Скачать или смотреть An American Love Story - Robert Megowan and Mary Parker in Colonial America

📜 Historical Background & Research Notes

For Gene and the Megowan family, Christmas 2024

Robert Megowan (c.1750–1803) was the first known Megowan ancestor in America. Born in Ireland, likely of Scots-Irish Presbyterian descent, he came to Pennsylvania as a young man—probably arriving around 1773—and lived with the Parker family near Valley Forge as an indentured servant or hired hand.

By 1780, Robert married Mary Parker, whose family lived only a few miles from the encampment at Valley Forge. Their marriage was performed by Rev. David Rice, a prominent Presbyterian minister later known as “The Apostle to Kentucky.”

During the Revolutionary War, Robert contributed to the Patriot cause:
• helped build fortifications near Philadelphia
• served as wagon master and quartermaster near Valley Forge
• supported troop transport and supply teams in the severe winter of 1777–78

After the war, Robert and Mary migrated to Lexington, Kentucky, where Robert opened a tavern known as the Sheaf of Wheat. It grew into an important inn and even temporarily housed Kentucky’s state treasurer’s office in the 1790s. Robert also served as a Lexington town trustee.

Late in life, Robert filed claims for property lost in the war (teams, horses, wagons). After his death in 1803, Mary continued pursuing these claims and eventually received a widow’s pension in 1838 for Robert’s Revolutionary War service.

Robert and Mary had several children, including David Megowan, through whom Gene’s line descends.

Gene's lineage from Robert:
Robert → David → William (“Delwin”) → Edward W. → Harry → Thomas Ewing → Gene

This family line lived in Kentucky—Lexington and later Louisville—for nearly 200 years before part of the family moved to Florida in the mid-20th century.

📚 Primary Sources Used for This Narrative

• Revolutionary War pension application of Mary (Parker) Megowan, 1838
• Lexington, Kentucky historical registers and trustee records
• Genealogical notes from the Kentucky State Historical Society
• Research compiled by Regina Barry on the Megowan family
• U.S. census and marriage records (Fayette & Jefferson Counties, KY)
• Lexington property, tavern, and municipal records (1790s)
• Social Security and cemetery records for later generations
• Local church history referencing Rev. David Rice and Presbyterian settlements
• Valley Forge supply, wagon master, and quartermaster lists

💛 A Note for Family

This video blends documented history with creative storytelling, honoring Robert’s life, Mary’s courage, and the generations that followed.

May their legacy continue to bless our family. Subscribe to this channel for future stories of the Megowans and other families.