1860 U. S. Census

 Every ten years our country counts and records it's residents.  It is a snapshot of one day, where people reside.  In 1860, the census was not always taken on the same day and duplicate entries happened.

The Arbuthnot's were recorded in two different places.  Carson, James and son-in-law Stephen are in Gold Hill.  And all of the family is recorded in Iowa, including Carson and James.  At this time, Samuel and William were in gold country, probably in a very remote area, and were not counted in the Nebraska Territory where they were mining.    I've included the Iowa State Census here as well, when all of the Arbuthnots were in Iowa and they had not come to the gold fields yet.

1856 Iowa State Census, Tama County, Iowa

1860 U. S. Census, Gold Hill Mining District, Nebraska Territory

1860 U. S. Census, Salt Creek Township, Tama County, Iowa

How they came - Gold Miner's Maps of '59

How they came...

In 1859 there were no trains to the Pike's Peak gold fields.  There were no roads, only trails that followed along the rivers.  With the exciting reports coming out of the west, many opportunists  published guide books and maps for getting to the Pike's Peak gold fields.  The entire region along the Rocky Mountain front range was considered Pike's Peak, including Boulder City.  These men had to be careful which guidebook they choose.  Sometimes a route was depicted shorter by the map maker, encouraging the potential miner that this guide book offered the best route.  (Anything to make a sale!)

There were basically three routes to the area that is today Denver.  To the north was the Platte River route, to the south the Smokey Hill route, and through the center of the area, the Republican route, all named for the corresponding rivers.  Of these three, the Smokey Hill was the most dangerous.  After the river ended, there was still a long way to travel without water and good grass.  While it was the shortest route, it was the riskiest too.  A fourth route came up from the south from the Sante Fe Trail, which had been a very old and well used trading route.  

The majority of those who came would have traveled along the Platte River which had been established as the route earlier to California and Oregon, also the Mormon's took this route to Utah.  While they continued on along the North Platte River, those headed to Pike's Peak broke off to the south and followed the South Platte River.  This is the route that the Arbuthnot men took.  Traveling roughly 75 days to get from their home in Tama County, Iowa, to arriving in Boulder City, Nebraska Territory on June 22, 1895.

Here are a couple of maps indicating the various route the "Argonauts" would have taken.

6.  Routes to the Gold Regions 1859
Pike's Peak Gold Rush Guidebooks of 1859.
From the collection by Editor, LeRoy R. Hafen,
State Historical Society of Colorado, 1941

7.  Map of the Gold Regions, 1850-1861
Colorado Gold Rush: Contemporary Letters & Reports, 1858-1959.
From the collection edited by LeRoy Hafen
State Historical Society of Colorado, 1941

The 40th parallel on these maps would be the same as Baseline Road today.  Some communities have been renamed, such as the town of Montana is now Golden.

Sources

Sheriff C. W. Arbuthnot, Constable of Sugar Loaf and Gold Hill

In 1860, while a lawless territory of the United States, the gold camps soon established community camps or districts in the mountains of what is now Boulder County.  The miners elected Presidents, Recorders (or Clerks) and Constables (aka Sheriffs) to keep the constitution (rules) that the miners had agreed upon for their district.

On October 31 of 1860, the Sugar Loaf Mining District was formed.  Judges were chosen by the miners to hold an election to establish the President, Recorder and Constable for their area up what is now Wallstreet in Four Mile Canyon.  Captain H. McHenry, D. E. Cole, were chosen as judges of the election with H. Blake as the recorder of the outcome of the election.  My source does not have the number of miners who voted this day, but that they elected David Whitner without opposition as President, H. Blake as recorder with out opposition, and C. W. Arbuthnot was elected constable by majority.  Also that night, a committee of five was appointed to write up a constitution to be presented in November 10th at 2PM, 1860.   Signed by H. Blake, Clerk
(Sources: 4.)

 It was the duty of these elected men to uphold the articles of the constitution.

The first Constable of the Gold Hill Mining District No. 1 was James Carlile, who had broken the rules by charging too much for services that he preformed as Sheriff.  Article 4 of the Miner's Constitution clearly states that being guilty of this violation once would result in a fine being levied.  But preform this violation twice, you lost your position within this mining camp.  At a meeting the week before, a committee was assigned to investigate.  The miner's minutes of December 15, 1860 records the report from that committee as well as the election of it's new Constable (or Sheriff), C. W. Arbuthnot.  Interesting that Carson Arbuthnot is already serving as Sheriff of the Sugar Loaf District.

Here is the transcription of the minutes from that Saturday evening.  (Any misspelling is that of the secretary who recorded these miner's minutes.)

