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Daugherty Family

Irish Immigrant Ancestors,

Michael Mor Daugherty & wife Catherine Rodgers

Page Updated 27 Nov 2006

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Letter written 1882 by Dr. James Daugherty Magill, descendant of Daugherty-Magill-Patterson of Augusta Co., VA

In America the name was variously spelled Daugherty, Dougherty, Daughtry, Daughtee, etc. In Ireland, the spelling is Doherty, O'Doherty, or O'Dochartaigh, the closest English adaptation of the Gaelic. For consistency, I use the spelling "Daugherty."

Our Daugherty immigrant ancestor was Michael Mor Daugherty (Dochartaigh, Doherty, Dougherty) who came to Chester Co., PA abt 1727? from Co. Donegal, Ireland, with his wife and three sons Michael (Oge), William, and Charles (daughters, if any, not known), on or soon after the day King George II was proclaimed. Michael was living in 1737 at Newlondon Derry, Chester Co., PA, where he kept a store. In 1738, he settled in Augusta Co., VA, in what is now Rockbridge Co., on Borden's Great Grant at the headwater of Cedar and Mill and Broad Creeks of the James River.

In 1742, he was in Capt. John Buchanan's militia company, listed as Michael O'Doeherty. In 1747 he was appointed constable, and in 1761 three of the Dougherty boys were on the militia list. Michael died in 1761, and his estate was appraised by Joseph Culton, John McKee, John Gilmore and William Edmonston on 16 Nov 1763 in Augusta Co. After a few years, they joined the large migration of Irish, Scots, and a few Germans down the Great Wagon Road to the part of Orange Co., VA, which in 1738 became Augusta Co., VA, settling in the part of the county which later became Rockbridge Co., VA; on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

They may have accompanied or soon followed the Caldwell Settlement of John Caldwell and his wife Margaret Phillips Caldwell on ship Eagle's Wing from Ulster, Ireland, 10 Dec 1727, to New Castle, Delaware, with five of their children and three brothers-in-law, including Thomas Daugherty and his wife, probably Anne, the sister of John Caldwell's wife Margaret Phillips. Caldwell was a prosperous Presbyterian landlord on Co. Donegal who left Ireland due to religious persecution of both Catholics and Presbyterians by the Crown. Initially they settled at Chestnut Level, Chester Co. (now Lancaster Co. since 1729), PA.

The Caldwell/Cauldwell Settlement later moved to the then-wilderness area of the colony of Virginia. About 1738 Thomas Daugherty departed for Albemarle (now Charlotte) Co., VA, to establish the famous Cub Creek Presbyterian settlement. Perhaps a relative, Hugh Daugherty was granted land in Albemarle 5 Aug 1737, and moved to Bedford Co., VA, 1766.

Today, the Great Wagon Road down the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is Interstate-81, a beautiful scenic highway.

 

 Blue Ridge in Rockbridge Co., VA

James River in Rockbridge Co., VA

Some of the Daugherty children were baptized at Tinkling Spring Church in Augusta Co., VA, by the Rev. John Craig. A grandson, Maj. John Daugherty, was a western explorer.

Michael and Catherine's three known children:

A. William DAUGHERTY the blacksmith was born circa 1712? at Muff, Inishowen, Donegal, Ireland. He married Elizabeth BUNCH circa 1732? at PA? Three of his children were baptized by the Rev. John Craig in 1749 at Augusta Co., VA. He was officially granted the land on Cowpasture River on 3 Nov 1750 at Botetourt Co., VA. Neither he nor Charles Dougherty over on Kerr Creek could be served summonses because the Indians were so bad. A series of forts was built the following year, but the Indians continued to raid, and William's neighbor Archibald Clendenning, Jr., was killed by them in 1761 in 1755. His wife Elizabeth was a heroine in the terrible raid by Cornstalk; the Shawnees were seen from Fort Young on Jackson River and an express was sent to William Dougherty's, but he was away from home and Elizabeth mounted and raced up the Cowpasture valley warning settlers, who fled to the mountains before the Indians arrived. The settlers of Kerr Creek were less fortunate and his brother Charles Dougherty, among others, was killed 17 Jul 1763 in 1763 at VA. William died on 6 Jul 1773 at Montgomery Co., VA.

