Thornton J. Crowe

Thornton married Mahala Rohm on 17 Jul 1857 in Allegany County, Maryland. Mahala was born on 12 Mar 1842 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.; died in 1894. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John F. Crowe was born in 1858; died in UNKNOWN.
2. William Edward Crowe was born in 1860; died in UNKNOWN.
3. Mary Frances (Mollie) Crowe was born on 7 Mar 1863 in Vale Summit, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 21 Apr 1951 in Westernport. Allegany County, Maryland.
4. Thornton J. Crowe was born in Jun 1865 in Vale Summit, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 21 Jun 1913 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland.
5. Ellsworth Emil Crowe was born on 24 Nov 1867 in Vale Summit, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 15 Jun 1938.
6. Charles Cecil Crowe was born on 18 Apr 1870 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 1 Oct 1941 in Westernport. Allegany County, Maryland.
7. Clarence Elmer Crowe was born in Jul 1872 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 25 Sep 1934 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland.
8. Albert Crowe was born on 20 Nov 1875 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 28 Dec 1944 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland.
9. Ida Crowe was born on 6 Feb 1877 in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 5 Nov 1951 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland.

John + Elizabeth Porter. Elizabeth (daughter of Moses Porter and Rachel Frost) was born about 1806 in Frost Town, Allegany County, Maryland; died about 1845 in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Moses + Rachel Frost. Rachel (daughter of Josiah Frost and Elizabeth Parsell) was born about 1783 in Pennsylvania; died in Oct 1859 in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: John Porter
• Death: 1810, , Allegany, Maryland

Notes:

See the notes asociated with John's alleged father, John Porter (b. abt. 1690) for the questions which exist as to whether John Thomas Porter, Jr. was the father of Gabriel McKenzie Porter.

Regarding Rose Meadows:

John Porter settled between Cumberland and Frostburg in 1792 on a farm known as Rose Meadows, from the profusion of wild roses which grew there. John built a substantial house on a south slope which remained in the family until about 1864. At that time, the owner, William R. Porter, sold it to a mining company who wanted it for the coal and tan-bark. The homestead came back into the family about 1916 when it was purchased by Walter and Celia Porter Engle. There is no trace of the house today, but a sketch painting thereof is in the possession of the Engle family. The Porter Cemetery, sometimes called the Rose Meadows Cemetery, is located a short distance north of the site. (From the book "A Genealogy of the Porter Family of Maryland, West Virginia, Michigan" by Samuel Doak Porter.

The John Porter and his brother Moses who helped survey the Mason-Dixon Line served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Paxton's Bedford County militia (The John Porter and his brother Moses who helped survey the Mason-Dixon
Line served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Paxton's Bedford County militia(Pa. Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V. page 116) (Pa. Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V. page 116)

The following email was sent to Don Kagle by Alan Williams on September 10, 2018. In essence the hunt for the parents of John, Moses and Henry Porter goes on as of September, 2018.

I do appreciate that info Dick, I was unaware of the Scritchfield effort.

We are cousins of the Scritchfields through Margaret Porter, born in Bedford County PA 1805 and died there in 1852, my 2nd Cousin 4 x removed. She married John Burley, and one of their children, Catherine, born 1838, married Samuel Scritchfield in 1863.

Margaret Porter was a child of William Porter and Mary Nelson and a granddaughter of Moses Porter and Margaret McKenzie.

John, Moses and Henry, Porter Brothers, are the oldest verifiable links in our line. Samuel Doak Porter (SDP) and Col. McKenzie (whose notes we hope will yield insight into their thinking) recounted the idea of the Singing Emigrant, John Porter, Catholic/Jacobite protester landing in Maryland @1715 and marrying the Huguenot of Swiss origin, Elinor Durier.

That story has been in dispute since it first saw print, and a Baltimore Sun article in 1912 that claimed John was an ‘Irish immigrant who landed in Boston’ got an angry rebuke in the next week’s letters to the editors from Glissan T. Porter, lawyer and newspaperman of Allegany County, who faithfully recounted the story SDP printed in the Bluebook.

Since then, based on a baptismal record for a John Porter 1697 found in England, people have ‘built trees’ going back to Charlemagne. (I don’t know why it’s always Charlemagne, apparently he was father to us all.)

We’ve got so many lines of investigation open into who Henry John and Moses parents were! But its far to early to burden you all with the possibilities. I am certain that

A. They had parents.
B. They are Brothers.
C. We have dug into many of the same ‘suspects’ that SDP and others have examined. So many, in fact, that I’ve become only too conversant with all the Porter/Portes/Borter lines of the Mid-Atlantic. I’ve had to build so many family trees to keep track of them so we can avoid running over old clues and thinking them to be fresh.

