Samuel McKay, Sr. was born 20 December 1835 in Ireland and died 2 January 1929 at his home near Sherrard, Mercer County, Illinois.  He immigrated to Canada between 1870 and 1874.  From there he migrated to Mercer County, Illinois in the 1890s.

Samuel married Margaret Fleming 1863 in Ireland.  They had 8 children, including Samuel McKay, Jr., pictured elsewhere on this site.  Comparing the pictures of Sr. and Jr. it is uncanny the resemblance.

Samuel and Margaret had the following children: William John (10 May 1867 - 10 December 1953), Mary A. (10 April 1869 - 17 February 1936), Joseph (9 August 1870 - 7 March 1919), Margaret (28 July 1874 - 28 October 1962), Samuel Jr. (31 January 1876 - 2 January 1962), Robert James (15 January 1882 - 3 November 1968), Elizabeth Jane (February 1878 - after 1920), and James Selfridge (1 April 1890 - 15 December 1953).