Robert C. McAdams and Margaret Craig, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Robert McAdams and Margaret Craig


Robert C. McAdams3 was born on August 28, 1830 in Philadelphia, PA, the third of nine children of Thomas McAdams2 and his wife Ann Curran and grandson of William McAdams1.

Robert McAdams married Margaret Scott Craig. Margaret was born on June 17, 1839. Margaret was the third of three children of Irish-born Robert Craig Sr. and Mary Scott [1804 - December 11, 1893]. I was fortunate enough to meet Richard Craig through the GenForum message board, and Richard has shared some priceless information about his family.

Richard's second great-grandmother, Mary Scott was born in Scotland to William and Ellen Scott, both born in Ireland. Mary Scott and Robert Craig had three children: Agnes, Robert Jr. and Margaret.

Agnes was born on June 11, 1826 in Scotland. Her husband was Thomas Derbyshire. Thomas and Agnes Derbyshire are listed on the 1860 Census of the 5th Precinct of the 23rd Ward of the City of Philadelphia, written page number 27, printed page 651. Thomas was 36 at the time and was listed as having been born in England. Agnes was 35 and was born in Scotland. With them were William, 10, and Annie, 4, both born in Pennsylvania. Agnes died on August 13, 1913. Her obituary appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Agnes was buried in The Homewood Cemetery Section 7 Lot 50.

Mary and Robert's second child was Robert Jr. [February 10, 1837 - April 24, 1917]. Robert married Mathilda C. Burmeister on February 10, 1870. In June 1860, Robert Craig was indicted and convicted of revolt on board the American Ship "William F. Storer" and sentenced to the States Prison for the term of seven years. Robert Craig was pardoned by President Lincoln on Sept.12, 1861, then returned to the US Navy. He was discharged as Acting Ensign on Oct 28,1865. Robert and Mathilda had six children:

  1. William Scott Craig who was born on March 14, 1871 in New York City.

  2. Mary Louise Craig who was born on April 19, 1874 in Vallejo, California and married William H. McKerny. Their daughter Emily McKerny was born on February 18, 1895.

  3. Charles Frederick Craig who was born on September 15, 1875 in Vallejo, California.
  4. Robert Bruce Craig who was born on April 10, 1877 in Vallejo, California.

  5. Wallace Elersly Craig, who was born on December 4, 1879 in Vallejo, California and married Esther Louise Hoyt. Wallace and Esther had three children: Elsie Louise Craig who was born on January 8, 1904, Walter Scott Craig who was born on March 30, 1908, and Dorothy May Craig who was born on July 23, 1911.

  6. Richard Albert Craig who was born on January 16, 1883 in Vallejo.
Richard and Mary Craig's third child was Margaret Scott Craig, born on June 17, 1839. Margaret married Robert C. McAdams in Philadelphia on February 17, 1859. In 1860, Robert was living in the 17th Ward of the City of Philadelphia with his family. His occupation is listed as "plasterer." In the 1870 Census, Robert was living in the 19th Ward of Pittsburgh and is working as a plasterer. With him are his wife Margaret, children Aggie, Robert C. and Rebecca R., and Mary Craig, his mother-in-law. In the 1880 Census Robert was still working as a plasterer and was living on Station Street with his family. In the 1894-1895 City Directory, Robert was listed as a "contr," living at 813 Sheridan. Also at that address was Thomas McAdams, a plasterer, who may have been Robert's brother, Thomas Jr., born about 1834. Robert McAdams and Margaret Craig had eight children:
  1. Robert and Margaret's first child was Aggie [Agnes C. McAdams4] who was born on January 29, 1863 in Philadelphia. In the 1890 Pittsburgh City Directory, Aggie was listed as a teacher, living at 6023 Station Street. On December 28, 1892, Aggie married George P. Lysinger in 1892. Their Marriage License was recorded in the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket. George and Agnes had two children, Margaret, born about 1905 and George Jr., born about 1906. Agnes died in 1916. George died in 1908. His obituary was published in the local newspaper. Agnes and George are buried in the McAdams plot in The Homewood Cemetery Section 7 Lot 50 with Agnes' parents and grandmother Mary Scott Craig. In 1920, following their parent's death, Margaret and George Junior lived at 6114 St. Marie St. in Pittsburgh with Agnes' sister, Helen, and Helen's husband, John J. Rankin.

