Individual Details

The placement of John McFall with these parents is provisional and circumstantial. Additional research or records might well indicate it is wrong.

McFall is no doubt a Scottish name. MacFall derives from MacPherson (son of the Parson) as found online. John's daughter named sons William Wallace and Robert Bruce, two Scottish heroes.

Records of an early John McFall in KY may or may not be his, but since there are several other names of later Logan Co residents in these records, they could very well be his. I have discovered there was also an older John McFall who lived in Fayette Co with wife Barbara - this family was captured by Indians but released in 1782. There is a distinct possibility this John McFall was their son.

Various accounts of the Indian capture exist - Barbara and the older children's narrative is fairly consistent. John - not so much. In at least one list of those captured, he isn't named at all. He would have been the youngest child taken. Some believe he died in captivity - although there is no narrative relating his death - it has only been assumed since little is told about him. McFall is not a particularly rare Scottish name - there were other John McFalls. A time line of events of a John McFall in an area of Kentucky consistent with his age and with the general movement of settlers into Kentucky and throughout until he can be realiably identified in Logan County. His known birth date fits nicely into the family of John & Barbara in Fayette County. And young John married in Harrison County, KY, where the elder John and Barbara were living at the time.

1783-1792 Court Order Books for KY [Supreme Court of Dist of KY while still part of VA]:
p.210; Order Book D, 19 Jun 1789, p.154
John McFall v. Robert Daniel with Joseph Barnett his appearance bail in case. Jury found the plaintiff had sustained damages of 87£ 15sh and costs.
p.327; Order Book F, 21 Oct 1791, p.119
John Martin, James Robinson & John McFall, summoned to attend as jurors & failing to appear are each fined 25sh for contempt.
p.327; Order Book F, 22 Oct 1791, p.122
Motion of John McFall and considering the original Bill of Injuctions filed by Robert Daniel against McFall, and the answers of the defendant, and inspecting the exhibits, it is decreed ...judgement obtained by defendant at common law be dissolved and McFall have the benefit of said judgment.
Office Judgments; Book A (1785-88) November Court 1788:
p.510 John McFall v. William Haydon, on debt. Defendant failing to appear, plaintiff to recover against the defendant and John Collier, his appearance bail, £12 with 5% interest from 7 Mar 1786 and costs. Defendant to have credet for 1£ 2sh 6p paid.

Certainly there was a John McFall in Fayette Co KY where many of the other Logan Co families lived.
#1464008
Fayette Co Land Entries. Index
John McFall preemption 108a p.240, Book 2

There is also a John McFall on a Fayette Co Tax list, 1789.

I found this marriage on the USGenWeb, Harrison Co Page:
Marriage Records
1794 - 1804
1800
McFALL, John and Jean FURNACE, married December 18, 1800.

Harrison Co, KY Will Records, Vol. A, p.32
Sale of the estate of John McFall, dec'd
John McFall purchased a Steer for $3. A mare for $18
Presented August Court, 1800.

A roster of William Whitsett's Company in the the 10th KY Regt during the War of 1812, from Logan County, lists a John McFall as one of the Privates. This Company seemed to be made up of many Logan Co men.

Logan Co Tax Records:
1811 - Thos McFall. 1 white male over 21, 5 horses
1812 - John McFall. 1 white male over 21, 6 horses
1814 - Capt. Wiggintons Company: John McFall. 120 acres, Logan Co, Gasper River, entered by J. Haden, 1 white male over 21, 5 horses
1815 - Capt. Whitsitt's Company: John McFall, 120 acres, Logan Co, on Gasper River, entered by M. Semes, 1 white male over 21, 2 horses
1816 - John McFall 100 acres, Logan Co, Gasper River, entered by Murry Simmes. 1 white male over 21, 5 horses
1817 - John McPhall 120 acres, Logan Co, Gasper R, entered & surveyed by M. Simmes, patented by J. Haden. 1 white male over 21, 4 horses
1818 - entire tax list missing
1819 - John McFall. 1 white male over 21, 5 horses.
Note: Looking at the tax records for land of James Haden, I find that in 1811, he paid tax on 400 acres that had been entered by Mary Simons. In 1813, he had only 280 acres entered by Mary Simons - I believe that is the 120 acres sold to John McFall, although I found no deeds for either transaction. Perhaps John McFall leased this land from James, agreeing to pay the taxes on it.


Marion Co MO history states that the McFall family arrived there in 1819.

