These are verbal accounts of family history handed down from generation to generation. Lore-knowledge gained through study or experience www.merriam-webster.com
This is the first time to my knowledge that some of this material has been written down. Some of it is accurate, considering their being transmitted verbally through as many as four generations.
Those born before World War II will probably recall that children spent a fair amount of time listening to the old folks "recollect." Old folks also made a point of entertain their grandchildren by telling stories of when they were young or passing on the tales told them by their grandparents. Today both the kids and the senior citizens are glued to their television sets and the traditional family legend has largely passed from the American scene.
I have heard these stories many time in my lifetime with only minor variation as told again and again. Before this writing my father, Arthur K. McCrory at age 77 told them to me again. In his writing I have edited only for continuity and without changing the content.
Will all it is possible that human fallibility has introduced inaccuracy. Therefore this is written and offered only as a record of what I have heard, except where documented. Accordingly, others may have access to better or more complete family records that I have, in which case I would be most interested in further information or different versions of any of this material.
Further, Some of the material concerning emotion and violence is recorded from a very partisan point of view. It is probably that another side exists or did exist at one time to those stories - also partisan from its different viewpoint.
Robert H. McCrory
James McCrory (one of Gen George Washington's body guards) my great great grandfather
Thomas McCrory (son of James McCrory)
Robert McCrory (son of James McCrory) my great grandfather
James Byrd McCrory (son of James McCrory) my grandfather
William Powers McCrory (son of James B. McCrory)
Robert McCrory 1800-1870 was my great grandfather. He had a brother Thomas 1791- who let an active life. At one time around 1815 Thomas ran a country store in Alabama. On one occasion he left his young brother Robert minding the store while he attended to other business. Two local desperadoes came in the store, located the cash drawer by pounding the counter with a fist until the money was heard to rattle and escaped with the money and some goods.
Brother Tom returned shortly afterward and determined to catch the robbers. He prepared for a trip, rode off and was gone several weeks. It was speculated that he had been killed by the robbers. At length he returned on his horse, driving the roped-up outlaws ahead on foot. He stripped them to the waist, tied them to a post and administered a public whipping. Afterward he set them free.
He reported that he had tracked them into an Indian settlement and found them sleeping with their guns by their sides. He grabbed them one at a time by the feet, quickly dragged away from the guns and thrust his knife against the throat and tied them up. On threat of death if they made a sound, he marched them out of the Indian town.
Tom McCrory later joined the army. It is said that he had 20 wives - one at each army camp. Whatever the number it would probably have been more but for the fact that one poisoned him rather than have him abandon her for another woman.