Crobarger Surname

The Crobarger family has not been easy to research. One reason is that the spelling of the name has varied considerably over the years. It appears that the name was probably spelled Krohberger in Germany and Crobarger has become the most common spelling in America, although common variations have been Croberger and Crowbarger.

By default, everyone below is listed with the last name Crobarger, even though their names may have been spelled differently in contemporary records. Different contemporary spellings include: Kroberger, Krobarger, Crowbarger, Crowberger, Croberger, Crobacher, Crobacker, Chroberger, Grauberger, Grobarger, Groberger, Khroberger, Krohberger.

Daniel Crobarger was probably born circa 1720s in Germany. He probably died after 1759, in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania.

He was probably the immigrant ancestor of the family, but there is no direct proof that he was the father of the below children. In September 1749, Daniel Groberger emigrated from Germany to Philadelphia on a ship named "Phoenix". Then in 1754, Daniel and Christina Kroberger served as sponsors to the baptism of a child of Michael Gartner in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Warwick, Pennsylvania. In 1758 and 1759, Daniel Groberger was taxed in Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania as an inmate [i.e. renter/tenant] shoemaker. In 1758, a Daniel Kroberger was documented as purchasing cloth from a local weaver.

They had at least the following children:

1	Michael Crobarger
2	Leonhardt "Leonard" Crobarger was born circa 1750. He died before July 18, 1844 in Peters Township, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. He married Mary. She was born circa 1760 in Pennsylvania and died after 1850 in Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. They had the following children: Elizabeth Crobarger Susannah Crobarger (1783-1866) md. 1st ??? Weaver md. 2nd Henry Rosen John H. Crobarger (c. 1795-1850) md. Susannah Hansel There is no proof that Leonard was related to this family, but it seems likely. During the 1780s, he lived in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, near Michael and George Crobarger, and the inference is that they were brothers. Leonard apparently served in the American Revolution; in 1781 he was a member of the Cumberland County Militia. While Michael and George Crobarger both eventually moved to Virginia, Leonard remained in Franklin County, Pennsylvania for the duration of his life. He lived in various places in Franklin County until 1800, when he purchased 111 acres in Peters Township and remained there. Leonard wrote his will in 1834, which was proven in 1844. He named his wife Mary, his son John, his daughter Susannah, Susannah's children John Wever and Sarah Wever and the unnamed children of his daughter Elizabeth.
3	George Crobarger was born circa 1752, probably in Pennsylvania. He died sometime between 1812 and 1823 in Hawkins Co., Tennessee. He married Maria "Mary" probably circa 1775 in Pennsylvania. She was born at an unknown date and died after 1825. They had the following children: Susannah Crobarger (c. 1776-1861) md. John Critz Esther "Hetty" Crobarger (1780-1854) md. Jacob Seaver His name was originally Johann George Crobarger, but he always went by his middle name. George was born in about 1752, probably in Pennsylvania. He was apparently raised in the neighboring Pennsylvania counties of Lancaster and Lebanon. George was confirmed at the St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania in 1771, with his age listed as 19. It was somewhere nearby that he was probably married in the mid-1770s, but record of the marriage has not survived. His wife's name was Maria "Mary". She was described as his wife on records in 1796, 1812 and 1823. George was sponsor to the baptism of two of his brother Michael's children, in 1772 and 1775 in Brickerville in Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. George's place of residence during the 1770s is unknown, most likely he was living somewhere nearby - either Lancaster or Lebanon County. Sometime between 1777 and 1780, the entire Crobarger family apparently moved west to what is now Letterkenny Township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. George was on tax lists for Letterkenny Township in 1780 and 1782, and moved away not long after. By 1786, George had moved to Botetourt County, Virginia, where he lived for about 10 years with his family. He purchased land there in 1788 and 1790, and then sold all of his land there in April 1796. In 1796, George was described as a weaver when a mulatto boy was "bound" to him (probably as an apprentice). George was a slave owner by the end of his life. In about 1797, George left Botetourt County, Virginia and moved to the Holston River Valley of southwest Virginia/northeast Tennessee. In 1798, he purchased land in Hawkins County, Tennessee. In 1809, he was living in Hawkins County, Tennessee. George lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee, and was probably in the northeast part of that county, near what is now Kingsport, Tennessee, and also near the borders with Scott County, Virginia and Sullivan County, Tennessee. He also owned land in Sullivan County, Tennessee. George is last found on records in 1812, when he deeded land to John Critz (his son-in-law) and deeded slaves to Jacob Seaver (another son-in-law). George had died sometime before 1823, when there was a lawsuit between his widow and his son-in-law regarding ownership of those slaves. George wrote his will, which was undated and left his entire estate to his wife Mary. The only other family he named was his daughter Hetty [Esther] Seaver, who was left one dollar and nothing else. Some researchers have surmised that George and Mary were not happy with their daughter for moving away (to Indiana) with the slaves. It is entirely possible that George had other children that were not named in his will; their inheritances perhaps already having been provided for. John Critz was designated as a joint executor of his will and was also involved in the lawsuit with Jacob Seaver. John was married to Susannah Crobarger, who was probably his daughter. Other possible children were Christina Crobarger Pence (1777-1861) and Jacob Crobarger (c. 1780-aft. 1819).