That said, we don’t think we’re at a brick wall. Now with DNA and better organized records, we’re able to fairly quickly rule a theory in or out of play. Part of the problem is that SDP claimed many children for our First John, quickly announced that ‘nothing more is known of them’ for 4, and then also passed Henry quickly out of view, so the bulk of his work revolves around (solely) John and Moses in Allegany County and their descendants.

People have long associated John Henry and Moses with the ‘Arnold Settlement’ and had assumed a bridge back to Carrollton. That’s where we are. Asserting anything back to the 15th Century is wishful thinking.

John married Nancy Ann McKenzie in 1767 in Carroll County, Maryland. Nancy (daughter of Moses Sr. McKenzie and Nancy Jane (Rachel) Porter) was born in Hopson's Choice, Maryland; died after 1789 in Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The followig information was sent to the author in Augsut, 2018 by Phil Brode. As one will see after reviewing the information, the location of the grave of Nancy Ann Porter is in dispute. Michael A. McKenzie August 27, 2018

The Nancy Ann (McKenzie) Porter burial site has "wandered" a bit over the years for the 'assignment' in my records. For years I just assumed it was in a now unmarked grave at Porter Cemetery at Rose Meadow. Seemed reasonable when we thought the old story about John Porter's pioneer movements from Wellersburg Pa, to Mount Savage MD to ultimately getting Rose Meadow as Revolutionary War service payment, occurred much earlier than her death. Why not? (And, not unexpected that her marker would be 'lost' considering she died earlier than John & his marker is so small & primitive as well.)

But then two things challenged this idea and sent me on a search. Thanks to the superman abilities with deed searching by Scott et. al. of the Williams clan, we learned that the two 50 acre plots that were Rose Meadow proper, were not originally owned by John Porter as per the old story of his selection, BUT were purchased by John Porter from John Matthews in the mid to late 1790's. My wobbly records for Nancy Ann's death include dates of 1786 or 1788 or 1789 depending on the source, all before John bought and settled Rose Meadow. In addition, for some time, Find-A-Grave had her place of burial as Allegany County Cemetery, Cumberland MD. While visiting western Maryland one time, my mother & I took off to find this site. We found a well kept cemetery, with very few marked graves, but many many graves without markers; only to learn that this was the Potter's/Pauper's cemetery, hence unmarked graves. Suddenly this seemed to be a dead-end; no pun was intended or noticed until I typed those words. Why would someone as well off as John Porter be burying his wife there? And, why there instead of close to one of his western Maryland residences at the time of her death. I won't believe that source, until supported with cemetery records if they exist. So, she's most likely not at PC@RM if the deed records & her death dates are correct, but where is she?

The following information was sent to the writer, Michael A. Mckenzie by Scott Carter Williams in August, 2018:

All,

We have always been dependent on Samuel Doak Porters' (SDP) book for information about Nancy McKenzie (b. 1746, m 1767, d. no given). Phil Brode believes that her passing was in either 1786, 88, or 89. I am hopeful that the Colonel Gabriel T. MacKenzie’s microfilm will yield something more like source material. We know from SDP's book that he and the Colonel corresponded and the notes that I have seen so far support that. Attached is some of the Colonel’s notes regarding Nancy and John Porter Jr, plus a published page that he references in his notes regarding Gabriel McKenzie's early presence in Western Maryland - perhaps predating the end of the French and Indian War (1763). We see elsewhere that Gabriel is selling land on Pipe Creek, and this may (or may not) indicate a move in the making.

I am also attaching a resource written by SDP on the history of the Sloan family. The Sloans and the Percys were Scottish families who immigrated to WM in the 1830s and assisted the Porters in making the coal mines on Federal Hill (Rose Meadow) viable. The families soon intermarried (see a pattern?? :).

The hand written notes by the Colonel in the first attachment are from an informant named "Ann Sloan" who is referenced in the second document as a granddaughter of John M. Porter (Squire Jack). This makes her the grand-grand daughter of John Porter Jr. (b. 1737). The reason that I share this article is this quote from SDP:

"Several of his (John Porter Jr's) and Nancy's brothers came with him to Allegany County and settled near him."

Gabriel and sons may have been settled west of Fort Cumberland as early as the 1750s or 60s according the Century of Growth book. We know from Bedford Co Census documents that both John Porter and Gabriel McKenzie (and sons) were there just before the war broke out. We also know that the identified sons of Moses Sr (Moses Jr, Joshua, and Jessie) enlisted and served in Frederick County during the war (not near Fort Cumberland). Therefore, if Nancy came west with John Porter and her brothers at the same time (pre-war) it would follow that "Nancy's brothers" may have been Gabriel's sons, not Moses Sr's. The theory, however, could be negated if Moses Sr had older sons (closer to Nancy's age) that moved at the same time as Gabriel.

