Updates and Rebecca Kight's Family

Hi everyone,

So I was able to find a little bit of info on the rest of Percilla Kight's children. I'm still looking for most of the daughters, but I did find info for Jacob, William, Wilbert, Benjamin and Ettie.

I'm now on to Rebecca Kight's family with Conrad Burk. I haven't been able to find any information on her children:

Richard BURK was born in 1893 in West Virginia.
Bernadette BURK was born in 1894 in West Virginia.
Josephine BURK was born in 1895 in Illinois.
Olya BURK was born in 1897 in West Virginia.
Manilla BURK was born in 1899 in West Virginia.
Ursula BURK was born in 1901 in West Virginia.
Thomas BURK was born in 1902 in West Virginia.

Again, anyone with information on any of these people, please email me at gmcrobie@gmail.com. Thank you!

Percilla Kight and David Gower/Gauer

Hi everyone,

Quick update: I have internet at home! It took long enough but I no longer have to bring my laptop to work in order to get online, this is very exciting.

That being said, I've started up more research and right now I've hit a roadblock with the Gower/Gauer family. What I have so far: Percilla Kight (Malinda Jane McRobie, John William) married David Gower/Gauer. They had 13 surviving children, but for some reason the only one I've really been able to track is Jacob Henry. So here's a list of their children. If anyone has ANY info on any of them, I'm begging you to send it!! (Specifically for the girls, as without any Maryland marriage records at my fingertips, it's proving the hardest to find them.)

Susan Gower (b. 1869, MD) [I believe she died before 1880, but no confirmation yet]
Jacob Gower (b. 1870, MD) [The only one I've found after 1900 so far]
Sarah Gower (b. 1871, MD)
William T Gower (b. 1872, MD)
George Gower (b. 1875, MD)
John Gower (b. 1877, MD)
Burleigh Gower (b. 1879, MD)
Charles J Gower (b. 24 Mar 1882, MD) [according to 1900 Census]
Rosie M Gower (b. 10 Feb 1884, MD) [according to 1900 Census]
Wilbur N Gower (b. 21 Nov 1886, MD) [according to 1900 Census]
Bailey C Gower (b. 22 Dec 1888, MD) [according to 1900 Census]
Benjamin M Gower (b. 21 Jun 1890, MD) [according to 1900 Census]
Ettie F Gower (b. 31 Aug 1898, MD) [according to 1900 Census]

I've seen the last name spelled both Gower and Gauer. I'm sure there are more variations.

Family Focus: Thomas R McRobie

Thomas R McROBIE (John William) was born in 1844 in Maryland. He died 22 May 1901 in Maryland. He was buried in Bittinger Church Cemetery in Bittinger, Garrett County, Maryland.

Thomas lived in Allegany County, Maryland. He fought for the Union Army in the American Civil War. He enlisted at the rank of Private on 19 Dec 1861 in the 3rd Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Infantry, Company D. He mustered out at the rand of Sergeant on 19 Dec 1864.

Sources for Thomas:
1. 1850 Census
2. 1880 Census
3. 1900 Census
4. Ancestry.com U.S. Civil War Soldiers
5. Civil War Pension
6. Garrett County Cemetery Records

Thomas married Elizabeth BEYER on 27 Jan 1866 in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. She was born around 1848. She died in 1926 in Maryland. She is buried with her husband in Bittinger Church Cemetery in Bittinger, Garrett County, Maryland.

Elizabeth lived in Allegany County, Maryland.

Sources for Elizabeth:
1. Maryland State Record of Marriages: Allegany County
2. Marriage Licenses of Allegany County, Maryland
3. 1880 Census
4. 1900 Census
5. 1910 Census

Thomas and Elizabeth adopted Ruth McRobie.


As far as I know, Ruth wasn't a McRobie by birth. If anyone has any idea who Ruth's real parents on I'd love to know. I also did not find record of Thomas and Elizabeth having any biological children.

Family Focus: Hester Alice McRobie Mason

Hester Alice McROBIE (John William) was born in June of 1842 in Maryland. She died on 31 Jan 1911.

Hester lived in Allegany County, Maryland until about 1900. After 1900 Hester lived in Portland, Preston County, West Virginia.

Sources for Hester:
1. 1850 Census
2. 1870 Census
3. 1880 Census
4. 1900 Census
5. 1910 Census

Hester married Joshua James MASON on 17 Jan 1861 in Allegany County, Maryland. Joshua was born on 5 May 1822 in Maryland. He died on 22 Jun 1906.

Joshua lived in Allegany County, Maryland. He was a Farm Laborer.

Sources for Joshua:
1. Entry in "Marriage Licenses of Allegany County"
2. 1870 Census
3. 1880 Census
4. 1900 Census

Hester and Joshua had the following children:
Mary Ellen MASON was born in 12 Nov 1861 in Maryland. She died 9 Nov 1930 in Terra Alta, Preston County, West Virginia. Mary never married or had children.
Nancy MASON was born in 1863 in Maryland.
John MASON was born in 23 Sep 1864 in Maryland.
Abraham Lincoln MASON was born in 1866 in Maryland.
Francis Thomas MASON was born in 1868 in Maryland.
Martha Jane MASON was born in 1870 in Maryland.
Laura Belle MASON was born in 1872 in Maryland.
Edward Ruthvin MASON was born in 1874 in Maryland.
Delilah MASON was born in 1877 in Maryland.
Sarah Anna MASON was born in 28 Jun 1879 in Maryland.
Lucretia Margaret MASON was born in 1881 in Maryland.

The Mason children have been a little tricky to track down. If anyone has any information on Nancy, Francis, Martha, Laura, Delilah, Sarah, or Lucretia, I'd love to see it!

Family Focus: Francis Marion McRobie

Francis Marion McROBIE (John William) was born 19 May 1840 in Maryland. He died 15 Apr 1904. He is buried in the McRobie Cemetery on Green Glade Road in Swanton, Garrett County, Maryland.

