McLucas:
From Scotland to Georgia
Archibald McLucas (1799-1841)--First in Fayette
submitted by S. J. Overstreet, based on research by self and John McLucas, Sr., both direct descendents
The McLucas' were part of the MacDougall clan in Scotland. Our ancestors seem to be of Celtic descent. For centuries they lived off the land and supporting each other in a harsh and beautiful country. This clan held land in the Argyll section, as well as islands including Coll, Jura, Lismore, Mull, Tiree and elsewhere. The clan was active in the political changes affecting Scottish history--opposed to Robert the Bruce; aligned with Wallace in the cause of Scottish independence from England; and later marrying into Robert the Bruce's family. The daughter of the last MacDougall Lord of Lorne married Sir John Stewart and when that family gained control of the English throne the MacDougall lands that had been confiscated earlier were restored to the clan.
Our ancestors were witness to many struggles in Scotland. After the Scottish crown joined with the English crown in 1603, the governmental system in Scotland became subject to English rule. Scottish Christians had resisted the Pope's rule over their churches for generations, and were not enthusiastic about the Church of England and the king ruling their churches. The Presbyterian church fit well with the traditional clan ideology. Rebellions occurred with some frequency during periods of religious and political upheaval. Clans chose sides in the rebellions. Englishmen gradually gained more land and influence as they moved from the Lowlands to the Highlands--with the Highlands being especially resistant to change as they were separated from England by terrain and by ideology.
When the clans chose from time to time to rise up against the English and lost, there were military and economic consequences. Following a failed uprising in 1745-46, the clan system lost much of its influence for all time. There were political, economic, and religious hardships. Many Scottish prisoners were killed in a sort of "ethnic cleansing." Others were shipped out to the American South.
Our first McLucas ancestor--John McLucas (1766-1831)--came to America a few years after this last uprising. In addition to the nation's hardships, our ancestor had additional economic reasons for immigrating. Since an estate was generally left intact to the oldest son, it is of note that John McLucas was the fourth child in his family and did not stand to inherit the land. He and a number of other Scotsmen came to America in the 1700's with dreams of establishing themselves on the land. Since these "second sons" did not leave property behind in the old county, they were free to come to America and move inland where the government was encouraging settlement for their own purposes (e.g., increase the ratio of white settlers; establish settlements as a buffer against invasions from non-citizens). John McLucas and his brother Daniel landed in Wilmington, NC in 1783. John took the oath for naturalization the next year. He moved into a community with others from Scotland, as there had been much Highlander as well as Scots-Irish immigration into the Carolinas and up the rivers to the interior (McLucas, 1996).
The histories of NC and of Cheraw District of SC show a strong Scottish influence. John McLucas (born in the Parish of Torosay, Argyleshire, Scotland) and his wife Mary McPhail McLucas (born in the Isle of Mull, Argyleshire, Scotland) were buried with their kinsmen in Marlboro County, SC. (Notice that the county just north of Marlboro SC is named Scotland NC). Their son Archibald McLucas moved to Fayette County, GA. It is interesting that others from that same area in SC moved to Fayette County at about the same time--e.g., Elisha Hill and Martha "Patsy" Stubbs Hill (McLucas, 1996), the Mask's, and the Lamb's.
Archibald McLucas (b. 1799 in Marlboro Co., SC; d. 12-13-1841 in Fayette Co., GA; m. about 1828 in SC) was one of the first white settlers in Fayette County, GA, having bought land (LL 8 in 5th Dist. in 1829) after the treaty of Indian Springs was established. He married a woman who was born in Scotland and then moved to America at an early age--Mary MacDougald ( b. 1800; d. 1888; dau. of Duncan MacDougald and Jean Campbell). This couple is buried in the Inman Methodist Church cemetery in Fayette County, GA (McLucas, 1996). Their son Rev. Daniel McLucas was said to have a Scottish accent (Burdett, 1950).
The MacDougall clan is recognized by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. The MacDougall Coat of Arms has a lion. The Tartan is bright red with darker colors running through it in a plaid pattern. The Motto is "Buaidh no bas" (To conquer or die).
Resources:
Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia, by George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire. HarperCollins Publishers. 1994.
Scotland: A Concise History (Rev. Ed.), by Fitzroy MacLean. Thames and Hudson. 1993.
A History of Marlboro County: With Traditions and Sketches of Numerous Families, by J.A.W. Thomas. Foote & Davies Co., 1897.
McLucas Family Genealogy, by John McLucas, Sr. 1995.
