Robert Scott

Emily Gilbert Marples is researching Robert Scott her gggrandfather.  He was born in Ireland in 1801. She doesn't know what County he was from.  The IGA Index says that he married Lucy Todd (b. 1801, Beaver, PA) in about 1819, so, he was probably about 17 or 18 when he left Ireland and arrived in Beaver, Pennsylvania, USA.  They had 6 children: Samuel (b. 1830), William (b. 1834), Albert (b. 1836), Susan (b. 1838), Henry H.(b. 1840), Sarah E.(b. 1844).  (Note the gap before the children began to arrive.)  Some of this information is speculative.  She is not sure if this is the right Robert Scott and is seeking help as to where to do further research in Ireland.

According to her uncle, who did some family research, Robert Scott and his family came down the Ohio River from Pennsylvania, then up the Mississippi River to LeClaire, Iowa in 1851. He was one of the first settlers in that area.  Robert Scott died on 7 Jul 1869, at the age of 68yrs 2mos 22ds. He was buried in Jack's Cemetery, LeClaire Township, Scott County, IA. Emily's uncle also said Robert's wife's name appeared on his tombstone as Nancy Todd, rather than Lucy Todd, as stated in the IGI. (Another mystery!)

Samuel Scott, the eldest of Robert and Nancy/Lucy's children, my ggrandfather, was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania in 1830.  If this is the right Samuel - what follows is fact. He married Margaret C. Criswell (b. 1836 or 1839) in 1880.  They had 4 children Walter (b. 1862 m. Minnie, d.1934), Emily (b.1866, d.abt 1949, m.1 Ammi Bigelow 1882, m.2 Andrew Bigelow 1889, 3 children, Elsie, Harold, Hazel), Harvey (b. 1874 d. unm. age abt 20), Frank (b. 1877 d. unm.age abt 70). Samuel died in 1878 (also buried in Jack's Cemetery), leaving Margaret to raise the children on the big farm in LeClaire.  Emily Scott Bigelow was Emily's grandmother and Hazel Bigelow Gilbert was her mother. (The Bigelow Reunion helped connect her to that root - thanks to Lois and Jean.)

Margaret C. Criswell was the daughter of Robert Criswell (b. 1796, Mifflin, PA) and Mary Ann McIlvaine or McElvain (b. 1797, d. 1870).  They were married about 1818 in Mifflin, PA.  Robert Criswell and his family also left Pennsylvania, a little earlier than the Scotts, and settled in LeClaire, IA.  He was a State Legislator in Iowa and also served on the Board of Trustees of Mt. Vernon College.  He died 22 Jun 1879 and both he and his wife are buried in Summit Cemetery, Scott County, IA.  Three generations of Criswells emigrated from Down, Ireland between 1744 and 1749 and I do have their names and birthdates from the IGI Index, but am unable to trace them in Ireland.  Emily is also seeking help in tracing Mary Ann McIlvaine's roots.
 
Please contact Emily at jmarples@shaw.ca