Francis lived in Allegany County, Maryland. He was a farmer. He served in the Union Army in the American Civil War. Francis enlisted at the rank of Private on 19 Dec 1861 in the 3rd Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Infantry, Company D. He mustered out at the rank of Private on 29 May 1865. Francis also served in the 12th Maryland Infantry (an emergency 100 days infantry, created to guard the B&O Railroad) from 25 Jul 1864 to 6 Nov 1864.

Sources for Francis:
1. 1850 Census
2. 1870 Census
3. 1900 Census
4. Civil War Service from Ancestry.com
5. Civil War Pension
6. Picture of Gravestone

Francis married Lucy McROBIE on 22 Jul 1865 in Allegany County, Maryland. Lucy was born on 18 Jun 1842 in Maryland. She was the daughter of William McROBIE and Sarah PAUGH. She died on 4 Sept 1922 in Maryland.

Lucy lived in Allegany County, Maryland.

Sources for Lucy:
1. Entry in Marriage Licenses of Allegany County
2. 1850 Census
3. 1870 Census
4. 1900 Census
5. 1910 Census

Francis and Lucy had the following children:
Flora Alice McROBIE was born 19 Mar 1867 in Maryland.
Virginia Elizabeth McROBIE was born 19 Jun 1868 in Maryland.
John William McROBIE was born 2 Feb 1871 in Maryland.
Thomas Allen McROBIE was born 24 Dec 1872 in Maryland.
Albert A McROBIE was born 3 Oct 1875 in Maryland.
Mary McROBIE was born 10 Oct 1880 in Maryland.

Family Focus: Abraham Archibald McRobie

Abraham Archibald McROBIE (John William) was born on 26 Feb 1836 in Maryland. He died 31 Dec 1917 in Altamont, Garrett County, Maryland. It is thought he is buried in the McRobie Cemetery on Green Glade Road in Swanton, Garrett County, Maryland.

Abraham lived in Allegany County, Maryland. He worked as a farmer. He also fought for the Union Army in the American Civil War. Abraham was mustered in at the rank of Private in the 3rd Regiment, Maryland, Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade, Company D, on 7 Dec 1861. He mustered out at the rank of Corporal on 29 May 1865. Abraham was taken prisoner on 29 Jun 1862 when the 3rd PHB engaged Confederate forces in Moorefield, Virginia (now West Virginia).

Records for Abraham:
1. 1850 Census
2. 1870 Census
3. 1880 Census
4. 1900 Census
5. 1910 Census
6. Entry in "The McCrobie/McRobie/McCroby Family 1761-1996" by Wilma Nuzum Sanders. Pg. 4, pg. 8.
7. Civil War Service from Ancestry.com
8. Civil War Service from National Park Service
9. Maryland Soldiers in the Civil War, Vol 1
10. Civil War Pension
11. Death Certificate
12. Entry in "Maryland's Garret County Graves" compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Pg. 161.
13. Picture of Gravestone

Abraham married Nancy Catherine FRIEND on 26 May 1856. Nancy was born in 1840 in Mason County, Virginia. She died in 1916 in Altamont, Garrett County, Maryland. It is thought she is buried with her husband in the McRobie Cemetery on Green Glade Road, Swanton, Garrett County, Maryland.

Nancy lived in Mason County, Virginia, until about 1855. She lived in Allegany County, Maryland, after 1855.

Sources for Nancy:
1. Entry in Marriage Licenses of Allegany County
2. 1870 Census
3. 1880 Census
4. 1900 Census
5. 1910 Census
6. Entry in "The McCrobie/McRobie/McCroby Family 1761-1996" by Wilma Nuzum Sanders. Pg. 4, pg. 8.
7. Entry in "Maryland's Garret County Graves" compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Pg. 161.

Abraham and Nancy had the following children:
Columbus Lafayette McROBIE was born 26 Aug 1857 in Maryland.
Harriett McROBIE was born in 1861 in Maryland.
Stella F. McROBIE was born in 1863 in Maryland.
Elizabeth J McROBIE was born in 1866 in Maryland.
Sarah Almeda McROBIE was born in 1868 in Maryland.
Mary Ellen McROBIE was born in 1868 in Maryland.
Thomas R McROBIE was born in 1871 in Maryland.
Alfred Elijah McROBIE was born in 1874 in Maryland.
Abraham Archibald McROBIE Jr. was born in 1877 in Maryland.


Abraham has been one of the easier ones to dig up. The one road block I've found, like most others, has been trying to find Nancy's parents. If anyone has any information on this, I'd love to see!

Pictures Pictures

So this really has nothing to do with genealogy, but I figured I could at least plug myself on my own blog right? I've been doing a lot of photo restoration and retouching lately and decided to make a gallery blog to showcase. Anyone who's interested can see it here -- > Picture Perfect. If you have a photo you want restored, just email me.

302 and Counting

So I've finally got around to putting all that research onto a descendant chart which can be downloaded here.

All 302 descendants on this list are confirmed. All of the dates are correct to the best of my knowledge. This list so far has been about 3 months in the making, so feel free to ask any questions you may have. As you can see I've slowly been posting on each individual family. I'm going to slow down on research a tad until I catch up with myself again. I'm also in the process of putting all of this, plus sourcing info, into a Gedcom file which I hope to post shortly.

Some helpful links:
Pat Thompson found a great website for looking up land records and deeds:
Check it out here!
It can be a little confusing at first, so if you need help let me know.

Family Focus: Eleanora Silena McRobie Kelley

Eleanora Silena McROBIE (John William) was born in 1834 in Maryland. She was the oldest child of Delilah Murphy. Her date of death and place of burial are currently unknown.

Eleanora lived in Allegany County, Maryland.

Here are the records for Eleanora:
1. 1850 Census. John McRobie Household.
2. 1870 Census. Eleanora is listed as "Ellen Kelley." She is head of the household (assumably because her husband has died), and living next door to her sister Hester and her father John, and a few doors down from her brother Francis.

Eleanora married Samuel J KELLEY on 17 Jun 1856. His date of birth and date of death are unknown.

Records for Samuel:
1. Marriage Record.

