. |
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McCord Society
homepage:
www.McCordFamilyAssn.com
contains the 250-page Online McCord book by James McCord, The
American Revolution and the McCords." |
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Member of COSCA
Newsletter of Clan McCord Society
Copyright © 2005
Revised: June 21, 2010.
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