Rounding the 20th Century

Hey everyone,

For those of you who think I might have disappeared, I'm still here! I know I haven't posted much in the way of research, but I have been slowly chipping away at it. I just rounded 1900 in John William's line, and I'm proud to announce I have over 550 descendants of John William alone. Slowly but surely they will make their way up here.

Also some exciting news: I just upgraded to Reunion 9 for my genealogy software. (Sadly, there's a serious lack of genealogy software options out there for Macs.) So not only am I busy adding more family members to my chart, I've also been busy updating my gedcom files.

Thanks so much for all the help of those who have contacted me with family info. All of it is much appreciated!

Kight & Likins Family Pictures

Here are some Kight and Likins family pictures that Franklin Bishop sent me.

Henry Thomas Kight III and Malinda Jane McRobie


Henry Grant Likins and Laura Alice Kight


Back: Hazel Frances Likins, Henry Thomas Kight III, Joseph Earl Likins
Front: Sylvia Leanna Likins, William Baker Likins


Henry Likins and Sylvia Leanna Kight

Ola Florence Likens - Mystery Solved

So I'm very happy to report that my mystery surrounding Ola has been solved, and much more quickly than anticipated. Thanks to my new friend Franklin Bishop, I have confirmed that Ola did not die when she was just a few months old, and did indeed live until the 1970's. Franklin is Ola's adopted son and has been a huge wealth of information. We're still not sure why there is a death register for Ola in 1895, but I guess we may never really know why. He has sent me a whole packet (including pictures!) on his branch of the family which I have already started to absorb into my research.

I have scanned the pictures and once I touch them up a bit, I'll post them.

Thanks again, Franklin!

Ola Florence Likens

My newest mystery seems to surround Ola Florence Likens. She was the daughter of Laura Alice Kight and Henry Grant Likens. According to her birth register, she was born 20 Sep 1895 in Mineral County, West Virginia. The mystery comes with her death. According to the West Virginia death records, Ola died on 5 Oct 1895. She was 16 days old. Yet, miraculously, she appears with her father and siblings in 1910, living with her Aunt Sylvia.

Here are the records:

Birth records from West Virginia, 1895




Death record from West Virginia, 1895


1910 Census for Sylvia Leanna Kight Abernathy, Mineral County, West Virginia.



So of course, I'm royally confused. The "O. Florence" listed on the 1910 census is the correct age, so if it is indeed her, why did her parents report her dead on 16 days after her birth in 1895? Furthermore, all research on other family trees have Ola married to at least one man, Louis Ernest Bishop, and some even list two more possible husbands, George Montgomery and John Gridley. None have Ola as having any children. If ANYONE has any information that could prove the truth one way or another, please please please email!

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.