Eleanora and Samuel had the following children:
Delilah L KELLEY was born in 1858 in Maryland.
David KELLEY was born in 1860 in Maryland.
Elizabeth KELLEY was born in 1862 in Maryland.
Roda A KELLEY was born in 1864 in Maryland.


Unfortunately I have found very little information on Eleanora, and almost nothing on Samuel. I have looked for the children in later records and still haven't managed to find them. I believe that Eleanora most likely remarried and that her and her children are listed with a new last name. If anyone knows of something that I missed, I would love to see it. I haven't seen any trees or charts that list even Eleanora's children.

Family Focus: Malinda Jane McRobie Kight

Malinda Jane McROBIE was born in 20 Apr 1829 in Maryland. Malinda was the daughter of John William and his second wife. It's thought that his second wife died in childbirth or shortly after Malinda was born. Malinda is the only child to live to a late age out of John's second wife's children. She died on 30 Apr 1896. She is buried with her husband in the Kight Cemetery on Maplewood Farm in New Creek, Mineral County, West Virginia.

Malinda lived in Allegany County, Maryland until 1850 and in Preston County, West Virginia, after 1870.

Here are the records I have for Malinda:
1850 Census
1870 Census
1880 Census
Death Register
Cemetery Transcription


Malinda married Henry Thomas KIGHT III in 1850. Henry was born on 12 Nov 1828 in Maryland. He died on 25 Aug 1910 in Mineral County, West Virginia. He was the son of Henry Thomas KIGHT II and Sarah SHARPLESS. He is buried with his wife in Kight Cemetery on Maplewood Farm in New Creek, Mineral County, West Virginia.

Henry lived in Allegany County, Maryland, until about 1866. He lived in Preston County, West Virginia, after about 1866. He worked as a farmer.

Here are the records for Henry:
Marriage Record from Ancestry.com
1870 Census
1880 Census
1910 Census
Cemetery Transcription

Malinda and Henry had the following children:
Percilla Ann KIGHT was born 29 Jun 1851 in Maryland.
Ezra KIGHT was born 6 Nov 1852 in Maryland.
Sara Frances KIGHT was born in 1854 in Maryland.
Mary Ellen KIGHT was born in 1855 in Maryland.
John Cain KIGHT was born in 1857 in Maryland.
William Sharpless KIGHT was born in 1859 in Maryland.
Benjamin C KIGHT was born in 1860 in Maryland.
Rebecca Jane KIGHT was born in 1863 in Maryland.
Lydia Margaret KIGHT was born in 1864 in Maryland.
Henry Johnson KIGHT was born in 2 Oct 1866 in Maryland.
Jacob Rotruck KIGHT was born in 12 Apr 1868 in Virginia.
Victoria Florence KIGHT was born in 29 Mar 1870 in Virginia.
Sylvia Leanna KIGHT was born in 4 Jul 1872 in Claysville, Mineral County, West Virginia.
Bailey Carlton KIGHT was born 11 Jul 1874 in Mineral County, West Virginia.

Family Focus: Andrew McRobie

So I've been doing so much research these past few weeks, I wasn't even sure how to go about presenting it. First things first, I've found an awesome site that provides vital records for most West Virginian counties. Through this, I've managed to find birth registers, marriage registers, and death certificates (all scanned originals). The site is: http://www.wvculture.org. It's been an amazing wealth of information.


So I've decided to slowly focus on one person and their family at a time. Starting with John William's line, this post will be about his oldest son Andrew.

Andrew's mother was John William's first wife. Her name is still unknown. He was born in 1816 in Maryland. She died sometime before 1823. It is unknown if she had other children after Andrew, although the 7 year gap makes it plausible.

Finding records for Andrew has proven to be a little difficult so some of these records are pure speculation.

1. There is an Andrew McRoby that appears on the 1840 Census. Since the names of members of households weren't listed in 1840, we can't be 100% positive, but I'm wagering an educated guess that this is John's Andrew and not Elisha's Andrew.
2. Andrew is counted twice on the 1860 census.
3. Andrew served in the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry in the Civil War.
4. I also found a record (noted in a previous post) for an Andrew McRoby buried in Arlington National Cemetery that served in the West Virginia Cavalry and died during the Civil War.

PLEASE NOTE: I have no confirmation that the Andrew buried in Arlington National Cemetery is the same as John's Andrew. In fact, it does contradict some previous research, but still I feel it shouldn't be ruled out. Andrew does not appear on any censuses after 1860 (including the Veteran's schedules). It is a plausible explanation, albeit, not a confirmed one.

Andrew had five children with an unknown wife:
Archibald (born in 1839)
Daniel (born in 1843)
Jane* (born in 1845)
Issac (born in 1847)
William (born in 1849)

*Jane is not found on any census records but is listed in Wilma Sander's McRobie Genealogy and "The Burbach-Poorbaugh-Purbaugh Family in America 1771-1974" as the daughter of Andrew. So far I have not seen a record, nor talked to anyone, that would contradict these sources.

If anyone would like specific sourcing information and/or would like to see any documents, I am glad to share whatever I have. Just shoot me and email. Also, I'd like to make clear that this research is in no way infallible. If anyone has information to contradict it, I'm open to all possibilities.

Happy hunting!

Births, Deaths, Military Service

Here's just what I've organized so far:


Births
1. Malinda Jane [McRobie] Kight - 20 Apr 1829 (see Gravestone transcription).

2. Henry Thomas Kight - 12 Nov 1828 (see Gravestone transcription).

3. Abraham Archibald McRobie - 26 Feb 1836 (see Death Certificate transcription).


Deaths
1. John William McRobie - 19 Feb 1877 in Swanton, Garrett County, MD (see pension application transcription under Military Service).

2. Malinda Jane [McRobie] Kight - 30 Apr 1896
Kight Cemetery Transcription, online transcription. Mineral County West Virginia Genealogy. http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvminera/mineral.htm (accessed 25 Aug 2007).
Name: Malinda J. Kight
4/20/1829-4/30/1896
Buried w/ Henry Kight
67 yrs 10 days old

3. Henry Thomas Kight - 25 Aug 1910
Kight Cemetery Transcription, online transcription. Mineral County West Virginia Genealogy. http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvminera/mineral.htm (accessed 25 Aug 2007).
Name: Henry Kight
11/12/1828-8/25/1910
Buried w/ Malinda J. Kight
81 yrs, 9 mos, 13 days old.