1 Dec 1825. Land Patent issued from the Land Office in St. Louis to John McFall. Cash Sale. 80 acres. The W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of in Section 14 of Twp 58N, Range 6W

1 Dec 1825. A second patent issued on the same day for 80 acres. The E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section 33, T58N, R6W, Marion Co.

An 1827 tax list in Marion Co does include John McFall, as well as Thomas Hannan - his nephew.

1830 Census, Marion Co MO.
On the same page as Abram K. Frye - he and Sally already had three children under age five.
John McFall. 2m age 10-15, 2m age 20-30, 1m age 50-60 [John]
1f age 10-15, 2f 15-20, 1f 40-50 [Jane]

1840 Census, Marion Co MO, Liberty Twp
John McFall. 1m age 20-30, 2m age 30-40, 1m age 60-70 [John], 2f age 20-30, 1f age 30-40, 1f age 50-60.
This is consistent with the following found in Marion Co in 1850:

Find A Grave Memorial# 83551050. A John (and Jane) McFall, as well as Nancy, are said to be buried Armstrong Cemetery in Hannibal, Marion Co, MO. John said born 17 Apr 1777 - died 11 Aug 1811. Since I know he was alive in 1840, I feel sure this very worn stone had a death date of 1841, not 1811.
Jane McFall was born Apr 1783, died Aug 1846
Note: consort of John McFall
Note 2: The McFall family is listed in census of 1840 and 1850, and lived in Liberty Township near this Armstrong place. Taken from the list made Feb. 1, 1989; by Vivan and Walter Roland, J. Hurley and Roberta Hagood and Dorothy Eichenberger. This cemetery is also known as the Armstrong Burying ground.
Nancy McFall was born 6 Oct 1811, died 25 May 1851.

There was in Marion Co MO in 1850, Liberty Twp, p.580, Hh 451, a Liston McFall age 43 and born in Kentucky. Barbara McFall, age 48 also b. KY. Nancy McFall, age 38, b. KY. Mary Bresler age 35 & born in KY also lived with them. She had apparent children Harriet age 7, Mary R. age 6 and George L. age 4, all born in Missouri. Robert B. Bartlett, age 70, a physician born in Scotland lived with them, too. With no relationships given, nothing can be inferred, but this could be a household of adult siblings. Daughter, Sarah, had married Abraham Kellar Fry in 1826 and was with him in Marion Co in 1850.

I found this marriage in Marion Co: Bresler, John to McFall, Mary Dec 23, 1841

I have found none of the McFalls in 1860 except for Mary Bresler & Barbara. Mary was listed in the following blended household in Kinderhook Twp, Pike Co Illinois, Household 174:
Solomon Karr, age 47, b. IL. Mary Bresler age 46, b. KY
Harriet Bresler, age 17, Mary Bresler, age 14, George Bresler age 12, all born in MO.
W. Karr, male, age 10 and Mary Karr age 9, also born in MO
Eliza Karr age 4 and Minnesota age one month, both born in Illinois.

Barbara "McPhall" age 60, b. KY, was living with Mark & Arminta Bird in Navarro Co TX. Arminta was her niece, daughter of Sarah McFall & Abraham K. Fry.

Found in 1880 in Corsicana TX. Mark Bird and Arminta Fry had several boarders including who I believe is surely Arminta's uncle, brother of Sarah & a son of John: Alfred W. McFall, age 62, born in KY; he is running a Livery Stable. Two railroad conductors, John C. Crank & Jos. S. Telfair, and a railroad laborer, H. B. Waddill, are also in the household. Mark stated that both his parents were born in VA.
[In 1870, A. H. McFall, age 53, born in KY was also living with Mark & Arminta's family in Navarro Co, Texas.]


I believe that the above records early in Kentucky belong to this older John McFall - not the man of the same name who later lived in Logan Co. However I cannot discount that the John McFall in Logan Co. may in fact be John Jr. These records are from various databases online and need further substantiation. The John who was a son of John and Barbara, if he is the same as the John McFall of Logan Co, apparently left the family nest soon after his marriage and researchers of the McFalls and Hanans were not able to trace him. The fact that John of Logan Co named his eldest daughter Barbara, is most interesting.

Little is known of John and Barbara McFall before they came to early Harrison Co., Kentucky in the 1779. What is known is that John McFall was born in 1728 in Pennsylvania, as well as their sons Patrick in 1767, and Joseph, in 1770. Daughter, Margaret "Peggy" is believed to have been born in either Pennsylvania or Virginia in 1771, Sarah born in 1773, location unknown, and John Jr., born in 1775, in either Virginia or Kentucky.

