Jesse and James McGinnis of Armstrong, PA
Below is the text of an email I sent via the Rootsweb McGinnis mailing list. Hopefully, this information finds its way to those looking for it:
"I know I have corresponded in the past with several researchers of Jesse McGinnis (b. 1824)and we were unable to find a connection between your Jesse, and my James, b. 13 Dec 1819. Hopefully some of you are still on this list, as I believe I found the connection today. On my trip to Centre County to research a Henry McGinnis that died in Boggs Twp (Yes, same name, different county)in 1850. I long suspected this to be the father of my James, since family information stated that James was born in Boggs Twp, Centre Co, and Henry was the only McGinnis there, but I had no proof.
Henry died intestate, and there was nothing in the administrator's account that provided any clues. Today at the Centre County Library, I hit the goldmine with this family. I first found an Orphan's Court case filed by Jacob Peters, guardian of Hanry McGinnis' minor children, asking for a ruling to allow him to sell an unused Land Warrant from Henry's War of 1812 service. It listed his minor children as: William, Christian (Christopher), Catherine, and Henry. Based on the other names: (James, Jesse, and Elizabeth), this fit the number and ages of the children as listed in the 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses, but there was no mention of James. The Elizabeth I mention, age 23,is found in the 1850 census living with a neighbor of the then-deceased Henry McGinnis. I then found a reference to a transcription of a will/estate of Jacob Schroyer, that listed an Elizabeth "intermarried with Henry McKinny". The receipts in the administration, however, showed that a Henry Meginnis signed for their portion on behalf of his wife. Now I had a name and father for Henry's wife, but no connection to James yet.
After digging through the tax records, I think I have found the proof, not only that Henry is the father of James, but also of Jesse. Henry first appears in the 1820 tax list. Not much happens for 24 more years, when FINALLY, James McGinnis appears on the rolls next to Henry. They both are listed the next 2 years, and then in 1847, the most convincing evidence appears: James and Jesse McGinnis are listed together, and both are listed as living at the residence of Henry McGinnis.
There is still more information that I gathered that I have to sift through, but I wanted to get this update out before it got set aside and forgotten. Hopefullysome of the Jesse descendants are still about. I will also post this to the McGinnis Rootsweb and Genealogy.comforums to hopefully get the information to those interested.
Chris Staats"
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Re: Jesse and James McGinnis of Armstrong, PA
Sherry 1/16/07