James RAFFERTY was born c. 12 July 1788 near Harper's Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, the son of James RAFFERTY and _______. His father was a native of the north of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish descent, who came to America and settled in Virginia before the Revolutionary War. After his service in the War, he returned to the Shenandoah valley, raising tobacco which he shipped to England to pay the passage of the woman who became his wife. They married about 1786 and raised a large family. They sold their farm in Virginia and relocated to Montgomery County, Kentucky and several years later, moved again to Daviess County, Kentucky near Owensboro where he died about 1835.

James RAFFERTY, the son, married Nancy BOOTH on 18 October 1811 in Madison County, Kentucky. Nancy was born about 1792 in Kentucky. James served in the War of 1812 in Col. James Johnson's regiment. They lived in Montgomery County, Kentucky and Daviess County, Kentucky before moving to Macoupin County, Illinois.

James RAFFERTY purchased 326 acres of land in section 8 and 9 of Polk Township on October 18, 1834. He with all his large family moved to Illinois in the spring of 1835. He died June 10, 1854, age 65 years, 11 months, and is buried in Rafferty Cemetery. Nancy RAFFERTY died in August 1866. James and Nancy RAFFERTY had 11 children.

1. Emily Ann RAFFERTY, b. 23 July 1813, Montgomery Co KY; d. 01 June 1876, Macoupin Co IL, married 02 Dec 1834 Daviess Co KY, to John LUMPKIN, b. 25 December 1808, King and Queens Co VA; d. 15 February 1879, Macoupin Co IL. They has one child, James W. LUMPKIN, who became owner and publisher of the MACOUPIN COUNTY ENQUIRER until his death in 1903.

2. Margaret RAFFERTY, b. 17 Feb 1816 in Montgomery Co KY, d. 19 Dec 1889 in Macoupin Co IL, married on 07 Sept 1837 Macoupin Co IL to Paschal L. READER, son of Jeptha and Winney (HARRISON) READER, b. 13 Aug 1812 Overton Co TN, d. 07 Nov 1868 in TX. They had 10 children.

3. Elizabeth RAFFERTY, b. c. 1819 KY, d. before 1844; married 28 Apr 1836 Macoupin Co IL to George C. KELLER b. 1813 Indiana, d. 07 July 1893, Macoupin Co IL. They had one child, John A. Keller

4. Harriet RAFFERTY, b. 17 Nov 1820 KY, d. 05 Feb 1846 Macoupin Co IL; married 03 Sept 1840 Macoupin Co IL to William H. RHOADS, b. 05 Apr 1818 KY, d. 27 Oct 1884, Macoupin Co IL. They had one child, Emily Ann Rhoads (BREWER).

5. James RAFFURTY, b. 24 Dec 1823 Montgomery Co KY, d. 15 Dec 1896, Cass Co MO; married 28 July 1842 Macoupin Co IL to Etta Mariah RUSHER, b. 10 July 1821 Grayson Co KY to Henry and Catharine (NEWTON) RUSHER, d. 28 Oct 1904 Cass Co MO. They had 10 children, all born in Macoupin County. Family legend says that James, age 11, left Kentucky with an older brother (?who??) in 1834 and that the rest of the family arrived in Macoupin County, Illinois the following spring. (Note: On his pension papers for the Mexican War he explains why he spells his name "urty". His son James Raffurty, Jr., two nephews named James Rafferty, and he all received their mail at the same post office. So he called himself James RAFFURTY, Sr. This line is the only one I've seen to use "urty.)

a. George W. RAFFURTY, 08 Oct 1843- 09 Sept 1846
b. America Esther RAFFURTY, c. 1847-29 Oct 1881 + Charles Robert BAKER - m. 10 Oct 1869
c. Elizabeth RAFFURTY, 02 Oct 1848-28 Mar 1849
d. Joshua RAFFURTY, Mar 1852-1929 + Alice Lendilla JACKSON Dec 1850-1938, dau. of George and Mary (MORRIS) JACKSON - m. 28 Dec 1869
e. Amanda Lavica RAFFURTY, 02 July 1854-09 June 1927 + David C.BRICKER - m. 10 Oct 1875
f. James RAFFURTY, Jr., 21 May 1857-04 June 1924 + Laura Essie RANDLE, dau. of James Adna and Virginia (HARNSBERGER) RANDLE - m. 14 Apr 1881. W2 Henrietta Virginia DINGES m. 12 Dec 1902 in Harrisonville, Cass Co MO.
g. Mary RAFFURTY 20 July 1859-16 Sept 1885 + William E. WOODS, son of William and Janet (HUGHES) WOODS, m. 01 Dec 1880
h. John RAFFURTY, 1863-02 Mar 1946 + W/1 Nancy Elizabeth (Nannie) ALBIN, 27 Oct 1864 IL-27 Jan 1942; m. 23 Aug 1883; W/2 Donnie Estelle GAMBLE; W/3 Mary SMITH/BELL m. 31 Jan 1916
i. Etta Mariah RAFFURTY 30 Jan 1866-11 June 1952 + James Pleasant TAYLOR m. 05 Dec 1906 j. ??

6. Joseph RAFFERTY, b. 1826 Montgomery Co KY, d. 06 Mar 1886 Tarrant Co TX; married 19 Feb 1846 Macoupin Co IL to Malinda BROWN b. Apr 1828 TN daughter of Francis G. and Mary (BELL) BROWN, d. 04 May 1901 Tarrant Co TX. They had 10 children.

7. Alexander Campbell RAFFERTY, b. 19 Jan 1832 Daviess Co KY, d. 27 Feb 1916 Jackson Co MO; married 22 Jan 1852 Macoupin Co IL to Elizabeth Ann MARTIN, b. 15 Sept 1836 TN, d. 12 Sept 1906 Jackson Co MO. They had four children.

8. Mary Ann RAFFERTY, b. 07 Nov 1834 Daviess Co KY, d. 02 Dec 1911 Macoupin Co IL; married 04 June 1852 to Frederick REINEKE, b. Nov 1828 Brunswick, Germany, d. 04 Feb 1908 Macoupin Co IL. They had 8 children.

9. ?? Thomas ??

10. ?? William ??

11. ?? Samuel ??

Sue Raffurty McMurry
3812 Rogers Circle
Independence, MO 64055



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