The Arrival of the Blacks, the Mylers, the McDades and the Mackeys in the U.S.
On the paternal side of my own family, the MYLERs, the BLACKs, the McDADEs and the MACKEYs all originally came from Ireland. The Blacks came from County Tyrone, and the MYLERs from County Wexford. I do not know from which county the MACKEYs and the McDADEs came.
But I do know that my great-great grandmother, MARGARET BLACK, married my great-great grandfather, ROBERT BLACK, but was of no relation, in County Tyrone, Ireland, before their arrival in Philadelphia in 1820. They arrived in Pittsburgh after the birth of my great-grandfather, THOMAS JAMES BLACK, on May 21, 1832, living somewhere in the greater Pittsburgh area, probably in the East End.
The Families Settle in Pennsylvania
Our Myler family history, Vol. 1, written by my grand uncle, Thomas Trimble Myler, Jr., and published in Pittsburgh in 1911, tells of the Mackey family. WILLIAM MACKEY was born in Ireland in 1797, according to the 1850 PA census report that lists him as 53 years of age. When William was a very young man he was Associate Judge of Westmoreland County, PA. Later, with his brother, Robert, he established the largest Leather Goods Manufacturing Company in the state, principally for the production of harnesses and saddles.
Caroline and Thomas T. Myler Are Married
Caroline was a lovely girl, rather tall, slender and graceful. Her family did not consider Caroline's choice of husband, Thomas Trimble Myler IV, a very suitable match, from a financial standpoint, for a girl in her position, but yielded to her wishes in the matter and gave her a magnificent wedding.
Caroline Supports Her Family
In her 39th year (1871), Caroline's husband Thomas died, and while he left an estate, it was not sufficient for the proper support of his widow and seven children, the oldest of whom was only sixteen. Caroline refused the assistance of friends and relatives and resolutely applied herself to the task of providing a sufficient income for her large family. Although she had not looked into her school books for 20 years, in a few weeks, by unremitting study, she passed an examination for a teacher's certificate and secured a position as a teacher in the Practice School at the high school in Pittsburgh. As a teacher she was very successful, and long after this occupation ceased to be necessary financially, she continued the work from the love of it.
Descendants of William Mackey
1 William MACKEY b: 1797 d: Aft. 1850
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In about 1822, William Mackey married MARY FLEEGAR (TORRENCE), widow of WILLIAM BLAIR TORRENCE.
They had two daughters that I know of: Mary A. Mackey and my great-grandmother, CAROLINE CATHERINE MACKEY (1829-1907), pictured to the right.
In 1848, according to the Myler book, the summer home of the Mackeys was a little estate of ten acres, sloping up the hillside from the basin of the old Pennsylvania Canal. The winter residence was in Pittsburgh. The Mackey Leather shops were located on the East side of Wood Street and extended from Diamond Street to Fifth Avenue. All this property was owned by William and Robert.
At the time of Caroline's marriage, the Mackeys were at the height of their prosperity. She had been educated in the best schools, and by private tutors. Her father was a vestryman in Trinity Epsicopal Church, and Caroline's first Sunday School teacher was a young lady who subsequently eloped with Capt. Schenley, of England, who contributed so much to making Pittsburgh a beautiful city.
The young couple took a wedding journey which attracted more mention in those days than a trip to the heart of Africa would do in ours. They went to Montreal and Quebec and returned by way of New York. Caroline relates that before they started, their friends and relatives bade them a mournful goodbye as though they never expected to see them on earth again.
Caroline Mackey was undoubtedly one of the most highly educated women who ever came into the Myler family. She was an accomplished musician and a clever writer - the latter a talent she retained to the day of her death. Letters written by her in her 78th year are faultless in construction and style. She also possessed a most winning manner, and was loved by everyone who knew her.
In addition to teaching in the public school, she was for over 30 years Superintendent of the Primary Department of the Baptist Sunday School, with whom she united after her marriage. And for many years she was President of the Woman's Missionary Society.
Caroline Mackey Myler and Thomas Trimble Myler had nine children, of whom more on the Myler pages. Caroline died on May 18, 1907, in her 78th year, having suffered terribly (probably from cancer) for five months. I wish that I had been able to know my great-grandmother. My father spoke lovingly of her, although he was only 9 years old when she died.
Here is a brief Family Tree of the Mackey family:
..+Mary FLEEGAR (TORRENCE) b: 1790 d: Aft. 1850
...2 Mary A. MACKEY b: 1822 d: April 15, 1889
...2 Caroline Catherine MACKEY b: Dec. 10, 1829 d: May 18, 1907
....+Thomas Trimble MYLER, Sr. (Thomas IV) b: Sept. 14, 1822 d: July 17, 1871
.....3 Mary Elizabeth MYLER b: Aug. 20, 1849 d: Sept.10, 1867
.....3 Rachel MYLER b: March 25, 1852 d: Nov. 12, 1853
.....3 Caroline Annette MYLER b: July 23, 1854 d: Dec. 18, 1899
......+John Milton DAVISON
........4 Ruth Cameron DAVISON b: Abt. 1892 d: Bef. 1899
........4 Kathryn Myler DAVISON b: Sept. 14, 1894
.....3 Thomas Trimble MYLER, Jr. (Thomas V)b: Feb. 15, 1857 d: March 21, 1928
.....3 Trevor Fleegar MYLER b: May 25, 1859 d: June 01, 1909
......+Laura Dock IMHOFF
.....3 Anna Spencer MYLER b: Sept. 02, 1861 d: Sept, 25, 1932
......+Edward William IMHOFF b: 1858 d: April 28, 1926
........4 Grace Ball IMHOFF b: Feb. 19, 1884
.........+Walter G. ISENBERG
.....3 William Mackey MYLER, Sr. b: June 12, 1864 d: Nov. 29, 1955
......+Minnie Morgan BLACK b: Nov. 18, 1871 d: Jan. 02, 1917
........4 William Mackey MYLER, Jr. b: Oct. 31, 1897 d: Oct. 01, 1982
.........+Mildred McIntosh HARRISON b: Dec. 12, 1901 d: July 04, 1995
........4 Alan Black MYLER, Sr. b: April 16, 1900 d: Jan. 1979
.........+Emma Annetta HUNTER b: April 03, 1901 d: Jan. 21, 1997
........4 Nancy Read MYLER b: April 09, 1907 d: Oct. 05, 1997
.....3 Julia Blake MYLER b: Nov. 06, 1866 d: May 12, 1949
........+William Shallenberger POWER b: 1864 d: Jan. 10, 1937
........4 William Percival POWER b: May 11, 1891 d: Feb. 20, 1896
.....3 Paul Judson MYLER b: April 24, 1869 d: April 20, 1945
......+Lily Maude LOTTRIDGE