Early History of the McConnell Family

McConnell Family

McConnell Family Beginnings

From one source of information states that the first permanent settlement of Lebanon, Dauphin Co Pa were of Scotch-Irish descent. In the early 1700's this part of Pennsylvania was the out edge of civilization - just beyond here was the frontier--the wilderness. The Scotch Irish immigration was increased from previous levels due to the quit rent leases on their Ulster (Ireland) holdings having expired. The Scotch Irish encroached upon the Germans in the part of Conestoga Valley but in general they settled in the Cumberland Valley. One record states that: "History is full of noble deeds of the Scots Irish colonists of Pennsylvania who, however were not Irish at all, but Scots to the core, who were driven from their home to the north of Ireland by the terrible persecutions of the Covenanters, between the years 1660 and 1690."

Lake Compton, in her book "The McConnell Family" reports that George McConnell came into what was to become the United States in 1746 on the ship "Nancy". Lake's research does not indicate if he came alone into this country or if there were other family members there with him.

From "Accounts of Servants Bound and Assigned before James Hamilton, Mayor of Philadelphia, September 16, 1746: Conynham * Gardner assign George McConnel (a servant from Ireland in the brig't "Nancy" to George Sanderson of the borough of Lancaster for 7 years from August 12, 1746; customary dues - L15.

Really, there are few, if any, records of these early people on their arrival in to the United States - they were loyal British subjects so no 'red-tape' of paperwork was necessary. Most of what is there, are the "indentured servant' records that reported the emigrant were short on funds and unable to pay for their passage to this country. When the ship's captain extended them a passage here, he would in turn 'sell' the passengers labor for a period of years, usually 4 to 7 .. this is where the term "Redeptioners" came into being.The emigrees would either work out their years of service or would buy back their 'papers' if they somehow found the money to redeem them.

Return to McConnell Family

Hooley Early History
By Wayne G. McConnell

(The family cousins began meeting in 1994 to form a McConnell Reunion. The first reunion was held that year. Then in 1995, after the reunion at Twin Springs, C. R. and Wayne attended the Cecil McConnell gathering at Camp Bethel in Wise VA.)

Reclaiming Cemeteries and fencing them became the main things we were trying to do in 1992-1993, after finding our Ancestor Sheriff George McConnell's cemetery overgrown and being torn down by cattle.

The first Tombstones for Ancestral graves were ordered in February 1994 after researching Confederate soldiers in the McConnell family; I ordered tombstones for: Captain Henry Morris McConnell; Pvt. John Fugate McConnell; 4th Sgt Nathan H. McConnell; Capt. William Sevier McConnell; Major Sylvester Patton McConnell; Pvt. George Dingus McConnell; Private John W. McConnell; Cpl. Monroe Jasper McConnell; Lt. Hiram Kilgore McConnell; Pvt. George Washington McConnell; Sgt. Milton O.P. McConnell; Pvt Stephen Clayton McConnell; Pvt. William George "Big Wm" McConnell; Pvt. William George McConnell; Lt. Thomas M. Smith; Capt. William Ford; Pvt. Thomas McClain; Pvt. Abram McConnell; Col. John Tate; Lt.Colbert Fugate; Capt. Nathan Hamilton; Lt. George McConnell-Indian wars; and David Cocke-Indian Wars. The next assignment was to dig a hole and erect the monuments on the graves, which was done over the next 10 months when time allowed. Bart McConnell helped concrete the most of them in the ground; Cousin Billy Jack McConnell, Frank McConnell, Paul McConnell and Darnell McConnell helped on some of them.

The most difficult was Pvt. William G. "Big Wm" McConnell's tombstone which is about 1000 yards from a road up on a bench in the Clinch Mountain at War Gap, Tennessee. Cousins Jeff McConnell, Aaron McConnell and Marshall Toney from Spartanburg, SC, N.B. McConnell from Kingsport, TN and Wayne McConnell met at Gate City on June 8, 1994 and took the tombstone down the road at Robinette Valley to the War Gap, TN cemetery.