B. Michael (Oge) DAUGHERTY II was born circa 1714 at Lifford, Inishowen, Donegal, Ireland, and died in 1789 at Montgomery Co., VA. He married Mary CLARK circa 1740? at VA. He began military service in 1763 at Reed Creek settlement, Wythe Co., VA, with the Bedford Co. militia to help James Davies and 2-3 other families menaced by Indian raids of that terrible year. He acquired considerable acreage at Boiling Springs, adjacent to Fort Criswell, the Great Road, and Graham's Ford before 1768. He marketed 1500 lbs. of hemp, recorded in court; he was constable on 3 May 1774 at Fincastle Co., VA. He Indian threats multiplied, and Col. William Christian wrote Col. Preston that "people on New River up to the mouth of Reed Creek . . . are gone and going today to Fort at Bells' Meadows," and on 11 Aug James Robertson wrote Col. Preston that the Indians were harrassing the frontier. George Dougherty and Isaac Spratt were at Upper Station, and Michael Dougherty (III) was appointed ensign to raise a party from Capt. Walter Crockett's militia but could only get 6-7 men because men would have to "leave their wives and children exposed to the Mercy of the Enemy." One of the notes about Michael's recruitment efforts was carried to Col. Preston by Daniel Boone.

C. Charles DAUGHERTY was born circa 1716 at Lagan Valley, Donegal, Ireland. He married Rebecca CUNNINGHAM before 1729? He witnessed a deed of James Cunningham for 100 acres of land on Tees Creek of James River, cornering the land of Moses Cunningham on 6 Aug 1753 at Augusta Co., VA. He was reported delinquent on tax levy in 1755 at Augusta Co., VA. He sued John Craig in Augusta Co on 25 Nov 1755 at Augusta Co., VA. He obtained 80-acre patent on a branch of the James River, Kerr (Cunningham) Creek, between House Mountain and North Mountain; which was later in Rockbridge Co on 10 Mar 1756 at Augusta Co., VA., He sued John Frazier who lived in Rockingham Co., but the papers were not served because of Indians in 1757 at Augusta Co., VA. He was killed by Indians in a raid by Cornstalk's braves, Jul 1763 at Kerr Creek in the part of Augusta Co., VA, which became Brockbridge Co. (on a Sunday morning when most of the inhabitants were away at church). His widow Rebecca was appointed administratrix of his estate; on 20 Mar 1763 she was summoned to give counter security but the papers were returned on 20 Sep 1763 at Augusta Co., VA.

The Daugherty-Dougherty family, grandsons of our immigrant ancestors, Michael Mor Daugherty and his wife Catherine Rodgers, were early Kentucky settlers and played important, if not famous, roles, so several Kentucky publications chronicle their history.

Long before any white man had explored the entire Kentucky area, it was claimed by Virginia as part of her Augusta County. Daniel Boone brought his family to Kentucky in 1773; established the first permanent settlement in Kentucky at Harrodsburg in 1774, and a year later founded Boonesboro. That same year, 1775, John Daugherty, the first of the family in Kentucky, came to the area a few miles from Boonesboro which would become Lincoln County.

In Dec 1776 Kentucky was designated Kentucky County, Virginia. In 1780 it was divided into three counties: Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln. In 1790 those three were divided into nine counties. By 1900 Lincoln had been divided into all or parts of 47 counties.

Michael Daugherty, II, the father of those earliest Kentucky Daughertys, was one of three sons, all born in Ireland, of Michael Mor Daugherty and wife Catherine Rodgers, our immigrant ancestors.

John Daugherty (emigrated 1775), son of Michael II and Mary Clark, came to Lincoln Co. from Fincastle Co., VA. John had been born ca 1743 in the Forks of the James River in the portion of Augusta Co. which became Rockbridge Co. It is probable that his first trip to Kentucky was as a Capt. in the Virginia militia in Fincastle Co. beginning 1774, when he had the chore of delivering horses prior to the Battle of Point Pleasant on the Ohio River during the Revolutionary war. On 3 May 1774, Fincastle Co., he went into court to prove that part of his left ear had been bitten off in an affray (since a cropped ear might mark a thief). The grand jury, among its members Benjamin Logan who later took the colony that settled present-day Lincoln Co., KY, indicted Isaac Spratt for this act, but also presented John Dougherty for unlawfully quarreling. The Spratts were neighbors who had sold land to John's brother George Daugherty.

John married Isabelle Allen Patton; owned huge tracts of land in both Lincoln and Jefferson Cos., but by 1789 was settled in Jefferson (now Trimble) Co., KY. In 1812 he sold his Kentucky holdings and removed to Orange Co., IN with his sons and many other kin. There he died on 14 Feb 1828. John and Isabelle had seven sons and four daughters, one of whom is believed to be Mary Daugherty the wife of Col. James W. Patton, "founder of Louisville."

John was quite an explorer, and in 1776, he entered land for his brother Joseph on Goose Creek near what became Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY. Joseph was born by 1740, for he was 80-90 in the 1820 Shelby Co., KY census. In 1783 John and his brothers Joseph and James were the only Daughertys on the Lincoln Co. tax list. By 1778, their brother Henry was in Mercer Co., KY, but moved on to Shelby Co. and was in Henry Co. when the line was drawn in 1798; he died ca 1821. James died 1812 in Mercer Co.

