Robert Cree, Jr.

Other Events:

• Census: 1790, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; as Robert Cree
• Beneficiary: Bef 6 Apr 1813; heirs of Robert Cree, Jr. in the will of his father Robert Cree

Notes:

Robert Cree, Jr. followed his father to Western Pennsylvania after serving in Captain James Fisher's Cumberland County Militia Company in 1782. Here he met and married Elizabeth Villiers, daughter of John and Mary Villiers. She was born October 12, 1763, and they were married about 1786. They continued the westward migration by removing from the Tenmile Country to Harrison County, Ohio. [Reference: Howard L. Leckey, "The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneers", (Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, 1993), pg. 545]

Very little is known about the life of Robert Cree, Jr. He was born in County Down, Northern Ireland and came to this country at an early age, sometime prior to 1770. He was one of the older children of Robert and Janet Hamilton Cree. Robert Cree, Sr. and his family were living in Cumberland (now Perry) County, PA. during the years of the Revolutionary War. Several of his children including Robert, Jr. served during this war. Robert Jr. was a member of Capt. William Crawford's Co. of the Washington Militia in the fall of 1781. After this term of enlistment had expired, he evidently remained in Washington County and soon thereafter, he was followed there by his parents and the rest of his family.

Robert Cree, Jr. married Elizebeth Villars in Washington County in 1786. They were the parents of eight children. The exact date of Robert's death is unknown, although according to the Washington County records, the inventory of his estate was made on November 12, 1795. It was customary at that time to inventory the estates as soon as possible after death so he evidently died in the fall of 1795, possibly in the month of October. The place of his burial is unknown although obviously it would have been at some location in Washington County.

Sometime shortly after 1820, his widow, Elizebeth Villars Cree and some of her younger children moved to eastern Ohio, where she settled and bought property in Harrison County. She died there in 1841 and is buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Freeport, Harrison County. [Source: Robert H. Cree (Cree Family Notes, 1999)]

Robert married Elizabeth Villars in 1786 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. Elizabeth (daughter of John Villars and Victory Muskeroy) was born on 12 Oct 1763 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America; died on 7 Mar 1841 in Freeport Township, Harrison County, Ohio, United States; was buried in Mar 1841 in Freeport Township, Harrison County, Ohio, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ann Cree was born on 13 Nov 1788 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 1 Sep 1859 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States; was buried in Sep 1859 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States.
2. Mary Cree was born on 17 Dec 1789 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 6 Jun 1880 in Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States.
3. Jennet Cree was born on 5 Feb 1790 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 7 Jul 1867 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States.
4. Robert Cree was born on 12 Apr 1791 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 20 Sep 1870 in Clarksville, Clinton County, Ohio, United States; was buried in Sep 1870 in Middleboro, Warren County, Ohio, United States.
5. John Cree was born on 14 Jul 1793 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 30 Jun 1866 in Madison County, Indiana, United States; was buried in Jul 1866 in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana, United States.
6. George Cree was born on 28 Dec 1793 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died in 1832 in Harrison County, Ohio, United States.
7. Eleanor Cree was born on 20 Apr 1794 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 3 Oct 1853 in Harrison County, Ohio, United States; was buried in Oct 1853 in Harrison County, Ohio, United States.
8. James Robert Cree was born on 12 May 1795 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; died on 16 May 1859 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States; was buried in May 1859 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States.

Other Events:

• Census: 1790, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States; as Robert Cree
• Census: 1800, Cumberland Township, Green County, Pennsylvania, United States; as Robert Cree
• Will: Bef 6 Apr 1813, Cumberland Township, Green County, Pennsylvania, United States
• Probate: 6 Apr 1813, Green County, Pennsylvania, United States

Notes:

Sometime before 1781, Robert Cree, Sr., left his home in the Eastern part of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and settled in the Tenmile Country near Shepherd's church, where he was living when serving in Captain William Crawford's Militia Company in the arraingment for October 15, 1781. It is quite evident that he was an elderly man when he migrated to this part of the frontier, for some of his grown up children with their families accompanied him. There is not enough evidence to say that Robert Cree,Sr., was the ancestor of all the Cree Family of this section, but such could be case. if not, then William Cree of Muddy Creek, the Revolutionary soldier buried on the home place, and Patrick Cree, listed in the tax lists for Cumberland Township in 1784, would be the exceptions. A William Cree is mentioned in the will of Robert Cree, Sr., but Patrick Cree disappears from local records. It is evident that all of his children followed his migration and eventually located for a time near, before moving further west. In his will, which was probated in Greene County on April 6,1813, he mentions his wife, Janet, whose maiden name was probably Hamilton, as the Hamiltons were near neighbors in Cumberland County, and he perpetuated this name in one of his sons. He is probably buried in Shepherd's Church Cemetery, where at least two of his children are buried. [Reference: Howard L. Leckey, "The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneers", (Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, 1993), pg. 544]

Robert married Janet Hamilton in 1754 in County Down, Ireland. Janet was born in 1734 in County Down, Ireland; died after 1813 in Cumberland Township, Green County, Pennsylvania, United States; was buried in Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Beneficiary: Bef 6 Apr 1813; in the will of her husband Robert Cree
• Executor: Bef 6 Apr 1813; wife Gennet Cree and son Hamilton Cree were named as executors in the will of Robert Cree