4. Abraham Archibald McRobie - 31 Dec 1917
Transcription of Death Certificate:
County: Garrett County
Village or City: Deer Park
Name: Abraham A. McRobie
Sex: Male
Color: White
DOB: 26 Feb 1836
Age at Death: 81 yrs, 10 mos, 5 days
Occupation: Farmer
Birthplace: near Swanton, MD
Father's name: John McRobie
DOD: 31 Dec 1917
Cause of Death: [illeg] Nephritis
Place of Burial: Eagle Rock
Date of Burial: 3 Jan 1918
Undertaker: [illeg] Sharpless

5. Thomas R. McRobie
Garrett County Cemetery Records. FamilyHart's Garrett County, Maryland Genealogy Site. http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/garrett/cem.html (accessed 19 Aug 2007).
Bittinger Church Cemetery
Bittinger, Maryland
Name: Thomas R. McRobie
DOB: 1844
DOD: 1901


Military Service
1. John William McRobie - War of 1812
Transcription of Pension Application:
Soldier: John McCrobie
Widow: Delilah McCrobie
Service: Pt., Capt. P. Conner
Enlisted: 11 Aug 1814
Dismissed: 10 Oct 1814
Residence of Soldier: 1851, 1855, 1871, Allegany Co., MD
Residence of Widow: 1878, Swanton, Allegany Co., MD
Maiden Name of Widow: Delilah Murphy
Marriage of Soldier and Widow: Oct. 19 1829, Swanton, MD
Death of Soldier: 19 Feb 1877, Swanton, MD

2. Abraham Archibald McRobie - Union Army, American Civil War
National Park Service. U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, online , acquired 2007. (accessed 15 Aug 2007).
Name: Abram A. McCrobie
Side: Union
Regiment State/Origin: Maryland
Regiment Name: 3 Potomac Home Brig., Md. Inf.
Regiment Name Expanded: 3rd Regiment, Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade
Company: D
Rank In: Private
Rank Out: Corporal
Alternate Name: Abraham A./McCrobie
Maryland Soldiers in the Civil War, Vol 1. [online database]. Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 25 Aug 2007).
NAME.: McRobie, Abraham A.
RANK.: Corporal.
DATE OF ENLISTMENT OR MUSTER IN.: Dec. 7, 1861
DATE OF MUSTER OUT OR DISCHARGE.: May 29, 1865
REMARKS.: Veteran; taken prisoner. June 29, 1862, Moorefield, Va.
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900. Civil War Pensions. National Archives. Pub No. T289, roll 201; digital image. Footnote.com http://www.footnote.com (accessed 15 Aug 2007).
Name: Abraham McRobie
State: Maryland
Arm of Service: P.H.B. Md. Inf.
Company/Regiment: D, 3
Date filed: 9 Apr 1901, 6 Mar 1907
Date of death: 12 Dec 1917
Place of death: Altamont, Maryland
*Date of death does not match death certificate.

3. Francis Marion McRobie (son of John William) - Union Army, American Civil War
Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line] Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 18 Aug 2007).
Name: Francis McRobie ,
Enlistment Date: 19 Dec 1861
Side Served: Union
State Served: Maryland
Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 19 December 1861.
Enlisted in Company D, 3rd PHB Infantry Regiment Maryland on 19 Dec 1861.
Mustered Out Company D, 3rd PHB Infantry Regiment Maryland on 29 May 1865.
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900. Civil War Pensions. National Archives. Pub No. T289, roll 201; digital image. Footnote.com http://www.footnote.com (accessed 15 Aug 2007).
Name: Francis McRobie
State: Maryland
Arm of Service: P.H.B. Md. Inf.
Company/Regiment: D,3
Filing Date: 23 Jul 1890
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1934. Civil War Pensions. National Archives. Pub No. T288; digital image. Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 25 Aug 2007).
Name: Francis McCrobie
Widow: Lucy McCrobie
Service: D-12 Md. Inf., D3 P.H.B. Md. Inf.
Filing Date: 23 Jul 1890, 2 May 1904

4. Thomas R. McRobie
Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line] Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 18 Aug 2007).
Name: Thomas McRobie ,
Enlistment Date: 19 Dec 1861
Side Served: Union
State Served: Maryland
Service Record: Enlisted as a Sergeant on 19 December 1861.
Enlisted in Company D, 3rd PHB Infantry Regiment Maryland on 19 Dec 1861.
Mustered Out Company D, 3rd PHB Infantry Regiment Maryland on 19 Dec 1864.
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900. Civil War Pensions. National Archives. Pub No. T289, roll 201; digital image. Footnote.com http://www.footnote.com (accessed 15 Aug 2007).
Name: Thomas R McRobie
State: Maryland
Arm of Service: P.H.B. Md. Inf.
Company/Regiment: D, 3
Date File: 19 Jul 1890


I also found records for Andrew McRobie. I don't know for sure which Andrew this is, but I'm assuming it is John William's son, and not Elisha Dewitt's, based on the date of death. This would also explain why John William's Andrew doesn't appear on the censuses after 1860. If anyone has any information to the contrary, I'd love to see it!

National Park Service. U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, online , acquired 2007. (accessed 15 Aug 2007).
Name: Andrew McCroby
Side: Union
Regiment State/Origin: West Virginia
Regiment Name: 3 West Virginia Cavalry
Regiment Name Expanded: 3rd Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry
Company: E,B
Rank In: Private
Rank Out: Private
National Cemetery Administration. U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 [database on-line]. Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 25 Aug 2007).
Name: Andrew Mc Croby
Service Info.: PVT 2 W VA CAV
Death Date: 27 Nov 1863
Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery
Cemetery Address: C/O Director Arlington, VA 22211
Buried At: Site 7520

Clan Donnachaidh

So this post doesn't have much to do with our family tree, but I thought you all would find it interesting. I did a little digging about the McRobies in Scotland and came across this lovely little page about the Donnachaidh Clan.