Michael Crobarger was possibly born on February 10, 1747 ¹⁴, perhaps in Germany. He possibly died on April 17, 1827 ¹⁴, in Augusta Co., Virginia. He is buried in the St. John Cemetery, Augusta Co., Virginia.

Father: Daniel Crobarger
Mother: Christina

Note: his name was actually George Michael Crobarger, but he always went by his middle name Michael. For simplicity's sake - and to differentiate him from his brother George Crobarger - I have him listed as just Michael.

Michael was married to Eva Barbara Lenherr, sometime before 1768. Between 1768 and 1778, they were living in Warwick Township in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. There, they probably lived in or near the village of Brickerville. Sometime between 1778 and 1780, they moved to Letterkenny Township in what is now Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. They were still in Franklin County as late as 1790. In about 1793, they moved to Rockingham County, Virginia. Michael appeared on tax lists in Rockingham County between 1794 and 1807. In 1797 in Rockingham County, Michael Crowbarger was married to a widow named Elizabeth Thompson.

Sometime between 1807 and 1810, Michael moved to northeastern Tennessee, where his brother George was living. In 1810, Michael was living somewhere in Tennessee when he sold land in Rockingham County, Virginia. In 1811-1812, Michael was taxed in Sullivan County, Tennessee with Jacob Crobarger (probably his son). In October 1812, Michael was described as living on his brother George's property in neighboring Hawkins County, Tennessee. Then in May 1813, Michael and his wife Eve were described as residents of Hawkins County, Tennessee, when they bought and sold land in Sullivan County, Tennessee.

Soon after this, Michael returned to Rockingham County, Virginia (where his daughters Catherine and Christina were still living). He was documented as living in Rockingham County between 1816 and 1822. By 1823, Michael had moved to Augusta County, Virginia (where his son George was living) and apparently remained there until his death in 1827. In the St. John Cemetery in neighboring Augusta County, Virginia (where his son George is buried) there is a "M---- [unreadable] Kroberger" who was born in 1747 and died in 1827, and his tombstone is in German. If one accepts this theory and trusts the transcription of that tombstone (done in 1937), then he was born on February 10, 1747 and died on April 17, 1827. As of 2018, the tombstone is still standing but is almost completely illegible.

Most family trees indicate her last name was Lauderbach, yet they are confusing her with a later wife. In actuality, she was daughter of Johann Jacob Lenherr and Eva Maria Haager of Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Jacob died in 1769 and wrote his will in which he described his wife and named all of his children; she was listed as Barbara. Then in another estate record, from October 1772, Jacob's daughter Barbara was clearly listed as being married to George Michael Crobarger. When four of their children were baptized, members of the Lenherr family (including her mother and sisters) served as sponsors to the baptisms. In addition, many of the Crobarger children's names seem to have come from the Lenherr family - Eva, Elizabeth, Catharina, and Jacob.

Eva was apparently born and raised in Warwick, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; the oldest child in a large family. Following German customs, she went by her middle name - Barbara.

It is not known when or where she died. My guess then is that she was alive as one of the four females in the family's 1790 census enumeration. She died before her husband remarried in 1797.

