Robert McCall was born about 1777 in Ireland. His parents came to America about 1790 with at least three children, Robert, William and Nellie. They arrived in Charleston, South Carolina and the family story indicates the parents died shortly after arriving and the children were bound out to learn trades. We believe that the youngest daughter, Sarah was born about 1790 in Maryland. The children apparently kept in contact because they all ended up in Pennsylvania.
According to family history "Robert worked his way across the Carolinas, up through Maryland, then up the valley of the Susquehanna to Belmont Forge. From there he went west to Huntingdon County where his youngest sister, Mrs. Shaw 1 was already living. The next we hear of him is in Clarion County, making his home with the Smiths who were located on what is known as the John Harshaw farm near Monterey; this was in the year 1801 or 1802. for a time he was employed as a farm hand by Gideon Gibson, one of the earliest settlers. Soon after his arrival he purchased a tract of land from Gideon Gibson; one old history gives the date 1802. This tract of land was located on the North bank of the Allegheny in Perry Township, in later years known as the Matthew McCall farm and the Finley McCall farm, and is now the Allen McCall farm owned by Melvin McCall, a grandson. Robert McCall was married to Elizabeth Thomas 2 in 1803 and no doubt went to housekeeping on the farm he had purchased from Mr. Gibson. He was a cooper by trade and made barrels which he floated down the Allegheny to Freeport and sold to the salt factory at that place." From Malvern McCall's booklet; "One story says he sold his first winters output of barrel for $11 and then had to walk 75 miles to get back home."
We have not researched the early land records and there is pobably a lot that could be gleaned about Robert's life. The first document we have located referencing Robert is the 1807 Toby Township, Armstrong County Tax list. He also shows up in the 1810 Census of Toby Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. 3 He was listed as Robert MCawl and he and Elizabeth had three children under 10 years of age. Two girls, which would have been Sallie and Hetty and one boy, which would have been William. Living next door was Robert's sister Nellie "McCall" McLaughlin.
We know little of the details of Robert's life but he was a farmer and was closly associated with the Concord Presbyterian Church. He and Elizabeth had eight children that reached maturity. They were Sarah, William, Esther, John, Thomas, Elizabeth, Margaret and Alexander. Robert's wife, Elizabeth, died in 1819 at a young age and Robert remarried Hannah McGarrah. They also had eight children. They were James, Matthew, Jane, Elanor, Harriet, Robert M., Walker Allen, and Lavina. In all Robert had sixteen children and all but Robert M. remained in Clarion County. Robert ended up in Oklahoma.
Robert must have maintained some contact with his siblings. Both Nellie and William lived relatively close with his youngest sister Sarah living in the central part of the state. Robert's daughter Jane related details of the siblings and at least one visit by Sarah.
Robert died in 1856 and in his will gave the farm to his two youngest sons, Robert and Allen with his wife Hannah having control over any disposition of the property. The farm remained in the McCall family until at least 1978 and may still do so.
Footnotes:
References
- 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 this reference should have been to Robert's other sister, Nellie.
- There is also some confusion as to Elizabeth's maiden name. In the Alexander Stewart Biography, he identifies her as Elizabeth Thompson, while the Bert McCall history identifies her as Elizabeth Thomas. We have chosen to accept Thomas as the maiden name.
- Clarion County was formed from portions of Armstrong and Venango Counties in 1839 but even then, the census information for 1840 still referenced Armstrong and Venango Counties.
- 1810 Census, Toby Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
- 1820 Census, Toby Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
- 1830 Census, Perry Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
- 1840 Census, Perry Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
- 1850 Census, Perry Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania
- Robert McCall's Probate and Will (1856)
- Alexander Stewart Biography (1898)
- History of Clarion County McCalls by Bert McCall (Rememberances by Jane McCall)
Transcribed Documents Associated with Robert McCall (1777-1856)
- Probate and Will of Robert McCall (1853)
- Alexander Stewart Biography (1898)
- History of the Clarion County McCalls by Bert McCall (1912)
- Names of Robert McCall's Children (2003)
- Determination of the Order Robert McCall's Children (2003)
- Robert McCall Census Information (2003)
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