Between 1778-90, their brother Robert lived several years in the vicinity of brother John's "Dougherty Station" south of Danville (then in Lincoln Co.), KY. In 1779, he served with John on an expedition against the Shawnees and the Chillicothe town on the Little Miami River. From Oct to Nov 1782, he served under his brothers Capt. John and George with Gen. George Rogers Clark on an expedition against the Indians. In 1788, Robert entered a huge tract of land on the Cumberland River and moved to Jessamine Co., KY, and died in Barren Co. by 1822. From 1790-99 their brother George lived near John, Henry, Joseph, and their families in Jefferson Co., KY, then in 1800 was in Henry Co. From 1790-99 their brother George lived near John, Henry, Joseph, and their families in Jefferson Co., KY.

Not much is known about brother Nicholas. William died in Virginia by 1773.

So many of the family named sons after fathers, uncles, or brothers, that careful study is required to distinguish one William, John, Charles, James, Michael, Henry, Robert, or Samuel from another. Daughters' names too were repeated, especially Sally, Nancy, Mary, Susan, Elizabeth, and Agnes. Fortunately, enough written records were left to identify most individuals.

Our part of the Daugherty migration to Kentucky was the second wave, descendants of Charles Daugherty and wife Rebecca in the 1780s, ten years after his brother Michael Daugherty II's sons. After Charles was killed by Indians in Augusta Co., VA in 1763, his widow and children remained there about ten years before some moved west into Kentucky.

Charles and Rebecca's son Cornelius, born ca 1729 probably in Pennsylvania, was a weaver who immigrated with his father and grandfather to Augusta Co. from Chester Co., PA in 1738. Cornelius served in Capt. George Robinson's company of militia in 1742. From 1742-49 Cornelius and his wife (1) Mary Hill lived on Cedar Creek on the North fork of the Roanoke in Augusta Co. They had, according to one book, six sons and six daughters, but not all their names are known; only George H., Noble, Ann, William, Isabel, Christopher, Abraham, Robert, Alexander, and Thomas Daugherty. Mary Hill died and Cornelius married about 1770 (2) Agnes _____. They had William, James Hill, John, and Cornelius R., Jr.

From 1738 to 1786, Cornelius lived successively, as county lines changed, on Cedar Creek and owning land on Cedar Swamp in Augusta, Botetourt, Rockbridge Cos., and back in Botetourt Co., VA. On 25 May 1786 he was granted a Virginia patent in Lincoln Co., which became Kentucky, 500 acres on Muddy Creek on main branch of the creek about 3 miles from head of Lick Creek. From 1787-1797 he was on Lincoln Co. tax lists and lived at Estill Station seven years. He left no will and is date of death is uncertain.

Cornelius's brother George married Agnes Cunningham and lived in Rockbridge and Greenbrier Cos., VA. They probably had a son George (Jr.), who on 15 Aug 1774 enlisted in the Virginia Colonial Militia and was reported AWOL at Upper Station; his unit and place of enlistment not stated, so may not be this George. Again, George Daugherty about 1776 served from Greenbrier Co., VA, two years as Pvt. in Virginia Line and was pensioned in TN; he died in Jefferson Co., TN 1833. George (Sr.) and Agnes had daughters Agnes and Elizabeth. Daughter Elizabeth married Robert Baker, while her sister Agnes married her 1st cousin Charles Daugherty, grandson of Cornelius and son of William Daugherty (Sr.), born 1 Nov 1748 in Augusta Co., VA.

William Daugherty (Sr.) married Easther _____. He served in the Revolutionary war from Rockbridge Co., VA, in Oct 1777, a Pvt. under Capt. John Paxton, and is listed on bronze plaque beside Lincoln Co., KY Court House door. His children were Martha, Hanna, William Jr., Charles, John, and Esther. On 22 Aug 1785 he was granted 200 acres in Lincoln Co., KY, by virtue of military warrant No. 1153. In Dec of the same year he was granted 600 acres on the forks of Otter Creek as assignee of his brother Thomas. In 1787 he was granted 87 acres on Callaway's Creek adjoining Thomas Daugherty. In 1820 and 1830 he was on the same census page as his son John, daughter-in-law Susan or Susanna (Magill, widow of his son William, Jr.), and James Magill. On 11 Feb 1833 he applied for Revolutionary pension, which was granted, No. S16369.

By the time he wrote his will on 17 Jan 1834 in Lincoln Co., his son John had died, for William Sr. divided his land and estate half to his wife Easther, except half the kitchen furniture to their daughter Esther Wells and then to her daughter Emily; and the other half of estate to Dorcas Daugherty "wife of my deceased son John." The will was probated in Jun 1835.