They had at least the following children:

1	Eva Elizabeth Crobarger was born on October 31, 1768 in Warwick, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She probably died young.
2	Daniel Crobarger was born on December 21, 1770 in Warwick, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. He probably died young.
3	Catharine "Caty" Crobarger was born on October 10, 1772 in Warwick, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She died on September 21, 1858 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. She is buried in the Keezletown Cemetery, Keezletown, Rockingham Co., Virginia. She married John Koontz on or after January 9, 1794 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. He was born on July 13, 1762 and died in 1847 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. They had the following children: Elizabeth Koontz (1795-1874) md. William Seal Peter Koontz (c. 1797-) Mary Koontz (1800-) Barbara Koontz (1804-1877) md. David Scott John Morgan Koontz (1812-1876) md. Frances Huffman Catharine "Caty" Crobarger, daughter of Michael, was married to John Coonce/Koontz sometime on or soon after January 9, 1794 in Rockingham County, Virginia. After her marriage, she and her husband lived in Rockingham County, Virginia; where she had children including Peter, Elizabeth, Mary, Barbara, and John. Catharine Koontz died in 1858 in Rockingham County, Virginia.
4	George Crobarger was born on December 4, 1774 in Warwick, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. He died on December 29, 1854 14 in Greenville, Augusta Co., Virginia. He is buried in the St. John Cemetery, Augusta Co., Virginia. He married first Susannah Sipe on August 1, 1797 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. They had the following children: Elizabeth Crobarger (c. 1798-?) md. John Coffman Mary Crobarger (1800-1888) md. Abraham Haybarger Catherine Crobarger (1806-1869) md. John Hawpe John Kyle Crobarger (1807-1878) md. 1st Emily Harris md. 2nd Elizabeth Hansberry md. 3rd Harriet Hays Henry S. Crobarger (c. 1808-1846) md. Nancy Shields George W. Crobarger (c. 1810-1878) Rachel Crobarger (???) md. Solomon Wood Susannah Crobarger (c. 1816-1877) md. John A. Shields He married second Elizabeth Wingfield, widow of John Hays, on June 30, 1834 in Albemarle Co., Virginia. They had no children. His birthname was Johann George Crobarger (named after his uncle), but he always went by his middle name George. He moved with his family to Rockingham County, Virginia in about 1793, where he married and began raising his family. In 1802 or 1803, he moved to adjacent Augusta County, Virginia; where he remained until his death. George was a miller.
5	Eva "Eve" Crobarger was born on June 19, 1777 in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She was baptized on September 14, 1777 in thee Old Zion Church, Brickerville, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She died in 1856 in Chambersburg, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. She is buried in the First Lutheran Church Cemetery, Chambersburg, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. She married Wendel Houser circa 1792 in Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. They had the following children: Jacob Houser (1794-1864) md. Martha Burkholder George Houser (c. 1796-aft. 1860) md. Lydia Shearer Mary Houser (1799-1871) md. Adam Burkholder Peter Houser (1802-1877) md. Margaret Steele Samuel James Houser (1804-1887) Elizabeth Houser (c. 1808-aft. 1860) David Houser (c. 1812-aft. 1880) md. Charlotte Jerrett Michael Houser (c. 1814-1882) md. Maria Margaret Houser (c. 1816-???) Catherine Houser (c. 1818-???) There is no evidence that Eve Houser was the daughter of Michael and Eva Crobarger, but I've made the leap because of the use of certain names for herself and her children (Eve, George, Michael, Catherine, Jacob) and because of the timeline and geographic locations. We know that Eve spent her adulthood in Franklin County, Pennsylvania; which is exactly where the family of Michael and Eva Crobarger lived between the late 1770s and early 1790s. In addition, two of Eve's sons moved to Augusta County, Virginia in their adulthood, where George Crobarger, son of Michael and Eva, lived (yet they would have been following a very common migration route). Eve was raised in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She probably married in the early 1790s, before her parents and siblings moved away to Virginia. Eve remained in Franklin County, Pennsylvania for the duration of her life. She first lived in Hamilton Township and then in Chambersburg. Her husband wrote his will in 1836, in which he named his wife and 10 children.
6	Christina Crobarger was born on or about December 16, 1777 in Pennsylvania. She died on February 6, 1861 in Clinton Co., Indiana. She is buried in the Kilmore United Methodist Church Cemetery, Frankfort, Clinton Co., Indiana. She married George Pence on September 25, 1798 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. He was born circa 1774 in Augusta Co., Virginia and died in 1828 in Rockingham Co., Virginia. They had the following children: Margaret Pence (1799-???) md. Valentine Pence Sarah Pence (1801-1871) md. 1st George Kyger md. 2nd Charles Persinger Pence Samuel Pence (1803-1841) William Pence (c. 1804-aft. 1850) Mary Pence (c. 1806-???) md. John Zerkel Abner Crowbarger Pence (1808-1809) md. 1st Sarah S. Taylor md. 2nd Barbary Utz Abigail Pence (1808-1881) md. Jacob Kiblinger Cyrus Pence (1810-1867) md. Elizabeth Stafford Sylvester Pence (1813-1883) George Pence (c. 1815-1830s) Michael Crowbarger Pence (1817-1896) md. Susan Stafford Valentine Pence (1819-1893) md. Catharine F. Stafford Elizabeth Pence (c. 1820-1837) Lucinda Pence (1821-1907) md. James Stafford When Christina was married in 1798, she was explicitly described as the daughter of Michael Crowbarger. In addition, she named one of her sons Michael Crowbarger Pence and she lived in Rockingham County, Virginia where Michael Crobarger lived with his family. However, Michael had another documented daughter, Eva, who was born in June 1777 - just 6 months before Christina. If both of these dates are correct, then Christina cannot have been the daughter of Michael. In addition, her brother Jacob's wife Catherine apparently shares her birth date. The other possibility then is that Christina and Catherine were the daughters of Michael's brother George. Perhaps the family was separated for some reason and Christina was sent to live with her uncle Michael. Christina was married in Rockingham County, Virginia in 1798 and she and her husband continued living there after their marriage, where all of their children were born. Christina was still in Rockingham County as late as 1836. Her whereabouts after this are unknown, but she eventually moved to Clinton County, Indiana to live with one of her children who lived there.
7	Jacob Crobarger

