Received this email from a distant cousin about Malcom McCurry, the first of our clan to come to North America. I have asked Dan for clarification on several points since I can't find any information online from the Chester and Morristown, NJ historical websites but while I wait to hear I thought I should post his information here. Malcom is turning out to be a really interesting guy!
As always, you can email me at mccurrymail@gmail.com.
Hello cousin.
just saw your good work on old Malcom.. Having been to Islay several times, to Chester/Morristown NJ several times(seeing the Inn Malcom helped to build, the graves of Rachel, Benjamin, etc) looked at t he NJ records on Malcolm and crawled all over the old Malcom site(re plat maps) with his surveyors signature on several documents and the strong log cabin which bears his initials there on Jacks Creek,
let me just quickly set a record straight... as possible.
Chester and Morristown historical societies have significant records on Malcom and in their own early histories. His Drake Inn stands st ill in Chester as does, I hope, son Benjamin's house there in Chester.
Daughter jane came to WNC with her husband Nathanial Horton(also from Chester) who became the first legislator in the NC Assembly from that area. As a regional quartermaster for the Continental Army Malcolm was caught double dealing with the British/American forces ( see NJ records) and had to flee that country leaving all of his property to wife Rachel and son Benjamin and settled on Jacks Creek. He then wandered across the border for a SC wife Sally Lynn and brought her back.
Jane and Nathanial's homestead in on the high ridge at the western gate of Burnsville over the main road from Asheville to Burnsville. That property is now the site of the county's largest African American cemetery which started as the slave cemetery for the Hortons. This is presently the Holcombe Family's home property. As Sally Lynn came into town to live with her daughter Jane after Malcoms death, it is almost certain that Sally was buried within the "Horton Family cemetery" which is now under the Holcomb house. Malcom's burial site is possibly at his original Jacks Creek site... but also possibly his body was carried into town for burial in the Horton family site above.These Horton and McCurry DAR tombstones are just "placemarkers" with absolutely no record that the "first Malcom" or "Nathaiel Horton"(Academy Hill Cem) are buried where their tombstones have been placed.
Visits to any of the above sites is a grand experience. I'm now working on a musical extension to the recent "Hamilton" Broadway hit.... but about the meetings of Malcom with Alexander Hamilton in both Morristown and Chester. Because the likliest sites for these meetings still stand in Morristown and Chester and in their historic condition, this will be fun.
dan mccurry
