My Maternal Great-Grandparents

Written by: Marjorie "Margie" ‏(Hockaday)‏ Kinnaman – 21 Nov 2019

Once upon a time there were two families: the Barker/Robinson family in Iowa, USA, and the Agnew/Erskine family in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This is the story about how destiny brought these two families together, and how they became our ancestors.

We will start with the Barker/Robinson family in Iowa, USA. Elizabeth Cellars first married John Barker; they had two children, Suzanna in Ohio and James in the Territory of Iowa. Sadly, John died when James was an infant. About ten years later, Elizabeth married again, an Ulster-Scot* named Robert Robinson. He, of course, became Suzanna and James' step-father; he was the only father James ever knew. They lived on a farm in Van Buren County, Iowa. Time passed Â… Elizabeth and Robert had a son, John William.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, there lived the Agnew/Erskine family. David Agnew married Jane "Jenny" Erskine in Carrickfergus, County Antrim; they had eight children. Their first five children were born in the area where they were married, Middle Division. Later on, David took over his father's tenant farm in Ballynarry, and the other three children were born there.

Now, back to the Iowa farm in USA. Early in the spring of 1870 Â… Robert Robinson received a letter notifying him that his brother David had died and had included him in his Will. His brother was living in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, prior to his death. The stipulation in the Will was that Robert would have to go to Northern Ireland in person in order to receive his inheritance.

Plans were made for Robert's long journey by land and sea, first by train and then by steamship. He arrived safely in Northern Ireland. As it turned out, Robert's brother David had lived in the same neighborhood as the Agnew family, and they were apparently acquaintances.

During Robert's stay, while taking care of his brother's Will and receiving his inheritance, a connection was made with David and Jenny Agnew and their daughter Jane. We do not have details nor any family stories regarding this, but a decision was made ‏(by whom is unknown)‏ for Jane to return with Robert to Iowa, all expenses paid if she would work in his household as an endentured servant for a period of three years. A young man by the name of David Allen also returned with him.

Robert had received a generous inheritance from his brother's estate and easily paid all expenses for the trip for himself, Jane and David with plenty left over. They boarded the ship, "City of Brussells" at *Queenstown, Ireland, on 2 May 1870; at that time, it was known as the fastest steamship, only 7 days, 30 minutes across the Atlantic to New York, with an arrival date of 9 May 1870. From New York they traveled by train to Burlington, Iowa; then by horse and buggy to the Robinson farm.

When the US Census was taken on 23 Jun 1870, John W. Robinson ‏(14)‏, James Barker ‏(25)‏, Jane Agnew ‏(22)‏ and David Allen ‏(22)‏ were all listed in the household of Robert and Elizabeth Robinson in Washington Twp., Van Buren County, Iowa. Jane's occupation was listed as a domestic servant; David Allen's, as a hired hand.

It sounds reasonable, since Robert and Elizabeth were getting up in years that they needed more help on the farm and with household duties, but we cannot help but wonder if he was also playing "the matchmaker". Perhaps, Robert was hoping for an Ulster-Scot* wife for his step-son James in the deal.

Whatever the reasons were, Robert and Elizabeth received the help they needed, and James and Jane married the day after the 3-year commitment was fulfilled. Whether that was part of the original plan or not, we cannot say, but that is how it turned out!

So, this is the story of how "once upon a time" destiny, with a little help from a step-father, brought these families together to become our ancestors.
*Ulster-Scot/Scots-Irish/Northern Irish: The Northern Irish people refer to themselves as Ulster-Scots. ‏(Cousin Margaret Agnew, Carrickfergus, Antrim, N. Ireland.)‏


Note of Interest: Cobh, originally named Queenstown after the visit of Queen Victoria in 1849, was the departure point for 2.5 million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950. It is located on the Great Island in Cork Harbour, the second largest natural harbor in the world.

Note: See James Barker and Jane Agnew's full story with photos at the Loofbourrow Family Website: www.Loofbourrow.me

Written by Marjorie ‏(Hockaday)‏ Kinnaman
as told to me by my mother, Eva ‏(Loofbourrow)‏ Hockaday,
‏[with a few added notes from my research]‏
3 Sep 1979 - 21 Nov 2009 - 1 Dec 2019 ‏(updates)‏

‏[James and Jane are the parents of my maternal grandmother, Mary "Mollie" Agnew Barker Loofbourrow. James was Scots-Irish, born in Iowa on 12 July 1844. Jane was born, 17 Mar 1848, in County Antrim, N. Ireland. She was living in Ballynarry, Ballynure, County Antrim, N. Ireland before she came to America in 1870; she was 22 years old.]‏

‏[In the 1870 Census, Van Buren County, Iowa, James, single, was listed with Robert Robinson family. After researching it, I discovered that Robert Robinson was James' stepfather who married his widowed mother, Elizabeth Cellars Barker. James' father died in a hunting accident about 3 months after James' birth. Jane Agnew was listed as a domestic servant in their household. That is how they met.]‏

After they were married on 7 May 1873, they lived in a little log cabin in the country NE of Mt. Zion, Iowa. They shopped in Keosauqua. Mollie was born in the log cabin before they built the big brick house. Since Mollie was a middle child, several of the children were probably born there too. Their seven children are: Elizabeth J., Robert J., Mary "Mollie" A., John W., Joseph M., Grace G., and Arthur D., all born in Iowa.

Jane had a brother, Robert Agnew, who came to America from Belfast, Ireland with his wife and baby daughter. Robert was in his twenties. After a stormy voyage in the summer of 1886, the ship landed at New York on August 6. His wife and baby daughter died shortly after their arrival in America. After their deaths, Robert was very depressed. He lived in a little log cabin across the road from Jane and James. Later, he married again and had a family. ‏[One of his daughters married a Hornbaker; their son is Robert Hornbaker.]‏

James was a farmer and also a pharmacist of herbs. He treated members of the family with herbs and herb teas for various ailments. ‏[I remember Grandmother Mollie telling me about the "ginger tea" her father lovingly made for her when she was not feeling well.]‏

‏[Grandmother Mollie told me about the time of the year when her father boiled down the maple sap to make syrup. Sometimes he gave the kids some syrup to pour in the fresh snow to make what they called "maple candy". This memory was recalled fondly!]‏

He also had a shop with a turning lathe where he made wooden implements and kitchen utensils Â… bowls, churns, spoons, rolling pins, etc. Eva was given two rolling pins made by her grandfather, a small toy and a regular sized one, but they have been lost track of through the years.

‏[Jane died quite young on 10 October 1902; she was 54 years old. She may have had liver cancer. My mother was 4 years old when her Grandmother Jane died. She remembered going to her funeral and being lifted up to her coffin to give her a "goodbye" kiss.]‏

For the full story of how Jane Agnew and James Barker met, with photos, go to the Loofbourrow Family Website.