This week’s writing prompt for 52 Ancestors, Week 25 is Fast. A perfect week to write about my McComas cousin actor Lindsay Wagner. Fast, moving at bionic speed! Next Thursday, the 22nd of June, is her birthday, also making it the perfect week to write about her and our shared ancestors.

First, I need to explain to you that I was a diehard fan of the television series The Bionic Woman. I was first introduced to the character on The Six Million Dollar Man TV series but was ecstatic when Jaime Sommers got her own series. I was a child when her character made its debut and became a tween on the edge of becoming a teen when the show was cancelled. I adored her apartment above the barn, and her brass bed. I tried to make my hair like her! Who else will admit that they pretended to be bionic when playing outside? I originally studied Elementary Education in college partly because she was a teacher. The character was a strong female role model for the time. I almost got to see Lindsay Wagner filming The Bionic Woman series when I was on the Universal Studios tour, but she had already left for the day. We did get to see her body double. I was quite sad when the show was cancelled. Even today, I will occasionally rewatch episodes of The Bionic Woman. I did continue to follow Lindsay Wagner’s career after the show ended. One of my all-time favorite TV movies is The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan. From that same time period, I remember the TV movies The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel, I Want to Live! and the TV miniseries Scruples. A few years later, the TV movie and following series Jessie. The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman TV films in the late 1980’s and 1994, and later TV films like Thicker than Water and her appearing in several episodes of Warehouse 13. She has many more acting credits, but those are the ones that come to mind.

Lindsay Wagner and I are 7th cousins, one-time removed. Even though I am much younger than she, by many years, her father William Nowells ‘Billy’ Wagner was my actual direct 7th cousin. We share ancestors Alexander McComas and Elizabeth Day.

Alexander McComas was born 14 September 1692 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and died 4 February 1761 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. He married first to Elizabeth Day on 19 November 1713 in St. John’s Parish, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. She was the daughter of Nicholas Day and Sarah Cox. Our Day and Cox ancestors have their roots in England and Wales. They had several children, including Lindsay’s and my ancestors. After the death of his wife Elizabeth, he married second to Hannah Whitaker on 23 August 1728 in St. John’s Parish, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. There were also children born from his second marriage.

Regarding the maiden name of our ancestor Sarah, wife of Nicholas Day, and mother of Elizabeth Day McComas. John Pearce gives her surname as Cox. Gertrude Stephens and others show no surname. The surname of Lowe comes from Gene Blair’s database from 1993. Her correct maiden name as of yet remains unproven. But I believe her maiden name was Cox and that she was an aunt to her daughter-in-law Elizabeth Cox (wife of Nicholas Day, Jr). Making her the daughter of Christopher Cox.

Alexander McComas was the son of Daniel McComas. He emigrated from Scotland and settled at the head of the Severn River (which is located in Anne Arundel County) by 1687. In 1693 the family then went to Harford County (Baltimore County).

Daniel McComas was born about 1662 in Scotland, and dies 4 April 1699 in Middle Neck Hundred, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. There are several stories floating around about his life in Scotland prior to coming to Colonial Maryland, but Scottish genealogists have been unable to verify these stories.

In the Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to the USA, Vol. 1, his name is listed as Daniell Maccomus.

Daniel McComas married before 1687 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland to Elizabeth. Her maiden name is thought to be either McGill or Hubbert.

When Daniel died in 1699, he left his wife a widow in her 30’s with four sons aged 3 to 12. Court records show that Daniel McComas late of Anne Arundel, Maryland, deceased, and Elizabeth McComas, the wife and flower of Daniel had sons John, William, Alexander, and Daniel. Elizabeth, his wife, stated that it was the wish of Daniel that his children be free and if possible, Elizabeth should keep the land and care for the children until they reach the age of 17 years.

