Person:George McDavid (1)

George and Mary (his wife) were living in Scott Co. Virginia in 1827 when they had a visitor: Col. Andrew Kitchen, from Kentucky, who was looking for a place to lodge for the night on his way to Greenbrier Co. Va. where both had lived and were friends. Col. Kitchen stayed all night at George’s home. He told George and Mary of the rich bottoms lands, rolling lands, and hills with plenty of timber, plenty of wild game and buy cheap land. They listened carefully and decided a man could have all he wanted.

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When Col. Kitchen left the next morning to continue his journey to Greenbrier Co. he told George and Mary if they wanted to go to Ky. to be prepared on his way back, they could travel with him. Col. Kitchen departed on his journey. George and Mary began packing what they needed to take with them and prepared the children. They built a raft to float down the Big Sandy River and loaded it with their household and clothing. When Col. Kitchen arrived back in Scott Co. George, Mary, George’s Mother, Martha Wilson, McDavid, seven children and the bear dog were waiting for him. (George’s father Patrick McDavid was already dead). They floated the raft and the family rode George’s through-bred horses along the river to keep a watchful eye on the raft.

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They settled at Cherokee, Lawrence Co. Ky. on a large farm containing over seven hundred acres. In 1838 Carter Co. was developed a portion was in Lawrence County, and the rest in Carter Co. In 1868 Elliott Co. was developed and the farm was now in three counties where he remained for the rest of their lives.

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George, his two sons James, John and with the help of the Kitchen family they soon had a their two room Log Cabin built, one room downstairs and one room upstairs.

It was heavy forest and they could not allow the children to roam outside for fear of their becoming lost or endangered by wild animals, which were always near by.

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George soon built a fence of tree limbs standing high on their ends and tied together with raw hide.

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The land was cleared, Game was hunted, garden and crops were planted, greens were picked and cooked over open fire. The wild game killed for personal consumption was hung from the rafters in the loft. Panthers and wildcats would roam and scream near by because they could not get to the fresh meat. The noises terrified the children.

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This farm purchased for $500.00 from John and Mary Lester who soon left for Illinois and promised to send George the deed for the farm. After some time became anxious, since George’s brother, William lived in Montgomery Co Illinois near where John and Mary Lester lived. George decided to go to his brothers in Illinois. George and William made a plan to drive John Lester into the Ohio River if he did get his deed. The two approached Mr. Lester and told him of their plan. There was no other alternative but to kill him (did they actually kill him? I don't know)

Needless to say George got his deed. It was dated 25 January 1832, made in Montgomery Co. Illinois.

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George was the son of Patrick and Martha Wilson, McDavid. He was the grandson of George McDavid (wife unknown) in Rockbridge Co. and Lunenburg Co. Virginia. His great grandparents: James McDavid and Mary Ann Allen, McDavid of Lunenburg Co. James, his wife, and sons Patrick, John, George, and one daughter name unknown, immigrated from Ireland about 1728. James born 1680, Glinsk Castle, Ireland died 1748 at Cub Creek Lunenburg County. His will was probated 1748. George’s maternal grand parents were Samuel and Martha Wilson. Samuel Wilson’s will was probated May 1760, Augusta Co. Virginia.

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Mary Blevins was rumored to be a Cherokee Indian, although there is no proof to support this. She was the daughter of Daniel Blevins and Sarah (last name unknown for Sarah).

George born 1788 in Greenbrier Co Va., died 14 February 1875, Elliott Co. Ky. married 1812 Mary Blevins born 1800 in Tennessee, died 14 March 1860, Elliott Co. Ky.

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George loved to hunt. He would lie out all night, under a tree on a bed of leaves under a tree with his feist dog nearby, waiting for daylight to kill a raccoon.

While hunting one cold morning at the head of a hollow, Cliffs all around, walked upon a panther. It was cowed down, hair raised, George hollered. It set back, this gave George an opportunity to shoot it. It measured nine feet from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail.

On one of George’s bear hunting trips he shot a bear. It didn’t die but crawled off into a thicket. While George was looking for it with his feist dog, tracking the blood he got his foot caught in some vines. He almost fell in a ravine on top of the bear. It raised up and could have killed George, but the dog saved George’s life by barking and biting the bear causing it to turn on the dog. This gave George the opportunity to get far enough away to load his muzzle gun and to shoot the bear again

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George and Mary kept a heavy quilt hung over the doors and windows in cold weather to keep the cold air from coming in through the cracks around the doors and windows. The feist dog lay on the quilt at the bottom of the door to keep anyone or anything from entering.

Grandpa Frank McDavid slept with his grandfather, George, when he was a small boy and said, "George was a spare made man, had deep blue eyes, black hair and nice looking."

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George died at 87 years even in his eighties would go to the creek to wash the year around. During the winter when the water was frozen he would take an ax and chop a hole in the ice to wash.

Mary took her homespun clothing to the creek to wash them the year around by beating them with a stick and washing by hand.

George kept sheep under the rock cliffs for shelter. He was a farmer

hunter, and a hat maker. He spun wool into a cone shape, then block out the crown and brim. For a century after George was dead men were still wearing his hats

George was a true pioneer.