Part of an old map of the San Jacinto area from the Texas Revolution

Veteran Bio

Texian Location:  Participant

The Kemp Sketch

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McKAY, DANIEL -- The name Daniel McKay appears as a member of Captain William W. Hill's Company on page 15 of the booklet printed in 1836 containing the San Jacinto rolls. On page 9 the name D. McKAY appears as a member of Captain Henry Karnes' Company. The original roll of Captain William W. Hill's Company at San Jacinto at muster April 11, 1836, was on September 13, 1913, in the possession of Mrs. J.W. Dallas of Brenham, Texas, a daughter of Captain Hill, and Mr. McKay's name does not appear on it. Since headright, bounty and Donation Certificates were issued to only one DANIEL McKAY, and no other information pertaining to another man by that name can be obtained, it is quite evident that D. McKay and Daniel McKay are one and the same, shown twice through error. It is possible, of course, that Mr. McKay may have lost a horse in the engagement on the 20th and of necessity fought in the infantry on the 21st as a member of Captain Hill's Company. Since, however, his full name appears on Captain Hill's roll it is retained on that roll by the compiler and omitted from Captain Karne's rolls.

Mr. McKay was born in Augusta, Maine, October 16, 1814, and moved when a young child with his parents to Boston, Massachusetts. At the death of his mother he left home and came to Texas by way of New Orleans as one of the colonists of Sterling C. Robertson. In the Headright Certificate issued to him January 13, 1838 for one third of a league of land by the Board of Land Commissioners for Washington County it is stated that he came to Texas in 1834. He was issued Bounty Certificate No. 5051 for 320 acres of land for his services in the army from March 24, 1836. He was issued Donation Certificate No. 660 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle of San Jacinto. He reenlisted in Captain William H, Secrest's Company from which he was discharged October 22, 1836.

Benjamin F. Bryant, a captain at San Jacinto, moved from east Texas to Milam County after independence had been gained and as an Indian agent for the government he established a fort on Little River known as Bryant's Station. In 1845 Daniel McKay married Jane Elizabeth Bryant, a daughter of Captain Bryant, and they resided at Bryant's Station. In 1853 they moved to their land grant in Bell County near Donahoe where they spent the remainder of their lives and raised a family of six children, John Price, Roxanna, Louisa, Barney Strickland, Mary Jane and Albert Sidney Johnston McKay. John Price McKay was alive in 1936

Daniel McKay enlisted in the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the Civil War and was stationed at Galveston. He died on his farm October 9, 1889. His wife, who was born in Georgia March 25, 1831 died November 22, 1896. Their graves at the Sience Hill Cemetery in Bell County, seven miles east of Bartlett, Williamson County, are marked.

Some of the surviving grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. McKay are Mrs. Sudie R. Pennington and Mrs. Rosa Lee.

Mrs. Roxanna McDaniel who lived in Brownsville is a daughter of Daniel McKay.

McKAY, DANIEL-- In Book B, page 5 in the Spanish Archives in the General Land Office in which are listed the names of the applicants for land in Austin's Colonies it is shown that Mr. McKay applied for, but did not receive land. November 21, 1834 he stated that he was 21 years of age and had arrived in Texas from Maine. He stated that he had been living with John Cummings at the Mill Creek.

Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.


Battle Statistics

  • Died in Battle: No
  • Rank: Private
  • Company: Lieut. Robert Stevenson

Personal Statistics

  • Date of Birth: 1814 Oct 16
  • Birthplace: Maine, Augusta
  • Origin: Massachusetts
  • Came to Texas: 1834
  • Date of Death: 1889 Oct 9
  • Burial Place: Sience Hill Cemetery, Bell County, Texas
  • Comments: Civil War, Confederate Army
  • Bounty Certificate: 5051
  • Donation Certificate: 660
  • Wife: Jane Elizabeth Bryant
  • Children: John Price McKay; Roxanna McKay; Louisa McKay; Barney Strickland McKay; Mary Jane McKay; Albert Sidney Johnston McKay