A true pioneer he emigrated with his wife and 3 sons arriving in Philadelphia from Dublin port, Ireland, in about 1772.
They were the first of this line of "McCaslins" to come to America & may have descended from the Scots who first settled in Northern Ireland.
From Philadelphia the family moved to a Scotch settlement in Western Pennsylvania in what is now Washington County near the line between Washington & Allegheny counties.
A number of Robert's descendants were millwrights. Along with the millwrights there were the wheelrights who made wagons, looms & spinning wheels. They combined their trade with farming.
Robert & his family may have emigrated to America because of the trouble in Ireland between the Protestants (the McCaslins were primarily reformed Presbyterians) & the Catholics or because he wanted to own his own home & land. Some research shows the reason was persecution of Reformed Presbyterians by Catholics in Northern Ireland.
He married Joanna Simpkins (born abt. 1732) before 1758.
They had five living together: Andrew McCaslin b: 1758 in Scotland, m Christina Brown (my 5x great grandparents), John McCaslin b: 1768 in Scotland, James McCaslin b: 1772 in Scotland and George b: 1774 in Pennsylvania.
It is assumed that Robert died sometime before 1790 in Washington County and is buried in Brush Run Cemetery. A record of his death has not been found. A grave marker if ever found may not be readable.
bio by Jill
Ancestor
"Flood Tides Along the Allegheny" published by Francis R. Harbison, re-printed by Massy
"William Brown Family", by W. H. Taylor, 1905
"Genealogy of the McCasland/McCaslin/McCausland/McCouslin/McCashland Families", by Theta Kennedy Scogland, published by Gateway Press, Baltimore,
Surname may have been McAusland at the time of his arrival in America.
A true pioneer he emigrated with his wife and 3 sons arriving in Philadelphia from Dublin port, Ireland, in about 1772.
They were the first of this line of "McCaslins" to come to America & may have descended from the Scots who first settled in Northern Ireland.
From Philadelphia the family moved to a Scotch settlement in Western Pennsylvania in what is now Washington County near the line between Washington & Allegheny counties.
A number of Robert's descendants were millwrights. Along with the millwrights there were the wheelrights who made wagons, looms & spinning wheels. They combined their trade with farming.
Robert & his family may have emigrated to America because of the trouble in Ireland between the Protestants (the McCaslins were primarily reformed Presbyterians) & the Catholics or because he wanted to own his own home & land. Some research shows the reason was persecution of Reformed Presbyterians by Catholics in Northern Ireland.
He married Joanna Simpkins (born abt. 1732) before 1758.
They had five living together: Andrew McCaslin b: 1758 in Scotland, m Christina Brown (my 5x great grandparents), John McCaslin b: 1768 in Scotland, James McCaslin b: 1772 in Scotland and George b: 1774 in Pennsylvania.
It is assumed that Robert died sometime before 1790 in Washington County and is buried in Brush Run Cemetery. A record of his death has not been found. A grave marker if ever found may not be readable.
bio by Jill
Ancestor
"Flood Tides Along the Allegheny" published by Francis R. Harbison, re-printed by Massy
"William Brown Family", by W. H. Taylor, 1905
"Genealogy of the McCasland/McCaslin/McCausland/McCouslin/McCashland Families", by Theta Kennedy Scogland, published by Gateway Press, Baltimore,
Surname may have been McAusland at the time of his arrival in America.