JOHN MACK, Early Settler from Scotland

John Mack, born in Scotland about 1740-42, married Sarah Burnett (1741 PA - 1825 Maury Co., TN) on 9 September 1766 in Prince Edward Co., VA. During the Revolutionary War, Mack served in the 1st Virginia State Regiment. Sometime between 1805 - 1810, and perhaps earlier, he came to Tennessee. By 1810, John Mack appears in early court records in Maury County. His will was written on 31 May 1813.

Children of John and Sarah Burnett Mack were:
James (1767-1852), m. Sarah Wilson
John, Jr. (1769-1855), m. Polly Garner
Robert (1772-1865), m. Sarah M. Brown
William (1775-1861), m. Mary (Polly) Blair
James Harvey (1778-1837)
Constantine, m. Nancy Burnett
Sarah Louise (Sally), m. Bird Nance
Mary "Polly" (abt 1770, Prince Edward Co., VA - 1 Jan 1862, Maury Co., TN), m. Nathaniel G. Murphy (b. VA, d. 3 Dec 1830, Maury Co.)
(Nathaniel G. Murphy was the son of Miles Murphy, born in Ireland about 1725)

John Mack is buried in the Mack Family Cemetery at McCains in Maury Co., TN. The inscription on his large box tomb reads: "John Mack, 1740-1814, The First of his name in this state. He was born in Scotland in 1740 and died in the 74th year of his age. An honest man, the noblest work of God."

The inscription on the tombstone of his wife, Sarah, reads: "Sarah Mack, b. in Pennsylvania, d. in 83rd year of her age. The only wife of John Mack."

An Historic Marker near the cemetery, now destroyed, once read:
"First Settler. One half mile east is the grave of John Mack, who reportedly settled here in 1776 or shortly after (1776 possibly disproven by record of service in the Revolution out of VA). A blockhouse or stockade was built around the spring a few yards beyond the cemetery. Other relatives and descendants are also buried here." (Note: There are six tombstones with inscriptions and 10-12 fieldstones.)

Submitted by: Charles Allen Demastus
546 White Ash Dr.
Southaven, MS 38671-5409
(601) 342-0878