"From a deposition taken at the house of David McFall at McFalls lick on Mill creek taken
22 Jan 1811. James Gray age 55 said that he came to this place July 1779 and found John McFall building his Cabbin (sic) at this spot. Gray also deposed that Ruddles Station was founded in April 1779. This comes from a law suit filed in Harrison Co., KY. He further said that while living at the Station during 1779 & 1780 McFall frequently left the station to work on his Cabbin and the residents were fearful of his safety because the Indians were troublesome."

The Children of John & Barbara McFall:
,,,Patrick McFall, born in 1767 in Pennsylvania, married Althea Van Shoych/Van Shayck, on February 05, 1799 in Nelson Co, Kentucky. Nothing else is known of him, except it is believed that he died in Ohio.
,,,Joseph McFall, born 1770 in Pennsylvania, married Mary "Polly" Marsh, daughter of William amd Elizabeth (Tharp/Thorp) Marsh, on October 20, 1793,in Bourbon Co., KY. She was born June 23, 1771 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky.
They were the parents of nine children:
William, John, Jonathon, Samuel, Sarah, Susannah, Mary (Polly),Joseph Jr., and David.
Joseph & Mary moved their family to Bartholomew Co., Indiana sometime between1810 and 1821. Joseph died in Clifty Creek, Bartholomew Co., Indiana in 1821. Mary died October 05, 1837 in Bartholomew Co., Indiana. They are buried (without a marker) in Sand Hill Cemetery, outside of present Columbus, in Bartholomew Co., IN.
,,,Margaret "Peggy" McFall, born in 1771, in either Pennsylvania or Virgina, married James Marshall Hanan, son of John and Hannah (Jackson) Hanan, about 1790, in Harrison Co., Ky. He was born June 07, 1771 in Bucks Co, Pennsylvania. James died in 1811, and Margaret "Peggy" died January 15, 1824, both in Harrison Co., KY
They were the parents of nine children:
James Marshall, John, Samuel Thomas, Hannah or "Sally", Thomas Boyd, Margaret "Polly", Elizabeth, Mary Ann, and Archemedes.
Sarah McFall, born 1773, probably in either Pennsylvania or Virginia, married August 29, 1793 to William Lumley in Bourbon Co., Kentucky. Sarah died in Harrison Co., KY.
Nothing else is known of this family.
...John McFall, Jr was born in 1775, in either Virginia or Kentucky. He married December 18, 1800 in Harrison Co., Kentucky to Jean/Jincy Furnace.
Nothing else is known of this family.
...David McFall was born 1785 in Harrison Co., Kentucky, and died July 02, 1831 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky. He married Edna Fawney Chiles.
Nothing else is known of this family.
...Daniel McFall was born in 1787 in Kentucky (probably Harrison Co.) and died in Kentucky. He married Dicey Lisk/Sisk February 08, 1808 in Harrison Co., Kentucky.
Nothing else is known of this family.
...Susannah McFall was born 1789 in Harrison Co., Kentucky. She married Richard Hall, on September 30, 1807 in Bartholomew Co., Indiana. They had three (known to me) children:
Emily, Almira, and John Kirk Hall.
The McFall descendants are known to have settled in Bartholomew Co. Indiana, then later moved on to Missouri, and several of the families settled in Mahaska Co., Iowa as well.

Birth	17 Apr 1777	Virginia
Marriage	18 Dec 1800	Harrison County, Kentucky - JANE/JEAN Furnish
Death	11 Aug 1841	Marion County, Missouri

Spouse	JANE/JEAN Furnish (1783 - 1846)
Child	Barbara McFALL (1802 - )
Child	SARAH A. B. "SALLY" McFALL (1804 - 1901)
Child	Liston McFALL (1807 - )
Child	Nancy McFALL (1811 - 1851)
Child	Mary McFALL (1815 - 1909)
Child	Alfred W. McFall (1818 - )

Father	John McFall (1728 - 1800)
Mother	Barbara ?Burrells ( - 1815)
Sibling	Patrick McFall (1767 - )
Sibling	Joseph McFall (1770 - 1821)
Sibling	Margaret "Peggy" McFall (1771 - 1824)
Sibling	Sarah McFall (1773 - )
Sibling	David McFall (1785 - 1831)
Sibling	Daniel McFall (1787 - )
Sibling	Susannah McFall (1789 - )

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