Genealogy help needed

A group of about 15 of us scattered across the US have been searching for the first person in our family who came to the US from the UK. According to an old book published in the early 1800's his name was Charles W. Queen Sr and he supposedly changed his name from Charles W. MacQueen Sr in order to accept a commission in the British Army. According to the book no one of either Scottish or Irish name was allowed to be a commissioned officer but the rule, supposedly, largely ignored if the person would drop the "Mac" or "O". He received a 1200 acre land grant in what is now West Virginia for his services in which he served as a Magistrate (which I believe is a Judge) in Ireland. Now the puzzler: we have been unable to locate one single shred of evidence about him in the UK. No military record, no paper trail of rulings as a Magistrate, etc, etc. He came to the US in 1750 yet no sailing record exists. There is a record of his son traveling to and then back from the UK but that is all. I find it hard to believe (with no records whatsoever) that this story is true yet the 1200 acre land grant is there so he must have done something. Any suggestions from any in the UK on where we should search (in the UK)? Are there records kept of land grants in the US where we could search for that particular tract of land? Thanks in advance for your time and help.

Hi PapaNoHair,
Have you tried http://www.familysearch.org/ or http://www.genealogy.com/index_r.html

Also... I know you can go the your local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Family History Center.. I know they can help.