The McKelvey Family of Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County and Wheatfield Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania

While looking for the parents of Mary McKelvey, my third great grandmother, I accumulated a large amount of information on the McKelvey family that purchased property in Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County and later moved into Wheatfield Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The progenitor of this family was James McKelvey who moved with his family to Westmoreland County prior to 1802 when he and his son, Joseph McKelvey, purchased 272 acres of land known as May hill from James McCurdy and Nancy his wife on 3 September 1802 for $1634. The deed states that James McKelvey and Joseph McKelvey of Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County were living on the land at the time they purchased it. (see Westmoreland County deed book 6:299). This family supposedly moved from Lancaster County but I can find no supporting documentation for this.

Joseph McKelvey of Wheatfield Township, Indiana County then sold the 272 acres of land in Fairfield County, Westmoreland County to his brother, William McKelvey on 28 September 1815 for $400. The deed states that this land was purchased from James McCurdy in 1802: "...this said purchase made by us was made by us with the intent and for the use of the family to which we were then attached, that is to say my Father, James McKelvey, my Mother, my brothers James, Samuel, William and Lewis and the consideration money given for the said parcel or piece of land was collected from and paid by the said persons of this family..." (see Westmoreland County deed book 23:502). 

The above deed names the sons of James McKelvey: Samuel, Joseph, James, William, and Lewis. James McKelvey, Sr. and James McKelvey, Jr. were living in Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County in the 1810 census. Samuel McKelvey and Joseph McKelvey were living in Wheatfield Township, Indiana County in the 1810 census. Samuel McKelvey and Joseph McKelvey also appear in the early tax lists for Wheatfield Township in Indiana County. Joseph McKelvey died prior to 1818 since Joseph McKelvey's heirs are taxed for his land in 1818. William McKelvey appears in 1819 on the Wheatfield Township tax list and on the 1820 census for Wheatfield Township in Indiana County.

James McKelvey (Junior) and his wife Sarah sold 101 acres for $952.50 in Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County to David Fellon on 6 November 1819 (see Westmoreland County deed 14:248-249). The deed states "This tract is part of a larger tract purchased by James and Joseph McKelvey from James McCurdy on 2 September 1802 and by deed of conveyance from Joseph McKelvey to William McKelvey dated 28 September 1815 and by deed of conveyance of release from William McKelvey and wife to James McKelvey dated 6 November 1819." James McKelvey married Sarah Lawson, a daughter of James Lawson (see Westmoreland County will book 2:128 for the will of James Lawson). James McKelvey appears in the 1820 and 1830 censuses in Toby Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania where David Lawson and John Lawson, two of his brothers-in-law, were also living. Mary McKelvey, James McKelvey's daughter, was living in Toby Township when she married Jacob Bash of Redbank Township, Armstrong County (The following  marriage notice appeared in the Kittanning Gazetter on 12 September 1827: Marriage...On the 23rd ult. by George Means, Esq., Mr. Jacob Bash, of Redbank Twp. to Miss Mary M'Celvy, of Toby Twp.).

Four of James McKelvey, Sr.'s  children married children of Ephraim Wallace: Samuel McKelvey married Ann Wallace, Joseph McKelvey married Sarah Wallace, William McKelvey married Margaret Wallace, and Jane McKelvey married Samuel Wallace (see Indiana County will book 1:56 for the will of Ephraim Wallace and the Genealogy of the Wallace Family). Ephraim McKelvey's will written in 1809 names his two sons-in-law, Samuel and Joseph McKelvey. According to Ephraim Wallace's will, Samuel McKelvey was already living on land in 1809 that Ephraim leaves to his three daughters. His daughter, Margaret, was single at the time his will was written.

Samuel McKelvey and Ann (Wallace) McKelvey (born 1782) had the following children: Jane McKelvey (1806-1892) married to James McKelvey (1806-1891), Mary McKelvey (born 1808) married to Samuel Moore, Ephraim McKelvey (1811-1871) married twice, Robert McKelvey, and Margaret Ellen McKelvey married to George Hopkins (see Indiana County OC 2-148 and Indiana County deeds 11:67 and 21:260). They also had a daughter Ann McKelvey (1812-1831) who is not named in the above records since she had already died.  Samuel McKelvey's daughter, Jane, married her first cousin, James McKelvey, a son of James McKelvey (Junior). There are no grave stones for Samuel and Ann (Wallace) McKelvey. Ann died about 1839. Samuel McKelvey does not appear in the 1840 census.

Joseph McKelvey (died before 1818) and Sarah (Wallace) (born 1782) McKelvey had a daughter that died young. Sarah Wallace and her first husband, John Skiles, had a son, Eprhraim Skiles (1802-1871).

William McKelvey (about 1777-1847) and Margaret (Wallace) McKelvey (1787-1853) had the following children: Jane (born about 1812) married to Archibald Devlin, Ephraim W. McKelvey (1813-1865) married three times, Ellen McKelvey (died 1899) married to William Tomb, Mary McKelvey (1818-1888) married to Peter Seib, Lewis McKelvey (1821-1849), Robert McKelvey (1825-1841), James McKelvey (1826-1848), and Sarah McKelvey (1828-1841). The names of William McKelvey's wife, Margaret, and their daughter Mary Seib, are on a large grave stone at the Armagh Old Presbyterian Cemetery, in Armagh, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The grave stones for William McKelvey and the last four children listed above are in front of the large grave stone for Margaret McKelvey and Mary Seib. Ellen Tomb's obituary states she was a daughter of William McKelvey. She and her husband are also buried at the Armagh Old Presbyterian Cemetery. E. W. (Ephraim W.) McKelvey is living with his mother, Margaret McKelvey, in the 1850 census.

Lewis McKelvey (born about 1780) does not appear in any early censuses but appears in deeds in Westmoreland County and later on in deeds in Indiana County. He appears in the 1850 census living in Wheatfield Township, Indiana County. He probably never married since he is single when he appears as a grantor in deeds.

Samuel Wallace (1784-1860) and Jane (McKelvey) Wallace (1782-1852) had the following children: Mary Wallace (born 1808) married William Liggett, Ephraim Wallace (born 1809) married Anne Graham, James McKelvey Wallace (1811-1881) married Ruth Graham, Jane McCullough Wallace (born 1814) married James Crawford, and Margaret M. Wallace (1817-1900).

If anyone is related to this family and has additional information, please contact me. I am willing to share whatever information I have on this family.