Stirrat Family History

Samuel Stirrat of Ayrshire, Scotland brought his family to New York City on July 5, 1864 to settle in "Hell's Kitchen" as a baker.  His wife, Elizabeth McKinnon and his children, Sarah, William, Elizabeth and Jane made the trans-Atlantic crossing. When they first came to New York they lived at 540 W. 27th Street.  The bakery was located at 589 11th Avenue, which is at 44th Street on the west side. They lived above the bakery during the 1870-1880s then moved up to 547 W. 50th Street by 1890. The location is now an Irish Pub called "McQuaids Public House." Sam had been a baker in Scotland.  He died in 1909 and Elizabeth died in 1894.

Their later children were born in New York City: Samuel, Robert, Alexander, Margaret and Joseph.   Many of these lines are still in existence today; however, unfortunately Robert Stirrat's namesake has not become legacy.  Alexander died as an infant and we know nothing of Joseph's line.

Our great grand father, Robert Stirrat was born in Manhattan in 1867 and lived at 534 W. 46th Street.  He worked as a machinist and first married a woman named Jennie McDonald on December 30, 1895 and they had two daughters: Agnes and Jeanne, who lived to adulthood.  Their other children: Gertrude, Douglas and Ethel had all been born and died between 1901 and 1905.   Jennie died young in 1905 within two weeks of her baby, Ethel.  Robert then remarried Anne Henrietta Rankin on September 2, 1907; they had only two children who lived to adulthood: Robert Hall Stirrat and Grace R. Stirrat.  Henrietta was also born in Manhattan and is of Scots-Irish descent.

Our grandfather, Robert "Bob" Hall Stirrat was born in 1909 in 534 W. 46th Street, Manhattan after the death of four other children who died as infants.  The middle name "Hall" was given as a remembrance of the Episcopalian minister who baptized Robert.   Robert was raised and educated in Manhattan and moved to Long Island with his parents as a young man.  He found a job at a newspaper writing sports stories and continued to hone his writing skills with the help of his uncle Glen Mullin.  He met Dorothy Maisch and married her in 1932 where they lived in Baldwin, New York. Their first daughter was born in 1933.  He continued as a sports writer and was eventually offered a position with the newly founded Little League Baseball International in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1955.  He rose to the position of Vice President of Public Relations and became a local celebrity. Their eldest daughter has five children and 10 grandchildren and one great granddaughter.  His second daughter finished her secondary education in Williamsport and went on to Centenary College for an Art degree.   Their second daughter is married and has four children and five grandchildren.

Bob's sisters, Agnes, Jeanne and Grace married and lived in the greater New York area most of their lives.  Agnes married Louis Molino and had only daughter, who is married with several children and grandchildren.  Agnes died very young also leaving Jeanne to be raised by her aunt Jeanne, who married Glen Mullin, an English literature  professor and artist at Columbia University.  Grace married Pat Osthues.  Jeanne and Grace never had children of their own.

 

                                                                               

 

Robert Stirrat (1867-1958)                         Annie "Henrietta" Rankin Stirrat (1876-1965)