William Muir in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, 1850s-60s

[David C. Glick]

Hi Randy and others, thank you for adding me to the group.
My connection to the Muirs is through William Muir (born in Scotland) who married (on 28 Nov. 1852) Elamina Jordan (born 25 October 1830, d. 1883). They lived most or all of the time in Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. In the census, Elamina is sometimes listed as Elmina or Mary E.
The 1860 and 1870 censuses show Elamina living with her father, John Jordan, and do not show William in that household, but Elamina continues to have Muir children, so maybe William was working elsewhere when the census taker came. The 1880 census lists Elamina as a widow. From local records and the 1870 census, the Muir children were:
Anne (1852-1856)
Mary J. b. abt. 1855 (later of Cleveland, Ohio)
Emma b. abt. 1857 (married Victor Diefenderfer of Orefield, PA in 1881)
William J. b. abt. 1862 ("Will," married Ann Weider 25 June 1887 in Allentown PA)
Agnes b. abt. 1865 (Married Harry Smith, candy manufacturer, lived in Allentown)
Martha b. abt. 1868
Sarah b. 23 Nov 1869 ("Sallie," married Charles Peter Glick, lived in Allentown)
A local book also lists the Rev. John Muir as one of their children, but I think that is an error, as he is not in the census as a child; I could probably find more about that.
Sallie and Charles Peter Glick were my great-grandparents. He and most of the rest of my ancestors are Pennsylvania German.

I am interested in any information on the father, William Muir. I have no idea when he might have been born - I have no census listing, no obituary. Does he appear in an 1850, 1860 or 1870 census? Is his connection to a Muir family in Scotland known? Of course the family legend says we are related to the naturalist John Muir, but I see no evidence of a close relationship.

Thank you very much for any information you can provide.
Dave Glick, State College, PA

[tree]

Dear David:

I don't have much connected together on this line of MUIRs yet, but ... I'll still try to do some more checking. IF (notice the "big IF") William and Elmira followed the "traditional Scot naming pattern" and if these were the only children they had (and if they're listed in the proper chronological birth order), William's parents would have most likely have been named William & Mary. That's not much to go on, being as William and Mary are such "common" names. It could be most helpful if we could figure out when and where William died.

Sincerely,
Randy

Descendants of William MUIR - 20 Apr 2009
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First Generation

1. William MUIR died between 1870 and 1880.1 Based on wife, Elmina, being widowed by 1880
He was born in Scotland.1 He lived in Upper Milford (Lehigh), PA.2 "They lived most or all of the time in Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania."


William MUIR and Mary Elmira JORDAN were married on 28 Nov 1852.2 Mary Elmira JORDAN2,3 (daughter of John JORDAN) was born on 25 Oct 1830 in Pennsylvania.1,2 She appeared in the census in 1880 in Upper Milford (Lehigh), PA.1 In 1880 she was a Keeping House.1 She died in 1883.2 "In the census, Elamina is sometimes listed as Elmina or Mary E.," according to David Glick; Elmina, according to Mary Jane's IGI and "Elemina," according to another IGI William MUIR and Mary Elmira JORDAN had the following children:

2 i. Anne MUIR was born in 1852.2 She died in 1856.2
3 ii. Mary Jane MUIR was born on 6 Sep 1854 in Montgomery Co., PA.2-4 She died on 14 Jan 1919.3 She lived in Cleveland (Cuyahoga), OH.2
+4 iii. Emma C. MUIR, born about 1857, Lehigh Co., PA2-4; married A. Victor DIEFENDERFER, in 1881, Orefield (Lehigh), PA2.
+5 iv. William J. (Will) MUIR, born about 18622,4; married Anna M. WEIDER, on 25 Jun 1887, Allentown (Lehigh), PA2.
+6 v. Agnes MUIR, born about 1865, Pennsylvania1.
7 vi. Martha MUIR was born about 1869 in Pennsylvania.1
+8 vii. Sarah (Sallie) MUIR, born on 23 Nov 1869, Pennsylvania1,2.



Second Generation

4. Emma C. MUIR (William-1) was born about 1857 in Lehigh Co., PA.2-4 Abt. 1860 per some undocumented source; abt. 1857 per 1870 census and Mormon IGI. In 1880 she was an Employee In Shoe Factory .1 She appeared in the census in 1880 in Allentown (Lehigh), PA.1 In 1880 census, living in household of Solomon H. Ludwig, along with her sister, Agnes.

Emma C. MUIR and A. Victor DIEFENDERFER were married in 1881 in Orefield (Lehigh), PA.2 A. Victor DIEFENDERFER (son of William Henry DIEFENDERFER and Matilda HAAK) was born on 9 Dec 1850 in Shimerville, PA. He died on 21 May 1915. Emma C. MUIR and A. Victor DIEFENDERFER had the following children:

9 i. Rev. William M. DIEFENDERFER was born on 18 Nov 1881 in Emaus, PA.
10 ii. Ralph E. DIEFENDERFER was born on 22 Apr 1887 in Siegersville (Lehigh), PA.
11 iii. Robert A. DIEFENDERFER was born on 12 Sep 1888 in Siegersville (Lehigh), PA. He died on 23 Oct 1914.

5. William J. (Will) MUIR (William-1) was born about 1862.2,4

William J. (Will) MUIR and Anna M. WEIDER were married on 25 Jun 1887 in Allentown (Lehigh), PA.2 Anna M. WEIDER (daughter of Irwin WIEDER and Lydia KEMMERER) was born about 1867 in Lehigh Co., PA.3 She died before 1900.3


6. Agnes MUIR (William-1) was born about 1865 in Pennsylvania.1 She appeared in the census in 1880 in Allentown (Lehigh), PA.1

Harry SMITH was a Candy manufacturer in Allentown (Lehigh), PA.2


8. Sarah (Sallie) MUIR (William-1) was born on 23 Nov 1869 in Pennsylvania.1,2

Charles Peter GLICK2 (son of Francis A. GLICK and Ellen L.) was born about 1865 in Pennsylvania.1 He appeared in the census in 1880 in Allentown (Lehigh), PA.1

Sources

1. 1880 Fed. Census.
2. David C. Glick
State College, PA
[e-mail]
(Apr. 2009).
3. Mormon IGI.
4. 1870 Fed. Census.

[David C. Glick]

Dear Randy,

Thank you for the information you have added.

Believe it or not, I just found some notes that I had forgotten about, of information passed down by William M. Diefenderfer. It says that William Muir was born October 28, 1826, in Glasgow, Scotland, died July 9 1869, and is buried in Zionsville Reformed Cemetery (Lehigh County). I suppose the information could have come from the gravestone, or from the family. I will try to check on the gravestone the next time I am in the area. And I'll check for a death record using that date, at the Lehigh County Historical Society.

Thanks,
Dave Glick

[tree]

Dear David:

In looking at the Mormon records (& those that I personally have), I can find only 1 William MUIR b. 28 Oct. 1826, but he was b. in Kilwinning (Ayrshire), Scotland. His parents were John & Ann (BURNS) MUIR, also of Kilwinning. Even though Kilwinning is in another county than Glasgow (Co. Lanark), I believe that Kilwinning and Glasgow may be only about 15-20 miles apart. I would find it interesting that William and Mary (JORDAN) MUIR named none of their children John, considering that was Mary's father's name and possibly William's, too. Definitely not all Scots followed the "traditional" naming pattern though. Besides, they well may have had other children (inc. some who may have died in childbirth or infancy). Their known 1st born daughter was "Anne," which could have been after "Ann BURNS" or John JORDAN's spouse. Just food to think about.

Sincerely,
Randy