Robert Orr grave
Robert Orr grave
Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, Transylvania County, NC.


Ann (Hogshead) Orr grave
Ann (Hogshead) Orr grave
Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, Transylvania County, NC.


Ann (Hogshead) Orr Family Cemetery
Orr Family Cemetery
Hart Road, Little River, Transylvania County, NC.

Robert Orr, 1749-1808
A sketch by James Mark Valsame

      ROBERT ORR was born October 10, 1749, allegedly at sea on his parent’s voyage from either Scotland or Ireland to Pennsylvania. His parents, JOHN ORR and wife RACHEL _____, settled initially in Pennsylvania before migrating to Old Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. On January 17, 1772, Robert Orr married ANN HOGSHEAD (b. September 26, 1753 Wilmington, DE [Family record states February 12, 1749], d. February 12, 1841 Henderson County, NC), daughter of WALTER HOGSHEAD who devised his will in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina on September 16, 1766 (Proven October Term, 1766). Robert Orr performed military service in the militia during the Revolutionary War. During this period, he and his family were residing in Old Tryon County (1768-1779), which subsequently became Lincoln (Catawba) County. As early as 1795, Orr and his family had migrated westward into the mountains of North Carolina, and were living in Old Buncombe (Transylvania) County. Orr acquired substantial land holdings on Crab Tree Creek in present day Henderson County, North Carolina and on Little River in present day Transylvania County, North Carolina. Robert Orr died October 8, 1808 and is buried together with his wife Ann in the Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, Transylvania County, North Carolina. According to the Buncombe County, North Carolina Court Minutes, Robert Orr had a will which was submitted for probate on January 3, 1809. Due to the loss of many early records of Buncombe County, Robert Orr's will does not survive. Issue:

  1. ELIZABETH ORR, b. January 28, 1773 Tryon (Lincoln) County, NC, md. _____ JOHNSON.

  2. JOHN ORR, b. October 15, 1775 Tryon (Lincoln) County, NC, d. April 6, 1849 Henderson (Transylvania) County, NC, md. January 9, 1800 Buncombe County, NC, JANE CLAYTON, b. November 6, 1783, d. March 1, 1873 Transylvania County, NC, daughter of LAMBERT CLAYTON and SARAH DAVIDSON. John and Jane (Clayton) Orr are buried in the Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, North Carolina.

  3. RACHEL ORR, b. January 21, 1777 Tryon (Lincoln) County, NC.

  4. ANN ORR, b. April 30, 1779 Tryon (Lincoln) County, NC, d. before December 29, 1852 Henderson County, NC, md. 1803 Buncombe County, NC, ROBERT HAMILTON, b. January 11, 1770 Dublin, Ireland, d. December, 1822 Buncombe County, NC, son of ROBERT HAMILTON. Ann (Orr) Hamilton is probably buried in the Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, North Carolina. Robert Hamilton is buried in a cemetery now underneath the foundations of Central Methodist Church, Church Street, Asheville, North Carolina.

  5. ROBERT ORR, b. March 26, 1781 Lincoln County, NC, d. 1866 Gilmer County, GA, md. ELEANOR (“HELEN”) DOUTHIT, b. about 1784 South Carolina, possibly the daughter of JOHN DOUTHIT, JR. and ELEANOR DAVIS. He is listed on the 1850 census of Gilmer County, Georgia age 70, along with wife Eleanor age 66. He is also enumerated in the 1860 census of Gilmer County, Georgia age 79, together with wife Eleanor age 75.

  6. JANNETTE "JANE" ORR, b. August 7/9, 1785 Lincoln County, NC, d. November 16, 1845 Henderson (Transylvania) County, NC, md. JOSEPH E. PATTON, b. October 30, 1775, d. March 15, 1843 Henderson (Transylvania) County, NC, son of THOMAS PATTON and MARGARET ERWIN. Joseph and Jannette (Orr) Patton are buried in Davidson River Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Transylvania County, North Carolina.

  7. MARY ORR, b. January 25/June 21, 1788 (Gravestone reads June 21, 1788) Lincoln County, NC, d. November, 1871 Henderson County, NC, md. WILLIAM BLYTHE, b. about 1784, d. 1818 Buncombe (Henderson) County, NC; 2md. JOHN BLYTHE, b. January 14, 1799, d. June 19, 1868 Henderson County, NC. Mary (Orr) Blythe and her two husbands are buried at Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery, Big Willow Road, Henderson County, North Carolina.

  8. WILLIAM ORR, b. December 18, 1790 Lincoln County, NC, d. October 1, 1844 Henderson (Transylvania) County, NC, md. ELIZABETH SHUFORD, b. March 3, 1792, d. January/June 6, 1879 Transylvania County, NC, daughter of GEORGE SHUFORD and MARY BURRELL. William and Elizabeth (Shuford) Orr are buried in the Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, North Carolina.

  9. SARAH ORR, b. April 28, 1793 Lincoln County, NC, d. May 8, 1883 Transylvania County, NC, md. August 3, 1818 Buncombe County, NC, DAVID SHUFORD, b. November 3, 1788, d. August 31, 1862 Transylvania County, NC, son of GEORGE SHUFORD and MARY BURRELL. David and Sarah (Orr) Shuford are buried in the Orr Family Cemetery, Hart Road, Little River, North Carolina.

  10. MARTHA ORR, b. June 21, 1796 Buncombe County, NC, d. February 1, 1884 Transylvania County, NC, md. JOEL MACKEY, JR., b. February 11, 1789, d. October 7, 1872 Transylvania County, NC, son of JOEL MACKEY, SR. and SARAH JOYCE. Joel and Martha (Orr) Mackey are buried at Davidson River Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Transylvania County, North Carolina.


Copyright © 2005-2009, James Mark Valsame, Raleigh, NC.   Reproduction or publication of this material without the expressed permission of the compiler is prohibited.


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