A New Chapter Begins
Embark on the journey of the Erskine family to America. Explore the challenges, triumphs, and new beginnings as they sought to establish a legacy in a new land. This page is dedicated to the stories and memories of those brave ancestors.
Erskines Sail Across The Pond
26) John Erskine was born in Tyrone, Ireland in 1788 and died in New York in 1846. He married Elizabeth Clark in 1814. He was a fine-linen weaver in Belfast, Ireland and then went to Scotland where is son John was born in 1815. After that he went back and forth between Ireland and Scotland and finally when he was 48 years old he left Glascow for Greenock Ireland and took passage with his family for America on board the sailing vessel "Glascow" captained by Captain Griffith in March of 1836. It was a two month voyage and he arrived in NYC in May1836 where he continued his weaving business.
Elizabeth Clark, his wife, was born in Tyrone, Ireland in 1790 and died in Bergen City, New Jersey in 1874 at age 84.
Elizabeth and John had four sons and two daughters -
- JOHN (born in Glascow May 4, 1815
- Archibald & William died before coming to America
- James died in Montana about 1868. Married Isabella Lowe. They had three daughters and one son.
- Mary Ann married Thomas Riley and lived in Cromwell, Connecticut. They had three daughters.
- Margaret married James Dunlap 1887 and lived in West Bergen, New Jersey. They had two daughters and two sons.
Building A New Life
27) John Erskine born in Glascow, Scotland on May 4, 1815 the son of Elizabeth and John Erskine. He came to America with his family via Greenock in March of 1836 on the Glascow vessel. After being in business with his father for several years, he became associated with a Mr. Lawson in manufacturing silk fringes. He entered into this business under the name of John Erskine & Company for himself in 1841 on Gansevoort Street in New York City. There, he made Neopolitan laces and silk fringes. John seemed to live in many houses but mostly in and area around 9th Ave and 20th Street. He married Orcilla Graham on July 3, 1843 and built a home on 28th Street in NYC. In 1856 he sold his factory to Fisher Piano Manufacturing and built a new factory on West 34th Street. At the same time, he built a country home in Riverdale, NY (now the headmaster's house of the Riverdale Country Day School). He was greatly interested in Choir and church music. In 1869 he sold his second factory to Steck Piano Company and opened a new factory on West 45th Street where he manufactured silk ribbons. Shortly after he bought a house at 828 East 80th Street and moved his family there in 1874 and later died on March 6, 1879 at the age of 62.
Orcilla Graham was born in Lanark, Canada on February 20, 1821. The daughter of John Graham and granddaughter of George Graham (the Grahams of Govern). Orcilla was also the daughter of Margaret Graham, born 1792 and the granddaughter of James Graham (The Grahams of Falkirk). On July 3, 1843m she married John Erskine. After John died, she moved to 127 West 87th Street and she died on April 15, 1892 at age 71. They had five sons and three daughters.
- John Graham, born April 29, 1844 and died October 14, 1865 at age 21.
- Elizabeth, born april 19, 1846. Died unmarried in June 1989 at age 52.
- Margaret, born June9, 1849. Died in January 1854 at age 5.
- James Morrison, born March 30, 1851 and died January 25, 1916. He married Eliza Hollingsworth and they had two boys and four girls.
- William Beach, born July 7, 1853. Married Serena Quackenbus. Had one daughter.
- Arthur Carpenter, born May 14, 1856 and died March 27, 1880 at age 24.
-CHARLES WESLEY, born at Riverdale on August 27, 1859. Died December 12, 1923 at age 64. Married Josephine Lucy Gillespie.
- Orcilla, born October 29, 1861. died April 4, 1904 at age 43. She married W Prescott Barker. They had three sons and two daughters.