Gold Hill of N.T. [Nebraska Territory]

Dec. 15, 1860

Miner’s meeting met presnent to adjournment meeting called to order by the President W. R. Blore.  The minutes of the two previous meetings read and approved, the committee (appointed to draw off the fee bill and to examine and see if constable [Carlile] had charged more than fee bill allowed him to charge) was called to make their report. 

Report of Committee

We the undersigned committee appointed to investigate and examine the papers returned to the President’s office by James Carlile during the time he was Constable of this district beg leave to report that they have attended to the duties assigned them and find that he has charged fifty cents for serving papers for which the law allows but twenty, and in the case of Collins against Pancost he has charged two dollars and seventy five cents mileage which is more than the law would allow under any circumstance, by at least one dollar and twenty five cents all of which is respectfully submitted.

P. M. Housel

Josiah Williams

M. L. McCaslin

Motion of the report of the committee be accepted and the committee be discharged, carried.  The Fee Bill was then read as follows.

President’s Fees

1st.  For trial occurring 2 days or less.  $1.50

2nd. For trail occurring more than 2 days.  $3.00

3rd.  And at the rate of $3.00 for each after the first.

4th  For issuing summons to defendant  $.50

5th  For issuing subpoena to witness $.50

6th  For issuing writ of attachment  $.50

7th  For issuing execution or writ of Delivery  $.50

8th  For all bonds or affidavits or Docketry case of action, or for any instrument necessary to be written.  $.75

Constable Fees

1st  For serving summons on defendant venire on jurors subpoenas on witnesses each $.20.

2nd  For each mile traveled to serve any writ subpoena or other instrument necessary to be served.  $.25.

3rd  For taking care of property such as horses mules or cattle coming into his hands all necessary expenses shall be allowed as may be decided by the President.

4th  For posting notices in civil cases.  $.20

5th  For writing all bonds necessary to be taken by law.  $.75

6th  For each days attendance on court at a rate of $3.00 per day.

7th  For serving Execution and making levy $.50.

8th  For selling property three cents for any amount under $50.  2½ per cent for every amount under $150, and 2 per cent for all amount over $150.

Motion that the meeting proceed to the election of Constable.  Carried on motion. Josiah Williams, James Smith, and M. L. McCaslin was apointed judges of election.

Robert Culver and E. S. Glotfelter was appointed clerks when the Polls was declared open, there was 41 votes polled of which C. W. Arbuthnot received 17, Jacob Purdy 15, David Lease 8, and P.M. Hosel 1.  The Judges declared C. W. Arbuthnot Elected Constable.

The following resolutions was read and handed in to be acted on the next general meeting.

Resolve #1.  That all actual residents of three months of this district be allowed to preempt one claim on every quartz lead [load] in this district.

Resolve #2.  That when a tunnel is started on ay lead no claim shall be taken or preempted on said lead to interfere with the tunnel below the depth of fifty feet.  

Motion to adjourn carried.

E. S. Glotfelter, Sec.

One interesting note:  

P.M. Housel, a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church in Boulder,  only received one vote here, but was voted in as a Judge for Boulder County in 1862 and re-elected in 1864.  

(Sources: 5.)

Arbuthnots in the 1850 U. S. Census & 1856 Iowa Census

1850 U. S. Census

In 1850, the Carson and Frannie Arbuthnot family well established and growing, together in Pine Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  By this time, Carson's father had died and his mother is living with another son.

1850; Census Place: Pine, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: M432_744; Page: 353B; Image: 711.

U.S. 1850 Census, Pine, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Family No. 254  Carson Arbuthnot age 46, Male, Farmer

                           Frances, Arbuthnot age 43, Female

                           Esther, 19, Female

                           Samuel, 17, Male, Laborer

                           William, 15, Male, Laborer

                           Jane, 13, Female

                           James, 8, Male

                           Martha, 7, Female

                           Margaret, 4, Female

                           Charles T., 3, Male

                           Frances, 2, Female

                          

Soon after this time, Carson moves the family to Benton County Iowa.  We don't know exactly when nor why they left, but by 1853, after his mother Esther McMarlin has died, most all of the Arbuthnot family relocates to Benton and Tama Counties in Iowa.

In 1856, the State of Iowa conducted a census, and it is nearly the same the Census above, now six years later.

Iowa State Censuses, 1856

Family No. 46   Carson Arbuthnot age 52, Male, Farmer

                           Frances, Arbuthnot age 48, Female

                           Esther, 23, Female

                           Samuel, 22, Male 

                           William, 20, Male

                           Jane, 18, Female

                           James, 14, Male

                           Martha, 11, Female

                           Margaret, 10, Female

                           Charles T., 8, Male

                           Frances, 6, Female

1858 is the last year that the Carson and Frannie Arbuthnot family is all together.

