Robert Kenner McMordie was the youngest child of Hans and Martha Kenner McMordie. He was born in Montgomery County, Tennessee, on 24 Jan 1843, and at age 10 moved with his father, brothers and sister to Williamson County, Texas (McMordie Family Bible, 1903; Montgomery County Census #733, 1850). In the Williamson County Census of 1860, Robert, or Bob as he was called by the family, was the only child still living at home. He was 17 years of age at this time and worked as a common laborer.
Bob was in Williamson County, Texas, in 1863 or 1864. In his Autobiographical Sketch, his nephew, George Kenner McMordie, wrote "Some time during the [Civil] war, don't remember what year it was, Uncle Bob was at our house, and for some reason he was hiding out so he would stay in a thicket not far from our house, and would take his meals to him for several days." Robert was wounded at the battle of Mansfield, Louisiana on April 4, 1864. He was probably recovering from his wounds.
Sometime after the Civil War, Bob was in Western Kentucky where he met and courted Jordena A. Davis. Perhaps she was related to Mary's husband William Davis, thereby providing a way for them to meet. Never the less, they were married on 13 Nov 1873 at Hickman, Kentucky, (McMordie Family Bible, 1903). Their children were:
Before 1887, Bob McMordie had moved to Lipscomb County, Texas, where was foreman of the 7K Ranch. He was unhappy when nesters tried to settle on the 7K horse pasture, which was unfenced. He tried unsuccessfully to bluff them into leaving (Spray, 1983).
By 1900, Bob and Dena were living in Mineral Well, Palo Pinto County, Texas, where he was a hotelkeeper. They had been married for 24 years and had three children, all of whom were living at home. Loudena, age 25, was a schoolteacher, 15 year old Mabel and 13 year old Robert were in school. Bob and Dena also had three live-in servants (Palo Pinto County Census, 1900).
Robert Kenner McMordie died in 1903. Following is a write-up obtained from a family Bible:
"Robert Kenner, youngest son of Hans and Martha Ethridge McMordie, brother of A. McMordie, died at Mineral Wells, Texas, Jan. 25, 1903, age 60, DOB 1-24-1843.
Rest in Peace, Dear Brother. will follow on ear [sic] long,
Blessed are they who die in the Lord" (McMordie, 1965.)
Jordena Davis McMordie, who as born in Kentucky in September of 1845, died after 1920 (Palo Pinto County Census, 1900; Palo Pinto County Census #207, 1920).
Loudena McMordie married William F. Smith, and this union produced two sons, Bennett, born in 1906 in the Phillipine Islands, and Robert, born in Palo Pinto County, Texas in 1908. William Smith was an attorney and was born in Ohio (Palo Pinto County Census, 1910).
Robert K. McMordie, born in June of 1886, was a plumber. He married Ena in Palo Pinto County, Texas, after 1910, but they had no children. Robert died on 20 Feb 1936 in Palo Pinto County, Texas (Palo Pinto County Census, 1910; Palo Pinto County Census #201, 1920; Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1936).
McMordie Family Bible, A. McMordie, Calvert, Jan 2nd, 1903.
McMordie, G. K., Autobiographical Sketch, 1936, pp. 2, 4, 5, 8.
McMordie, W. C., Private Communication, 10 Aug 1965.
Spray, B. C. (ed), Texas Panhandle Forefathers, Amarillo Genealogical Society, Amarillo TX, 1983, 251 F, p. 178.
Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death, 1936.
United States Census, 1850, Montgomery County, Tennessee, #744-370.
United States Census, 1860, Williamson County, Texas, #287.
United States Census, 1880, Williamson County, Texas, #537, Pct 8.
United States Census, 1900, Palo Pinto County, Texas, ED 124, Sheet ?, Pct 5.
United States Census, 1910, Palo Pinto County, Texas, ED 191, Sheet 309.
United States Census, 1920, Palo Pinto County, Texas, ED 201 Sheet 15.
United States Census, 1920, Palo Pinto County, Texas, ED 207, Sheet 14.
Williamson County, Texas, Deed Book Vol. 18, 1877, p. 120.