Clan Donnachaidh

It's the story of the Robertsons, one of the oldest (if not the oldest family in Scotland). The name Donnachaidh is actually Gaelic for Duncan. Duncan is considered the first chief of what was to become the Robertson line.

This quote at the bottom caught my attention:
"Other surnames taken by clansmen include Reid, Stark, Duncan, Roy, Inches, McInroy, McRobie, Collier, Donachie, MacLagan."

I can't say for sure if the McRobies that were living in Aberdeen have any connection to the Robertsons, or their McRobies, but there's always a good chance.

The Donnachaidh Clan also has a website at: www.donnachaidh.com

If anyone would like to know without a doubt, there's a link on the page where you receive instructions on how to take a DNA test. The test is based on the Y chromosome (for reasons explained on the site), so tests can only be done on a male member of the family.

Thought that was a fun tidbit to share.

Notes So Far

Time for another head count. I now have on my list 205 confirmed direct descendants of William McRobie. This is based solely on census and marriage records. I'm going to take a break from censuses for a little while and focus on trying to confirm dates (birth dates, marriage dates, death dates...) for as many people as I can. I'm also in the middle of compiling Civil War information including: soldiers, regiments, battles, deaths, pensions, etc. That should be up here soon as well.

Here is the most recent descendant chart:
William_McRobie_Confirmed_Descendants.rtf

Here is the most recent gedcom:
William_McRobie_Descendants.ged

Some notes on these files:

Joseph McRobie is still not included, though I have talked to another researcher that has shown me evidence that he is actually John McRobie's and Mary Margaret Murphy's son. I am trying to collect a little more evidence, and hope to include this in the next round. Here is what she had to say:
" Joseph McRobie was the son of John (Josh) and Mary Margaret Murphy McRobie. This John was the son of Elisha McRobie. John (Josh) McRobie died Feb. 1858 and his wife died before 1860. John and Mary Margaret McRobie died in Allegany Co. WV. They had 8 children."

Jane McRobie is listed as a daughter of Andrew (son of John William). This information comes via another researcher that says to have found it in the Sanders book. There are no census records to confirm this.

All birthdates are approximate and based on census records. A lot of times ages will vary a few years from census to census as opposed to just adding 10 years. (i.e. A person will be listed as 26 on the 1860 census and 38 on the 1870 census.) I attribute this mostly to the enumerator mishearing, guessing, or being lazy. I have saved copies of all of the census records transcribed, if anyone would like to see them.

Marriage Records until 1870

Some notes on the following marriage records:
1. These are all pulled from online databases. Some are transcriptions from books and others are compilations from Ancestry.com records. They should not be considered fact in anyway, but rather a guideline for further research.
2. Everything under the headline (bolded names) is pulled directly from the source. This should account for any date and spelling discrepancies.
3. I have made personal notes in italics. All the notes refer to the previous research showcased in this blog. All speculation is based only on what I've found so far, and not on unsourced information.
4. If anyone has any sourced information (i.e. Bible records, Church records, Marriage licenses, etc...) to confirm these, I would love to see them. It will be awhile before I can make the trip to Maryland myself. Please email me at GMcRobie@gmail.com

Here is the text file: McRobie_Marriages_Until_1870.rtf

Couples included in this file:
William McRobie & Sarah Paugh
John McRobie & Margaret Murphy
Andrew McRobie & Elizabeth Ann Murphy
Sarah McRobie & Martin King
Sarah McRobie & John Manly
Elisha Dewitt McRobie & Cerria Tasker
Melinda Jane McRobie & Henry Thomas Kight
Michael McRobie & Elizabeth Tasker
Elizabeth McRobie & John Miller Jr.
Elizabeth McRobie & Phillip H Paugh
Sarah McRobie & John Paugh
Abraham McRobie & Nancy Friend
Eleanora Silena McRobie & Samuel Kelly
Hannah McRobie & John Fry
William P. McRobie & Sarah Manley
Samuel Asbury McRobie & Sarah Weimer
Ellen McRobie & John Beckman
Hester McRobie & Joshua Mason
Lucy McRobie & William Tichenell
Susan Ann McRobie & Richard Tasker
Wade McRobie & Margaret Miller
Harriet McRobie & William E Coffman
Francis Marion McRobie & Lucy McRobie
Rhoda McRobie & John W. Harvey
Martha McRobie & Roland McRobie
Thomas R. McRobie & Elizabeth Beyer
Rachel McRobie & David Machin
Jane McRobie & Peter Bouers
Susan McRobie & Henry Bray
John J. McRobie & Susan Jane Paugh
Nancy McRobie & Claudious L. Nelder
William McRobie & Rachel Lewis

Information may include the following:
Names
Marriage dates
Marriage bann dates
Residences
Place of ceremony
Ages
Officiant

Unsolved Mysteries

So I've decided to make a post solely dedicated to the mysteries surrounding the McRobie family lineage. I'll continuously update this one post instead of creating a new one every time.


Mystery #1:
Who was William McRobie's [1] wife?

Mystery #2:
Who were John William McRobie's first two wives?

Mystery #3:
Who were Joseph McRobie's real parents?

Mystery #4:
Who was Elisha Dewitt McRobie's [1] first wife?

Mystery #5:
Who were Elisha Dewitt McRobie's [2] real parents?

Mystery #6:
Who were Nancy Catherine Friend's (wife of Abraham Archibald McRobie) parents?

1870 Census

Here is the text file containing transcriptions of the 1870 census. I'm still looking for a few people, and will update this list if I find them.

