Portrait of Mary Daves McKinlay

Mary Davis Daves McKinlay (1777-1840) was born the daughter of Oroondates Davis and his wife Mary Eaton Haynes. Her father passed away when she was a young child and her mother remarried to in 1782 to Major John Daves. McKinlay spent her the remainder of her childhood in New Bern, North Carolina with her mother, step-father and younger half-siblings including John Pough Daves (1789-1838) whose home is now part of Tryon Palace. The family was very close knit and McKinlay remained close to her Daves siblings throughout her life. In 1796 she married wealthy merchant James McKinlay (d.1819) who became a close member of the Daves family. The Mary McKinlay and her husband did not have any children but were very close with there nieces and nephews. In her will McKinlay provided equally for all of the children and her brother's widow. She also made provisions for full emancipation of the slaves she owned along with housing and furniture from her estate. In October 1840 Mary McKinlay was laid to rest in Cedar Grove Cemetery, New Bern, NC.

Collection ID: TP.1985.028.001