It is possible that Elizabeth's first husband Caleb Thompson was related to Benjamin Thompson, who deeded land to Michael Crobarger in 1805. In a different 1805 deed, Elizabeth was described as the wife of Michael Crobarger. Not long after this, Michael apparently moved to Tennessee and left Elizabeth behind in Virginia. She was enumerated as the head of her own household in the 1810 census in Rockingham County, and probably died before 1813, when her husband was already remarried.

Eve was the widow of John Lauderbach, himself the son of David Lauderbach of Shenandoah (later Page) County, Virginia. John and Eve had settled in Greenbrier County, Virginia sometime before 1789. They lived in the part of Greenbrier County that became Monroe County in 1799 (now part of West Virginia). They remained there until 1801, when they moved to Sullivan County, Tennessee. In November 1801, John purchased 33 acres in Sullivan County. John died in about 1806. Sometime between 1805 and 1813 (although most likely between 1810 and 1813), Michael and Eve were married. In a May 1813 deed, she was described as "Eve Crowbarger his wife, formerly Eve Lowderback" when they sold the same 33-acre property purchased by John Lauderbach in 1801. She was then listed as Michael's wife on a September 1817 deed, when they were both listed as residents of Rockingham County, Virginia. She was most likely the 45+ year old woman enumerated in Michael's household in the 1820 census.

Jacob Crobarger was born circa 1780, probably in Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. He died sometime between 1819 and 1830, probably in Tennessee.

Jacob's birth date is unknown, but was probably between 1777 and 1790. He was most likely born in the late 1770s or early 1780s, shortly after his parents moved to what is now Letterkenny Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. In about 1793, he moved with his family to Rockingham County, Virginia where they remained for several years.