1870_Census_Transcribed.rtf

People contained in this census:
Abraham McRobie Household
.....Nancy [30]
.....Columbus [12]
.....Harriet [9]
.....Estelle F [7]
.....Elizabeth [4]
.....Ellen [2]

Andrew McRobie Household
.....Elizabeth [46]
.....Lucinda [20]

Daniel McRobie Household
.....Kezia [26]
.....Mary [1]

Eleanora Silena McRobie [Kelly] Household
.....Delilah L [12]
.....David [10]
.....Elizabeth [8]
.....Roda A [6]

Elisha Dewitt McRobie Household
.....Zenith [63]
.....Elisha D [15]

Elizabeth McRobie [Paugh] [Phillip Paugh Household]
.....Phillip Paugh [41]
.....Isaiah [19]
.....Jane [15]
.....Jonathan [12]
.....David [5]
.....Daniel W [2]

Ellen McRobie [Beckman] [John Beckman Household]
.....John A Beckman [33]

Francis McRobie Household
.....Lucy [27]
.....Flora [4]
.....Virginia [2]

Francis McRobie Household
.....Huldy [21]
.....Lorenzo M [2]
.....Emma W [9 mo.]

Hannah McRobie [Fry] [John Fry Household]
.....John Fry [50]
.....Catharine [6]

Henry McRobie Household
.....Elizabeth [20]

Hester A McRobie [Mason] [Joshua Mason Household]
.....Joshua Mason [48]
.....Mary E [9]
.....Nancy [7]
.....John [5]
.....Abraham L [4]
.....Francis L [2]
.....Lucy [2 mo.]

Michael McRobie Household
.....Mary E [33]
.....George W [7]

Samuel Asbury McRobie Household
.....Sarah [39]
.....John W [8]
.....Joseph [5]

Sarah McRobie [Paugh] Household
.....William [14]
.....James [9]

William McRobie Household
.....Sarah [54]
.....Goldie [19]
.....Hannah [17]
.....James S [15]
.....Fanny [13]
.....Nancy J [10]
.....Mary R [4]
.....Patrick [1]

William Hampton McRobie Household
.....Margaret [22]
.....Mary [3]
.....John [1]

William P McRobie Household
.....Sarah [39]
.....Lafayette [17]
.....Mary [15]
.....Howard [10]
.....Singleton [9]
.....Francis [7]
.....Gertrude [6]
.....Victoria [4]
.....William H [ 2]
.....Theodore [1]

Melinda Jane McRobie [Kight] [Henry Kight Household]
.....Henry Kight [42]
.....Ezra [19]
.....Mary E [14]
.....Laura A [8]
.....Rebecca J [7]
.....Lydia M [6]
.....Henry J [4]
.....Jacob R [2]
.....Victoria F [3 mo.]

Info Update

So here is the all new confirmed descendant chart:
William_McRobie_Confirmed_Descendants.rtf
For those of you with genealogy software I have even created a gedcom file:
William_McRobie_Descendants.ged

This lists only those who I have confirmed via censuses and other reliable sources up until 1860. Some notes on them:

Sarah McRobie (daughter of John William & [Unknown])--thanks to an exchange with Marylynn Glover, I have confirmed that John William was indeed married twice before Delilah Murphy. Sarah is a daughter by his second wife that was born between John (1824) and Hugh (1828). She does not appear on the 1850 census with her family. She is said to have died young, as does Hugh. Hugh, however, does appear on the 1850 census at the age of 22.

So the chart has been altered as follows:
John & First Wife - Andrew
John & Second Wife - John, Sarah, Hugh, Melinda
John & Delilah - Eleanora, Abraham, Elizabeth, Francis, Hester, Thomas

I have left Joseph off of this version of the chart until I can confirm his parents. I still am of the belief that he was not a biological son, but I can always be wrong.


As for Elisha Dewitt's Line I have had to make some assumptions. The first being the real parents of Elisha McRobie [b. 1854]. He first appears on the 1860 census in a very broad household. Elisha Dewitt is listed as the head of household, married to Azenath. Michael is living at his father's house with his wife Elizabeth, and their daughter Nancy. Susan has returned home [presumably widowed] and three younger children are listed with her: John (7), Elisha (6), Elizabeth (5). Even though most of the unsourced family trees I have seen attribute Elisha to Elisha Dewitt, I think it is just as possible that he is really Susan's son from her first husband. To be fair it's not outside the realm of possibility that all three (John, Elisha, and Elizabeth) are all Elisha Dewitt's and Azenath's children. This is definitely something that will need to be researched much further.

Also William P's first wife, Lucinda, seems to have died between 1850 and 1860. In 1860 he is married to Sarah. I'm going to guess that from the gap in age between Mary (b. 1855) and Howard (b. 1859) that Lucinda died after Mary and William remarried Sarah. I have yet to find any records to back this up.

1860 Census

Transcribed text file for the 1860 Census:

1860_Census_Transcribed.rtf

People included in this census:
Andrew McRobie Household
.....Archibald [21]
.....Daniel [17]
.....Issac [14]
.....William [11]

Elisha Dewitt McRobie Household
.....Cenith (Azenath) [50]
.....Michael [30]
.....Elizabeth [22]
.....Nancy [7]
.....Susan [28]
.....Elisha [6]
.....John [7]
.....Elizabeth [5]

Archibald McRobie [Moses Gower Household]

Andrew F. McRobie Household
.....Elizabeth [31]
.....Harriet [12]
.....Lucinda [10]

Andrew McRobie Household
.....Elizabeth [30]
.....Susan [14]
.....Jane [11]

William P McRobie Household
.....Sarah [28]
.....Columbia [10]
.....Lafayette [8]
.....Mary E [5]
.....Howard [1]
.....Singleton [1 mo.]

Hey There, Delilah

This post was edited on 12 Aug 2007. See below for details.

So here are some things I find it poignant to bring up about John William and Delilah Murphy that I've noticed in my return to real research. I'm sure others have noticed these discrepancies before, but I haven't found any discussions on them online yet. So here it goes.

[The following has been compiled from second-hand research through Wilma Sander's book. The people I've spoken with have gotten (or claim to have gotten) this information through her book. I do not have the book, so cannot 100% confirm these.]

John William was born around 1789. As far as age discrepancies go, he's "checked off" in the "50-60" in the 1840 census, listed at age 56 in the 1850 census, disappeared in 1860, and listed at age 81 in 1870. This causes a few problems because according to the 1850 census, he was born in 1794. According to the 1870 census he was born in 1789.

