Robert Wilson

Male 1818 - 1893  (74 years)


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  • Name Robert Wilson 
    Born 4 Dec 1818  Lancaster Co.. PA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 4 Jan 1893  E. Lampeter Lancaster County ,PA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I07330  Tombeau Family Tree
    Last Modified 24 Feb 2007 

    Family Catherine Tombow,   b. 23 Jun 1825, E. Lampeter Lancaster County ,PA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 May 1911, Lancaster City, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Married Abt 1850  Lancaster Co., MI Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F2725  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Headstones
    Headstones of Catherine Tombow Wilson and Robert Wilson
    Headstones of Catherine Tombow Wilson and Robert Wilson

  • Notes 
    • Catherine Tombow and Robert Wilson

      It has been pointed out previously that the founding parents of the Family, William Tombos and Mary Ann Herzkey, had six children. (Miscellaneous Documents, Lancaster Co. Orphans Court, September, l858, pp. l78-9).

      These children in order of birth were John Tombow, William Tombow, Jr., Mary Ann Tombow, Sarah Tombow, Lydia Tombow, and Catherine Tombow.

      This chapter of the Family History discusses Catherine Tombow, the sixth and last child of William Tombos and Mary Ann Herzkey.

      Catherine Tombow was born 23 June l825 according to Cemetery Records at the Mellinger Mennonite Cemetery in E. Lancaster where she is buried. She was raised in her parents home in E. Lampeter, on the Old Philadelphia Turnpike. A description of this property is found in the chapter on the Origins of the Family.

      According to the above cited Orphans Court Records, she married Robert Wilson. Robert Wilson was born December 4, l8l8, as calculated from his obituary age. Robert's parentage is unknown. However, William Tombos purchased land from his next door neighbor, James Wilson on 1 April l84l (Deeds, S-6-74). This lead needs to be explored perhaps by seeking the Will of James Wilson to determine if Robert Wilson is his son.

      No marriage date has been found as of this writing. But, as the early Family was Mennonite, they would have been married in a Church with ordained Clergy, perhaps the German Reformed Church or Trinity Lutheran Church in the City of Lancaster.

      They were, however, married by l850 as they appear together in her father's Federal Census entry in E. Lampeter as follows (Census taken 28 August l850, dwelling #ll6):

      Dombo, William, 6l years, farmer, real estate valued at $2,500 Dombo, Elizabeth, 54 years, born in Pennsylvania Dombo, Samuel , age l4 (?), born in Pennsylvania, attends school Dombo, Mary, 8 years, born in Pennsylvania, attends school Wilson, Robert, 32 years, laborer, born in Pennsylvania Wilson, Catherine, 25 years, born in Pennsylvania

      This entry, with a misspelling of the Family name by a German Census taker indicates that she was living with her father, step-mother, Elizabeth and a niece and nephew, children of her older brother, William, Jr. It may also suggest that they were newly weds since they have not yet set up separate housekeeping.

      The l860 Federal Census for W. Lampeter Township, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, p. 808, dwelling #l33, has the following entry:

      Robert Wilson, age 4l, farmer, born in PA, estate valued at $600.
      Catherine Wilson, age 35, born in PA
      Benjamin T. Groff, age l3, born in PA
      Sidney Groff (female), age l5, born in PA
      Isaac Gann (?), age l9, farmer, born in PA

      Benjamin and Sidney Groff are Catherine's nephew and niece by her older sister Lydia Tombow Groff. Isaac is a hired farmhand.

      No further Census work has been done for Catherine Tombow Wilson and her husband Robert. No Deed work has been done at this writing.

      Robert Wilson died 4 January l893 in East Lampeter Township at the age of 74 years and one month, He is buried in Row 5, Mellinger's Mennonite Cemetery on Lincoln Highway in E. Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with his wife and other members of the Tombow Family.

      The following obituary appeared in The Daily New Era, Friday, 6 January 1893:

      "WILSON, January 4th, l893 in East Lampeter township, Robert Wilson, aged seventy-four years and one month.

      The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from his late residence, on Saturday morning at 9 o'clock, and at Mellinger's Meeting House at 9:30 o'clock. Interment at Mellinger's."

      Catherine Tombow Wilson died on 8 May l9ll. The following obituary appeared in the Lancaster New Era, 9 May l9ll:

      "Death of Mrs. Catherine Wilson

      Mrs. Catherine Wilson, widow of Robert Wilson, of No. 224 E. Frederick street, died on Monday from general debility in her 86th year. Mr Wilson died l8 years ago, and no children survive. Deceased was a daughter of William and Mary Tombow, of near Witmer, where she was born. She made her home with a niece, Mrs, J. R. Givler. The deceased was a member of the Mennonite Church. The funeral will take place from Mrs. Givler's home at one o'clock on Thursday afternoon, and at two o'clock at Mellinger's Church along the Philadelphia turnpike."

      On the next day, l0 May l9ll, the following obituary appeared in the Lancaster New Era, p. 5:

      "WILSON In Lancaster, Catherine Wilson, widow of Robert Wilson, aged eighty-six years.

      The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from the residence of the niece, Mrs J.R. Givler, No. 224 East Frederick street, on Thursday afternoon at one o'clock at the house and at two o'clock at Mellinger's Church"

      Catherine Tombow's death certificate indicates that she died age 85 years, l0 months, and l5 days, of cerebral apoplexy (stroke). She had been paralyzed at the time of her death.

      Her tombstone still stands commemorating her grave in Mellinger's Cemetery. With the passing of Catherine Tombow Wilson, the last of the old Tombow Family was gone. Between her father's birth in Holland in l787 to her death in l9ll in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, three centuries are spanned in the space of those l24 years.

      This line is believed extinct. On the basis of Census work and the obituaries of Robert and Catherine Wilson which mention no children or descendants, it is concluded that no children were born of this union or, if born, none survived to maturity.

      No Will has been found in the Lancaster Court House for Robert or Catherine Wilson.