of Washington County, Maryland
Owen Roby appears in the 1790 U.S. census in Washington County, Maryland, where he was enumerated with 3 males under 16, 2 males over 16 [including himself], 6 females [one his wife Susanna] and 3 enslaved people.[1] This suggests four potential sons and five daughters. It also suggests that three of the potential sons were born sometime between 1774 and 1790 and one was born before 1774.
Nine years later, Owen wrote his will on 5 October 1799 in Washington County, Maryland. In it, he names his son William, daughter Mary, daughter Ann and his son James, described as “now an infant and from his appearance has not altogether natural understanding.” He also mentioned “my children heretofore not mentioned.” The will was proven on 11 February 1800. [2]
The estates of Owen Roby and Susanna Roby were settled on 4 Apr 1815. Their living children were named and each received £838.2.10 ½ , with a few specific adjustments for some of the children. The children named were: William, Mary Rigges, Ann Moreland [should be Moehler], Deborah Parrell [sic, should be Parriott], Statea Angle, Elizabeth Rigges, Owen, Isaac, Susanna Whitten. Administrators of the estates were William and Owen Jr.[3]
The administration names just three sons, William, Owen and Isaac, which suggests James, one of the sons mentioned in Owen’s will, had possibly died by 1815. The 1790 census record indicated five possible daughters, but the number of daughters from the administration of the estate suggests one born after 1790.
The fact that Owen Roby first appears in Washington County, Maryland in 1778 [4] and that all of the children but one are accounted for in the 1790 census, strongly suggests that all of the children were born in Washington County, Maryland.
Owen and Susanna Robey had at least four sons, William, Owen, Jr., Isaac and James and six daughters: Mary Riggs [Bazel Riggs] [5], Ann Mohler [Jacob Mohler], Deborah Parriott [Richard Parriott] [6], Statea Angle [husband unknown], Elizabeth Riggs [Edmund Riggs] [7] and Susanna Whitten [John Whitten] [8,9]. It seems likely that all of the children were born in Washington County, Maryland.
[1] 1790 U.S. census, Washington County, Maryland, p. 10 (penned), column 1, line 13, Owen Roby; image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/134047:5058 : accessed 10 April 2021); citing National Archives microfilm publication M637, roll 3.
[2] Washington County, Maryland, Wills 1777-1801, Liber A, pp. 427-428, Owen Roby, 5 October 1799; digital image, “General index 1777-1850 Wills Liber A-B 1777-1817,” images 438-439, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YMX-6KR : accessed 10 April 2021).
[3] Morrow, Dale and Deborah, Distribution of Estate Accounts, Washington County, Maryland 1778-1835 (Heritage Books: Westminster, MD, 2007) 19-20.
[4] Clark, Raymond B., Jr., editor, Washington County, Maryland, Records Oaths of Allegiance, 1778, and Balance Books on Estates (Distributions) 1778-1801 (self-published: St. Michaels, Maryland, 1989), 3-4.
[5] Ancestry, Find A Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9985428/mary-riggs : accessed 12 April 2021), memorial 9985428, Mary Roby Riggs (1776-1836), Long Reach Cemetery, Sistersville, Tyler County, West Virginia; gravestone photo by DeLoss McKnight III.
[6] Ancestry, Find A Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36004929/deborah-parriott : accessed 12 April 2021), memorial 36004929, Deborah Robey Parriott (1775-1849), Bellview Cemetery, Stephenson County, Illinois; gravestone photo by Ben Jacobsson.
[7] Washington County, Maryland, Maryland U.S. Compiled Marriages, 1655-1850, Edward Rigges-Eliza Robey; database, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7846&h=192609 : accessed 12 April 2021).
[8] Wetzel County, West Virginia, Record of Deaths, p. 23, Susan Witten, 28 March 1863; database with images, “Death Records,” West Virginia Archives and History (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=5917716&Type=Death : accessed 9 April 2021).
[9] Washington County, Maryland, Deed Book BB, pp. 391-393, Riggs & others to Robey, 26 December 1815; images, Mdlandrec.net (https://mdlandrec.net/main/dsp_viewer.cfm?cid=WA&sp=391 : accessed 12 April 2021).