Jacob has not been located on any records until 1811, when he was probably in his late 20s or early 30s. The fact that he was absent from personal property tax lists in the general area where his family was living between 1801 and 1811 suggests that he might have been living elsewhere entirely. Sometime during this time period Jacob married his wife Catherine (maiden name unknown). They were perhaps married in about 1806-1807; and apparently decided to settle where his family was living. Their first known child George, was born in May 1808 (at an unknown location in Virginia or West Virginia). By the following year, they had moved to Tennessee when their second child Susannah was born. They had most likely moved to northeast Tennessee with Jacob's father (who moved there sometime between 1807 and 1810). There, Jacob probably first lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee before moving to neighboring Sullivan County in about 1812. Then in about 1815, Jacob moved just across the state line to Scott County, Virginia where they settled in the newly formed town of Estillville [now Gate City]. He purchased a lot in the town in August 1817 and then sold it in October 1819. He also appeared on Scott County tax lists between 1816 and 1819.

Jacob disappeared from any known records after 1819. Most likely he and his family returned to Tennessee in 1819. The 1820 census for eastern Tennessee is lost and many other records for northeastern Tennessee counties that might have documented his existence were also lost. Jacob died sometime between 1819 and 1830. The family was next found in 1830, when his widow was enumerated as head of the household in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Then his oldest son George, who had recently reached his majority, was on tax lists in Jefferson County between 1831 and 1834, when the family moved away.

It has long been the assumption of other researchers that her name was Catherine McCreedy and that she was married to George Washington Crobarger. In reality, McCreedy was just one person's misreading of Crobarger on one census record (which looks something like "Crobreedy") and her husband's full name was just a guess based on the name of their son. It turns out that her husband's name was actually Jacob, so the researcher's previous guesses appear to be unfounded.

There are a few clues to Catherine's origins. The age at birth in her death notice calculates to a birth date of approximately December 16, 1777. A variety of census enumerations (of both herself and her children) suggest that she was born in Pennsylvania. The 1850 census though records her birthplace merely as "O." (at the time, this would most likely have been an abbreviation for Ohio). It would have been unusual and unlikely for a European-American child to have been born in Ohio in 1777; if that census record can be relied upon, it's possible that it indicated she had spent part of her youth in Ohio. The only other clue is the 1870 census, which indicated that both of her parents were foreign-born. Another interesting and puzzling clue is that Catherine shares a birth date with Christina Crobarger Pence (1777-1865) who was probably her husband's sister. Was it just a coincidence that they shared the same birth date? Or were they actually twins and Jacob and Christina were not actually siblings (if they were twins, it would make sense because twins occurred among descendants of both of them)? Perhaps Catherine was actually a Crobarger and she and Jacob were cousins. One thing to consider is that we do not definitively know who Jacob Crobarger's parents were either.

One wild guess is that Christina and Catherine were in fact twins, and were children of Michael Crobarger's brother George Crobarger. A connection to George Crobarger makes sense in Catherine's case, because in adulthood she lived near members of his family and followed migration patterns of some of his descendants. Years later, Catherine's son married the niece-in-law of George's daughter Esther. In addition, I have two autosomal DNA matches with descendants of George's daughter Esther. However, this theory doesn't explain why Christina Crobarger was described as Michael's daughter or was in Rockingham County, Virginia; as there is no evidence that George Crobarger ever lived there. Another guess though is that Christina and Catherine were children of Michael and Jacob was the son of George.

Another entirely speculative theory is that she could have been the same person as Anna Catharina Kugler, who was born on December 15, 1777 probably in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, the daughter of German immigrants Johann Jacob and Eva Catharina Kugler. There is not yet any evidence of what happened to that daughter (who would probably have gone by her middle name, Catherine/Catharina). We do know that their family moved out west in about 1794 to a German settlement near Cincinnati, Ohio. Then in about 1800, they moved again to nearby Greene County, Ohio. If Anna Catharina was still alive and unmarried during the 1790s and 1800s, it could have been the right circumstances for her to have met and married Jacob Crobarger. As listed above in Jacob's biography, he has not been located in any records between 1801 and 1811 and there is a strong possibility that he had moved away from where his family lived in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Perhaps young Jacob Crobarger sought adventure and moved west to a German settlement in Ohio; then married and moved back to his family in Virginia. Longevity might also be a clue; Catherine Crobarger lived to 97 and Anna Catharina's sister Sarah Kugler Harner lived to 102. Warning! Other than these various similarities and guesses (same first name; nearly matching birthdate; connections to both Pennsylvania and Ohio; and the fact that her parents were born in Germany), there is nothing that proves or even suggests this connection, except that I do have two autosomal DNA matches with descendants of two different brothers of Anna Catharina: Matthias Kugler (1780-1854) and Jacob Koogler (1784-1870); and also two matches with descendants of Anna Catharina's maternal aunt Sophia Margaretha Neuhaus Bauersachs. More research is needed!

