Discussion on Ephraim's Father

1751 -- 1772 Emigration of Ephraim's Father From Ireland

The exact identity of Ephraim's father is not known at this time by this researcher. My current research focuses on this issue. What is known is a discussion below on five McCartneys, all with connections to Lancaster Co., PA; two of which were residing in Lancaster at the time of Ephraim's birth in 1772. If Ephraim's father was not one of the five listed below, Ephraim's father was someone for which no record of him ever existed or still exists today. I am hopeful that someday I will find definitive evidence as to whom Ephraim's father was. It was Ephraim's father who emigrated to America from Ireland between the years 1751-1772.

Plausible Candidates for the Father of Ephraim

James McCartney
Tax records of Lancaster Co. PA (1771-1773) list a "Jas" McCartney residing in Martick Township at the time of Ephraim’s birth, but it is unknown if he would have been old enough to have been Ephraim’s father. If James was not the father of Ephraim, he may have been an older brother or an uncle of Ephraim.

Laughlin McCartney (1737-1799)
Laughlin McCartney, youngest son of Lord McCartney, "Earl of Glasgow" and Lady Flora McDonald, Countess of Dundee, Scotland, ... was born in Scotland in 1737, married Mary Ann Gibson in Northumberland Co., PA (1770) and died in the same county around 1799 [Tomlinson & Sullivan Families, Indianapolis, IN--"Family Bible of John Tomlinson", 1819]. Shortly after his marriage, tax records of adjoining Lancaster Co., PA (1771-1773) list Laughlin residing within the Lancaster city limits, or Borough. The 1790 and 1800 Federal Census records Laughlin and family residing in Northumberland Co.:

An 1896 article appearing in The American Monthly Magazine describes Laughlin as the son of a John "MacCartney". The play on words in this article is somewhat confusing though, and could be misconstrued or interpreted in one of two ways; either Laughlin's father came to America in 1755 and fought for General Braddock during the French and Indian War or Laughlin did:

The 1790 census implies a relatively young to middle-aged father (Laughlin) with five children at home (1 boy and 4 girls). Ten years later in the 1800 census, Laughlin's age is listed at 45+ with four children still at home (1 boy and 3 girls). Because of the large number and young age of his children in the 1790 and 1800 census, it would appear that Laughlin was approximately 45-50 years old in 1800, placing his birth therefore between 1750-1755. If this is accurate, Laughlin was not the man who fought under General Braddock in The American Monthly Magazine article, but rather his father. There is no reference in the article though, that Laughlin's father/family originated from Ireland.

Additional historical documents found by the researcher list Laughlin as a private in Samuel Hunter's 1st Battalion during the Revolutionary War. He did not serve active duty but assisted in the American cause by storing and distributing ammunition from his home in Northumberland Town, Mahoning Twp., Northumberland Co., PA. This concurs with the The American Monthly Magazine article. Laughlin apparently died ca. 1803-1810, as he is not listed in the 1810 federal census and the last record of him was a debt owed by him to a doctor in Northumberland Co. in 1803.

Another potential clue to finding a documented link connecting Ephraim to Laughlin is the 1820 Federal Census of Bedford Co., PA [District Bedford Boro/Bedford Twp.]:

Robert Isaac McCartney, son of Ephraim was residing with his family in Bedford in 1820. There is nothing unusual about this except for the fact that an Anna Gibson (head of household) resided four doors down or four houses away. Laughlin's widow, (Mary) Ann Gibson would have been about 70 years of age in 1820, which aligns with the 1820 census information (1-female 45+) for this Anna Gibson. Laughlin's widow [(Mary) Ann Gibson], would have been the grandmother of Robert.

Laughlin was old enough to have been Ephraim's father, was married at about the right time two years prior to Ephraim's birth, resided in the same area at the time of Ephraim's birth, and his widow (Mary) Ann Gibson may have been the Anna Gibson residing next to Ephraim's son Robert in 1820. Laughlin's wife, Mary Ann Gibson, was born in the northern part of Ireland in 1750 and passed away September 22, 1832 in Cincinnati, OH. The Tomlinson family bible indicates Laughlin was born in Scotland, not Ireland. Even though my family tradition claims Ephraim's father was from Ireland, Laughlin could have immigrated to America through Ireland.

Robert McCartney
1772 [March 21 - April 21] Lancaster Co., Derry Twp--Will of Robert Carithers lists a Robert McCartney as a grandchild along with children Mary, Elones, Dorcus, Jane and Sarah. Even though this Will was administered the same year as Ephraim's birth in Lancaster Co., several unanswered questions need to be asked. This Will does not state the age of Robert McCartney, nor does it indicated whether or not this Robert McCartney was residing in Lancaster Co. at the time. If the Robert McCartney listed in Robert Carithers' Will was at least 18 years of age and if he were residing in Lancaster Co. at the time, he would then be a possible candidate to be the father of Ephraim.

Not Likely to be Ephraim's Father

Andrew McCartney
Eighteen years after the birth of Ephraim, the 1790 Federal Census of Lancaster Co., Colerain Twp., lists an Andrew and three females--(1, 0, 3, 0, 0)--[Males: (16+)(<16) / Females: (all)(all other free persons)(slaves)]. Two years later Andrew apparently died in the same township. Andrew's wife and children are listed in his Will--(Will Abstracts) Wife: Margaret McCartney; Children: George and Rebecca; Ex.: John Caldwell, William Brown and Margaret McCartney. It is a possibility that Andrew was the father of Ephraim eighteen years prior to the 1790 census, but not likely, as Andrew's Will makes no mention of Ephraim. Additionally, the 1815 tax list of Colerain Twp. list resident George McCartney living next to widow McCartney. George would be the son of Andrew mentioned in his Will twenty three years earlier and "widow McCartney" would be a reference to Andew's wife.

Samuel McCartney
Historical documents and the History of Indiana Co., PA (1880), list a Samuel McCartney as a private in the 8th Co., 6th Battalion, Lancaster Co. Militia (1776; 1780-1781). Samuel was born in PA April 18, 1753, was of Scotch-Irish parentage spending most of his boyhood in the Cumberland Valley (present-day Franklin and Cumberland counties), married Nancy Penolope Young April 27, 1790 and died April 14, 1817. Additional Lancaster Co. records place him in Martick Twp. in 1779, seven years after Ephraim's birth, and Bart Twp. (1782) before eventually settling in Indiana Co, PA. Samuel and his wife Nancy's nine children were: Martha; Jacob Y.; George; Andrew; Penelope; Elizabeth J.; Samuel; John Y.; and Jane (Apollo People, 1974). Samuel was old enough to have been Ephraim's father, but was not because he was born in Pennsylvania (not Ireland or Scotland) and more importantly, did not marry until eighteen years after the birth of Ephraim. Samuel may have been an uncle to Ephraim though because of his ties to Lancaster Co.