McCartney Family History

Home	Ancestor Tree	Ephraim's Father	McCartney Researchers
	Surnames	Ephraim's Children	Timeline of Family

[photos] Left: Oakdale Cemetery plot book; Right: Oakdale Cemetery, Wilton, IA

4.0 Robert McCartney (1819 or 1820 - April 02, 1886)

The 1870 federal census of Muscatine Co., Wilton Junction IA taken June 25th, lists Robert's age as 49, which would place his birth as either 1820 or 1821 [and born in PA]. At the time of his death in Wilton Junction, his age was listed on his death record as 66, which would place his birth as either 1819 or 1820. The McCartney family bible recorded Robert's birth as 1819. Robert married Sarah A. Bailey July 27, 1863 in Muscatine Co. The ceremony was performed by C.P. Reynolds (M.G.). Robert was 42 and his wife Sarah 27. Robert and Sarah's four known children were (1) Clara; (2) Jacob; (3) Charley; and (4) John R.

Robert, his wife Sarah and their first three children were residing in Wilton in 1870. In this census Robert was depicted as, "a day laborer who could not write". This coincides with an article written about Robert's famous brother Daniel, which briefly describes brothers Daniel and Robert as "legally blind". In all liklihood, this condition was probably genetically inherited by both. Within the next ten years though, Robert, minus his family, was residing (1880 census) with his nephew Paden (his brother Jacob R.'s son) and in 1885 with his nephew Thomas B. Duncan (his sister Ann's son). The question becomes, what happened to Robert's family during that ten-year period from 1870-1880? Robert was buried with brothers Isaac R., Daniel and their mother Lydia in Oakdale Cemetery and had no headstone. At the time of his death Robert was listed as a widower and died of organic disease of the liver [death certificate].

Children of Robert & Sarah:

4.1 Clara J. McCartney born September 1865 in IA, married Elisha Bennett October 30, 1893 in Larimer Co., CO.

4.1.1 Robert A. Bennett [son of Clara J.] was born July 1895 in CO.
4.1.2 Sadie A. Bennett [daughter of Clara J.] was born November 1896 in CO.

4.2 Jacob L. McCartney born May 5, 1867 in IA, died March 29, 1922 in Ft. Collins, Larimer Co., CO and is buried in Grandview Cemetery.

4.3 Charley McCartney born January 1870 in IA, believed to have died as infant in 1870 and is buried next to his aunt--Mary (Ochiltree) McCartney Wilton, IA, along with his father Robert-see plot book above.

4.4 John Riley McCartney born September 19, 1875 in KS, married Olive May Nelson. John died July 11,1949 in Ft. Collins, Larimer Co., CO. Olive was born August 3, 1883 and died May 22,1931, also in Ft. Collins. John and Olive are buried in Grandview Cemetery.

For many years, little information on Robert and family could be found by the researcher. Jan Dunlap, a Degraff/McCartney researcher contacted me to help solve the mystery of what happened to the family. The 1870 census provided a clue. The 1870 census listed a Henry E. Smith, age 17, born in IL residing with Robert and Sarah. It is believed Henry E. Smith passed away December 9, 1917 and was a son Sarah had from a previous marriage based on the following:

[DeGraff/McCartney research courtesy of Jan Dunlap--jandun6@gmail.com]

[1855 January 16] Marriage of Sarah A. DeGraff to Lewis Smith in nearby Henderson Co., IL.
[1860] Federal census, Buffalo Prairie Twp., Rock Island Co., IL lists Sarah, age 27 and son Ellwin, age 5 born in IL residing with Sarah's parents, Daniel and Ann Eliza (Richardson) DeGraff of New York. Sarah and her husband were either divorced, separated or he had passed away by 1860.
[1863 July 27] Marriage of Sarah A. Bailey to Robert McCartney in Muscatine Co., IA. It is unknown why Sarah used the name "Bailey" instead of her maiden name DeGraff, or her name from her previous marriage, Smith. Possibly, Sarah had a second marriage to someone known as Bailey between her marriages to Smith and McCartney.
[1870] Federal census, Wilton Jct., Muscatine Co., IA listed Robert, wife Sarah, their three children and Henry Smith (Sarah's son from previous marriage).
[1873 March 12] Notice to the court (Rock Island Co., IL) listing the heirs of Daniel DeGraff. Among them are: "Sarah A. now intermarried with Robert McCartney."
[1873 March 21] Notification to all of Daniel DeGraff's children that the executors would sell his real estate to pay his debt. Sarah A. - Robert McCartney - New Albany, Wilson Co., KS, listed as having received this notice.
[1875 March 1] State census, Liberty Twp., Howard Co., KS lists Robert (56), Sarah (39), Clara (10), Jacob (7), and a new son, John R. McCartney (1). Note, Howard Co., southwest of Wilson Co., was formed in 1861 and ceased to exist in 1875 when it was divided lengthwise between Elk and Chautauqua counties.
[1880] Robert residing with nephew in Wilton. Sarah's whereabouts unknown.
[1885] State census, Larimer Co., CO lists Sarah (age 40) as wife of John W. Miller (age 50), and children Clara (age 19), Jacob (age 17), John R. (age 12) and Charles W. Miller (age 2).
[1900] Federal census, Larimer Co., CO lists Sarah A. Miller (age 65 and head of household), Clara J. Bennett (age 36, married 6 yrs) and children Robert A. (age 4) and Sarah A. (age 3), Charles W. Miller (age 17).
[1910] Federal census, Ft. Collins, Larimer Co., CO lists Charles W. Miller (age 27-head), widowed mother Sarah A. Miller (age 77), sister Clara J. Bennett (age 45-married 17 yrs), nephew Robert A. Bennett (age 14), niece Sadie A. Bennett (age 13).

Researchers' notes and speculation:
Robert McCartney and wife Sarah A. DeGraff and other family members moved to and resided in Kansas and Colorado. Robert’s brother Paden, for example, resided with his first wife Erie Ann Lake in Elk Co., KS. Three years after the death of Erie Ann, Paden married his second wife Lydia Maranda (Rumery) Whaley in Greenwood Co., KS. Robert's nephew, Sanford McCartney (son of Paden Aron), married his first wife Susanna Donart in Greenwood Co., KS and his second wife, Martha (Lockard) Whiteside in Wilson Co., KS in 1883. Sanford and family later move to Colorado.

Sarah was married prior to marrying Robert McCartney. The researchers posit between 1875-1880 Robert and Sarah may have divorced, or simply went their separate ways. Robert resided with relatives in the 1880 and 1885 censuses and was listed as a widower at the time of his death in 1885. It should be noted though that being listed as a widower during this time period, may not have implied that your spouse passed away.

Sarah was born about 1836 in Elkhart, IN to Daniel DeGraff and Ann Elizabeth Richardson. Sarah married John W. Miller, husband #3, probably in the early part of 1882 as son Charles W. Miller was born to this marriage in February 1883. Sarah and John may have married in Colorado since Charles was born there. Sarah passed away June 2, 1913 in an unknown location. John W. Miller's death and burial location are also unknown.