McComas researcher and descendant Robert McComas-Wood writes:

She had no wish to go against him, but she could not support the children. Elizabeth had to have the children bounded out until age 17, except if she should die, she wishes them to be free of indenture by age 16 years. John was 12 on July 14 last, William was 10 on October 16 last, Alexander was 7 on Sept 14 last, Daniel would be 3 on January 12 next. The date was October 17, 1699, in June court records of Anne Arundel County, it shows that John, Alexander and Daniel McComas, were orphans living at the home of Stephen Gill. Further research shows that the sons of Daniel and Elizabeth McComas went on to acquire land, raise families, and prosper in the colony of Maryland. So, the wishes of Daniel and Elizabeth were fulfilled. The strength and caring found in the words of Daniel, continues to connect all the various McComas branches of the family.

Alexander McComas and Elizabeth Day had numerous children: daughters Sarah McComas Rhodes, Elizabeth McComas Norris, Eleanor McComas Miles, and Mary McComas Whitaker, and sons Alexander, David, and Daniel McComas.

My line continues with daughter Elizabeth McComas who married Thomas Norris, the son of John Norris and Ann Wheatley. The family name stayed Norris for two generations until it became Armstrong. The family stayed in Maryland for a few generations before migrating to Indian Hill, Hamilton County, Ohio.

Lindsay Wagner’s line continues with son David McComas who married Catherine Burke. The family carries the name McComas until Lindsay’s 2nd great grandmother Louisa Josephine McComas marries Aaron John “A.J.” Cleveland, her father’s great-grandparents. Her McComas lines migrated from Maryland to Virginia and West Virginia, and ended up in Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Her Cleveland/Nowels great grandparents migrated from Kansas to Los Angeles, California.

Pictured above is Lindsay Wagner’s great-great grandparents Louisa Josephine McComas and Aaron John “A.J.” Cleveland. Her line continues with their daughter Verna Mabel Cleveland who married Ralph Oscar Wagner. They are her paternal great-grandparents.

The origins of the McComas surname are Scottish and northern Irish. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Thómais (MacThomaidh) meaning ‘son of Thomas’. (1) The surname McColm is from MacThom and McComas is from MacThomas. McComas is one of the main sept names of Clan MacThomas. In the early part of the 17th century, there were a small number of MacThomases and MacComases living around the western end of Loch Tay in Perthshire.

The Clan MacThomas Society writes:

Despite this small group [in Loch Tay in Perthshire], the Clan MacThomas name is most unusual within Scotland, unlike other Clans, the main name has only been used rarely over the centuries. This is because the early MacThomases preferred to be called by one or other of the Gaelic variations on the name. Also, when some clansmen decided to leave Glenshire and Glen Isla, following the breakup of the Clan at the end of the 17th century, and move elsewhere, they generally adopted a variety of abbreviated anglicized versions, such as McComas.

Today the name McComas can be found mainly in the United States, as well as most English-speaking nations. (2)

Famous descendants of Alexander McComas and Elizabeth Day:

American Actress Lindsay Wagner; 37th U.S. President Richard Nixon; American stage, film, and television actress Carroll McComas; North Carolina Politician Daniel F. McComas; American space scientist David J. McComas; James Douglas McComas, former president of three U.S. universities; Elisha McComas, Brigadier General in the War of 1812; American child actor Kendall McComas; and American Actress and Playboy Model Lorissa McComas.

Famous descendants of Alexander McComas with second wife Hannah Whitaker:

American Politian and lawyer Walter R. McComas.

Famous descendants of Daniel McComas and wife Elizabeth McGill/Hubbert who are not through their son Alexander McComas and his wives Elizabeth Day and Hannah Whitaker:

American flying ace during World War II, Edward O. McComas; American attorney, politician, and jurist Louis E. McComas; American politician George W. McComas; and American science fiction editor J. Francis McComas.

⭐ Except in the case of Pres. Richard Nixon, the rest of the famous McComas kin and descendants listed above were all collected via my own research and genealogical work.

In closing, I’ll like to wish my McComas cousin Lindsay Wagner a very 🎶🕯🎊🎈🌹Happy Birthday 🥳🤩🎂🎉🤍 on June 22nd.

References:

1. Mccomas Surname Meaning. Ancestry.com
2. The Septs of Clan MacThomas. McComas. Clan MacThomas Society.

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