We have much to learn, and I am hopeful that the Colonel’ss notes will bear more fruit for us.

Best Regards,

Scott Williams

The writer, Michael A. Mckenzie responded to Scott with the following email. This information is being placed here so that current and future researchers will know and understand the thought processes that played out w/r/t to the topic of just whom was Nancy Ann McKenzie's father.

Here is the reply email:

Hi All:

So many emails, so much to think about.

I am still going through emails from the past few days and reflecting on what was written.

Scott stated below: "Several of his (John Porter Jr's) and Nancy's brothers came with him to Allegany County and settled near him."

Gabriel and sons may have been settled west of Fort Cumberland as early as the 1750s or 60s according the Century of Growth book. We know from Bedford Co Census documents that both John Porter and Gabriel (and sons) were there just before the war broke out. We also know that the identified sons of Moses Sr (Moses Jr, Joshua, and Jessie) enlisted and served in Frederick County during the war (not near Fort Cumberland). Therefore, if Nancy came west with John Porter and her brothers at the same time (pre-war) it would follow that "Nancy's brothers" may have been Gabriel's sons, not Moses Sr's. The theory, however, could be negated if Moses Sr had older sons (closer to Nancy's age) that moved at the same time as Gabriel.

I would like to explore this for a minute because I think Scott may have hit upon something that would cause me to put Nancy Ann McKenzie as the daughter of Gabriel and not Moses, Sr.

Here is my thinking: If SDP is correct and Nancy’s brothers travelled west with them, the ages of the respective brothers make me lean towards them being the sons of Gabriel.

Let’s pick a date, say 1772. Gabriel’s son’s, Samuel and Daniel, would be 21 and 20 respectively.

Picking the same date, 1772, Moses Sr.’s sons would be 12, 10 and 8.

If one is travelling west with their brothers, I tend to lean to the older brothers and not a group of youngsters aged 8-12. Also, men in their 20’s would be “settling near her”, whereas youngsters aged 8-12 would need to be taken care of by others. When we couple this analysis with Racheal (Rachill) McKenzie placing Joshua in indentureship in 1768, it seems to support the hypothesis that Nancy was the daughter of Gabriel and not of Moses, Sr.

Just food for thought as we continue our quest.

Thoughts anyone?

Regards

Mike McKenzie

And, just to make certain we were well grounded, Ann Stansbarger wrote in response:

Hi All,

I recommend caution when it comes to Nancy Ann and here is why. We have to think about what was happening with the two brothers, Gabriel McKenzie and Moses McKenzie Sr. Gabriel began selling his properties one by one in Frederick Co at about the time of the end of the French and Indian War (1763). He had plans to move his family to western MD, which we know he ultimately did. His brother Moses, according to legend, sold his farm and was robbed and killed on the road. This would have been sometime after Joshua was conceived 1763-64 and before Joshua went into indenture, 1768 — exactly the same time Gabriel was getting ready for his move.

When Moses Sr was killed his family was thrown into turmoil. Rachel pleaded for her widow’s share of Moses’ inheritance. She said in the petition she had small children to take care of and had no money. Any older children of Moses, if there had been any, must have had to find their own way.

Were there older children? There had to have been. I don’t have the reference handy but I know it is on the MOEM site. There was “old John” McKenzie who died in Allegany Co in the mid 1790s. His estate was administered by Moses McKenzie Jr. Old John could not have been a son of Gab’l because Gab’l already had a son John. This Old John was in all likelihood a brother of Moses Jr (b1760). Since he was “old” in the mid 1790s, that says he was probably born in the mid 1740’s - about the time of Nancy Ann’s birth.

After Moses Sr died I think there was work for the older children of Moses with their uncle Gabriel. He would have needed help to clear land on his new farm in western MD, and he would have needed help farming his old lands left behind in Frederick Co, until they were eventually all sold off.

Nancy Ann, if she was a daughter of Moses, would have gotten married as soon as possible after her father’s death.

Sorry it isn’t more concrete.

Best, Ann

Then Nathan Williams added:

Ann and all,

Very important facts to keep in mind concerning Moses and family structure. I have a few points of concern over Moses Sr. being daddy based on what we know, and don't know.

- Moses' wife was said to be a Porter, daughter of John Porter, emigrant. Like other myths, we can't confirm or refute it but if true, it would mean Nancy Ann McKenzie was the niece of her husband, John Porter of Bedford/Allegany. People married close relatives, we have our share, but marrying a niece would seem strange.

