From where John McHarg hailed from before he settled in South Carolina is currently unknown, but he built his home and family along Rabun Creek. The actual number of children he had with wife, Susannah, is unknown but several lived to adulthood and appeared in records and had descendants including: Sarah,
William, Archibald, Margaret, John Jr. and Elizabeth.

When the Revolutionary War broke out, John and his son, Archibald, fought in several battles. Archibald states in his pension application that “…shortly after this his father in the winter or spring of 1783 was killed by
the Tories under Capt. Gray — though this Deponent was not out during that tour..” which suggests that John McHarg was one of the 18 patriots killed at the Battle of Dutchmen’s Creek on 21 March 1781. Unfortunately, only three of the men killed had their names recorded.