Family tradition has it that immigrant George Weir was born in County Antrim but that birthplace has never been verified. I have not found a marriage date, or place of marriage for George and Margaret (Gardner) Weir.
Source: George Weir Sr. Birthplace
However, William "Pat" Morrison visited the Beech Grove Cemetery in early spring of 2003 and made a discovery that all the rest of us have seen every time we were looked at George Weir's stone and did not comprehend. This stone has weathered almost black although there are some spots of lighter color, it is a different type of stone than that of David and Jane Weir and has not crumbled and fallen into pieces, it reads" George Weir born July 15, 1788 died Dec 31, 1845 - Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." This read we stop reading, overlooking the important message about two or three inches from the bottom of the stone that reads "B. Sevier, Co. Ky."
There is a Sevier, Union County, Kentucky, in our current maps of Kentucky - BUT, Union County was not formed until the early 1800's. Iooking for the formation of Kentucky - found that in 1777 Fincastle Co., Virginia was divided into three counties - those being Washington, Montgomery and Kentucky Counties. In 1780 Kentucky County was divided into three counties - Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln. Soon six more counties were formed. Further search found that what we know now as the state of Kentucky was not formed until four years after the birth of George Weir. Also a Sevier County now in Tennessee, was included in that area first called Kentucky County, Virginia. Checking back in my accumulated Weir papers found many Weirs / Wears in the area of Sevier County and Sevierville, Tennessee. A James Weir has not been found that would fit our family at this point. - This is substantuated by the fact that searching for an application for American Citizenship for George and John Weir has been futile - Since being born on Ameirican soil does not necessitate naturalization - they were Americans with their first breath .
Source: 1820 Census Franklin Twp, Washington County, Indiana p. 201
WEAR, George 201 2000010 20010 100
meaning: Head of Household: George WEAR p. 201 two males under ten years of age , one male twenty- six to forty- five, 2 females under ten years of age, one female twenty-six to forty- five. Family interpretation: James Gardner Weir, b. 1814, and George William Weir b. 1819, their father : George Weir b. 1788, age 32. 1. Margaret Jane or Peggy Weir b. 1811, 2. Mary Matilda Weir b. 1816, and their mother, Margaret (Gardner) Weir b. 1788 age 32
George Weir applied for land in Washington County, Indiana, for which a patent was granted on 12 July 1828. As was explained for brother David at that point in time the land was paid for at the time of purchase but the grant was often not issued until years later because of the overload in the land management offices. A few years later a George W. Weir filed for land in Washington County - Seven years later a George W. filed for land in Scott County. I feel that the first applicant was George Weir b. 1788 - that George W., who was his first son, and married to Mary Jane McCullough - first lived in Washington Co., then Scott Co., and moved to and died in Hancock Co., Illinois. Census records for George W. will appear in third generation. I feel that previous researchers felt that George and George W. were the same person
and used the middle name, William for both.
Source: Bureau of Land Management records appear on the internet
Patentee Name: Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale Cash
George Weir Acres 80
Document #1501 LAND OFFICE: Jeffersonville
Issue date 12 July 1828
part Sec. Twp Range Tract. Meridian State Counties
E1/2 SE 13 3-N 5-E no 2nd PM IN WashingtonSource: Bureau of Land Management Serial # In 1660--.085
Patentee Name: George Weir Acres 80.08
Document #91299 Issue date August 2, 1838 Land office, Jeffersonville, Ind.
NWSE 13/ 2N 5E no 2nd PM IN Washington
SENW 18/ 2-N 6/E no 3nd PMPlease Note - The authority date is not the date the land was purchased. It had to be paid for in cash at time of purchase. Because of the great number of patents to be issued it was several years before the patent would be received by the landowner. Earlier attempts to schedule payment over a four year period resulted in havoc. 1816 was the coldest summer on record many people could not make their payments because their crops failed, and lost their land as a result. From about 1818 - buying government land was pretty much a cash on the barrel head proposition. In about 1865 purchase of government land procedure changed again with the first of various homestead grants.
Source: 1840 Franklin Township, Washington County, Indiana transcribed by John Burkett at National archives for James R. Weir in 1938
George Weir & Wife 50 - 60, 1 man 20-30, 1 boy & 1 girl 15-20, 1 boy 10-15.
family translation:
George and Margaret both b. 1788 age 52, John Jos. 19, David Francis17, Nancy Elizabeth, 14 Robert A. 10. At this point of time Margaret Jane, James Gardner Weir, Mary Matilda, and George William Weir (born 1819) had married and were living in either Washington or Scott Counties of Indiana.There is some conflict regarding the middle name of the first son in the above list. Some researchers use John Joe, some, John Josiah, Some, John Joseph. His descendants living in Martinsville, Clark , Illinois use John Joseph.
Source: . Cem., Beech Grove, Franklin Twp., Washington, Indiana Row 10
WEIR, George b. 15 Jul 1788 d. 31 December 1845
Son of James Weir Senior. Husband of Margaret Gardner
daughter of James and Margaret (?) GardnerIn Washington County Franklin Township Cemetery book, 2000 p35 we find
Weir George, b. 15 July 1788 d. 31 Dec 1815 With the death date of 1845 on the gravestone it is
obvious that 1815 is a typographical errorSource: Register of Deeds, County Court House, Salem, Indiana 1 November 1850
Deed of sale from James G. Weir and Mary Ann his wife; Cozad Stark and Peggy Jane his wife; George W. Weir and Jane his wife; John J. and his Jane his wife; David F. Weir and Sarah his wife, John Robbinson and Nancy Elizabeth his wife , heirs and legal representatives at law of George Weir's descendants, late of Washington County and State of Indiana of the first part to Robert A. Weir heir also of said deceased of the second part ( Mary Matilda is not included in this deed of sale because she had died in 1847. She was first wife of Joseph McCoskey.) John J.'s first wife had died, It must be remembered that he and Mary Isabelle Mc Cullough had twin boys born before 1850. One was named George Josiah. the other James William. (The first wife died after giving birth to the twins.)
Source:1850 census, Franklin Twp., Washington , Indiana
Family #249
Margaret Weir 62 f b. Ireland - could not read or write
Robert 21 m b. IndianaSource: Cem., Beech Grove, Franklin Twp, Washington, Indiana Row 10
Weir, Margaret (Gardner) b. 20 May 1788 d. 6 September 1868
Wife of George Weir Sr. Daughter of James & Margaret Gardner.By this point in time choice land in Washington County, Indiana was pretty well spoken for, and we find that the children and grandchildren of George and Margaret (Gardner ) started their migration to other points. some to Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas , Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, Canada etc.
Children of George Weir and Margaret (Gardner) Weir
16. i Margaret Jane Weir b. 11 Dec 1811
17. ii James Gardner Weir b. 22 Feb 1814
18. iii Mary Matilda Weir b. 28 Aug 1816
19. iv George William Weir b. 12 Mar 1821
20. v John Joseph Weir b. 28 Mar 1821
21. vi David Francis Weir b. 9 Oct 1823
22. vii Nancy Elizabeth Weir b. 12 Jun 1826
23. viii Robert A. Weir b. 1830
Source:1850 census, Franklin Twp., Washington , Indiana
Family #249
Margaret Weir 62 f b. Ireland - could not read or write
Robert 21 m b. IndianaSource: Cem., Beech Grove, Franklin Twp, Washington, Indiana, b. 1788 Row 10
WEIR, Margaret (Gardner) b. 20 May 1788 d. 6 September 1868
Wife of George Weir Sr. Daughter of James & Margaret Gardner.Weir Data on microfilm gives death date as the 3rd of Sep 1868