Regardless of Catherine's exact origins, she was born somewhere in Pennsylvania. She married Jacob Crobarger before 1808, at an unknown location. They were probably in what is now West Virginia when their first known child was born in 1808. They moved to northeast Tennessee (probably with Jacob's father Michael) in 1808 or 1809. There, they apparently lived in Sullivan County, Tennessee before moving to Scott County, Virginia in about 1815. They lived in what is now Gate City, Scott County, Virginia until October 1819 when they sold their land there. At that time, they probably moved back to Tennessee and lived at an unknown location until 1830, when Catherine was a widow and head of the household in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

In Jefferson County, they were relatively close to other relatives, including Susannah Crobarger Critz (cousin? sister?) who lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee and also cousins by marriage, the Lamar family, who lived in Jefferson County, Tennessee. In 1834, her daughter Susannah was married in Jefferson County. Soon after this, Catherine probably moved with her children to the state of Indiana (perhaps Pike, Switzerland, or Clinton County), where they lived briefly. In about 1838, they moved to Platte Co., Missouri. In 1840, she was living in a household in Platte County with her two sons. In 1846, she crossed the Oregon Trail with youngest daughter Harriet and family. They lived in at least 4 different locations in Oregon (Lafayette, Winchester, Roseburg, and Myrtle Creek) before settling in the tiny town of Galesville, in Douglas County, Oregon in about 1863. Catherine resided there until her death in 1875, at the age of 97. Scrutiny of known burial records so far have come up empty. She was either buried in an unmarked grave on the family estate (now rural area between Azalea and Glendale), in an unmarked grave in the Glendale Cemetery (even though their earliest known burial was in 1883), or - most likely - in an unmarked grave in the Quines Creek/Gilliam Cemetery (which was very close to their home).

In 1873, Catherine applied for a homestead for 162 acres near Galesville, which was approved and she was issued a patent for that land the same year. In her application, she indicated she settled that land in 1867 and built a small house the same year (12 x 14 foot house with an add-on 10 x 11 foot kitchen). She also indicated she cultivated one acre of the land, built a barn and fenced in 12 acres. Since Catherine was 89 years old in 1867 and living with her daughter's family, it is likely that her son-in-law or grandson filed for the homestead in her name only.