Delilah has supposedly born around 1791. John William's "wife" was checked off in the "30-40" column. In the 1850 census, Delilah is listed by name at age 51, disappears with her husband in 1860, and listed at age 71 in 1870. First of all, the 1840 census puts her age off by nearly 10 years (assuming this is her). She should have been 49 in 1840. In 1850, her birthday would be in 1799, as well as in 1870.

Ancestry.com also lists their birthyears at 1789 and 1791 on their marriage records, with their marriage year shown as 1829.
U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, online database, Yates Publishing. Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com (accessed August 8, 2007)
Now admittedly, this collection of records on Ancestry.com can not be considered very reliable, as it was compiled by numerous sources including real records, and family group sheets.

So let's assume for the moment that all the information I've gathered from non-census records are correct:
John William was born in 1789.
Delilah was born in 1791.
They were married in 1829.

Now let's look at the problems that arise.

First problem: John would have been 40, and Delilah would have been 38 when they got married. This seems like an awfully old age to have your first wedding in the 19th century.

Second problem: Here is a list of John and Delilah's supposed children and the years they were born.
Andrew [1816]
John [1824]
Hugh [1828]
Melinda Jane [1829]
Eleanora Silena [1834]
Abraham Archibald [1836]
Elizabeth M [1839]
Francis Marion [1840]
Thomas R [1844]
Joseph [1854]

Four of their children would have already been born by the time they married in 1829. Imagine what a scandal that would have been.

The third problem would be Delilah's age when she had these children. Assuming that the birthyears are all correct, and that these are all of Delilah's children she would have been:
25 when Andrew was born.
33 when John was born.
37 when Hugh was born.
38 when Melinda was born.
43 when Eleanora was born.
45 when Abraham was born.
48 when Elizabeth was born.
49 when Francis was born.
53 when Thomas was born.
and 63 when Joseph was born.

I find it very hard to believe that Delilah was still capable of having children at age 63. To be honest I find it hard to believe that she was capable of having children at 53. So it is at this point, I start my theory.

First of all, it needs to be said that something is wrong here. Either John and Delilah were not married in 1829, or Delilah was John's second wife. Either is a logical explanation. I also believe that Delilah's birthyear is just wrong. All census records point to her being born in 1799, and this really makes the most sense to me.

So with that being said, for the sake of argument I'm going to go with the idea that John and Delilah's marriage date is incorrect.

Let's say John and Delilah actually married around 1815. John would have been fresh out of the War of 1812, he would have been 26 and Delilah (born in 1799) would have been 16. This would make all of the children Delilah's. Here's her age at childbirth now:
17 when she had Andrew.
25 when she had John.
29 when she had Hugh.
30 when she had Melinda.
35 when she had Eleanora.
37 when she had Abraham.
40 when she had Elizabeth.
41 when she had Francis.
45 when she had Thomas.
55 when she had Joseph.

All of these births would be much more plausible, minus Joseph. Joseph has always been a mystery to me. I think the ten year gap (and also Delilah's age) can only point to one conclusion. Joseph was not their biological son. Either he was taken in to help with the farm or was an illegitimate grandson. Since unofficial "adoptions" were also common, it's fair to say that not only were either of these options plausible, they were likely. Given the amount of enumerator mistakes when conducting the census, it is also likely that the enumerator never bothered to ask if Joseph was their son or not. I think the most evidence we are given is the fact that age 16 on the 1870 census Joseph is listed as a "Farm Laborer" and not "At Home." It would go beyond saying that any child still living at home would be working on the family farm. But I think that listing him as "Farm Laborer" implies more than just a son working on the family farm.

Alternate possibilities:
John was married to someone before Delilah, and Andrew, John, Hugh and Melinda were not Delilah's children. There's also a 5-year gap between Melinda and Eleanora that this theory could explain.

I hope this has shed some light on what I think is a very crucial part in this tree.


EDIT 12 Aug 2007:
This information comes from Marylynn Glover, a fellow McRobie researcher and very distant cousin:
"And yes, John William was married twice before he married Delilah. He had Andrew by the original wife, and John William, Sarah, Hugh, who we found all died young except for John William, he died in 1914. Malinda Jane was also by the second wife, but the descendant who gave me her information, wasn't able to trace her name. It is felt that she died in childbirth when Malinda was born. He then married Delilah, to help care for the children."

Head Count, 1840 Census, 1850 Census

So the current head count for direct descendants of William McRobie Sr. is at 367 (give or take a few). And this also doesn't include anyone that's currently living. However, very few of these people until recently were actually confirmed. I was just counting on everyone else's good research to pull through. So I've finally decided to sit down and confirm some more relatives and here's what I've slapped together (listed by household):

Text file: 1840_Census_Transcribed.rtf

Listed on the 1840 Census:
John William McRobie
Elisha Dewitt McRobie
William McRobie
Andrew McRobie (s/o John William)

Text file: 1850_Census_Transcribed.rtf

Listed on the 1850 Census:
John William McRobie Household
.....Delilah [51]
.....John [26]
.....Hugh [22]
.....Jane [21]
.....Silena [16]
.....Abraham [14]
.....Elisabeth [11]
.....Francis [10]
.....Hester [8]
.....Thomas [6]

Elisha Dewitt McRobie Household
.....Azenath [43]
.....Hannah [26]
.....Sarah [22]
.....Michael F [19]
.....Elisabeth [12]
.....Winfield [1]

William McRobie Household
.....Sarah [33]
.....Magdalene [10]
.....Ellen [8]
.....Lucy [6]
.....Rhoda [4]
.....Roland [2]
.....Rachel [1]

John McRobie Household
.....Mary [36]
.....Samuel [10]
.....William H [8]
.....John [6]
.....Henry C [5]
.....Francis [4]
.....Martha [3]
.....Hugh [1]

Andrew F McRobie Household
.....Elisabeth [26]
.....Harriet [1]

William P McRobie Household
.....Lucinda [27]
.....Columbia [1]

Some notes:
The 1840 census only lists the Heads of Households' name. Other than that, it lists the number of people in the household divided into age categories. By comparing the 1840 to the 1850 census, I was able to conclude who was who.

