2001 Research Update 5: Walter, James, Polly, etc.

This is where we left last time:

1. Thomas, dates of birth or death unknown

Wife unknown, dates of birth or death unknown
Children (born in the 1770-1795 range):
2. Thomas (Grandfather Thomas per Uncle Tom) in Franklin Co, PA, b. 1775-1780
3. Children: 10 male, 1 female, most left Franklin Co. by 1845
2. Walter unknown, but may be in Frederick Co., MD
2. Hezakiah in Franklin Co., PA, b. 1770, ma. Hannah Toms
3. Solomon, Alexander of Utah, Catherine, John, William
2. James unknown, but may be in Frederick Co., MD
2. Alexander Washington or Frederick Co., MD b. abt. 1775
3. John, Hezakiah, Alexander, Walter, James, Amelia, Catherine, Rebecca
2. Polly m. Alex Ready
2. ? daughter m. ? Freeman
2. ? daughter m. ? Provard

Now we’re venturing into a highly speculative area, since Uncle Tom didn’t detail the other
family groups as he did for Thomas and Alexander. I am trying to generate enough information
to connect with descendants of each branch. Since we don’t know names…

Walter and James: While working on Alexander in Frederick Co., I stumbled across a Walter and
a James in 1830. Both were listed as Robison, Walter located in the same district as Alexander,
and James in an adjacent one. Moving back to 1820, James was back in the same district with
Alexander and Walter, and lo and behold, just like Alexander, Walter and James’ last name
changed to Robertson. The estimated birth year for Walter is 1790 and for James 1775.

Others: I have found two Alexander Readys in PA and none in Maryland. Since they are in
1830/1840, I haven’t determined if either has a wife Polly. There is one Freeman (Samuel) in
Franklin Co. PA, none so far in MD. I haven’t seen a Provard anywhere.

I have started looking for the first Thomas born 1745-1750 with the number of children listed
above. Trying to search all versions of the last name potentially in use. The existing information
is just too vague to point to one of the several at this point. Nothing so far has indicated that any
of the children were of foreign birth, so I’m starting with the 1790 and 1800 censuses.

There are the Robinson/Robison families in Cumberland PA and Lancaster PA. There are several
small Robinson and Robertson groups in other parts of MD and DE. There are even other
Robisons moving between PA and MD that aren’t connected (yet). We are into a timeframe
(early to mid 1700s) when the border dispute between PA and MD was being resolved. This area
of PA was settled by large contingents of Dutch and Scot-Irish. The area of Hagerstown MD was
largely German with some Scot-Irish.

This is the last of this first run of information. I hope that I have included enough to help outline
the family as we currently understand it.

Roby J. Robinson
rsquared@vt.edu