p 9 - "John McCue, junr. was born May ye 8th in the year of our Lord one Thousand and seven hundred and Fifty three. ... "John McCue junr. his and his brothers and sisters Names where you may read our Names at large when we are dead and gone and When my last glafs is run." The above was evidently written by Rev. John McCue. It was found in an old family bible in the possession of Mr. Sam'l S. McCue. ...
p 13 - ... Children of John McCue, Gent., and Eleanor Mathews.
(6) i Rev. John McCue, D. D., b 8, May 1753, Nelson Co., Va.; d 20, Sept. 1818, Augusta. Co.,. Va; m Elizabeth Allen, b 9. Nov. 1761 ; d 11, Oct. 1831 ; dau of Jas. Allen and Margaret Anderson. In early life John McCue manifested a wonderful proclivity for the acquisition of knowledge. When but a boy he worked in the fields by day and literally devoured such books at night as he could lay his hands upon. At times he taught an Old Field School. It is believed that he walked as far as seven miles across the mountains into the Valley and recited at Spring Hill. Latin and Greek to Rev. Jas. Waddell (commonly known as the blind preacher), then ministering to the Congregations of Staunton and Tinkling Spring. While thus engaged his father sent him to Monticello to interview with Mr. Jefferson concerning a matter of business. The latter was so favorably struck with the dignity and manly bearing and the attainments of the youth, as to advise McCue to abandon the idea of preparing for the ministry, and betake himself to the profession of law, as holding out eminent distinction and large pecuniary reward. And that he, Jefferson, would become his instructor, and offered him a home at Monticello while prosecuting his studies. This was a most tempting offer, one that would turn the head of the average young man, but McCue refused, stating that he chose to follow the dictates of his conscience.
McCue graduated at Liberty Hall in 1785, receiving the Degree, "A. B.," In his class were eighteen, among them were : Moses Hodge, Sam '1 Blackburn and William Wilson. "Nearly all of whom have made their mark in the world of Letters, Pulpit, Statesmanship, Law, Medicine and Phylosophy."
After studying Theology under Dr. Waddell, he entered the Ministry. Foote says, "At a meeting of the Hanover Presbytery in May 1782, at Timber Ridge, on the 22nd, * * * * Mr. John M 'Cue was licensed, and
on parts of his examination Messrs. Houston and Rankin were associated." Mr. McCue founded the Church
at Lewisburg (originally Virginia but now W. Va.), Dr. Mcllhaney was his immediate successor there. He was
the first man who ever, as an ordained minister preached the gospel in the Valley of the Mississippi.
Foote says in another place, "39th. John McCue was received a candidate in the spring of 1781, * * * *.
He was ordained the first Wednesday of August, 1783, having accepted a call from Camp Union near Lewisburg, and Good Hope, in Green Brier. In 1791 he was relieved from his charge to take the pastorial care of Tinkling Spring and Staunton."
McCue traveled on horseback to the meetings of the Synod of Philadelphia. He was present at the first
meeting of Lexington Presbytery, which was held at Timber Ridge, Rockbridge County, Virginia, Sept. 26, 1786; and was Moderator in 1790, '96, '98, 1807, '12, and '17. That he manifested some taste for teaching is shown in an alumnae note in Washington Lee catalogue, which states he was once principal of a classical school. At his death, which occurred on Sunday morning (20, Sept. 1818) the Lodge drew up the following Resolutions :
"Resolved, Unanimously, that the Church of Christ, society at large and the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons in particular, have suffered incalculabe loss in the death of our much esteemed and highly respected brother, Rev. Jno. McCue, and that in commemoration of departed worth, the members of this Lodge will wear crepe on their left arm for thirty days, and that a copy of these resolutions be published for two weeks in the 'Republican Farmer,' of Staunton."
Foote, in speaking of the Cemetery of Tinkling Springs, says: "Now let us visit the grave-yard to the west of the church, surrounded by a stone wall in the shape of a horseshoe, divided at the toe. Let us enter by the gate on the south side nearest the church, and before we go towards the south-west end, we will pause a moment to read the white marble slab to the memory of the third pastor, John M'Cue. Craig, the first pastor, lies near Augusta church; Waddell, in Louisia, under an apple tree, in a place chosen by himself, near where the Counties of Orange, Albermarle, and Louisa meet; M'Cue was suddenly removed Sept. 20th, 1818, in the 66th year of his age. His congregation assembled for worship on the Sabbath morning. His family preceded him a little on their way to the house of God. After a time a messenger informed the gathered people that his lifeless corpse had been found near his own gate. Whether he had fallen from paralysis, or the restiveness of his horse, can never be known. There was no appearance of a struggle after his fall. * * *."
On the marble slab is this inscription : "Here lie interred the relics of the Rev. JOHN McCUE, who expired Sabbath morning, Sept. 20, A. D., 1818, in his 66th year. Having served his generation in dignified and faithful discharge of all relative duties, he was suddenly removed from labor to rest. His relations, numerous friends, and the church at large, deplore the loss of his talent, erudition, eloquence and evangelical ministrations, especially the church of T. Spring, amongst whom he had arduously labored in the ministry for 27 years. This monument was erected by his sons in token of filial esteem and regard."
Rev. McCue spent much time upon his sermons, always writing them in Latin. A volume containing them is today in the hands of his great grandson, J. McD. McCue, of Staunton, Va. And the old Tortoise Shell watch, his constant companion, was taken from his pocket after his death and is now the property of his great granddaughter, Mrs. B. R. (McCue) Norvell, of Beaumont, Texas. It is believed that this time piece came originally from Scotland. Other relics have been handed down to his numerous descendants.