A Chambers Family Record, by Sadie Chambers Burdett, 1950, unpublished.
Andrew McLucas (1827-28--1863)
submitted by John McLucas, Jr. of Inman, GA
My great great uncle, Private Andrew McLucas, died at Point Lookout, Maryland of wounds received at the Battle of Gettysburg. Our family believes he is buried there in a mass grave along with four thousand other soldiers, but we can't be sure. Andrew was captured and taken prisoner after being wounded on July 2, 1863. He was sent to other prisons before being sent to Point Lookout, Maryland on October 20, 1863. Pvt. Andrew McLucas was a brother of my Great Great Grandfather Daniel McLucas, Captain of Company C, GA 53rd GA Regiment, and was in the same company with Daniel. His cousin, Major Hugh McLucas Jr. of South Carolina, was also killed at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Company C (The Fayette Planters) was raised here in Fayette County and fought under General Robert E. Lee.
My father was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps, and I hope to one day be a Marine. It would truly be an honor for me and my family to have the privilege of laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. This would be an experience that would last a lifetime.
Note by S. J. Overstreet--In May, 1997, John put the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. He was given this honor based on the essay displayed above.
Andrew McLucas was born 1827-28 in Marlboro County, SC and moved as a child to Fayette, Co., GA. He was the son of Archibald McLucas and Mary MacDougald. He was married to Catherine Giles and had children when he went to serve in the War Between the States.
Rev. Daniel McLucas (1832-1899) &
Rebecca Ann Chambers (1828-1908)
submitted by S. J. Overstreet from personal research as well as that of John McLucas, Sr., Griffin Lunceford, Sadie Chambers Burdett, and others.
Rev. Daniel McLucas (1832-1899) & Rebecca Ann Chambers (1828-1908)
Daniel McLucas (b. 1-6-1832; d. 4-16-1899) and Rebecca Ann Chambers (b. 1828; d. 1908) were born to some of the earliest settlers in the Fayette/Henry/Clayton County area of Georgia. Their parents each had come following the Indian Springs Treaty when settlers were encouraged to populate the area and were given land through lottery drawings. This couple married Feb. 2, 1854, and were the parents of 6 children who survived and contributed to the population now living in the area. The couple farmed as their main source of livelihood. Daniel was a Local Preacher at Liberty Chapel--now known as Inman United Methodist Church located on Hill's Bridge Road in the southern part of the county. Both are buried under prominent markers in the cemetery at Inman.
Daniel McLucas was born in Fayette County on Jan. 6, 1832. His parents had come to the area from South Carolina. Daniel was the son of Archibald McLucas (b. 1799, d. 1841, Fayette Co., GA--buried Inman), whose family had come from Scotland in the late 1700's and settled among other Scottish people in the Cheraw section of South Carolina. Archibald married Mary MacDougald (b. Dec. 22, 1800, Kelmartin Parish, Scotland; died June 11, 1888, Fayette Co., GA--buried Inman) about 1828. Daniel's mother's having come from Scotland would account for his reported Scottish accent. Daniel built a mercantile on the site where the current Inman United Methodist Church now stands, and later the store was moved across Hill's Bridge Road. When Daniel died his youngest son John Lee McLucas took over the store.
Rebecca Ann Chambers was born in Henry County, GA--near Inman at the Flint River where land was originally Henry, then Fayette, and later Clayton. Her family had been in Georgia having drawn land following the Revolutionary War. Her parents were Joseph Sanders Chambers (b. 1799, SC; d. 1858--buried Chambers Family Cemetery near New Hope Methodist in Clayton County) and Frances Asbury Stinchcomb (b. 1802, Elbert Co., GA; d. 1894--buried Chambers Family Cemetery). They are listed in Elbert County marriage records as having been united on Aug. 29, 1822. They moved to land that Joseph bought from his brother William. The couple established a home near Liberty Chapel and had children whose names are still listed in the local population.