  2. Robert and Margaret's second child was Robert C. McAdams4, Jr. who was born on May 8, 1866 in the District of Columbia. Robert married Margaret Early on July 23, 1888. Robert and Margaret's Marriage License was recorded in the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket. On September 5, 1888 Robert and Margaret divorced. Robert re-married Margaret Early McAdams on January 19, 1893. Thus do we have an example of a McAdams marrying a McAdams! Robert McAdams and Maggie Early had a daughter, Helen5 [January 1897 - 1924]. Helen was buried with her grandparents in Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

  3. Robert and Margaret's third child was Rebecca Keating McAdams4 who was born in June 1869. Robert certainly named his second daughter after his uncle Robert's wife, Rebecca Keating. Rebecca Keating McAdams died on August 4, 1908 and was buried in Section 7 lot 50 of Homewood Cemetery. Her obituary was published in the Pittsburgh newspaper.

  4. Robert and Margaret's fourth child was David McAdams4 who was born in October 1872.

  5. Robert and Margaret's fifth child was William L. McAdams4 who was born about 1873.

  6. Robert and Margaret's sixth child was Mary Scott McAdams4 who was born on May 25, 1876. In 1905 Mary married Robert Wilson Barbour. Their Marriage License was recorded in the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket. Bob was a much-liked member of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. Mary and Bob's daughter was Marian Barbour, born about 1911. Robert Barbour died in 1932. Marshall Barbour, [email protected], a Barbour researcher, reports that R. W. is buried in Allegeny cemetery with his wife Mary [McAdams]in the Barbour/McKelvy lot.

    A tribute to Bob was printed in the December, 1932 issue of Greater Pittsburgh, the Official Organ of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

    Mary McAdams Barbour died in 1950. Her obituary read:
    BARBOUR-On Monday, Dec. 11, 1950 at 9:20 a. m., Mary McA. Barbour of Shadyside Hospital, widow of Robert W. Barbour, mother of Marian Barbour Shaw, sister of Helen I. Rankin. Friends received at H. Samson's, 537 Neville St., where services will be held Wednesday evening at 7:30 o'clock. (Please omit flowers.)

    -- Source:
    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Wednesday, December 13, 1950
    Page 28

    Marian Barbour Shaw5 died in 1971. Her obituary was published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
    Shaw
    Marian Barbour, on Thursday, Feb. 4, 1971 formerly of East Liberty, daughter of the late Robert and Mary Ann McAdams. Private committal on Saturday, Feb. 6, KNEE MEMORIAL SERVICE.

    -- Source:
    Post-Gazette
    February 5, 1971

    I find it odd that an obituary of a married woman, or even a widow, does not mention the husband. Instead it lists her as the daughter of parents deceased for over twenty years. How sad that those were her nearest relatives.

  7. Robert and Margaret's seventh child was Edison Chase McAdams4 who died in infancy on August 12, 1880 and was buried with his parents in Homewood Cemetery.

  8. Robert and Margaret's eighth child was Helen Irene McAdams4 was born on December 4, 1881. On April 25, 1907, Helen married John J. Rankin. Their Marriage License was recorded in the Allegheny County Marriage License Docket. John was a Docket Clerk at the Court House who was born in Ohio on April 23, 1872. John and Helen had a daughter Janet Rankin, born about 1911.
Robert C. McAdams, Sr. died on April 22, 1916. His death notice read:
THE DEATH ROLL

Robert McAdams

Robert McAdams, aged 86 years, a resident of the East End for 53 years, died yesterday in his home, 813 Sheridan avenue. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa. For the past 50 years he had been engaged in the contracting business. He was a member of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church, the Charles D. Freeman Lodge, Independent Order of Oddfellows; the Knights of Pythias and the Mystic Chain. He leaves his widow, Mrs. Margaret S. McAdams; two sons, Robert C. McAdams of Pittsburgh and William D. McAdams of Chicago Ill.; three daughters, Mrs. Agnes Lysinger, Mrs. Robert W. Barbour and Mrs. John J. Rankin, all of this city; one sister, Mrs. Mary A. Bournman, of Philadelphia, and five grandchildren.
Source:

Pittsburgh Gazette Times
Sunday, April 23, 1916
page 8
Robert's widow, Margaret Scott Craig McAdams, died in 1919. Margaret's obituary read:
M'ADAMS - at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Robert W. Bortons [sic], 63 Oakwood road, Crafton, Pa., on Wednesday morning, September 10, 1919 at 7:15 o'clock, MARGARET SCOTT CRAIG M'ADAMS, widow of Robert McAdams. Services at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. John J. Rankin, 6144 St. Mahe street, East End Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment private.
Robert and Margaret Scott Craig McAdams were buried in Section 7 Lot 50 of Homewood Cemetery, Pittsburgh.


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