Robert BARR is the ancestor from which our line of the Barr family flows and it was his family that made the move from The Old World to the New, arriving here in 1790. He was born probably in the North of Ireland before 1725 and died in Barre Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, in 1808. He was buried in the "Old Indian Cemetery" located atop of the highest hill on the family farm one-half miles northeast of McAlevys Fort, now in Jackson Township.
While still in Ireland, about 1747, Robert married Mary WILLS. She was also born probably in the North of Ireland before 1730, and died in Barre Township some time after September 7, 1802, for she was still alive on that date when Robert wrote his will naming his son, Samuel, and his wife, Mary, executors of his estate, but before June 20, 1808, the date of letters testamentary, which note that "Samuel Barr surviving exr. of Robert Barr, decd." She is also buried in the "Old Indian Cemetery."
Since Robert Barr was a farmer, but did not own his own real property in Ireland, the prospects of locating the site where he lived are severely limited. Despite considerable research, a specific location for the Barrs in Ireland has not been identified but the Robert Barr family residence in Ireland prior to emigration in 1790 was probably in the Grange of Kildollagh, near Coleraine, County Londonderry.
Click on Barr History for more on Robert Barr and his family!