1	George Washington Crobarger was born on May 22, 1808 in Virginia, West Virginia or Tennessee 5. He died on March 3, 1875 in Lee (now Fair) Township, Platte Co., Missouri. He is buried in the Crobarger Family Cemetery, Fair Twp., Platte Co., Missouri. He married first to Elizabeth Young Cooper on February 2, 1843 in Platte Co., Missouri 3. They had the following children: John R. or K. Crobarger (1844-aft. 1881) Mary Catherine Crobarger (1844-1928) md. "Lewis" Carl Heinrich Ludwig Magers George Washington Crobarger (1847-1931) md. Armilda Anderson Robert Hall Crobarger (1848-1925) He married second Elizabeth Remington, widow of Isaac Horr, on June 7, 1855 in Platte Co., Missouri. She was born on January 30, 1815 in Connecticut and died on April 5, 1878 in Fair Township, Platte Co., Missouri. They had one child: Eugene S. Crobarger (1858-1934) George was a farmer. He resided in Platte County, Missouri from the late 1830s until his death in 1875, while his mother and all of his siblings had moved away from that area. George was a slave owner and a supporter of the Confederacy during the Civil War. His oldest son John served in the Confederate Army. In census records, George listed his own birth place as Virginia, his sons listed his birthplace as Tennessee, and his daughter listed his birthplace as West Virginia. This all suggests (to me) that he was probably born in Virginia (probably in a county that is now in West Virginia) but spent most of his youth in Tennessee.
2	Susannah Crobarger was born on August 29, 1809 in Tennessee 5. She died on December 23, 1882 in Lookingglass, Douglas Co., Oregon 5. She is buried in the Lookingglass Cemetery, Lookingglass, Douglas Co., Oregon. She married Samuel Creswell Braden on January 28, 1834 in Jefferson Co., Tennessee 5. (He was born on October 11, 1811 in Claiborne Co., Tennessee and died on August 11, 1895 in Myrtle Point, Coos Co., Oregon. He is buried in the Lookingglass Cemetery, Lookingglass, Douglas Co., Oregon.) They had the following children: Francis Asbury Braden (1835-1894) md. Sarah Caroline Buell Rebecca Catherine Braden (1837-1892) md. Phillip Arthur Decker America Agnes Braden (1841-1878) md. Daniel Giles Alice Braden (1844-1923) md. Jasper Daff Livingston Virginia Susannah Braden (1847-1925) md. Franklin Cyrus Buell Margaret Missouri Braden (c. 1849-1876) md. Thomas Jefferson Rowley John Jacob Astor Braden (1851-1929) md. Dora Maria Eagan Census records list Susannah's birth place in Tennessee. My guess is that she was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee. There are some online family trees which provide her birth place as nearby Grainger County, Tennessee; which is possible, but there is no evidence that any of the family ever lived there. Susannah spent parts of her youth in both Tennessee and Virginia. Susannah was married in 1834, at the age of 24. Then in 1834 or 1835, she and her husband (and possibly her mother and siblings) moved to somewhere in the state of Indiana; where the only remained a few years. In about 1838, they moved to Platte County, Missouri; where they lived for many years. In 1846, Susannah's mother and sister moved to Oregon on the Oregon Trail and apparently influenced Susannah's family to make the same trip. In 1852, Susannah and her family crossed the Oregon Trail and settled in Douglas County, Oregon; where her sister and mother were living. They first lived in Roseburg, Oregon, before moving out to the coast near what is now Coos Bay, Oregon.
3	"Berry" Francis Asbury Crobarger was born on November 9, 1813 13 or November 20, 1815 5 in Tennessee, probably in Sullivan County. He died on November 9, 1881 in Nortonville, Jefferson Co., Kansas 5,13. He is buried in the Nortonville Cemetery, Nortonville, Jefferson Co., Kansas. He married Ann Lamar on January 7, 1845 in Platte Co., Missouri 3. (She was born on February 17, 1809 in Jefferson Co., Tennessee and died on November 3, 1893 in Nortonville, Jefferson Co., Kansas. She was buried in the Nortonville Cemetery, Nortonville, Jefferson Co., Kansas.) They had one child: John Marcus Crobarger (1848-1908) Francis and Ann were cousins by marriage (not by blood), and likely knew each other from their youth in eastern Tennessee. Ann's uncle, Jacob Seaver, was married to Esther Crobarger - who was a relative (probably first cousin) of Francis' father. For the first 10 years of marriage, Francis and his family lived in Platte County, Missouri. In the spring of 1855, they moved to Jefferson County, Kansas; where they settled off of the Crooked River, near Nortonville. He lived there until his death in 1881 from heart disease. He was primarily a farmer and stock raiser, but also apparently operated a hotel for a brief period during the 1860s. According to one source, he "had odd ways and notions. A staunch Presbyterian, he always kept whisky about his house, asserting it to be a blessing of God to be enjoyed as other blessings. No one ever saw him intoxicated. Temperate and industrious he was a prosperous farmer. The first cabin he built happened to be burned down in his absence, he remarked when told of it that it lacked 3/4 of an inch of being square anyhow and he didn't care if it did burn." He also was a free-state advocate in Kansas, was opposed to slavery, and a supporter of the North during the Civil War. This was interesting because his brother George Crobarger - who lived about 30 miles away in Missouri - was a slaver owner and a supporter of the South/Confederacy during the Civil War. Apparently Francis' political beliefs against slavery made him endure "many persecutions at the hands of the border ruffians. For about two years he was kept away from home, visiting his family only under cover of the night, or at times when an opportunity offered itself, there being a reward of $100 offered for his head."
4	Harriet Catherine Crobarger

Harriet Catherine Crobarger was born on about November 15, 1816 ⁶ or on about December 15, 1817 ⁷, probably in Scott Co., Virginia. She died on March 7 ^7,8, March 8 ^2,6 or March 9 ⁹, 1884 in Galesville, Douglas Co., Oregon.

