Person:William Robe (3)

William Robe, Senior is the common progenitor of about 6,000 descendants from the late 1700s to the present. Most of his descendants reside or resided in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and other states.

From Sarah Shell Robe's oral history of the Robe Family in the Currey-Barker-Baldwin family history: "Our Great-Grandparents William and Sarah Robe were of Scotch descent. He was educated for a Presbyterian minister, but in consequence of an impediment in his speech he never preached. He lived many years near Morgantown, Virginia, where he was a ruling elder in the Morgantown church for many years. He lived to be 84 years old. In his old days he was very deaf. I have heard it said, that he would go up into the pulpit and stand close to the preacher so he could hear him. He died about the year 1801 or 2. His wife died one year later. He lived many years at Morgantown, Va., where he raised his family. I believe there were seven children, five boys and two girls."

The death of William Robe, Sr. is described in the Currey-Barker-Baldwin family history as follows: "I have heard it said that great-grandfather (William Robe) was found dead with a nail drove through his temple. A quote from Judges 4 Chapter & 21st verse: Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died."

1.   LDS Film #1035723, item 3.

   This film item is titled "The History of Mary Elizabeth Currey Barker and John Baldwin." It contains the History of the Robe Family as recalled by Sarah Shell Robe.

2.   Library of Virginia, Lord Dunmore's War Online Digitized Records,Public Service Claims, District of West Augusta, 1775 .

   William Robe was compensated 2 pounds, 10 shillings and threepence for salt he supplied to troops in Lord Dunmore's War. Claim recorded Tuesday 19 September 1775. Online digitized image at the Library of Virginia, under Lord Dunmore's War online digitized records, Public Service Claims, District of West Augusta, 1775. http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/Microfilm/DW/001/00153.tif

3.   LDS Film #840573: Monongalia County Deed Book, Old Series, Volume 4, page 74.

   William Robe, Sr. left a will dated 3 March 1801 in Monongalia Co., VA; proved April 1803. Monongalia County Deed Book, Old Series, Volume 4, page 74 (LDS film #840573); also in Monongalia County Will Book, Volume 1, page 325. In the name of God, Amen, I, William Robe, of Monongalia County and state of Virginia, being weak of body and of perfect mind and memory, acknowledging and believing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do, this third day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one, make and publish this my last will and testament, in the way and manner following, that is to say--First and principally I recommend my soul to God who gave it and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors, and as to my worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me, I will and bequeath in the following manner: First, I will and bequeath unto Sarah my beloved wife all that part of the tract of land whereon I now live that lies west of Surat's run and whereon a certain Marsh Duvall now lives to the only use and benefit of her my said wife during her natural life with full power to dispose of it as she may think proper at her death. I also will and bequeath to my said wife the undisturbed use of the lower room in my new building on the said tract of land during her natural life, also her choice of two of my beds and furniture suitable thereto together with as much of my household furniture as she chooses. Also one horse and two cows such as she may choose out of my stock, which horse and cows I hereby will and direct my son Josiah to support with provender &c, and also to find her my said wife in a sufficiency of good suitable provisions and also a sufficiency of fire wood cut and laid at her door during the run of her natural life and also pay her my said wife fifty pounds at any time when she demands it of my said son Josiah. Secondly, I will and bequeath to my two sons David and Robert all my other lands (exclusive of the tract of land and plantation whereon I now live and a small survey of fifteen acres adjoining thereto) to be equally divided between them my said two sons David and Robert according to quantity and quality reserving to my said son Robert in said division that part of my said land whereon he now lives and my said son David is to have no allowance in said division for any improvement made by my son Robert where he my said son Robert now lives. Thirdly, I will and bequeath to my said son David the one half of all the grain now in my stockyard, he my said son David to assist in threshing and cleaning the same. Fourthly, I will and bequeath to my son Josiah all that tract of land and plantation whereon I now live except that part of it herein before bequeathed to my wife together with the small survey of fifteen acres before mentioned. Also that part of said tract herein before bequeathed to my said wife provided she dies intestate together with all my stock of horses cattle sheep and hogs and all my household furniture goods and chattels farming utensils whatsoever that is not herein before bequeathed. Fifthly, I will and bequeath to my two daughters Mary Stuart and Sarah Sutton each a Bibel to be purchased by my executors out of my personal estate and delivered to them respectively at a convenient time by my said executors and I do hereby appoint my said sons Robert and Josiah executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former will or wills by me heretofore made and hereby acknowledging this and this only to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this third day of March as aforesaid 1801. Signed sealed and acknowledged by testator in the presence of us who are subscribing witnesses thereto. William Robe (seal), William McClerry, Alex'r Hawthorne, Ezekiel Chaney. At a court held for Monongalia County, April term 1803, the last will and testament of William Robe was produced in court and proved by the oaths of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. Teste: J. Evans, C. M. C.