Jane McCall related that Nellie McCall married a man by the name of Gibson and resided near Martinsburgh, Butler County,1 where some of her descendants still remain. Jane also said that her father Robert went west from Belmont Forge2 to Huntingdon County about 1801 where his youngest sister, Mrs. Shaw3 was already living. Some of this is in error but it does provide a good framework for research.
Nellie McCall4 was born in Ireland about 1780. According to Jane she came to America with her parents and siblings5 about 1790, landing in Charleston, South Carolina. They apparently moved north to Maryland and the first document that we have found that mentions any of the children is Nellie's marriage. Nellie was married James McLaughlin, September 11, 1801 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania by Reverend John Johnson. Nellie and James had a daughter Margaret, born about 1804. James apparently died not long afterwards and we next find Nellie in the 1810 census with her daughter living in Toby Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, next door to her brother Robert McCall.
From the Butler County History published in 1883, 6 we find that, Nellie married Hugh Gibson. Hugh Gibson, who was 15 years of age, when he arrived in Armstrong County in 1797 along with three of his brothers. They established a farm and were joined by their father Levi Gibson a couple of years later. Hugh began improving his own farm in 1806 which was located in Parker Township. In 1811 he married Mrs. James McLaughlin (nee McCall). He and Nellie lived in Parker Township, Butler County7 the remainder of their lives. In addition to Margaret McLaughlin, Nellie and Hugh had the following children; William Harrison Gibson who was born in 1812 and was still living on the original homestead in 1883. Esther "Gibson" Foster, born about 1814 and living in Armstrong County in 1883, John Gibson, born about 1816 and living in Parker Township in 1883, and Sarah Gibson born about 1818 and living in Parker Township in 1883. Sarah apparently never married. Nellie died after 1850 and before 1860, while Hugh lived to be 87 and died in 1870.
Cemetery information and perhaps other documentation is likely available in Parker Township that would add some meat to the story. We would like to get back and do some research in that area soon.
Footnotes:
References
- Martinsburgh is not in Butler County but in Blair County. Portions of Blair were actually once a part of Huntingdon County and it would seem that Jane was actually referring to two seperate locations. Nellie was initially in Huntingdon and later moved to Butler County.
- We have been unable to locate Belmont Forge although Jane indicates it is in the valley of the Susquehanna River.
- The youngest sister was Sarah Shaw and she was not old enough to have been married and living in Huntingdon in 1801, but it is likely that Jane's reference should have been to Nellie.
- Nellie appears to have also gone by the name of Eleanor
- The named siblings were Robert, William and Sarah. There may have been other siblings but their names have not survived.
- Follow the Nellie McCall County History link below for details.
- Butler County was formed in 1800 from a portion of Armstrong County. Parker Township lies across the Alleghany River from Perry Township in Clarion County,
- 1810 Census, Toby Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
- 1820 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- 1830 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- 1840 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- 1850 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- 1860 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- 1870 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- 1880 Census, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
- History of Butler County Pennsylvania (1883) Chapter 44, Parker Township
- History of Butler County Pennsylvania (1883) Chapter 50, Allegheny Township
- History of Huntingdon & Blair Counties (1883) Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania Marriages, By: Rev. John Johnston (1787-1823)
- History of Clarion County McCalls by Bert McCall (Rememberances by Jane McCall)
Transcribed Documents Associated with Nellie McCall
- Nellie McCall Census Information
- Nellie McCall County History Information
- History of the Clarion County McCalls by Bert McCall (1912)
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