In 1859, gold fever has struck.  Carson, Samuel, William, Charles, and Esther's husband, Steven Newton leave the women and girls behind as the men head west, beginning their search for gold.

More on Samuel Arbuthnot, 1758(9)-1844, Generation One

More of the First Generation of Arbuthnot in the United States...

Samuel Arbuthnot 
Born 20 February 1758 or 1759 in Northern Ireland

Immigration Bef. 1790 from Ireland to Pine Township, PA
Military service Bet. 15 May - 14 December 1793 PA Militia from Westmoreland County, PA
Farmer & Timber-man, Pine Township, nr. Wexford, PA.
Died 20 February 1844 in Gibsonia, PA

It is unknown the exact date of when Samuel arrived in the United States from Northern Ireland.  It is believed that he arrived with two brothers.  We do know that he had sent his first wife to America before he came.  He had married her in Ireland.  It was said that he sent her to the new land dressed as a widow along with their only son, William.   Samuel never saw his wife and son again as she had fallen in love with the captain of the ship who sailed her and her son to the new world.  It is assumed that Samuel came to America looking for his wife and child.  Since he was not able to locate her, he then married a second time.

John McMarlin was not very happy with his daughter falling in love with a man who was so much older than she, let alone being divorced.  He was very much against the idea of Samuel marrying his daughter, Mary.  So Mary and Samuel eloped to western Pennsylvania where they settled in Pine Township, Allegheny County.  There they raised all of their children.

When Samuel died, he left his estate to his youngest.  The middle children moved to Tama County, Iowa sometime in 1850 and 1853.  My ancestors were there in Salt Creek, Tama County, Iowa, when they heard the cry, "Pikes Peak or Bust!"

Home of Samuel Arbuthnot in Ireland
Location in Ireland is unknown.

Sources for Samuel Arbuthnot:

U.S. 1830; Census: Place: Pine, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll  144; Page: 356.

U.S. 1840; Census Place:  , Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll  439; Page: 55.

    1840 Census listed Sam’l Arbuthnot as a veteran.

State Census: Pennsylvania Census, 1772-1890.  Pine Township, Allegheny County, 1840, page 117.  Age 81.  [Served in the PA Militia 1793]

A Census of Pensioners For Revolutionary or Military Services 1841, chapter Census of Pensioners, section Pennsylvania-Western District, page 117.

Official Arbuthnott Family Association, Kittybrewster.com US Table 1 Samuel Arbuthnot. 

From the DAR-GRC database:

Title: Pennsylvania DAR GRC report ; s1 v333 : cemetery surveys in Allegheny County / Massy Harbison Chapter (s1 v333, page 48 - Library Catalog)
Location: PENN COUNTIES ALLEGHENY GRC-1962 S1-V333

Title: Pennsylvania DAR GRC report ; s1 v189 : list of soldiers and widows of soldiers granted Revolutionary War pensions by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania / compiled by Harry E. Cope ; edited and indexed by Mrs. Daniel L. Whitehead, Regent, Phoebe Bayard  (s1 v189, page 43 - Library Catalog)  Location: PENN MILITARY 1775-1783 GRC 1976 S 1 V 189

Marriage of Samuel Arbuthnot:

First to Unknown, in Ireland;

Second to Esther McMarlin, Born 21 March 1779 Ireland, Died 28 September 1852.  Her father was John McMarlin.

Burial for Samuel and Esther Arbuthnot:

United Presbyterian (old) Churchyard, Pine Creek Township, Gibsonia, Pensylvania.  The church yard is located between the church and a motel.  Anne Dyni, historian for the community of Niwot, Boulder County, Colorado, has visited the Pine Creek Cemetery in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania and sent me these photos of Esther and Samuel's graves.  Thank you so very much Anne, we had feared that these graves had been removed for the building of the motel.  We very much appreciate your contribution to our family.

Pine Creek Cemetery, Gibsonia, PA

Grave of Esther McMarlin Arbuthnot

Grave of Samuel Arbuthnot, first generation of our Arbuthnot family.

Esther and Samuel's graves as they are today.

Fist Generation in America - Samuel Arbuthnot

In honor of Labor Day, Sept 2, 2013, I'm sharing the first generation of our Arbuthnot family that was recorded by Marie Scogland, an Arbuthnot descent from a Gold Hill, Colorado, family.  Labor and working hard has always been a core value of the Arbuthnots, so it seemed fitting to share our roots of this first generation.  Samuel and Ester's son Carson, and grand-sons Samuel, William, James and Charles (sons of Carson) who came to the Boulder, Colorado area in 1859.  Other grand-children also moved to Colorado in later years, including Carson's daughter Martha (who Marie Scogland is descended from), as well as the children of Samuel and Esther's other offspring.