Nothing more is known of brother Thomas.

Charles Daugherty had, besides Cornelius, William, Thomas, and David, a son Daniel who in 1779 operated an iron works on Irish Creek of South River, Augusta Co., VA, not far from brother David's Mill Creek farm. Other brothers were Anthony, who died in 1792, Rockbridge Co., VA, and James who acted as Anthony's executor. The first tax list of the new Rockbridge Co. (taken out of Augusta) in 1778 listed James, William, and George Daugherty. In 1782 James, Anthony, William and Thomas were on the list. James started an iron works in Wythe Co., VA 1783-90, and is said to have died there in 1799.

In the third wave, some children of Michael Mor Daugherty's son William (the blacksmith) and wife Elizabeth Bunch emigrated in 1791 from Botetourt Co., VA to KY. Little is known of their son Henry. Their children Joseph, William, and Agnes were baptized by the Rev. John Craig in 1749 in Augusta Co. -- the family was Presbyterian.

SEE Daughertys in Ireland

My great-great-grandfather Robert Hiram Daugherty, b. ca 1805 Lincoln Co., KY, d. 1896 Burnet Co., TX

Lincoln Co. marriages from 1785 to 1866 include several to Magills:

  •  1785 Jun 24 Daugherty, Martha to Thomas Gash (dau. of Wm. Daugherty, Sr., & wife Easther _____)
  • 1790 Jan 25 Daugherty, Hannah to William Wilson (dau. of Wm. Daugherty, Sr., & wife Easther _____)
  • 1792 May 21 Daugherty, Henry to Katherine French (son of Michael Daugherty II and wife Mary Clark)
  • 1794 May 20 Daugherty, William to Anne McGill (son of Rebecca Cunningham & James Daugherty son of Charles, to dau. of John Magill Sr. & Mary Cravens)
  • 1797 Jan 9 Daugherty, William to Susanna McGill (son of William Daugherty Sr. & wife Easter, to dau. of William Magill III and wife Jean)
  • 1797 Jan 20 Daugherty, Charles to Agnes Daugherty (son of William Daugherty, Sr., & wife Easther to cousin, dau. of Agnes Cunningham & George Daugherty, son of Charles & Rebecca)
  • 1797 Oct 2 Daugherty, John to Mary Magill (son of James Daugherty & Rebecca Cunningham to dau. of William Magill III and wife Jean)
  • 1800 Dec 24 Daugherty, Dora to Benjamin McDowell (whose?)
  • 1809 May 12 Daugherty, Lettie to David Prewett (whose?)
  • 1818 Dec 22 Daugherty, Easter to Geo. Hammonds (dau. of William Daugherty Sr. & wife Easther)
  • 1819 Mar 17 Daugherty, John to Polly Evans (son of William Daugherty Sr. & wife Easther)
  • 1822 Oct 3 Daugherty, John to Polly Spires (John E. Daugherty prob. son of William Daugherty, Jr. & Susanna Magill)
  • 1833 July 3 Daugherty, Samuel to Hannah Wheeldon (prob. son of William Daugherty, Jr. & Susanna Magill)
  • 1834 -- Daugherty, Mary to John Woods (prob. dau. of William Jr. & Susanna)
  • 1834 Nov 27 Daugherty, Hiram to Nancy Cifford (1st marriage of Robt. Hiram Daugherty, prob. son of William Jr. & Susanna)
  • 1838 Jul 5 Daugherty, Rebecca to Green Warren (identity unproven but she was born 1823, might be daughter of John E., prob. son of William Daugherty, Jr. & Susanna Magill)
  • 1848 Jul 17 Daugherty, David E. to Martha J. Hall (son of John Daugherty & Dorcas Evans)
  • 1849 Feb 2 Daugherty, Hiram to Agnes Warren (3rd marriage of Robt. Hiram Daugherty, prob. son of William Jr. & Susanna)
  • 1852 May 29 Daugherty, Nathan to Margaret Estes (son of John Daugherty & Dorcas Evans)
  • 1853 Mar 7 Daugherty, William to Mary Shackleford (son of John Daugherty & Dorcas Evans)
  • 1854 Apr 10 Daugherty, John E. to Miss Milly Adams (2nd marriage, son of John Daugherty & Dorcas Evans)
  • 1861 Jun 13 Daugherty, Sylvanus to Estellian Bowman (son of Mariah _____ & James Daugherty, prob. son of William Jr. & Susanna Magill)
  • 1865 Oct 1 Daugherty, William to Sarah Jane Giles (2nd marriage, son of John Daugherty & Dorcas Evans)
  • 1866 Jun 21 Daugherty, G. A. to Virginia Oldham (brother of Sylvanus)

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