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Isabel (Unknown) McGrew (abt. 1675 - abt. 1740)

Isabel McGrew formerly [surname unknown]
Born about in Omagh, County Tyrone, Irelandmap
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married Sep 1698 in County Tyrone, Irelandmap
Descendants descendants
Died about at about age 65 in Adams County, Pennsylvaniamap
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Profile last modified | Created 24 Aug 2017
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Biography

Note: Many books have been written over the years about the McGrew family. It is important to remember that there is no primary documentation providing evidence about the life of Robert and Isabel McGrew. These accounts have been based largely on stories that have been passed down. For genealogical purposes, what is recorded here has to be backed up with factual sources.

Isabel was the wife of Robert McGrew. It is estimated that she was born sometime between 1668-1675 in Ireland.

A church document dated 1694 in Omagh, County Tyrone, Ulster (Northern Ireland) was signed by William and Robert McGrew. If this Robert McGrew is Isabel's husband, it provides proof of their location in Ireland.

Her maiden name is unknown. Some descendants believe it was Finley, based on the frequency that the name Finley appears among succeeding generations, but this theory is pure conjecture and not based on facts or any supporting evidence.

Please do not change her surname to Finley unless a creditable source can be provided.

Children

The names of Robert and Isabel's children were obtained from a family bible owned by James C. McGrew that was in the possession of Carl McGrew of Uhrichsville, Ohio in 1935.[1]

  • John, b. abt. 1700, m. Elizabeth in Ireland. Came to America in 1726 with two children; Catherine and Archibald and had five more after their arrival.
  • Finley, b. abt. 1702, married Elizabeth Lauris and died in 1766.
  • William, b. abt. 1703, m. Esther
  • Alexander, b. abt. 1705, m. Catherine
  • James, b. abt. 1707, m. Mary Dicks

Since sons James was married in 1735 and Finley in 1736 at the Old Swede's Church in Wilmington, Delaware, it is believed that the McGrew family first settled in New Castle, Delaware, and then moved on to Chester County, Pennsylvania. Chester County at that time comprised a great area in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As western lands were opened up, through Blunston licenses, Robert and his sons moved westward, crossing the Susquehanna River, into what was Lancaster County after 1729, York County after 1749, and Adams County after 1800.

Samuel McGrew stated that his grandparents (Finley and Elizabeth Lauris McGrew) and his great grandparents (Robert and Isabella McGrew) settled in the vicinity of Heidlersburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County, some 12 miles northeast of Gettysburg. Earle McGrew stated that they settled in the vicinity of Petersburg, 20 miles northeast of Gettysburg. Petersburg is now called Dillsburg. The Reverend Henry Edwin MCGREW confirmed that the old farm where the McGrews first settled, was near Petersburg, 8 miles from Heidlersburg and some 20 miles northeast of Gettysburg.

The History of Washington County, Pennsylvania by Earle R. Forrest states in the biography of Butler C. McGrew that Robert and Isabella were both buried in the Chestnut Hill Burial Grounds which is two miles west of Heidlersburg, Pennsylvania in what is now Adams County, Pennsylvania.[2] The gravestones as well as dates of their deaths have not been found.

Sources

  1. Gottschalk, Katherine (Cox); The Boyd Family; author; 1935; page 276.
  2. Forrest, Earle R; History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2; pg. 277




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Isabel by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Isabel:

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Comments: 1

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Finley-3302 and Unknown-383374 appear to represent the same person because: same husband and son
posted by Robin Lee

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Categories: McGrew Name Study