Robert Hogg (1783 - 1852) and Anna McCoy (died 1831) emmigrated from Donegal County, Ireland in 1803. Robert fought in the War of 1812 and participated in the Battle of Lake Erie. Family records claim "while standing guard he captured Brig. Lawrence, for which he was decorated for bravery". Its a bit hard to understand how one can capture an enemy general while standing guard. Research shows that a ship (brig?, the English war schooner, the HMS St. Lawrence was captured in this war, off the coast of Havana. Perhaps Robert played a role in this, although it appears his company served in the Lake Erie area. In any case, records show that Robert bought some property in Mifflen County, Pennsylvania.
A letter written to Murrel VanDyke Bernhardt from Willis Hogg, great grandson of Robert's brother Samuel, provides much information regarding the roots of the early Hoggs, including the name John, as the name of Robert's father. From other sources, it appears the name of Robert's mother was Elizabeth.
Chapter 42 of the " History of Butler County Pennsylvania", published by the Waterman, Watkins, & Co. in 1883, covers Slippery Rock Township. In it, a William Hogg is mentioned, likely Robert's brother. Robert oldest brother Samuel, it seems, played a prominent role in the Township, as confirmed by the following quote: "A congregation of Covenanters or Reformed Presbyterians was organized in 1833, in the northern part of the township, and met for some years in a small log building which was also used as a schoolhouse. In 1836, the present house of worship was erected. The first Ruling Elder was Samuel HOGG, who continued the only Elder until 1834, when Samuel BRAHAM was elected. Among the members were the HOGG, BRAHAM, WICKLEY, SHIELDS, CURRY and MCELWAIN families." Finally, Rachael Stevenson is mentioned, who married Robert's son Samuel.
According to family history of Robert's brother William (located by cousin Chris Hogg), during the War of 1812, both Robert and his brother William were both drafted into Captain Matthew Rogers' Company of Pennsylvania Militia. They both entered the military service on April 10, 1813 at Mifflintown, PA. According to "The Pennsylvania Archives," this company began marching from Mifflintown on Monday, April 12, 1813, and marched to Bellefonte where they rendezvoused with other troops from Mifflin and Centre counties, then proceeded from there to their destination at Erie. James Renwick said they were primarily engaged in cutting timber and standing guard duty while Perry was building his fleet.
Also in the notes on William, it is stated that Robert and William were of a family of Scotch-Irish Covenanters who came to the U.S. from Ireland about 1810 and settled in the Tuscarora Valley northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in Mifflin County. The first white man is said to have settled in the Tuscarora Valley in 1754. His name was also Robert Hogg. It seems it was an Irish tradition at the time to name the oldest son after his father. (Robert and Anna's oldest son was named Robert, and his brother William's oldest son was named William.) Since Robert and Anna (and William's family) settled nearby, it seems quite possible that this earlier Robert may have been related to our ancestor (his grandfather?).
Robert had 3 brothers and 5 sisters:
| Samuel Hogg, the oldest, came to America in 1791. Deeds are recorded in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania in his name in 1809 and 1814. |
| William Hogg, who had a son that settled in Iowa. |
| George Hogg, who married ???? Forsythe, and died in 1890. |
| Sarah Hogg, who married Samuel Weakley. |
| Jane Hogg, who married ??? McElwane |
| Margaret "Peggy" Hogg, who married P. Atwell. |
| Mary "Molly" Hogg, who married ??? McAlwe |
| ??? Hogg, who married Sam McFate |
Robert and Anna married in 1816 and had the following children:
| Robert McCoy Hogg | Born February 22, 1817. Married Mary Jane McFate. |
| John Hogg | Born August 10, 1818. Married Florinda McFate and they had 5 children: Margaret Jane, Anna Elizabeth, Robert McCoy, Joshia M., and James T. After Florinda died in 1850, John married Jane H. Turk in 1852 and they had 1 son: Bythenia. John died on August 1, 1864, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 46. Jane died on February 25, 1887. |
| Samuel Hogg | Born February 9, 1820. Married Rachael Stevenson, and they had 5 children: Jannie Elizabeth, Annie, Perry, Elijah, and Clel. |
| Mary Ann Hogg | Born March 10, 1822. Married Moses Rush Chapman on August 31, 1843, in Mercer, Pennsylvania, and they had 7 children: Robert McCoy, Sarah Ann, Elizabeth, Mary Ellen, William, James Buchanan, and Adella Lena. Moses died on March 17, 1864, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, at the age of 42.Mary Ann died on March 3, 1875, at the age of 52. |
| James Smith Hogg | Born March 10, 1824, in Cherry City, Pennsylvania. Married Mary Ann Neyman and they had two children: Erie Ann, and Catherine Mary. He then Catherine Rossman and they had one child: Rosanna. James died in 1886 in Sugarcreek, Pennsylvania, at the age of 62. Catherine died a year later, in 1877, at the age of 50. |
| Elizabeth Hogg | Born November 17, 1826. She married John Braden on August 6, 1852, in Franklin, Pennsylvania, and they had 8 children: Robert Hogg, Julia A., Martha Jane, John Black, Lucy E., Mary E., Nancy J., and Oliver P. Elizabeth died in October 1895 at the age of 69. John died in March 1889 in Franklin, Pennsylvania, at the age of 68. |
| Margaret Jane Hogg | Born April 24, 1828. Married Michael Zahnizer on February 14, 1849, and they had 8 children: Andrew Jackson, Eleanor Anna "Ella", Robert C., William S, Rudolph, Valentine, John, and Bithinia. |
| Sarah Hogg | Born November 21, 1829. Married John A. Barnes and they had 4 children: Sadie A., Susan, James Newton, Frank, and mary D.. |
| Isabelle Hogg | Born December 21, 1830. Married William Black, and they had 2 children: Rebecca C., and Robert J. |
According to the records of Robert's great, great grandson, John A. Hogg, Jr., the Hoggs were from northern Ireland. It appears that the Hogg home in Ireland was in Donegal County. When William invaded Ireland he induced several of the clan leaders of Scotland to furnish recruits for William’s invading army, promising homesteads to each in Ireland when he had conquered the country. The Hogg entry into Ireland was at that time, and, at the time John Hogg documented this history, their homestead was said to be still in the family name. It is said to be near Ramelton. Ramelton, also known as Rathmelton or Rath Mealtain, translates in Irish to Mealtin's Ring-fort. Family legend also has it that the earliest Hogg ancestor was imported into Scotland as a slave, possibly dating back to the crusades against Islam. His name was “Haj”, and was pronounced “Hozh”. Men with that name were holy men in the Mediterranean area, and it seems likely that the Hogg ancestor was such an individual.
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