Daniel and Rebecca had lineage of their own. All except the last of their children were arranged before Daniel went to fight in the CSA. Their children and their spouses are as follows:
Mary Frances McLucas (b. Nov. 7, 1854; d. Apr. 2, 1933--married James Wordie Dixon)
Archibald Joseph McLucas (b. July 23, 1856; d. Apr. 11, 1903--married Sara Jane Lunceford)
James Andrew McLucas (b. Oct. 11, 1857; d. Oct. 20, 1933--married Pauline Whitaker)
Martha Jane McLucas (b. May 13, 1860; d. Dec. 7, 1916--married Elisha Griffin Lunceford)
Margaret Ann McLucas (b. June 14, 1862; d. Aug. 28, 1897)
John Lee McLucas (b. July 5, 1866; d. Nov. 25, 1906--married Louisa Dora Nash)
Daniel McLucas was listed in the publication Memoirs of Georgia (1895) as follows:
Daniel M'D.Lucas, merchant, Inman, Fayette Co., GA., Son of Archibald and Mary (MacDougald) Lucas, was born in Fayette county Jan. 6, 1832. His paternal grandparents were natives of Scotland, and emigrated to the United States in 1796, and settled in North Carolina, where Mr. Lucas' father was born in 1799. He migrated from North Carolina to Georgia in 1827 and settled in Fayette county, where he died in 1842. His mother was born in Scotland, Dec. 22, 1800, and came to this country with her parents who settled in South Carolina, in 1804. Mr. Lucas received a common school education, and remained on the farm until he was twenty-two years old, when he began farming on his own account and continued it until 1884, when he entered upon mercantile life at Inman which he has pursued since with results entirely satisfactory to himself. He has done a good and increasing and profitable business, stands well as a reliable merchant in commercial circles, and has the implicit confidence of the people. On May 1, 1862, he enlisted in Company C--of which he was elected first lieutenant--Fifty-third Georgia regiment (Col. L. T. Doyal) which reached Richmond in June. While in the service he, with his command, participated in many of the bloodiest and most important battles of the war with marked intrepidity and courage. Among them: Seven days' fight around Richmond, Antietam, Funkston, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Knoxville, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania County House, Mechanicsville, Cold Harbor, Cedar Run, Petersburg, Berryville, etc., some of which lasted from two to seven days. After the last-named battle he was promoted and commissioned as captain, and discarded its duties with fidelity and distinction until the surrender. In 1856 he was elected justice of the peace, but held the office only one year. After the war he resumed farming, and after many years of success supplemented it by a general merchandise store at Inman. Mr. Lucas was married Feb. 2, 1854, to Miss Rebecca Ann--born in Henry county, GA., May 22, 1838--daughter of Joseph Sanders and Frances Asbury (Sinchcomb) /sic./ Chambers. Their parents were born in Ireland, and came when young to this country. Mr. Chambers was born in South Carolina in 1804, and died in 1893. To Mr. and Mrs. Lucas six children have been born: Mary Frances, born in November, 1854, wife of James W. Dixon, Fayette county; Archibald Joseph, born in July, 1856, farmer, Fayette county; James Andrew, born in October, 1858, farmer--homestead; Martha Jane, born May, 1860; Margaret Ann, born June, 1862; and John Lee, born July, 1866, associated with his father in business at Inman. Mr. Lucas is a royal arch Mason, and himself and wife are working and prominent members of the Methodist church, of which he was a steward many years, and has been a local preacher for nearly two-score years.
(information taken from oral history as well as research done by relatives John McLucas, Griffin Lunceford, S. J. Overstreet, and Sadie Chambers Burdett)
Relation to Author:
Sara Jane Overstreet--children Graceann Overstreet Rogers and Alexander Overstreet Rogers
Sara Jane Overstreet--child of Winton DeVan Overstreet, Jr. & Vernon Loreen Phillips
Winton DeVan Overstreet, Jr.--child of Winton DeVan Overstreet, Sr. Sara Nancy Banks
Sara Nancy Banks Overstreet--child of Alexander Gardner Banks and Lula Effie McLucas
Lula Effie McLucas Banks--child of Archibald Joseph McLucas & Sara Jane Lunceford
Archibald Joseph McLucas--child of (Rev.) Daniel McLucas & Rebecca Ann Chambers
Archibald McLucas & Sarah Jane Lunsford
submitted by Sara Jane Overstreet, direct descendent
Archibald Joseph McLucas (b. 4-23-1856; d. 4-11-1903) was born in Fayette County, GA and married a woman from another local family. Sarah Jane Lunsford (b. 1858; d. 1925) was the daughter of (Rev.) Thomas F. Lunsford and Martha Rachel Hill. While her father had moved to Fayette from Newton County, her mother had been born in South Carolina and came as a child with her parents. The couple was married in Fayette County on 11-15-1877, and had the following children:
Martha Annie McLucas--b. 8-5-1878 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 10-10-1937; m. Bill McBrayer (see separate biographical sketch McBrayer)
Lula Effie McLucas--b. 12-8-1881 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 12-29-1946; m. Alexander Gardner Banks (see separate biographical sketch Banks)
Minnie F. "Nannie" McLucas--8-28-1883 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 10-1-1909;
Mary Griffin "Mamie" McLucas--b. about 1885; m. Earl F. Bearden
Dora Lee McLucas--b. 5-10-1888 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 11-22-1952; m. Sam Saxon
Bertha Tommy McLucas--b. 5-16-1890 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 6-17-1894
Maude Rebecca McLucas--b. 10-21-1892; d. 1-8-1955; m. James Calvin Jackson
Lottie Bell McLucas--b. 12-26-1894 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 1-23-1975
Wilma Florence McLucas--b. 8-4-1897 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 2-14-1979; m. Roy Nash
Sallie Kate McLucas--b. 4-7-1900 in Fayette Co., GA; d. 4-22-1971; m. Clarke Maddux
After the death of her husband, Sally McLucas was left with a farm and a houseful of daughters. While the girls worked the fields, some work still had to be hired out. (In fact, Alex Banks had come to work on the farm and his employment resulted in his marriage to Lula--after he had dated another couple of sisters first!) It was not possible for the family to keep the farm--home off Goza Rd. in Fayette County in the Inman community. Sally sold the farm and house to Arch's younger brother John Lee McLucas, and his family still owns the land today. The farm house stands. The fireplace is still intact, and many of the nails in the walls are individually forged blacksmith nails. It is noted that the field surrounding the house has abundant bulb plants that have probably been reproducing for over 100 years.
When Sally moved to a house that still stands abandoned at the corner of Hwy 92 South and Inman Road, she did so through the generosity of some of her Lunsford relatives living in Acworth. Her husband died young and suddenly--presumed from some sort of brain hemorrhage. She still had years of childrearing to go! She lived in this house until she was elderly. Many of her grandchildren were born in this house, and they would often visit at lunchtime when they attended the nearby Inman School. Sara Banks (Overstreet) was one of many children born in this house.
Resources:
Genealogical research of John McLucas, Griffin Lunceford, & S. J. Overstreet
History of Fayette County: 1821-1971, Fayette Co. Historical Society, 1977
Hon. Daniel Allen McLucas (1835-1900) &
Charlotte S. Hightower (1840-1918)
submitted by S. J. Overstreet
Daniel Allen McLucas (b. 2-17-1835; d. 10-16-1900; buried Inman Cemetery) was born in Marlboro Co., SC. His parents were John McLucas--brother of the Archibald McLucas who was the first of his family to move to Fayette--and Janet McPhail. Daniel Allen's father died when he was young, and his mother remarried. Rev. Daniel McLucas brought Daniel Allen to Fayette. After coming to Inman Daniel Allen was a farmer, lawyer, Justice of the Peace, member of Fayette County Board of Education, elected to the Georgia General Assembly, Mason, and member of Liberty Chapel Methodist Church. Her served in the C. S. A. as a Captain and Major.
Daniel Allen married Charlotte Hightower (b. 10-16-1840; d. 10-30-1918) on December 23, 1856. She was the daughter of James Calhoun Hightower and Manervia Ann Armstrong. The couple had the following children:
James A. "Jim" McLucas--md. Annie Bell Davis
W. M. Jewel McLucas--md. Effie Matthews
John McLucas--b. 10-21-1857; d. 11-16-1942; md. Emma Murphy
Mary Jane "Mollie" McLucas--b. 3-20-1862; d. 12-29-1887; md. 4-15-1884 J. Matthew Sams
Margaret A. "Maggie" McLucas--b. 5-17-1865; d. April 1940; md. William Henry Burch
Robert Edward McLucas--b. 1866/7; md. Lunnie Price
Lilla Idell McLucas--b. 12-2-1871; d. 9-30-1956; md. Walter Hall
Minerva Frances McLucas--b. 2-13-1873; d. 5-19-1918; md. Dr. J. A. S. Chambers
Daniel Allen McLucas--b. 2-11-1875; d. 11-19-1941; md. Minnie Welden
Andrew Jefferson McLucas--b. 11-2-1875; m. Erma G. Roberts
Walker Hugh McLucas--b. 5-27-1884; d. 8-11-1887
Resources:
Genealogical research John McLucas, Sr.
History of Fayette County--1821-1971, Fayette Co. Historical Society
History of Clayton County, Georgia--1821-1983, Ancestors Unlimited, Inc., Genealogical Society, 1983.