Figuring out which Andrew was which was slightly difficult. I believe that the Andrew McRobie in the 1840 census is the son of John William because he is already married at the time. Andrew F McRobie's (Elisha Dewitt's son's) wife would have only been 15 at the time, so this seems unlikely. Also I have a wedding date for them (though unconfirmed at the moment) in 1842. The first Andrew (John William's son) seems to disappear from the 1850 census. I've tried different variations of his name, and have searched in Virginia as well, and haven't found anything yet. If anyone has found this information let me know!

Also interesting to note, that William P McRobie (son of Elisha Dewitt) was living in Barbour County, Virginia in 1850. Barbour County was formed in 1843, and is now part of West Virginia. It's fairly close to the Maryland border, and definitely plausible that he had moved.



So the official confirmed relative count is now up to:
54

Great Links

Here's some great links I've found that have come to be pretty useful over time:

My favorite and often amusing genealogy blog: Genealogy Roots Blog
Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
Genealogy Research Blog
Lorelle VanFossen's Blog - a personal family blog with some great updates on the world of Genealogy from time to time.

The standards:
Ancestry.com
Family Search
The National Archives
Rootsweb
Footnote.com ($10 off membership if you sign up through the Olive Tree Genealogy site until Aug 14, 2007!)

The specifics:
Maryland Historical Society
Garrett County, Maryland Genealogy
Marion County, West Virginia Genealogy

Hope this helps!

Elisha Dewitt's line and WWI Registrations

So after a few weeks of a research lull, I was slammed with information this weekend and my obsession came back in full force. Thanks to a very distant cousin I was able to add a lot of Elisha Dewitt's line to my tree. Previously I had only focused on John William and William (Jr.) as those are the two I'm directly related to. So now that I have more distant relatives than I know what to do with, I decided it's probably time I started to confirm some of these people with some real digging, and not just Ancestry.com skimming.

First and foremost, here's the most recent copy of my descendant chart: William_McRobie_Descendant_Chart.rtf
As always, it's a text document so all can read.

I spent most of my day yesterday digging up WWI Registrations. I believe I have any McRobie that was registered in Maryland, but it's always possible someone's missing. I also haven't checked for West Virginia or Ohio yet. I transcribed most of the information on the cards and compiled them into another text file to be found here:
McRobie_WWI_Registration_Maryland.rtf

The transcriptions include the following info: date of registration, current address, age, birthday, birthplace [only for some], occupation, name of employer, dependents or next of kin, height & build, eye & hair color.

I have .jpgs of the scans, if anyone would like to see the originals. Here are the men included on the list:
Alfred Elijah McRobie [b. 26 Nov 1874]
Abraham Archibald McRobie [b. 4 Oct 1887]
Thomas Allen McRobie [b. 25 Dec 1879]
Carroll Francis McRobie [b. 18 Jun 1897]
Charles Bliss McRobie [b. 12 Jan 1884]
Charles Edward McRobie [b. 22 Jun 1874]
Francis Luther McRobie [b. 3 Jun 1877]
Martin Leo McRobie [b. 27 Dec 1886]
Richard W McRobie [b. 13 Aug 1895]
William Henry McRobie [b. 3 Jul 1899]
Gordon Dryden McRobie [b. 1 Dec 1894]
John Oscar McRobie [b. 9 Apr 1895]
Newton Wesley McRobie [b. 30 Dec 1897]
William Henry Harrison McRobie [b. 2 Jul 1891]
Wyant Kelly McRobie [b. 15 Jun 1900]

There were also 3 men that I don't have on the tree. If anyone knows how they fit in, please let me know! They are:
Clarence McRobie [b. 22 Apr 1893]
Daniel Arthur McRobie [b. 29 May 1879]
William Taylor McRobie [b. 16 Aug 1890]


Thanks to these cards all of these men have been confirmed on my chart. Slowly but surely I will get them all! *evil laugh*

I also have another confirmation.
Grace H McRobie [d/o William Hampton McRobie & Margaret Ellen Miller]
The Republican - Mar. 1, 1894 - Died - McRobie--Grace McRobie, the five year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hampton McRobie, died on Tuesday and was buried to-day in the Odd Fellows' cemetery, Oakland.
(DOD 27 Feb 1894. 5 Years old)

I don't have her exact DOB, but this puts it somewhere between March 1888-Feb 1889.



That's all from this weekend.

McRobie Genealogy Project

Welcome to my genealogy blog. My name is Gina, and recently I was bit by the genealogy bug. My little side project has become a bit of an obsession. Being new to this whole research thing, I soon found myself swamped with a ton of information and began to drown. So the purpose of this blog is to collect my thoughts in some sort of organized fashion and be able to present them in some organized way to anyone who may be looking.

This blog will mainly be about my branch of the McRobie clan. (Since all McRobies supposedly originated from the same clan, I'm sure we're all related somehow.) My family begins with William McRobie (1761-1835) after he settled in Garrett County, Maryland. This is the earliest known ancestor I've been able to find, so the focus will be mostly on his descendants.

So far I have amassed a descendant list of over 250 people that can be found here: William_McRobie_Descendant_Chart.rtf. All files that are posted here will probably be text files. [PC users can open these with notepad, Mac users with TextEdit.] Most of the people on this list are unconfirmed at the moment, but anyone who is will have a "C" after their name. This means that to the best of my knowledge, the information provided is correct, and I can provide sourcing information for it. For privacy's sake, I have tried to remove anyone's names who may still be living. If you see your name or the name of a living relative that you would like removed from the public version of this chart, please let me know. This list has been compiled from many different sources. If you have any questions, or think something may be incorrect, just send me an email at GMcRobie@gmail.com. I would like this to be as accurate as possible.

While this blog is mainly just a personal forum for me to track my progress, I welcome any and all researchers. I am willing to share any information, and I love to get anything that may help me with my research! Comments and emails are encouraged!