- As researchers, we struggle mightly with the reality we can't place ANY of our known Porters in Maryland before they show up in Bedford, PA. Their PA record is the first confirmed appearance of John and Moses Porter. Henry is in Maryland for the 1776 loyalty oath. I will let my Uncle Scott answer Allan specifically about John Porter, emigrant, but to be honest, he is a ghost. We have no records in the US to show he existed. Our paper trail starts with his alleged sons John, Moses, and Henry Porter on the frontier.

I think that is why Moses causes us some problems. We can't really place any Porters down near the McKenzies in downstate Maryland, despite the oral stories that they were multi-generational connections between them. We are more in our comfort zone with Gabe, since he was a known neighbor, and the relationship could have started in PA, not downstate Maryland.

Now, none of that means Nancy couldn't have been living with Gabe on the frontier, or that the Porter brothers did live near Hobson's Choice, but left no records. The lack of hard dates matter too. For instance, MOEM, speculates the Porter-McKenzie marriage took place before Moses Sr's death on the road. Although, I think all those dates are estimates.

https://mckenziesofearlymaryland.com/getperson.php?personID=I00129&tree=McKenzie1
Moses Sr. McKenzie b. Abt 1720 Hopson's Choice, Maryland d. Abt 1767: The McKenzies of Early Maryland
mckenziesofearlymaryland.com
Moses Sr. McKenzie b. Abt 1720 Hopson's Choice, Maryland d. Abt 1767: The McKenzies of Early Maryland


Nathan

And, to stir the pot one more time, Scott Williams added:

Ann,

As you can imagine, the "ick" factor of niece/uncle thing has probably been of more concern to our side of the tree than yours *smile*, but I have an (almost) elegant solution that solves several problems at once:

•Moses Sr has a first marriage (to a non-Porter :)) that produces Nancy McKenzie and *some* older brothers
•Moses Sr has a later marriage to a Porter (Nancy Jane Rachel?) that produces the younger brothers (Moses Jr, Jessie, and Joshua)

Problem solved - and all very speculative. BUT I have noted that something changed Col. GT Mack's mind from Gabe to Moses Sr as the father of Nancy during the course of his research - so (again) time for us (the ATL gang) to better review the Col's material and get it into a format where it can be useful in research.

What you have shown, however, in these first emails is your perception of a family in crisis due to the death of a father and documented responses to duress. So if the speculation above is accurate, and we have documented Porters (Philip and maybe an older Nancy) in proximity to the Moses Sr family in about 1768 acting as part of the solution, we have really moved the ball.

I ask one question - does Team McKenzie know the origin of the Moses Sr murder story, or have an "earliest source" record of it? In my newspaper searches I found a plaintive request from a reader to the weekly column of legendary Cumberland Md columnist J. William Hunt in the 1950s seeking information on the incident. The reader's name was included and if that adds some value, I could try to find the original item and share it with you. Mr. Hunt requested that responses go directly to the reader, and not to the newspaper - ARGH!

Beyond that, I am going to leave the topic for awhile, having sufficiently stirred the pot for now :)

Scott

On September 17, 2018 the writer, Michael A. McKenzie wrote to the Porter/McKenzie Research Group and asked if anyone was aware of any primary source documents concerning Nancy McKenzie Porter. The reply later that day from Alan Williams was as follows:

My short answer is that I am not (aware of any primary source documents). One thing that’s certain is that it’s in the naming of her children that we encounter the name confusion as we had last night. Assuming Nancy to be a McKenzie (a very safe bet, I think) she names children after her husband, her father, and her uncle. No Jessies or Joshua’s though. One of the results is that Porters and McKenzie’s are shot through for generations with Gabriel, Moses, Michael and Samuels.

Porters have no first name ‘Bennett’, Rachel and Harriet (as well as Eleanor and Mary and Sarah) are popular for girls.

Both Moses and John Porter also favored Samuel in their boys, and Moses line later introduces ‘Scott’ as a frequent middle name and well as Ellis. Scott appears at a time that it may reference General Winfield Scott, the Military hero (1812 through the Mexican War) and 1852 Presidential candidate.


Needless to say, the writer concludes after these great exchanges, that something "more" will need to be located/discovered before the answer to the question posed will be known once and for all. Was Nancy the daughter of Moses (b. abt. 1720) or was she the daughter of Gabriel (b. abt. 1715)? That remains the question. Michael A. McKenzie, September 18, 2018

Josiah + Elizabeth Parsell. Elizabeth was born in 1745 in New Providence, Essex County, New Jersey; died on 30 Mar 1813 in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]