This transcript below is taken from Marie Scogland’s notebook of family data sheets on our Arbuthnot family.  Her information was originally gathered for Laird and Lady John Arbuthnott for the first Arbuthnot(t) Family Association Gathering in Denver, CO.

Samuel Arbuthnot – Generation I

Samuel Arbuthnot, the first of our Arbuthnot line to come to America, was born in February 20, 1758. He is thought to have been born in Ireland. Samuel was a sailor and the captain of a ship. He came to America before or about 1790, as he is found in the 1790 Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania census in Armstrong Township, which is now in Indiana County. He came to America from either County Down, or County Cork, Ireland. There is an old painting, which has been handed down in the Arbuthnot family. It is said to be a painting of Samuel’s home in Ireland. The painting depicts a large house with numerous turrets and towers. It was a style built in the early 1700’s in Ireland and Scotland. It is thought that Louisa Arbuthnot Conklin had a copy made of the original painting, which Samuel brought from Ireland, and her niece, Ruth Arbuthnot Parker today, owns this copy. It is not known who owns the original painting today.

Samuel served in the Pennsylvania State Militia in Capt. John Craig’s company from May 3, 1791 until May 29, 1793. He served as a private in Captain John Sloan’s company from May 15, 1793 until December 1793. From April 1 to December 6, 1784 a Samuel Arbutton is listed as a corporal in Capt. John Sloan’s company. It is thought that this man is our Samuel Arbuthnot. His name in the 1810 and 1820 census is also given as Samuel Arbutton. The references on Samuel’s militia service are from the Pennsylvania Archives, 6 Series, Volume 5.

Samuel was first married to ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________, probably in County Down, Ireland. One child, William, was born of this marriage in 1781. The only data on Samuel’s first son is that he came to America and later resided in Essex County, Caldwell Township, New Jersey. He is found on the 1830, 1840, and 1850 census there. There is an earlier record of naturalization for a William Arbuthnot in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in 1808, and it is thought that this man could be Samuel’s first son.

Samuel’s first wife was said to have fallen in love with the captain of the ship on which she came to America. She is believed to have eloped with him upon her arrival to America. It is not clear whether she divorced her husband, Samuel, but it is presumed that she did. However no legal record of the divorce has ever been found. Family information states that Samuel did not again see his first son, William, after the breakup of his marriage.

Samuel did not marry again until 1796. He took as his second wife Esther McMarlin of German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Esther, born in 1779 in Ireland, was the daughter of John McMarlin. She was seventeen and Samuel was thirty-eight years old when they married. Family tradition states that they eloped on horseback from Fayette County, and that they at once went to Pine Township, Allegheny County and settled on a farm where they are known to have resided until their deaths in 1844 and 1852. But the first settlers came into Pine Township in 1796 and Samuel Arbuthnot’s name is not listed among them. In the 1800 census he is found still living in Armstrong Township in Westmoreland County. However, Samuel Arbuthnot is listed on the Allegheny County, Pine Township census from 1810 to 1840.

Samuel and Esther McMarlin Arbuthnot had eleven children. They were Alexander, David, Jane, Carson William, Sarah, Samuel, Robert, Mary, James Gibson, Martha, and Thomas Gibson. Samuel belonged to the Covenanter Church, the first church in the area, built in 1808. This church later united with the Hampton United Presbyterian Church, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania on Route 8 at the Pennsylvania Turnpike. When they abandoned the old church and built a new one, they retained the old Hampton Township church cemetery. This is where Samuel and Esther Arbuthnot are buried. Samuel died January 20, 1844 in Pine Township and Esther died September 28, 1852. Samuel made his last will on April 10, 1841.

In his will, Samuel left that part of his farm on which his house stood to his son Thomas Gibson Arbuthnot. Thomas continued to reside there after his marriage to Rhoda Orsborn in 1848. Shortly after his mother, Esther McMarlin Arbuthnot, died in 1852, the farm was sold. It was later bought by the state of Pennsylvania and was part of a large north side park. A lake was also made there.

Most of the foregoing account is taken from the notes on the Samuel Arbuthnot family compiled by Ruth Arbuthnot Parker, daughter of Dr. Charles Mertz Arbuthnot. Much of the data on Samuel Arbuthnot’s family came from his family Bible, later owned by Dr. Elsie Arbuthnot, daughter of Thomas Cary and Eliza Arbuthnot [cousins who married in Tama County, Iowa]. Further research by Phyllis J. Hughes, wife of Arbuthnot descendant Robert D. Hughes, was also incorporated into this biography.

Third revision, August 6, 1979.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Pine Township is at the top of the County where Samuel and Esther settled.
From the book, History of Allegheny Co., Pa, 1876.

Pine Township of Allegheny County, PA.
From the book, History of Allegheny Co., Pa, 1876.