Father: Jacob Crobarger
Mother: Catherine

Contemporary sources (census enumerations of herself and her children) are not consistent in whether Harriet was born in Virginia or Tennessee. However we now know that she was probably born in Estillville [now Gate City] in Scott County, Virginia, where her father was taxed and owned land between 1816 and 1819. In 1819, they sold their land in Virginia and apparently returned to Tennessee. Because Harriet was born in Virginia but spent most of her youth in Tennessee, her children might not have known where she was born.

Harriet's whereabouts between 1819 and 1830 are unknown, but they were somewhere in northeast Tennessee. Between 1830 and 1834, they were in Jefferson Co., Tennessee. In Jefferson County, they were probably in the northern part of the county that later became Hamblen County. In about 1834, the family left Tennessee and moved to somewhere in Indiana. They only remained in Indiana for about 4 years. In about 1838, they moved out west and settled in Platte County, Missouri; a frontier area that had recently been opened up for settlement. Shortly after moving there, Harriet became engaged to William Martin, whose family were among the earliest white settlers of that county. They were married in 1839 in Martinsville (now Platte City), Missouri.

After the marriage, William and Harriet continued living in Platte County, Missouri. In 1843, William left on an expedition train to the Oregon Territory, leaving Harriet behind to care for their infant daughter. William returned the following year and immediately began making plans to move the entire family west to Oregon. In the spring of 1846, Harriet and her family left their home in Missouri and made the trek over the Oregon Trail, arriving in northern Oregon in September 1846. The family settled in Lafayette in Yamhill County, Oregon. There, William operated a general store. Then in 1851, the family moved to southern Oregon where they took advantage of the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 and settled a claim of 640 acres near Winchester in Douglas County, Oregon. In Winchester, William reopened his general store. They remained on their Winchester farm until 1859, when they moved to the nearby city of Roseburg, Oregon. In that same year, Harriet signed an affidavit stating that she had property separate from her husband (the location of the property is not known). They only lived briefly in the city of Roseburg. In about 1861, they moved to the nearby town of Myrtle Creek, where William attempted a short career as a miller. Then in about 1863, they moved a final time to a farm near Galesville in southern Douglas County, Oregon. There, in 1867, her husband was operating a hotel.

Harriet spent the rest of her life residing at the family's home at Galesville (now near Azalea), in the Cow Creek Valley of Douglas County, Oregon. She died from paralysis (probably a stroke) in March of 1884, at the age of 66 or 67. Harriet's place of burial has not been located. She was probably buried on the family farm near Galesville (which is today between Glendale and Azalea) or perhaps in the Glendale Cemetery. Although her grave (wherever it is) is probably unmarked, we do know that her daughter Josephine paid for a marble headstone for her grave in May 1884.

For more information on her children, see his page.

1. Assorted US Federal Census Records
2. Obituary of William J. Martin, Roseburg Plaindealer, April 29, 1901
3. Missouri Marriages to 1850, Ancestry.com
4. Death Notice of Catherine Crobarger, Jacksonville Democratic Times, April 23, 1875
5. Online gedcom family files
6. Death Notice of Harriet C. Martin, The Douglas Independent [Roseburg, OR], Mar. 22, 1884
7. Death notice of Harriet C. Martin, Oregon Sentinel [Jacksonville, OR], Mar. 15, 1884, Pg. 3
8. Death notice of Harriet C. Martin, The Coast Mail [Marshfield, OR], Mar. 27, 1884, Pg. 3
9. Information from Ralph Roberts at RRob689080@aol.com
10. Marriage record of William Martin and Harriet Crobarger, 1839, Platte Co., Missouri. Marriage Register, Volume 1, Page 5.
11. Paxton, W.M. Annals of Platte County, Missouri. Hudson Kimberly Publishing Co., 1897.
12. Death notice of Catharine Crobarger, The Oregonian [Portland, OR], Apr. 27, 1875, Pg. 2
13. Tombstone inscriptions, Nortonville Cemetery, Nortonville, Kansas
14. Transcription [from 1937] of St. John Cemetery, Augusta Co., Virginia.