James Mackey of Welsh Run, Pennsylvania

James Mackey was born in Welsh Run, Pennsylvania in 1830. He and his siblings were baptized at the Presbyterian Church in their community in Montgomery Township of Franklin County.  But James lived here for only 8 years of his life. His mother died a few days before his eighth birthday, sad to say. 

James' father, William Mackey, and  other Welsh Run residents made plans to go west where new land was being discovered. There are stories about families who traveled by Conestoga wagons on the Zane Grey trail or by flat bottom boats on the Ohio River to Zanesville, Ohio and beyond. I haven't learned yet how James and his family traveled to Zanesville in 1839 but that's another project for my descendants to pursue.  

In October 1839, William, age 35, married a young woman of 18, Rosanna Pensinger, the daughter of one of his best friends from Welsh Run who also moved his family to Zanesville. William was an excellent carpenter and he was determined to train his two sons to be just as skilled as he was.  At first, I suppose, James, and his younger brother, David, needed to help their dad by fetching his tools or carrying nails and other supplies to where their  dad was working.  Eventually, these young lads were working by father William's side and creating good strong homes for the Zanesville residents.

Nevertheless, the Mackey and  Pensinger families moved on to Washington, Morrow County, Ohio sometime before 1850. Our subject, James Mackey, at age 21, and Mary Ann Pensinger, Rosanna's younger sister, married in the city of Washington in May 1851. James, William, and David worked hard as carpenters in Washington and the bordering city of Galion. They bought the Galion Lumber Company and this brought them further success. In the 1860 census they are listed as building contractors.

 James and Mary started their family of five children, but poor Mary died in 1864. For awhile, James, probably grieving, seemed to fall apart and got involved in the meat packing business in Galion. But, after he met and married Priscilla Jackson he got back to working as a carpenter again. They had seven children together. At age 70, James is working as a canvasser of sundries in the 1900 census. James apparently had a stroke and died on the 27th of Dec 1900 and was buried at the Fairview Cemetery in Galion.

Sources: Welsh Run Presbyterian Church Records; Census of 1830; 1840; 1850; 1860; 1870; 1880; 1900; Galion city directories; marriage certificate of James and Mary Mackey; Tax records of Welsh Run, PA; birth records of William and James Mackey's children

James Mackey
Born: 9 Apr 1830 in Welsh Run, Montgomery Twp., Franklin, PA
Married: 11 May 1851 in Washington, Morrow, OH
Died: 27 Dec 1900 in Galion, Crawford, OH