There has been some confusion by McCall researchers as to the order in which the children were born. There are tombstone inscriptions available for twelve of the sixteen children. Eleven of these tombstones are located in Clarion County and all but one are located in the Concord Cemetery. Jane McCall is buried in the Rimersburg Cemetery and Robert McCall is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Payne County, Oklahoma.
For the remaining four children we must try to use census data. Census data can be notoriously suspect and inaccurate but it does get you in the ballpark. We can also try to verify which children were born to each mother. We do have the account in Alexander Stewart's Biography to use as a guideline. According to previous researchers, Elizabeth Thomas married Robert McCall in 1803 and she died in 1819. All of the children born after 1820 would have belonged to Hannah MaGarrah.
Tombstone Information and Cemetery
- Sarah "McCall" Stewart (August 1805 - Nov 27, 1833) (Old Concord)
- William McCall (Sep 11, 1807 -, Jan 1, 1867) (Concord)
- John McCall (Feb 11, 1811 - May 28, 1898) (Concord)
- Thomas McCall (1813-1858) (Concord)
- Elizabeth "McCall" Stewart (April 26, 1814 - April 17 1876) (Concord)
- Alexander McCall (Aug 28, 1817 - May 24, 1889) (Concord)
- James McCall (Feb 19, 1824 - Mar 9, 1897) (Concord)
- Matthew McCall (Apr 5, 1828 - Mar 21, 1897) (Concord)
- Jane "McCall" Stewart (Sept 19, 1830 - May 8, 1918) (Rimersburg)
- Harriet "McCall" Logan (1833 - 1900) (Concord)
- Robert McCall (May 22, 1836 - June 19, 1911) (Oak Grove)
- Allen McCall (1838-1908) (Concord)
The remaining children are Esther (Hetty), Margaret (Peggy), Eleanor (Ellen) and Lavina.
In the 1850 Clarion County Census, we find Esther (Hetty) living with her parents, Robert and Hannah McCall. Esther is 40 years old. Since the census was taken on June 1, 1850, Esther would have been born in 1809-1810 if the age is correct. Looking at the birth dates of William (1807) and John (1811) it seems reasonable to place Esther between them. This would indicate Esther was born about 1809.
Also in the 1850 Clarion County Census, we find Lavina living with her parents, Robert and Hannah McCall. Lavina is the youngest child and she is listed as 8 years old. We next find her living with her mother, Hannah, in 1860 Clarion County and she is 20 years old. In the 1870 Clarion County Census, she was married to Isaac Latshaw and listed as 29 years old. In the 1880 Clarion County Census, she is listed with Isaac and she is 39 years old. It would seem reasonable to conclude that Lavina was born abt 1841.
In the 1850 Clarion County Census we find Margaret (Peggy) McCall living with her sister Elizabeth and her husband William Stewart. Elizabeth was listed as 36 years old and Margaret was also listed as 36 years old. This is the correct age for Elizabeth but Margaret's age is confusing. She possibly could have been a twin to Elizabeth? If not, we can look at the other children's birth dates and try to fit her in. The most likely scenario would be to place her between Elizabeth and Alexander (28 month time period). If she was not a twin a likely birth date for Margaret would be abt 1816.
Eleanor (Ellen) was married to John McKibben and she shows up in the Clarion County Census in 1850 (25), 1860 (37), 1870 (44), and 1880 (54). A guess about her age would indicate she was born about 1825. Again if we look at the other children and fit her in, we find James (1824) and Matthew (1828). It seems reasonable to to assume that Eleanor was born abt 1826.
Using the noted documentation, we arrive at the following birth dates, order and parentage.
Children of Robert and Elizabeth Thomas
- Sarah (Sallie) McCall Stewart (August 1805)
- William McCall (Sep 11, 1807)
- Esther (Hetty) McCall (Abt 1809)
- John McCall (Feb 11, 1811)
- Thomas McCall (1813)
- Elizabeth (Eliza) McCall Stewart (April 26, 1814)
- Margaret (Peggy) (Abt 1816)
- Alexander McCall (Aug 28, 1817)
Children of Robert and Hannah McGarrah McCall
- James McCall (Feb 19, 1824)
- Eleanor (Ellen) McCall McKibben (Abt 1826)
- Matthew McCall (Apr 5, 1828)
- Jane McCall Stewart (Sept 19, 1830)
- Harriet McCall Logan (1833)
- Robert McCall (May 22, 1836)
- Allen McCall (1838)
- Lavina McCall (Abt 1841)