We began highlighting the need to place tombstones on unmarked graves and graves where the stones had crumbled, at the Reunions in 1994 and 1995. A search party comprised of Wayne McConnell and C.R. Keith finally located the old Homeplace and graveyard of Philip and Nancy McConnell Dingus in 1995. We took a group of descendants to the graves shortly thereafter. One of those descendants- Dr. Jack McConnell of Hilton Head, SC decided he would erect a Monument for Nancy & Philip Dingus. Dr. Jack ordered the monuments and they were installed and dedicated on the 30th of June 1997. Dr. Jack erected a monument beside the road near the Clinch River across from Wood, VA, which tells about Nancy McConnell and Philip Dingus and directs the traveler to their Cemetery where there is also a monument with their names, dates of birth and death on it, this cemetery had been lost for almost 100 years.

The Descendants of Rev. George and Polly Compton McConnell decided to replace the unreadable tombstones on their graves with a new one. Cousin Elva McConnell Bishop of San Diego, CA initiated this fund drive and we had a new monument on their graves which was dedicated June 18, 1999. Markers were dedicated for William G. and Lydia D. Fugate McConnell in 2001; Kathleen McConnell Leak started a fund to erect a monument for Thomas Price McConnell and the Monument was installed and dedicated on the 3rd Saturday in June 2002. Dr. Jack McConnell contributed for a monument for his other ancestors and the monument for Thomas James McConnell was dedicated on the 3rd Saturday in June 2003. Bobby D. and B.C. McConnell started a fund drive for Dr. Abraham B. McConnell and his monument was dedicated on the 3rd Saturday in June 2004. Dr. Jack McConnell's great, great grandfather John B. Floyd McConnell's monument was dedicated June 18, 2004. Bill Porter started a fund drive to place a monument on the Sandy Ridge grave of Catherine McConnell Lawson. This monument was dedicated June 18, 2004. The long awaited and dreamed about Monument to the Nickelsville Spartan Band Monument was completed and dedicated in 2005.

We started trying to get the younger generation interested in Family Heritage from the very first meeting. A brilliant idea was started in 1996 to advertise a Clean up an Ancestral Cemetery and be eligible to win a $1,000. scholarship to help you go to college. This was advertised in the three high schools in the county. Nicholas Dingus of Twin Springs High School won the first $1,000. in 1997; We had no applicant in 1998; so, we gave $1,000. to Aaron Noe of Gate City High School and Marla Renae Nickels of Rye Cove High School $500.00 based on their good work and achievements; Andrea Jessee of Rye Cove High School won the Cemetery Contest in 1999 and was awarded $1,000.; We had no contestants in 2000; so, we awarded Amber Stewart of Rye Cove High $1,000. and Miranda McPherson of Rye Cove $500. based on their achievements; We awarded Sarah Burke of Gate City High $1,000 and Rebecca Dawson of Hawkins County $500. for cemetery cleanups in 2001; We had no cemetery contest in 2002 and awarded Camilia Seleste Stacey of Rye Cove High School $1,000 based on her achievements; We awarded Whitney Nash $1,000. based on her achievements in 2003; We had no applicants in 2004; so, we awarded Emily Rimer of Rye Cove $1,000 based on her achievements and need in 2004; In 2005 we upped the reward to $2,000 and had two contestants. Due to the generosity of one of the Judges we gave both contestants $2,000. Krista Jenkins of Gate City High School, and Ashley Helsley of T.C. Robertson High School, in N.C. were the 2005 winners.

We offered $2,000 again in 2006 and had four applicants; Michael Peters, Savanna Grizzle and Brittany Jo Meade of Twin Springs and Michael Carter of Gate City High School. Due to the generosity of one of the judges we were able to give all these Cemetery cleanup winners $2,000.

Return to McConnell Family