James McGavock is (No. 1) in Rev. Robert Gray's book, "The McGavock Family a Genealogical History of James McGavock and His Descendants". Another early family history book is "Pen and Sword" by Gower and Allen. This is an excellent source for McGavock early history. A few notes from this book: The James McGavock's ancestors are presumed to have lived in Galloway in southwest Scotland and moved to the Ulster lands of Ireland. The Scots were Presbyterians and the Irish Celts were Catholic. The transplanted Presbyterians became known as the Scots-Irish. James McGavock's family ended up in Carnton, County Antrim, Ireland on a townland of about 35 acres which overlooked GlenArm Bay. Famine was the main reason for the Scots-Irish migration to America. Sometime after 1750 James sold his holdings to his brother, Randal, and left for America. The year of his passage or the ship's name is not known. James was able to pay for his passage and it is written that he paid for four young Irishmen's passage to keep them from becoming indentured servants. Starting with one pound he worked at manual labor threshing grain and ditching. He eventually purchased a wagon and team and hauled provisions for the army. In 1757 he bought a tract of land in Augusta County, VA and became a Virginia farmer. In 1760 he married Mary Cloyd also of Scots-Irish background, her family from Londonderry. He finally acquired Fort Chiswell, a rough fort of block houses and a surrounding stockade. This was a trading post and the last frontier outpost on the Wilderness Road from which expeditions were sent out. It was also on the trail to the Cumberland Gap and access to KY and TN. During the American Revolution James McGavock was commissioned Militia Captain and served as a quartermaster. By the end of the century he had helped establish a courthouse, jail, church and a schoolhouse. He was able to give his 10 children a good education by bringing an Episcopal minister and teacher into his house. He sent his sons, David and Randal to the Cumberland Settlement at Fort Nashborough (now Nashville, TN) and with their education and background were able to acquire and defend land in the name of James McGavock. Randal William McGavock a great grandson wrote that James McGavock had a 'great vivacity of temper' and was a fearless citizen beholden to none. He spent his last years and died in 1812 in a two story log cabin called the 'Mansion House' built by David (No. 3). In recent years this was dismantled and shipped to the Ulster American Folk Park in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland to be reassembled as an example of early housing.

Children of James and Mary McGavock:
Hugh (No. 2)(1761-1844), Md. Nancy Kent
David (No. 3)(1763-1838), Md. Elizabeth McDowell, Mrs. Mary Hubble
James (No. 4)(1764-1838), Md. Mary Crockett
Randal (No. 5)(1766, 1768 on monument-1848), Md. Sarah D. Rodgers
Margaret (No. 6.)(1769-1837), Md. Col. Joseph Kent
Mary (No. 7), (1768- ), Md. Philip Gaines
Cynthia (No. 8)
Elizabeth (No. 9)(1776-1830), Md. Gen Gordon Cloyd
Joseph (No. 10)(1780-1833), Md. Margaret Graham
Sally (No. 11)(1787-1853), Md. David Cloyd

It is reported that James said he wanted to be buried on a high hill so he would be that much further away from hell.

He was my 4th GGF. My mother was a McGavock. Don Kirk - 2015